Axenization of Entamoeba histolytica, a Korean strain YS-27.

In the present communication, YS-27, a Korean strain of Entamoeba histolytica is described for the isolation and establishment of axenic cultivation. E. histolytica, designated as strain "YS-27", was isolated from the pus of a hepatic abscess obtained from a 72 year old inpatient of August 10, 1969.

Clinicopathological study of minimum-sized hepatocellular carcinoma: an approach to the definition of early hepatocellular carcinoma.

Clinicopathologic examination of 33 nodules from 23 cases of minimum-sized hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), less than 15 mm in diameter, was carried out by imaging and clinical follow up. On ultrasound (US), 16 hypoechoic nodules (48%) and 15 hyperechoic nodules (45%) on angiography 7 tumour stains (21%) and on computerized tomography (CT) 3 low density nodules (9%) were detected. Of 27 nodules on lipiodol CT (LpCT), 7 lipiodol-deposited nodules (26%) were detected.

Cytotoxicity of a cysteine proteinase of adult Clonorchis sinensis.

To clarify the correlation of the proteinase activity with pathogenicity of Clonorchis sinensis, the proteinase activity either in excretory-secretory products (ESP) or in crude extracts of adult C. sinensis was examined. Substrate gel electrophoresis of the ESP and crude extracts revealed four distinct enzyme bands, which were differently inhibited by the specific proteinase inhibitors.

Selective enhancement of GM-CSF, TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta and IL-8 production by monocytes and macrophages of asthmatic subjects.

Previous work has demonstrated an increase in the production of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) by monocytes derived from asthmatic individuals. We have suggested that monocytes and macrophages enhance airways inflammation by augmented cytokine production. We tested this hypothesis by measuring the production of GM-CSF and macrophage-derived cytokines, namely interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-8 (IL-8), from unstimulated and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated peripheral blood monocytes and alveolar macrophages in 31 asthmatic and 11 normal, control subjects.

Nitric oxide mediates the toxoplasmastatic activity of murine microglial cells in vitro.

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), an opportunistic protozoan, is an important cause of central nervous system (CNS) infections in immunosuppressed patients. The present study focused on the interaction between T.

Structure/activity relationship of leukotriene B4 and its structural analogues in chemotactic, lysosomal-enzyme release and receptor-binding assays.

The biological activities of chemically synthesized leukotriene B4 and eight structural analogues have been studied using chemotaxis, lysosomal-enzyme release and receptor-binding assays on human neutrophils. The results show that increasing the number of double bonds between C14 and C20, having triple bonds at C6 or C14, substitution of the primary carboxyl group at C1, changing the geometry of the double bond at C6 from the cis to trans configuration and changing the chirality of the hydroxyl group at C12 from the R to the S configuration result in substantial loss of both biological activity and the capacity to bind to the LTB4 recognition site in parallel. We suggest that the functional epitopes of 5S,12R-dihydroxy-6,14-cis-8,10-trans-icosatetraenoic acid (LTB4) are either the same, or reside in the same domain as the binding site for the LTB4 receptor.

Effects of exogenous eicosapentaenoic acid on generation of leukotriene C4 and leukotriene C5 by calcium ionophore-activated human eosinophils in vitro.

Exogenous eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) has been compared with exogenous arachidonic acid (AA) for its ability to modulate the oxidative metabolism of membrane-derived arachidonic acid by the 5-lipoxygenase pathway in ionophore-activated human eosinophils, and for its suitability as a parallel substrate in this pathway. Products were quantitated by specific RIA and tetraene and pentaene leukotrienes (LT) were separated by reverse-phase HPLC. Eosinophils were preincubated with control buffer, exogenous EPA or AA and stimulated optimally with 10 microM calcium ionophore (A23187) for 15 min.

[Enterobius gregorii Hugot, 1983 recovered from school children in Kangwon-Do, Korea].

Hugot (1983), Hugot and Tourte-Schaefer (1985) reported that nematodes of the genus Enterobius causing human enterobiasis might be classified into two different species on the basis of the size and shape of spicule in male worms. E. gregorii Hugot, 1983 has significantly shorter spicules in males than those in E.

Cutaneous histamine metabolism in chronic urticaria.

Impaired metabolism of histamine in the skin of patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) might explain the observed enhanced and prolonged skin responses to intradermal histamine. Histamine metabolism was measured in homogenates from unaffected forearm skin in nine patients with CIU and in skin of age- and sex-matched control subjects with a radiochromatographic assay, and the results are expressed as nanograms of histamine metabolized per milligram of protein per hour. Endogenous histamine content was determined by RIA.

Eating habits of east Asian people and transmission of taeniasis.

In order to understand the role of raw meat and viscera eating habits in the transmission of taeniasis in Asian countries, 1502 infected aborigines in ten mountainous districts/towns of six counties in Taiwan, 58 infected persons in two villages on Cheju Island, Korea, and 97 cases in Ambarita District on Samosir Island, North Sumatra, Indonesia were studied during the field surveys. All infected Taiwan aborigines had the habit of eating raw meat and viscera of wild and/or domestic animals. Among these aborigines, 73% ate wild boar, 66% flying squirrel, 65% wild goat, 56% muntjac, 49% wild rats, 46% monkey, 38% hare, 20% civet-cats, 18% weasel, 17% pheasant, 14% squirrel, 4% grouse, 1% deer, 1% snake, less than 1% bamboo partridge, less than 1% frog, less than 1% bear, less than 1% dog, and less than 1% fox.

Monocytes and Macrophages in Asthma.

