No abstract available.
Candida albicans* ; Candida* ; Dentures* ; Detergents*

The purpose of this study was to investigate the inhibitory role of vitamin A with respect to activation of Ito cells in fibrosis of the rat liver induced by common bile duct ligation(CBDL). The liver was examined by immunohistochemical staining for a-smooth muscle actin,the known marker of activated Ito cells, and light and electron microscopy after CBDL andCBDL with intraperitoneal injection of retinoic acid (Sigma, USA) 1 mg/Kg in 3 times per week. The results were sumrrlerized as follows: After CBDL, the bile ductules were markedly proliferated in the periportal areas extending toterminal hepatic veins. Interstitial fibrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration appeared, however,cholestasis was minimal. Retinoic acid treatment with CBDL decreased bile ductular proliferationand interstitial fibrosis compared to CBDL only. After CBDL, proliferated and activated Ito ceIs showing positive reaction in smooth muscle actin were present in the periductular andperisinusoidal areas, and areas of increased interstitial fibrosis. Activated ito cells weredecreased in number after CBDL with vitamin A treatment. Electron microscopically,intracytoplasmic fat droplets and the cytoplasmic processes of Ito cells were decreased afterCBDL. Myofibroblasts were frequently appeared in the interstitial fibrosis after CBDL. But,intracytoplasmic fat droplets of Ito cells were well preserved, and myofibroblasts were found lessfrequently after CBDL with vitamin A treatment. The results suggest that vitamin A plays an inbitory role in the activation and fibrogenesis ofIto cells after CBDL.
Rats ; Animals

We report three cases of rat mite dermatitis caused by Ornithonysus bacoti(Hirst, 1913), commonly referred to it as the tropicalrat mite. The first case, a 26-year old female had multiple pinhead sized vesicles with peripheral erythematous macule on the upper arms. The second case, a 34-year-old femal had multiple variable sized vesicles with erythematous base on the extremeties. The third case, a 43-year old male had multiple erythematous macules and papules with central punctum on the trunl: and extremities. Histopathologic sections from lesions of the first and second patient showed moderate perivascular lymphahistiocytic infiltration intermingled with some eosinophils. Causative mites, Ornithonyssus bacoti, female were collected around the skin lesion in rase 1, from the house dust in case 2 and furniture in case 3.
Adult ; Animals ; Arm ; Dermatitis* ; Dust ; Eosinophils ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Interior Design and Furnishings ; Male ; Mites* ; Rats* ; Skin

Lipomas of the heart are benign neoplasms and have rarely been described. Due to the fact that they normally cause no symptoms, diagnosis is often purely accidental. Because of the rarity of these tumors, it seems worthwhile to present an example studied at autopsy. It was associated with the sudden death of a 15-year-old boy. The tumor arose from the wall of the left ventricle and occupied the pericardial cavity, measuring 13x7x6 cm in size. The tumor was whitish-yellow, translucent, and soft. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of mature adipose tissue which extended between muscle fibers. This current case, the giant cardiac lipoma is believed to produce disturbances of the conduction system and distrubances of cardiac filling.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the decreased neutrophil count after the administration of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) or anti-D immunoglobulin (anti-D Ig) to children with acute immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). In addition, post-treatment changes in absolute neutrophil count (ANC) were also analyzed according to patient age.METHODS: We retrospectively performed a chart review of 83 patients who had received IVIG or anti-D Ig to manage the decreased platelet count due to acute ITP. Pre- and post-treatment ANC were analyzed in the IVIG treatment group and anti-D Ig treatment group, and ANC were compared between each group. In addition, all the subjects were divided into two groups according to age: infantile group and other group, and ANC of these two groups were compared.RESULTS: A decrease in ANC in just a day and recovering to its pre-treatment value on the 7th post-treatment day was observed for the IVIG treatment group. Especially, the decrease in ANC observed in the infantile group was found to recover in 14 days, where-as ANC recovery in the other group was seen within 2 days after the treatment. There was no statistically significant decrease in ANC in the anti-D Ig treatment group.CONCLUSION: IVIG used for childhood acute ITP caused a decrease in ANC more severely than with the administration of anti-D Ig. Subjects aged less than 12 months who were treated with IVIG for acute ITP showed more ANC decrease and needed longer time to recover normal ANC compared to those over 12 months of age.
Aged ; Child ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; Isoantibodies ; Neutropenia ; Neutrophils ; Platelet Count ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Ischemic preconditioning(IP) is known to be effective in the protection of myocardial necrosis, arrhythmia, and the restoration of the myocardial function in the ischemia-reperfusion state of the heart. However the exact mechanism is not clearly understood. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the trigger mechanism of IP on the restoration of the myocardial function after ischemia-reperfusion. MATERIAL AND METHOD: By connecting a Langendorff perfusion apparatus with an isolated heart of a rat, the normal temperature of the heart was maintained. The experiment was conducted in seven groups, which were divided according to the preconditioning stimuli and blockage methods: Group I(n=10) was a group without IP, Group II(n=10) a group of three-minute IP, Group III(n=10) a group of PEIP, Group IV(n=10) a group of clonidine IP, Group V(n=10) a group of IP after reserpine, Group VI(n=10) a group of PE & prazosin IP, and Group VII(n=10) a group of clonidine & yohimbine IP. Hemodynamic parameters of DP, LVEDP, +/-dP/dT and the changes of perfusion in the coronary artery were evaluated. RESULT: Developed pressure and +dP/dT changed per unit time. After 20 minutes of reperfusion, those of Group II and III were 63.1+/-3.7%, 64.8+/-4.6% and 64.5+/-4.6%, 63.8+/-4.4%, which improved more significantly than those of Group I(P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences between the Groups V and VI, and Group I. CONCLUSION: The Brief ischemic preconditioning and pharmacological preconditioning using alpha-receptor sympathomimetics have protecting effects on the restoration of myocardial function after reperfusion. And the protecting effect of preconditioning seems to be related to sympathetic neurotransmitters and to the selective action of the alpha1-adrenergic receptor.
Animals ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Clonidine ; Coronary Vessels ; Heart ; Hemodynamics ; Ischemic Preconditioning ; Ischemic Preconditioning, Myocardial* ; Necrosis ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Perfusion ; Prazosin ; Rats* ; Reperfusion ; Reserpine ; Sympathomimetics ; Yohimbine

