BACKGROUND: This study was performed in order to investigate the changes of Na+ transport system in the red blood cells of patients with essential hypertension. METHODS: Na(+)-Li(+) countertransport and Na(+)-K(+) pump activity were measured in 30 cases of essential hypertension and 20 healthy normal controls. And these measurements were analyzed in terms of some important clinical parameters in the patients, i.e., body mass index(BMI), status of hypertension and plasma lipids. RESULTS: Na(+) and K(+) contents of red cells in hypertensive patients were 16.9+/-1.4 and 77.8+/-2.1mmol/L cells, respectively, and no significant difference was found compared with respective value of normal control(14.2+/-0.9 and 82.2+/-2.8mmol/L cells). Na(+)-Li(+) countertransport in the patients group was significantly ancreased compared with control group(62.5+/-4.5 and 46.8+/-3.0umol/L cells.hr), and Na(+)-K(+) pump activity was also showed a significant depression(8.72+/-0.80 and 12.79+/-0.52umol Pi/mg.hr). In the analysis regarding the relationship between Na(+) transport system and some important clinical parameters of the patients with essential hypertension, Na(+)-Li(+) countertransport was related to BMI, and the level of triglyceride. On the other hand, Na(+)-K(+) pump activity was related to the WHO stage and the levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride. But level of blood pressure did not show a significant correlation with either are of the two Na(+) transport system. CONCLUSION: These resluts suggest that Na(+)-Li(+) countertransport and Na(+)-K(+) pump activity in patients with essential hypertension were significantly altered compared with heathy normal controls, and these Na(+) transport system were also influenced by BMI, WHO stage, and the levels of cholesterol and triglyceride. And the individual variation in Na(+) transport system were also suggested by the findings being overlapped between hypertensive patients and controls.
Blood Pressure ; Cholesterol ; Erythrocytes* ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Plasma ; Triglycerides

Chronic bronchiolitis is a condition associated with cigarette smoking, and later associated with pulmonary parenchymal alteration and progressive deterioration of lung function. Early respiratory bronchiolitis was produced in Sprague-Dawley rats by indirect inhalation of cigarette smoke daily in a smoke exposure chamber designed by authors for 1 month. Experimental group A (n=5) was sacrificed after having smoked 30 cigarettes, group B (n=5) after 80 cigarette, and group C (n=7) after 140 cigarettes, respectively. Examination of morphologic changes in the lungs was done on light microscope, transmission and scanning electron microscopes. Light microscopically, increase in number of goblet cells in the bronchial mucosa, brown-pigmented macrophages in the alveoli, multifocal alveolar collapse adjacent to the bronchioles, dilatation of alveolar ducts and alveolar spaces were observed. Transmission electron microscopically, irregularly shaped Clara cells, alveolar wall collapse, and focally type I epithelial cell injury were seen. Scanning electron microscopically, scattered alveolar collapse, irregular dilatation of alveolar ducts, alveolar spaces and interalveolar pores (pores of Kohn) were seen. The terminal and respiratory bronchioles showed morphological alteration of Clara cells, but no evidence of cellular bronchiolitis or bronchiolar obstruction. We conclude that sidestream smoke induces an early respiratory bronchiolitis including aggregates of brown pigmented macrophages and varying degrees of structural alteration of adjacent pulmonary parenchyma.
Bronchioles ; Bronchiolitis ; Dilatation ; Epithelial Cells ; Goblet Cells ; Inhalation ; Lung ; Macrophages ; Mucous Membrane ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Smoke* ; Smoking ; Tobacco Products*

This study was carried out to investigate the morphologic characteristics and localization of antigenic molecules of Pneumocystis carinii in experimentally induced P. carinii pneumonia in rats. After six weeks of administration of low protein diet and dexamethasone, Sprague-Dawley rats were sacrificed to submit lungs or bronchoalveolar lavage for the study. Monoclonal (092, 900, 902, and 904) and polyclonal (SP-D) antibodies were used for immunohistochemistry and immunoelectron microscopy (ITEM and ISEM). Immunohistochemically P. carinii organisms were well identified as clusters or separated forms in the alveolar spaces being frequently attached to the alveolar walls. Immunoelectron microscopically the adherences of gold particles were observed on the surface of all stages of the P. carinii. Occasionally positive immunogold labeling was observed in the cytoplasm of the trophozoites and on the pellicle of the intracystic bodies within the cysts. The monoclonal antibodies 092, 900, 902, and 904 reacted mainly with pellicles of P. carinii, whereas SP-D labeled on the pellicles, intracystic bodies, cytoplasms of the alveolar macrophages, and free floated surfactant material in the alveolar spaces. The immunogold particles were observed more diffusely and intensely in the cysts than in the trophozoites. These results indicate that antigen is mainly localized on the pellicles, and accumulated during development from the trophozoite to the cyst stages.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Cytoplasm ; Dexamethasone ; Diet, Protein-Restricted ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung ; Macrophages, Alveolar ; Microscopy, Electron ; Microscopy, Immunoelectron ; Pneumocystis carinii* ; Pneumocystis* ; Pneumonia ; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein D ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Trophozoites

