No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: Small-cell carcinoma of lung has a tendency of rapid growth and early wide metastasis. In spite of high response rate of combination chemotherapy alone or with radiotherapy, overall long-term survival rate is very disappointed. According to autopsy findings, the common cause of failure is local recurrence in primary cancer site. So, surgical resection with combined chemotherapy has been recently attempted for very early stage of small-cell carcinoma of lung. METHODS: 10 patients (TNM I: & II: 5 cases) undergoing surgical resection for small-cell carcinoma of lung with adjuvant chemotherapy in an attempt to prolong survival. Of these, 9 patients received chemotherapy, and retrospective study was undertaken for survival (Kaplan-Meier analysis). RESULTS: Median survival time was 26 months, 2-, 5-year survival rate was 68.6%, 46.7%. If 1 patient without chemotherapy was excluded, 2-, 5-year survival rate was 76.2%, 50.8%. No survival difference was seen between patients with TNM I, II stages. CONCLUSION: Adjuvant chemotherapy after surgical resection results in prolonged survival for patients with TNM stage I, II small-cell carcinoma of lung.
Autopsy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant* ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Humans ; Lung* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the postoperative complication rates for absorbable type-I collagen sponge (Ateloplug; Bioland) use in third molar extraction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January to August 2013, 2,697 total patients undergoing third molar extraction and type-I collagen sponge application in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Yonsei University Dental Hospital (1,163 patients) and Dong-A University Hospital (1,534 patients) were evaluated in a retrospective study using their operation and medical records. RESULTS: A total of 3,869 third molars in 2,697 patients were extracted and the extraction sockets packed with type-I collagen sponges to prevent postoperative complications. As a result, the overall complication rate was 4.52%, with 3.00% experiencing surgical site infection (SSI), 1.14% showing alveolar osteitis, and 0.39% experiencing hematoma. Of the total number of complications, SSI accounted for more than a half at 66.29%. CONCLUSION: Compared to previous studies, this study showed a relatively low incidence of complications. The use of type-I collagen sponges is recommended for the prevention of complications after third molar extraction.
Collagen* ; Dry Socket ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Incidence ; Medical Records ; Molar, Third* ; Porifera* ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies* ; Surgery, Oral ; Tooth Extraction

BACKGROUND: Irinotecan (topoisomerase I inhibitor) is effective as a monotherapy against small-cell lung cancer(SCLC). Cisplatin is also an important drug against SCLC. A phase II study of irinotecan combined with cisplatin was carried out to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of this combined regimen as a first line treatment in patients with extensive SCLC. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with previously untreated extensive SCLC were enrolled in this study. Irinotecan 60mg/m(2) was administered intravenously on days 1, 8 and 15, and in combination with cisplatin 60mg/m(2) on day 1 and every 28 days thereafter. Four cycles of chemotherapy were given to the patients. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 77% with a complete response (CR) rate of 8%. The median survival time, 1- and 2-year survival rate were 14.8 months, 60.9% and 27.6%, respectively. The median progression free survival time, 6-and 12-month progression free survival rate were 8.4 months, 75% and 18.8%, respectively. The WHO grade 3 or more toxicity encountered were leukopenia (23%), diarrhea (26%). Two patients changed their chemotherapeutic regimen and one patient died from severe diarrhea. CONCLUSION: The combination of irinotecan and cisplatin is effective as a first line therapy in extensive SCLC is effective , but has severe or fatal diarrhea as toxicity.
Cisplatin* ; Diarrhea ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Survival Rate

BACKGROUND: Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is an inducible enzyme that catalyzes the oxidative degradation of heme to form biliverdin, carbon monoxide (CO), and free iron. The current evidence has indicated a critical role of HO-1 in cytoprotection and also in other, more diverse biological functions. It is known that the high expression of HO-1 occurs in various tumors, and that HO-1 has an important role in rapid tumor growth because of its antioxidative and antiapoptotic effects. Therefore, the role of HO-1 was analyzed in human lung cancer cell lines, and especially in the A549 cell line. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Human lung cancer cell lines, i.e., A549, NCI-H23, NCI-H157 and NCI-H460, were used for this study. The expression of HO-1 in the untreated state was defined by Western blotting. ZnPP, which is the specific HO inhibitor we used, and the viability of cells were tested for by conducting MTT assaysy. The HO enzymatic activity, as determined via the bilirubin level, was also indirectly measured. Moreover, the generation of intracellular hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was monitored fluorimetrically with using a scopoletin-horse radish peroxidase (HRP) assay and 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA). We have also transfected small HO-1 interfering RNA (siRNA) into A549 cells, and the apoptotic effects were evaluated by flow cytometric analysis and Western blotting. RESULTS: The A549 cells had a greater expression of HO-1 than the other cell lines, whereas ZnPP significantly decreased the viability of the A549 cells more than the viability of the other lung cancer cells in a dose-dependant fashion. Consistent with the viability, the HO enzymatic activity also was decreased. Moreover, intracellular H2O2 generation via ZnPP was induced in a dose-dependent manner. Apoptotic events were, then induced in the HO-1 siRNA transfected A549 cells. CONCLUSION: HO-1 provides new important insights into the possible molecular mechanism of the antitumor therapy in lung cancer.
Bilirubin ; Biliverdine ; Blotting, Western ; Carbon Monoxide ; Cell Line ; Cytoprotection ; Heme Oxygenase-1* ; Heme* ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Iron ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Peroxidase ; Raphanus ; RNA ; RNA, Small Interfering

No abstract available.
Germ Cells* ; Klinefelter Syndrome* ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal*

