Bilobalide isolated from the leaves of Ginkgo biloba has several pharmacological activities such as neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anticonvulsant. However, the effect of bilobalide on cancer has not been clearly established. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of bilobalide on cell growth and apoptosis induction in FaDu human pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. This was examined by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, nuclear 4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride staining, DNA fragmentation analysis, and immunoblotting. Bilobalide inhibited the growth of FaDu cells in dose- and time-dependent manners. Treatment with bilobalide resulted in nuclear condensation and DNA fragmentation in FaDu cells. Furthermore, it promoted the proteolytic cleavage of procaspase-3/-7/-8/-9 with increase in the amount of cleaved caspase-3/-7/-8/-9. Bilobalide-induced apoptosis in FaDu cells was mediated by the expression of Fas and the activation of caspase-8, caspase-3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. Immunoblotting revealed that the antiapoptotic mitochondrial protein Bcl-2 was downregulated, but the proapoptotic protein Bax was upregulated by bilobalide in FaDu cells. Bilobalide significantly increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. These results suggest that bilobalide inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in FaDu human pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma via both the death receptor-mediated extrinsic apoptotic pathway and the mitochondrial-mediated intrinsic apoptotic pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To devise a new method to measure the amount of soft tissue in pulmonary ground-glass opacity nodules, and to compare the use of this method with a previous volumetric measurement method by use of a phantom study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Phantom nodules were prepared with material from fixed normal swine lung. Forty nodules, each with a diameter of 10 mm, were made with a variable mean attenuation. The reference-standard amount of soft tissue in the nodules was obtained by dividing the weight by the specific gravity. The imaging data on the phantom nodules were acquired with the use of a 16-channel multidetector CT scanner. The CT-measured amount of soft tissue of the nodules was calculated as follows: soft tissue amount = volume x (1 + mean attenuation value / 1,000). The relative percentage error (RPE) between the CT-measured amount of the soft tissue and the reference-standard amount of the soft tissue was also measured. The RPEs determined with use of the new method were compared with the RPEs determined with the current volumetric measurement method by the use of the paired t test. RESULTS: The CT-measured amount of soft tissue showed a strong correlation with the reference-standard amount of soft tissue (R(2) = 0.996, p < 0.01). The mean RPE of the CT-measured amount of soft tissue in the nodules was -7.79 +/- 1.88%. The mean RPE of the CT-measured volume was 114.78 +/- 51.02%, which was significantly greater than the RPE of the CT-measured amount of soft tissue (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The amount of soft tissue measured by the use of CT reflects the reference-standard amount of soft tissue in the ground-glass opacity nodules much more accurately than does the use of the CT-measured volume.
Animals ; Lung Neoplasms/*radiography ; Phantoms, Imaging ; Reference Standards ; Swine ; *Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (pPNET), a rare, highly aggressive neoplasm of indetermined histogenesis, occurs typically in the soft tissues of the chest wall and the paraspinal region. Comprehensive diagnostic studies including histological, ultrastructural, immunohistochemical and molecular analyses have been stressed to diagnose this entity. We report a case of primary renal PNET which was incidentally found in a 59-year-old man who presented with generalized weakness for 4 months. He was diagnosed as a non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus 15 years ago and has been made well by oral therapy. An ill-defined mass, measuring 3.5 3 cm, located in the left kidney and perirenal fat, was incidentally found by ultrasonogram during a renal diabetic examination. The mass was resected because of the unresponsiveness against one-year chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Grossly, a homogeneously solid, gray-white mass, measuring 2.8 1.8 cm, was noted in the mid portion of renal cortex. The mass showed severe adhesion to the perirenal fatty tissue. Microscopically, tumor cells were rather uniform, small round with scanty cytoplasm and often showed rosette formation. Ultrastructurally, they showed membrane-bound dense core granules, measuring 125~150 nm, intercellular junctions and microvillous cytoplasmic projections. The tumor cells were uniformly immunoreactive for neuron-specific enolase and were focally immunoreactive for CD99 (013), chromogranin, synaptophysin and cytokeratin. They were not reactive for S-100 protein, vimentin, Leu-7, leukocyte common antigen, desmin and smooth muscle actin. To our knowledge, this is the smallest renal PNET in literature.
Actins ; Adipose Tissue ; Antigens, CD45 ; Cytoplasm ; Desmin ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Intercellular Junctions ; Keratins ; Kidney* ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Smooth ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive* ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; Rosette Formation ; S100 Proteins ; Sarcoma, Ewing ; Synaptophysin ; Thoracic Wall ; Ultrasonography ; Vimentin

