Present study aimed to investigate the immunological activities of cell wall associated protein antigen solubilized with Triton X-100 (TSP) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and conducted on 43 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (newly diagnosed, medicated within 12 months and chronic refractory patients) and 17 normal healthy controls. These immunological responses were compared with those induced by the PPD or 30 kDa antigen from M, tuberculosis H37Rv culture filtrates, identified as biologically important secreted proteins. Proliferative responses to mycobacterial antigens were compared in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of healthy subjects and pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Signiticant blastogenic responses to the TSP were observed in healthy tuberculin reactors, newly diagnosed and some of antituberculosis drug-medicated patients by H-thymidine incorporation assay. IL-12 p40 and IFN-r mRNA expressions to the TSP were markedly increased, whereas IL-10 and TNF-a mRNA expressions were decreased at a 5 day-stimulation by PBMC in healthy tuberculin reactors, newly diagnosed and medicated patients. However, patients with chronic refractory tuberculosis exhibited more depressed IL-12 p40 and IFN-r mRNA expressions to all of the antigens than another groups. Interestingly, very low IL-10 and TNF-a mRNA expressions cultured with the TSP were also shown. These data suggest that the TSP may be involved in the macrophage activation by induction of Th1 stimulatory signals, such as IL-12, and suppression of Th1 inhibitory cytokine, IL-10.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

BACKGROUND: It has been a standard practice in many institutions to combine light general anesthesia with epidural block for abdominal and pelvic surgery. We attempted to prove the effectiveness of prehydration and to find an suitable epidural local anesthetic dose in terms of hemodynamic stability for upper abdominal surgery. METHODS: For preliminary studies, 11 patients scheduled for elective upper abdominal surgery had received general anesthesia immediately after epidural anesthesia. After epidural injection of 10~16 mL of 2% plain lidocaine into the T9~10 intervertebral space, the changes in blood pressure were observed. Thirty-two patients scheduled for elective upper abdominal surgery were divided into two groups. In group A (study group), after prehydration with Hartmann solution (10 mL/kg), 5~7 mL of 2% plain lidocaine was injected into T8~9 or T9~10 intervertebral space and general anesthesia was then induced. Group B (control group) received general anesthesia only. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in hemodynamics between the epidural with general anesthesia and the control group except SVR (systemic vascular resistance). SVR in group A increased in contrast to the group B in which it remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: The combined epidural and general anesthesia, using prehydration and 0.5~1 mL/segment of 2% plain lidocaine at the T8~9 or T9~10 intervertebral space was safe without significant hemodynamic changes.
Anesthesia, Epidural ; Anesthesia, General* ; Blood Pressure ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Injections, Epidural ; Lidocaine

PURPOSE: To investigate the localization and functional lateralization of the supplementary motor area (SMA) in motor activation tests in comparison to that of the primary motor area. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven healthy volunteers obtained echoplanar imaging blood oxygen level dependent technique. This study was carried on 1.5T Siemens Magneton Vision system with the standard head coil. Parameters of EPI were followed as ; TR/TE; 1.0/66.0 msec. flip angle : 90degree, field of view : 22cmx22cm, matrix : 128x128, slice number/slice thickness/gap : 10/4mm/0.8mm with fat suppression technique. Motor task as finger opposition in each hand consisted of 3 sets of alternative rest and activation periods. Postprocessing were done on Stimulate 5.0 by using cross-correlation statistics. To compare the functional lateralization of the SMA in the right and left hand tests, each examination was evaluation for the percent change of signal intensity and the number of activated voxels both in the SMA and in the primary motor area. Hemispheric asymmetry was defined as difference of summation of the activated yokels between each hemisphere. RESULTS: Percent change of signal intensity in the SMA (2.49-3.06%) is lower than that of primary motor area(4.4-7.23%). Percent change of signal intensity including activated voxels were observed almost equally in the right and left SMA. As for summation of activated voxels primary motor area had significant difference between each hemisphere but not did the SMA. CONCLUSION: Preferred contralateral dominant hemisphere and hemispheric asymmetry were detected in the primary motor area but not in the SMA.
Echo-Planar Imaging ; Fingers ; Hand* ; Head ; Healthy Volunteers ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Oxygen

Since there is no report of daily walking activity of Korean, authors studied on normal adult daliy walking activity in korean of various kinds of occupation, personal life and patients. Total 134 cases were studied and in which there were 10 patients, 7 retired elderlies, 4 house wives, 48 employees of compaines, 30 nurses, 4 laboratory technicians, 2 pharmacists, 7 house staff doctors, 12 chief doctors, 4 cases of hicking and 6 cases of 18 holes golf players. The daily walking steps were measured with pedometer in 167 times in total and following results were, obtained. 1. Bed rest patients ; less than 1000 steps/day 2. Retired elderly ; 2,724(2,150-3,500) steps/day 3. House wife ; 5,437(3,030-7,920) steps/day 4. High ranking, old clerk and chief doctor ; 5,000-6,000 steps/day 5. Ordinary non-active clerk and non-clerk employee ; 6,000-9,000 steps/day 6. common young active clerk and nurse ; 10,000-15,000 steps/day 7. Very active clerk and non-clerk employee ; 15,000(13,000-20,000) steps/day 8. Heavy worker ; more than 20,000 steps/day
Adult ; Aged ; Bed Rest ; Golf ; Humans ; Internship and Residency ; Laboratory Personnel ; Occupations ; Pharmacists ; Spouses ; Walking*

