As gastroduodenoscopy performed more frequently, case reports of human echinostomiasis are increasing in Korea. A Korean woman presented at a local clinic with complaints of abdominal pain and discomfort that had persisted for 2 weeks. Under gastroduodenoscopy, two motile flukes were found attached on the duodenal bulb, and retrieved with endoscopic forceps. She had history of eating raw frog meat. The two flukes were identified as Echinostoma hortense by egg morphology, 27 collar spines with 4 end-group spines, and surface ultrastructural characters. This report may prove frogs to be a source of human echinostome infections.
Animals ; Duodenal Diseases/*parasitology ; Duodenum/*parasitology ; Echinostoma/*isolation & purification ; Echinostomiasis/*diagnosis ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged

In the present study the effect of exercise on the conversion rate of ingested glucose to glycogen in the different types of hindlimb skeletal muscles in Sprague-Dawley male rats was studied. The amounts of synthetized glycogen from ingested glucose of fast-twitch white (WV), fast-twitch red (RV), mixed type of fast-twitch white and red (EDL), and slow-twitch (SOL) muscles were determined at 30 and 90 min. after ingestion of 25% glucose solution which contained 14C-glucose(2 ml(luCi)/100gm B.W.) in control and exercise loaded rats. The result was summarized as follows: The about 55% at 30 min. and 70% at 90 min. after glucose ingestion were absorbed from gastrointestinal tract. This result shows no effects of exercise on absorption rate from gastrointestinal tract. The amount of synthetized glycogen of SOL from ingested glucose at 30 and 90 min. after glucose ingestion were highest, whether WV were lowest in hindlimb skeletal muscles in control and exercise loaded rats. In the exercise loaded rats, the amounts of synthetized glycogen of SOL, RV, and EDL at 90 min. after glucose ingestion was much higher than control rats, but not different in WV between exercise-loaded and control rats. At 30 min. after glucose ingestion, only SOL of exercise loaded rats was higher than control rats. In the control rat, the synthesis of glycogen was almost completed during initial 30 minutes. On the other hand, in the exercise loaded rat, except WV was opposite result of control rats, i.e., amounts of synthetized glycogen were major during late period. The amount of synthetized glycogen of liver at 30 and 90 min. after glucose ingestion in exercise loaded rats was higher than control rats. The rate of glycogen synthesis in control and exercise loaded rats were higher between 30-90 minute than initial 30 minutes.
Absorption ; Animals ; Eating ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Glucose* ; Glycogen* ; Hand ; Hindlimb* ; Humans ; Liver ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal* ; Muscles ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

The effect of a secretory proteinase from the pathogenic amoebae Acanthamoeba castellanii on hosts defense-oriented or regulatory proteins such as immunoglobulins, interleukin-1, and protease inhibitors was investigated. The enzyme was found to degrade secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), IgG, and IgM. It also degraded interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha) and IL-1beta. Its activity was not inhibited by endogenous protease inhibitors, such as alpha2-macroglobulin, alpha1-trypsin inhibitor, and alpha2-antiplasmin. Furthermore, the enzyme rapidly degraded those endogenous protease inhibitors as well. The degradation of hosts defense-oriented or regulatory proteins by the Acanthamoeba proteinase suggested that the enzyme might be an important virulence factor in the pathogenesis of Acanthamoeba infection.
Acanthamoeba/*enzymology/pathogenicity ; Animals ; Endopeptidases/*physiology ; Immunoglobulins/*metabolism ; Interleukin-1/*metabolism ; Protease Inhibitors/*metabolism ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Virulence