There is increasing evidence implicating the central role of cells of monocyte/macrophage lineage in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. This evidence comes from studies on peripheral blood monocytes. BAL fluid and cells and, more recently, airway immunohistochemistry.

Synthesis of New Abscisic Acid (ABA) Analogs Possessing a Geometrically Rigid Cyclized Side Chain.

In a solution, cis-abscisic acid (ABA) isomerizes into the trans-isomer which is physiologically inactive, and this structural instability is regarded as a reason for insuitability of ABA in agricultural applications. The side chain of ABA, the 2-cis-4-trans-3-methyl-2,4-pentadienoic acid moiety, was replaced with various substituted phenyl groups to examine biological effects of the inflexibility of the part. Construction of the phenyl moiety was achieved by cyclizing the ionone derivatives and subsequent aromatization.

Current status of food-borne parasitic zoonoses in Korea.

In Korea meat from various mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and crustaceans serves as host for approximately 25 species of parasites. These food-borne parasitic zoonoses are important public health problems; they are of concern for the live stock and food industry and for farmers and fisherman. Traditionally, Koreans have been vegetable and fish eating people, but eating habits are changing to include the eating of meat.

Snail-borne parasitic zoonoses in Korea.

A total of 22 snail-borne parasites causing various parasitic zoonoses in Korea are listed and reviewed. All of these parasites are indigenous except Heterophyes heterophyes, H. dispar and Angiostrongylus cantonensis detected in patients who traveled outside of Korea.

[Antibody-dependent rat macrophage-mediated damage to the excysted metacercariae of Paragonimus westermani in vitro].

An in vitro immune effector mechanism against the target excysted metacercariae of Paragonimus westermani was demonstrated in the rat system. Peritoneal exudate cells, mainly macrophages from normal rats, showed adherence to and killing of excysted metacercariae of P. westermani in the presence of complement-independent serum from rats infected with Paragonimus metacercariae.

Overview of Entamoeba histolytica and amebiasis in Korea with special reference to research notes.

Amebiasis caused by Entamoeba histolytica infection has been a prevalent protozoan disease in Korea since old times. For this reason, a number of scientific publications in relation to this protozoa has totaled 186 so far in the literature, as of 1989. The subjects ranged from biology to its treatment and prevention.

Method for the design and analysis of a non-linear anisotropic lower limb prosthetic socket.

A simplified computer-based structural analysis procedure has been developed for evaluating the stresses in a lower limb prosthetic socket when subjected to external loads. This technique has been tested by studying a simple linear axisymmetric shell subjected to uniform loads. It was found that the stress and strain distribution obtained are close to those determined by a finite element technique.

Experimental studies of Korea Taenia (Cheju strain) infection in domestic animals.

In the present study, one DYL pig (five-day old), four L-SEM pigs (37-day old), three SEM pigs (44-day old), one Holstein calf (eight-day old) and two Sannean goats (five-day old) were each fed 1000, 30,000, or 380,000 eggs of the Korea Taenia (Cheju strain) and were sacrificed 16-105 days after inoculation. All DYL, L-SEM, and SEM pigs and the Holstein calf were susceptible to Korea Taenia, and one of the two Sannean goats became infected. The cysticerci recovery rates for L-SEM, SEM and DYL pigs, Holstein calf, and Sannean goat were 5.

Enzymic synthesis, chemical characterisation and Sda activity of GalNAc beta 1-4[NeuAc alpha 2-3]Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc and GalNAc beta 1-4[NeuAc alpha 2-3]Gal beta 1-4Glc.

The tetrasaccharides GalNAc beta 1-4[NeuAc alpha 2-3]Gal beta 1-4Glc and GalNAc beta 1-4[NeuAc alpha 2-3]Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc were synthesised by enzymic transfer of GalNAc from UDP-GalNAc to 3'-sialyllactose (NeuAc alpha 2-3 Gal beta 1-4Glc) and 3'-sialyl-N-acetyllactosamine (NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc). The structures of the products were established by methylation and 1H-500 MHz NMR spectroscopy. In Sda serological tests the product formed with 3'-sialyl-N-acetyllactosamine was highly active whereas that formed with 3'-sialyllactose had only weak activity.

[A case of calabar swelling suspected as loiasis].

This report deals with an imported case of calabar swelling suspective of loiasis, who had been in Nigeria, Africa for 2 years. This 33-year-old Korean technician was admitted to Severance Hospital, Yonsei University Medical Center, because of erythematous swellings on left hand and foot. His peripheral blood showed persistent eosinophilia (over 30 percent of WBC), increased IgE(1,000 unit/ml) and significantly high antifilarial antibody titer with enzyme immunoassay, although no microfilaria was detected on the peripheral blood films.

[Epidemiological survey on Metagonimus yokogawai infection in the eastern coast area of Kangwon-province, Korea].

An epidemiological survey on Metagonimus yokogawai infection was performed in the eastern coast area of Kangwon province. Formalin-ether concentration technique and Stoll's dilution egg counting method were employed to figure out the prevalence and intensity of M. yokogawai infection and eating habits of inhabitants with raw freshwater fish.

[Ultrastructural observation of Naegleria fowleri trophozoite in mouse brain and axenic culture].

Present study was undertaken to elucidate the changes of the ultrastructure of Naegleria fowleri trophozoite in brain tissue of mice and culture medium. Naegleria fowleri, 0359 strain, which used in this study was cultured in axenic liquid medium, CGVS medium. Each mouse was inoculated with 1 x 10(5) amoebas intranasally under secobarbital anesthesia, and sacrificed on 7th day after the infection.