PURPOSE: The pharmacologic effect of atropine on HPS can be considered to control pyloric muscle spasm. Therefore, we studied the effects of intravenous atropine sulfate on the clinical course of HPS, and periodically observed the ultrasonographic appearance of the pyloric muscles after atropine treatment. METHODS:From April 1998 to May 1999, 14 infants who were diagnosed with HPS were treated with intravenous atropine sulfate. Intravenous atropine sulfate was administered at an initial dose of 0.04mg/kg/day, which was divided into 8 equal doses. The daily dose was increased by 0.01 mg/kg/day until vomiting was controlled for an entire day while infants received unrestricted oral feeding. Ultrasonographic examinations were performed during hospitalization and repeated at least every 2 months until normalization of pyloric muscles was confirmed. RESULTS: Intravenous atropine was effective in 12 of 14 infants with HPS and the conditions of 9 of them improved. Two infants who were not free from vomiting despite a week of intravenous atropine sulfate treatment underwent pyloromyotomy. A series of ultrasonographic examinations were done after vomiting had improved with intravenous atropine sulfate. The ultrasonographic findings showed good passage of gastric contents through pyloric canals despite thickening of the pyloric muscles. CONCLUSION: Intravenous administration of atropine sulfate is an effective therapy for HPS and can be an alternative to pyloromyotomy. (J Korean Pediatr Soc 2000;43:763-768)
Administration, Intravenous ; Atropine* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Infant ; Muscles ; Pyloric Stenosis, Hypertrophic* ; Spasm ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Myocardial Infarction*

The authors analyse the ultrasonographic findings of 10 cases of appendiceal mucocele retrospectively. In atotal of 10 cases, 6 cases showed only cystic masses with posterior reinforcement. The remaining 4 cases showedinternal echoes in the cystic masses. Differential diagnosis of mucocele from periappendiceal abscess is notpossible in ultrasound. The possibility of mucocele shold be considered if cystic mass in right lower quadrantabdomen is observed in ultrasound.
Abscess ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Mucocele ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

It has been known that the immunological functions against cancer cells were diminished, and these phenomena result from the inhibition of cell-mediated immunity by substance(s) secreted from cancer cells. It was also reported that the immunological functions decreased in patients with stomach cancer, which is the most frequent cnacer in Korean. However, the nature and function of the inhibitory factor(s) orignated from stomach cancer have not been identified. To elucidate effects of immuological inhibitory factor(s) secreted from cancer cells, SNU-1 (stomach cancer) and SW480 P109/R3P2 (colon cancer) were used in this study. Jurkat T cell line, an acute T cell leukemia, was pre-incubated with fractionated cancer cell culture supernatant for 3 days, then was stimulated with PMA, PWVanti-CD28 mAb or PMA/ionomycin for 8 hrs respectively. Fraction of SNU-1 (3 - 10 kDa) and above 10 kDa of SW480 P109/R3P2 inhibited the expression of IFN-r mRNA when Jurkat T cell was stimulated with PMA. However, there were no difference in IL-2 and IL-4 gene expression response to either PMA/anti-CD28 mAb or PMA/ionomycin. These results show that cancer cells secret some inhibitory factor(s) acting on the immune response, especially IFN-r gene expression of the Jurkat T cells response to PMA. Therefore, it suggests that the inhibitory factor(s) secreted from cancer cells influences on. the PKC-dependent pathway related to the signal transduction by PMA.
Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Line ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-4 ; Leukemia, T-Cell ; RNA, Messenger ; Signal Transduction ; Stomach Neoplasms ; T-Lymphocytes

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in various malignancies including carcinoma of the breast, lung, esophagus, cervix, and stomach. In patients with cervical carcinoma, its overexpression may be associated with advanced stage and poor prognosis. So, we evaluated the levels of serum EGFR in patients with cervical carcinoma. The level of EGFR extracellular domain was determined in serum from 57 cervical carcinoma patients(adenocarcinoma: 2, squamous cell carcinoma: 39, carcinoma in situ(CIS): 16) and 28 cases of healthy control using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(Calbiochem). In invasive carcinoma, serum EGFR level was measured in 11 cases of Stage Ia, 9 cases of Stage Ib, 4 cases of Stage IIa, 15 cases of Stage IIb, 2 cases of stage III patients. The mean ages of the healthy controls, of the wome with carcinoma in situ(CIS), and with invasive cervical carcinoma were not different(49.3, 44,4, 49.5, respectively, p 0.241). The mean serum level of EGFR in healthy control(n 28), carcinoma in situ(CIS)(n 16), and invasive carcinoma patients(n=41) were not significantly different(71.4+/-12.8fmol/ml, 79.2+/-26.8fmol/ml, 61.8+/- 18.4 fmol/ml, respectively, p=0.071). In conclusion, the expression of EGFR was not increased in patients with cervical cancer compared with normal women. And no significant differences were found depending on the clinical stage.
Breast ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cervix Uteri ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Esophagus ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; Prognosis ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; Stomach ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to assess the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after occupational physical injuries and the risk factors in occupational accident patients for PTSD. METHODS: Forty-seven occupational accident patients with physical injuries were administered BDI, STAI I and II, SCL-90-R, IES and questionnaires for risk factors and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale(CAPS). RESULTS: 1) 12 patients(25%) were diagnosed as PTSD. 2) The BDI, STAI I and II and IES scores are significantly high(<0.05) in PTSD group than non-PTSD group. 3) The subscales of SCL-90-R, with an exception of PAR subscale, showed higher scores(<0.05) in PTSD group. 4) The loss of consciousness(LOC) was only significant risk factor in the occupational accident-related factors(<0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of this study show the development of PTSD among occupational accident patients. The loss of consciousness(LOC) was the only signiticant risk factor for PTSD in occupational accident patients.
Accidents, Occupational* ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic*