No abstract available.
Finite Element Analysis* ; Plastics* ; Titanium*

No abstract available.
Masticatory Muscles* ; Trismus*

In Korea, all domestic made test systems for detecting antibodies in HIV-1 contain the antigens from human immunodeficiency type 1 (HIV-1) subtype B. However, because HIV-1 subtype O is significantly different in amino acid sequences from all other subtypes of HIV-1, there has been a need for developing a test for detecting antibodies in subtype O. For this purpose, the entire nucleotide sequence corresponding to the extracellular domain of the transmembrane glycoprotein of HIV-1 subtype O was synthesized with consideration of Escherichia coli cordon usage. Various regions of the extracellular domain were cloned into E. coli expression vectors and tested for levels of protein production. The nucleotide sequence, named ECTM, that can encode a 129 amino acid-long peptide, was found to be expressed at a high level in E. coli. The protein of approximately 17 kDa specifically reacted with sera from individuals infected with HIV-1 subtype O. The ECTM protein was purified to near homogeneity by the CM-T gel chromatography, using concentrated, denatured inclusion bodies. In Western blot analysis, the purified viral antigen reacted with sera from individuals infected with subtype O more efficiently than subtype B. The enzyme linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) system was developed using the subtype O viral protein and compared with the commercially available kit lacking the antigens from subtype O. The ELISA kit containing the subtype O antigen ECTM alone efficiently reacted with sera from individuals infected with subtype O. The subtype O antigen-containing kit produced a positive absorbence even when sera were diluted 512-fold, suggesting a high sensitivity. The commercially available kit also reacted with subtype O sera, but produced a negative result at a dilution of 8-fold. Our results suggest that the currently available kit may not be able to efficiently detect subtype O sera and that the viral protein developed in this study may be added to the current system to maximize the detection of sera from individuals infected with subtype O.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Antibodies ; Base Sequence ; Blotting, Western ; Chromatography, Gel ; Clone Cells ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Escherichia coli ; Glycoproteins ; HIV* ; HIV-1* ; Humans* ; Inclusion Bodies ; Korea ; O Antigens

No abstract available.
Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome* ; Male

No abstract available.
Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome* ; Male

BACKGROUND: Natural moisturizing factors such as sodium pyrrolidone carboxylic acid and lactic acid may play an important role in increasing the moisture retention of isolated stratum corneum and reducing the incidence of dry and flaky skin in vivo. Although the precise mechanism of surfactant irritancy is not fully understood, it has been suggested that barrier dysfunction of stratum corneum by surfactants results in skin changes such as scaling, erythema, and even fissuring. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the effect of sodium pyrrolidone carboxylic acid(NaPCA) and lactic acid(LA) with several non-invasive measuring methods in the irritated skin reaction induced by sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) in normal persons and atopic dermatitis patients. METHODS: After skin irritation for 24 hours with patch test of 1% SLS on five volar sites of right forearm, we applied nothing(A), 3% LA+3% NaPCA(B), 3% LA(C), 3% NaPCA(D), and vehi cle(E) twice a day respectively. Visual score, transepidermal water loss(TEWL), water holding capa city(WHC), and erythema index were measured at 30 min, 24hr, 48hr and 72hr after patch removal. RESULTS: 1. After 72hr, the visual scores of B and C were significantly lower than that of A(control) in atopic dermatitis patients, and that of C in normal persons was significantly lower than that of A, D, and E. 2. TEWL values of B and C in both the normal (after 72hr) and atopic dermatitis group (after 48hr and 72hr) were significantly lower than that of A. 3. WHC values of B, C, D in both the normal and atopic dermatitis group were significantly higher than that of A after 48hr and 72hr. 4. After 72hr, erythema indices by Mexameter of B, C, and D in both the normal and atopic dermatitis group were significantly lower than that of A and values of C were significantly lower than that of E. In the atopic dermatitis group, values of D were also significantly lower than that of E. 5. The mean visual score was significantly correlated with TEWL value and erythema index of Mexameter (r=0.58, r=0.64) and the TEWL value was significantly correlated with erythema index of Mexameter (r=0.64). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that topical application of a moisturizing factor might improve the surfactant-induced disruption of permeability barrier with improvement of the water holding capacity of the stratum corneum.
Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Erythema ; Forearm ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lactic Acid* ; Patch Tests* ; Permeability ; Skin* ; Sodium* ; Surface-Active Agents

The hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and acute renal failure. Microvascular thromboses in HUS may involve intestine, pancreas, skeletal muscle, and heart. Microinfarcts in the pancreas may cause acute pancreatitis and rarely insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Acute pancreatitis is a relatively common complication of HUS in children, but rare (2%) in adults. We have experienced a 43 year-old woman with HUS complicating acute pancreatitis. She presented with hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and acute renal failure. During hemodialysis, she complained of left side abdominal and back pain. On laboratory study, levels of serum amylase and lipase were elavated. The size and shape of pancreas was normal on abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography. We present this case with a review of literature.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Adult ; Amylases ; Anemia, Hemolytic ; Back Pain ; Child ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; Female ; Heart ; Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome* ; Humans ; Intestines ; Lipase ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Pancreas ; Pancreatitis* ; Renal Dialysis ; Thrombocytopenia ; Thrombosis ; Ultrasonography

SS-cream is a complex mixture containing 9 oriental herbs for treating the premature ejaculation, which is based on the traditional chinese royal herb remedy. Clinically SS-cream has been effective in the treatment of premature ejaculation and in some patients, potentiating effect of their erectile capacity was noted probably due to its combined activity of several vasoactive principles. Therefore, we investigated the pharmacological action of SS-cream in the isolated rabbit corporal smooth muscle. Strips of rabbit corpus cavernosum were isolated and mounted in 10ml organ chambers to measure isometric tension. Muscle strips treated with increasing concentrations of SS-cream(0.05mg/ml to 0.3mg/ml) showed initial rapid contraction followed by slow gradual relaxation. Muscle strips submaximally precontracted with phenylephrine(PHE:5x0.000001M) and treated with increasing concentrations of SS-cream(from 0.05mg/ml to 0.2mg/mI) showed also initial rapid contraction above the precontracted level and thereafter, relaxed to the basal level at the dose larger than 2mg/ml of SS-cream. Relaxations of muscle strips to SS-cream were not inhibited even partially by endothelial disruption or by pretreatment with pyrogallol or methylene blue. Pretreatment of muscle strips with SS-cream caused concentration dependent inhibition of PHE(5x0.000001M) induced contraction With these results we can conclude that SS-cream has dual action, initial rapid contractile effect which is mediated by adrenergic alpha receptor stimulation, and delayed nonspecific relaxing effect which is not mediated by EDRF or nitric oxide.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Humans ; Methylene Blue ; Muscle, Smooth ; Nitric Oxide ; Premature Ejaculation ; Pyrogallol ; Relaxation

BACKGROUND: The bioengineering methods for investigating irritant skin reaction have been developed for several decades to evaluate the irritation potential more objectively and quantitatively and obtain the information which is not obvious by the visual examination. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the irritant skin reaction of three kinds of surfactants with various low concentrations which produce little reaction visually and investigative the threshold concentration that is reliable for a patch test. Also we investigated the sensitivity and the correlation between visual examination and bioengineering methods in four different concentrations of surfactants METHODS: Twenty healthy volunteers were patch tested with 0.01%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 1.0% of sodium lauryl sulfate(SLS), cetyl trimethyl ammonium chloride(CETAC), POE(20) sorbitan monolaurate (Tween-20) on the flexor side of the Lt. forearm. The result of patch test was evaluated by visual scoring, evaporimeter, colorimeter, and corneometer until 72 hours. RESULTS: 1. SLS, anionic surfactant, showed the highest irritation potential in visual scoring, TEWL, and skin color measurement. And CETAC, cationic surfactant, showed the greatest irritation in corneometer measurements than other surfactants. 2. TEWL was the most sensitive method for evaluation of skin irritation and correlated most closely with visual examination. 3. Concentration of surfactant higher than 0.1% showed to produce reliable and constant result of skin irritation as the experimental primary irritant. CONCLUSION: SLS is proved to be the most appropriate primary irritant for studying irritant contact dermatitis, and the degree and mode of skin irritation is different according to the concentration and kinds of surfactants. TEWL measurement is the most sensitive bioengineering method, which could detect early stages of irritation and correlate well with visual examination.
Ammonium Compounds ; Bioengineering* ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Forearm ; Healthy Volunteers ; Patch Tests ; Skin ; Sodium ; Surface-Active Agents*

A case of pulmonary vein aneurysm is presented. Chest X-ray revealed round density along the right cardiac border in right lower lung field. The round density was suspected as solid tumor initially, but the angiocardiogram showed dealyed opacification of right inferior pulmonary vein. So it was confirmed as pulmonary vein aneurysm. This patient took mitral valve replacement because of mitral and aortic regurgitation. Pulmonary vein aneurysm is considered as congenital in origin and pulmonary venous hypertension has its pathogenetic role in enlarging the varix. Pulmonary vein aneurysm probably has little clinical significance although cases of spontaneous rupture have been reported. There are a few reported cases in the literature, but the actual incidence probably is much higher than reported. This is the first to be reported in Korean literature.
Aneurysm* ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Lung* ; Mitral Valve ; Pulmonary Veins* ; Rupture, Spontaneous ; Thorax ; Varicose Veins