Although the mechanism of the development of hypertension has not been fully elucidated, abnormal ion transport across the cardiovascular musle membrance may play some role in this mechanism. The elevation of intraceular sodium by inhibition of the Na(+), K(+)-ATPase diminshes the sodium gradient for calcium extrusion and/or increase Na(+)/Ca(++) exchange across the cell membrance. In any event, contractility and vascular tone of cardiovascular system can be incresed as reslut of an increase of intracellular calcium. Recently it is reported that the defects of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase occur in spontaneously hypertensive rat(SHR) hearts, compared to control normotensive Spargue Dawley(SD) rat hearts. However, one missing, unresolved question arose in the previous reports in whether the reduced Na(+)-pump activity in the heart of SHR is associated with the development of hypertension itself in these animals or is a consequence of inhertied pathological features that later reslut in a reduced pump activity. In order to clearify this question it is attempted to measured to measure the change of the Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activities in cardiac sarcolemma purified from both the normotensive SD rats and SHR rats during growth ; Simultaneously the charge of cation concentration in both intracellular space(RBC) and extracelluar space(ECF) are measured to the erythrocyte test(Garay and Meyer) applied to the clinical investiation of hypertension. The results obtained are summarized as follows ; 1) The systolic blood pressure of 7 week old SHR was 120-130mmHg, which was not significantly different from that of the age-matched SD rats. However, the blood pressure was elevated to 160-170mmHg in 13-15 week old SHR, even elevated to 190mmHg in one of 19 week old SHR. On the other hand, SHR, in which hypertension was well established had pronounced cardiac hypertrophy. 2) The Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activities in cardiac sarcolemma of the SHR rats were decreased gradually as hypertension established.The decrease of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase was well associated with the increase of intracellular potassium concentration.By contrast, thr Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activities and cation transports og the normotensive SD rats were not significanlty chaged during growth. 3) The charges of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activities in SHR were specific because the activities of Ca(++)-ATPase which is one of the membrance bound enzyme were not changed during growth appeared to be a major fator which generated hypertension in SHR rats. However, question on how the Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activities are decreased and which event is initiative between reduction of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase and development of hypertension are still remained unclear. Recent literature suggests the there might be a genetic factor, so-called Na(+)-pump inhibitor, involved in the meachanism.
Animals ; Blood Pressure ; Calcium ; Cardiomegaly ; Cardiovascular System ; Erythrocytes ; Hand ; Heart ; Hypertension ; Ion Transport ; Potassium ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR* ; Sarcolemma ; Sodium

No abstract available.
Impetigo*

BACKGROUND: Ischemic acute renal failure (ARF) is increasingly recognized as involving chronic functional and structural sequelae. Ischemia reperfusion injury (I/R) plays a major role in delayed graft function and long-term changes after kidney transplantation, also. The present study was designed to evaluate the long-term changes after acute ischemic injury and whether renoprotection by alpha-MSH in the acute ischemic stage, could reduce the long-term sequelae. METHODS: In control group, ischemia/reperfusion injury was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by clamping Lt. renal pedicle for 15, 45, 60 minutes after removal of Rt. Kidney and followed by reperfusion. The animals in alpha-MSH group were injected alpha-MSH prior to reperfusion and then every day for 1 week. We measured BUN, creatinine at 24 hour after I/R injury, and in each group, 6 animals were sacrified at 1 week and 4 weeks after I/R injury to evaluate apoptosis, ED1, PCNA, and histopathologic changes. RESULTS: At 4 weeks after I/R injury, the remnant structural damage such as apoptosis, ED1 stained cells, MT (+) tubulointerstitial fibrosis were observed. alpha-MSH could reduce the initial functional injury, and apoptosis, ED1 stained monocyte, MT (+) tubulointerstitial fibrosis, also. CONCLUSION: Renal function was recoverd at 4 weeks after I/R injury, but structural sequelae such as apoptosis, fibrosis were remnant. alpha-MSH could attenuate initial functional damage and remnant fibrosis.
Acute Kidney Injury ; alpha-MSH* ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Constriction ; Creatinine ; Delayed Graft Function ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; Kidney* ; Male ; Monocytes ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury

Leprosy is a granulomatous disease primarily affecting the peripheral nerves. The pathogenesis would be related to the cell-mediated response to mycobacterial antigens, metabolic and biochemical change of Schwann cell, circulating demyelinating factors and other autoimmune process. A specific nerve tissue protein, S-100 protein, has been demonstrated in normal nerves and nerve complexes. The stains of S-100 protein in dermal nerves of leprosy patients have been suggested in assessing the presence of nerve damage. We have estimated the concentration of S-100 protein in the sera of 64 leprosy patients(38 lepromatous leprosy, 26 tuberculoid leprosy) and that of 20 normal controls without neurologic disorders by ELISA. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The mean S-100 protein concentration was 0.0042ng/ml in a total of 64 leprosy patients, with 0.0062ng/ml in lepromatous type and 0.018ng/ml in tuberculoid type. The controls showed 0.0017ng/ml. 2. The analysis of age and serum S-100 protein concentration in both types showed lower value in the fifties of tuberculoid type(p<0.05). With the increase of age, mean S-100 protein concentration in both types tended to increase, but there was no significant correlation(p>0.05). 3. The analysis of duration of illness and serum S-100 protein concentration in both types showed higher value in the forties and fifties in lepromatous type(p<0.05). With the increase of duration of illness, mean S-100 protein concentration tended to increase in lepromatous type and slightly decreased in tuberculoid type, but there was no significant correlation(p>0.05). 4. The mean S-100 protein concentration of patients with neurologic symptoms was 0.0577ng/ml, in contrast with 0.0016ng/ml in patients without neurologic symptoms (p<0.05). In conclusion, the measurement of serum S-100 protein would play a potential role of a useful marker of assessing nerve damage in leprosy patients, esp, with neurologic symptoms.
Coloring Agents ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Leprosy* ; Leprosy, Lepromatous ; Nerve Tissue ; Nervous System Diseases ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Peripheral Nerves ; S100 Proteins*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pattern and the magnitude of stress distribution in the supporting tissues surrounding three different types of implants(ITI, 3i, and Bicon implant system). MATERIAL AND METHOD: Photoelastic models were made with PL-2 resin(Measurements Group, Raleigh, USA) and three implants of each kind were placed in the mandibular posterior edentulous area distal to the canine . For non-splinted restorations, individual crowns were fabricated on three titanium abutments. For splinted restorations, 3-unit fixed partial dentures were fabricated. Photoelastic stress analyses were carried out to measure the fringe order around the implant supporting structure under simulated loaded conditions(15 lb, 30 lb). CONCLUSION: The results were as follows; 1. Regardless of the implant design, stresses were increased in the apex region of loaded implant when non-splinted restorations were loaded. While relatively even stress distribution occurred with splinted restorations. Splinting was effective in the second implant. 2. Strain around Bicon implant were lower than those of other implants, which confirmed the splinting effect. The higher the load, the more the stress occurred in supporting tissue, which was most obvious in the Bicon system. 3. Stress distribution in the supporting tissue was favorable in the ITI system, while the other side of 3i system tended to concentrate the stress in some parts.
Crowns ; Denture, Partial, Fixed ; Splints ; Titanium

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pattern and the magnitude of stress distribution in the supporting tissues surrounding three different types of implants(ITI, 3i, and Bicon implant system). MATERIAL AND METHOD: Photoelastic models were made with PL-2 resin(Measurements Group, Raleigh, USA) and three implants of each kind were placed in the mandibular posterior edentulous area distal to the canine . For non-splinted restorations, individual crowns were fabricated on three titanium abutments. For splinted restorations, 3-unit fixed partial dentures were fabricated. Photoelastic stress analyses were carried out to measure the fringe order around the implant supporting structure under simulated loaded conditions(15 lb, 30 lb). CONCLUSION: The results were as follows; 1. Regardless of the implant design, stresses were increased in the apex region of loaded implant when non-splinted restorations were loaded. While relatively even stress distribution occurred with splinted restorations. Splinting was effective in the second implant. 2. Strain around Bicon implant were lower than those of other implants, which confirmed the splinting effect. The higher the load, the more the stress occurred in supporting tissue, which was most obvious in the Bicon system. 3. Stress distribution in the supporting tissue was favorable in the ITI system, while the other side of 3i system tended to concentrate the stress in some parts.
Crowns ; Denture, Partial, Fixed ; Splints ; Titanium

No abstract available.
Blood Platelets*

BACKGROUND: Propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol) is one of the intravenous anesthetic drugs used for induction and maintenance of general anesthesia as well as for sedation in ICU patients and one-day surgery. The monitoring of propofol in blood helps to maintain anesthetic state and promote earlier recovery. So we attempted to find the rapid and simple method for blood propofol determination. METHODS: We compared the precipitation method with extraction one using whole blood, plasma and deionized water added a fixed amount of propofol. According to the extraction method, propofol was extracted from 500 microliter sample adding KH2PO4, ethyl acetate, and tetra-ethylammonium hydroxide using thymol as an internal standard. For the precipitation method, the precipitating solution (500 microliter) containing thymol was added to a 500 microliter sample, then mixed. After centrifugation, the supernatant was injected into HPLC system. A Waters 2690 separations module, Waters 474 fluorescence and 486 UV detector and a Symmetry column were used. We used Millennium software to control analyzing process and quantify propofol. RESULTS: The precipitation method using thymol as an internal standard and Waters 474 fluorescence detector showed the most excellent results. For the calibration curves, we found very good linearity in whole blood, plasma and deionized water (r> or =9976). Intra-assay and inter-assay coefficient of variation (CV) values of propofol for the precipitation method were 4.4% and 8.9% at 2 microgram/mL of propofol and 2.0% and 6.2% at 8 microgram/mL, respectively. The recovery rates of propofol for plasma and whole blood were 104.1% and 92.7% at 2 microgram/mL and 99.4% and 91.6% at 7 microgram/mL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For the measurement of the blood propofol level, the precipitation method using thymol as an internal standard and fluorescence detector seemed to be the rapid and simple method to apply for the clinical purpose.
Anesthesia, General ; Anesthetics ; Calibration ; Centrifugation ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid* ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Plasma ; Propofol* ; Thymol ; Water

BACKGROUND: Transplantation of allogeneic peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) may have advantage over bone marrow transplantation with regards to the speed of hematopoietic and immunologic recovery. Recently to overcome the need for multiple leukaphereses to collect enough PBSCs for autologous transplantation, large volume leukaphereses (LVL) are used to process multiple blood volumes per session. Experience with this technique in healthy individuals after mobilization with colony stimulating factor (CSF) is limited. We have investigated the efficacy and safety of LVL for the collection of G-CSF and GM-CSF mobilized PBSCs from healthy donors. METHODS: This study was done on 40 healthy donors who were mobilized with G-CSF and GM-CSF for allogeneic peripheral blood stem cells transplantation (allo-PBSCT). After 5 days of mobilization treatment, PBSCs were collected by LVL with Fenwal CS-3000 Plus (Baxter Co, USA). In LVL, heparin was administered in addition to ACD-A. Patients underwent of LVL procedures daily to obtain a target cell dose of >or= 4x10(8)/kg MNCs and >or= 6x10(6)/kg CD34+ cells. RESULTS: 66 LVL procedures were done on 40 donors. Of these donors, 31 (77.5%) reached the collection target with one leukapheresis. The product per LVL contained a mean 5.79+/-2.47 10(8)MNCs/kg and 11.6+/-10.62x10(6) CD34+ cells/kg respectively. Mean percentages of MNC were 79.88+/-22.15% and collection efficiencies of MNCs were inversely related to the starting MNC count (r=-0.536, P<0.001). After LVL, although none of the donors exhibited bleeding complications, platelets decreased from 187.4+/-52.68x10(3)/microL to 74.88+/-13.7x10(3)/microL and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) prolonged from 29.13+/-3.77 seconds to 67.51+/-54.26 seconds. CONCLUSION: We conclude that LVL after mobilization treatment with G-CSF and GM-CSF in normal healthy donors was tolerable and efficient methods for PBSCs collection, but long-term risk of adverse effects in normal donors needs to be carefully addressed by individual institutions as well as national and international registries.
Autografts ; Blood Volume ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Colony-Stimulating Factors ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Hemorrhage ; Heparin ; Humans ; Leukapheresis* ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Registries ; Stem Cells* ; Tissue Donors ; Transplantation, Autologous

Opportunistic infections are common after a renal transplant as a result of immunosuppression. Nocardiosis is a rare but important cause of morbidity and mortality among renal transplant recipi-ents. Nocardiosis is a localized or disseminated infection, which is usually introduced through the respiratory tract resulting in pneumonia, and may develop a disseminated infection, in particular a subcutaneous abscess and/or central nervous system infection. Because effective therapy for these nocardiosis is available, an accurate and timely diagnosis is crucial. However, nocardiosis is an infrequent disease and many physicians are unfamiliar to it. In addition, in the laboratory, cul-tures may be discarded too early, which often delays an early diagnosis and treatment. The authors isolated Nocardia asteroides from an abscess of the skin in a rejected renal allograft patient suffering pneumonia. The patient was successfully treated with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxa-zole.
Abscess* ; Allografts ; Central Nervous System Infections ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Kidney* ; Mortality ; Nocardia asteroides* ; Nocardia Infections ; Nocardia* ; Opportunistic Infections ; Pneumonia ; Respiratory System ; Skin