Visual evoked potentials were elicited by flash in 29 patients with a variety of cerebral lesions and in 10 normal controls. In 12 patients with focal brain lesions, no wave form could be recorded in one side. Of the remaining 23 sides, the average P1 latency showed no difference from that of the normal controls. In 17 patients with diffuse brain lesions no wave form could be elicited in 12 sides. Average P1 latency of remaining 22 sides showed statistlcally significant difference from that of normal controls. In this study it appears that delayed P1 latencies are associated with diffuse cerebral lesions rather than with localized lesions.
Brain ; Evoked Potentials, Visual* ; Humans

BACKGROUND: Recently, adolescent smoking has become one of the most serious problems in our society. In this study, we surveyed smoking status, family function by Korean family function assessment tool, history of abuse, and others to know the factors associated with smoking for high school students. METHODS: In May 2001, a total of 1,033 students from 2 male and 2 female general high schools located in Seoul were assessed with self-completing questionnaire. Among the total, there were 502 male and 533 female students. RESULTS: The percentage of male smokers was 27.7% and that of female smokers was 14.5%. The percentage of smokers was significantly higher in students with a history of physical abuse, psychological abuse or negligence (only in males) than in students without them. The family function score of the smokers was 127.3+/-20.3 and that of the non-smokers was 140.3+/-21.0 in males. The family function score of the smokers was 121.5+/-17.45 and that of the non-smokers was 140.9+/-22.1 in females. The family function score of the smokers was significantly lower than that of the non-smokers in males and females. In 6 factors (supportiveness, alienation, closeness, roles, sociality, authority (only in males)) each family function score of the smokers was significantly lower than that of the non-smokers in males and females. CONCLUSION: Adolescent smoking was associated with family function and history of abuse (physical, psychological and negligence (only in males)).
Adolescent* ; Emigrants and Immigrants ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Malpractice ; Seoul ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: To compare the results of two different instruments made of stainless steel and titanium alloy for correction of single thoracic adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) using pedicle screw instrumentation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 141 patients with single thoracic AIS treated with pedicle screw instrumentation and selective thoracic fusion were retrospectively reviewed after a follow-up of 2 years. The patients had a main thoracic curve of 40° to 75° and were divided into two groups based on instrument materials; S group (stainless steel, n=90) and T group (titanium alloy, n=51). The diameter of the stainless steel rod used was 7.0 mm while that of the titanium alloy rod was 6.35 mm or 6.0 mm. Standing long-cassette radiographic measurements including various coronal and sagittal parameters for the preoperative, early postoperative and 2-year postoperative follow-up were analyzed. There were no significant differences in the preoperative curve characteristics between the two groups. RESULTS: In the S group, the preoperative main thoracic curve of 51.3°±8.4° was improved to 19.0°±7.6° (63.1% correction) and the lumbar curve of 32.3°±8.4° spontaneously decreased to 12.7°±8.2° (62.9% correction) at 2 years postoperatively. In the T group, the preoperative main thoracic curve of 49.5°±8.4° and the lumbar curve of 30.3°±8.9° was improved to 18.8°±7.4° (62.2% correction) and 11.3°±5.4° (63.3% correction), respectively. The corrections of coronal curves were not statistically different between the two groups (p>0.05). The thoracic kyphosis was changed from 16.8°±8.5° to 24.3°±6.1° in the S group and from 19.6°±11.2° to 26.6°±8.5° in the T group. There were no significant differences in the changes of sagittal curves, coronal and sagittal balances at the 2-year follow-up and the number of fused segments and used screws between the two groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: When conducting surgery for single thoracic AIS using pedicles screw instrumentation, two different instruments made of stainless steel and titanium alloy showed similar corrections for coronal and sagittal curves.
Adolescent ; Alloys ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kyphosis ; Pedicle Screws ; Retrospective Studies ; Scoliosis ; Stainless Steel ; Steel ; Titanium

PURPOSE : Increasing evidences have indicated the critical role of HO-1 in cytoprotection and more diverse biological functions. HO-1 has been reported to stimulate tumor cell growth and proliferation. And several tumors, including renal cell carcinoma, prostate tumor, hepatoma, and sarcoma, express a high level of HO-1. Indeed, inhibition of HO-1 by using specific HO inhibitors demonstrated in vivo antitumor activity. However, the precise mechanism of HO-1 induction and signals in lung cancer is not clearly known yet. We aimed to analyze the role of HO-1, characterize the mechanism of HO-1 induction, the role of Nrf2 in the induction, and investigated whether inhibition of HO-1 may induce apoptosis in lung cancer cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS : Western blot and immunostaining analyses were performed to ascertain whether HO-1, Nrf2, and NFkB were expressed or not in various lung cancer cell lines. Apoptosis by HO-1 inhibition through siRNA transfection was measured by flow cytometric analysis and Western blot. And the expression of HO-1 by siRNA of Nrf2 and NFkB was examined by ARE-driven luciferase activity and Western blot. RESULTS : We demonstrated that HO-1 was expressed highly in A549 cells than other lung cancer cells. And A549 cells were transfected by HO-1 small interfering RNA (siRNA) induced apoptosis. Nrf2 siRNA, next, resulted in a decrease of HO-1 expression. However, NFkB siRNA had no influence on the expression of HO-1. CONCLUSION : Increasing HO-1 expression in A549 cells may be resulted from the transcriptional activation of Nrf2, and inhibition of Nrf2-HO-1 pathway induces apoptosis. Therefore it provides new important insights into the possible molecular mechanism of the antitumor therapy
Apoptosis* ; Blotting, Western ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Cell Line ; Cytoprotection ; Heme Oxygenase-1* ; Heme* ; Luciferases ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Prostate ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Sarcoma ; Transcriptional Activation* ; Transfection