Glutathione S-transferase (28GST) with molecular mass of 28 kDa is an antioxidant enzyme abundant in Clonorchis sinensis. In adult C. sinensis, 28GST was localized in tegumental syncytium, cytons, parenchyma, and sperm tails examined by immunoelectron microscopy. C. sinensis 28GST was earlier found to neutralize bioreactive compounds and to be rich in eggs. Accordingly, it is suggested that 28GST plays important roles in phase II defense system and physiological roles in worm fecundity of C. sinensis.
Animals ; Clonorchis sinensis/*enzymology ; Glutathione Transferase/*metabolism/physiology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Microscopy, Immunoelectron ; Molecular Weight ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

No abstract available.
Humans ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary* ; Ulcer*

No abstract available.
Candidiasis* ; Diabetes Mellitus*

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

Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) is a significant cause of death in the hospitalized patient in the western and developed countries. The development of PTE and venous thrombi is associated with many and various factors, including that physicians fail to provide adequate prophylaxis to the high risk patients. The authors studied 74 legal autopsy cases performed from 1996 to 2000 at the Headquarters of National Institute of Scientific Investigation, Seoul, Korea. We learned that ceasarian section was the most common precedong trauma in PTE death in legal cases. Excluding Ceasarian section cases, major mechanical injuries, male gender and aging were common factors associated with PTE. Obesity was a common factor in all kinds of trauma. Deep vein thrombi were documented in majority cases and ambulation was a critical triggering cause for the thrombi making PTE. Clinical diagnosis was not so satisfactory.
Aging ; Autopsy* ; Cause of Death ; Developed Countries ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Obesity ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Seoul ; Veins ; Walking

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: To obtain preliminary data for understanding the central auditory neural pathway by means of functional MR imaging (fMRI) of the cerebral auditory cortex during linguistic and non-linguistic auditory stimulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In three right-handed volunteers we conducted fMRI of auditory cortex stimulation at 1.5 T using a conventional gradient-echo technique (TR/TE/flip angle: 80/60/40 degree). Using a pulsed tone of 1000 Hz and speech as non-linguistic and linguistic auditory stimuli, respectively, images-including those of the superior temporal gyrus of both hemispheres-were obtained in sagittal plases. Both stimuli were separately delivered biaurally or monoaurally through a plastic earphone. Images were activated by processing with homemade software. In order to analyze patterns of auditory cortex activation according to type of stimulus and which side of the ear was stimulated, the number and extent of activated pixels were compared between both temporal lobes. RESULTS: Biaural stimulation led to bilateral activation of the superior temporal gyrus, while monoaural stimulation led to more activation in the contralateral temporal lobe than in the ipsilateral. A trend toward slight activation of the left (dominant) temporal lobe in ipsilateral stimulation, particularly with a linguistic stimulus, was observed. During both biaural and monoaural stimulation, a linguistic stimulus produced more widespread activation than did a non-linguistic one. CONCLUSION: The superior temporal gyri of both temporal lobes are associated with acoustic-phonetic analysis, and the left (dominant) superior temporal gyrus is likely to play a dominant role in this processing. For better understanding of physiological and pathological central auditory pathways, further investigation is needed.
Acoustic Stimulation ; Auditory Cortex* ; Auditory Pathways ; Ear ; Linguistics* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Neural Pathways ; Plastics ; Temporal Lobe ; Volunteers

As gastroduodenoscopy performed more frequently, case reports of human echinostomiasis are increasing in Korea. A Korean woman presented at a local clinic with complaints of abdominal pain and discomfort that had persisted for 2 weeks. Under gastroduodenoscopy, two motile flukes were found attached on the duodenal bulb, and retrieved with endoscopic forceps. She had history of eating raw frog meat. The two flukes were identified as Echinostoma hortense by egg morphology, 27 collar spines with 4 end-group spines, and surface ultrastructural characters. This report may prove frogs to be a source of human echinostome infections.
Animals ; Duodenal Diseases/*parasitology ; Duodenum/*parasitology ; Echinostoma/*isolation & purification ; Echinostomiasis/*diagnosis ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged

Adenoid cystic carcinoma is a rare disease of which incidence is 10-15 % of bartholins gland carcinoma. The clinical presentation is characterized by a vulval mass that existed for a prolonged period to the onset of symptoms, usually infection, pain, and burningsensation Histologically, this tumor is characterized by cribriform pattern cell growing and perineural invasion. The obtaining of clear surgical margins is the most important aspect of treatment. Here we report a case of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the Bartholins gland with a brief review of literature.
Adenoids* ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic* ; Incidence ; Rare Diseases

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is introduced as a marker of disease. At present, a variety of method may be used to quantify expression of this protein. Antigen capture-ELISA is a sensitive and accurate quantification method previously used with ovine, rat, and human IL-6 proteins. However, it has never been reported to quantify porcine IL-6 protein using capture ELISA. In this study, we generated and characterized a set of IgY and mono-specific polyclonal antibodies to recombinant porcine IL-6 (rpIL-6), and combining these with a sensitive and specific capture-ELISA for a diagnostic purpose. cDNA encoding the mature protein coding region of porcine IL-6 was cloned and expressed with pQE-30UA expression vector. rpIL-6 was then expressed and purified by using Ni-NTA resin. Protein mass of 24 kDa was found with SDS-PAGE and the identity of the protein was confirmed by Western-blot. Production of polyclonal antibodies against rpIL-6 was performed using the purified rpIL-6 in mice and hens. An antigen capture-ELISA was developed with the antibodies after their extraction. To compare the IL-6 level in the different sanitary state of farms, pig sera were randomly collected and concentration of IL-6 in the sera was measured with the antigen capture-ELISA. The capture-ELISA with the optimal concentration of antibodies, in this study, was able to detect about 10 ng/ml of rpIL-6. IL-6 levels determined with the capture-ELISA in pig sera showed positive correlation with the sanitary states of the farms. These results suggested that the developed antigen capture-ELISA could be a good tool for the screening of microbial infection in pig farms.
Animals ; Biological Markers/blood ; Blotting, Western/veterinary ; Chickens ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary/genetics/isolation&purification ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel/veterinary ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods/*veterinary ; Female ; Immunoglobulins/*blood ; Interleukin-6/*immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Recombinant Proteins/immunology ; Swine/*immunology