OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research was to evaluate the mechanical properties (MP) and degree of the phase transformation (PT) of martensitic (M-NiTi), austenitic (A-NiTi) and thermodynamic nickel-titanium wire (T-NiTi). METHODS: The samples consisted of 0.016 x 0.022 inch M-NiTi (Nitinol Classic, NC), A-NiTi (Optimalloy, OPTI) and T-NiTi (Neo-Sentalloy, NEO). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), three-point bending test, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and microstructure examination were used. Statistical evaluation was undertaken using ANOVA test. RESULTS: In DSC analysis, OPTI and NEO showed two peaks in the heating curves and one peak in the cooling curves. However, NC revealed one single broad and weak peak in the heating and cooling curves. Austenite finishing (Af) temperatures were 19.7degrees C for OPTI, 24.6degrees C for NEO and 52.4degrees C for NC. In the three-point bending test, residual deflection was observed for NC, OPTI and NEO. The load ranges of NC and OPTI were broader and higher than NEO. XRD and microstructure analyses showed that OPTI and NEO had a mixture of martensite and austenite at temperatures below Martensite finishing (Mf). NEO and OPTI showed improved MP and PT behavior than NC. CONCLUSIONS: The mechanical and thermal behaviors of NiTi wire cannot be completely explained by the expected degree of PT because of complicated martensite variants and independent PT induced by heat and stress.
Calorimetry, Differential Scanning ; Dental Alloys ; Heating ; Hot Temperature ; Thermodynamics ; Transition Temperature ; X-Ray Diffraction

No abstract available.
Colony-Stimulating Factors* ; Granulocytes* ; Humans ; Isotretinoin* ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute* ; Wound Infection* ; Wounds and Injuries*

Hyperacute or acute accelerated rejection caused by preformed antibody in sensitized patients resulted in increased waiting period and complicated posttransplant hospital course. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has known to have anti cytotoxic effect by blocking the anti HLA antibody. PURPOSE: We investigated the effect of IVIG on hyperacute and acclerated rejection of the heart graft in the presensitized rat. METHODS: Recipients (Wistar) were sensitized from repeated allo (Lewis) skin graft and followed by heterotopic allo cardiac transplantation. A guinea pig was used for the xenotransplantation model. IVIG (Green Cross kappa, 400 mg/kg in allotransplantation, 800 mg/kg in xenotransplantation) was given just before heart transplantation. Graft survival and donor specific IgG, IgM and complement were measured. RESULTS: Graft survival was 7.2 days in non sensitized allogenic heart transplantation (n=9), 1.3 days in sensitized allogenic recipients (n=7). Graft survival was prolonged from 1.3 days to 4.4 days with IVIG treatment (n=5). As for xenogenic transplantation, graft survival was prolonged from 30 min to 7.4 hr with IVIG treatment (n=5). Donor specific IgG and IgM and complement increment were blocked by IVIG during the IVIG treatment. Donor specific IgG and Ig M and complement were increased after the cessation of IVIG treatment. CONCLUSION: IVIG was able to prolong the graft survival of the sensitized allograft and xenograft. Suppression of the donor specific IgG, IgM and complement might be one of the underlying mechanisms. A further studies have to follow to clarify the more detailed mechanism.
Allografts ; Animals ; Complement System Proteins ; Graft Survival ; Guinea Pigs ; Heart Transplantation* ; Heart* ; Heterografts ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Immunoglobulins* ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; Rats* ; Skin ; Tissue Donors ; Transplantation, Heterologous ; Transplants

Organ transplantation has become a' widely accepted treatment modality for end-stage organ disease. The shortage of allogenic donors for organ transplantation has brought about the necessity of xenotransplantation as an unlimited source of organ donation. However, organ transplantation between different species have never been successful because of hyperacute rejection. Although the mechanism of this phenomenon is not fully understood, many researchers believe that the natural antibodies present in the recipient's serum may bind to the graft and induce the activation of complement cascade triggering the process of hyperacute rejection. ...continue...
Antibodies ; Complement System Proteins ; Heterografts ; Humans ; Organ Transplantation ; Tissue and Organ Procurement ; Tissue Donors ; Transplantation, Heterologous ; Transplants

Purification of islets in pancreas islet cell transplantation has some potential advantages ,such as more safety, improved islet cell implantation, and reduced immunogenicity, compared with an unpurified pancreas islet cell transplantation. We evaluated the effect of islet cell purification on islet yields, hemodynamics, and graft outcome following intraportal canine pancreas islet cell transplantation. The baseline characteristics, including body weight, pancreas weight and collagenase recirculation time for the unpurified group(n=12) and the purified group(n=17) did not show any significant difference(P>0.05). The mean cell pellet volume before intraportal injection was 25.4 ml in the unpurified group and 7.2ml in the purified group(P<0.05). Islet equivalent(IE) was 103,100+/-62,700 in the unpurified group and 68,900+/-45,600 in the purified group(P>0.05). Mean recovery rate of islet after purification was 66.8%. The portal pressure change after intraportal islet injection was significantly less in the purified group(16.2+/-11.3 cmH2O vs 6.2+/-2.0 cmH2O, P<0.05). Also, the pulse rate change was significantly less in the purified group(14.5+/-5.9/min vs 6.3+/-4.5/min, P<0.05). A comparison of the hemodynamic changes and islet yields according to the degree of purity(high purity> OR =70%, n=4 vs low purity <70%, n=13) in the purified group, showed significant hemodynamic stability in the high purity group, but no significant difference in the islet recovery rate between the low and high purity group(58.6% vs 61.7%). Glucose was controlled in 3 cases(25.0%) in the unpurified group and 7 cases(41.2%) in the purified group. Death due to portal hypertension occurred in 2 cases(16.7%) in unpurified group and 2 cases(11.7%) in the purified group. Interestingly, in the highly purified group, all the animals were alive with normoglycemia during the follow up period. We conclude that purified pancreas islet cell transplantation, especially in a highly purified group, has distinct hemodynamic advantages compared with unpurified islet transplantation following intraportal islet injection. However further research to develop the methods that will minimize the loss of islet yields during purification and enhance the purity is neccessary to achieve a successful islet transplantation with a long-term good result.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Collagenases ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glucose ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Hypertension, Portal ; Islets of Langerhans Transplantation ; Islets of Langerhans* ; Pancreas* ; Portal Pressure ; Transplants

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the clinical features of neuroendocrine lung cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of the histopathology and clinical information of 21 patients diagnosed as having neuroendocrine lung cancer between 1995 and 1999. RESULTS: Nineteen cases were male and 2 were female. The median age was 64 years (range: 45~80). Pathologic classification were atypical carcinoid (AC) in 2 cases, large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) in 7 cases, and intermediate cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (ICNC) in 12 cases. Nine patients received tumor resection as first line therapy; adjuvant chemotherapy was given to 3 patients. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy was given to 1 patient. Six patients received palliative chemotherapy. The chemotherapy regimen included etoposide cisplatin in 5 cases and vinorelbine+cisplatin in 1 case. The median survival times were 11, 16 and 59 weeks for AC, LCNEC and ICNC, respectively. The estimated 2-year survival rates were AC 0%, LCNEC 22% and ICNC 31%. CONCLUSION: Surgery may have a positive effect on survival in patients with early stage cansers. Further investigation is required to improve survival in cases of advanced stage cancer.
Carcinoid Tumor ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Cisplatin ; Classification ; Drug Therapy ; Etoposide ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

To determine the contribution of metoclopramide to the efficacy of ondansetron in control of cisplatin-induced emesis, ondansetron was compared with ondansetron plus metoclopramide for antiemetic efficacy in a randomized double-blind trial. Enrolled 66 patients were treated with cisplatin(60mg/m2) in combination with etoposide, flourouracil, or vinblastine, and randomized to receive either ondansetron alone or ondansetron plus metoclopramide. Sixty patients were evaluable. Complete or major control of acute emesis was achieved in 96.6% (29/30) of patients given ondansetron plus metoclopramide and in 80% (24/30) receiving ondansetron alone, with no statistical significance (P = 0.07). However, delayed emesis (days 2-6) was better controlled by combination therapy than by ondansetron alone with 22 of 30 (73.4%) and 11 of 30 (36.7%), respectively (P = 0.03). No major drug-related side effects were observed. These results suggest that ondansetron plus metoclopramide is superior to ondansetron alone in the control of cisplatin induced delayed emesis without significant side effects.
Adult ; Aged ; Cisplatin/*adverse effects ; Comparative Study ; Double-Blind Method ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Eating/drug effects ; Female ; Human ; Male ; Metoclopramide/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Middle Age ; Nausea/*prevention & control ; Ondansetron/administration & dosage/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Vomiting/*prevention & control

Placental and fetal involvement by matenal malignancy is rare. We report a case of placental metastasis from advanced gastric carcinoma in a 27 year-old woman. The patient also had disseminated bone metastasis, bone marrow involvement, malignant ascites, multiple lymphadenopathy, and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. Cut surface of the placental body showed many, variable-sized, grayish white nodules and plaques. Light microscopic finding showed sheets of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma in intervillous spaces. Villi were not invaded. Despite palliative chemotherapy the patient died of massive gastric cancer bleeding. But the patients child is alive and doing well with age of 11 months. We suggest that the presence of malignancy in pregnancy demands complete evaluation of the placenta and adequate follow-up of the infant for the sign of involvement.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adult ; Ascites ; Bone Marrow ; Child ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infant ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Placenta ; Pregnancy ; Stomach Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Identifying the donor and isolation-related factors during the islet isolation would be greatly helpful to improve the result of human islet isolation for successful clinical islet transplantation. METHODS: Sixty-nine pancreata from cadaveric donors were isolated with standard protocol and analyzed to identify the donor factors and isolation variables for successful isolation. Islet isolations recovered > or = 100,000 Islet Equivalent (IEQ, n=53) were compared to islet mass less than 100,000 IEQ (n=16). RESULTS: The mean islet recovery was 216.0 x 10(3) +/- 173.7 x 10(3) (IEQ) before purification and 130.6 x 10(3) +/- 140.2 x 10(3) (IEQ) after purification. Mean purity was 54 +/- 31%. Mean age of donor was 31.2 +/- 13.2 year and mean cold ischemic time was 6.9 +/- 6.2 hour. Quality of isolated islets was acceptable in terms of bacterial culture, viability and secretory function in vitro and in vivo. In univariate analysis on successful isolation, status of pancreas was the only significant factor and sex, duration of collagenase expansion and digestion time were marginal factors. Stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis showed donor sex, status of pancreas and digestion time were significant factors for the successful islet isolation. CONCLUSION: This study confirms some donor factors and variables in isolation process can influence the ability to obtain the successful isolation of human islet. Enough experiences and pertinent review of donor and isolation factors can make islet isolation successful, supporting the clinical islet transplantation without spending of cost.
Cadaver ; Cold Ischemia ; Collagenases ; Digestion ; Humans* ; Islets of Langerhans Transplantation ; Logistic Models ; Pancreas* ; Tissue Donors

No abstract available.
Ascites* ; Immunoglobulins* ; Plasmacytoma*