It is generally accepted that tbe lepromin test is of great value in the type classification and the evaluation of the prognosis of leprosy. But the nature of the antigenicity in lepromin reaction stiIl remains uncertain. The present study was carried out to investigate the antigenic characteriatics of the early(Fernandez) and the late (Mitsuda) reactions to Mitsuda lepromin antigen. Mycobacterium leprae was purified by trypsin digestion from human lepromas, and was broken down by passing 5 times through a French Pressor at 16, 000 p.s.i.. From the broken cell suspension, cell wall, cytoplasm, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were prepared. IntradermaI skin tests were perforrned on 30 leprosy patients classified according to the Ridley-Jopling scale (4 TT, 6 BT, 2 BB, 7 BL and 11 LL), with 0. 1ml of the Mitsuda lepromin(intact cells) broken cells, cell wall, cytoplasm, VLDL and LPS antigens. Readings for the early and the late reactions were done 72 hours and 28 days, respectively, after itradermal injections of the above antigens. The results are summerized as follows: 1, Early reactions were elicited by broken cells, cell wall and cytoplasm in all of the patients who could react to Mitsuda lepromin antigen. VLDL and LPS antigens could also elicit early reactions in 9(56)% and in 14(88%), respectively, of the 10 patients who showed positive reaction to Mitsuda lepromin antigen. These results mean that the early reaction may be due to multiple antigena, originated either from M. leprae or from contaminated human tissues. 2. Late reactions were elicited by broken cells and cell wall antigens, but not by cytoplasm antigen, in all of the patients who showed late reactions to Mitsuda lepromin antigen. These results mean that broken cells also produce a late reaction and the specific antigen(s) of the late reaction may reside in the cell wall fraction of the M. leprae.
Cell Wall ; Classification ; Cytoplasm ; Digestion ; Humans ; Lepromin* ; Leprosy ; Lipoproteins ; Mycobacterium leprae ; Prognosis ; Reading ; Skin Tests ; Trypsin

No abstract available.
Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary* ; Male*

Thelazia callipaeda, parasitic in the eye of 24 years old Korean male, was extracted from the left eye of the patient in Seoul, Korea. We confirmed that as T. callipeada morphologically, based on the descriptions of Hsu and other literature. We presents the 7th human thelaziasis case in Korea with the historical review of the literature.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Thelazia callipaeda ; thelaziasis ; case report

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of balloon catheter dilatation in the treatment of esophageal achalasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven patients(three males and four females) with esopha-geal achalasia were treated with balloon catheter dilatation. Balloon catheters of variable sizes were used depending on patient's conditions. The patients were followed up over a period of 12-39months. RESULTS: Balloon catheter dilatation in esophageal achalasia was successful in all patients without esophageal perforation. All patients were relieved from dysphagia. Recurrence was not found in 5 patients on long term follow-up study, but was seen in 2 patients after 18 and 21 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: Balloon catheter dilatation was a safe and effective method in the treatment of esophageal achalasia with low recurrence rate of 29% on follow-up study.
Catheters* ; Deglutition Disorders ; Dilatation* ; Esophageal Achalasia* ; Esophageal Perforation ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Male ; Recurrence

No abstract available.
Animals ; Euonymus* ; Liver* ; Mice*

OBJECTIVEs: Cytogenetic investigations were carried out on 770 women with primary (n=560) and secondary amenorrhea (n=210) to determine the frequency of chromosomal or genetic causes of amenorrhea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 770 women with primary amenorrhea (n=560) and secondary amenorrhea (n=210), chromosomal analysis were performed. RESULTS: 1) The most prevalent age group is 16-20 years of age group with primary amenorrhea and 26-30 years of age group with secondary amenorrhea. 2) Out of 560 cases of primary amenorrhea, 343 cases (61.3%) had the normal chromosome constitution and 217 cases (38.7%) had the abnormal chromosome constitution including 46,XY. 3) In 217 cases of abnormal chromosome of primary amenorrhea, 57 cases (26.3%) had 45,X and 34 cases (15.8%) had the 46,XY, 24 cases (11.0%) had 45,X/46,X,i (Xq), 23 cases (10.6%) had 45,X/46,X,+mar and 14 cases (6.6%) had 45,X/46,XY. 4) Out of 210 cases of secondary amenorrhea, 181 cases (86.2%) had the normal chromosome constitution and 29 cases (13.8%) had 45,X/46,XX. CONCLUSION: High percentage of chromosomal abnormalities was diagnosed in primary amenorrhea and most of them were sex chromosome anomalies. In secondary amenorrhea, the prevalence was lower than primary amenorrhea, so a preselection of patients with secondary amenorrhea for cytogenetic investigations seems to be necessary.
Amenorrhea* ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Constitution and Bylaws ; Cytogenetics* ; Female ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Sex Chromosomes

