BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that the regulation of hair growth might involve complex interaction between dermal papilla cells and hair matrix cells. Dermal papilla cells secrete diffusible factors that would act an hair matrix cells. During anagen the papilla appears to have prominent capillary loop, whereas in telogen it is nonvascularized. Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) was recently reported to be produced by dermal papilla cells in rats. OBJECTIVES: We performed this study in order to evaluate the effect of VEGF on human hair growth in vitro and on the proliferation of dermal papilla cells and to define the splice forms of VEGF. METHODS: To detect the isoforms of VEGF, RT-PCR was performed on RNA isolated from dermal papilla cells and RT-PCR products were hybridized with VEGF-specific oligonucleotide probe located in exon 4. Isolated human hair follicles were cultured with various concentrations of VEGF165 and VEGF121. Hair follicle growth was measured by an Olympus inverted microscope with an eyepiece measuring graticule. RESULTS: The following results were obtained from this study. 1. Southern hybridization and size calculation of RT-PCR products revealed that mRNA species corresponding to 121, 165, 189, and 206 amino-acid forms of VEGF were praduced by cultured human dermal papilla cells. 2. 10 ng/ml of rhVEGF165, 0.1 ng/ml of rhVEGF165 and 10 ng/ml of rhVEGF121 stimulated follicle elongation in vitro(p < 0.05). 3. rhVEGF165 and rhVEGF121 had no effect on the numbers and thymidine incorporation of dermal papilla cells. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that VEGF is produced by dermal papilla cells and is able to promote hair growth in vitro. Increased hair growth by VEGF might occur other than by proliferation of dermal papilia cells.
Animals ; Capillaries ; Endothelial Growth Factors* ; Exons ; Hair Follicle ; Hair* ; Humans ; Protein Isoforms ; Rats ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger ; Thymidine ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Fatal complications including cerebral edema and neurologic collapse occur during treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis(DKA). A 6-week-old female infant with fever, dehydration and drowsy mental status was diagnosed as DKA and neurologically deteriorated during treatment. The cranial computed tomography scan revealed multifocal brain infarctions of the left caudate nucleus, bilateral frontal periventricular white matter, and right parietal cortex. A moderate amount of hemorrhage was also noted in both lateral ventricles. She recovered rapidly with supportive treatment over time. The clinical course and radiologic findings of this patient emphasize the importance of brain infarction as a cause of persistent neurologic loss in children with DKA.
Brain Edema ; Brain Infarction* ; Brain* ; Caudate Nucleus ; Child ; Dehydration ; Diabetic Ketoacidosis* ; Female ; Fever ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Infant* ; Lateral Ventricles ; Rabeprazole

No abstract available.
Intussusception* ; Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome*

OBJECTIVE: To develop a population pharmacokinetics (PK)/pharmacodynamics (PD) model for alcohol in healthy volunteers and to elucidate individual characteristics to affects alcohol's PK or PD including dissolved oxygen. METHODS: Following multiple intakes of total 540 mL alcohol (19.42 v/v%) to healthy volunteer, blood alcohol concentration was measured using a Breathe alcohol analyser (Lion SD-400 Alcolmeter®). A sequential population PK/PD modeling was performed using NONMEM (ver 7.3). RESULTS: Eighteen healthy volunteer were included in the study. PK model of alcohol was well explained by one-compartment model with first-order absorption and Michaelis-Menten elimination kinetics. K(a), V/F, V(max), K(m) is 8.1 hr⁻¹, 73.7 L, 9.65 g/hr, 0.041 g/L, respectively. Covariate analysis revealed that gender significantly influenced V(max) (Male vs Female, 9.65 g/hr vs 7.38 g/hr). PD model of temporary systolic blood pressure decreasing effect of alcohol was explained by biophase model with inhibitory E(max) model. K(e0), I(max), E(0), IC(50) were 0.23 hr⁻¹, 44.9 mmHg, 138 mmHg, 0.693 g/L, respectively. CONCLUSION: Model evaluation results suggested that this PK/PD model was robust and has good precision.

In this study, immunohistochemistry was used to examine the changes in the density of colonic endocrine cells - argyrophil and argentaffin cells, chromogranin A (CGA), serotonin, somatostatin and glucagon-containing cells in trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced rat colitis. Ulcerative colitis was induced by the instillation of 10 mg of TNBS into the colonic lumen through the anus. To confirm the inducement of ulcerative colitis, the macroscopic and microscopic scores as well as the colonic myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities were monitored for 8 days after TNBS instillation in the colonic lumens. In addition, the number of argyrophil and argentaffin cells, CGA, serotonin, somatostatin and glucagon-immunoreactive cells were counted in the colonic mucosa, respectively. After TNBS instillation into the lumen of the colon from the anus in rats, increases in macroscopic and microscopic scores in the colon tissues were observed along with increases in the colonic MPO activities. Therefore, ulcerative colitis was relatively well induced by the TNBS instillations. Marked decreases in the number of colonic endocrine cells were detected in the TNBS-treated animal compared to the sham control. These results suggest that colonic endocrine cells were also disrupted by TNBS-induced ulcerative colitis.
Anal Canal ; Animals ; Chromogranin A ; Colitis ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; Colon ; Endocrine Cells ; Enterochromaffin Cells ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mucous Membrane ; Peroxidase ; Rats ; Salicylamides ; Serotonin ; Somatostatin

One of a rapid growing mycobacteria (RGM), Mycobacterium abscessus (MAB), is the most causative agents of RGM pulmonary disease. MAB can change their morphology that smooth (S) type to more virulent type of rough (R). Bacterial invasion into host cells is an important first step to initiate their infection. The phagocytic and invasion mechanisms of Mycobacterium tuberculosis through the host-parasite interaction have been researched. Although MAB causes a wide range of clinical diseases, little is known about their invasion ability or why the R type is more virulent than the S type. To compare invasion ability of R with S types, their infection abilities to dermal fibroblast, HaCaT cells, A549 cells and bone marrow derived macrophages were analyzed. After 2 h of infection, intracellular survival numbers of the R type were significantly higher in all infected cells than S types. The fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and confocal microscopy assay also revealed that red fluorescent amount and intracellular bacterial numbers in all of the cells infected with MAB R type expressing the red fluorescent protein (RFP) were significantly higher than the S type. Our data suggest that the virulence of MAB is proportionally related to the invasion ability into mammalian cells and macrophages.
Fibroblasts ; Flow Cytometry ; Host-Parasite Interactions ; Infection ; Lung Diseases ; Macrophages ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Mycobacterium* ; Virulence

PURPOSE: CAPD is an important treatment modality along with hemodialysis and kidney transplantation in end stage renal disease. Malnutrition is very common and associated with increased morbidity and mortality in CAPD patients. The cause of malnutrion in CAPD patients might be multifactorial. This prospective study was carried out to investigate nutritional changes for 1 year after initiation of peritoneal dialysis by measurement body composition, especially lean body mass (LBM) using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and to evaluate the factors associated with malnutrition in CAPD patients. METHODS: Among new CAPD patients from May, 2001 to Dec, 2002 in our hospital, 25 patients were enrolled. Body weight, LBM, LBM percen t (%LBM), fat mass, fat mass percent (%fat mass), ECF volume and ECF/TBW were compared between 1st month and 12th month after initiation of PD. The biochemical parameters, Urea kinetic modeling, Peritoneal equilibration test, the amounts of glucose absorption through the dialysate, the amounts of protein and albumin loss through the dialysate were measured at the same time point with measurement of the body composition. RESULTS: There were significantly decreased LBM (46.3+/-9.1 kg to 44.7+/-9.0 kg in BIA, 45.7+/-9.3 kg to 42.1+/-7.9 kg in DEXA, p< 0.05, respectively) but significantly increased fat mass (16.3+/-6.2 kg to 20.2+/-7.9 kg in BIA, 15.7+/-6.6 kg to 20.1+/-7.4 kg in DEXA, p<0.01, respectively) during first one year. Mean weekly Kt/V were significantly correlated with the changes of LBM (r=-0.64 in BIA, r=-0.81 in DEXA, p<0.01, respectively). With the multiple regression test, 1st month weekly Kt/V in BIA and DEXA were significant predictors of the changes of LBM for 1 year (beta-coefficients: -0.573 in BIA, -0.773 in DEXA, p<0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: Adequate dialysis, especially 1st month adequacy, is very important for maintaining good nutritional status for one year after initiation of peritoneal dialysis.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Absorption ; Body Composition* ; Body Weight ; Dialysis ; Electric Impedance ; Glucose ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Kidney Transplantation ; Malnutrition ; Mortality ; Nutritional Status ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Prospective Studies ; Renal Dialysis ; Urea

