No abstract available.

HIV-1 p24 was cloned into multiple cloning site of pMV261, extrachromosomal expression vectors carrying BCG replication origin and BCG-specific heat-shock promoter, and then introduced into BCG and E. coli. Western blot experiments showed that the p24 efficiently expressed in recombinant BCG (rBCG), but not in E. coli. Recombinant p24 expression induced by a single heat-shock of rBCG was maintained longer than 3 weeks. Immunoblot experiments with intact rBCG did not show any distinctive positive signal, suggesting that the recombinant protein was not secreted or exposed at the surface of BCG. The guinea pigs immunized with live rBCG showed delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) by the systemic area as well as an effective humoral immunity, suggesting that tbis rBCG is believed to elicit eKcient immune responses against p24, even though the expression is restricted only in the cytoplasm as reported previously with other antigen. These results demonstrate that BCG can be developed as a live recombinant vaccine vector against a broad spectrum of infectious disease.
Animals* ; Blotting, Western ; Clone Cells ; Cloning, Organism ; Communicable Diseases ; Cytoplasm ; Guinea Pigs ; HIV* ; HIV-1 ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunity, Humoral ; Mycobacterium bovis* ; Replication Origin

BACKGROUND: Recent evidences suggest that anesthetic action within the spinal cord is important in suppressing somatic responses to painful stimuli. Intrathecal endothelin-1 (ET-1) is known to have antinociceptive effect. The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether intrathecal ET-1 may influence the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of isoflurane in rats and access the role of the spinal cord as the sites of anesthetic action in blocking somatic responsiveness. METHODS: In Sprague-Dawley rats fitted with an indwelling intrathecal catheter, we determined the MAC of isoflurane using a tail-clamp technique as a painful stimulus, combined with end-tidal anesthetic sampling. In experiment 1, the control MAC was determined and changes of control MAC were observed after intrathecal ET-1 (4x10-2 nmol, 4x10-3 nmol) administration. In experiment 2, we observed the effects of L or N type Ca++ channel blocker such as verapamil (50 g) or W-conotoxin (0.5 g) on the MAC after measurement of the control MAC. In experiment 3, after measurement of the control MAC, ET-1 (10-2 nmol) was administered intrathecally and the MAC was determined again. Next, intrathecal verapamil (50 g) or W-conotoxin (0.5 g) was injected. After that, the MAC was determined again. RESULTS: In experiment 1, ET-1 decreased the MAC of isoflurane and its effect was sustained over 2 hours. In experiment 2, the MAC, determined following administration of verapamil or W-conotoxin, was not different from that of the control. In experiment 3, the MAC was decreased after ET-1 administration and then increased following injection of verapamil or W-conotoxin. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that ET-1, in relation to calcium, might play an important role in determining the MAC of isoflurane in the spinal cord.
Animals ; Calcium ; Catheters ; Endothelin-1* ; Isoflurane* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord ; Verapamil

Computed Tomograms of 45 patients with or without lung mass were reviewed to determine the characteristics of the major and minor fissures. Also pulmonary vascular distibutions were analyzed to localize each pulmonary lobe. The results were as follows; 1. Each major fissure area was imaged frequently as lucent band, less frequently dense band. 2. The minor fissure areas were imaged as oval or triangular lucent zones. The oval or triangularlucent zones were as same frequency. 3. Avascular planes without above mentioned lucent zones were also correspond to minor fissure areas. 4. Slices of avascular zones were observated between pulmonary arteries to posterior segment or apicoposterior segment of upper lobe and to superior segement of lower lobe on both lungs.
Humans ; Lung ; Pulmonary Artery

Increased expression of Transglutaminases 2 (TGase 2, TGase C) was observed in PC-14 human lung cancer cells in association with doxorubicin resistance and the reduction of the enzyme expression was correlated with the increasing cytotoxicity of the drug (Han and Park, 1999). Hydrogen peroxide was suggested to be a key mediator for doxorubicin-induced DNA fragmentation leading to apoptosis. A possible role of hydrogen peroxide as a putative mediator of TGase 2 expression in the doxorubicin sensitive PC-14 cells was examined. TGase 2 expression was increased in PC-14 cells treated with doxorubicin in a dose-dependent manner resulting in the concomitant increase of reactive oxygen species. The rise of TGase 2 expression by doxorubicin treatment was inhibited by N-acetylcysteine or glutathione treatment, while direct addition of hydrogen peroxide to PC-14 cells induced TGase 2 expression. These results suggest that generation of hydrogen peroxide induced by doxorubicin treatment is one of the key factors in an enhancement of TGase 2 expression in PC-14 cells.
Acetylcysteine/pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology* ; Doxorubicin/pharmacology* ; Enzyme Induction ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; Glutathione/pharmacology ; Human ; Hydrogen Peroxide/pharmacology ; Hydrogen Peroxide/metabolism* ; Lung Neoplasms/enzymology* ; Protein-Glutamine gamma-Glutamyltransferase/biosynthesis* ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism ; Tumor Cells, Cultured/drug effects

