Anthrax toxin consists of three separate proteins, protective antigen (PA), edema factor (EF), and lethal factor (LF). PA binds to the receptor on mammalian cells and facilitates translocation of EF or LF into its cytosol. PA is the primary component of anthrax vaccines. In this study we purified PA from culture filtrates of Bacillus anthracis. The purification involved sequential chromatography through hydroxylapatite, DEAE-Sepharose CL-4B, followed by Mono-Q. The purified PA was judged to be homogeneous on SDS-PAGE, and consisted of a single polypeptide chain with a relative molecular weight of 85,000.
Anthrax ; Anthrax Vaccines ; Bacillus anthracis* ; Bacillus* ; Chromatography ; Cytosol ; Durapatite ; Edema ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Molecular Weight

We report one case with the occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery and the left renal artery in the mitral stenosis with the review of the literatures.
Mesenteric Artery, Superior* ; Mitral Valve Stenosis* ; Renal Artery*

No abstract available.
Hearing* ; Humans ; Tinnitus*

Fracture dislocation or dislocation of the knee can produce a popliteal artery injury that may be difficult to evaluate clinically. Diagnosis of disruption or thrombosis of the popliteal artery is frequently delayed until the opportunity to salvage the extremity is lost. 22 cases of popliteal artery injury were reviewed from July 1978 to December 1983, associated with severe knee trauma at the Orthopaedic department of Kyung Hee University Hospital, of whom average follow-up for about 52 months. The results obtained were as follows; 1. In all 22 cases, 14 cases (63. 6%) were amputated. The amputation rate was correlated with ischemic time after injury. 2. Resection of all injuried vessels with reconstitution of continuity by the use of an interposed saphenous vein graft is often warrented to avoid tension. 3. All 8 patients, which was managed conservatively, were amputated in all cases(100%). In cases of suspicious popliteal artery injury, early aggressive exploration and obvious microvascular reconstruction should be mandatory. 4. Subperiosteal fibulectomy-fasciotomy should be done routinely immediately after vascular injury. 5. Diagnosis of popliteal artery injury was based on the clinical findings but the capillary filling was not contributary. 6. The use of Doppler flowmeter and emergency arteriography was recognizedtobeanexcellent methods in determination of arterial injury.
Amputation ; Angiography ; Capillaries ; Diagnosis ; Dislocations ; Emergencies ; Extremities ; Flowmeters ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee ; Popliteal Artery ; Saphenous Vein ; Thrombosis ; Transplants ; Vascular System Injuries

PURPOSE: Holmium: YAG laser (Ho: YAG laser) lithotripsy represents an additional option in the management of urinary tract calculi. We report here on the results for the success and complications of Ho: YAG laser lithotripsy on the management of ureteric calculi. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 132 patients (72 males and 60 females, mean age: 46 years (range: 26-75)) underwent 137 ureteroscopic procedures using a 6/7.5Fr semi-rigid ureterocope (Wolf, Germany). A Ho: YAG laser (Trimedyne Inc., Irvine, USA) was used for laser lithotripsy at a maximum energy of 1.0J/pulse at 10Hz. The calculi were located in the lower ureter in 93 cases, the middle ureter in 20 cases and the upper ureter in 24 cases. The patients were assessed with plain x-ray within 4 weeks postoperatively. RESULTS: The overall stone-free rate was 98%. Stratifying the results by location, the stone-free rate was 99% in the lower ureter, 95% in the middle ureter and 96% in the upper ureter. Fragmentation failed in three cases (2%). Ureteral stricture developed in one case postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Ho: YAG laser lithotripsy is a highly effective and safe treatment modality for managing ureteral calculi.
Calculi ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Female ; Holmium* ; Humans ; Lasers, Solid-State* ; Lithotripsy* ; Lithotripsy, Laser ; Male ; Ureter ; Ureteral Calculi ; Ureteroscopy ; Urinary Tract

PURPOSE: Holmium: YAG laser (Ho: YAG laser) lithotripsy represents an additional option in the management of urinary tract calculi. We report here on the results for the success and complications of Ho: YAG laser lithotripsy on the management of ureteric calculi. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 132 patients (72 males and 60 females, mean age: 46 years (range: 26-75)) underwent 137 ureteroscopic procedures using a 6/7.5Fr semi-rigid ureterocope (Wolf, Germany). A Ho: YAG laser (Trimedyne Inc., Irvine, USA) was used for laser lithotripsy at a maximum energy of 1.0J/pulse at 10Hz. The calculi were located in the lower ureter in 93 cases, the middle ureter in 20 cases and the upper ureter in 24 cases. The patients were assessed with plain x-ray within 4 weeks postoperatively. RESULTS: The overall stone-free rate was 98%. Stratifying the results by location, the stone-free rate was 99% in the lower ureter, 95% in the middle ureter and 96% in the upper ureter. Fragmentation failed in three cases (2%). Ureteral stricture developed in one case postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Ho: YAG laser lithotripsy is a highly effective and safe treatment modality for managing ureteral calculi.
Calculi ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Female ; Holmium* ; Humans ; Lasers, Solid-State* ; Lithotripsy* ; Lithotripsy, Laser ; Male ; Ureter ; Ureteral Calculi ; Ureteroscopy ; Urinary Tract

