For parthenogenetic activation as a model system of nuclear transfer, microinjection and electroporation as activation treatments in bovine metaphase II oocytes were administered to each of three groups as follows: control group (treatments with Ca2+, Mg2+ -free PBS+100 micro M EGTA), IP3 group (control+25 micro M IP3) and IP3+ ryanodine group (control+25 micro M IP3+10 mM ryanodine). In experiments using microinjection, no significant differences were observed between any of the developmental stages of the electroporation experiment. For electroporation, cleavage rates were significantly higher in the IP3+ryanodine group than in the IP3 or control group (85.6% vs 73.7% or 67.6%, respectively). In the subsequent stages of embryonic development, such as morula and blastocyst formation, the IP3 and ryanodine group exhibited significantly higher rates of morula fomation than the IP3 or control groups (40.6% vs 24.2% or 16.7%, respectively). Similarly, the rate of blastocyst formation in the IP3+ryanodine group was significantly higher than the control group (16.3% vs 6.9%) but did not differ significantly from the IP3 group (16.3% vs 9.5%). In nuclear transfer, activation was performed at 30 hpm by microinjection and elecroporation with 25 micro M IP3+ 10 mM ryanodine followed by 6-DMAP treatment. No significant differences were observed at any stage of embryonic development and none of the embryos activated by electroporation reached either the morula or blastocyst stage. However, 3.8% and 1.9% of embryos activated by microinjection sucessfully developed to the morula and blastocyst stages, respectively. In conclusion, activation treatments using IP3 and ryanodine are able to support the development of bovine parthenogenetic and reconstructed embryos.
Adenine/administration & dosage/*analogs & derivatives/pharmacology ; Animals ; Cattle/*embryology/physiology ; Cell Fusion ; Electroporation/veterinary ; Embryonic and Fetal Development/*drug effects ; Enzyme Inhibitors/administration & dosage/pharmacology ; Female ; Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate/administration & dosage/*pharmacology ; Microinjections/veterinary ; Nuclear Transfer Techniques ; Oocytes/drug effects/growth & development ; Parthenogenesis/*drug effects ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors ; Ryanodine/administration & dosage/*pharmacology ; Skin/cytology

No abstract available.
Animals ; Ovum* ; Rats*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the change of choroidal thickness and intraocular pressure (IOP) as a result of hemodialysis with chronic renal failure patients. In addition, the correlation between the change of choroidal thickness and IOP were evaluated. METHODS: A total of 48 eyes of 48 chronic renal failure patients undergoing hemodialysis were included in the present study. IOP, blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), serum osmolality, central corneal thickness (CCT), and choroidal thickness were measured before and after hemodialysis. Choroidal thickness was measured using spectral domain ocular coherence tomography (SD-OCT). RESULTS: After hemodialysis, IOP significantly decreased from 14.9 +/- 2.3 mm Hg to 14.3 +/- 2.1 mm Hg (p < 0.001) and choroidal thickness significantly decreased from 352.2 +/- 31.6 microm to 306.6 +/- 29.0 microm (p < 0.001). The other factors that significantly decreased after hemodialysis included serum osmolality (p < 0.001) and blood pressure (p < 0.001) except CCT (p = 0.285). There was a positive correlation between changes in IOP and choroidal thickness after hemodialysis (r = 0.319, p = 0.027). CONCLUSIONS: Decreased choroidal volume and thickness due to fluid loss may be involved in the mechanism of decreased IOP during hemodialysis.
Blood Pressure ; Choroid ; Eye ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Osmolar Concentration ; Renal Dialysis

