No abstract available.
Cystadenocarcinoma, Mucinous* ; Mucins*

BACKGROUND: It is doubtful that aging causes deteriorated glucose metabolism and insulin resistance of skeletal muscle. Some researchers had different results about it. So we have studied the mechanism responsible for the abnormal glucose tolerance associated with aging in rapidly growing and matured rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Animals were used S.D. rats. Growing rats were 7 weeks old (BW: 160-190 gm) and matured rats were 28 weeks old (BW: 420-525 gm). RESULTS: Fasting blood glucose and plasma insulin levels were significantly elevated in matured rat compared with growing rats. And during oral glucose tolerance test the glucose level was also significantly elevated in matured rats. These results confirmed an insulin resistant state of aging. Insulin levels at 30 minutes of oral glucose tolerance test was significantly elevated in growing rat. But at 120 minutes it was maintained at higher level in matured rats than in growing rats. It suggested the possibility of increased insulin secretion by initial stimulation of beta-cells in growing rats, and increased secretion and decreased catabolic rate of insulin in matured rats. Glucose uptake rate of soleus muscle in matured rats was lower than that of growing rats, but the difference was not statistically significant. The dose(insulin)- responsive (glucose uptake) curve of soleus muscle was only slightly deviated to the right side. CONCLUSION: Glucose metabolism of rat skeletal muscle was worsened by aging. The data of glucose uptake experiments suggested the possibility of insulin resistance of skeletal muscle in matured rats, but the mechanism of insulin resistance of skeletal muscle need further studies.
Aging ; Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Fasting ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Glucose* ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Metabolism* ; Muscle, Skeletal* ; Plasma ; Rats*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although elevations of plasma N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentration have been shown to be prognostically significant in patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (ACS), the relation between the plasma level of NT-proBNP and the severity of coronary disease remains unknown. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The NT-proBNP concentration was analyzed in 50 patients with non-ST elevation ACS. We compared plasma NT-proBNP levels and treatment method (medical treatment vs. percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI]). RESULTS: In patients with non-ST elevation ACS, NT-proBNP levels were significantly higher in the PCI (n=37) group than in the medical treatment (n=13) group (296.6 vs. 76.3 pg/mL;p<.001). In patients with unstable angina (UA), NT-proBNP levels were significantly higher in the PCI (n=22) group than in the medical treatment (n=12) group (147.6 vs. 64.5 pg/mL;p<.001). Elevated NT-proBNP level predicted PCI in patient with non-ST elevation ACS. A NT-proBNP level >125.9 pg/mL had sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 75.7%, 92.3%, 96.6% and 57.1%, respectively. In patients with UA, a NT-proBNP level >123.8 pg/mL had equivalent results of 68.2%, 91.7%, 93.8% and 61.1%, respectively. The area under the curve was 0.891 in non-ST elevation ACS and 0.907 in UA. Elevated NT-proBNP level was also correlated with the severity of culprit artery stenosis and multi-vessel disease. CONCLUSION: Elevated plasma NT-proBNP concentrations were associated with the severity of coronary artery disease in patients with non-ST elevation ACS. In combination with clinical factors, NT-proBNP level will provide a highly discerning tool for early risk stratification and further clinical decisions.
Acute Coronary Syndrome* ; Angina, Unstable ; Angioplasty ; Arteries ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Disease ; Coronary Stenosis* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Humans ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Plasma* ; Sensitivity and Specificity