This research was performed to investigate the effects of NEP (Nutritional Education Practice) program developed by KHyDDI (Korea Hypertension Diabetes Daegu Initiative) for hypertension and diabetes patients. The subjects were 116 patients (hypertension 70, diabetes 46) who had completed basic education program at the education information center and four-session program was implemented for them. Nutrient intake was analyzed and compared before and after the program by 24-hr recall method and evaluate weight, waist circumference, body fat, blood pressure and eating habits in terms of nutrition knowledge, eating behavior, salty taste assessment. The improved results after the program were observed in weight, waist circumference, body fat ratio, blood pressure, slightly salty taste in salty taste assessment, nutrition knowledge, eating behavior, sodium, energy, carbohydrate and protein intake ratio to total energy (p < 0.001). Therefore, this program is effective in the improvement of weight, waist circumference and eating behavior, and the continued management would lead to the prevention of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases in the community.
Adipose Tissue ; Blood Pressure ; Eating ; Feeding Behavior ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Information Centers ; Nutrition Assessment ; Sodium ; Waist Circumference

BACKGROUND: The thalamus has multiple connections with areas of the cerebral cortex involved in arousal and cognition. Thalamic damage has been reported to be associated with variable neuropsychological dysfunctions and dementia. This study investigates the changes of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) by using SPM analysis of 99mTc-ECD SPECT and examining the neuropsychological abnormalities of 4 patients with anterior thalamic infarctions. METHODS: Four patients with left anterior thalamic infarctions and eleven normal controls were evaluated. K-MMSE and the Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery were performed within 2 days after stroke. The normalized SPECT data of 4 patients were compared to those of 11 controls for the detection of areas with decreased rCBF by SPM analysis. RESULTS: All 4 patients showed anterograde amnesia in their verbal memory, which was not improved by recognition. Dysexecutive features were occasionally present, such as decreased word fluency and impaired Stroop test results. SPM analysis revealed decreased rCBF in the left supramarginal gyrus, the superior temporal gyrus, the middle and inferior frontal gyrus, the medial dorsal and anterior nucleus of the left thalamus. CONCLUSIONS: The changes of rCBF in patients with left anterior thalamic infarctions may be due to the remote suppression on metabolism by the interruption of the cortico-subcortial circuit, which connects the anterior thalamic nucleus and various cortical areas. The executive dysfunction and dysnomia may be caused by the left dorsolateral frontal dysfunction of the thalamocortical circuit. Anterograde amnesia with storage deficit may be caused by the disruption of mamillothalamic tract.
Amnesia, Anterograde ; Anomia ; Arousal ; Cerebral Cortex ; Cognition ; Dementia ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Mass Screening ; Memory ; Metabolism ; Seoul ; Stroke ; Stroop Test ; Thalamus ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

Patau syndrome is trisomy 13, one of the most common autosomal aberration associated with multiple congenital anomalies. Because trisomy 13 is generally associated with severe congenital anomalies and postpartum poor prognosis, antenatal diagnosis through antenatal ultra-sonogram and triple screening marker is very important. We present one case of trisomy 13 with abnormal ultrasound finding, holoprosencephaly, microcephaly, cleft lip and palate. And confirmed chromosomally with pregnancy termination.
Cleft Lip ; Female ; Holoprosencephaly ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Microcephaly ; Palate ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Prognosis ; Trisomy ; Ultrasonography