OBJECTIVE: Angiogenesis is a critical factor in the progression of solid tumors. The mechanisms responsible for angiogenesis in cervical neoplasia, however, are not well defined. Our study was aimed to determine the expression of VEGF(Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor), its receptor(KDR), and TGF-beta1(Transforming Growth Factor-beta1) in cervical neoplasia, to determine the role of these angiogenic factors in preinvasive(dysplastic) process and the progression of cervical cancer and to investigate the progression of angiogenesis in the transition from normal cervix to invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. METHODS: The cervical lesions of 76 patients were punch biopsied and paraffin embedded. Among these, 5 were normal cervix, 36 were cervical intraepithelial lesion I-III, and the other 35 were invasive squamous cell carcinomas. The tissues were immunostained with antiVEGF, antiKDR, and antiTGF-beta1 polyclonal antibody. RESULTS: The expression of VEGF, KDR, and TGF-beta1 in CIN III was stronger than those of CIN I(p<0.01). Their expression were not significantly different among the each staged cervical cancers(p>0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These observations suggest that VEGF, KDR, and TGF-beta1 are important angiogenic factors in cervical neoplasia, especially in an early event to neoplastic transformation of cervical tissues, but these angiogenic factors are not associated with the progression of cervical cancer.
Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cervix Uteri ; Female ; Humans ; Paraffin ; Phosphotransferases* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

No abstract available.
Amniotic Fluid* ; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone* ; Female ; Obstetric Labor, Premature* ; Pregnancy

We isolated Triton X-100 solubilized protein (TSP) antigen which may be preferentially associated with the cell wall of M. tuberculosis. In this study, the proliferative activities and cytokine mRNA expression patterns of the TSP antigen were investigated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and lymph node mononuclear cells (LNMCs) from 4 patients with tuberculous lymphadenitis. The results of the TSP antigen were compared with those of the PPD antigen, known as a major seretory protein antigen of M. tuberculosis. The peak proliferative response to the TSP by PBMCs was observed at 0.1 ug/ml, whereas that of LNMCs was at 1.0 ug/ml. All of the patients showed greater blastogenic responses for the PPD than those for the TSP. IFN-r, IL-2, and IL-2Ru mRNA production from PBMCs after stimulation with the TSP were greatly augmented after 48 hrs, whereas IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA were gradually suppressed. In addition, high levels of IL-12 p40 mRNA were detected by PBMCs to the TSP antigen at 3 hrs. Elevated IFN-r and IL-2 mRNA production were observed in freshly isolated LNMCs, whereas IL-4 mRNA production was undetectable in either freshly isolated or mycobacterial antigen-stimulated LNMCs. Furthermore, IL-10 mRNA expression from LNMCs was markedly increased by the PPD antigen, but it was considerably reduced by the TSP antigen after 18 hrs. These data suggest that the TSP antigen may be a strong inducer of cytokine mRNA such as IFN-r, IL-2, and IL-12 which are involved in Thl cell and macrophage activation, and inhibit IL-10 mRNA production in LNMCs. In conclusion, the TSP antigen can be used as a preferential Thl cell immunogen in tuberculous lymphadenitis.
Cell Wall ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-12 ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-4 ; Lymph Nodes* ; Macrophage Activation ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Octoxynol ; RNA, Messenger* ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node*

No abstract available.
Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Multiple Sclerosis

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Cisterna Magna*

Water gets magnetically charged when it is contacted with a magnet. Although magnetic water products have been promoted since the 1930's, they have received very little recognition due to questionable effectiveness. Diethylnitrosamine (DEN) is a widely occurring nitrosamine that is one of the most important environmental carcinogens primarily inducing tumors of liver. In this study, the effect of magnetized water supplementation on lymphocyte DNA damage in ICR mice treated with DEN was evaluated using the Comet assay. Mice were divided into 3 groups: control, DEN, and DEN + magnetized water group. Fifteen mice were maintained in each group for the entire experimental period of 6, 12 and 18 weeks. Five mice in each group were sacrificed at 6, 12, and 18th weeks, followed by the Comet assay using the blood obtained from heart puncture of the mice. The level of lymphocyte DNA damage reflected by tail moment and other DNA damage indices of tail DNA (%) or tail length of the magnetized water group were significantly decreased after the 6th, 12th and 18th weeks of supplementation compared with the positive control, the DEN group. The relative DNA damage of the magnetized water groups compared to the DEN control group after 6th, 12th, and 18th weeks of supplementation were 42.2%, 40.8%, and 32.9% for DNA in tail, 31.2%, 32.6%, and 21.3% for tail length, and 33.8%, 33.8%, and 24.6% for tail moment, respectively. This is the first report demonstrating that magnetized water may be involved in the lowering effect of the DNA damage in DEN-treated ICR mice. This result suggests that the magnetized water might have minimized the DNA damage by improving the antioxidant status of the mice. However, further studies are needed to characterize the condition of the magnetization and examine the long-term effect of the water product.
Animals ; Carcinogens, Environmental ; Comet Assay ; Diethylnitrosamine ; DNA ; DNA Damage ; Heart ; Liver ; Lymphocytes ; Magnetics ; Magnets ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Punctures ; Water

PURPOSE: In this study, the etiology and the change of clinical characteristics of hyponatremia, in relation to the increased used of thiazide diuretics, have been assessed. METHODS: To perform a retrospective cohort study, a total sum of 322 patients who have been admitted in a single tertiary referral hospital between 2004 and 2009, were included. RESULTS: The most common cause of hyponatremia was due to thiazide diuretics (37.6%). Among the 121 patients who suffered from thiazide induced hyponatremia, 60 (48.0%) patients took combination thiazide. The incidence of hyponatremia has shown a tendency to increase from 2004 to 2009 (trend test, p<0.001). The incidence of hyponatremia due to the use of combination types has also increased (trend test, p<0.001). Thiazide induced hyponatremia showed no difference when compared to hyponatremia due the other causes, except the fact that the portion of female patients was higher (73.6% vs 64.6%, p<0.001), mean age was older (74.7 vs 69.9 years-old, p<0.001), and incidence of cerebrovascular accident was also higher (19.8% vs 6.5%, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The use of thiazide is increasing and hence thiazide-induced hyponatremia is also increasing. This is thought to be particularly related to the increase of thiazide-combined drugs. Thiazideinduced hyponatremia shows a higher incidence in old age, female sex and those who have a history of a cerebrovascular event. Hence more caution is needed when using thiazide diuretics as antihypertensives, and plasma sodium levels should be monitored carefully.
Antihypertensive Agents ; Cohort Studies ; Diuretics ; Female ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; Incidence ; Plasma ; Retrospective Studies ; Sodium ; Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors ; Stroke ; Tertiary Care Centers

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to establish optimal imaging acquisition conditions for the GE Advance(TM) PET imaging system by performing the acceptance tests designed by National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) protocol and General Electric Medical Systems (GEMS) test procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Performance tests were carried out with 18FDG radioactivity source and phantoms by using a standard acquisition mode. Transaxial resolution and scatter fraction tests were performed with a line source and axial resolution with a point source, respectively. A cylindrical phantom made of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) was used to measure sensitivity, count rate losses and randoms, uniformity correction, and attenuation inserts were added to measure remaining tests. The test results were acquired in a diagnostic acquisition mode and analyzed mainly on high sensitivity mode. RESULTS: Transaxial resolution and axial resolution were measured as average of 4.65 mm and 3.98 mm at 0 cm, and 6.02 mm and 6.71 mm at 20 cm on high sensitivity mode, respectively. Average scatter fraction was 9.87%, and sensitivity was 225.8 kcps/micronCi/cc of trues. Activity at 50% deadtime was 4.6 Ci/cc, and the error of count rate correction at that activity was from 1.49% to 3.83%. Average nonuniformity for total slice was 8.37%. The accuracy of scatter correction was -0.95%. The accuracies of attenuation correction were 5.68% for air, 0.04% for water and -6.51% for polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). CONCLUSION: The results satisfied most acceptance criteria, indicating that the GE AdvanceTM PET system can be optimally used for clinical applications.
Electrons* ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Positron-Emission Tomography* ; Radioactivity ; Water

Peritoneal melanosis is an extremely rare condition characterized by diffuse pigmentation in the peritoneum. Only 7 cases have been reported in the literature, 4 cases in associated ovarian teratoma, 1 case in peritoneal cyst, 1 case in ovarian teratoma and mucinous adenoma, and 1 case in enteric duplication cyst. All occurred in young females and the source of the pigmentation was inconclusive. The authors have experienced one case of primary peritoneal melanosis with mucinous cystadenoma and report our case with a brief review of literature.
Adenoma ; Cystadenoma, Mucinous* ; Female ; Humans ; Melanosis* ; Mucins* ; Peritoneum ; Pigmentation ; Teratoma