Normal human B cells produce autocrine growth factor in response to Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I strain (SAC). However, the functional role and molecular nature of the B cell derived-B cell growth factor (B-BCGF) are largely unknown. We have tried to investigate the nature of B-BCGF using mAb for several years. We report here that B- BCGF is capable of binding to hemoglobin (Hb). The concentrated culture supernatant from tonsillar B cells stimulated with SAC for 24 h was loaded into the fast protein liquid chromatography and ion-exchange chromatography. The peak with BCGF activity was shown to have a M.W. of 16-18 Kda in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by silver stain. Amino acid sequence of the fraction was found to identical to human hemoglobin (Hb) by more than 85%. However, Hb itself had no BCGF activity. The presence of Hb in culture supernatant was due to the contamination of SRBC during B cell purification. SRSC were completely removed from B cells by percoll-gradient centrifugation and B cells were stimulated with SAC and exogenous Hb was added to the cultures. The Hb fraction from FPLC again showed a BCGF activity. These data strongly suggested that BCGF binds to Hb. We confirmed this in dot blot as well as Western blot. The M.W of Hb-binding BCGF was 20 Kda. This information may provide a rapid progress in research of BCGF.
Amino Acid Sequence ; B-Lymphocytes ; Blotting, Western ; Centrifugation ; Chromatography, Ion Exchange ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Humans ; Silver ; Staphylococcus aureus

Generalized lipodyst,rophy is characterized by generalized loss of body fat, and is asociated vith metabolic ahnormalities, including insulin resistance, hyperglycemia., and hypertriglyceridemia. like acanthosis nigricans, generalized lipodystrophy is a cutaneous marker of insulin re.istant diabetes. We report. herein a twenty year old female witti both classic generalized lipodystripin and acanthosis nigricans, in association with insulin resistant diabetes.
Acanthosis Nigricans ; Adipose Tissue ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Hypertriglyceridemia ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Lipodystrophy, Congenital Generalized*

Sweet's syndrome is an important cutaneous sign of underlying myeloproliferative disorder. The majority of cases have occurred with acute leukemia, primarily of the myelogenous type. We described a case of Sweet's syndrome in a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome that preceded acute myelogenous leukemia by 9 months.
Humans ; Leukemia ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute* ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes* ; Myeloproliferative Disorders ; Sweet Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Colon*

For prevention of limitation of range of motion due to arthrofibrosis of the knee joint after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, it is accepted in general that the operation should be delayed for about three weeks after injury. We studied the duration form operation to time of full range of motion, and analized the results in forty-eight patients who had undergone arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament recostruction using the autologous bone-patella tendon-bone graft and early CPM, range of motion exercise during Feb. 1991 and June 1994. The results were as follows: 1. The average interval from injury to operation were 1.3 weeks in acute injury group, 6 weeks in subacute injury group and 20.7 months in chronic group. The average interval from operation to full range of motion were 7.1 weeks in acute injury group, 5.7 weeks in subacute injury group and 3.0 weeks in chronic group. 2. In acute injury group, 14(93.3%) of 15 cases showed full extesion and only 1 case(6.7%) showed the limitation of extension less than 5 degrees. In subacute injury group, 6(85.7%) of 7 cases showed full extension but1 case(14.3%) showed the limitation of extension less than 5 degrees. On the other hand in the chronic injury group, all the 26 cases(100%) of the patients showed full extension. 3. In acute injury group, 14(93.3%) of 15 cases showed full flexion and only 1 cases(6.7%) showed the limitatin of flexion less than 5 degrees. In subacute injury group, 6(85.7%) of 7 cases showed full flexion but 1 case(14.3%) showed the limitation of flexion less than 5 degrees. On the other hand in the chronic injury group, 23(88.5%) of 26 cases could flex to full range of flexion, and 3 cases(11.5%) revealed limitation of flexion less than 5 degrees. 4. The limitation of ROM mainly due to arthrofibrosis can be prevented by early range of motion execise and active rehabilitation in the acute or chronic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using the autograft bone-patella-bone graft. Although in acute patients the interval from operation to full ROM can be prolonged, the full ROM can be achieved after all.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction ; Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Autografts ; Hand ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Patella ; Patellar Ligament ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Rehabilitation ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Knee Injuries* ; Knee*

Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) is accepted as a useful tool for the diagnosis of injury of the knee recently. The anterior cruciate ligament tear is accompanied by the damage of the osseous and soft tissue of the knee. The occult osseous lesion is found on magnetic resonance imaging as bone density change that is not found on the simple radiograph. From Jan. 1992 to Apr. 1994, magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 44 patients with acute anterior cruciate ligament tears. MRI was done within 6 weeks of the index anterior cruciate ligament injury. The criteria of decreased signal intensity on the Tl weighted image and increased signal intensity on the T2 weighted image was applied for the incidence assessment of the occult osseous lesion. After arthroscopy with or without ACL reconstruction, follow-up simple radiograph was checked every 3 months. Occult osseous lesions were documented in 32(73%) of the 44 patients. Of the 32 patients with bony lesion, 81% had lesions of the lateral compartment. Lateral femoral condyle was involved in 15 cases(46.9%), and lateral tibial plateau in 22 cases (68.8%). Follow-up X-ray revealed no joint deperession in all of the 32 patients with the occult osseous lesion. This result suggests that there is a high correlation between the occult osseous lesion of lateral compartment of the knee on magnetic resonance imaging and anterior cruciate ligament tear. The presence of the occult osseous lesion in the patient with acute anterior cruciate ligament tear did not affect rehabilitation and weight bearing.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Arthroscopy ; Bone Density ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Joints ; Knee ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Rehabilitation ; Tears ; Weight-Bearing

We report a case of neuroblastoma with multiple skin metastases as a chief complaint in a 2-month-old girl. the skin lesions were rnultiple, pea-sized, bluish, nontender, moable subcutaneous nodules on abdomen, back and scalp. Histopathology showed small round or poly gonal tumor cells which have deeply stained, basophilic, hyperchromatic nuclei with some mitoses. Th.se tumor cells showed clumping tendency which is one of early menifestations of rosette formation. Immunohistochemically positive reaction was demonstrated by anti-NSE(neuron specific enolase) antilody but negative reaction by anti-NFP (neurofilament proteiin ) antibody. She has been succesfully treated with combined chemotherapy for 10 months without relapse.
Abdomen ; Basophils ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Mitosis ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Neuroblastoma* ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; Recurrence ; Rosette Formation ; Scalp ; Skin*

BACKGROUND: Conventional echocardiography provides fundamental information about mitral valve morphology and function but is often subjective and has a relatively low specificity in evaluating valve calcific deposit, which is critical information for the preoperative decision. We hypothesized that mitral valvular calcification could be detected in standard two-dimensional echocardiograms of mitral valve in vivo by evaluating regional gray level(echo amplitude) using computerized image analysis so that we could overcome the subjectivity and low specificity of conventional echocardiography. METHODS: We tested this hypothesis by performing standard 2.5MHz two-dimensional echoes on mitral valve and myocardium in 30 patients with mitral stenosis, scheduled to undergo mitral valve replacement. We compared gray level of each region of interest in mitral valve and myocardium in stop-frame images with the degree of calcifications identified by pathologic and radiographic examinations. RESULTS: Ratio of mean gray level of mitral valve to mean gray level of myocardium was the most reliable value in evaluating degree of calcification. Quantitatively, region of calcification displayed the ratio of significantly higher value than that of no calcification. In case of anterior mitral valve, the ratio of the evident calcified region was greater than 3.11, that of the region without calcification was less than 2.42 and that of microcalcification was betwwn 2.42 and 3.11. For posterior mitral valve, the ratio of the evident calcified region was greater than 3.50, that of the region without calcification was less than 2.19 and that of microcalcification was between 2.19 and 3.50. The sensitivity and specificity of this method for assessment of degree of calcification was 75% and 100% for anterior mitral valve and 9% and 87.5% for posterior mitral valve. CONCLUSION: Mitral valvular calcification could be detected quantitatively in standard two dimensional echocardiograms of mitral valve in vivo by evaluating regional gray level(echo amplitude) using computerized image analysis.
Echocardiography ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Stenosis* ; Myocardium ; Sensitivity and Specificity

In the course of immunoscreening of Clonorchis sinensis cDNA library, a cDNA CsRP12 containing a tandem repeat was isolated. The cDNA CsRP12 encodes two putative peptides of open reading frames (ORFs) 1 and 2 (CsRP12-1 and -2). The repetitive region is composed of 15 repeats of 10 amino acids. Of the two putative peptides, CsRP12-1 was proline-rich and found to have homologues in several organisms. Recombinant proteins of the putative peptides were bacterially produced and purified by an affinity chromatography. Recombinant CsRP12-1 protein was recognized by sera of clonorchiasis patients and experimental rabbits, but recombinant CsRP12-2 was not. One of the putative peptide, CsRP12-1, is designated CsPRA, proline-rich antigen of C. sinensis. Both the C-termini of CsRP12-1 and -2 were bacterially produced and analysed to show no antigenicity. Recombinant CsPRA protein showed high sensitivity and specificity. In experimental rabbits, IgG antibodies to CsPRA was produced between 4 and 8 weeks after the infection and decreased thereafter over one year. These results indicate that CsPRA is equivalent to a natural protein and a useful antigenic protein for serodiagnosis of human clonorchiasis.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Antigens, Helminth/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Base Sequence ; *Cloning, Molecular ; Clonorchis sinensis/genetics/*immunology ; DNA, Helminth ; Gene Library ; Human ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Proteins ; *Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't