The pulmonary microvasculatures of rats were studied by injection replicas prepared from Mercox. This medium enabled us to easily obtain consistent, stable, and complete injected replicas of the pulmonary vasculature. In order to investigate the three dimensional structures of the tributaries of the bronchial artery, such as the capillary plexus and vasa vasorum, we performed a scanning electron microscopic(SEM) study of the vascular casts, using Mercox CL-2B as a media. The alveolar capillaries revealed hexagonal or pentagonal rings of vascular networks. In some areas, the vascular rings composed a square network, The bronchial tree was supplied by the bronchial arteries which form a coarse capillary extending as far as the terminal bronchioles. Occasionally the capillary plexus was connected with adjacent capillary networks in and around the alveolar walls. The walls of the pulmonary artery revealed only a single layer of the vasa vasorum, but those of the pulmonary vein were surrounded by more complicated and well developed vasa vasorum than the pulmonary arterial side. The mean diameters of the venous vasa vasorum are greater than the arterial vasa vasorum.
Rats ; Animals

This study was carried out to investigate the mechanisms of acinar cell deletion, leading to the pancreatic atrophy of rat pancreas after experimental duct ligation. Fifty-seven male Sprague-Dawley rats, maintained on a stock diet, weighing 200 gm, in average, were divided into 2 experimental groups. Group 1. Control group. Six rats. Abdominal cavity was opened and closed without further treatment. Group 2. Fifty-one rats. Animals were treated with partial ligation of the pancratic ducts according to the procedure developed by Hultquist followed by sequential sacrifices at: 1 hour (3 rats), 3 hours (3 rats), 6 hours (6 rast), 12 hours (3 rats) and 24 hours (8 rats); 2 days (8 rats), 3 days (3 rats), 4 days (3 rats) and 5 days (5 rats); 1 week (3 rats), 2 weeks (3 rats) and 8 weeks (3 rats); after partial ligation was extirpated and examined by both light and electron microscopy. The results obtained were as follows: Light microscopically, noted were an interstitial edema and focal necrosis of the pancreatic tissue along with fine vacuolization and depletion of the zymogen granules in the acinar cell cytoplasms and condensation of the acinar cell nucleus. These changes were observed by 2 days after ligation. At about the same time, one can observe the dense body, identified to be apoptotic body, in the acinar cell which were found to be decreased in quantity. By 5 days after ligation, no recognizable acinar cells left in the collagenous stroma except intercalated ducts. Conspicuous stroma except intercalated ducts. Conspicuous stromal hyalinization, thereafter. Electron microscopically (TEM and SEM), nuclear condensation and margination toward the nuclear membrane was noted by 6 hours after duct ligation. By 24 hors sporadic membrane-bounded apoptotic bodies appeared in the acinar cells, the number of which reaching to the peak by 3 days after ligation. These apoptotic bodies were found to be phagocytosed by either intraepithelial mononuclear phagocytes or adjoining acinar cells. It can be concluded, therefore: That orderly remodeling of pancreatic exocrine tissue during atrophy is effected by rapid deletion of acinar cells by apoptosis.
Male ; Humans ; Rats ; Animals

No abstract available.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Endoderm* ; Endodermal Sinus Tumor* ; Mediastinum*

Temporal lobe epilepsy is characterized by complex partial seizures with either primary intracranial neoplasms or other non-neoplastic lesions. We reviewed 64 cases of surgically resected temporal lobes and amygdalo-hippocampal regions for temporal lobe epilepsy ansed by non-neoplastic lesions to elucidate the incidence and histologic features of each histologic group for a period of 2 years. The patient's age ranged from 12 to 49 years and the ratio of male to female was 42:22. There were 37 cases(57.8%) with single pathology and an additional 20 cases(31.3%) with dual pathology. The emaining 7 cases(10.9%) had no structural alternations. The most common temporal lobe pathology was hippocampal sclerosis in 41 cases(64.1%), diagnosed alone in 21 cases and as dual lesions in 20 cases. The hippocampal neuron loss was most pro,omemt in CA1, followed by CA4, CA3, and CA2. Amygdaloid sclerosis was present in 28 cases(43.8%), lases had 13 dual lesions, 25 cases also had hippocampal sclerosis. The 20 dual lesions showed that 6 cortical dysplasia, 10 microdysgenesis, 1 chronic non-specific inflammatory lesion, and 3 cysticercosis were associated with the various degree of mesial temporal sclerosis. Neuronoglial malformative lesions were identified in 21 cases(32.8%) including 16 dual lesion cases, which composed of 15 microdysgenesis and 6 cortical dysplasia. Neurofilament immunostain for cortical dysplasia revealed abnormally beaded disarray of axons in dysplastic pyramidal cells. The remaining pathologic lesions observed were 1 cysticercosis, 1 chronic non-specific inflammatory lesion, 3 arteriovenous malformation, 2 fibrous nodule, and 1 fibrous adhesions of the arachnoid.
Female ; Male ; Humans ; Incidence

