Lymphocytic infiltration of the thyroid gland is a hallmark of the human thyroid autoimmune disease. Enhanced expression of immunoglobulin and adhesion molecules are consistently found in patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases. And cytokines are implicated in enhancing the expression of adhesion molecules.It has been suggested that adhesion-molecule expression within thyroid glands mediates lymphocyte homing events to the target of the autoimmune process. The expression of ICAM-1 was shown to be up-regulated on thyroidal perifollicular endothelial cells and thyrocytes in autoimmune thyroid diseases both in vitro and in vivo.Therfore, we investigated the correlation between thyroid hormone, TSH receptor antibodies, Interleukin-6 and soluble ICAM-1 in patients with Graves' disease before and 2 months after treatment with prophylthiouracil(PTU).Serum concentrations of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1(sICAM-1), T_3, T_4, TSH-receptor antibodies(TSH-R-Ab) and Interleukin-6(IL-6) of peripheral blood monocytes were measured in patients with Graves' disease.Serum levels of sICAM-1 were elevated in patients with Graves' disease before treatment with PTU, but serum levels of sICAM-1 did not correlate with the serum concentration of thyroid hormone and TSH-R-Ab before and after treatment. In addition, no correlation between serum levels of sICAM-1 and IL-6 of peripheral blood monocyte.We conclude that although the elevated serum levels of sICAM-1 may contribute to the autoimmune process in Graves' disease, we need more future studies for the role of sICAM-1 and correlation between adhesion molecule and thyroid hormone or cytokines in patients with Graves' disease.
Antibodies ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Cytokines ; Endothelial Cells ; Graves Disease ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; In Vitro Techniques ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; Interleukin-6 ; Lymphocytes ; Monocytes ; Receptors, Thyrotropin ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Hormones

No abstract available.
Laryngeal Neoplasms* ; Radiotherapy*

No abstract available.
Facial Nerve* ; Herpes Zoster Oticus* ; Herpes Zoster* ; Paralysis*

MAGE (melanoma antigen gene) is a tumor specific shared antigen, presented by HLA class I molecules, which is recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. MAGE proteins are expressed in malignant tumor cells, in contrast to no expression in normal or benign tissues except for testis and placenta. MAGE might be a potential target for immunotherapy of malignant tumors. However, its biological aspects associated with cell cycle are not yet described. The flow cytometry is a useful tool for objective and quantitative analyses of heterogenous tumor cell population. To understand the status of MAGE related to cell cycle and its relationship with p53 as the G1 checkpoint regulator, p21, and PCNA as a proliferative index, we investigated expression of MAGE-3 protein, mutant p53, p21, and PCNA by flow cytometry and immunohistochemical stain. In addition, double stains for MAGE-3/p53, p53/PCNA, and p53/p21 were analysed with bivariate flow cytometry. DNA histograms using MAGE-3/PI (DNA) and p53/PI (DNA) were also analysed. The cell line (PNUH- 12) used for this study originated from a hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, which has point mutation (exon 7, C-->G) of p53. The expression rate of MAGE-3 was 83%, PCNA 85%, and p53 81%. No expression for p21 was identified. MAGE-3 was expressed in cytoplasm, while both PCNA and p53 were expressed in nuclei of tumor cells. With bivariate analyses, coexpression rates of MAGE-3/p53 and p53/PCNA were 0.96 and 0.97, respectively. Both MAGE-3 and p53 showed constantly high level throughout the cell cycle. These results suggest that expression of MAGE-3 and mutant p53 is not dependent on the cell cycle. p21 seems to be inactivated.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line* ; Coloring Agents ; Cytoplasm ; DNA ; Flow Cytometry* ; Immunotherapy ; Mutant Proteins ; Placenta ; Point Mutation ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen* ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; Testis

PURPOSE: MAGE (melanoma antigen gene) is a tumor associated antigen, presented by HLA class I molecules, which is recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The expression of MAGE proteins are confined to malignant tumor tissues, except for the normal testis and placental tissues. Therefore, MAGE may be a potential target for immunotherapy of malignant tumors. However, biological aspects associated with the cell cycle are not yet described. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The material used for this study was a novel human squamous cell carcinoma cell line (PNUH-12) from the hypopharynx, which had one point mutation of 78th base, C to G, in exon 7 of p53 gene. To understand the role of MAGE in relation to cell cycle and its relationship with p53 as the Gl checkpoint regulator, the expressions of MAGE-3 protein and mvtant p53 (Mtp53) were accessed by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Double stains for MAGE-3/Mtp53 was analyzed with bivariate flow cytometry. DNA histograms using MAGE-3/PI (DNA) and Mtp53/PI (DNA) were also analyzed. RESULTS: The expression rate of MAGE-3 and Mtp53 were 83% and 85%, respectively. MAGE-3 was expressed in cytoplasm, while M:p53 were expressed in the nuclei of the tumor cells on the immunohistochemical sections. With bivariate analyses, coexpression rate of MAGE-3/Mtp53 was 0.96, and MAGE-3 and Mtp53 constantly showed high levels throughout the cell cycle except Go. CONCLUSIONS: These results mean that (I) MAGE-3 might have yet unknown relationship with mutant p53, (2) expressions of MAGE-3 and Mtp53 are not dependent on the cell cycle in PNUH-12 hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cell line, and suggest that MAGE-3 might have a role as important as p53 during the development of malignant tumors.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cell Cycle* ; Cell Line ; Coloring Agents ; Cytoplasm ; DNA ; Exons ; Flow Cytometry* ; Genes, p53 ; Humans ; Hypopharynx ; Immunohistochemistry ; Immunotherapy ; Point Mutation ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; Testis

No abstract available.
Aneurysm* ; Renal Artery*

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of propofol and oral clonidine on bleeding and their efficacy in blunting the hemodynamic effects of epinephrine during endoscopic sinus surgery. METHODS: Informed consent was obtained from eighty patients scheduled for endoscopic sinus surgery under general anesthesia. All patients received atropine 0.5 mg IM for premedication. Group I (n = 20) received thiopental sodium 5 mg/kg and vecuronium 0.1 mg/kg followed by an isoflurane 1 - 1.5 vol% in O2/N2O 50/50. Group P (n = 20) received propofol 2 mg/kg and vecuronium 0.1 mg/kg followed by an infusion of 6 - 10 mg/kg/hour in O2/N2O 40/60. Group P + 75 (n = 20) received oral clonidine 75ng and Group P + 150 (n = 20) received oral clonidine 150ng 60 min before induction of anesthesia. In anesthetic induction and maintenance, Group P + 75 and Group P + 150 were identical to Group P. Blood pressure, heart rate, EKG and SpO2 were continuously monitored. Blood losses were collected and measured at the end of each procedure. Pre- and postoperative hematocrit were checked. The duration of heart rate to peaked level and side effects were observed in all patients after the intranasal injection of epinephrine. RESULTS: The average estimated blood losses in Group P, P + 75 and P + 150 were significantly less than that of Group I (P < 0.05). In Group P + 150, the duration of heart rate increase was significantly shorter than that of Group I (P < 0.05). In Group P + 150, mean arterial pressure and the difference between preoperative and postoperative hematocrit were significantly less than that of Group I (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: General anesthesia based on propofol infusion may have the advantage of decreased bleeding compared with conventional inhalation agents during endoscopic sinus surgery. Tachycardia inresponse to intranasal epinephrine injection was attenuated by oral clonidine.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Arterial Pressure ; Atropine ; Blood Pressure ; Clonidine* ; Electrocardiography ; Epinephrine ; Heart Rate ; Hematocrit ; Hemodynamics* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Inhalation ; Isoflurane ; Premedication ; Propofol* ; Tachycardia ; Thiopental ; Vecuronium Bromide

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It is well known that reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant enzymes are responsible for the pathogenesis of several kinds of diseases including inflammatory process. The aim of this study was to find out if superoxide dismutase (SOD), one of antioxidant enzymes, is responsible for the pathogenesis of otitis media with effusion (OME). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors performed the RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) and ELISA techniques using middle ear effusions (MEEs) from patients with OME to find out the presence of mRNA and SOD protein. RESULTS: The mRNA for SOD was detected in 3 cases out of 12 MEEs from patients with OME, and SOD protein was detected in 4 cases out of 6 MEEs. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that ROS and SOD are responsible for the pathogenesis of OME. It will be possible to take advantage of the antioxidant drugs and therapy available to treat and prevent OME in the future.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Otitis Media with Effusion* ; Otitis Media* ; Otitis* ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; RNA, Messenger ; Superoxide Dismutase* ; Superoxides*

Treatment methods of unicompartmental osteoarthritis of knee joint are arthroscopy, osteotomy, unicompartmental arthroplasty, and total arthroplasty. Among them the rate of unicompartmental arthroplasty is increased and many complications are reported recently. Polyethylene wear and component loosening, and infection are the common failure mechanism, but dislocation of meniscal polyethylene is rare, and not reported. So we report the case of the dislocation of polyethylene and study the cause and preventive method.

Epididymal abnormalities have long been found in conjunction with undescended testis. Undescended testis with a patent processus vaginalis are associated with epididymal abnormalities, but the incidence of epididymal abnormalities in descended testis with a patent processus has not been reported. We analyzed the patency of processus vaginalis and epididymal abnormalities of 37 patients(41 testes) treated for undescended testes and 78 patients(79 testes) treated for hydrocele. Epididymal abnormalities ranged from simple epididymal elongation, epididymal angulation, disruption between testis and epididymal tail to more complex forms, such as epididymal/vasal atresia, complete disruption between the testis and epididymal head. Among 38 undescended testis with patent processus vaginalis 27(71%) had an epididymal abnormalities compared to 12 of 37(32%)hydroceles with patent processus vaginalis(P<0,05), and 12 of 38(329b) undescended testis with patent processus vaginalis had complex epididymal abnormalities(epididymal head separation and epididymal atresia) compared to 2 of 37(5%) hydroceles with patent processus vaginalis (p<0.05). Among 37 hydroceles with patent processus vaginalis 12(32%) had an epididymal abnormalities compared to 2 of 37(5%) hydroceles with incompletely patent processus vaginalis(P<0.05). These data suggest that epididymal abnormalities probably contribute to both testicular maldescent and closure of processus vaginalis.
Cryptorchidism* ; Head ; Incidence ; Male ; Testis