No abstract available.
Embryonic Stem Cells*

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of intravenous steroid therapy on the clinical activity score (CAS), exophthalmos, margin-reflex distance 1 (MRD1), and autoantibody levels in patients with thyroid eye disease. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, we enrolled 83 patients diagnosed with thyroid eye disease treated with intravenous steroid therapy. We assessed exophthalmos, MRD1, CAS, thyroid-stimulating antibody (TSAb), and thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibody (TSHR Ab) levels at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks after initiating therapy, and 2 months after therapy termination. Additionally, baseline serum selenium levels were examined to determine their impact on treatment efficacy. Results: TSAb, TSHRAb, and CAS levels showed a continuous decline from 443.22 to 341.03 specimen-to-reference control ratio (SRR%), 22.18 to 7.91 IU/L, and 3.37 to 1.88, respectively (p < 0.0001), up to 2 months following therapy termination. Exophthalmos did not show significant changes at any assessed time point up to 2 months after therapy termination. MRD1 decreased until 12 weeks after therapy initiation but showed no significant change 2 months later. No correlation was found between baseline serum selenium levels and changes in exophthalmos, MRD1, TSAb, TSHR Ab, or CAS. Conclusions Intravenous steroid therapy was effective in reducing TSAb, TSHR Ab, and CAS levels up to 2 months after therapy termination. However, it had limited positive impact on exophthalmos or eyelid retraction. Baseline selenium levels did not correlate with the changes in any of the examined parameters.

PURPOSE: To report a case of bilateral congenital optic disc coloboma associated with the right seventh and eighth cranial nerve palsy. CASE SUMMARY: A female neonate with right facial palsy (seventh cranial nerve palsy) and right earlobe hypoplasia was referred for examination for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Bilateral optic disc coloboma and peripapillary choroidal defect was detected on the fundus examination and the anterior segment examination revealed no specific findings. On the otolaryngologic examination, laryngomalacia and floppy epiglottis were observed and left otitis media and mastoiditis were noted on the temporal bone computed tomography (CT). On the auditory brain stem response (ABR), right electro-potential was not detected and right cochlear nerve palsy (eighth cranial nerve palsy) was diagnosed. Further chromosomal analysis and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed no abnormal findings. However, on echocardiography, an atrial septal defect was detected and on upper gastrointestinal series, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was diagnosed. CONCLUSIONS: Congenital optic disc coloboma is frequently accompanied by other congenital deformities or abnormalities, and therefore, systemic examinations and tests to detect associated findings are required.
Brain ; Choroid ; Cochlear Nerve ; Coloboma ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Cranial Nerve Diseases ; Cranial Nerves ; Echocardiography ; Epiglottis ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Facial Paralysis ; Female ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Laryngomalacia ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mastoid ; Mastoiditis ; Otitis Media ; Paralysis ; Retinopathy of Prematurity ; Temporal Bone ; Vestibulocochlear Nerve

OBJECTIVE: Metastatic dissemination of epithelial ovarian carcinoma is thought to be mediated via tumor cell exfoliation into the peritoneal cavity, followed adhesion to and invasion through the mesothelium which overlies the contents of the peritoneal cavity. MMP-2 is secreted as a zymogen, the activation of which has been associated with metastatic progression in human ovarian cancer cell lines. METHODS: We have utilized short-term cultures to analyze the effect of specific extracellular matrix proteins, type I collagen. RESULTS: Culturing Caov-4 ovarian cell line on type I collagen led to a significant increase in conversion of the MMP-2,72kD to the MMP-2,66kD, and MT-MMP expression. MT-MMP expression correlates with expression and activation of MMP-2 during malignant progression. Altered MT-MMP expression in ovarian cell lines might contribute to MMP-2 activation, which facilitates invasion of these tumors. CONCLUSION: In summary, we found increased expression of MT-MMP that correlated with increased level of activated MMP-2 and cellular counts in chemoinvasion assay in Caov-3 cell line. But no significant increases in Skov-4 cell line on type I collagen. Conclusion: These data suggest that type I collagen induces MMP-2 activation in part by up-regulation of MT-MMP expression but has a more complicated mode of action involving additional processes.
Cell Line* ; Collagen Type I ; Epithelium ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinases* ; Membranes* ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Peritoneal Cavity ; Up-Regulation

