No abstract available.
Encephalitis, Arbovirus*

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of advanced glycation end products (AGE) on oxidative stress and cellular senescence in cultured human trabecular meshwork cells (HTMC). METHODS: Primarily cultured HTMC were exposed to 0, 10, 50, 100, 200 microg/mL of glycated bovine serum albumin (G-BSA) for 5 days. Also co-exposed were L-arginine, sepiapterin, and antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Cellular survival and production of nitric oxide (NO), superoxide, and reactive oxygen species were assessed by 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, Griess assay, cytochrome c assay, and dichlorofluorescin diacetate assay, respectively. Senescence-associated beta-galactosidase staining was performed to quantify the degree of cellular senescence. RESULTS: G-BSA decreased cellular survival, NO production, and increased superoxide production significantly in a dose-dependent manner. The effects of G-BSA were abolished with co-exposure of L-arginine, sepiapterin, and NAC. G-BSA enhanced cellular senescence accompanied by increased production of reactive oxygen species. G-BSA-induced cellular senescence was suppressed by application of L-arginine, sepiapterin, and NAC. CONCLUSIONS: AGE enhances cellular senescence of HTMC accompanied with increased oxidative stress. AGE-induced oxidative stress and cellular senescence could be delayed by application of anti-oxidants.
Acetylcysteine/metabolism ; Apoptosis/drug effects/physiology ; Arginine/metabolism ; Cell Aging/drug effects/*physiology ; Cell Survival/drug effects/physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Glycosylation End Products, Advanced/metabolism/*toxicity ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide/metabolism ; Oxidative Stress/*physiology ; Pterins/metabolism ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism ; Serum Albumin, Bovine/metabolism/toxicity ; Trabecular Meshwork/drug effects/*metabolism/*pathology

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of valproic acid on the production of nitric oxide (NO) and expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in cultured human trabecular meshwork cells (HTMC). METHODS: Primarily cultured HTMC were exposed to 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 mM valproic acid for 6, 12, and 24 hours. Expression of eNOS mRNA was assessed with Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and production of NO was assessed with Griess assay. Cellular survival was assessed with the 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. RESULTS: Valproic acid at concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 mM did not affect the cellular survival of HTMC significantly after exposure for 24 hours. Valproic acid increased NO production in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Also, valproic acid increased the degree of eNOS mRNA expression in a dose-dependent manner in HTMC. CONCLUSIONS: Valproic acid increases production of NO and expression of eNOS mRNA in HTMC. Thus, valproic acid might increase aqueous outflow through the trabecular meshwork.
Humans ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Nitric Oxide ; RNA, Messenger ; Trabecular Meshwork ; Valproic Acid

Acquired digital fibrokeratoma is very a rare, benign, fibrous, and hyperkeratotic skin tumor that develops most frequently on the finger or toe. The tumor usually occurs in adults as a solitary, dome-shaped lesion. Sometimes, it appears as a rudimentary supernumerary digit and may be misdiagnosed as an accessory nail (double nail) or verruca vulgaris. The pathophysiology of an acquired digital fibrokeratoma is unknown. On the other hand, trauma has often been proposed as a predisposing factor for an acquired type of digital fibrokeratoma. This paper reports a case of trauma-related acquired digital fibrokeratoma presenting as a supernumerary digit and nail in a 36-year-old male.This case is presented with a 0.5 cm×0.4 cm×1.3 cm sized, firm, hyperkeratotic, protruding mass over the left second finger nail.

The authors conducted a clinical observation of 55 cases of solitary pulmonary nodules at Yeungnam University Hospital from June 1986 to October 1990, and the following results were obtained: 1. The age distribution was ranged from 18 to 77 years, and the male-to female ratio was 1.8:1. 2. Among 55 cases of nodules, 28 cases were benign and 27 cases were malignant nodules, and of malignant nodules, the primary lung cancer was 23 cases and of benign nodules, 18 cases were tuberculoma. 3. 23 cases (41.8%) was asymptomatic and the other 32 cases were symptomatic; chest pain 12 cases, hemoptysis; 8 cases, cough; 8 cases and dyspnea; 4 cases. 4. The non-smoker-to-smoker ratio was 1:1.04, but among 23 smoker over 20 pack years, 14 cases were malignant nodules. 5. According to nodular size, there is no striking differences between benign and malignant nodules except 3-4 cm sized nodules. 6. The lobar distribution of nodules, 35 cases were in the right lung (upper lobe; 14 cases, middle lobe; 11 cases, and lower lobe; 10 cases) and 23 cases were in the left lung (upper lobe; 9 cases, lower lobe; 11 cases), and the malignant nodules were most commonly observed in the right upper lung.
Age Distribution ; Chest Pain ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Solitary Pulmonary Nodule* ; Strikes, Employee ; Tuberculoma

Death by drowning is one of the most common cause of death worldwide, and the diagnosis of fatal drowning through postmortem examination is not always confirmative. Although many autopsy findings of drowning have been described so far, all these macroscopical signs are non-specific and moreover disappear quite rapidly in the process of decomposition. The combination of autopsy findings and diatom test can provide useful indication for the tentative diagnosis of drowning, but the value of the diatom analysis is still argued. The aim of the present study is to investigate the diagnostic usefulness of diatom test for the drowning death in Korea. The authors reviewed the result of 87 cases of diatom test in the autopsy file and analyzed it by parameters of the common diatom species, monthly frequency, the difference between sea and land water, and the correlation between the test result and the decision of cause of death. The result revealed no definite seasonal variation of diatom detection or no species difference between sea water cases and fresh water cases. The detection rate of diatoms in systemic organs of all cases was 11.49% and that of drowning cases was 9.43%.
Autopsy ; Cause of Death ; Diatoms ; Drowning ; Fresh Water ; Korea ; Seasons ; Seawater ; Water

BACKGROUND: Perfusion scintigraphy with dipyridamole have been reported to be useful for diagnosis of coronary artery disease and the assessment of the presence and extent of myocardium at ischemic risk, especially in patients who can not undergo dynamic exercise testing. Dipyridamole, pharmacologic coronary vasodilator, also induces fall in blood pressure and rise in heart rate. The purpose of this study was to answer the question if dipyridamole induced peripheral hemodynamic responses were related to chest pain, ST changes on EKG, scintigraphic defect or extent of coronary stenosis. METHODS: Dipyridamole 99mTc-MIBI myocardial scintigraphy and coronary angiography on 43 subjects who were suspected to have coronary artery disease. The peripheral hemodynamic response was graded as absent(group 0) if there was a < or =10mm fall in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and/or < or =10 beats/min rise in geart rate(HR) ; moderate(group 1) if there was >10 but < or =20mm fall in SBP and/or >10 but < or =20 beats/min rise in HR ; and marked (group 2) if there was >20mm fall in SBP and/or >20 beats/min rise in HR. RESULTS: The overall diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for coronary artery disease of dipyridamole perfusion scintigraphy were 68%, 83% while per vessel sensitivity and specificity for coronary artery disease were 66%, 97%. The numbers of induced chest pain and ischemic ST changes among hemodynamic subgroups, were 40%, 40% in group 0, 33%, 27% in group 1 and 50%, 40% in group 2 without significant difference in each hemodynamic subgroups. Either the numbers of diseased coronary arteries or the numbers of patients demonstrationg reversible scintigraphic defects were not statically different among each subgroups. CONCLUSION: Although the peripheral hemodynamic response dose not always correlate with its central coronary effect but dipyridamlole 99mTc-MIBI myocardial perfusion scintigraphy is an useful test for diagnosis of coronary artery disease.
Blood Pressure ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Stenosis ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diagnosis ; Dipyridamole* ; Electrocardiography ; Exercise Test ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Myocardial Perfusion Imaging ; Myocardium ; Perfusion Imaging ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Frictional force between the orthodontic bracket and arch wire during sliding tooth movement is related to many factors, such as the size, shape and material of both the bracket and wire, ligation method and the angle formed between the bracket and wire. There have been clear conclusions drawn in regard to most of these factors, but as to the effect of bracket width on frictional force there are only conflicting studies. This study was designed to investigate the effect of bracket width on the amount of frictional forces generated during clinically simulated tooth movement. Three different widths of brackets (0.018x0.025"standard), narrow (2.40mm), medium (3.00mm) and wide (4.25mm) were used in tandem with 0.016x0.022" stainless steel wire. Three bracket-arch wire combinations were drawn on for 4 minutes on a testing apparatus with a head speed of 0.5mm/min and tested 7 times each. To reproduce biological conditions, dentoalveolar models were designed with indirect technique using a material with similar elastic properties as periodontal ligament (PDL). In addition, to minimize the effect of ligation force, elastomer was used with added resin, which was attached to the bracket to make up for the discrepancies of bracket width. The results were as follows: 1. Maximum frictional force for each bracket-arch wire combination was: Narrow (2.40mm) : 68.09+/-4.69 gmf Medium (3.00mm) : 72.75+/-4.98 gmf Wide (4.25mm) : 72.59+/-4.54 gmf 2. Frictional force was increased with more displacement of wire through the bracket slot. 3. The ANOVA post-hoc test showed that the bracket width had no significant effect on frictional force when tested under clinically simulated conditions (P>0.05)
Elastomers ; Friction* ; Glia Maturation Factor ; Head ; Ligation ; Orthodontic Brackets ; Periodontal Ligament ; Stainless Steel ; Tooth Movement* ; Tooth*

The primary melanoma of spinal cord was rarely reported in the literatures. The authors report a case of primary spinal maligmant melanoma in the cervical spinal cord. A 41-year-old man presented several months history of right shoulder pain and right hemiparesis. Plain X-ray of the cervical spine, myelography, computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed intradural mass from third to fifth cervical spine level. The operation was performed, and intradural intra-and extramedullary brownish black tumor, which focally infiltrated to the dura and inner surface of lamina, was removed and the histological diagnosis was maligmant melanoma. And then chemotherapy with vincristine, bleomycin, cisplatine, followed by whole central nervous system radiation therapy was performed. The patient was discharged and followed up with no neurological interval change. The pertinent literature of spinal cord melanoma is reviewed and its rareness is discussed.
Adult ; Bleomycin ; Central Nervous System ; Cisplatin ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Melanoma* ; Myelography ; Paresis ; Shoulder Pain ; Spinal Cord* ; Spine ; Vincristine