To investigate the prevalence of point mutation in the pre-core (pre-C) region of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, we performed dot blot hybridization and sequencing of enzymatically amplified HBV DNA from the sera of 25 patients with HBeAg-positive and 32 patients with HBeAg-negative chronic liver diseases. The pre-C region of HBV DNA was successfully amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from 55 (96.5%) of 57 sera. According to the status of serum HBeAg, HBV DNA was amplified from all 25 sera of HBeAg-positive patients and 30 (93.8%) of 32 sera of HBeAg-negative patients. All amplified DNA from the sera of 25 patients with HBeAg-positive and that from 28 (93.3%) of 30 patients with HBeAg-negative chronic liver diseases hybridized with the wild type probe. In addition, that from 5 (20.0%) among 25 patients with HBeAg-positive and 16 (53.3%) among 30 patients with HBeAg-negative chronic liver diseases hybridized also with the mutant type probe. These results suggest that the prevalence of point mutation in the pre-C region of HBV DNA is relatively high in patients with HBeAg-negative chronic liver diseases and further study is mandatory to identify the significance of this mutation.
Base Sequence ; Chronic Disease ; DNA, Viral/*genetics ; Hepatitis B Virus/*genetics ; Human ; Liver Diseases/*genetics ; Molecular Probes/genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; *Mutation

This study was designed to identify expression of calcium-binding proteins and synaptic reorganizations of dentate mossy fibers in hippocampal sclerosis of human temporal lobe epilepsy. Hippocampal neuronal density was quantitively analyzed in temporal lobe epilepsy group (n=50) to investigate the degree of hippocampal sclerosis and it was compared with that of autopsy control (n=3). To verify the distribution of calcium-binding proteins in neurons of epileptic hippocampi, the parvalbumin (PV)-immunoreactive and calbindin-D28K (CB)-immunoreactive neurons were quantitively analyzed in each area of Ammon's horn by immunohistochemical stain. Also, to clarify synaptic reorganizations of the dentate mossy fibers, a part of each hippocampus was examined under light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy using Timm sulphide silver method. In epileptic hippocampi, severity of hippocampal sclerosis (HS) was graded four, which consisted of 3 cases with no HS, 6 mild HS, 12 moderate HS, and 29 severe HS. The hippocampal neuronal loss was most prominent in CA1, followed by CA4 and CA2. Expression of calcium-binding proteins was more prevalent in CA2 of all groups. The proportion of PV-immunoreactive neurons in CA1 and CA4 significantly increased in the moderate and severe HS group, whereas the proportion of CB-immunoreactive neurons did not correlated with the severity of HS. Timm granules were noted in inner molecular supragranular layer of dentate gyrus of epileptic hippocampi and they tended to increase in proportion along with the severity of hippocampal sclerosis. Transmission electron microscopy showed that supragranular Timm granules corresponded to synaptic terminals of mossy fibers. These results suggest that parvalbumin appears to have more protective effect against neuronal loss and that mossy fiber synaptic reorganization seems to play a major role in pathogenesis of hippocampal sclerosis of human temporal lobe epilepsy.
Autopsy ; Calbindin 1 ; Calcium* ; Calcium-Binding Proteins* ; Dentate Gyrus ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe* ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Nerve Fibers, Myelinated ; Neurons ; Presynaptic Terminals ; Sclerosis* ; Silver ; Temporal Lobe*

We report two cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma of Bartholin's gland. One of these patients had positive margin on operation and is scheduled for adjuvant radiotherapy. The other was first diagnosed 13 years ago and presented with her second recurrence without distant metastasis. Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the Bartholin's gland is a rare tumor of the vulva. When diagnosed, the treatment should be individualized to the patient. When the surgical margin is found to be positive, adjuvant radiotherapy seems to be beneficial.
Adenoids* ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic* ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Recurrence ; Vulva