PURPOSE: This study aims to analyse the epidemiologic characteristics of burn in the elderly and to discusses a possible prevention program for this population. METHODS: A retrospective review of all medical records of elderly patients (above 60 years old) admitted with burns to the burn center of the Hanil General Hospital from January 1996 to December 2007 was carried out. Patient demographics, etiology, extent, and type of burn, seasonal variation, and mortality rates were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 537 elderly patients (mean age of 69.8 years, median age of 68 years, range 60~97 years) was admitted. The gender ratio of the patients was 1:.5 with 217 men and 320 women. The most common causes were scald burn (44.9%) and flame burn (35.4%). The average total body area burned was 13.5% (range 0~95%). Twenty six patients (4.8%) died. CONCLUSION: In elderly patients, scald burns are more common in women but flame burns are more common in men. The mortality rate is higher in flame burns and men
Aged ; Burn Units ; Burns ; Demography ; Female ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons

Anti–glomerular basement membrane (GBM) nephritis is characterized by circulating anti-GBM antibodies and crescentic glomerulonephritis (GN) with deposition of IgG along the GBM. In a limited number of cases, glomerular immune complexes have been identified in anti-GBM nephritis. A 38-year-old female presented azotemia, hematuria, and proteinuria without any pulmonary symptoms. A renal biopsy showed crescentic GN with linear IgG deposition along the GBM and mesangial IgA deposition. The patient was diagnosed as concurrent anti-GBM nephritis and IgA nephropathy. Therapies with pulse methylprednisolone and cyclophosphamide administration were effective. Concurrent cases of both anti-GBM nephritis and IgA nephropathy are rare among cases of anti-GBM diseases with deposition of immune complexes. This rare case of concurrent anti-GBM nephritis and IgA nephropathy with literature review is noteworthy.
Adult ; Anti-Glomerular Basement Membrane Disease ; Antibodies ; Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Azotemia ; Basement Membrane ; Biopsy ; Cyclophosphamide ; Female ; Glomerulonephritis ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin G ; Methylprednisolone ; Nephritis ; Proteinuria

Granulomatous Mastitis (GM) is a rare chronic inflammatory lesion of the breast that clinically simulate carcinoma. The purpose of this report is to review the clinicopathological features of this clinical entity in a series of 5 cases that were diagnosed at our institute. Mammography, ultrasonography, and fine needle aspiration were performed in all cases. The treatment of choice for granulomatous mastitis is unclear. Of the 5 cases, one case underwent steroid therapy, two cases underwent anti-tuberculosis medication, and the others underwent only excision. There were no complications for the 5 cases during the follow-up periods. Therefore, the diagnosis and treatment of granulomatous mastitis should be determined on a case by case basis, by the clinician considering the various case results that have been reported on.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Breast ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Granulomatous Mastitis* ; Mammography ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is a multi-enzyme molecule that plays a role in the de novo biosynthesis of fatty acids. FAS is expressed at low levels in most normal human tissues because, cells preferentially utilize circulating lipids for the synthesis of new structural lipids. Recent studies have demonstrated that high levels of FAS occur in a subset of human cancers (such as breast, ovary, and prostate cancer etc) and these high FAS levels are associated with a poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of FAS in breast cancer and to examine the relationship between FAS and the clinicopathological data. METHODS: We reviewed clinical profiles [clinical data and short term outcome (recurrence)] of 67 breast cancer patients by reviewing their medical records. The average followed-up period was 22.6 month. FAS expressions were evaluated by immunohistochemistry on the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues. RESULTS: FAS expression of breast cancer was nonspecifically high, but there was no statistical importance between the FAS expression, the clinicopathological data and the short term recurrence (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The overexpression of FAS in breast cancer patients may not be a reliable marker for a poor prognosis. However, further studies are required in order to define the biological significance and the specific role of FAS in breast cancer development, growth, and invasion. Also, inhibition of FAS may be a target treatment for breast cancer.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Fatty Acids ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Medical Records ; Ovary ; Prognosis ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is a multi-enzyme molecule that plays a role in the de novo biosynthesis of fatty acids. FAS is expressed at low levels in most normal human tissues because, cells preferentially utilize circulating lipids for the synthesis of new structural lipids. Recent studies have demonstrated that high levels of FAS occur in a subset of human cancers (such as breast, ovary, and prostate cancer etc) and these high FAS levels are associated with a poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of FAS in breast cancer and to examine the relationship between FAS and the clinicopathological data. METHODS: We reviewed clinical profiles [clinical data and short term outcome (recurrence)] of 67 breast cancer patients by reviewing their medical records. The average followed-up period was 22.6 month. FAS expressions were evaluated by immunohistochemistry on the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues. RESULTS: FAS expression of breast cancer was nonspecifically high, but there was no statistical importance between the FAS expression, the clinicopathological data and the short term recurrence (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The overexpression of FAS in breast cancer patients may not be a reliable marker for a poor prognosis. However, further studies are required in order to define the biological significance and the specific role of FAS in breast cancer development, growth, and invasion. Also, inhibition of FAS may be a target treatment for breast cancer.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Fatty Acids ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Medical Records ; Ovary ; Prognosis ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Recurrence

Tyrosol, a phenylethanoid and a derivative of phenethyl alcohol, possesses various biological properties, such as anti-oxidative and cardioprotective activity. Olive oil is the principal source of tyrosol in the human diet. However, so far the anti-cancer activity of tyrosol has not yet been well defined. This study therefore undertakes to examine the cytotoxic activity and the mechanism of cell death exhibited by tyrosol in KB human oral cancer cells. Treatment of KB cells with tyrosol induced the cell growth inhibition in a concentration- and a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, the treatment of tyrosol induced nuclear condensation and fragmentation of KB cells. Tyrosol also promoted proteolytic cleavage of procaspase-3, -7, -8 and -9, increasing the amounts of cleaved caspase-3, -7, -8 and -9. In addition, tyrosol increased the levels of cleaved PARP in KB cells. These results suggest that tyrosol induces the suppression of cell growth and cell apoptosis in KB human oral cancer cells, and is therefore a potential candidate for anti-cancer drug discovery.
Apoptosis ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Death ; Diet ; Drug Discovery ; Humans* ; KB Cells ; Mouth Neoplasms* ; Olive Oil ; Phenylethyl Alcohol

To accurately assess the potential hazard of exposure to ionizing radiation from portable radiographs taken in the emergency department,.a study was performed to measure such radiation at different distances from the edge of an irradiated field during portable cervical spine, portable chest radiographs, and portable anteroposterior pelvis radiographs. For all three types of portable radiographs, radiation exposure is high at the edge from the beam. However, radiation exposure is deceased at 20, 40, 80, 160cm away from the beam. This study confirms and supports the evidence that although radiation exposure is dependent on distance from the primary radiograph beam, exposure in the ED is minimal. Medical personnel should not have to leave a patient care area for fear of undue acute and chronic radiation exposure while portable radiographs are performed in the ED. By using protective garments and standing appropriate distance away from the patient, continuous patient care can be maintained while portable radiographs are taken in the ED.
Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Humans ; Patient Care ; Pelvis ; Radiation, Ionizing ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Spine