PURPOSE: CT and MR findings of cerebral fat embolism syndrome(CFES) have been rarely reported, because its diagnosis had been made on the basis of only clinical features in the majority of the cases. The purpose of this study is to describe the clinical, CT, and MR findings in six patients of CFES. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Brain CT and MR findings were retrospectively analyzed in six patients with CFES that was diagnosed on the basis of clinical and MRI findings. All six patients had long bone fractures and showed typical delayed clinical manifestations 2-3 days later. Both CT and MRI were examined in all of six patients. Initial CT scan was performed within 48 hours after trauma in all patients, andfollow-up CT scan was done in 2-11 days in two patients. MRI was done within 2-7 days after trauma in three patients, and 13 days, 18 days, and 45 days in other three patients. Follow-up MRI studies were performed in 2-60 weeks in four patients. Clinical and laboratory findings were analyzed retrospectively with medical records. CT and MRI findings were evaluated with regard to presence or absence of diffuse brain swelling and focal abnormalities of signal intensity(density). RESULTS: CT scans obtained within 2 days after trauma showed diffuse cerebral swelling in five patients and normal findng in one patient. On Tl-weighted MRI, diffuse cerebral swelling was shown in three cases and high signal spots suggesting cerebral petechial hemorrhage were noted in both caudate nuclei and thalami in two cases. On T2-weighted images, high signal spots which were shown on Tl-weighted image were not visible. In all of six cases, multiple lesions of high signal were observed mainly in the cerebral white matters, cerebellum and brain stem, probably representing ischemia/infarct or edema. On the follow-up MRI studies performed within a period from weeks to one month after trauma, the size and the number of the lesions were significantly decreased and these findings were well corresponded with clinical course. CONCLUSION: MR findings' of CFES include diffuse cerebral swelling, petechial hemorrhage and mi- croinfarcts, which characteristically improved in short period. In cases suspected of having CFES, MRI is more useful than CT for initial and follow-up studies because of its high detection rate of lesions and correspondence with clinical course.
Brain ; Brain Edema ; Brain Stem ; Cerebellum ; Diagnosis ; Edema ; Embolism, Fat* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Bone ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: To evaluate the short-term efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab injection in eyes with macular edema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). METHODS: The records of 17 patients (17 eyes, 11 ischemic, six ischemic) who received an intravitreal ranibizumab injection for macular edema secondary to CRVO were retrospectively analyzed. The ophthalmic examination included best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) at baseline and follow-up visits. RESULTS: After intravitreal ranibizumab injection, the mean BCVA improved from log MAR 1.25 +/- 0.47 at baseline to log MAR 0.78 +/- 0.49 at 4 weeks and to log MAR 0.81 +/- 0.52 at 12 weeks (p < 0.05). Additionally, the mean CMT decreased from 679.4 +/- 230.5 microm at baseline to 224.4 +/- 129.9 microm at 4 weeks and to 271.6 +/- 174.1microm at 12 weeks (p < 0.001). In subgroup analysis, the decreases in CMT at 4 weeks and 12 weeks were similar in ischemic CRVO and non-ischemic CRVO, but no significant changes in visual acuity were found at 12 weeks in the ischemic CRVO group (p = 0.138). Ten eyes (58.8%) did not require re-injections for macular edema for up to 12 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal ranibizumab injection appeared to be an effective option for the treatment of macular edema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion.
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; Eye ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Macular Edema ; Retinal Vein ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity ; Ranibizumab

To evaluate in vitro anti-HIV efficacies of nucleoside derivatives, MT-4 cell line was infected with HIV-1 and HIV-2 respectively and treated with various compounds and the formerly approved drugs such as AZT, d4T, ddC and ddI. CPE method was used to evaluate their antiviral activity Most dideoxynucleosides, AZT, d4T, ddC and ddI, showed anti-HIV activities against both viruses but no other compounds including anti-herpesvirus drugs did any. Further experiments were carried out to study their inhibitory mechanism of viral adsorption. The results showed no inhibition of syncytium formation due to an interaction between the gp120 expressed in HIV-infected cell surface and CD4 receptor on the uninfected cell surface in the presence of AZT. AZT showed no activity up to 100 microgram/ml. Inhibition of reverse transcriptase (RT) in the presence of AZT-triphosphate was tested by using RT expressed in E. coli and purified and its IC50 was 4.5 nM.
Adsorption ; Cell Line ; Dideoxynucleosides ; Giant Cells ; HIV-1 ; HIV-2 ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase ; Stavudine

In connective tissue diseases, autoantibodies cause pulmonary interstitial inflammation and fibrosis, and patients require treatment with an immunosuppressive agent such as a steroid. Dermatomyositis is an incurable, uncommon form of connective tissue disease that occasionally causes diffuse pulmonary inflammation leading to acute severe respiratory failure. In such cases, the prognosis is very poor despite treatment with high-dose steroid. In the present case, a 46-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with dyspnea. He was diagnosed with dermatomyositis combined with cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP) with respiratory failure and underwent treatment with steroid and an immunosuppressive agent, but the COP was not improved. However, the respiratory failure did improve after treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin, which therefore can be considered a treatment option in cases where steroids and immunosuppressive agents are ineffective.
Autoantibodies ; Connective Tissue Diseases ; Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia* ; Dermatomyositis* ; Dyspnea ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins* ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Inflammation ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia ; Prognosis ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Steroids

PURPOSE: In spite of appropriate management, ophthalmic artery occlusion has a poor prognosis and eventually progresses to the blindness or phthisis bulbi. We report one unusual cause of ophthalmic artery occlusion for the preventive purpose. METHODS: A 44 year-old woman visited emergency room with an acute visual loss in the left eye and right hemiplegia. She had undergone illegal augmentation rhinoplasty using liquid silicone one day prior to the presentation. RESULTS: Angiogram showed that injected liquid silicone entered the systemic circulation via nasal vein and induced the left cerebral infarction and left ophthalmic artery occlusion. On the 30th hospital day, right carotid cavernous fistula was developed with right ocular pain.
Adult ; Blindness ; Cerebral Infarction ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Fistula* ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Ophthalmic Artery* ; Prognosis ; Rhinoplasty* ; Silicones ; Veins

The fracture of a central venous catheter is a rare but potentially serious complication. Moreover, removal of the broken catheter pieces is considerably challenging, especially for premature infants. We report 3 case studies of the percutaneous transcatheter retrieval of broken catheter parts in 3 premature infants. We confirmed the location of the catheter fragments via a DSA venogram with diluted contrast media. Using the minimum amount of contrast, and extreme caution, we made certain no contrast-induced nephrotoxicity or air embolism occured during catheter manipulation. In addition, when the broken fragment was curled or attached to the cardiac wall, we used a hook-shaped catheter to facilitate the capturing of the catheter with a loopsnare. This report demonstrates the feasibility of removing a retained catheter fragment in a premature infant using a percutaneous transcatheter approach.
Catheter Ablation ; Catheterization, Central Venous ; Catheters ; Catheters, Indwelling ; Central Venous Catheters* ; Contrast Media ; Embolism, Air ; Equipment Failure ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature