• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.660-668
• /
• 1995

Background: It is said that tuberculous pleuritis responds well to anti-tuberculous drug in general, so no further aggressive therapeutic management is unnecesarry except in case of diagnostic thoracentesis. But in clinical practice, we often see some patients who need later decortication due to dyspnea caused by pleural loculation or thickening despite several months of anti-tuberculous drug therapy. Therefore, we want to know the clinical difference between a group who received decortication due to complication of tuberculous pleuritis despite of anti-tuberculous drug and a group who improved after 9 months of anti-tuberculous drug only. Methods: We reviewed 20 tuberculous pleuritis patients(group 1) who underwent decortication due to dyspnea caused by pleural loculation or severe pleural thickening despite of anti-tuberculous drug therapy for 9 or more months, and 20 other tuberculous pleuritis patients(group 2) who improved by anti-tuberculous drug only and had similar degrees of initial pleural effusion and similar age, sex distribution. Then we compared between the two groups the duration of symptoms before anti-tuberculous drug treatment and pleural fluid biochemistry like glucose, LDH, protein and pleural fluid cell count and WBC differential count, and we also wanted to know whether there was any difference in preoperative PFT value and postoperative PFT value in the patients who underwent decortication, and obtained following results. Results: 1) Group 1 patients had lower glucose level{$63.3{\pm}30.8$(mg/dl)} than that of the group 2{$98.5{\pm}34.2$(mg/dl), p<0.05}, and higher LDH level{$776.3{\pm}266.0$(IU/L)} than the group 2 patients{$376.3{\pm}123.1$(IU/L), p<0.05}, and also longer duration of symptom before treatment{$2.0{\pm}1.7$(month)} than the group 2{$1.1{\pm}1.2$(month), p<0.05}, respectively. 2) In group 1, FVC changed from preoperative $2.55{\pm}0.80$(L) to postoperative $2.99{\pm}0.78$(L)(p<0.05), and FEV1 changed from preoperative $2.19{\pm}0.70$(L/sec) to postoperative $2.50{\pm}0.69$(L/sec)(p<0.05). 3) There was no difference in pleural fluid protein level($5.05{\pm}1.01$(gm/dL) and $5.15{\pm}0.77$(gm/dl), p>0.05) and WBC differential count between group 1 and group 2. Conclusion: It is probable that in tuberculous pleuritis there is a risk of complication in the case of showing relatively low pleural fluid glucose or high LDH level, or in the case of having long duraton of symptom before treatment. We thought prospective study should be performed to confirm this.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.669-676
• /
• 1995

Background: The cell-mediated immunity is needed for eradicating the tubercle bacilli. Prostaglandin(PG), especially PG $E_2$, is involved in cellular immunosuppression. It is known that the PG $E_2$ is suppressed by indomethacin. For using indomethacin as a immunomodulator of intractable pulmonary tuberculosis(Tbc) patients, we measured the tuberculin skin test(TST) and the plasma PG $E_2$ levels. Method: The forty-eight inpatients with sputum positive acid-fast stain bacilli were classified into 6 groups according to antiTbc chemotherapy history(new and intractable cases), plain chest roetgenogram(minimal and far advanced cases), and TST reaction(nagative and positive cases). Except for one group(n=2; new, minimal, and negative cases of TST reaction) of the 6 groups, all subjects(n=46) were measured for the plasma PG $E_2$, levels with radioimmunoassay. Results: 1) There was no significant difference in the plasma PG $E_2$ levels among A group(far advanced and positive TST reaction cases, n=10, $11.22{\pm}2.86\;pg/ml$), B group(minimal and negative TST reaction cases, n=9, $11.35{\pm}2.20$) and C group(far advanced and positive TST reaction cases, n=7, $11.11{\pm}2.30$) in the new cases(p>0.05). 2) There was no significant difference in the plasma PG $E_2$ levels between positive(n=10, $9.25{\pm}2.21$) and negative(n=10, $8.25{\pm}1.13$) groups by TST in the intractable cases(p>0.05). 3) Comparing the plasma PG $E_2$ levels between new(n=26, $11.35{\pm}2.41$) and intractable(n=20, $8.75{\pm}1.78$) groups, the intractable group had significi- andy lower plasma PG $E_2$ levels(p<0.05). 4) There was no significant difference in the plasma PG $E_2$ levels between negative(n=19, $9.88{\pm}2.43$) and positive(n=27, $10.46{\pm}2.56$) groups by TST(p>0.05). 5) There was no significant difference in the plasma PG $E_2$ levels between male(n=32, $10.07{\pm}2.44$) and female(n=14, $10.56{\pm}2.70$)(p>0.05). 6) There was no significant difference in the plasma PG $E_2$ levels among 2nd(n=5, $10.21{\pm}2.86$), 3rd(n=9, $9.97{\pm}2.47$), 4th(n=13, $11.35{\pm}2.33$) and 5th(n=19, $9.57{\pm}2.48$) decades(p>0.05). 7) There was no significant correlation between the induration sizes of the TST and the plasma PG $E_2$ levels(r=0.054, p>0.05). Conclusion: From the above results, the plasma PG $E_2$ levels of intractable group are not higher as the authors had expected. There was no significant difference in the plasma PG $E_2$ levels by the lesion sizes of plain chest roentgenogram and the induration sizes of TST, so more study will be needed to use the indomethacin as a immunomodulator for intractable pulmonary tuberculosis patients.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.31-40
• /
• 2003

