Hantavirus is a genus of the Bunyaviridae family consisting following serotype groups: Hantaan, Seoul, Puumala, Prospect Hill, Thailand, Belgrade, Thotta palayam, Sin Hombre. Most of Hantavirus group have been associated with many clinically similar disease known collectively as hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). Hantaan virus is the prototype of the genus hantavirus, originally isolated from Apodemus agrarius. Bat was found as a natural host for Hantaan virus in Lee's lab for the first time. Then, Hantaan-like virus was isolated Hantaan-like virus from bat. To identify hantaviruses that are present in Korea among bats, bats were collected from Jeong-Sun, Won-Joo, Chung-Ju and Hwa-Cheon area, RNA was isolated from lung and serum. RT-PCR was performed with a universal primer from M segment. Nested RT-PCR was carried out to differentiate Hantaan, Seoul and Puumala virus using serotype specific primers. As we expected, Hantaan viruses were detected in bats and Seoul virus was not detected. Interestingly, Puumala viruses were also detected in bats from won-Ju, but not in other areas. Puumala virus is originally isolated from Clethrinomys glareolus, and cause light HFRS. Recently, Paradoxomis webbiana, a wild bird turn out to be a reservoir for Puumala virus in Korea. These data indicate that bat is a new natural reservoir of Puumala virus.
Animals ; Birds ; Bunyaviridae ; Chiroptera* ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Gangwon-do ; Hantaan virus* ; Hantavirus ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; Humans ; Korea* ; Lung ; Murinae ; Puumala virus ; RNA ; Seoul ; Seoul virus ; Thailand

No abstract available.
Arthritis* ; Rabbits*

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed for developing a new experimental animal model of Wernicke's encephalopathy, and for investigating the timesequential morphological changes in the thiamine deficient rat brain by thiamine deficient diet with short term treatment of pyrithiamine. METHODS: A total of 40 healthy Sprague-Dawley strain rats, weighing about 2OOgm were used as experimental animals, divided into 10 control rats and 30 thiamine deficient experimental rats. Pyrithiamine (50mg/lOOgm/day) was injected intraperitonially for 9 days and thiamine deficient diet (20gm/rat/day) was continuously supplied until sacrifice. Then thiamine deficient experimental rats were subdivided into 3 groups according'to the exposure time of thiamine deficiency. For observing the morphological features in thalamus, medial mammillary nucleus and CA, sector in hippocampus, luxol-fast blue-cresy violet stain was performed. RESULTS: Treatment with pyrithiamine and thiamine deficient diet results in weight loss and decrement of body temperature on the 12th-14th day, followed by various neurologic manifestations, such as ataxia, hypotonia, circling movement, opisthotonus and loss of righting reflex, on the 16th-20th day, and then died on the 23th-25th, day. Chromatolysis and nuclear condensation of neurons in thalamus, medial mammillary nucleus and CA1 region of hippocampus are observed in group I. Mild edematous changes with neuronal necrosis in group II, and marked neuronal loss with severe edematous necrosis in group III are noted in same regions. CONCLUSION: These time sequential consistent morphological changes suggest that our experimental method could be used as a new animal model of Wernicke's encephalopathy in studying the sequential changes of thiamine deficient rat brain.
Animals ; Ataxia ; Body Temperature ; Brain ; Diet* ; Hippocampus ; Models, Animal ; Muscle Hypotonia ; Necrosis ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Neurons ; Prosencephalon* ; Pyrithiamine* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reflex, Righting ; Thalamus ; Thiamine Deficiency ; Thiamine* ; Viola ; Weight Loss ; Wernicke Encephalopathy

No abstract available.
Capsid Proteins* ; Capsid* ; Genome*

Intracavernosal self injection therapy is now being widely used to treat patients with erectile dysfunction. However, there is a large number of patients who gives up the self injection program due to the fear of needle or injection. Therefore, the less invasive route of drug administration is highly recommended. We investigated the efficacy of intraurethral instillation of PGE1 solution in comparison with the trimix intracavernosal injection. A total of 24 patients have been observed with either injection of trimix (11 patients), or intraurethral instillation of PGE1 (13 patients). All patients were evaluated with the penile doppler ultrasonography before 5,15,30 and 45 minutes after the drug administration. Penile length and circumference were measured before and after intraurethral administration of PGE1. Ten out of 11 patients (91%) showed positive response in trimix group and nine of 13 patients (69.2%) in PGE1 group. Mean length and circumference of penile shaft before and after the pharmacologic erection test showed significant difference in PGE1 group. The mean peak systolic velocity at 30 minutes was 28.5% 10.53 cm/sec in Trimix group and 28.2 t8.47 cm/sec in PGE, group (p=0.4773). The mean end diastolic velocity at 30 minutes was 8.4 5.23 cm/sec in Trimix group and 8.2=4.21 cm/sec in PGE1 group (p=0.4689). With the intraurethral administration of PGE1, urethral pain and irritation were the noticeable complications but systemic side effect was not noticed In conclusion, PGE1 intraurethral instillation can be satisfactorily used for the patients with erectile dysfunction of psychogenic, less prominent organic and neurogenic origin, although the effect of intraurethral instillation of PGE1 is obviously less than that of Trimix intracavernosal injection.
Alprostadil* ; Erectile Dysfunction* ; Humans ; Male ; Needles ; Prostaglandins E ; Ultrasonography, Doppler

No abstract available.
Spine* ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing* ; Tabes Dorsalis*

OBJECTIVE: Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring glycosaminoglycan which, by virtue of its viscosity, elasticity and other theological properties, acts as lubrication and shock absorbing fluid in joints. In addition to its lubrication and cushioning properties, hyaluronic acid has been associated with in vitro anti-inflammatory activity and possible disease-modifying effect in animals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of intraarticular injection of hyaluronic acid or steroid on the healing of the experimental degenerative osteoarthritis and the therapeutic synergism between the hyaluronic acid and steroid. METHOD: 48 rabbits with experimental osteoarthritis produced by extension immobilization of knees were treated with hyaluronic acid and/or steroid and then assessed clinically, radiologically, scintigraphically and histopathologically at pre and post treatment. RESULTS: The hyaluronic acid treated group had more favorable results than other groups but the results were not statistically significant. The steroid treated group did not have significant change in comparison to the control group. Therapeutic synergism between hyaluronic acid and steroid was not found. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that the intraarticular injection of hyaluronic acid may be effective for the treatment of patients with osteoarthritis.
Animals ; Elasticity ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid* ; Immobilization ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Joints ; Knee ; Lubrication ; Osteoarthritis* ; Rabbits ; Shock ; Virtues ; Viscosity

OBJECTIVES: For successful adoption of legislation controlling registration and assessment of chemical substances, it is important to obtain sufficient toxicological experimental evidence and other related information. It is also essential to obtain a sufficient number of predicted risk and toxicity results. Particularly, methods used in predicting toxicities of chemical substances during acquisition of required data, ultimately become an economic method for future dealings with new substances. Although the need for such methods is gradually increasing, the-required information about reliability and applicability range has not been systematically provided. METHODS: There are various representative environmental and human toxicity models based on quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR). Here, we secured the 10 representative QSAR-based prediction models and its information that can make predictions about substances that are expected to be regulated. We used models that predict and confirm usability of the information expected to be collected and submitted according to the legislation. After collecting and evaluating each predictive model and relevant data, we prepared methods quantifying the scientific validity and reliability, which are essential conditions for using predictive models. RESULTS: We calculated predicted values for the models. Furthermore, we deduced and compared adequacies of the models using the Alternative non-testing method assessed for Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals Substances scoring system, and deduced the applicability domains for each model. Additionally, we calculated and compared inclusion rates of substances expected to be regulated, to confirm the applicability. CONCLUSIONS: We evaluated and compared the data, adequacy, and applicability of our selected QSAR-based toxicity prediction models, and included them in a database. Based on this data, we aimed to construct a system that can be used with predicted toxicity results. Furthermore, by presenting the suitability of individual predicted results, we aimed to provide a foundation that could be used in actual assessments and regulations.
Humans ; Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship* ; Reproducibility of Results ; Social Control, Formal

PURPOSE: The postpubertal males with unilateral cryptorchidism undergo orchiectomy rather than orchiopexy, which is based on the various reports in its effect on fertility and predisposition to testicular cancer. We reviewed retrospectively the clinical features and histopathological findings of orchiectomized testes and investigated the role of orchiectomy in the postpubertal unilateral cryptorchidism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 42 patients with postpubertal unilateral cryptorchidism who underwent orchiectomy from 1986 to 1998, retrospectively. Patient`s age ranged from 15 to 47 years(mean 26.4). The cryptorchid testes were palpable in 33 cases(79%) and impalpable in 9 cases(21%). We classified cryptorchid testes histopathologically into 2 broad groups of specimens with no spermatogenesis(severe atrophy and/or Sertoli cell-only syndrome) and specimens displaying spermatogenesis(maturation arrest, hypospermatogenesis). In 38 cases of all orchiectomized specimens, testicular volume was calculated by Lambert`s formula. RESULTS: Histopathology showed maturation arrest in 8 cases(19%) while 34 cases(81%) had severe atrophy and/or Sertoli cell-only syndrome. No case of carcinoma in situ or cancer was found in testicular tissue. The location of the cryptorchid testes was the prepubic area in 13(31%), inguinal canal in 23(55%), and abdomen in 6(14%). There was a statistically significant difference in the relationship between the presence and absence of spermatogenesis in cryptorchid testes and the anatomical levels of descent(p<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the relationship between testicular volume and the location of cryptorchid testes, between testicular volume and patient`s age(p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Currently, orchiectomy is mostly advocated for a postpubertal unilateral cryptorchid testis because of the risk of future malignancy. But we consider that orchiopexy is a valuable modality of treatment for postpubertal unilateral cryptorchid testis, especially located at prepubic area, after performing testis biopsy and then periodic follow-up is required.
Abdomen ; Atrophy ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma in Situ ; Cryptorchidism* ; Fertility ; Humans ; Inguinal Canal ; Male ; Orchiectomy* ; Orchiopexy ; Retrospective Studies ; Sertoli Cell-Only Syndrome ; Spermatogenesis ; Testicular Neoplasms ; Testis

Plasmapheresis has been used for some conditions during pregnancy and puerperium, such as hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet (HELLP) syndrome. We present one case of the HELLP syndrome which was treated with plasmapheresis and also review the indications, complications and guidelines for repetitive plasma exchange.
Blood Platelets ; Female ; HELLP Syndrome* ; Hemolysis ; Liver ; Plasma Exchange ; Plasmapheresis* ; Postpartum Period* ; Pregnancy