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to determine the relationship between osteopontin(OPN) and osteoclast, especially focused on whether ostecolast could produce osteopontin or not. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Osteoclasts were isolated from the giant cell tumor of proximal tibia and seeded on the 13 mm round cover slip resided in 24 multi-well plates for culture. After 2 days, osteclasts on the cover slip were fixed with cold acetone for 3 minutes and immunocytochemistry was done with rabbit osteopontin antibody. For in situ RT-PCR, osteoclasts on the cover-slips were fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde for 4 hours and were treated to pepsin. PR-PCR was done and the PCR producst were stained with anti-digoxigenin-AP. RESULTS: Osteopontins were found on the surface of the osteoclast by immunocytochemistry, and intense osteopontin mRNAs were found by in situ RT-PCR. CONCLUSION: We have identified that osteoclast could synthesize the osteopontin, and confirmed that in situ RT-PCR was a very useful method in expressing small amount of mRNA in case of mixed cell culture. Further study was needed to identify the action of the osteopontin produced by the osteoclast.
Acetone ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Giant Cell Tumors ; Immunohistochemistry ; Osteoclasts* ; Osteopontin* ; Pepsin A ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; Tibia

Augmentation cystoplasty is effective in the rehabilitation of the contracted bladder of small capacity caused by tuberculosis or interstitial cystitis refractory to more conservative methods of management. Genitourinary tuberculosis is the most common cause of contracted bladder in Korea and it may lead to considerable vesicoureteral reflux and progressive deterioration of renal function. The use of hemi-Kock ileal pouch with an afferent intussuscepted nipple is a suitable solution in patient in whom the bladder outflow tract provides adequate resistance and supratrigonal cystectomy is to be performed with construction of an antireflux mechanism. Herein, we report 4 cases of hemi-Kock ileocystoplasty.
Cystectomy ; Cystitis, Interstitial ; Humans ; Korea ; Nipples ; Rehabilitation ; Tuberculosis ; Urinary Bladder ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux

No abstract available.
Humans ; von Willebrand Diseases*

No abstract available.
Humans ; von Willebrand Diseases*

No abstract available.
Administration, Oral* ; Animals ; Carbon Disulfide* ; Carbon* ; Rats*

Complete interruption of the aortic arch is one of the least common cardic malformation. In this condition,continuity between the ascending and descending protions of the aorta is not present, and the descending aorta is supplied through a reversing patent ductus arteriosus. In the majority of the patients a ventricualr septal defectis present. Authors have expierenced a case of the complete intreruption of aortic arch, interruption between theleft caroitd and the left subclavian artery.
Aorta ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Humans ; Subclavian Artery

PURPOSE: Pinitol, a natural extract of soybeans, is metabolized to chiroinositol in the body. We evaluated the ability of pinitol to protect diabetic cataracts from oxidative stress in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. METHODS: We used Sprague-Dawley rats (n=80). Diabetes was induced with STZ (60 mg/kg, i.p.). These STZ-injected rats were administered pinitol or chiroinositol, each 20 mg/ml, and given access to regular chow. The efficacies of pinitol and chiroinositol were studied by monitoring a series of lens opacity and corneal lesion by photodocumentation. Aqueous humor and lens samples were collected at the 2nd week, 4th week, and 12th week. We measured glutathione, malondialdehyde (MDA) and used ELISA to evaluate its antioxidant effect. RESULTS: STZ-diabetic rats showed typical Y sutural lens opacity beginning on the 3rd day and progressed diffusely to more cortical opacity from the 1st week. However, in pinitol-treated diabetic rats, these cataractous changes were remarkably decreased. Corneal edema and opacity also remarkably reduced in the pinitol-treated group. Glutathione level markedly increased compared to that of the non-treated diabetic group (230.12+/-10.96 micrometer, 156.42+/-5.09 micrometer, respectively). This resulted in a decrease in peroxidized MDA product in the treated group. Similarly, the anti-cataractogenic and anti-oxidative effects of pinitol were also observed in the chiroinositol-treated group. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that pinitol could be effective in preventing cataract and cornea edema caused by oxidative stress in a hyperglycemic environment.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; Aqueous Humor ; Cataract ; Cornea ; Corneal Edema ; Edema ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Glutathione ; Malondialdehyde ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Soybeans ; Streptozocin*