No abstract available.

We aimed to investigate the effect of in vitro allergen challenge on activation of eosinophils and expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1) in the epithelial and endothelial cells of the nasal mucosa of allergic rhinitics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Inferior turbinate mucosal specimens which were obtained from 16 perennial allergic rhinitics and sensitized to D. farinae during conchotomy operations were used. Each mucosal specimen was divided into six pieces. The first two pieces were used as basic control group without culture, the second two pieces as culture-control group which was cultured with diluent only, and the last two pieces as antigen-challenge group cultured with D. farinae solution for 24 hours. Specimens were immunohistochemically stained using monoclonal antibody against eosinophil cationic protein(EG1 for all eosinophils and EG2 for activated forms) and ICAM-1. RESULTS: Average counts of EG1 cells and EG2+ cells within 1 mm of lamina propria of nasal mucosa were 14 and 11 respectively in the basic control group, 17 and 19 in culture control group, and 16 and 16 in the antigen-challenge group. ICAM-1 expression on vessels was observed more than half of t,he vessels in the nasal mucosa and there was no significant difference between groups, however, its expression on the epithelial cells was most prominent in the antigen-challenge group (2.1 in basic control group, 3.3 in culture control group, and 6.2 in antigen-challenge group). CONCLUSION: Most of the eosinophils infiltrating into the nasal mucosae out of vessels in allergic rhinitics are activated forms. Significant up-regulation of epithelial ICAM-1 expression by antigen-challenge suggests that ICAM-1 contributes to the transmigration of eosinophils from the subepithelial tissue into the epithelial cell layer and then finally into the nasal secretion.
Endothelial Cells ; Eosinophils* ; Epithelial Cells ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1* ; Mucous Membrane ; Nasal Mucosa* ; Turbinates ; Up-Regulation

The R-R interval analyzer was developed to measure the autonomic nervous system function using microcomputer. The system based on 8 bit microcomputer including bandpass filter, R-wave detector and clock generator in order to obtain the mean value, standard deviation, total time, CV value, maximum value and minimum value in the specific view point of R-R interval variation. The pattern of R-R interval change after resting, voluntary standing and deep breathing can be analyzed in normal subjects and diabetics with autonomic nervous dysfunction. The amplitude of the R-R interval variation showed sensitive pattern for normal subjects at resting, standing and deep breathing. On the contrary, the periodicities of amplitude for abnormal subjects with autonomic nervous dysfunction showed dull pattern. It was suggested that R-R interval analyzer is a good detection method for dysfunction of autonomic nervous system.
Autonomic Nervous System ; Methods ; Microcomputers* ; Periodicity ; Respiration

BACKGROUND: Eosinophils are suggested to play a deleterious role in the inflammatory disease of the respiratory mucosa by releasing granule substances such as major basic prorein and eosinophil cationic protein. To investigate the contribution of eosinophils in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps and the mechanism of their accumulation and activation, we observed the eosinophil inhllration and expression of endotjelial and epithelial cell adhesion molecules in the nasal polyp tissues. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Polyp and inferior turbinate mueosal specimens (polyp group) taken out of 20 patients and 10 inferior turbinate mucosa specimens of non-allergic and non-infectious controls (control group) were immunohistochemically stained using EG1, EG2, and mAb for the ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-seleetin. The number of EG1 (+) and EG2 (+) cells within lmm2 of tissue and the expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-seleetin on the vessels (% of total vessel) and epithelial eelis (area x intensity) were compared among three groups. RESULTS:The inferior turbinate mucosae of nasal polyp patients .were infiltrated by signifieantly higher number of eosinophils (EG1:17, EG2:16/mm2) compared with those of controls (EGi:0, EG2:0/mm2) (p<0.05), and the polyp tissue revealed much more eosinophils (EG1: 213, EG2:154/mm2) than inferior turbinates of same patients and those of controls (p<0.001). ICAM-1 expression in the vessels was frequenly observed both in polyps and in the turbinate mucosae with significant difference (median:85% vs. 67%, p<0.05), and ICAM-1 expression in the epithelial ceils was significantly different between the polyp and turbinate groups (median:9 vs. 2.5, p<0. 01). VCAM-1 was moderately expressed on the vessels of both polyps and turbinate mucosac (median:37%, 14%, respectively) and their expressions were significantly different (p<0.01). E-selectin expression was moderate to low both in the polyps and in the turbinate mucosae (median:18%, 10% respectively) and their expressions were not significantly different (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Most of the eosinophils infiltrated into nasal tissue as well as nasal polyps were activated forms and they were significantly increased in the nasal polyps compared to the inferior turbinate mueosae of the same patients and control subjects. Significantly increased expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 on the vessels and increased epithelial ICAM-1 expression in the nasal polyps indicate that interactions of eosinophils with ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 participate in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps.
E-Selectin ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein ; Eosinophils* ; Epithelial Cells ; Humans ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; Mucous Membrane ; Nasal Polyps* ; Polyps ; Respiratory Mucosa ; Turbinates ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1

No abstract available.
Humans ; Muscular Dystrophies* ; Siblings*

No abstract available.
Seat Belts*

Aging process of the forehead in human reflects imbalance of the forehead muscles, forehead ptosis including eyebrow, and winkles of the forehead and glabella. Forehead lifting through bicoronal incision was adopted as an universal method to correct these problems of the aging process. In a view of the aesthetic surgery, however, there are several problems such as large scar alopecia, and numbness beyond the incision line in the scalp for the correction of the forehead aging stigma. During the part few decades, minimally invasive technology forced many surgical specialities to undergo dramatic changes. In plastic & reconstructive surgery also minimally invasive technology using endoscope gave many advantages. Therefore it has reduced morbidity rates and got greater patient acceptances for the forehead lifting. When we perform endoscopic blow-forehead lift to get a good results in oriental people, 1. it needs a extended periorbital dissection. 2. we have to concern lift in the lateral part of forehead rather than in medial forehead. 3. it needs more aggressive tissue modifications (e.g. myotomies, neurotomy) 4. it needs more strong fixation such as permanent microscrew fixation or cortical bone drill hole technique. We performed 13 cases of the eyebrow-forehead lifting by using endoscope from August 95 to September 96 followed up them from 3 to 12 months and obtained satisfactory result. We would like to report our experiences with literature review.
Aging ; Alopecia ; Cicatrix ; Endoscopes ; Eyebrows ; Forehead ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Lifting* ; Muscles ; Plastics ; Scalp

No abstract available.
Animals ; Interleukin-4* ; Mice*

No abstract available.
Ciprofloxacin* ; Enoxacin* ; Humans* ; Metabolism* ; Theophylline*

It is evident that an elevation of airway albumin excreation rate without clinical proteinuria strongly predicts a later progression on diabetic renal disease. So we studied the correlation between Microalbumin checkly RIA & Micral-Test®. We collected urine between 08:00 h and 08:00 h next day and then checked microalbuminuria by radioimmunoassay method and Micral-Test® The results are as follows: 1. There was significant correlation between microalbuminuria checked by RIA & Micral-Test® 2. There was poor correlation between diabetes duration or HV-A1c and maximal change in albumin excreation rate. 3. So we concluded that Micral-Test® can be used in laboratory instead of RIA.
Methods ; Proteinuria ; Radioimmunoassay