A research has been done for growing characteristics of Korean ginseng in Geumsan of Chungnam Province. It had been made to determine the transitional element concentrations of the rocks, divided by biotitic granite(GR) and phyllite(PH). The physical and chemical properties of their weathering soils and ginseng nursery soils were analyzed. The texture in the GR weathering and ginseng nursery soils were sandy clay, and the texture of the PH weathering and ginseng nursery soils were heavy or silty clay. The bulk densities of the GR and PH weathering soils were $1.21{\sim}1.32g/cm^3$ and $1.26{\sim}1.38g/cm^3$, respectively. Also, the bulk densities of the GR and PH ginseng nursery soils were $1.02{\sim}1.10g/cm^3$, respectively. The pH (4.80) of the GR weathering soil were lower than the pH of the PH(5.34) weathering soil. The pH in the 2 year and 4 year-ginseng nursery soil of the GR were 4.39 and 4.40. In addition, those of the PH were 5.24 and 5.34, respectively. The difference in pH of the two nursery soils could be from the pH difference between the two parent materials. The organic matter contents of the GR weathering soils(0.24%) were higher than those of the PH(1.02%) weathering soils. The organic matter of the 2 and 4 year-ginseng GR nursery soils were 0.87% and 1.52%, and of the PH nursery soils were 2.06% and 2.96%, respectively. The total nitrogen contents of the GR weathering soils were 259.43ppm and of the PH weathering soils were 657.22ppm. Those of 2 and 4 year-ginseng GR nursery soils were 588.04ppm and 657.22ppm and those of the PH nursery soils were 1037.72ppm and 1227.96ppm, respectively. The nitrate and ammonium contents of the GR weathering soils were the extremely small, and those of the PH weathering soils were 6.7ppm and 9.94ppm. Those of 2 year-ginseng GR nursery soils(223.09ppm and 26.96ppm) were higher than those of PH(19.46ppm and 8.23ppm) nursery soils. And those of 2 year-ginseng PH nursery soils(14.22ppm and 16.84ppm) were lower than those of PH(306.93ppm, 34.21ppm) nursery soils. The difference was due to fertilizer types and more deposits of nitrate after oxidation of ammonium. The phosphate contents of the GR and PH weathering soils were 14.41ppm and 38.60ppm. Those of GR 2 and 4 year-ginseng nursery soils were 46.89ppm and 102.44ppm and those of the PH nursery soils were 147.04ppm and 38.60ppm. The cation exchange capacities of the GR weathering soils were 12.34me/100g and those of the PH weathering soils were 15.40me/100g. Those of 2 and 4 year-ginseng GR nursery soils were 15.80me/100g and 7.70me/100g and those of PH nursery soils were 12.14me/100g and 12.83me/100g. All of exchangeable cation($K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, $Na^+$) contents in the nursery soils were higher than those in the weathering soils. The $SO_4{^2-}$ contents of the weathering soils in both of the GR(5.98ppm) and PH(9.94ppm) were higher than those of the GR and PH ginseng nursery soils. The $Cl^-$) contents of the GR and PH weathering soils were a very small and those of the nursery soils(2-yr GR: 39.06ppm, 4-yr GR: 273.43ppm, 2-yr PH: 66.41ppm, 4-yr PH: 406.24ppm) were high because of fertilizer inputs.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.23-62
• /
• 1969

Throughout the studies the following experimental results were obtained and are summarized: 1. Multiplication of agents in primary cell cultures of both GF classical and CR-64 acute strain of Marek's disease infected chicken kidneys was accompanied by the formation of distinct transformed cell foci. This characteristic nature of cell transformation was passaged regularly by addition of dispersed cell from infected cultures to normal chicken kidney cell cultures, and also transferred was the nature of cell transformation to normal chick-embryo liver and neuroglial cell cultures. No cytopathic changes were noticed in inoculated chick-embryo fibroblast cultures. 2. The same cytopathic effects were noticed in normal kidney cell monolayers after the inoculation of whole blood and huffy coat cells derived from both forms of Marek's disease infected chickens. In these cases, however, the number of transformed cell foci appearing was far less than that of uninoculated monolayers prepared directly from the kidneys of Marek's disease infected chickens. 3. The change in cell culture IS regarded as a specific cell transformation focus induced by an oncogenic virus rather than it plaque in slowly progressing cytopathic effect by non-oncogenic viruses, and it is quite similar to RSV focus in chick-embryo fibroblasts in many respects. 4. The infective agent (cell transformable) were extremely cell-associated and could not be separated in an infective state from cells under the experimental conditions. 5. The focus assay of these agents was valid as shown by the high degree of linear correlation (r=0.97 and 0.99) between the relative infected cell concentration (in inoculum) and the transformed cell foci counted. 6. No differences were observed between the GF classical strain and the CR-64 acute strain of Marek's disease as far as cell culture behavior. 7. Characterization of the isolates by physical and chemical treatments, development of internuclear inclusions in Infected cells, and nucleic acid typing by differential stainings and cytochemical treatments indicated that the natures of these cell transformation agents closely resemble to those described fer the group B herpes viruses. 8. Susceptible chicks inoculated with infected kidney tissue culture cells developed specific lesions of Marek's disease, and in a case of prolonged observation after inoculation (5 weeks) the birds developed clinical symptoms and gross lesions of Marek's disease. Kidney cell cultures prepared from those inoculated birds and sacrificed showed a superior recovery of cell transformation property by formation of distinct foci. 9. Electron microscopic study of infected kidney culture cells (GF agent) by negative staining technique revealed virus particles furnishing the properties of herpes viruses. The particle was measured about $100m{\mu}$ and, so far, no herpes virus envelop has been seen from these preparations. 10. No relationship of both isolates to avian leukosis/sarcoma group viruses and PPLO was observed.