BACKGROUND: There are only a few studies regarding the causes of treatment failure for tuberculosis. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the causes of intractable tuberculosis. METHODS: M.tuberculosis, differentiated MOTT (Tycobacterium Other Than Tuberculosis) were isolated, and the RFLP (Restriction fragments length polymorphisms) pattern was analyzed from 204 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and 53 suffering from neck tuberculosis. The IL-1β, IL-12, *1 IFNγ and *2 TNFαblood levels were measured. All patients were regularly followed for 18 months after treatment. RESULTS: There was no correlation between the RFLP patterns of M.tuberculosis treatment failure. From the 204 cases, 31.9% were intractable. The characteristics of patients with intractable tuberculosis were old age, being male and recurrent cases. The causes of treatment failure were identified as follows ; a decrease in the IL-12(59.4%) concentration, drug resistant strain(54.7%), irregular medication(15.4%), MOTT(6.2%) and a heavy infection(4.6%). The causes of all cases of intractable tuberculosis could be investigated. The IL-12 concentration in the blood was significantly lower in the intractable cases, where it disclosed a maximum sensitivity(64.7%) and specificity(75.4%) at 165.0 pg/ml. Most of the 53 cases on neck node tuberculosis were treated successfully. Therefore, we were unable to analyze the cause of treatment failure. CONCLUSION: A decrease in the blood IL-12 concentration and drug resistant strains were identified as the most significant causes of treatment failure for tuberculosis. In Korea, infection by clusters were prevalent, but no difference in the clinical course between clusters and non-clusters could be found.
Humans ; Interleukin-12 ; Korea ; Male ; Neck* ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Treatment Failure* ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Consecutive anesthesia records of transurethral resection. (TUR) on 97 patients have been reviewed. The patients' anesthetic management and complications were discussed. Operations in this series were classified as follows: 65 cases of TUR of the benign prostate hypertrophy(BPH), 8 cases of TUR of prostate ca, 24 cases of TUR of the bladder tumor. Of all the 97 cases of TUR, 62 cases had some systemic disease. Circulatory diseases, such as hypertension, abnormal EKG and ischemic heart disease were encountered most frequently, namely in 24 cases(26%). The patients who underwent TUR of the BPH had the highest mean age(70 years old). Spinal anesthesia was given 79.4%, and general anesthesia in 18. 6%. Complications did not occur during or after TUR. There was no death associated with anesthesia and operation in this study.
Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, General ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Prostate ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms

No abstract available.
Canada* ; Gastrointestinal Tract*

Skip lesion is not uncommon feature in osteosarcoma and considered to be importantly associated with poor prognosis factor, and thus, should be excised with the main mass. The accurate pre-operative evaluation of the intramedullary extent of osteosarcoma is essential, because it determines the level of bone resection. Among the reliable detection methods, bone scan has a drawback of high rate of false negative results and regional MRI has a difficulty to cover the whole involved lesions without clinical suspicion. The authors report a case of osteosarcoma of the distal femur with a proximal skip lesion that was not detected by either regional MR imaging or by bone scan, but which was visualized by FDG-PET/CT.
Complement System Proteins ; Femur ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteosarcoma ; Prognosis