No abstract available.
Humans ; Token Economy*

No abstract available.
Drinking*

No abstract available.
Aneurysm* ; Fibromuscular Dysplasia* ; Hypertension, Renovascular*

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to provide evidence for future research by analyzing the contents, delivery methods, and educational effects of educational programs for hemodialysis patients. Methods: A literature review was conducted in the following order: problem identification, literature search and data collection, data evaluation, data analysis, and data presentation. In total, 936 documents were retrieved from the search, and 24 documents were finally included in this study. Results: The contents of the educational programs were comprehensive hemodialysis-related knowledge education in seven studies, exercise-related education in 10 studies, diet-related education in four studies, drug-related education in one study, and complex education in two studies. The delivery methods were pamphlets in six studies, audio-visual materials in four studies, direct guidance by researchers in six studies, and multiple methods in seven studies. The effects of the educational program were divided into physical indicators, emotional indicators, and knowledge and performance related to hemodialysis. Sixteen out of 20 articles using physical indicators showed significant outcomes, and 10 out of 12 articles using emotional indicators derived positive results. Hemodialysis-related knowledge and performance were measured in eight and 10 studies, respectively, and meaningful results were found in six studies for knowledge and seven studies for performance. Conclusion Future research will require the development of a systematic and standardized educational program with comprehensive content that can be provided to all hemodialysis patients, as well as a highly accessible education delivery method to enhance the effectiveness of education.

No abstract available.
Humans ; Twins*

Malignant transformation develops in a little less than 2% of mature cystic teratomas. A wide variety of malignant tumors may arise within benign mature cystic teratomas, and the most common of these is squamous cell carcinoma, which account for 75~85%. In general, the tumors are in an advanced stage and the prognosis is poor as most patients die within a year. However, when the tumor is confined to the ovary, they have a good prognosis and the 5-year survival rate is 63~83%. We experienced three cases of squamous cell carcinoma arising in mature cystic teratoma. Two of the carcinomas occurred in postmenopausal women: 58-(case 1) and 66-(case 2) year-old, and were confined to the ovaries. They were alive 37 months and 18 months after the operation, respectively. The third case was a 45-year-old premenopausal woman who had an extraovarian extension of the tumor and early recurrence within two months. Histologically, cases 1 and 3 were conventional well to moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinomas and case 2 showed a well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma with exuberant proliferating trichilemmal tumor-like areas.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Ovary* ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate ; Teratoma*

BACKGROUND: To investigate the role of alpha-adrenergic receptors in the development of delayed afterdepolarization, the effect of alpha-adrenoceptor stimulation and blockade on ouabain induced delayed afterdepolarization(DDAD) was examined in rabbit heart Purkinje fibers. METHODS: Purkinje fibers, taken from adult rabbit(1.8 - 2.0kg) heart anesthetized with penobarbital, were mounted in a Luicite chamber and superfused with Tyrode's solution. The transmembrane potentials were measured by the conventional microelectrode technique while the fibers were being stimulated with rectangular pulses of 50% above threshold voltage. The delayed afterdepolarizations were induced by overdrive excitation in the presence of ouabain. RESULTS: Delayed afterdepolarizations were not observed during superfusion of the control Tyrode's solution containing propranolol(5x10(-7)M). However, the addition of ouabain in the presence of propranolol elicited DADs which were dose-, time- and drive cycle length- dependent. Phenylephrine(PE ; 10(-7)M), and alpha-adrenoceptor agonist, potentiated the ouabain-induced DAD during the initial superfusion(for 10 or 20 min) of the test Tyrode's solution. However, it was followed by attenuating-effects after a superfusion time of 50 to 60 min. Both effects showed ouabain dose-dependence. Ouabain(2x10(-7)M), in the presence of propranolol, depolarized the maximum diastolic potential and shortened the action potential duration, and the addition of PE(10(-7)M) did not affect the characteristics of action potential except a decrease in velocity of phase 0 depolarization. Prazosin, an alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist, inhibited the PE's enhancing effects of ouabaininduced DDAD at 20 min superfusion, but did not affect the attenuating-effects of PE at 60 min superfusion. On the other hand, yohimbine, an alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist, did not affect the PE's DAD potentiating-effects at 20 min superfusion, but inhibited the attenunating-effects of PE at 60 min superfusion. CONCLUSION: It is inferred that alpha-adrenergic stimulation induce delayed afterdepolarization and triggered activity in the rabbits, being responsible for the arrhythmia development, and the effects are mainly due to the action of alpha1-subtpe adrenoceptor stimulation.
Action Potentials ; Adult ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Hand ; Heart ; Humans ; Membrane Potentials ; Microelectrodes ; Ouabain ; Prazosin ; Propranolol ; Purkinje Fibers ; Rabbits ; Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha* ; Yohimbine

