To investigate the effect of tumor removal and administration of OK432 on the splenic natural killer (NK) cell activity in the subcutaneous tumor bearing rats, NK cell activity assay using a 4-hour 51Cr release assay and flow cytometric analysis for NK cell population were performed. The results were as follows: 1. Splenic NK cell activity and population in the subcutaneous tumor bearing rats decreased along with the growth of the tumor. 2. The rats with subcutaneous tumor removal showed decrease of splenic NK cell activity, but splenic NK cell population was not decreased. 3. In the rats with subcutaneous tumor removal and OK432 administration, splenic NK cell activity was significantly increased 1 week after administration of OK432 and then gradually returned to normal, whereas increase of NK cell population was not significant. In the present study, splenic NK cell activity was significantly decreased despite removal of subcutaneous tumor. But with the administration of OK432, splenic NK cell activity returned to normal. Considering the role of NK cells on the first line of defense against the metastatic implantation of circulating tumor emboli, we suggest that perioperative administration of immunopotentiator such as OK432 may improve the patient's outcome after surgery of human neoplasm.
Animals ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural* ; Picibanil* ; Rats* ; Spleen

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop in vivo dosimetries using both chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei in mice to assess biological effects of radiations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five each mice were irradiated with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10 Gy of Cs-137 gamma-rays. We scored numbers of chromosomal aberrations in metaphase spreads and numbers of micronuclei in bone marrow smears under light microscope, and obtained the dose-response relationships. We also examined the relationship between the two dose-response curves. RESULTS: The frequency of both chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei increased with dose, in a linear-quadratic manner. The delta, beta, and alpha coefficients were 0.0176, 0.0324, and 0.0567 for metaphase analysis (r=1.0, p<0.001) and 0.0019, 0.0073, and 0.0506 for micronuclei assay (r=1.0, p<0.001). The frequency of chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei in diffirent radiation doses was significantly correlated (r=0.99, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: In vivo dosimetry using either metaphase analysis or micronucleus assay was feasible in mice. These methods could be useful to evaluate biological effects of radiation.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells* ; Bone Marrow* ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Metaphase* ; Mice* ; Micronucleus Tests

In this study, the prevalence of Hepatitis B virus(HBV) DNA in the needle biopsied paraffin embedded liver tissues of chronic hepatitis B patients by rapid nested PCR was examined. DNA was extracted by NaOH with boiling, and amplified by rapid air thermocycler with glass capillary tubes and nested PCR with two primer sets specific for the surface and the core genes of HBV. The PCR results were compared to that of serum HBeAg, serum HBV DNA by dot blot hybridization with a radioactive DNA probe, and tissue immunohistochemical (HBsAg/ HBcAg) studies. Among 44 patients with chronic hepatitis with serum HBsAg positivity, HBV DNA could be detected by PCR in 43 liver tissues (98%). This results were comparable to the positive rates of 94%(31/33) for serum HBV DNA, 80%(35/44) for serum HBeAg, and 59%(26/44) and 75%(33/44) for tissue HBsAg and HBcAg, respectively. The accordance rate between tissue PCR and serum DNA probe testing was 91%. The results indicate that HBV DNA detection by rapid nested PCR of paraffin embedded liver tissues by needle biopsy is a more sensitive method to detect the HBV DNA carrier than the serum HBeAg or tissue HBsAg/HBcAg status, and is well correlated with the result of serum HBV DNA probe testing. Therefore this method is a practical indicator for the diagnosis and replication status in retrospective analysis.
Biopsy

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ability of Tl-201 abdominal SPECT to differentiate between chronic focal pancreatitis and pancreatic malignancy. Seventeen patients (12 men, 5 women; mean age, 56 years; 9 pancreatic cancer, 8 chronic pancreatitis) with pancreatic mass were prospectively investigated with Tl-201 abdominal SPECT. In all patients, CT and/or US could not clarify the nature of the pancreatic mass. Focal hot uptake was present in 8 of 9 patients with pancreatic cancer, while it was present in 2 of 8 patients with chronic pancreatitis. Therefore, the sensitivity and specificity of the present study were 89% and 75%, respectively. A significant difference of Tl-201 uptakes was noted between benign and malignant masses (p& 0.05). Therefore, we concluded that Tl-201 abdominal SPECT was a useful test in differentiation of malignant from benign pancreatic mass, especially when the differentiation could not be made by other imaging modalities
Abdomen/*radionuclide imaging ; Chronic Disease ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Evaluation Studies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/*radionuclide imaging ; Pancreatitis/*radionuclide imaging ; Prospective Studies ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Thallium Radioisotopes/*diagnostic use ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon/methods

