This study was designed to investigate the mole- cular mechanism of chemokine induction by lipopoly-saccharide(LPS) of E. coli. Chemokine gene expression was evaluated by the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) assay using RNAs isolated either from kidneys of LPS-injected inice or from the mesangial cells stimulated with LPS, IFN-r or TNF-a. LPS was shown to induce interferon gamma(IFN- 7 ) inducible protein 10 (IP-10) and monokine induced by interferon gamma (MIG) in kidney. IP-10 gene expression was induced by LPS and IFN-r, but MIG gene expression was induced by IFN-r in mesangial cell. Chemokines induced by LPS increased splenocyte migration. Sodium salicylate, wortmanin and piperazine blocked LPS mediated chemokine induction suggesting the activation of nuclear factor-a B pathway. It is concluded from this study that mesangial cells are the target of LPS in the renal failure resulting from the systemic infections. LPS induces chemokines directly and/or indirectly in the mesan- gial cells, and these chemokines may associated with renal inflammation.
Chemokines ; Gene Expression* ; Inflammation ; Interferons ; Kidney ; Mesangial Cells* ; Renal Insufficiency ; RNA ; Sodium Salicylate

Dendritic cell (DC)s are protessional antigen presenting cells and they have been used for antitumor immunotherapy or cell vaccines. However therapy using DC is restricted because the number of DC available from tissue is very low. Flt3 ligand (FL) has been known as a hematopoietic growth factor that increases proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells, and recently it showed inducibility of dendritic cell (DC)s and signiticant antitumor effects in vivo. Thus FL will be frequently used for DC induction and antitumor immunotherapy in future. Here we constructed FL plasmid and studied its in vivo effect. FL plasmids were made by cloning of partial FL cDNA into pcDNA3 plasmid, and gene expression and protein producibility of FL plasmid were confirmed in Renca cells transfected with FL plasmid. Mice were injected with FL plasmid (100ug/mouse) three times and 20 days later mouse spleens were harvested for staining and RT-PCR. There were lots of blastogenic cells in the spleen of mice treated with FL plasmid. FL plasmid also induced DEC205, IL-12 and GM-CSF gene expression in mouse splenocyte. All these data suggest FL plasmid may be used for induction of DC and antitumor therapy as DNA adjuvant.
Mice ; Animals

No abstract available.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Peptic Ulcer*

Pulmonary artery aneurysms are very rare. They are usually associated with congenital cardiac defect. We present one case of pulmonary artery aneurysm associated with patent ductus arterious with the review of the literatures.
Aneurysm* ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent* ; Pulmonary Artery*

No abstract available.
Muscular Dystrophies*

No abstract available.

We describe an unusual case of cysticercosis in soft tissue. On US, a well-defined oval shaped cystic lesionwith an inner central hyperechoic portion was noted. This portion showed high signal intensity on T1-weightedimages and equivocal enhancement. On MRI, other portions of the lesion showed their cystic nature. Pathologicexamination confirmed the presence of cysticercosis and, in particular, the central portion was found to be amural nodule with scolex. Cysticercosis in the soft tissue and musculature of patients from endemic areas shouldthus be considered in the differential diagnosis of an incidental mass, especially when this is cystic and has aninner central nodule.
Cysticercosis* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Parasites

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to evaluate fracture strength of collarless metal-ceramic FPDs according to their metal coping designs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four different facial margin design groups were investigated. Group A was a coping with a thin facial metal collar, group B was a collarless coping with its facial metal to the shoulder, group C was a collarless coping with its facial metal 1 mm short of the shoulder, and group D was a collarless coping with its facial metal 2 mm short of the shoulder. Fifteen 3-unit collarless metal-ceramic FPDs were fabricated in each group. Finished FPDs were cemented to PBT (Polybutylene terephthalate) dies with resin cement. The fracture strength test was carried out using universal testing machine (Instron 4465, Instron Co., Norwood MA, USA) at a cross head speed of 0.5 mm/min. Aluminum foil folded to about 1 mm of thickness was inserted between the plunger tip and the incisal edge of the pontic. Vertical load was applied until catastrophic porcelain fracture occurred. RESULTS: The greater the bulk of unsupported facial shoulder porcelain was, the lower the fracture strength became. However, there were no significant differences between experimental groups (P > .05). CONCLUSION: All groups of collarless metal-ceramic FPDs had higher fracture strength than maximum incisive biting force. Modified collarless metal-ceramic FPD can be an alternative to all-ceramic FPDs in clinical situations.
Aluminum ; Bites and Stings ; Collodion ; Dental Porcelain ; Denture, Partial, Fixed ; Head ; Resin Cements ; Shoulder

In order to evaluate antitumor rnechanisms of interleukin (IL)-12/IL-2 that has been shown significant tumor suppressive activity on established primary and metastatic Renca tumor, we studied chemokine gene expression induced by direct action of IL- 12/IL-2 or cytokine cascade. IL-12/IL-2 induced gene expression of interferon gamma (IFN-r) and granulocyte monocyte-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in splenocytes, and it induced gene expression of monokine induced by IFN-r (Mig), interferon inducible protein 10 (IP- 10), SDF-1, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1a, MIP-1B, MIP-2, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, and Rantes in tumor mass. However IL-12/IL-2 could not induce these chemokines in tumor mass of GKO mice and Renca cell in vitro. IL- 12 also did not increased chemokine gene expression in Renca cell in vitro, but IFN-r induced gene expression of Mig, IP-10, MCP-1 in Renca cell in vitro. In the chemotaxis assay, culture supernatant of Renca cell stimulated with IFN-r increased splenocyte migration in vitro. All these data suggest IL-12/IL-2 can induce IFN-r-chemokine cascade in tumor mass, and Mig, IP-10, MCP-1 produced from tumor cell may play an important role for initial immune cell migration into tumor mass.
Animals ; Cell Movement ; Chemokine CCL5 ; Chemokine CXCL10 ; Chemokines ; Chemotaxis ; Gene Expression* ; Granulocytes ; Interferons ; Interleukins ; Macrophages ; Mice ; Monocytes

BACKGROUND: Acromioclavicular (AC) stability is maintained through a complex combination of soft-tissue restraints that include coracoclavicular (CC), AC ligament and overlying muscles. Among these structures, the role of the CC ligament has continued to be studied because of its importance on shoulder kinematics, especially after AC injury. This study was designed to determine the geometric change of conoid and trapezoid ligaments and resulting stresses on these ligaments according to various scapular motions. METHODS: The scapuloclavicular (SC) complex was isolated from a fresh-frozen cadaver by removing all soft tissues except the AC and CC ligaments. The anatomically aligned SC complex was then scanned with a high-resolution computed tomography scanner into 0.6-mm slices. The Finite element model of the SC complex was obtained and used for calculating the stress on different parts of the CC ligaments with simulated movements of the scapula. RESULTS: Average stress on the conoid ligament during anterior tilt, internal rotation, and scapular protraction was higher, whereas the stress on the trapezoid ligament was more prominent during posterior tilt, external rotation, and retraction. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that CC ligament plays an integral role in regulating horizontal SC motion as well as complex motions indicated by increased stress over the ligament with an incremental scapular position change. The conoid ligament is the key structure restraining scapular protraction that might occur in high-grade AC dislocation. Hence in CC ligament reconstructions involving only single bundle, every attempt must be made to reconstruct conoid part of CC ligament as anatomically as possible.
Biomechanical Phenomena ; Cadaver* ; Dislocations ; Ligaments* ; Muscles ; Scapula ; Shoulder