A central question to the pathogenesis of leprosy is how Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy, survives and replicates within macrophages. 18-kDa protein of M. leprae, a major antigen, is found in solely M.leprae and contains T-cell antigenic epitopes and has been implicated in survival of M. leprae within macrophages and ultimately in pathogenesis. The latter is supported further by a recent finding that 18-kDa gene is activated during intracellular growth. To further understand M. leprae-specific 18-kDa gene expression regulation mechanism during intracellular growth, the present studies have been undertaken. To examine the presence of a regulatory sequence(s) in the promoter of 18-kDa gene and its binding factor(s) in M. leprae cell lysate, a gel mobility shift assay was performed. A 350-bp sequence containing the promoter of 18-kDa gene resulted in a protein-DNA complex formation with increasing amounts of M. leprae crude lysate. However, the protein-DNA complex formation was not detected in the presence of a nonspecific carrier, salmon sperm DNA.
DNA ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Epitopes ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Leprosy ; Macrophages ; Mycobacterium leprae ; Salmon ; Spermatozoa ; T-Lymphocytes

A central question to the pathogenesis of leprosy is how Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy, survives and replicates within macrophages. 18-kDa protein of M. leprae, a major antigen, is found in solely M.leprae and contains T-cell antigenic epitopes and has been implicated in survival of M. leprae within macrophages and ultimately in pathogenesis. The latter is supported further by a recent finding that 18-kDa gene is activated during intracellular growth. To further understand M. leprae-specific 18-kDa gene expression regulation mechanism during intracellular growth, the present studies have been undertaken. To examine the presence of a regulatory sequence(s) in the promoter of 18-kDa gene and its binding factor(s) in M. leprae cell lysate, a gel mobility shift assay was performed. A 350-bp sequence containing the promoter of 18-kDa gene resulted in a protein-DNA complex formation with increasing amounts of M. leprae crude lysate. However, the protein-DNA complex formation was not detected in the presence of a nonspecific carrier, salmon sperm DNA.
DNA ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Epitopes ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Leprosy ; Macrophages ; Mycobacterium leprae ; Salmon ; Spermatozoa ; T-Lymphocytes

Bone is a complex tissue in which resorption and formation continue throughout life. The bone tissue contains various types of cells, of which the bone forming osteoblasts and bone resorbing osteoclasts are mainly responsible for bone remodeling. Periodontal disease represents example of abnormal bone remodeling. Osteoclasts are multinucleated cells present only in bone. It is believed that osteoclast progenitors are hematopoietic origin, and they are recruited from hematopoietic tissues such as bone marrow and circulating blood to bone. Cells present in the osteoclast microenvironment include marrow stromal cells, osteoblasts, macrophages, T-lymphocytes, and marrow cells. These cells produce cytokines that can affect osteoclast formation. In vitro model systems using bone marrow cultures have demonstrated that IL-1 beta, IL-3, TNF-alpha, bFGF can stimulate the formation of osteoclasts. In contrast, IL-4 inhibits osteoclast formation. Knowledge of cytokines and bFGF that affect osteoclast formation and their capacity to modulate the bone-resorbing process should provide critical insights into normal calcium homeostasis and disorders of bone turnover such as periodontal disease, osteoporosis and Paget's disease.
Bone and Bones ; Bone Marrow* ; Bone Remodeling ; Calcium ; Cytokines* ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; Homeostasis ; Interleukin-1beta ; Interleukin-3 ; Interleukin-4 ; Macrophages ; Osteoblasts ; Osteoclasts* ; Osteoporosis ; Periodontal Diseases ; Stromal Cells ; T-Lymphocytes ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha