No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Maxillary Sinus* ; Nose* ; Papilloma, Inverted*

PURPOSE: Several studies suggest that tumor angiogenesis is a significant prognostic factor in carcinoma of the breast, lung, prostate, oral cavity, and colon. We assessed whether intensity of tumor angiogenesis, as measured by microvessel counts in histologic sections, correlates with prognosis in patients with stage III gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Paraffin-embedded sections from 49 patients (23 stage IIla, 26 stage IIIb) with primary gastric cancer that had been completely removed were analyzed for angiogenesis. Vessels were stained with anti-factor VIII polyclonal antibody, and areas with the most discrete microvessels were counted in a 200X field. RESULTS: Patients with stage IIIa gastric cancer had fewer microvessels than those with stage IIIb gastric cancer (32.8+-14.5 vs. 40.3+-16.1, P=0.106). The mean microvessel count from patients who were alive were significantly lower than that from patients who had died at the time of follow-up (24.8+-10.0 vs. 42.9+- 14.5, P=O.OOO). The 5-year survival rate of patients with count less than 33 microvessels was higher than that of patients with count more than 33 microvessels (59.9% vs. 11.6%, P= 0.000). On multivariate analysis by Cox proportional hazards model, the microvessel count was a significant prognostic factor of stage III gastric cancer. CONCLUSION: Tumor angiogenesis assessed by microvessel count may be a significant prognostic factor of stage III gastric cancer and may prove valuable in selecting patients with stage III gastric cancer for aggressive adjuvant therapy and closer postoperative follow-up.
Breast ; Colon ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung ; Microvessels ; Mouth ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prognosis* ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prostate ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate

From January 1970 through December 1984, 15 patients with sinonasal Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma combined to the head and neck were treated by external irradiation. 13 patients were stage IE and 2 were stage IIE by Ann Arbor Classification. However, when using TNM system, 7 were locally advanced T3, T4 lesions. All patients had follow up from 3.7 to 16 years with the median follow-up of 8.5 years. The overall actuarial 5-year survival rates were 25%, 28% for IE and 0% for IIE. Total tumor dose varied from 40 to 68 Gy. 100% complete response with a total tumor dose of more than 55 Gy and 73% complete response with less than 55 Gy. When the disease was staged using the TNM (AJC) system, the five-year disease free survival for T1 and T2 patients was 50% as compared with 14% for T3 and T4. Failure rate by stage was 33% (2/6) for T1 and T2, 86% (6/7) for T3 and T4, and 100% (2/2) for IIE. The results suggest that 1. Higher CR could be obtained with a total tumor dose of more than 55 Gy. 2. Use of TNM staging system is as important as Ann arbor in management of sinonasal NHL. 3. The addition of combination chemotherapy should be considered for T3, T4 and IIE the sinonasal Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma although the disease is limited to head and neck.
Classification ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin* ; Neck ; Neoplasm Staging ; Radiotherapy ; Survival Rate

A retrospective review of fifty patients with carcinoma of hypopharynx treated with RT+/-surgery was studied for eleven-year period from 1974 to 1984. Of the 50 patients, 46 were pyriform sinus in origin, 4 were posterior pharyngeal wall. Eighty-eight percent of patients were locoregionally advance (stage III, IV) and 78% of patients presented cervical lymphadenopathy. 5-year disease-free survival rate of the pyriform sinus ca. was 25.4% in RT alone group, 80% in combined modality group and 30.6% in overall. Local control rate with RT alone in early stage (II) was excellent (100%), however combined modality appears to be better for local control (80%) in advanced stage (III, IV) as compared with that of RT alone group (32%). On basis of this study, RT alone is effective in terms of local control and functional preservation in treatment of early stage of pyriform sinus ca. while surgery can be reserved for salvage purpose when RT fails and combined modality is recommended in patients with locally advanced stage for better local control and survival.
Disease-Free Survival ; Humans ; Hypopharynx ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Pyriform Sinus ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies

We tested the hypothesis that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and angiotensinogen gene polymorphism influence the incidence, development and outcome of preeclampsia. Subjects were recruited from 90 Korean patients with preeclampsia during pregnancy and 98 age-matched controls. After isolation of DNA, polymerase chain reactions (PCR) were carried out to detect polymorphism of the ACE and angiotensinogen. M235T and T174M genotypes of angiotensinogen were determined by digestion with restriction enzyme endonuclease Tth 111-I and NCo I, respectively. The frequency of DD genotype was significantly greater in preeclampsia (0.36) than in controls (0.14) (p<0.05). The frequency of D allele was 0.55 in preeclampsia and 0.40 in controls (p<0.05). There were no differences in the onset of preeclampsia and pregnancy outcomes according to the ACE genotypes. There was no difference in the frequency of a allele of angiotensinogen M235T between the groups (0.79:0.78 in preeclampsia : controls). The frequency of T allele of angiotensinogen T174M gene was slightly increased, but not significantly, in preeclampsia (0.11) than in controls (0.07). In a multivariate analysis, only ACE genotype was associated with the development of preeclampsia (beta=0.27, p=0.05). In conclusion, a molecular variant of ACE, but not angiotensinogen, gene is associated with preeclampsia in Korean women.
Adult ; Angiotensinogen/*genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Human ; Korea ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A/*genetics ; *Polymorphism (Genetics) ; Pre-Eclampsia/*genetics ; Pregnancy

BACKGROUND: Measles is a highly infectious disease throughout the world and has not yet been eradicated with aggressive vaccination in Korea since 1960's. Recently, measles outbreaks have occurred periodically every 2 to 4 years. Unlike measles in children, few clinical studies on the measles of adult in our domestic area were carried out. In this study, we analyzed epidemiologic and clinical features of adult measles patients. METHODS: From January to June in 2001, 23 adult measles patients were admitted in Sun general hospital in Daejeon. Epidemiologic findings, clinical course, and laboratory findings were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Measles was predominant in male patients (M : F=2.3 : 1). Many of the patients were late teenagers and early twenties. Major symptoms were fever (100%), cough (100%), rash (100%), diarrhea (69.6%), vomiting (60.9%), headache (60.9%), rhinorrhea (30.4%), and sore throat (30.4%). Koplik spot was observed in 11 (47.8%) patients. Rash appeared 1-6 days after the onset of fever. Fever lasted for 5-9 days and cough lasted for 10-14 days. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were elevated in 12 (52.2%) and 9 (39.1%) patients, respectively. Only 14 (60.9%) patients were seropositive for measles specific IgG antibody, but all the patients were seropositive for measles specific IgM antibody. No fatal complication was observed. CONCLUSION: Gastrointestinal symptom and hepatic dysfunction were the clinical characteristics of adult measles outbreak in Daejeon, 2001. Different from previous studies, all patients were seropositive for measles specific IgM antibody.
Adolescent ; Adult* ; Alanine Transaminase ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Child ; Communicable Diseases ; Cough ; Diarrhea ; Disease Outbreaks ; Exanthema ; Fever ; Headache ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Korea ; Male ; Measles* ; Pharyngitis ; Retrospective Studies ; Solar System ; Vaccination ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: Measles is a highly infectious disease throughout the world and has not yet been eradicated with aggressive vaccination in Korea since 1960's. Recently, measles outbreaks have occurred periodically every 2 to 4 years. Unlike measles in children, few clinical studies on the measles of adult in our domestic area were carried out. In this study, we analyzed epidemiologic and clinical features of adult measles patients. METHODS: From January to June in 2001, 23 adult measles patients were admitted in Sun general hospital in Daejeon. Epidemiologic findings, clinical course, and laboratory findings were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Measles was predominant in male patients (M : F=2.3 : 1). Many of the patients were late teenagers and early twenties. Major symptoms were fever (100%), cough (100%), rash (100%), diarrhea (69.6%), vomiting (60.9%), headache (60.9%), rhinorrhea (30.4%), and sore throat (30.4%). Koplik spot was observed in 11 (47.8%) patients. Rash appeared 1-6 days after the onset of fever. Fever lasted for 5-9 days and cough lasted for 10-14 days. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were elevated in 12 (52.2%) and 9 (39.1%) patients, respectively. Only 14 (60.9%) patients were seropositive for measles specific IgG antibody, but all the patients were seropositive for measles specific IgM antibody. No fatal complication was observed. CONCLUSION: Gastrointestinal symptom and hepatic dysfunction were the clinical characteristics of adult measles outbreak in Daejeon, 2001. Different from previous studies, all patients were seropositive for measles specific IgM antibody.
Adolescent ; Adult* ; Alanine Transaminase ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Child ; Communicable Diseases ; Cough ; Diarrhea ; Disease Outbreaks ; Exanthema ; Fever ; Headache ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Korea ; Male ; Measles* ; Pharyngitis ; Retrospective Studies ; Solar System ; Vaccination ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: Osteoprotegerin(OPG) is a soluble member of the tumor necrosis factor(TNF) receptor family and inhibits osteoclastogenesis by interrupting the cell-to-cell interaction between osteoblastic/stromal cells and osteoclast progenitors. OPG is expressed in many tissues including osteoblasts and may act on bone tissues in a paracrine and/or autocrine fashion. Futhermore, many cytokines and growth factors are known to influence the regulation of OPG expression in osteoblastic/stromal cells. The aims of the present study were to examine whether or not OPG was expressed in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) and to investigate the effects of IL-1beta, which were known as potent osteotropic agents, on the regulation of OPG mRNA in PBMCs. METHODS: PBMCs were isolated by centrifugation over Ficoll-Hypaque density gradients from postmenopausal women and cultured in 6-well plates containing alpha-MEM supplemented with 5% FBS. The expression of OPG mRNA in PBMCs was observed by RT-PCR in adherent and nonadherent cells on culture plates. To observe the effect of OPG expression by IL-1beta, we measured the concentration of OPG mRNA by altering the concentration and incubation time of IL-1beta. The measurement of OPG mRNA was done by semi-quantitative PCR and indicated as OPG/GAPDH. RESULTS: OPG was expressed both in cells attached to the surface of culture plates and in non-adherent cells for the incubation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The effect of OPG mRNA by IL-1beta tend to increase in accordance with the length of incubation time and maximizes at 12 hours of incubation time and shows 1.2-3.5 times higher than the standard level at the concentration of 0.5ng/ml. However, the increased quantity in concentration varies according to individuals.] CONCLUSION: OPG mRNA is expressed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and known to be increased by IL-1beta.
Bone and Bones ; Cell Communication ; Centrifugation ; Cytokines ; Female ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Necrosis ; Osteoblasts ; Osteoclasts ; Osteoprotegerin ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger*

Yerba Mate, derived from the leaves of the tree, Ilex paraguariensis, is widely-used as a tea or as an ingredient in formulated foods. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of Yerba Mate extract on weight loss, obesity-related biochemical parameters, and diabetes in high-fat diet-fed mice. To this end, by using in vivo animal models of dietary-induced obesity, we have made the interesting observations that Yerba Mate has the ability to decrease the differentiation of pre-adipocytes and to reduce the accumulation of lipids in adipocytes, both of which contribute to a lower growth rate of adipose tissue, lower body weight gain, and obesity. Our data from in vivo studies revealed that Yerba Mate treatment affects food intake, resulting in higher energy expenditure, likely as a result of higher basal metabolism in Yerba Mate-treated mice. Furthermore, in vivo effects of Yerba Mate on lipid metabolism included reductions in serum cholesterol, serum triglycerides, and glucose concentrations in mice that were fed a high fat diet. In conclusion, Yerba Mate can potentially be used to treat obesity and diabetes.
Adipocytes ; Adipose Tissue ; Animals ; Basal Metabolism ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Diet, High-Fat ; Eating ; Energy Metabolism ; Food, Formulated ; Glucose ; Ilex paraguariensis ; Lipid Metabolism ; Mice ; Models, Animal ; Obesity ; Tea ; Trees ; Triglycerides ; Weight Loss

McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) is a sporadic disease classically including polyostotic fibrous dysplasia, cafe -au-lait spots, sexual precocity, and other hyperfunctional endocrinopathies. Recent investigations suggest an etiological role for activating embryonic somatic missense mutations in the gene for the a subunit of Gs (Gsa), the G protein that stimulates adenylyl cyclase. DNA from bone, ovary, and blood was analyzed by using polymerase chain reaction and sequenced. A embryological somatic mutation of Gsa gene encoding substitution of a Cys for Arg at amino acid 201 from cells of dysplastic bone and ovary was observed, and the distribution of mutant gene reveals mosaic pattern. We report a case of McCune-Albright syndrome with an activating mutation at codon 201 of Gsa subunit on ovary and bone tissue that was experienced recently.
Adenylyl Cyclases ; Bone and Bones ; Codon ; DNA ; Female ; Fibrous Dysplasia, Polyostotic* ; GTP-Binding Proteins* ; Mutation, Missense ; Ovary ; Polymerase Chain Reaction