PURPOSE: Currently the most widely used method of measuring IgG concentration is the method employing ELISA. This method has an advantage to detect smaller quantities than other standard methods, but in certain cases, consistent results cannot be obtained, thus impairing reliable data analysis. In this study, we attempt to determine the advantages in data analysis offered by the new method developed by Binding Site Ltd. (England) that employs a nephelometry. METHODS: 20 healthy subjects were studied from each of the following age groups : neonates, 1-4 months old, 5-10 months old, 11-24 months old, and 2-5 years old children. Serum IgG and IgG subclass concentrations were measured by nephelometry (Gehring Nephelometer Analyzer II, Germany) using Human IgG subclass, Liquid reagents BNII kit (Binding Site Ltd., England). RESULTS: 1) The r values for the standard curves of IgG, IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4 concentrations were 0.991, 0.997, 0.980, 0.973, 0.997, respectively. 2) IgG, IgG3, and IgG4 concentrations were lowest at the age of 5-10 months and increased to normal adult levels at 2-5 years of age. 3) IgG1 and IgG2 were lowest at the age of 1-4 months and increased to normal adult levels at 2-5 years of age. CONCLUSION: The method employing nephelometry for measuring serum IgG & IgG subclasses concentration is not as sensitive as ELISA in detecting the lower concentrations. However, our studies indicate that it presents the advantage of better quality control in measuring values in the average range.
Adult ; Binding Sites ; Child* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G* ; Indicators and Reagents ; Infant, Newborn ; Nephelometry and Turbidimetry ; Quality Control ; Reference Values* ; Statistics as Topic

The purpose of the present study was to determine the preventive effects of combined interventional trial of fish oil treatment and exercise training on insulin resistance of skeletal muscle in high-fat fed rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into chow diet (CD), high-fat diet (HF), high-fat diet with fish oil (FO), high-fat diet with exercise training (EX), and FO+EX groups. The rats in control group were fed chow diet containing, as percents of calories, 58.9% carbohydrate, 12.4% fat, and 28.7% protein. High-fat diet provided 32% energy as lard, 18% as corn oil, 27% as carbohydrate and 23% as casein. The fish oil diet had the same composition as the high fat diet except that 100 g menhaden oil was substituted for corn oil. Insulin sensitivity was assessed by in vitro glucose transport in the soleus muscle after diet treatment and treadmill running for 4 weeks. While the FO or EX only partially prevented insulin resistance on glucose transport and visceral obesity induced by high-fat diet, these interventions completely corrected hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia from the high-fat diet. The rats in the FO+EX showed normalized insulin action on glucose transport, plasma chemicals and visceral fat mass. Insulin-mediated glucose transport was negatively associated with total visceral fat mass (r=-0.734; p<0.000), plasma triglyceride (r=-0.403; p<0.05) and lepin (r=-0.583; p<0.001) concentrations with significance. Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that only total visceral fat mass was independently associated with insulin-mediated glucose transport (r=-0.668; p<0.000). In conclusion, combined interventional trial of FO+EX recovered insulin resistance on glucose transport of skeletal muscle induced by high-fat diet. Visceral fat mass might be more important factor than plasma TG and leptin to induce insulin resistance on glucose transport of skeletal muscle in high-fat fed rats.
Animals ; Caseins ; Corn Oil ; Diet ; Diet, High-Fat* ; Glucose* ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Hyperinsulinism ; Insulin Resistance ; Insulin* ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Leptin ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal* ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Plasma ; Rats* ; Rats, Wistar ; Running ; Triglycerides

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The nitric oxide synthase (NOS) system may be involved in the healing process following arterial injury. The expressions of eNOS or iNOS have been observed separately following endothelial denudation of rat carotid arteries. However, the expressions of nitric oxide synthase isoforms (eNOS, iNOS and nNOS) have not been observed simultaneously. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using balloon catheter denudation of the rat carotid artery, as a model for arterial injury and restenosis, we have evaluated the time course of the expressions of eNOS, iNOS and nNOS simultaneously using immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. RESULTS: From the immunohistochemistry, the iNOS protein was shown to be rapidly induced following injury (day 1) and was later seen to be relocalized to the neointima (day 5). Two weeks following injury the iNOS expression had declined. After 4 weeks the iNOS expression had disappeared completely. The eNOS protein was not detected until three days post injury. Two weeks following injury the eNOS expression was observed at the "pseudoendothelial" surface forming intimal smooth muscle cells. By week 4 the eNOS expression was detected on the morphological endothelium. The nNOS expression was detected at the media one day following injury and for the subsequent two weeks, but it was not detected at the neointima at all. RT-PCR demonstrated that iNOS mRNA was faintly expressed 1 day following endothelial denudation. The expression level of the iNOS mRNA was highest at 5 days, but gradually decreased until 2 weeks following injury. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that endothelial disruption may induce the expressions of iNOS and nNOS, and the re-expression of eNOS may reduce these expressions. The expressions of iNOS and nNOS could be a homeostatic mechanism that compensates for the loss of endothelium.
Angioplasty ; Animals ; Carotid Arteries* ; Catheters ; Endothelium ; Immunohistochemistry ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Neointima ; Nitric Oxide Synthase* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Protein Isoforms ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger

This study was conducted to evaluate whether the composition of carbohydrate or fat diet affects insulin resistance by measuring the muscle glucose transport rate. Both high-sucrose and high-starch diet with or without high-fat decreased insulin-stimulated glucose transport, but there were no significant differences among groups. Calorie intake in both high-sucrose and high-starch diet groups was higher than in chow group. The high-fat high-sucrose diet induced decrease in insulin-stimulated glucose transport was partially improved by supplement with fish oil. Calorie intake in high-fat high-sucrose and fish oil supplemented groups was higher than in chow group. The decreased insulin-stimulated glucose transport was accompanied by the increase in visceral fat mass, plasma triglyceride and insulin levels. These changes were improved by the supplement with fish oil. These results demonstrate that the composition of fat in diet is clearly instrumental in the induction of muscle insulin resistance. However, in high carbohydrate diet, it is likely that the amount of calorie intake may be a more important factor in causing insulin resistance than the composition of carbohydrate. Thus, the compositions of carbohydrate and fat in diet differentially affect on muscle insulin resistance.
Animals ; Blood Glucose/metabolism ; Body Weight ; Diet ; Dietary Carbohydrates/*pharmacology ; Dietary Fats/*pharmacology ; Dietary Supplements ; Energy Intake/drug effects ; Fish Oils/pharmacology ; Insulin/blood ; Insulin Resistance/*physiology ; Intra-Abdominal Fat/drug effects/metabolism ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal/*drug effects/physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

A 32-yr-old man developed progressive exertional dyspnea 4 yr after blunt chest trauma due to an automobile accident. Two-dimensional echocardiography and computed-tomographic coronary angiography demonstrated a large pseudoaneurysm of the left ventricle and severe tricuspid regurgitation. The patient underwent successful surgical exclusion of the pseudoaneurysm by endoaneurysmal patch closure and repair of the tricuspid valve regurgitation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of these 2 different pathologies presenting late simultaneously after blunt chest trauma and successful surgical repairs in the published literature.
Accidents, Traffic ; Adult ; Aneurysm, False/*diagnosis/*pathology/surgery/ultrasonography ; Coronary Angiography ; Dyspnea/diagnosis ; Heart Ventricles/pathology/ultrasonography ; Humans ; Male ; *Thoracic Injuries/etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; *Tricuspid Valve ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency/*diagnosis/*pathology/surgery/ultrasonography

The clinical significance of myocardial bridges (MBs) is variable, and most patients are asymptomatic. However, angina, myocardial infarction and sudden death, associated with MBs, have been reported. Intracoronary stents offer a novel, and potentially definitive, treatment for myocardial ischemia associated with clinically significant MBs. We describe the use of intracoronary stenting for primary angioplasty in a patient with an anterior myocardial infarction associated with MBs.
Angioplasty ; Death, Sudden ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Stents*

A primary giant cell tumor of the rib is very rare. The most common site of a giant cell tumor arising from the rib is the posterior arc. A giant cell tumor arising from the anterior arc of the rib is extremely rare. The treatment of a giant cell tumor of the rib is not well defined. Generally, a complete surgical resection is performed in a patient with a primary giant cell tumor of the rib. We report a case of a giant cell tumor arising from the anterior arc of the rib that was treated with a wide excision and chest wall reconstruction.
Bone Neoplasms ; Giant Cell Tumors ; Giant Cells ; Humans ; Ribs ; Thoracic Wall