BACKGROUND: There has been reports which suggest that non-specific symptom of patients with mitral valve prolapse is associated with autonomic dysfunction. METHODS: To assess autonomic dysfunction of patients, we examined five cardiovascular reflex tests in 25 asymptomatic MVP patients(identified as MVP group), 25 symptomatic MVP patients(identified as MVP syndrome group) and 25 control group. RESULTS: In the five cardiovascular autonomic function tests, abnormalities of Valsalva ratio were detected in 1(4%) control group, 7(28%) MVP group, 9(36%) MVP syndrome group, heart rate response to deep breathing in 0(0%), 2(8%), 4(16%) respectively, immediate heart rate response to standing in 0(0%), 2(7.4%), 2(8%) respectively and in postural hypotension, there were no abnormal group. Abnormalities of blood pressure response to sustained handgrip were only detected in 2(8%) MVP syndrom group. According to the five categories of cardiovascular autonomic functon tests, normal in 24(96%) and early damage in 1(4%) were detected in control group. In the MVP group, normal 17(68%), early damage 6(24%) and definite damage 2(8%) were noted. In the MVP syndrome group, normal 9(36%), early damage 13(52%), definite damage 1(4%) and combined damage 2(8%) were detected. In case of heart rate response to deep breathing, we found significant differences between control and MVP syndrome group(p=0.043), and between MVP and MVP syndrome group(p=0.0043). In case of heart rate response to standing, between control and MVP syndrome group(p=0.0009), between MVP and MVP syndrome group(p=0.001), the differences were noted. In case of blood pressure response to standing, between control group and MVP group(p=0.0019), between MVP and MVP syndrome group(p=0.0075), we found significant differences. Resulting from our study, heart rate response to deep breathing and standing, blood pressure response to standing were of considerable value in assessing the autonomic dysfunction of patients with mitral valve proapse. CONCLUSION: We found autonomic dysfunction in addition to increased autonomic tone and responsiveness which have been already known previously in mitral valve prolapse. And autonomic dysfunction was more severe in symptomatic patients with mitral valve prolapse than asymptomatic ones.
Blood Pressure ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypotension, Orthostatic ; Mitral Valve Prolapse* ; Mitral Valve* ; Reflex ; Respiration

To investigate the contributions of intrinsic membrane properties to the spontaneous activity of medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) neurons, we assessed the effects of blocking large and small calcium-activated potassium channels by means of patch clamp recordings. Almost all the MVN neurons recorded in neonatal (P13~P17) rat were shown to have either a single deep after-hyperpolarization (AHP; type A cells), or an early fast and a delayed slow AHP (type B cells). Among the recorded MVN cells, immature action potential shapes were found. Immature type A cell showed single uniform AHP and immature B cell showed a lack of the early fast AHP, and the delayed AHP was separated from the repolarization phase of the spike by a period of isopotentiality. Application of apamin and charybdotoxin (CTX), which selectively block the small and large calcium-activated potassium channels, respectively, resulted in significant changes in spontaneous firings. In both type A and type B cells, CTX (20 nM) resulted in a significant increase in spike frequency but did not induce bursting activity. By contrast, apamin (300 nM) selectively abolished the delayed slow AHP and induced bursting activity in type B cells. Apamin had no effect on the spike frequency of type A cells. These data suggest that there are differential roles of apamin and CTX sensitive potassium conductances in spontaneous firing patterns of MVN neurons, and these conductances are important in regulating the intrinsic rhythmicity and excitability.
Action Potentials ; Animals ; Apamin ; B-Lymphocytes ; Charybdotoxin ; Fires* ; Membranes ; Neurons* ; Periodicity ; Potassium ; Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated ; Rats* ; Vestibular Nuclei*

No abstract available.

Strongylodiasis is universal in distribution but is most abundant in countries with a tropical climate. Although infestation by Strongyloides stercoralis is usually limited to the intestines, dessemination of this helminth in debilitated host can be lead to death with various clinical disorders. characterized by profound malabsorption, diarrhea, electrolyte imbalance, gram negative or opportunistic fungal sepsis, coma and death. Cell-mediated immunity contributing significantly to the control of helminthic infections, may be suppressed by carcinoma, immunosuppressive chemotherapy and use of corticosteroids. Diagnosis of Strongyloidiasis is achieved by an examination of samples of feces, duodenal aspirates and sputum of patients for Strongyloides stercoralis. Treatment of strongyloidiasis is twofold : correction of the immunosuppressive state by withdrawal of immunosuppressive drug, if possible, and vigorous treatment with thiabendazole. Testing for strongyloidiasis is especially recommanded before treating a patients should be monitored for infection by Strongyloides stercoralis and other opportunistic infection. We are reporting a case patient with Strongyloides stercoralis hyperinfection and pulmonary tuberculosis who had been. used corticosteroid for persisting polyarthritis.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Arthritis ; Coma ; Diagnosis ; Diarrhea ; Drug Therapy ; Feces ; Helminths ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Intestines ; Opportunistic Infections ; Sepsis ; Sputum ; Strongyloides stercoralis* ; Strongyloides* ; Strongyloidiasis ; Thiabendazole ; Tropical Climate ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