PURPOSE: To investigate the results of graded decompression of orbital fat and walls in Graves' orbitopathy (GO) considering the degree of proptosis reduction at surgery and preoperative computed tomography (CT) findings. METHODS: This is a retrospective interventional case series. Graded orbital fat and wall decompression was performed in 90 orbits of 55 patients. In patients with enlarged extraocular muscles and minimal orbital fat proliferation in preoperative CT scans, one- or two-wall decompression of posterior orbit was performed with minimal fat excision. In other cases, the maximal amount of fat tissue was removed from the post-septal area to the apex. If the proptosis was not satisfactorily symmetrically reduced at surgery, one- or two-wall decompression was performed successively. Symmetric reduction of proptosis was consistently confirmed intraoperatively to assure that a desired amount of exophthalmos reduction was achieved. RESULTS: Four types of decompression were performed: fat only (group 1), fat and one-wall (group 2), fat and two-wall (group 3), and two-wall and minimal fat decompression (group 4). The mean preoperative Hertel value (20.6 +/- 2.8 mm) was reduced significantly at six months postoperatively (16.1 +/- 2.3 mm). Proptosis significantly decreased with a mean of 4.3 +/- 1.7 mm, and the reduction was greatest (5.1 +/- 2.1 mm) in group 3. In group 1, a significant correlation between Hertel change and the volume of resected orbital fat was found (r = 0.479). Diplopia was newly developed or aggravated postoperatively in eight patients, and six of these patients were in group 3. With the exception of one patient, visual acuity improved to nearly normal postoperatively in all patients with optic neuropathy. CONCLUSIONS: Graded orbital decompression of orbital fat and bony walls, as assessed by the degree of proptosis reduction during surgery, was effective and predictable with minimal complications in GO patients with vision-threatening or cosmetically disfiguring proptosis.
Adipose Tissue/*surgery ; Adult ; Aged ; Decompression, Surgical/*methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Graves Ophthalmopathy/diagnosis/*surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Orbit/*surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: To investigate the results of graded decompression of orbital fat and walls in Graves' orbitopathy (GO) considering the degree of proptosis reduction at surgery and preoperative computed tomography (CT) findings. METHODS: This is a retrospective interventional case series. Graded orbital fat and wall decompression was performed in 90 orbits of 55 patients. In patients with enlarged extraocular muscles and minimal orbital fat proliferation in preoperative CT scans, one- or two-wall decompression of posterior orbit was performed with minimal fat excision. In other cases, the maximal amount of fat tissue was removed from the post-septal area to the apex. If the proptosis was not satisfactorily symmetrically reduced at surgery, one- or two-wall decompression was performed successively. Symmetric reduction of proptosis was consistently confirmed intraoperatively to assure that a desired amount of exophthalmos reduction was achieved. RESULTS: Four types of decompression were performed: fat only (group 1), fat and one-wall (group 2), fat and two-wall (group 3), and two-wall and minimal fat decompression (group 4). The mean preoperative Hertel value (20.6 +/- 2.8 mm) was reduced significantly at six months postoperatively (16.1 +/- 2.3 mm). Proptosis significantly decreased with a mean of 4.3 +/- 1.7 mm, and the reduction was greatest (5.1 +/- 2.1 mm) in group 3. In group 1, a significant correlation between Hertel change and the volume of resected orbital fat was found (r = 0.479). Diplopia was newly developed or aggravated postoperatively in eight patients, and six of these patients were in group 3. With the exception of one patient, visual acuity improved to nearly normal postoperatively in all patients with optic neuropathy. CONCLUSIONS: Graded orbital decompression of orbital fat and bony walls, as assessed by the degree of proptosis reduction during surgery, was effective and predictable with minimal complications in GO patients with vision-threatening or cosmetically disfiguring proptosis.
Adipose Tissue/*surgery ; Adult ; Aged ; Decompression, Surgical/*methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Graves Ophthalmopathy/diagnosis/*surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Orbit/*surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of placement of the absorbable packing material Nasopore at the anastomosis site of newly formed mucosal flaps on postoperative re-bleeding, discomfort, and on the success rate of dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR). METHODS: A review of the medical records of patients with primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction that underwent external or endonasal DCR by a single surgeon was performed. The degree of re-bleeding, discomfort, and postoperative results, including anatomical success, functional success and postoperative nasal findings such as granulation, synechiae, and membrane formation were compared in patients whose anastomosis site was packed with either Nasopore or Merocel, a non-absorbable packing material. RESULTS: A total of 77 patients (101 eyes) were included. Of the 101 eyes, 30 were packed with Nasopore, while 71 were packed with Merocel. The Nasopore group showed significantly better results than the Merocel group in the degree of re-bleeding and the level of patient discomfort (p = 0.000, 0.039, respectively; Pearson's chi-square test), whereas there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in postoperative anatomical and functional success (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Nasopore significantly reduced postoperative nasal re-bleeding and patient discomfort during the early post-surgical period, but failed to show an effect on the postoperative anatomical and functional success of DCR.
Adult ; Aged ; Dacryocystorhinostomy/*methods ; Epistaxis/prevention & control ; Female ; Formaldehyde/therapeutic use ; Hemostatics/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Lacrimal Duct Obstruction/*surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasolacrimal Duct/*surgery ; Polyurethanes/*therapeutic use ; Polyvinyl Alcohol/therapeutic use ; Postoperative Complications/*prevention & control ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of placement of the absorbable packing material Nasopore at the anastomosis site of newly formed mucosal flaps on postoperative re-bleeding, discomfort, and on the success rate of dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR). METHODS: A review of the medical records of patients with primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction that underwent external or endonasal DCR by a single surgeon was performed. The degree of re-bleeding, discomfort, and postoperative results, including anatomical success, functional success and postoperative nasal findings such as granulation, synechiae, and membrane formation were compared in patients whose anastomosis site was packed with either Nasopore or Merocel, a non-absorbable packing material. RESULTS: A total of 77 patients (101 eyes) were included. Of the 101 eyes, 30 were packed with Nasopore, while 71 were packed with Merocel. The Nasopore group showed significantly better results than the Merocel group in the degree of re-bleeding and the level of patient discomfort (p = 0.000, 0.039, respectively; Pearson's chi-square test), whereas there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in postoperative anatomical and functional success (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Nasopore significantly reduced postoperative nasal re-bleeding and patient discomfort during the early post-surgical period, but failed to show an effect on the postoperative anatomical and functional success of DCR.
Adult ; Aged ; Dacryocystorhinostomy/*methods ; Epistaxis/prevention & control ; Female ; Formaldehyde/therapeutic use ; Hemostatics/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Lacrimal Duct Obstruction/*surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasolacrimal Duct/*surgery ; Polyurethanes/*therapeutic use ; Polyvinyl Alcohol/therapeutic use ; Postoperative Complications/*prevention & control ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a multifactorial autoimmune skin disease with a pathogenesis that has remained obscure. Recently, T cells bearing natural killer receptors (NKRs) were precisely and strongly targeted as new putative pathogenic immunocytes in psoriasis. Among NKRs, killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) is the major molecule recognizing HLA class I allotypes and might be closely related to psoriasis. METHODS: To investigate the association of KIR genotype and patients with psoriasis in Korean, we defined the 14 KIR genotypes in 96 patients with psoriasis and 86 healthy controls using PCR-SSP methods. RESULTS: The frequencies of KIR2DS4 and KIR3DL1 were significantly decreased in psoriasis compared with controls (RR=0.21, p<0.02). When patients were divided into two subgroups at the age of onset, type I (<30 years) and type II (> or =30 years) respectively, these phenomena were similarly observed independent of groups divided (type I: RR=0.26, p<0.005; type II: RR=0.14, p<0.0006). When the patients were divided into subgroups according to the age of onset and family history, the frequencies of KIR2DS4, KIR3DL1, and KIR2DS3 were significantly decreased in type I compared with type II psoriasis (3DL1, 2DS4: p<0.004; 2DS3: p<0.04) and were significantly decreased in psoriasis without family history compared to with family history (3DL1, 2DS4: p<0.007; 2DS3: p<0.05). The frequency of haplotype combination BB was significantly increased in psoriasis compared with controls (RR=2.74, p<0.009). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that KIR genotype is a factor for the occurrence and development of psoriasis and in future how combinations of HLA and KIR genes influence psoriasis needs to be defined.
Age of Onset ; Genotype* ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Psoriasis* ; Receptors, KIR ; Skin Diseases ; T-Lymphocytes

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to confirm the stem cell-like properties of the dental pulp stromal cells and to evaluate the morphologic changes during in vitro chondrogenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Stromal cells were outgrown from the dental pulp tissue of the premolars. Surface markers were investigated and cell proliferation rate was compared to other mesenchymal stem cells. Multipotency of the pulp cells was confirmed by inducing osteogenesis, adipogenesis and chondrogenesis. The morphologic changes in the chondrogenic pellet during the 21 day of induction were evaluated under light microscope and transmission electron microscope. TUNEL assay was used to evaluate apoptosis within the chondrogenic pellets. RESULTS: Pulp cells were CD90, 105 positive and CD31, 34 negative. They showed similar proliferation rate to other stem cells. Pulp cells differentiated to osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic tissues. During chondrogenesis, 3-dimensional pellet was created with multi-layers, hypertrophic chondrocyte-like cells and cartilage-like extracellular matrix. However, cell morphology became irregular and apoptotic cells were increased after 7 day of chondrogenic induction. CONCLUSIONS: Pulp cells indicated mesenchymal stem cell-like characteristics. During the in vitro chondrogenesis, cellular activity was superior during the earlier phase (within 7 day) of differentiation.
Adipogenesis ; Apoptosis ; Bicuspid ; Cartilage ; Cell Proliferation ; Chondrogenesis ; Dental Pulp ; Durapatite ; Electrons ; Extracellular Matrix ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Light ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Osteogenesis ; Stem Cells ; Stromal Cells