This study was carried out to investigate pathogenesis of E. coli-induced cystitis by light and electron microscopy with immunocytochemistry. A group of ICR mice was intravesically given 0.3ml of E. coli DIE 174 lysate( 1000000000/ml). Another group was given E. coli lysate after acid solution(pH 4.5) washing for 30 minutes. The urinary bladders were observed at 2 hours and 24 hours after E.coli lysate irrigation. On light microscopy, submucosal edema, congestion, and perivascular neutrophilic infiltration occurred 2 hours after E. coli lysate irrigation. The congestion and acute inflammation were more pronounced 24 hours after. In cases of acid washing and E. coli lysate irrigation, mucosal acute inflammatory infiltration with edema and congestion was marked at early stage. Necrosis of transitional cells developed with time. On immunostain for E. coli, surface of transitional cells was stained 2 hours after E. coli lysate irrigation. At 24 hours after irrigation, intercellular spaces of transitional cells were stained. In cases of acid washing and E. coli lysate irrigation, entire mucosa was stained at early stage. Electron microscopically, transitional cells revealed increase of cytoplasmic processes, enlargement of cytoplasmic vesicles, and widening of intercellular spaces. There were large amounts of various shapes of lysosomes in neutrophils and monocytes infiltrated in the mucosa in acid washing groups. According to the above results, it is concluded that E. coli lysate may easily penetrate into the bladder mucosa and that the mucosal mucopolysaccharide plays as a barrier against bacterial invasion.
Animals ; Cystitis ; Cytoplasm ; Cytoplasmic Vesicles ; Edema ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Extracellular Space ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inflammation ; Lysosomes ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron ; Monocytes ; Mucous Membrane* ; Necrosis ; Neutrophils ; Urinary Bladder*

No abstract available.

This review-article is aimed at shedding a light upon the nature of age-associated changes in the human skeletal system. When the anatomical, physiological and biochemical consequences of bone aging are considered together with the hardening, drying and the diminished repair capabilities of the elderly, it can be seen that fractures assume greater importance as a clinical problem in the geriatric population. Older people start out with a deficit of cortical bone, making them more fracture prone and once fractures occur, the necessary treatments (immobilization, use of casts, etc.) accelerate the rate of bone loss. In addition, aged individuals stand a higher risk for complications of the hospital and enforced bed rest that may ensue. The problems resulting from bone loss in the elderly may be partially alleviated by providing adequate health service support which should include consideration of the following points : 1. Age, sex and general health status ; 2. Habits and inclinations towards physical activities ; 3. Nutritional and endocrine background ; 4. Presence of any specific bone diseases, including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, osteomalacia and ankylosis ; 5. Psychosocial adaptability and other behavioral elements.
Aged ; Aging ; Ankylosis ; Bed Rest ; Biology* ; Bone Diseases ; Health Services ; Humans* ; Motor Activity ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteomalacia ; Osteoporosis

We applied arthroscopy in the diagnosis of thirty four patients with internal derangement of the knee from March to August, 1982. Its results were compared with clinical diagnosis and arthrographic findings. We also performed arthrofomy in twenty nine patients and the final diagnosis enabled us to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of each method. The accuracy of clinical diagnosis was 63.4%. Arthrographic findings were correct in 77.8%. The diagnostic accuracy of arthroscopy was 92.3% with one false negative case. Unnecessary operations were avoided in five patients with the assistance of negative findings of arthroscopy. Arthrography and arthroscopy were complementary in the diagnosis of internal derangement of the knee.
Arthrography ; Arthroscopy ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Knee ; Methods

No abstract available.
Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

Severe burns cause pathophysiological processes that result in mortality. A laboratory biomarker, red cell distribution width (RDW), is known as a predictor of mortality in critically-ill patients. We examined the association between RDW and postoperative mortality in severe burn patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed medical data of 731 severely burned patients who underwent surgery under general anesthesia. We evaluated whether preoperative RDW value can predict 3-month mortality after burn surgery using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, logistic regression, and Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis. Mortality was also analyzed according to preoperative RDW values and incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI). Results: The 3-month mortality rate after burn surgery was 27.1% (198/731). The area under the ROC curve of preoperative RDW to predict mortality after burn surgery was 0.701 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.667–0.734; P < 0.001) with a cut-off point of 12.9. The adjusted hazard ratio in patients with RDW > 12.9 was 1.238 (95% CI, 1.138–1.347; P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that the survival rate was 88.8% for the non-AKI group with RDW ≤ 12.9 and 17.6% for the AKI group with RDW > 12.9. Preoperative RDW was considered an independent risk factor for mortality (odds ratio, 1.679; 95% CI, 1.378– 2.046; P < 0.001). Conclusions: Preoperative RDW may predict 3-month postoperative mortality in patients with severe burns, while preoperative RDW > 12.9 and postoperative AKI may further increase mortality after burn surgery.

Sparganosis usually means the plerocercoid larval infection of Spirometra species. It is endemic mainly in countries where the habit of eating raw snake or frog, or the habit of poulticing with snake skin exists. The most common endemic area is Korea, Japan and China, and the most common localizations are subcutaneous connective tissue and superficial muscles. We experienced a case of scrotal sparganosis in a 32-year-old man presenting with painless hard masses in left scrotum. He underwent by serum Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and was treated by surgical excision.
Adult ; China ; Connective Tissue ; Eating ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay* ; Humans ; Japan ; Korea ; Muscles ; Scrotum ; Skin ; Snakes ; Sparganosis* ; Spirometra

BACKGROUND: CTLA4 (CD152), which is expressed on the surface of T cells following activation, has a much higher affinity for B7 molecules comparing to CD28, and is a negative regulator of T cell activation. In contrast to stimulating and agonistic capabilities of monoclonal antibodies specific to CTLA-4, CTLA4Ig fusion protein appears to act as CD28 antagonist and inhibits in vitro and in vivo T cell priming in variety of immunological conditions. We've set out to confirm whether inhibition of the CD28-B7 costimulatory response using a soluble form of human CTLA4Ig fusion protein would lead to persistent inhibition of alloreactive T cell activation. METHODS: We have used CHO-dhfr cell-line to produce CTLA4Ig fusion protein. After serum free culture of transfected cell line we purified this recombinant molecule by using protein A column. To confirm characterization of fusion protein, we carried out a series of Western blot, SDS-PAGE and silver staining analyses. We have also investigated the efficacy of CTLA4Ig in vitro such as mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) & cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response and in vivo such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), graft versus host disease (GVHD) and skin-graft whether this fusion protein could inhibit alloreactive T cell activation and lead to immunosuppression of activated T cell. RESULTS: In vitro assay, CTLA4Ig fusion protein inhibited immune response in T cell-specific manner: 1) Human CTLA4Ig inhibited allogeneic stimulation in murine MLR; 2) CTLA4Ig prevented the specific killing activity of CTL. In vivo assay, human CTLA4Ig revealed the capacities to induce alloantigen-specific hyporesponsiveness in mouse model: 1) GVHD was efficiently blocked by dose-dependent manner; 2) Clinical score of EAE was significantly decreased compared to nomal control; 3) The time of skin-graft rejection was not different between CTLA4Ig treated and control group. CONCLUSION: Human CTLA4Ig suppress the T cell-mediated immune response and efficiently inhibit the EAE, GVHD in mouse model. The mechanism of T cell suppression by human CTLA4Ig fusion protein may be originated from the suppression of activity of cytotoxic T cell. Human CTLA4Ig could not suppress the rejection in mouse skin-graft, this finding suggests that other mechanism except the suppression of cytotoxic T cell may exist on the suppression of graft rejection.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; B7 Antigens ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Line ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental ; Graft Rejection ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Homicide ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed ; Lymphocytes ; Mice ; Silver Staining ; Staphylococcal Protein A ; T-Lymphocytes

No abstract available.
Brain Stem* ; Classification* ; Hemorrhage*

PURPOSE: Reports of clinical findings and treatment for pediatric urinary stone have been published relatively infrequently. Extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (SWL) is a minimally invasive method of treating urinary stone and has been shown to be effective in the pediatric population. We evaluated the clinical characteristics of patients with pediatric urinary stone and compared the therapeutic results of two SWLs, LT-01+ and Modulith SLX lithotriptors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of 57 children treated by SWL were analyzed retrospectively. Twenty-five patients were treated by LT-01+ (group I) and 32 by Modulith SLX (group II) lithotriptor. The outcomes, including the number of treatment sessions, stone free rate and complications, were assessed. RESULTS: The average age of all 57 children, 36 male and 21 female, was 14.3 years. Chief complaints were flank pain (71.9%), gross hematuria (10.5%) and urinary tract infection (12.3%). The average stone size was 8.2mm (2-15mm). The success rates of each SWL were similar in both groups (group I: 88.0%, group II: 90.6%). However the average number of treatment sessions/patient in Group I was significantly smaller than that of Group II (group I: 2.92, group II: 1.35, p<0.05). Flank pain and gross hematuria were developed similarly after treatment in both groups, and needed only conservative therapy and was resolved within three days. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical characteristics of urinary stone in children were similar to those of adults. There was no significant difference in treatment success rate between the two types of lithotriptors but the number of treatment sessions was smaller in patients treated by Modulith SLX lithotriptor.
Adult ; Child ; Female ; Flank Pain ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Lithotripsy* ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock* ; Urinary Calculi* ; Urinary Tract Infections