BACKGROUND: Using biochemical and immunohistochemical studies, alterations of cytokeratin expression has been reported in seborrheic keratosis. OBJECTIVE: To further investigate the cytokeratin expression in seborrheic keratosis, we have done immunohistochemical staining using a panel of specific anti-keratin antibodies in this study. We also observed the cytokeratin expression in the hair, sebaceous gland and sweat gland of the some epidermis. METHODS: Twenty cases of seborrheic keratosis were collected from the pathologic files. The histological types included acanthotic type (13 cases), hyperkeratotic type (5 cases), and pigmented type (2 cases). All tissues had been fixed in formalin and then paraffin-embedded according to conventional procedures. Each section was mounted on a gelatin-coated glass slide, and incubated with various anti-keratin antibodies. The sections were then immunostained using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex system. The peroxidase reaction was visualized with diaminobenzidine (DAB). RESULTS: 1. Cytokeratin expression in seborrheic keratosis lesions On staining with 34βB4 (K1), several staining patterns in the suprabasal layers of the epidermis were observed in 10 out of 20 cases. Using the AE1 (K10,14,15), we observed focal staining in 2 cases. We observed several positive staining patterns in 5 cases with K13,16 antibody. On staining with K10 antibody, we observed focal or irregular staining patterns in 14 cases. Focal staining was also observed with K5,8 antibody in one case. 2. Cytokeratin expression in the hair, sebaceous gland and sweat gland On immunoperoxidase staining of hair, there were positive reactions with CAM5.2 (K8,18) in 2 cases. There were positive reaction with K13,16 antibody in one case, with 34βB4 (K1), and K10 antibody in 3 cases, and with K17 antibody in 2 cases. On immunoperoxidase staining of sebaceous glands, there was one positive reaction with CAM5.2 (K8,18) in the suprabasal cells of sebaceous glands and with K13,16 antibody in sebaceous ducts. There were positive reactions with K17 antibody in the sebaceous ducts in 2 cases, and with K1 antibody in the sebaceous glands in one case. Using 34βB4 (K1), 4 out of 20 cases showed positive reactions in sweat glands. On staining with AE1 (K10,14,15), positive reactions were observed in 8 cases. Staining with CAM5.2 (K8,18) showed positive reactions in 14 cases. There were positive reactions with K19 antibody in 9 cases. CONCLUSION: Our data suggests that the predominant keratin expression in the tumor cells of seborrheic keratosis is high molecular weight keratin (K1/K10) rather than other lower molecular weight keratin. Tumor cells show some proliferative activity and monoclonal antibody K19 could be a marker for eccrine sweat glands like CAM5.2 (K8,18).
Antibodies ; Epidermis ; Formaldehyde ; Glass ; Hair ; Keratins* ; Keratosis, Seborrheic* ; Molecular Weight ; Peroxidase ; Sebaceous Glands ; Sweat Glands

In order to evaluate the ocular autonomic dysfunction in diabetics, pupil cycle time(PCT) was assessed in 201diabetics and 33controls. PCT was significantly different between the diabetics and controls and prolonged in diabetics in regard to the severity of retinopathy(p<0.05). PCT was significantly prolonged in diabetics in regard to the diabetic peripheral neuropathy and nephropathy(p<0.05). PCT was significantly different among the diabetic groups in regard to the duration of diabetes(p<0.05). Sustainde PCT was unmeasurable in 56.7% of diabetics and in 72.3% of proliferative diabetic retinopathy compared with 28.8% of controls(p<0.05). Ocular autonomic dysfunction in diabetics correlated closely with the severity of the diabetic retinopathy, diabetic petiphetal neuropathy and nephropathy, diabetic duration.
Diabetic Nephropathies ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Pupil*

Cephalosporins are B-lactam antibiotics. They are usually bactericidal in action and act by inhibiting mucopeptide synthesis in the bacterial cell wall. Cephalosporins have been used widely in Korea. However, allergic contact dermatitis to cephalosporins has not been reported in the Korean dermatologiy literature. We report a case of allergic contact dermatitis due to cephalosporins in a 23-year-old nurse who suffered from itchy, erythematous patches and plaques with numerous fissures on both hands. A patch test with ceftriaxone and a prick test with cefotiam were positive.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Cefotiam ; Ceftriaxone ; Cell Wall ; Cephalosporins* ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; Hand ; Humans ; Korea ; Patch Tests ; Young Adult