OBJECTIVE: Bacteroides fragilis, normal colonic inhabitant, is the most frequently isolated anaerobes in infected tissues, particularly in intraabdominal abscesses. In the acute infection model with abscesses, the response to B. fragilis infection is characterized by infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages. This study was designed to determine whether proinflammatory cytokines could be upregulated in peritoneal tissue of B. fragilis-infected mouse model. METHODS: After C57BL/6 mice were infected with abscess-inducing encapsulated B. fragilis, RNA was extracted from the intraperitoneal tissues. Cellular RNA was also extracted from mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPM) and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) after infection with B. fragilis. Expression of various cytokine mRNA was assessed using RT-PCR and standard RNA. Each cytokine protein was also measured by ELISA. RESULTS: B. fragilis-infected intraperitoneal tissues showed upregulated expression of IL-1u, IL-6 and TNFu mRNA. Expression of IL-1u and TNFu mRNA and protein was significantly higher in MPM or PBMC infected with B. fragilis than in those without infection. However, expression of IL-6 mRNA and protein was not increased in MPM or PBMC infected with B. fragilis compared with those without infection. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the cytokines can be involved in immunopathologic reactions of the peritoneal tissue infected with B. jragilis.
Abscess ; Animals ; Bacteroides fragilis* ; Bacteroides* ; Colon ; Cytokines ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; Macrophages ; Macrophages, Peritoneal ; Mice* ; Neutrophils ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger

Cytochrome compounds which act as electron transfer agents in oxidation-reduction reactions. An important example is cytochrome c, which has a molecular weight of about 13,000 and contains one atom of iron per mol. Our attempt is to evaluate clinically the therapeutic effect of cytochrome c on the healing wound of the lesions which supposed to be oxygen concentration is lowered than in normal tissues in tissue respiration, and it used in neuropathy, muscle paralysis, retinopathy, vitreous hemorrhage, corneal chemical burns in ophthalmology. The patients included in the following series: They were five cases of retrobulbar optic neuritis, two cases of optic neuritis, one case of axial optic atrophy, two cases of simple optic atrophy, two cases of muscle paralysis, one case of central retinopathy, one case of chorio-retinal atrophy, one case of maculra degeneration, one case of diabetic retinopathy, one case of pigmentary degeneration of the retina, one case of vitreous hemorrhage, four cases of corneal chemical burn, and one case of corneal dystrophy. After intra-dermal injection with cytochrome c, evaluated the allergic character and it was given intra-venous injection. The results were as follows: 1) In total 23 cases, had excellent therapeutic effects on neuropathy, muscle paralysis, and corneal chemical burns. 2) In general, we found that it did not respond to central retinopathy and diabetic retinopathy. 3) We experienced that it have response to the old lesions. 4) It was interested that the night blindness could be disappeared by cytochrome c use in pigmentary degeneration of the retina. Yet there remain certain problems so far unsolved.
Atrophy ; Burns, Chemical ; Cytochromes c* ; Cytochromes* ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Humans ; Iron ; Molecular Weight ; Night Blindness ; Ophthalmology ; Optic Atrophy ; Optic Neuritis ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Oxygen ; Paralysis ; Respiration ; Retina ; Vitreous Hemorrhage ; Wounds and Injuries

Malignant glomus tumor is a rare neoplasm arising from the glomus body, comprising categories of locally infiltrative glomus tumor, sarcoma arising in benign glomus tumor and de novo glomangiosarcoma. We report one case of locally infiltrative glomus tumor arising in nail bed of the right thumb of a 50 year-old woman. The tumor showed the architectural features of glomus tumor but cytologically bizarre, pleomorphic features without mitosis and infiltrative growth pattern to adjacent connective tissue and nerve. Immunohistochemical results were consistent with glomus tumor. This category of malignant glomus tumor must be distinguished from other round cell tumors because of its good prognosis.
Female ; Humans

We report a case of malignant tumor of the stomach showing both carcinoma and sarcoma components in a 47 year-old woman. The resected stomach revealed two tumors which were in different location. The one mass was a 2 x I cm, poorly demarcated tumor at the body, along the lesser curvature and the other was a 6 x 7 cm, well demarcated polypoid tumor with a central depression at cardia of the posterior stomach wall. The tumor at the body was a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma which showed strong reactivity for CEA. The tumor at the cardia was composed of epithelioid or spindle shaped cells with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm and revealed 5-6 mitoses per ten high power field. The tumor at the cardia was diagnosed as epithelioid leiomyosarcoma and showed reactivity for vimentin but none for actin, desmin,keratin, and CEA. This is different from the usual carcinosarcoma.
Female ; Humans ; Adenocarcinoma

