Using as assay for jejunal crypt stem cell survival, dose-response curves for the reproductive capacity of crypt stem cells mouse jejunum exposed to multifractionated gamma-ray irradiation(single, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10,12, and 16 fractions) were analyzed and single-dose survival curve of these cells was constructed. The following conclusion were drawn: 1) Survival curves for higher numbers of dose fractions were displaced to higher dose, and characterized by increasingly shallower slopes. 2) The single-dose survival curve had broad shoulder, Dq=460 cGy, remaining near-exponential over initial dose range 0 to 300 cGy, with initial slope 1Do=474 cGy 3) At fractionated dose in the range of 180 to 450 cGy, the average recovered dose per fraction interval was approximately 50% of the dose per fraction. 4) The value of a/b ratio by using of linear regression analysis for the reciprocal dose plots was 8.3Gy which lied in the range of 6-14Gy for early-reacting tissues. 5) The linear-quadratic model for dose-response formula offers valid approximations for all doses to be used in radiotherapy, only two parameters to be determined, and considerable convenience in practical applications.
Animals ; Jejunum ; Linear Models ; Mice* ; Radiotherapy ; Shoulder ; Stem Cells

In order to clarify the effect of radiation on the mouse jejunal crypt cells by combined administration of adriamycin and radiation and also to evaluate the enhancing effect of adriamycin, the authors performed this study by delivering single irradiation of 1,000 to 1,600 rad to the whole abdomen of mice by cobalt-60 teletherapy unit. In combination with adriyamycin treatment groups, the drug was administered as single dose of 10 mg/kg either 2 hours before or 4 hours after graded single dose, 900 to 1,400 rad, of irradiation. The authors studied the quantitative changes of intestinal crypt cells by microcolony survival assay technique and the morphological changes of small intestinal villi by scanning electron microscope in mice following to combined therapy with adriamycin and irradiation. The average number of jejunal crypts per circumference was 130+/-6 in control group. The mean lethal dose(Do) of each irradiation alone and combined therapy groups 2 hours before and 4 hours after irradiation, were 160, 170, and 170 rad in cell survival curves, respectively. The dose effect factor(DEF) of adriamycin in each groups of pre-irradiation and post-irradiation were 1.19 and 1.26, respectively. The conical shaped villi were noted on 1,200 rad in irradiation alone group and 1,000 rad in combined groups. For the proper clinical application we must be careful of the radiation injury to small bowel when the anticancer chemotherapy and radiation injury to small bowel when the anticancer chemotherapy and radiation therapy to the abdomen and pelvic area are used as combined therapeutic modality.
Abdomen ; Animals ; Cell Survival ; Doxorubicin* ; Drug Therapy ; Mice* ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Radiation Injuries

Caldesmon (CaD), one of microfilament-associated proteins, plays a key role in microfilament assembly in mitosis. We have investigated the effects of overexpression of the high molecular weight isoform of CaD (h-CaD) on the physiology of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Rat aortic VSMCs were stably transfected with plasmids carrying a full length human h-CaD cDNA under control of cytomegalovirus promoter. The majority of the overexpressed h-CaD appears to be localized predominantly on cytoskeleton structures as determined by detergent lysis. The overexpression of h-CaD, however, does not decrease the level of endogenous low molecular weight isoform of CaD. h-CaD overexpressing VSMCs (h-CaD/VSMCs) show a decreased growth rate than that of vector-only transfected cells when determined by (3H)thymidine uptake and cell counting after fetal bovine serum (FBS) stimulation. h-CaD/VSMCs were smaller than vector-transfected cells by 18% in cell diameter. These data suggest that overexpression of h-CaD can inhibit the poliferation and the cell volume of VSMCs stimulated by growth factors and that the gene therapy with h-CaD may be helpful to prevent the conditions associated with hypertrophy and/or hyperplasia of VSMCs after arterial injuries.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; Animals ; Calmodulin-Binding Proteins* ; Cell Count ; Cell Size ; Cytomegalovirus ; Cytoskeleton ; Detergents ; DNA* ; DNA, Complementary ; Genetic Therapy ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Hypertrophy ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Mitosis ; Molecular Weight ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Physiology ; Plasmids ; Rats* ; Transfection*

The normal intracranial structures are relatively resistant to therapeutic radiation, but may react adversely in a variety of ways and the damage to nerve tissue may be slow in making its appearance and once damage has occurred the patient recovers slowly and incompletely. Therefore, it is important to consider the possibility of either recurrent tumor or late adverse effect in any patient who has had radiotherapy. The determination of morphological/pathological correlation is very important to the therapeutic radiologist who uses CT scans to define a treatment volume, as well as to the clinician who wishes to explain the patient's clinical state in terms of regress, rogression, persistence, or recurrence of tumor or radiation-nduced edema or necrosis. The authors are obtained as following results; 1. The field size (whole CNS, large, intermediate, small field) was variable according to the location and extension of tumor and histopathologic diagnosis, and the total tumor dose was 4,000 to 6,000 rads except one of recurred case of 9,100 rads. The duration of follow up CT scan was from 3 months to 5 year 10 months. 2. The histopathologic diagnosis of 9 cases were glioblastoma multiforme (3 cases), pineal tumor (3), oligodendroglioma (1), cystic astrocytoma (1), pituitary adenoma (1) and their adverse effects after radiation therapy were brain atrophy (4 cases), radiation necrosis (2), tumor recurrence with or without calcification (2), radiation-nduced infarction (1). 3. The recurrent sysptoms after radiation therapy of brain tumor were not always the results of regrowth of neoplasm, but may represent late change of irradiated brain. 4. It must be need that we always consider the accurate treatment planning and proper treatment method to reduce undesirable late adverse effects in treatment of brain tumors.
Astrocytoma ; Atrophy ; Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Central Nervous System* ; Diagnosis ; Edema ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glioblastoma ; Humans ; Infarction ; Necrosis ; Nerve Tissue ; Oligodendroglioma ; Pinealoma ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

To access the result of radiation therapy for 8 years experiences, 21 patients who were treated with superior vena cava syndrome had been analysed according to dose fractionation and toal dose. The results are as follows; 1. In high fractionate dose group, six of eleven patients (54.5%) exhibited relief of symptoms in 1-2 days, and additional three patients of nine (81.7%) within 3-4 days, while standard fractionated dose treatment is not effective to achieve initial relief of symptoms. 2. Graded response by total dose was correlated with total dose rather than dose fractionation. 3. Overall one year survival rate with superior vana cava syndrome was 9.1% and mean survival was 4.2 months.
Dose Fractionation ; Humans ; Radiotherapy ; Superior Vena Cava Syndrome* ; Survival Rate ; Vena Cava, Superior*

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is a main enzyme producing nitric oxide during inflammation and thus contributes to the initiation and development of inflammatory cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major catechin derived from green tea, has multiple beneficial effects for treating cardiovascular disease, but the effect of EGCG on the expression of vascular iNOS remains unknown. In this study, we investigated (i) whether EGCG inhibits the expression of vascular iNOS induced by angiotensin II in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and, if it does inhibit, (ii) mechanisms underlying the inhibition. Angiotensin II increased expression levels of vascular iNOS; EGCG counteracted this effect. EGCG increased the production of reactive oxygen species. Moreover, EGCG did not affect the production of reactive oxygen species induced by angiotensin II. These data suggest a novel mechanism whereby EGCG provides direct vascular benefits for treating inflammatory cardiovascular diseases.
Angiotensin II ; Atherosclerosis ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Catechin ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Tea

No abstract available.
Heart* ; Thoracic Surgery* ; Thyroid Gland*

Acinetobacter species encounters frequently with clinical specimens and now accounts for a substantial proportion of endemic nosocomial infections in Korea. Recent trends indicate that the antimicrobial resistant strains of Acinetobacter species are increasing. Sixty-one strains were isolated from specimens of patients suspected of nosocomial infections during 1991 to 1996. At present, phenotypic identification of Acinetobacter using biochemical test may not be reliable and resulted in the difficulty to clarify the source of infections and epidemiological study of hospital-acquired infections. Aware of the importance of rational taxonomic proposal for these isolates, correct species identification of these organisms by molecular typing method was carried out. A total of fifty-four strains of A. calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex species which were identified to genospecies 2 and 13 by biochemical characteristics was subjected to identify by ribotyping using restriction endonuclease EcoRI, ClaI, and SalI. Of fifty-four strains, twenty-five strains were identified as A. baumannii (genospecies 2) and twenty-one strains as genospecies 13, and six strains changed to genospecies 3, and the rest two strains were confirmed as A. haemolyticus (genospecies 4). This result suggests that the ribotyping may be of value for identification of genospecies and epidemiological information of Acinetobacter strains.
Acinetobacter baumannii* ; Acinetobacter calcoaceticus* ; Acinetobacter* ; Cross Infection ; DNA Restriction Enzymes ; Humans ; Korea ; Molecular Typing ; Ribotyping*

Malignant neoplasm associated with long-standing pleuritis or empyema is rare but a critical complication. Among 67 cases which were reported in English and Japanese literatures the cause of empyema was considered tobe tuberculosis in 51 cases. The most common malignant disease associated with the long-standing pleural disease was non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and the majority of the malignant lymphomas were B-cell type. Detection of the malignancy combined with an empyema is difficult, however, chest radiograph or CT may show the evidence of malignant pleural disease. We report a case of pathologically proven T-cell type malignant NHL associated with chronic tuberculous empyema in a 66-year-old male patient.
Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; B-Lymphocytes ; Empyema ; Empyema, Tuberculous* ; Humans ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Male ; Pleural Diseases ; Pleurisy ; Radiography, Thoracic ; T-Lymphocytes* ; Tuberculosis

Malignant neoplasm associated with long-standing pleuritis or empyema is rare but a critical complication. Among 67 cases which were reported in English and Japanese literatures the cause of empyema was considered tobe tuberculosis in 51 cases. The most common malignant disease associated with the long-standing pleural disease was non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and the majority of the malignant lymphomas were B-cell type. Detection of the malignancy combined with an empyema is difficult, however, chest radiograph or CT may show the evidence of malignant pleural disease. We report a case of pathologically proven T-cell type malignant NHL associated with chronic tuberculous empyema in a 66-year-old male patient.
Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; B-Lymphocytes ; Empyema ; Empyema, Tuberculous* ; Humans ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Male ; Pleural Diseases ; Pleurisy ; Radiography, Thoracic ; T-Lymphocytes* ; Tuberculosis