No abstract available.
Humans*

The effects of polyadenylic.polyuridylic acid [poly(A).poly(U)] on in vitro proliferations of thymus and spleen cells from C57BL/6 mice were investigated. Mice were injected intravenously with 30 micrograms of poly(A).poly(U) or placebo. Two days later, thymus, spleen and peritoneal cells from these mice were prepared and cultured in pooled or non-pooled conditions. Cell proliferations were assessed by the technique of incorporation of tritiated thymidine. It has been revealed that the in vitro proliferations of thymus and spleen cells as well as the productions of interleukin-1 by peritoneal adhering cells and interleukin-2 by spleen cells were significantly enhanced in the cultures of cells from poly(A).poly(U)-treated mice. These enhancing effects were observed only in the cultures of pooled cells from mice whose genetic homogeneity is suspected. Furthermore, thymus cells from poly(A).poly(U)-treated mice acted as strong responder cells but not as stimulators in one way mixed cultures. Thus, the enhanced cellular responsiveness may be mediated by the increased production of cytokines and antigen recognitions of thymus-derived cells following activations via the adjuvant effect of poly(A).poly(U).
Animal ; Cell Division/drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Interleukin-1/biosynthesis ; Interleukin-2/biosynthesis ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Poly A-U/administration & dosage/*pharmacology ; Spleen/*cytology ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Thymus Gland/*cytology

The T cell responses to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were analyzed in acute hepatitis patients, chronic active hepatitis (CAH) patients and asymptomatic carriers. Neither proliferative responses nor substantial cytokine production of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in response to HBsAg was detected. For further studies, HBsAg- reactive T cell lines were prepared from PBMC of the hepatitis patients and asymptomatic carriers. No proliferative response of the T cell lines was observed. Interestingly, however, T cell lines obtained from acute hepatitis patients were found to produce IFN-r, but not IL- 4, in response to HBsAg stimulation, whereas T cell lines obtained from CAH patients and carriers were not. Results of this study suggest that HBsAg-reactive T cells producing Thl type cytokines may play an important role in the viral clearance during acute infections, while defects in those T cells may be responsible for the viral persistency.
Cell Line ; Cytokines ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens* ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; T-Lymphocytes*

No abstract available.
Seoul*

No abstract available.
Antibodies* ; Humans ; Leprosy*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural* ; Nephrosis, Lipoid*

BACKGROUND: Surgical repair of a hip fracture and a total hip replacement (THR) are mostly performed in elderly patients. The overall perioerative mortality is 0.5 to 1.0%, for which one of the common causes is pulmonary embolism during the postoperative period. A number of studies have demonstrated reduction in both perioperative blood loss and incidence of postoperative thromboembolism after a total hip replacement with spinal or epidural anesthesia. However a regional technique is often inappropriate for the patient scheduled for a THR because of the long operating time, the positioning and the manipulation required during the procedure. Even though combined epidural-general anesthesia may offer advantages for the patient undergoing a THR, until now the effects of such a technique for a THR have not been reported. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of general anesthesia (GA) and combined epidural-general anesthesia (CEGA) on blood loss, incidence of postoperative thromboembolism and effective postoperative pain control on patients undergoing a THR. METHODS: Thirty cases of both GA and CEGA for a THR performed at the department of anesthesiology, Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital from Jan. to Dec. 1999 were selected. The surgical time, volume of intravenous fluid infusion during the operation, intraoperative and postoperative transfusion volume, preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin, postoperative blood loss, use of postoperative analgesics, and incidence of postoperative thromboembolism were measured. RESULTS: Surgical time, volume of intravenous fluid administration during the operation and the use of postoperative analgesics was significaltly less in the group CEGA (P < 0.05). Mean values of intraoperative and postoperative transfusion volume, differences between preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin and postoperative blood loss were less in the CEGA group than in GA group. However, the differences were not found to be statistically significant. No difference was found between the two groups in incidence of postoperative thromboembolism. CONCLUSIONS: CEGA decreases surgical time, volume of intravenous fluid administration during an operation and provides effective postoperative pain control in patients undergoing a THR. Therefore,it is suggested that CEGA offers some advantages over GA alone.
Aged ; Analgesics ; Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, Epidural ; Anesthesia, General* ; Anesthesiology ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip* ; Hip ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Operative Time ; Pain, Postoperative ; Postoperative Hemorrhage ; Postoperative Period ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Thromboembolism

No abstract available.
Animals ; Antibody Formation* ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Mice* ; Poly I-C*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Autoimmunity* ; Mice*

No abstract available.
Lymphomatoid Papulosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Tuberculosis*