No abstract available.
Hemangioma*

In this study, isoflavone (genistein, genistin, daidzein, daidzin) contents in various parts of twelve soybean cultivars and three soy sprouts were determined by high performance liquid chromatography with UV detector. Three cultivars of soybean were selected and cultured in the lab to produce sprout for five days. Total isoflavone (Total IF) varied greatly among differnt breeds of soybean in range of 99 - 649.9 microgram/g and 522.3 - 1,277.7 microgram/g respectively, domestic and foreign cultivars. There were greatly difference in total IF of various parts of the soybean sprouts. Sprout from the Myunjunamul-kong appeared to have 69% genistein and 22% genistin in head part, and 30% and 62% of daidzin and daidzein, respectively, in root. Meanwhile, the sprouts from Junjori contains most (84%) of daidzein in its root. Sprout from chinese black-soybean had the largest amount of genistein among the sprouts but, there were no differences in the average genistein content between three selected black and non-black soys. The glycosidic form of IF were dominant compared to aglycone forms both in soybean and sprouts by 24 times and 12 times, respectively, suggesting that during the sprouts cultivation glycosidic forms could change to aglycone forms. There are no difference in total content between genistein + genistin and daidzein + daidzin in soy and soy sprout. Therfore, considering the total IF contents, the intake of 1 soy sprout is similer to 1.5 times as soybean.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Genistein ; Head ; Humans ; Soybeans*

No abstract available.
Chorionic Gonadotropin* ; Female ; Humans ; Humans* ; Hypertension* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Pregnancy*

Rodent models have been used to study the anticarcinogenic properties of the soy isoflavones, particularly genistein, but there is little information regarding the pharmacokinetics of the absorption and excretion of genistein. In this study, rats were given a single oral dose of genistein (20 mg/kg body wt) or an equivalent dose as Myougjoonamul-kong and Myoungjoonamul soy sprouts. Concentrations of genistein were measured in plasma, urine and feces at intervals up to 48 hr after dosing. Maximum peak of plasma genistein concentration is 8 hr after dosing, and its concentration is 13.2, 7.4 mol/L in soy and soy sprout-treated rats, respectively. In pure genistein treated rats, maximum peak of plasma genistein concentration is 2 hr after dosing (5.7 mol/L). The percentage of dose recovered in urine over 48 hr was not different between groups (21.2% soy treated : 18.2% soy sprout treated : 16.1% pure genistein treated). There were no significant differences between groups in the recovery of genistein in feces (19.5%, 7.5% and 15.7% of doses, respectively). 6.9% and 6.07% of the daidzein from the soy and soy sprout treated was recovered in the feces.
Absorption ; Animals ; Biological Availability* ; Feces ; Genistein ; Isoflavones* ; Pharmacokinetics ; Plasma ; Rats* ; Rodentia ; Soybeans*

BACKGROUND: The p16INK4a (p16) tumor suppressor gene is frequently inactivated in human non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs), predominantly through homozygous deletion or in association with aberrant promotor hypermethylation. Death-associated protein kinase (DAPK) gene influences interferon γ-induced apoptotic cell death and has important role in metastasis of lung cancer in animal model. Hypermethylation of promoter region of DAP kinase gene may suppress the expression of this gene. METHODS: This study was performed to investigate the aberrant methylation of p16 or DAP kinase in 35 resected primary NSCLCs by methylation-specific PCR (MSP), and demonstrated frequency, diagnostic value and clinical implication of aberrant methylation of two genes. RESULTS: Thirty-two cases were male patients, and 3 cases were female patients with an average age was 57.8±10.5 years. The histologic types of lung cancer were 22 of squamous cell carcinoma, 12 of adenocarcinoma, 1 of large cell carcinoma. Pathologic stages were 11 cases of stage I(1 IA,10 IB), 13 cases of stage II (1 IIA, 12 IIB), and 11 cases of stage III(9 IIIA, 2 IIIB). Regarding for the cancer tissue, p16 aberrant methylation was noted in 13 case of 33 cases (39.4%), DAP kinase in 21 cases of 35 cases (60%). Age over 55 year was associated with p16 aberrant methylation significantly (p<0.05). Methylation status of two genes was not different by smoking history, histologic type, size of tumor, lymph node metastasis and disease progression of lung cancer. There was no correlation between p16 and DAP kinase hypermethylation. CONCLUSION: This investigation demonstrates that aberrant methylation of p16 tumor suppressor gene or DAP kinase showed relatively high frequency (74.3%) in NSCLCs, and that these genes could be a biologic marker for early detection of lung cancer.
Adenocarcinoma ; Biomarkers ; Carcinoma, Large Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cell Death ; Death-Associated Protein Kinases ; Disease Progression ; DNA Methylation ; Female ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor* ; Humans ; Interferons ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lung* ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Methylation* ; Models, Animal ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Protein Kinases* ; Smoke ; Smoking

Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a disorder that is characterized by asthma, hypereosinophilia and systemic vasculitis affecting a number of organs. The manifestations of acute cholecystitis and diffuse alveolar hemorrhage are rarely reported in CSS. A 22-year-old woman with bronchial asthma visited our hospital complaining of right upper quadrant pain with a sudden onset. The abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan revealed gall bladder edema consistent with acute cholecystitis. On the initial evaluation, marked hypereosinophilia was observed in the peripheral blood smear. The nerve conduction velocity measurements and a skin biopsy performed to confirm the organ involvement of disease indicated typical mononeuritis multiplex and necrotizing vasculitis, respectively, which was complicated with CSS. On the 12th hospital day, ground glass opacity and consolidations were newly developed on both lung fields. The bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid showed increasing bloody return in sequential aliquots that were characteristic of a diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. We report a case of CSS with acute cholecystitis and diffuse alveolar hemorrhage.
Acalculous Cholecystitis ; Asthma ; Biopsy ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Cholecystitis, Acute ; Churg-Strauss Syndrome ; Edema ; Female ; Glass ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lung ; Mononeuropathies ; Neural Conduction ; Skin ; Systemic Vasculitis ; Urinary Bladder ; Vasculitis ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Intrahepatic cholestasis can occur early after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). We investigated the changes in the expressions of the bile acid transporters and the liver histology in the patients who suffered with early cholestasis (EC) following LDLT. METHODS: The histological differences between 15 graft livers with EC after LDLT and 5 graft livers with biliary stricture following LDLT were evaluated. The hepatic mRNA levels of the bile canaliculi transporters (BSEP, MRP2, MRP3, MDR1, MDR3, NTCP) in 40 (20 graft livers, 20 matched donor livers) liver biopsy tissues were analyzed by performing real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Microscopic examination revealed hepatocellular and/or bile canalicular cholestasis around acinar zone 3 in the livers of the patients with EC. In the livers with biliary stricture, the cholestasis was dominantly observed in the hepatocytic cytoplasm and in the bile ductules around the portal area rather than around acinar zone 3. The BSEP and MRP2 mRNA levels in the EC livers were significantly reduced by 44% and 23%, respectively (p=0.000), compared to the matched donor livers. The levels of MDR3 and NTCP mRNA in the EC livers increased by 738% (p=0.000) and 281% (p<0.01), respectively. The change of the expressions of the bile acid transporters in the patients with biliary stricture was less significant than that in the EC group. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the altered expressions of the bile acid transporters may play a role in the pathogenesis of EC following LDLT.
Bile ; Bile Canaliculi ; Biopsy ; Carrier Proteins ; Cholestasis ; Cholestasis, Intrahepatic ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Cytoplasm ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Transplantation ; Living Donors ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Blood Group Incompatibility* ; Humans

It is unclear whether serum ALT levels or virological characteristics of hepatitis C virus(HCV) including HCV genotypes and HCV RNA titers, can reflect the degree of histological injury in chronic hepatitis C. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between the levels of histological damage and serum ALT levels, HCV genotypes or circulating HCV RNA titers in chronic hepatitis C. A total of 56 patients underwent liver biopsy and the histological activity index (HAI) was evaluated by Knodell's scoring system. HCV genotype by RT-nested PCR and HCV RNA quantitation by competitive RT-PCR were performed. Thirty-four patients were infected with HCV genotype 1b, 20 patients with genotype 2a, and 2 patients with undetermined type. Serum ALT levels were not positively correlated with total HAI score or HCV RNA titers, but showed a linear correlation with scores of piecemeal necrosis (r=0.32, p<0.05) and portal inflammation (r=0.27, p<0.05). HCV genotype had no significant correlation with RNA titers, HAI score or with serum ALT levels. Also, no statistical relationship was seen between HCV RNA titer and HAI score. These results suggest that liver histology is essential to evaluate the severity of chronic hepatitis C precisely.
Adolescence ; Adult ; Aged ; Alanine Transaminase/*blood ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepacivirus/*classification/genetics ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/enzymology/*pathology/virology ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; RNA, Viral/*blood

BACKGROUND: The reasons for the viral persistence and disease progression of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are unknown, but are probably related to host immune factors. Cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) play significant roles in inflammatory and immune defense. This study was undertaken to investigate the association between HBV infection and polymorphisms of TNF-alpha gene promoter polymorphism. METHODS: We studied 412 Korean patients with chronic HBV infection (72 inactive carriers, 261 chronic hepatitis, 79 liver cirrhosis) and 204 healthy individuals who recovered from HBV infection. We assessed two biallelic polymorphisms in TNF-alpha gene promoter (at position -308, -238) by single base primer extension assay (SNP ITTM). RESULTS: Genotype frequencies of TNF-alpha gene promoter at position -308 and -238 were not different between the clearance and the persistence group in univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis after adjusting age and sex, TNF 308 G/G genotype was associated with HBV persistence (ORs;1.71, p=0.039). Moreover, concerning the haplotype analysis, -308G/ -238G homozygotes showed much higher correlation with HBV persistence (ORs;1.88, p=0.005). Genotype distributions of both gene promoters in inactive carriers were similar to those in patients with chronic progressive liver disease (chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis). CONCLUSION: The carriers of -308 G/G genotype and -308G / -238G haplotype homozygotes in the TNF-alpha promoter region have higher risk of persistent HBV infection.
Cytokines ; Disease Progression ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Immunologic Factors ; Liver ; Liver Diseases ; Multivariate Analysis ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*