No abstract available.
GRB2 Adaptor Protein*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Astrocytes* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Rats*

It is well established that mast cell proliferation and maturation are regulated by two principle cytokines, IL-3 and the c-kit ligand stem cell factor (SCF). Previous reports have demonstrated that bone marrow-derived IL-3-dependent mast cells exhibit the characteristic apoptosis on removal of IL-3. To know how the number of mast cells is controlled, we observed the effects of nitric oxide (NO) on the murine bone marrow-derived cultured mast cells (BMCMC). Apoptosis was measured by the analysis of flow cytometric data and electrophoretic evidence of DNA fragmentation. Our data showed that sodiurn nitroprusside (SNP)-a NO releasing substance- induced apoptosis in BMCMC. Cell cycle analysis showed that the number of the G,/G, and S phase decreased markedly, while the percentage of cell in G,/M phase was increased. Also, SNP alone induced cell death, whereas SNP in combination with SCF markedly decreased cell death of BMCMC. SNP-induced apoptosis was partially inhibited by the treatment of BMCMC with SCF. Our results suggest that NO might have sorne role in the regulation of the number of mast cells.
Apoptosis ; Bone Marrow* ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Death ; Cytokines ; DNA Fragmentation ; Interleukin-3 ; Mast Cells* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Nitroprusside ; S Phase ; Stem Cell Factor

The immunocompetence is important not only to kill the neoplastic cells but also to keep the neoplastic cells from growing further. T lymphocyte is plays the most important role in maintaining the tumor immunity efficiently. T lymphocyte has its specific functions depending in the subset of T lymphocytes. The author analyzed the T lymphocyte subsets in 31 brain tumor patients using anti-CD3, anti-CD4, anti-CD8 monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry to determine the immunological status of brain tumor patients. All CD3, CD4 and CD8 subsets were reduced in both benign and malignant brain tumor patients but more signigicantly reduced in malignant tumor group. But in benign tumor group, the subtypes of T lymphocytes were not so different from those of normal healthy controls except the pituitary tumor patients, who showed the significant decrease in all the subtypes. In malignant tumor group, each subtype was signigicantly reduced and CD8 subtypes was markedly reduced in metastatic tumor patients, These analyses were considered to have the possibility to be contributable to planning the further immunotherapy and also the possibility to moniter the brain tumor patients clinically.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunocompetence ; Immunotherapy ; Lymphocytes ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets* ; T-Lymphocytes*

OBJECTIVES: Nitric oxide(NO)plays an important role in pathophysiology of stroke and various neurodegenerative diseases. This study is designed to elucidate the mechanisms by which signaling pathway of LPS-stimulated NO generation in rat prmary astrocytes may be mediated by MAP kinase cascades and transcriptional activation of NF-kB. METHOD: The generation of NO from primary rat neonatal astrocytes was measured by using Greese's reagents and Western blot analysis with including Erk, JNK1 and p38 was assessed by in vitro immunecomplex kinase assay. Activation of transcriptional activator, NF-kB, was determined by using electrophoretic mobility shift assay. RESULTS: Treatment of cultured rat primary neonatal astorcytes with LPS results in the generation of NO as well as increase in the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) LPS-induced NO generation is inhibited by the addition of inhibitors of MEK and JNK1/SPAK, PD 98059 and curcumin. LPS also imcreases the phosphotransferase activity of Erk as well as JNK1 and increases the phosphorylation of p38. Inhibition of Ras results in decrease of LPS-inudced NO generation. cAMP decreases the LPS-induced NO generation via inhibition of JNK1. Furthermore LPS activates transcriptional activator, NF-kB which is inhibited by the addition of inhibitors of MEK and JNK. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that MAP kinases, especially Erk and JNK1, may mediate the signaling cascade of LPS-induced NO generation in rat primary astrocytes via activation of transcriptional factor, NF-kB.
Animals ; Astrocytes ; Blotting, Western ; Curcumin ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Indicators and Reagents ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; NF-kappa B ; Nitric Oxide* ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Rats* ; Stroke ; Transcriptional Activation

The dose-response of intravenous thiopental (2.5%) for induction of general anesthesia in cesarean section (C/S) patients and in patients with end stage renal disease(ESRD) was studied at seven doses of 2.0, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0 and 6.0 mg/kg body weight. Thiopental was injected as an IV bolus into a preexisting IV catheter. Patients were divided into four groups(ESRD-CONTROL, C/S-CONTROL, C/S, and ESRD). Each patient was examined at 60 seconds after injection of thiopental. Presence or absence of verbal command response, lid reflex and trapexius reflex were observed. For each reflex, dose-response curves were analysed using the log probit model to determine ED 50, Ed95 and parallelism. The value of ED50 for verbal command response was lowest in the ESRD patient group (2.2mg/kg) and was similar in the remaining groups(2.5, 2.6mg/kg). The ED50 values for lid and trapezius reflex were lowest in the C/S group(2.9and 4.0mg/kg respectively) and the others had similar values (3.5~3.7mg/kg and 4.7~5.3mg/kg respectively). The ED95 values for trapezius reflex in all patients were distributed between a range of 6.5~9.1mg/kg and this suggests that the usual dose (3~6 mg/kg) is not sufficient to prevent the stress response of tracheal intubation. Also, the results indicate that the dose of thiopental for induction should be reduced because of the increasing sensitivity of the central nervous system with the cesarean section group and the free drug fraction of thiopental in patients with end stage renal disease. Therefore, if a patient with full term pregnancy or renal failure is to be induced with a single injection of thiopental, it is recommended to reduce the rate of injection.
Anesthesia, General* ; Body Weight ; Catheters ; Central Nervous System ; Cesarean Section* ; Female ; Humans ; Intubation ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Pregnancy ; Reflex ; Renal Insufficiency ; Superficial Back Muscles ; Thiopental*

Ventilation during general anesthesia for bronchoscopy has recently been greatly improved by application of the Venturi principle. Ever since 1967 when Sanders published a paper describing the Venturi principle for ventilatory bronchoscopy, this technique has become increasingly popular. Many papers have been published promoting the use of the Venturi principle which in most cases entails a 16-gauge needle aimed distally down the proximal end of a bronchoscope through which a jet of oxygen is intermittently injected to produced positive pressure ventilation in the lungs. In our study, ten patients undergoing bronchoscopy were ventilated with the Venturi stsytem and the patients were bronchoscoped with a Karl Stors bronchoscope lined with a Venturi oxygen injecttimer, Freiberg 8585T, to which oxygen was supplied from an adjustable pressure reducing valve connected to pipeline oxygen at 55 psi. The following results were obtained: 1) Ten patients verying in age from 2 to 53 years were bronchoscoped becaeuse of subglotticedema, granuloma, emphysems, and tracheal stenosis. 2) The internal diameter of the bronchoscopes varied from 3.0mm to 6.5mm and the inflation pressure varies also from 0.4bar to 1.0bar. The inspiration to expiration time ratio was 1:2 and 1:3. 3) The average PaO2 was well maintained during bronchoscopy and in the postanesthetic stage, but the PaCO2 was slightly increased over the preoperative values. The explanation for this result is that the bronchoscope fitted too tightly to the trachea, so that exhalation was incomplete, and the process of exchange inhibited the elimination of CO2 from the lungs. The results obtained from this study suggest that this technic and device, when used properly, should provide adequate ventilation and an improved visual isation of the operative field.
Anesthesia, General ; Bronchoscopes ; Bronchoscopy* ; Exhalation ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Inflation, Economic ; Lung ; Needles ; Oxygen* ; Positive-Pressure Respiration ; Pulmonary Ventilation* ; Trachea ; Tracheal Stenosis ; Ventilation

PURPOSE: Apoptosis plays a central role in tumor development and it has been hypothesized that lack or failure of apoptosis leads to the development of tumors, including colon cancers. Anticancer drugs do not invariably cytotoxic to all cancer cells. Some resistant cells against anticancer drugs are resuming to proliferate after initial damage, whereas others undergo permanent growth arrest or death. The resistance of advanced colorectal cancers to chemotherapy is often related to mutations in p53 tumor suppressor gene. METHODS: To understand the molecular mechanism of lovastatin-induced apoptosis, the relationship between p53 and p38 MAPK upon cytotoxicity by anticancer drug was investigated in colon cancer cell lines including HCT-116 (p53 wild type) and HT-29 (mutated p53). Doxorubicin (dox) or lovastatin (lova) increased the cytotoxicity of colon cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. RESULTS: Cytotoxic effects of dox and lova was more prominent in HCT-116 than HT-29. The combined treatment of dox and lova further increased the cytotoxic effect on both cells. The cytotoxicity of dox and lova was resulted from apoptotic cell death, which was determined by genomic DNA fragmentation, PARP cleavage and activation of caspase-3 and -9. The Combined treatment of dox and lova synergistically increased the catalytic activity of caspase-3 and -9 in colon cancer cells, but not caspase-6 and -8. Anticancer drugs also induced the cytosolic release of cytochrome c from mitochondria. Dox also induced the accumulation and activation of p53 protein (phosphorylation of p53, ser15), which was suppressed by lova. p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB203580, significantly increased the apoptotic death of lova-treated cells. Furthermore, Lova significantly induced apoptotic death of MKK6 D/D stable transfectant compared to pcDNA3.1 transfectant of HT-29 cells, which was determined by MTT assay, DNA fragmentation, and caspase activation. Similarly to MKK6 D/D transfectant, Exip (alternative splicing p38 gene) transfectant showed the apoptogenic effect of dox with lova. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that lova induces apoptosis in colon cancer cells via p38 MAPK-dependent and p53-independent mechanism.
Apoptosis* ; Caspase 3 ; Caspase 6 ; Cell Death ; Cell Line ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Cytochromes c ; Cytosol ; DNA Fragmentation ; Doxorubicin* ; Drug Therapy ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; HT29 Cells ; Humans ; Lovastatin ; Mitochondria ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases*

High frequency ventilation has been used experimentally and clinically in a variety of situations. This report describes two cases in which high frequency jet ventilation was used to provide adequate ventilation during thoracic surgery. A solenoid valve controlled ventilator at rates of 100 breaths/min. with a double lumen tube provided adequate gas exchange for these patients with an open chest. The minimal lung movement during high frequency jet ventilation was found to provide excellent operating conditions without undue cardiovascular embarrassment. This case report demonstrates the use of high frequency jet ventilation in two adults undergoing operation ofr pulmonary lobectomy and biopay with segmental resection.
Adult ; High-Frequency Jet Ventilation ; High-Frequency Ventilation ; Humans ; Lung ; Thoracic Surgery* ; Thorax ; Ventilation* ; Ventilators, Mechanical

No abstract available.
Calcinosis* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn*