BACKGROUND: The large surfaces of the skin are often initial site of contact between microorganism and human. The skin are coated with epidermis and epithelial cells can recognize microorganism and mount a fast defense through the production of various inducible antibiotic peptides. This leads to chracteristic broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Recent studies introduce us new peptides with antimicrobial activity such as P,-defensins and cathelicidins. They are expressed on the epithelia and polymorphonuclear leukocytes, which are first lines of defence from various invasive environments. Futhermore, they are considered very interesting and important endogenous antibiotics. Our previous study has shown that the expression of human defensin(hBD-2) mRNA, which is potent antibiotic peptide against Gram-negative bacteria(P. aeruginosa), was upregulated with ultraviolet(UV) irradiation, tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and lipopolysaccharide(LPS) in HaCaT cells. A novel hBD-3, 5-kDa, nonhemolytic antimicrobial peptide, was demonstrated a salt-insensitive broad spectrum of potent antimicrobial activity against many potentially pathogenic microbes in especially, multiresistant S. aureus. We have analyzed the expression patterns of hBD-3 in HaCaT cell lines. OBJECTIVE: This research have done in order to evaluate the expression and regulation of hBD-3 mRNA in human keratinocyte cell lines. METHODS: HaCaT cell lines were used to all culture experiments. Cultured human keratinocytes were stimulated with UV irradiation or TNF-α or LPS to determine whether hBD-3 mRNA production occurred. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was per-formed to amplify hBD-3 cDNA from stimulated keratinocytes in a time dependant manner, and densitometry was used to verify the specificity of RT-PCR amplication products. RESULTS: Expression of hBD-3 was upregulated with UV irradiation, TNF-α and LPS in Ha-CaT cells compared to control CONCLUSIONS: Human keratinocytes are capable to induce hBD-3 mRNA, as well as hBD-2, in response to UV irradiation, TNF-α and LPS. suggesting that these cells could play an important role against the bacterial infection and UV light damage in human skin.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteria ; Bacterial Infections ; Cathelicidins ; Cell Line* ; Densitometry ; DNA, Complementary ; Epidermis ; Epithelial Cells ; Fungi ; Humans* ; Keratinocytes ; Necrosis ; Neutrophils ; Peptides ; RNA, Messenger ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin ; Ultraviolet Rays

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of acupuncture and medicine for the treatment of chronic pharyngitis. Methods Sixty chronic pharyngitis patients were randomized into treatment group and control group, 30 cases in each group. The treatment group was treated with acupuncture mainly on acupoints of Zhaohai(KI6), Lieque(L7), Tiantu(CV22) , Lianquan(CV23), Tianrong(SI17) , Hegu(LI), Yuji (LU10) for nourishing yin to reduce fire and clearing throat. The supplementary acupoints were selected according to the symptoms and physical signs. Acupuncture was performed once a day and 6 times a week. The control group received western medical therapy including pharyngeal application with 1% iodine glycerin preparation and oral use of Cydiodine tablets, 3 times per day. Four weeks constituted one treatment course and the treatment for the two groups covered 2 courses. After treatment, the therapeutic effect was evaluated. The scores of the signs and s ymptoms as well as scores of chronic pharyngitis syndrome discomfort rating questionnaire(CPSDQ) evaluated by visual anal og scale(VAS) were observed. Results (1) The overall effective rate of the treatment group was 93.3%, higher than that of the control group(73.3%), and the inter-group difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). (2) After treatment, scores of the signs and symptoms and VAS for CPSDQ scores in the two groups were reduced as compared with those before treatment(all P<0.05 or P<0.01 ) .The improvement of the scores in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group(all P<0.05 or P<0.01).(3) During the treatment , needling-induced mild pain and bleeding occurred in the treatment group. No acupuncture syncope, stuck needles or allergic and toxic-side effect was shown in the two groups. Conclusion Acupuncture therapy can obviously relieve the symptoms, signs and discomfort in the patients with chronic pharyngitis, and the curative effect is superior to the drugs.