Clinical analysis of 170 patients with childhood leukemia was made, who were admitted to the department of Pediatrics, Pusan Paik Hospital, Inje University, College of Medicine during 10 years from 1981 to 1990. The results were as follows: 1) The annual number of the patients with childhood leukemia was in the range of 6~25 cases. And the annual rate of the number of the patients in the department of the Pediatrics was 0.37~1.60% with the average of 1.06%. 2) Of the 170 patients, 72 cases(42.3%) were in the range of 0~5 years of age, which was the largest age group. In male, of the 97 patients, the largest age group was the age group of 0~5 years, which included 45 cases (46.4%), while in female, the largest was that of 6~10 years, which included 29 cases of 73 patients (39.8%). 3) Of the 170 patients, sex ratio was 1.33:1 with male dominance in all age groups except 1:1.6 with female dominance in the age group of 6~10 years. 4) Of the 170 patients, 113 cases were ALL (66.5%), 50 cases AML (29.4%), and 7 cases CML (4.1%). 5) In ALL, 51 cases of the 113 patients (45.1%), were in the age group of 0~5 years, 35 cases (31%) in the age group of 6~10 years, and 27 cases (23.9%) in the age group of 11~15 years. In AML, 19 cases of the 50 patients (38.0%) were in the age group of 0~5 years, 17 cases (34%) in the age group of 6~10 years, and 14 cases (28%) in the age group of 11~15 years. 6) In ALL, the sex ratio of male: female was 1.21:1, 1,50:1 in AML, and 2.5:1 in CML. 7) According to the FAB classification in ALL, of the 113 patients, 72 cases (63,7%) were in L1 type, 34 cases (30.0%) in L2 type, and only 3 cases in L3 type. In AML, of the 50 patients, 19 cases (38%) were in M2 type, 16 cases (32%) in M1 type, and 6 cases (12%) in M4 type, in order. 8) In CML, of the 7 patients, 4 cases were juvenile type, who were all under 10 years old, while 3 cases were adult type, who were all male above 11 years old. 9) Of the 170 patients, clinical symptoms on admission were pallor in 112 cases (65.9%), fever in 84 cases (49.4%), hemorrhage in 78 cases (45.9%), weakness in 40 cases (25.3%), bone pain in 32 cases (18.8%) in order. 10) Of the 170 patients, physical findings on admission were hepatomegaly in 113 cases (66.5%), lymphnode swelling in 84 cases (49.4%), splenomegaly in 78 cases (45,9%)in order. 11) Of the 170 patients, the hemoglobin level on admission were 4~7gm/dl in 95 cases (55.9%), 8~10gm/dl in 42 cases (24.7%), and 0~3gm/dl in 22 cases (12.9%) in order. 12) Of the 170 patients, the WBC count on admission were 10,000~50,000/mm3 in 58 cases (34.1%), below, 5,000/mm3 in 49 cases (28.8%), and 5,5000~100,000/mm3 in 24 cases (14.1%) in order. 13) Of the 170 patients, the platelet count on admission were below 50,000/mm3 in 93 cases (54,7%), above 100,000/mm3 in 48 cases (28.2%), 20,000~50,000/mm3 in 43 (25,3%), 43 cases (25,3%), and 50,000~100,000/mm3 in 29 cases (17.1%) in order.
Adult ; Busan ; Child ; Classification ; Female ; Fever ; Hemorrhage ; Hepatomegaly ; Humans ; Leukemia* ; Male ; Pallor ; Pediatrics ; Platelet Count ; Sex Ratio ; Splenomegaly

Scute/larisa baica/ensis (SB) has been used as a folk medicine for curing ulcer, inflammation and infection. However, surprisingly little has been done to develop and exploit SB's immunomodulating, anti- inflammatory properties. Moreover, the mechanisms of SB-action on immune function had not been elucidated. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of 5B on immune functions, microbial growth and bacterial mutagenicity. Boiling water extract of SB was used in this experiment. The proliferation response to PHA-, Con A- or LPS-stimulation and the production of Con A-induced IL-2 and LPS-induced IL-6 of splenocytes from SB-pretreated mice were significantly higher than those of splenocytes from control mice. Daily single injection of 2 mg/mouse SB for 4 days resulted in enhancement of Arthus reaction and DTH to SRBC. And these enhancements were more prominent when SB was treated prior to SRBC- sensitization. SB did inhibit the growth of microorganisms such as C. albicans, C. neoformans, E. coli S. typhimurium and this inhibiting effect was gradually increased in proportion to the increment of SB. SB also remarkably reduced the mutagenicity of mutagens such as sodium azid and benzo[a]pyrene, but this was not certain, because it showed a killing effect on the cell survival test. When SB treated mice were i.p infected with C. albicans, the number of microorganisms in the peritoneal exudates were significantly reduced. Taken together, these results revealed that SB itself has not only multiple effects on events controlling immune responses but also anti-inflammatory properties, which may provide the rational basis for their therapeutic use as one of the biological response modifiers.
Animals ; Arthus Reaction ; Cell Survival ; Exudates and Transudates ; Homicide ; Immunologic Factors ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-6 ; Medicine, Traditional ; Mice ; Mutagens ; Scutellaria baicalensis* ; Scutellaria* ; Sodium ; Ulcer ; Water

Pseudohypoparathyroidism(PHP) is an inherited metabolic disorder characterized by hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia and an impaired phosphaturic response to exogenous parathormone(PTH), which are caused by end organ resistance to the action of PTH. Most of these patients have, in addition, the skeletal abnormalities of Albright hereditary osteodystrophy. We report two cases of PHP, suspicious type Ia, in sibling who were presented with multiple subcutaneous soft tissue calcification similar to that seen in tumoral calcinosis and had short stature, round face, brachydactyly and metabolic abnormalities(hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, increased serum PTH, and decreased 24hr urinary basal cAMP)
Brachydactyly ; Calcinosis ; Humans ; Hyperphosphatemia ; Hypocalcemia ; Pseudohypoparathyroidism* ; Siblings*

We have experienced a case of infantile nephritic syndrome confirmed by renal biopsy in a 13-month-old female patient who showed and develop mental retardation and persistent proteinuria. She revealed mild eyelid edema, joint laxity, delayed speech development and adrenal cortical calcification on the radiologic study. Renal biopsy showed microcystic tubular change, micro-glomeruli and marked mesangial proliferation.
Biopsy ; Edema ; Eyelids ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Intellectual Disability ; Joint Instability ; Nephrotic Syndrome* ; Proteinuria