PURPOSE:Autonomic neuropathy in adult diabetics is known to be common and poor in prognosis. Cardiac autonomic neuropathy increases sudden cardiac death and is present before apparant cardiac symptoms. Subclinical diabetic peripheral neuropathy is common with type 1 diabetes. In children, few studies for subclinical peripheral neuropathy and cardiac autonomic neuropathy were reported but the results were inconsistent. The authors investigated subclinical cardiac and peripheral neuropaties and evaluated correlation between nerve conduction velocity(NCV) and cardiac autonomic function(CAF) test in type 1 diabetic children and adolescents METHODS:Over 5 years from 1997 to 2002, 27 IDDM without clinical neuropathy were registered. Total 57 CAF and NCV were tested every 2 or 3 years. Duration of diabetes, average HbA1c during 1 year prior to the test, and urinary microalbumin excretion for 24 hours were assessed. Diabetic autonomic nervous function was evaluated by cardiovascular reflex test:falling systolic blood pressure in response to standing, heart rate changes in response to standing, beat-to-beat rate variation during deep breathing, RR interval change during and after Valsalva maneuver. Subclinical peripheral neuropathy was evaluated by NCV in both upper and lower extremities. Correlation of parameters according to NCV abnormality and microalbuminuria were analyzed. RESULTS:The age, duration of diabetes and microalbuminuria were not statistically different between children with normal and abnormal NCV. The level of HbA1c was associated with NCV abnormality. In a multivariate logistic model for NCV abnormality, level of HbA1c showed statistical significance after controlling the effects of age, duration of diabetes, and urinary microalbumin level, and the odd ratio was 1.532. The degree of CAF abnormality was marginally significant in the logistic model. Children with microalbuminuria showed older age and longer duration of diabetes than those without microalbuminuria. However, mean HbA1c level was not significantly different between the two groups. Degree of CAF abnormality was not significantly associated with microalbuminuria, either. In a general linear model including urinary albumin level as the dependent variable, none of independent variables was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Therapy against neuropathy should be considered in patients with high HbA1c and abnormal CAF test even without clinically apparent neuropathy.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Child* ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Logistic Models ; Lower Extremity ; Neural Conduction ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Prognosis ; Reflex ; Respiration ; Valsalva Maneuver

This study was performed to examine if the effects of collagen supplementation from pork skin could improve the sex steroid hormone, serum lipid and skin crack in Korean middle-aged women. Middle-aged women (40-55 years) who were not diagnosed with any type of disease were included in this study and thirty subjects were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 15) or a collagen supplemented group (n = 15). The collagen supplemented group ingested collagen flour 2 g, 3 times a day for 12 weeks. We measured serum collagen, estrogen, estradiol, estriol, progesterone, total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentration. The collagen supplementation group had significantly increased serum collagen (p < 0.05) compared with the control group. In addition, skin crack was improved. But, there were no differences for sex steroid hormone and lipid profile in control and collagen supplemented groups. The result of the present study demonstrated that supplementation of 6 g collagen per day for 12 weeks can give beneficial effects on skin crack reduction and serum collagen concentration.
Cholesterol ; Collagen ; Estradiol ; Estriol ; Estrogens ; Female ; Flour ; Humans ; Progesterone ; Skin

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma(CTCL) is a rare cutaneous malignant disease and is typically a disease of older adults. There is no optimal treatment for CTCL, which ranges from topical steroid to systemic chemotherapy. Hence until curative therapy is found, therapies that keep CTCL in check and prevent progression to more advanced lymphoma may be desirable alternatives and may presetve quality of life. Herein we report our experience in treating a stage 11B CTCL patient with triple combination of interferon alfa, oral retinoid, and psoralen plus WA(PWA) therapy.
Adult ; Drug Therapy ; Ficusin ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha* ; Interferons* ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous* ; Photochemotherapy* ; Quality of Life ; T-Lymphocytes

No abstract available.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Spinal Stenosis*

PURPOSE: To report a case of Charles Bonnet syndrome that developed after resection of a meningioma. CASE SUMMARY: The authors reviewed the medical record, brain magnetic resonance image, and Goldmann visual field test of a 56-year-old male patient who was diagnosed with a meningioma in the right parietal and occipital lobe and underwent resection of the tumor. The preoperative Goldmann visual field test showed homonymous left inferior quadrantanopsia. Subtotal resection of the mass in the right parietal and occipital lobe was performed, and postoperative histopathologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of a meningioma. Postoperatively, the patient complained of visual hallucination in an area of the eye with visual field defects. However, his consciousness and orientations were intact, and other cognitive functions were also normal. CONCLUSIONS: Visual hallucination can manifest in an area with visual field defects after resection of abrain tumor. In such a case, a diagnosis of Charles Bonnet syndrome should be considered.
Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Consciousness ; Eye ; Hallucinations ; Hemianopsia ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Male ; Medical Records ; Meningioma ; Middle Aged ; Occipital Lobe ; Orientation ; Visual Field Tests ; Visual Fields