Benzene ; poisoning ; Humans ; Occupational Diseases ; prevention & control ; Occupational Health Services ; organization & administration ; United States

The rectal prolapse syndome is a disease entity includes rectocele and rectal prolapse, presenting prolapse(procidentia) of rectum. In rectocele, rectum is prolapsed anteriorly into the vagina, whereas in procidentia, inferiorly out of the anus. This study was aimed at analyzing pathogenesis and adequacy of surgical treatment in rectocele and rectal prolapse. Twenty-one patients with rectocele and 18 patients with rectal prolapse were assessed pre- and post-operatively in respect to symptoms and signs, pathogenesis, defecography, and manometry. In analysis of symptoms and sings, constipation was the commonest in both diseases(86% of rectocele and 67% of rectal prolapse) and incontinence was not infrequently found in both diseases as well(14% of rectocele and 33% of rectal prolapse). In analysis of the underlying causes, two patients with rectal prolapse had prolapse from childhood. Defecography showed anorectal angle of rectal prolapse in rest and push period. They were significantly wider than those of rectocele(p<0.05). The perineal descent of rectal prolapse was longer than that of rectocele. In analysis of the associated factors, average number of delivery was more than three times in both diseases(3.5 of rectocele and 5.1 of rectal prolapse). We could easily find previous operation history in both diseases. Among them, hysterectomy was the most frequent, especially in patients with rectocele. The hemorrhoids was associated more common in rectocele than in rectal prolapse(p<0.05). Preoperative maximal resting pressure of rectal prolapse was more significantly decreased than that of rectocele(p<0.05). The sensation of fullness was significantly decreased in patients with rectal prolapse postoperatively(p<0.05). Patients with rectocele underwent levator plication by transrectal or vaginal approach. Patients with rectal prolapse underwent posterior rectopexy in 11 patients, resection and rectopexy in 3 patients, Delorme's operation and Thiersch operation in 2 patients each. Constipation was significantly improved in patients with rectocele postoperatively(p<0.05). Incontinence was markedly improved in patients with rectal prolapse postoperatively(p<0.05). At the interview about subjective improvement of symptom, 95% of patients with rectocele and 89% of patients with rectal prolapse were satisfied with surgery. In conclusion, rectocele and rectal prolapse can be categorized as rectal prolapse syndrome because both diseases have anatomical derangements caused by similar pathogenesis such as altered bowel habits, anatomical factor, delivery, past history of hysterectomy, and hemorrhoids. Levator plication and posterior rectopexy seem to be useful surgical methods of anatomical repair for the respective disease.
Anal Canal ; Constipation ; Defecography ; Hemorrhoids ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Manometry ; Prolapse ; Rectal Prolapse* ; Rectocele ; Rectum ; Sensation ; Vagina

A 46-year-old male patient had recurrent episodes of generalized pruritic wheals during hemodialysis. He has experienced urticaria during hemodialysis whenever he used a capillary dialyser sterilized by ethylene oxide(EO, Polysulfone-) gas which is used to sterilize hemodialysers and other medical equipment. On the other hand, capillary dialyser sterilized by Gamma ray (Hemophad) has not evoked urticaria. Although the presence of EO-specific antibodies was not detected, urticarial rash never developed when the equipment was switched to a gamma-sterilized one. We herein report a case referred to ethylene oxide induced cutaneous hypersensitivity during hemodialysis.
Antibodies ; Capillaries ; Ethylene Oxide ; Exanthema ; Gamma Rays ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Kidneys, Artificial ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Renal Dialysis* ; Urticaria

Objective:To investigate frequencies of microsatellite instability(MSI)and loss of heterozygosity(LOH)in renal ceil carcinoma(RCC),and to discuss the relationship of clinicopathological characteristics of RCC with MSI and LOH. Methods:Twelve microsatellite markers located at chromosomes 3p,9p and 14q were selected to investigate microsatellite alterations(MSI and LOH)in 31 RCC specimens and their paired metastasis specimens by polymerase chain reaction- polyacrylamide gel elect rophoresis-ethylene dibromide(PCR-PAGE-EB)staining and sequencing.Results:The frequency of MSI could reached 61.3% and that of LOH could reach 54.8%.The highest frequency of MSI was at locus of D9S168(32.3%);the highest frequency of LOH was at locus of D3S1289(21.4%).No correlation was found between MSI or LOH and the patients' age,sex,pathology type and metastastis,except that MSI was correlated with TNM stage of RCC(P

The validity of fasting plasma glucose(FPG)combined with HbA_1c in diagnosing diabetes was assessed in patients with coronary heart disease.The results showed that the paired determination of FPG and HbA_1c helped to identify potentially diabetic subjects in patients with coronary heart disease.

Objective To observe effects and mechanisms of insulin on reperfusion injury after cerebral ischemia.Methods Sixty-six male Wistar rats were used in this study.All rats were divided into 3 groups as treated group(A),control group(B) and random sham-operated group(C).Four-vessel occlusion was used to establish global cerebral ischemia reperfusion model in study groups.The treated group were divided into 5 groups(A1-A5) and intraperineally injected with biosynthetic human insulin 2 IU/(kg?d) and 50%glucose 2 g/(kg?d) for 7 days,the blood glucose was monitored in preoperative and postoperative 3,6,12,24 h,and the blood glucose was maintained between 3.5-6.5 mmol/L.These animals of control group were given with saline 2 mL/(kg?d) for 7 days in abdominal cavity.All the rats were killed in the seventh day,brain homogenate was collected for detection of neuron specific enolase(NSE)and nitric oxide(NO).The hippocampus was separated for observation of electronic microscope.Results Concentration of NSE in brain tissue in group C was significantly higher than that of group A and group B,while the level in group A was higher than that of group B.Concentration of NO in group C was lower than that of group A and group B while the level of NO in group A was significantly lower than that of group B.Electron microscope showed that the ultrastructure of sham-operated group was nearly normal,damage degree of hippocampal neuron and gliacyte and capillary was gradually worse from group A1,A2 to A4,the damage degree of group B1,B2 and B4 was serious and there was no difference among them.Conclusion Insulin can really promote recovery of the cerebral injury after ischemia reperfusion.

Objective To investigate the feasibility of ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide- enhanced(USPIO)-enhanced MR imaging for monitoring synovitis of antigen-induced arthritis in rabbit model and explore the optimal MR imaging sequences.Methods Nine female white rabbits with antigen(0.5 ml mBSA,2 mg/ml)induced arthritis of the right knees were used in the study.The left knees of these rabbits and both knees of another 3 rabbits served as the control.Nine to 28 days(mean 21.3 d)after successful model induction,all knees were imaged before and 24 h after intravenously injection of USPIO (0.3 ml/kg),among which 2 rabbits were also imaged at 48 and 72 h after administration of USPIO respectively.The MR protocol included spin-echo(SE) T_1WI,fast spin-echo(FSE)T_2WI,gradient echo (GRE)T_2~* WI and short tau inversion recovery(STIR).Images were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively based on signal characteristics and patterns of the synovium.Paired t-test was used for the analysis of the signal intensity of inflammatory synovial membrane before and 24 h after injection of USPIO. MR findings were correlated with histopathology.Results Arthritis was successfully induced in all 9 right knees with intraarticular injection of mBSA.Pathological examination revealed hyperplasia of synovium with infiltration of USPIO-loaded-macrophages.MR depicted synovial thickening(thickness 2.07?0.97 mm) and joint effusion.Synovium and joint fluid appeared as slightly hypo- or iso-intense on T_1 WI and hyper- intense on T_2 WI or T_2~* WI.Twenty four hours after USPIO injection,significant T_1 enhancement(ASNR 41.91%?27.94%),negative T_2 and T_2~* enhancement(△SNR -34.92%?11.77% and -57.24%? 16.05%)were demonstrated in the region of synovial inflammation respectively.The signal at 48 h and 72 h changed less than that at hour 24.No signs of arthritis occurred in all left knees and in all knees of the artificial model group.Conclusion Iron oxide phagocytized into macrophages can be a root cause resulted in signal change on USPIO-enhanced MR images.The gradient echo sequence should be the optimal sequence to be used in USPIO-enhanced MR imaging in antigen-induced arthritis.

The occurrence of the colonic obstruction secondary to colorectal carcinoma (CRC) has been reported in 7~30% of the CRC patients. It is generally believed that obstructive CRC is associated with a poor prognosis with respect to operative mortality and five-year survival. A series of 1064 cases of the CRC treated surgically at Asan Medical Center from June 1989 to December 1996 has been analyzed to compare clinicopathological findings between obstructive and non-obstructive CRC and to evaluate surgical treatment options in obstructive CRC. Complete obstruction was present in 49 cases (4.6%). There were no differences between obstructive and non-obstructive CRC in tumor location, size, Dukes' stage, and differentiation. In forty-nine obstructive CRC cases, primary resections were performed in 29 cases after peri-operative bowel decompression. In this group, right colon cancer was more prevalent than staged operation group (45% vs. 5%, P<0.05) and hospital stay was significantly short (16 days vs. 38 days, P<0.05). Postoperative complication rate was higher in staged operation group (65% vs. 28%, P=0.01). It may be due to stoma related wound complication. In obstructive left colon cancer, there was a significant difference in complication rate between primary resection and staged operation (P<0.05). Overall 5-year survival rate were 66% and 53% in non-obstructive and obstructive group, respectively. Survival rate according to the Dukes' B and C stages did not show statistical differences, either. Conclusively, primary resection is preferred to the obstructive CRC when supportive care, preoperative bowel decompression, and intraoperative colonic irrigation were performed adequately.
Chungcheongnam-do ; Colon ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Decompression ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications ; Preoperative Care ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate ; Wounds and Injuries