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn*

The authors observed 4 cases of retinitis punctata albescens presented in a family, namely, a sister and 3 brothers of 6 siblings. Typical fundus findings were found in all four patients. Under ordinary illumination, the perripheral visual field was within the limit of normal, but concentrically contracted in 5 to 30 degrees under the reduced illumination.
Humans ; Lighting ; Retinitis* ; Siblings ; Visual Fields

Invasion of enteric bacteria, such as Salmonella and invasive E. coli, into intestinal epithelial cells induces proinflammatory gene responses and finally epithelial cell apoptosis. In this study, we asked whether invasive bacterial infection of human intestinal epithelial cells could upregulate cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene expression and whether increased COX-2 expression could influence intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis. Expression of COX-2 mRNA and prostaglandin (PG) E production were upregulated in HT-29 colon epithelial cells which were infected with S. dublin or invasive E. coli, as examined by quantitative RT-PCR and radioimmunoassay. Inhibition of COX-2 expression and PGE2 production using NS-398, a specific COX-2 inhibitor, showed a significant increase af epithelial cell apoptosis and caspase-3 activation in HT-29 cells infected with invasive bacteria. However, the addition of valerylsalicylate, a specific COX-1 inhibitor, did not change apoptosis in S. dublin-infected HT-29 cells. These results suggest that upregulated COX-2 expression and PGE2 production in response to invasive bacterial infection could contribute to host defense by inhibiting apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells.
Apoptosis* ; Bacteria ; Bacterial Infections* ; Caspase 3 ; Colon ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Dinoprostone ; Enterobacteriaceae ; Epithelial Cells* ; Gene Expression ; HT29 Cells ; Humans ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases* ; Radioimmunoassay ; RNA, Messenger ; Salmonella

BACKGROUND: Doppler echocardiography is a non-invasive technique that has been used to evaluate LV diastolic dysfunction. Impaired left ventricular diastolic filling is known to occur in patients with coronary artery disease. Compared with those in normal subjects, Doppler-derived transmitral blood flow velocities have been reported to be reduced during early diastolic filling and to be compensatory elevated subsequent to atrial systole in patinets with coronary artery disease. But stiffness of myocardium normalize the E/A ratio, and normal E/A ratio may reveal increased ventricular filling pressure. We tried to investigate left ventricular filling parameters by Doppler echocardiography in patients with early myocardial infarction, and to compare left ventricular diastolic function regarding infarct location on EKG, one or multivessel disease on coronary angiography, and treatment modality. METHODS: From September 1993 to August 1995, Pulsed wave Doppler echocardiography was performed in patients with early acute myocardial infarction(N=95) and control group(N=20) within 5 days after admission, and parameters of diastolic function was evaluated. RESULTS: Echocardiographic data showed significant differences in mean ejection fraction, mean left ventricular mass, and mean left ventricular mass index between two groups. There was no significant difference in E/A ratio, deceleration time, and isovolumetric relaxation time between two groups. Neither, there was significant difference in each diastolic parameter for infarct related wall on EKG. And there was no significant difference in deceleration time for one or multi vessel disease on coronary angiography, treatment modality(conservative treatment, thrombolytic therapy, or primary PTCA). CONCLUSION: In patients with early acute myocardial infarction, left ventricular diastolic dysfunction was absent. And there was no significant correlation between the presence of diastolic dysfunction and the location of infarct related wall on EKG, or one or multi vessel disease, or treatment modality.
Blood Flow Velocity ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Deceleration ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Myocardium ; Relaxation ; Systole ; Thrombolytic Therapy

Adenoid cystic carcinoma arising from the submucosal glands of the trachea and bronchial tree is rare. The histopathology and natural history of bronchial adenoid cystic carcinoma have been well documented, but detailed descriptions of its cytomorphology are few. We report a case of primary bronchial adenoid cystic carcinoma in a 20-year-old female, diagnosed by bronchial brushing cytology. The cytologic specimens showed large clusters of small cells arranged around cystlike spaces containing globular basophilic material.
Basophils ; Bronchi ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic ; Ependymoma ; Female ; Humans ; Infant* ; Natural History ; Seizures* ; Spinal Cord ; Trachea ; Young Adult

Two cases of vitiligo-type hypomelanosis followed by the local application of Benoquin ointment for the treatment for the treatment of melasma are reported. These two cases of hypomelanosis are unwanted and unintended side effects probably caused by the application of monobenzyl ethers of hydrcquinone (monobenzone). Monobenzone blocks the enzyme tyrosinase and thereby prevents the conversion of tyrosine to dihydroxyphenylanine, a precursor of melanin, and since this does not destroy melanocyte or facilitate the loss of melanin. The skin contact with the material will not occur, repigmentation will slow but eventuaIly complete.
Ether ; Ethers ; Hypopigmentation* ; Melanins ; Melanocytes ; Melanosis ; Monophenol Monooxygenase ; Skin ; Tyrosine ; Vitiligo*