Both fibronectin and vitronectin bind to Pneumocystis carinii (P. carinii) and mediate the attachment of the organisms to respiratory epithelial cells. Surfactant A and D play a role in the interaction between P. carinii and host cells. In this study we examined the expression of fibronectin, vitronectin, surfactant-A and D in the interaction between P. carinii and alveolar epithelial cells by immunohistochemistry and pre-embedding immunoelectron microscopy. The experimental rat model of P. carinii pneumonia was induced by administration of low protein diet (8%) and drinking water containing dexamethasone (2 mg/liter) for 6 to 8 weeks. The primary antibodies for light and electron microscopic immunohistochemistries were monoclonal antibodies including fibronectin (1:100) and vitronectin (1:100), and polyclonal antibodies including surfactant A (1:50) and D (1:50), respectively. Light microscopic immunohistochemistry for the fibronectin, vitronectin, surfactant-A and D showed strong expressions on the P. carinii and surface linings of type I alveolar epithelial cells. The electron microscopic immunohistochemistry of the fibronectin and vitronectin showed a strong immunoexpression along the surface pellicles and tubular extensions of P. carinii trophozoites, and surface membranes of the type I epithelial cells. The surfactant-A and D proteins showed a strong expression on the pellicles of P. carinii and surface membranes of the type I epithelial cells, but a weak expression on the free-floating surfactant materials. In conclusions, the trophozoites of P. carinii were mostly attached to type I epithelial cells. The fibronectin, vitronectin, surfactant-A and D were strongly expressed, and played an enhancing role in the binding between the P. carinii organisms and the type I alveolar epithelial cells.
Antibodies ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Dexamethasone ; Diet, Protein-Restricted ; Drinking Water ; Epithelial Cells* ; Fibronectins* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Membranes ; Microscopy, Immunoelectron ; Models, Animal ; Pneumocystis carinii* ; Pneumocystis* ; Pneumonia ; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis* ; Trophozoites ; Vitronectin*

Experimental studies suggest that captopril plays an important preventive role in radiation induced renal injury (RRI). To elucidate the pathogenesis of RRI and effect of captopril, one subgroup was irradiated with a single dose of 9 gray (Gy) total body irradiation and another subgroup with 17 Gy local irradiation in the right kidney. Twenty-four healthy looking Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 200~250 g, were divided into one control and three experimental group (EG)s for this study. The control group, composed of 2 rats, was maintained on stock diet and drinking tap water. EG was divided into three. EG 1 composed of two subgroups, the first subgroup, 3 rats each, was sacrificed within 12 hours after 9 Gy and 17 Gy single dose irradiation only and the second subgroup, 2 and 1 rats each, was sacrificed 8 weeks after the same doses irradiation. EG 2 composed of subgroups of 2 and 3 rats was given 500 mg/L of captopril in the drinking water after irradiating them with 9 Gy and 17 Gy and sacrificed in the 8th week. EG 3 was subdivided into four subgroups by captopril doses given, 62.5 mg/L, 125 mg/L and 250 mg/L and sacrificed 20 weeks after 9 Gy and 17 Gy irradiation. On light microscopy proximal convoluted tubules showed cytoplasmic vacuolization and focal necrosis in the subcapsular region in EG 1 sacrificed within 12 hours after 9 Gy and 17 Gy irradiation only (sham) and very mild fibrosis in juxtamedullary regions in rats sacrificed 8 weeks after irradiation. In EG 3 these changes were severely increased with additional increased fibrosis in the juxtamedullary region in the group given captopril 62.5 mg/L. On transmission electron microscopy, there were various degenerative changes of organelle. Among the captopril administered EG 2 and EG 3, rats given a high dosage revealed milder degree of damage compared to that of rats given a low dosage, and thickening of basement membrane was remarkable in rats given a low dosage. There was a reduction in tubular damage related to the captopril dosage. According to the above findings, administration of a high dose of captopril might preserve the ultrastructure in RRI and the possible mechanism of captopril was discussed.
Animals ; Basement Membrane ; Captopril ; Cytoplasm ; Diet ; Drinking ; Drinking Water ; Fibrosis ; Kidney ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Necrosis ; Organelles ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Water ; Whole-Body Irradiation

This report presents a case of an atypical nodule arising in a hepatocellular adenoma(HCA) in a non-cirrhotic liver of a 42-year-old man. The patient had been relatively healthy until he developed right upper abdominal pain. Abdominal sonography and computerized tomogram revealed a 7.5x7cm sized mass in the right inferior segment of liver. The mass revealed the histologic features of HCA. At near center of the HCA, was found a I cm sized discrete nodule, a nodule within a nodule. The nodule revealed higher cellularity than the HCA and was composed of monotonous hepatocytes with an increased nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio, resembling atypical adenomatous hyperplasia. Interestingly, the atypical nodule showed a focal pseudoacinar arrangement of tumor cells. The histologic features of the atypical nodule arising in HCA may the morphological sequence of transformation from HCA to hepatocellular carcinoma
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular

In an attempt ultrastructural study of alcohol-induced gastric mucosal change, we selected sixty Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were administrated with 4 ml of 10% and 40% ethanol enterically and examined by light and electron microscopy. Light microscopically, the thickness of the mucus layer of both 10% and 40% ethanol groups was decreased. The antral mucosa revealed focal inflammatory infiltrates, disturbed glandular arrangements, and significant decrease of mucosal thichness and proper glands. On scanning electron microscopy, flattened or swollen mucosal epithelium and irregularly distributed gastric pits were seen in both experimental groups, and these changes were more severe in the groups of higher concentration and longer duration. On transmission electron microscopy, mitochondrial abnormalities with myelin-like materials and dilatation of endoplasmic reticulum and cytoplasmic blebs were observed. Also the mucus cells show significantly decreased mucus globules, increased fat vacuoles, and large autophagic vacuoles. These alterations were similar to those produced by ethanol in the liver and small intestine. This study indicates that, prolonged administration of ethanol induced chronic gastritis, especially chronic atrophic gastritis.
Rats ; Animals

A case of the neurovascalar island pedicle graft for restoration of sensation after amputation of both thumb fingertip pulp in 17 years old male patient is presented at Department of Orthopedic Surgery, College of Medicine, Korea University. Tho island pedicle graft is suggested by Esser firstly and it is very difficult and excitement. At postoperative follow up check within one month, we obtained very good result without other complications.
Amputation ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Orthopedics ; Sensation ; Thumb ; Transplants

This study was carried out to investigate the light and electron microscopic findings of the livers of rats after an intraperitoneal injection of cadmium chloride. The Sprague-Dawley rats were intraperitoneally injected with cadmium chloride dissolved in water, once a day for three days. These animals were sacrificed at 1, 3, 8, and 24 hr after the last injection. Control groups of the rats were also sacrificed in the same manner. The liver was extirpated and examined by both light and electron microscopy. The results obtained are as follows: The parenchyma of the liver shows focal neutrophilic infiltration and spotty necrosis. The hepatocytes show fatty change, ballooning degeneration, swelling of the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, increase numbers of secondary lysosomes and residual bodies. Focal patic venules and sinusoids of the liver are congested. The Kupffer cells are increase in number. Therefore, it can be concluded that the cadmium is directly acted to hepatocytes resulting in cellular injuries and deposits in the fat droplets of the cytoplasm of the hepatocytes, not Ito cells as previously suggeted.
Rats ; Animals

Alveolar macrophages participate in the host defense against P. carinii, but the mechanisms in degradation and clearance of the organism from lung has not been well established. We observed the transmission and scanning electron microscopic features and evaluated the expression of TNF-alpha and Surfactant-D in the interaction of P. carinii with alveolar macrophages. Expression of TNF-alpha and Surfactant-D in the experimentally induced P. carinii pneumonia in rat was examined by immunohistochemistry and immunoelectron microscopy. Electron microscopically, the alveolar macrophages phagocytized trophozoites and cysts of P. carinii micro-organisms. Immunohistochemically TNF-alpha was strongly expressed in the cytoplasms of alveolar macrophages. Postembedding immunogold labeling for Surfactant-D protein was expressed on the pellicles of trophozoites and cysts, P. carinii micro-organisms in the cytoplasms of macrophages, free floating surfactant materials and multilamellar bodies of type II epithelial cells. We conclude that alveolar macrophages interacted with P. carinii micro-organisms respond with increased expression of TNF-alpha. TNF-alpha may bind to P. carinii and exert a direct toxic effect upon the micro-organisms. Surfactant-D protein may augment binding of P. carinii to the alveolar macrophages and enhance the clearance of the micro-organisms.
Animals ; Cytoplasm ; Epithelial Cells ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung ; Macrophages ; Macrophages, Alveolar* ; Microscopy, Immunoelectron ; Pneumocystis carinii* ; Pneumocystis* ; Pneumonia ; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis* ; Rats ; Trophozoites ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

No abstract available.
Cough* ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration*

Lung cancer is one of the most common types of malignancy in western nations with serious health problem, and it has become the leading cause of cancer death of males, second only to stomach cancer, in Korea. A review of the histopathology of 1363 cases (1231 patients) of lung carcinoma, diagnosed at the Keimyung University Medical center from 1987 to 1996, was performed to reclassify the type of carcinomas and to investigate the change in the distribution of histologic types of lung carcinoma according to age, sex and year. Among the 1363 cases, 132 patients underwent a surgical operation after biopsy. The diagnosis of each case was proven by histopathologic analysis of surgical specimens (13.2%) and biopsy materials (86.8%). The histologic types in our study were basically based on modified WHO classification (1982) and on new WHO classification (1999). The classification of small cell carcinoma was based on International Association for the Small Cell Lung Cancer (IASLC, 1988). Of the 1231 patients with lung carcinoma, 1012 were male and 219 were female (male to female ratio was 3.6:1). According to the analysis of age distribution, the most prevalent age group was 60~69 years in both sex as (n=516, 42.0%). Changing trends in sex distribution of lung carcinoma patients showed that the proportion of men had decreased throughout the years, whereas the proportion of women had significantly increased. Histologically, squamous cell carcinoma was the most common (n=624, 50.7%), followed by small cell carcinoma (21.1%), adenocarcinoma (18.1%), large cell undifferentiated carcinoma (2.1%), adenosquamous carcinoma (0.4%), and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (0.4%), in order of frequency. In men, squamous cell carcinoma was the most frequent type (55.1%). In women, adenocarcinoma was the most frequent type (39.7%). In both sexes, adenocarcinoma was the most common type in patients under the age of 40 (n=12, 41.4%), while squamous cell carcinoma proved the most frequent type in patients over the age of 40 (n=617, 51.3%). Changing trends of histologic types of lung cancer showed that the incidences of squamous cell carcinoma had significantly decreased throughout the years, whereas those of adenocarcinoma and small cell carcinoma had increased. In conclusion, the results showing increases in the percentage of female patients and in the number of cases of adenocarcinoma were noteworthy, and well correlated with other related reports.
Academic Medical Centers ; Adenocarcinoma ; Age Distribution ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma ; Carcinoma, Adenosquamous ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lung* ; Male ; Sex Distribution ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma ; Stomach Neoplasms

No abstract available.
Hearing* ; Humans ; Tinnitus*