PURPOSE: Pseudomembranous trigonitis is a common cystoscopic finding in the female patients with voiding symptoms. We evaluated the changes in voiding symptoms of the patients after coagulating this lesion with Holmium:YAG laser. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six female patients with voiding symptoms including frequency, dysuria, lower abdominal pain who were refractory to the conservative treatment for more than 1 month were enrolled in this study. The mean age was 35(range: 26~43) years. The patients were treated with cystoscopic evaluation and Holmium:YAG laser with 365 and 500 micrometer probe fibers. Power setting was between 6 and 11 watts. Only the lesions at the trigone and bladder neck were coagulated. No indwelling urethral catheter was used postoperatively. We evaluated patient's symptoms with out-patient follow-up or telephone up to 16 months. RESULTS: The mean duration of symptoms were 3.8(range: 6 months~13 years) years, and the mean follow-up was 13.3(range: 8~16) months. In all cystoscopic evaluations, pseudomembranous trigonitis was seen. After treatment, 3 of the 6 patients showed symptomatic improvements within 3 months and retained the improved state up to the last follow-up period. However, in the other 3 patients, no change in symptoms or initial response with following recurrence was seen. In the 3 patients who showed good response, transient worsening period of 1~3 months preceded the improvement. Follow-up cystoscopy at 3 months showed complete regeneration of the trigone and bladder neck mucosa. CONCLUSION: In the patients of pseudomembranous trigonitis with voiding symptoms refractory to conservative therapy, laser coaulation of the trigonal lesion was not so satisfactory but may be one of therapeutic options. Further investigation is needed.
Abdominal Pain ; Cystoscopy ; Dysuria ; Female* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laser Coagulation* ; Laser Therapy ; Mucous Membrane ; Neck ; Outpatients ; Recurrence ; Regeneration ; Telephone ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Catheters

Bacillus anthracis is a soil pathogen capable of causing anthrax in animals and humans. To establish a method for specifically detecting B. anthracis, we used nested polymerase chain reaction. Outer and inner sets of oligonucleotide primers were designed from the protective antigen (pag) gene and from the cya gene of the plasmid pXO1. Ainplification of 482 bp or 208 bp DNA fragment obtained from a nested PCR method provided the basis for rapid and reliable assay for the detection and identification of B. anthracis.
Animals ; Anthrax ; Bacillus anthracis* ; Bacillus* ; DNA ; DNA Primers ; Humans ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Soil

PURPOSE: Prostate specific antigen(PSA) is present in a 10(6)-fold higher concentration in semen than in plasma, but serum PSA is elevated during inflammatory conditions such as chronic prostatitis. We evaluated the seminal PSA and its effect on sperm motility in inflammatory chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome(CPPS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three patients with inflammatory CPPS(group P) and 11 normal controls(group NL) were enrolled in this study. The semen analysis was performed with a computerized analyzer, and seminal PSA was measured twice using a ELSA-PSA2 radioimmunometric kit(Cis Biointernational). We compared the result in groups P and NL. The subjects were then re-sorted into two groups according to the seminal PSA concentration, with 3.0 mg/ml as the cutoff value, and sperm motility was compared for the high- and low-PSA groups. Statistical significance was measured using the unpaired t-test. RESULTS: The average concentrations of seminal PSA in groups P and NL were 3.67 mg/ml and 1.79 mg/ml, respectively(p=0.048). Sperm motility was not different in the two groups. However, motility(straight-line velocity and average path velocity) was lower in the patients with high seminal PSA(p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Inflammatory chronic non-bacterial prostatitis increases the seminal secretion of PSA, and high seminal PSA is correlated with decreased sperm motility.
Humans ; Pelvic Pain* ; Plasma ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatitis ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Motility* ; Spermatozoa*

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were as follow: 1) to de scribe the expression status of estrogen receptor-alpha and -beta mRNAs in five gastric carcinoma cell lines; 2) to evaluate in vitro the effects of 17beta-estradiol and estrogen receptor antagonists on the proliferation of the cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Detection of estrogen receptor-alpha and estrogen receptor-beta mRNA in five human gastric cancer cell lines (AGS, KATO III, MKN28, MKN45 and MKN74) was made by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction system. To evaluate the effect of 17beta-estradiol and estrogen receptor antagonists on the proliferation of gastric cancer cell line, the cell lines which expressed both es trogen receptors were chosen and treated with 17beta-estradiol and estrogen receptor antagonists (methyl-piperidino-pyrazole and pyrazolo [1,5-a] pyrimidine). Cell proliferation was assessed with the methylthiazol tetrazolium test. RESULTS: Estrogen receptor-alpha and estrogen receptor-beta mRNAs were expressed in three (KATO III, MKN28 and MKN45) and all of the five gastric cancer cell lines, respectively. At higher concentrations, 17beta-estradiol inhibited cell growth of MKN28, MKN45 and KATO III cell lines. Neither estrogen receptor-alpha nor estrogen receptor-beta antagonist blocked the anti-proliferative effect of 17beta-estradiol. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that estrogen receptor-beta mRNAs are preferentially expressed in gastric cancers and also imply that hormone therapy rather than estrogen receptor blockers may be a useful strategy for the treatment of estrogen receptor-beta positive gastric cancer. Its therapeutic significance in gastric cancer are, however, limited until more evidence of the roles of estrogen receptors in the gastric cancer are accumulated.
Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; Estrogens ; Humans ; Receptors, Estrogen ; RNA, Messenger ; Stomach Neoplasms