No abstract available.
Humans

No abstract available.
Hernia, Diaphragmatic*

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: We sought to maximize the antitumor effect of an anticancer vaccine based on genetically modified endothelial cells by combining it with the platelet-derived growth factor receptor inhibitor imatinib. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were infected with 10 MOI of Ad-CMV-mGMCSF to make anticancer vaccines. One million mouse bladder cancer cells (MBT-2) were subcutaneously inoculated in C3H mice. The experimental groups included the following: Group 1 (phosphate-buffered saline), Group 2 (anticancer vaccine and GM-CSF), Group 3 (imatinib), and Group 4 (anticancer vaccine, GM-CSF, and imatinib). Tumor growth and body weight were measured weekly. At 4 weeks, the tumors were immunostained with anti-CD31, and microvessel density (MVD) was measured. To evaluate the immunological mechanism of each treatment, flow cytometry analysis of activated CD4 and CD8 cells was performed. RESULTS: At 4 weeks, the mean body weight of each group, excluding the extracted tumor weight, was not significantly different. Since week 3, the mean tumor volume in Group 4 was the smallest among the treatment groups (p<0.05), and a synergistic suppressive effect on tumor volume was observed in Group 4. The MVD in Group 4 was the most suppressed among the treatment groups (p<0.05), and a synergistic anti-angiogenic effect was observed. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that activated CD4+ and CD8+ cells increased in Group 2 and decreased in Group 3 compared with the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of genetically modified endothelial cell vaccines and imatinib showed a synergistic antiangiogenic effect in bladder cancer.
Animals ; Benzamides ; Body Weight ; Endothelial Cells ; Flow Cytometry ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; Immunotherapy ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C3H ; Microvessels ; Piperazines ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; Pyrimidines ; Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; Tumor Burden ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; Vaccines ; Imatinib Mesylate

We analyzed the practical problems and factors which affect making the correct differential diagnosis in the interpretation or test results from the nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) test and erotic stimulation test (EST). This was done to provide better information for higher diagnostic accuracy in the clinical application of these tests. The followings are the results of NPT tests and EST identifying the factors affecting correct differential diagnosis by comparison the other differential diagnostic methods. The overall sensitivity of NPT test (Number: 114 total patients) was 82%. 21 cases (18%) could not be diagnosed correctly due to traction of the sensor (12 cases, 10%) and sleep disturbance (9 cases, 8%). The overall sensitivity of EST (Number: 174 total patients) without considering the degree of patient`s sexual drive to erotic stimulation was 77%. 40 cases (23%) could not be diagnosed correctly due to tolerance to pornographic film (17 cases, 10 %), discomfort by the body attachments (14 cases, 8%) and traction of the sensor (9 cases, 5%). However, higher sensitivity (90%) and lower rate of incorrect diagnosis (10% ) were observed in 119 patients who showed Grade II or III (moderate to good) sexual drive to erotic stimulation. The results suggest that undesirable factors in the primary screening methods, traction of sensor, sleep disturbance in NPT test, and tolerance to pornographic film, discomfort by the body attachments, traction of sensor in EST must be taken into consideration when interpretation of test results is being performed.
Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine* ; Erectile Dysfunction* ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Penile Erection ; Traction

The incidence of thymolipoma or thynuc cyst is very rare among the tumors of thymic origin, which are usually benign or invasive thymoma. Thymic tumor has been found among 10 to 15% of the patients with myasthenia gravis(MG). However the patients with thymolipoma or thynuc cyst rarely manifestated as MG. Moreover the case of MG with thymolipoma and thymic cyst is extremely rare ; Only one case has been reported hitherto. We hereby report a 41-year-old woman presenting as ocular MG with thymolipoma and thymic cyst. She complained diplopia, ptosis and headache, which had begun 3 months prior to admission and have been fluctuating thereafter. Ocular MG was confirmed by positive Tensilon and Jolly test. Her chest CT showed an enlarged thymus which turned out to be thymolipoma with thymic cyst on the pathologic examination. Although rare, thymolipoma and/or thymic cyst should be considered in the differential diagnosis of thymic tumor in MG.
Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diplopia ; Edrophonium ; Female ; Headache ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mediastinal Cyst* ; Myasthenia Gravis* ; Thymoma ; Thymus Gland ; Thymus Neoplasms ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of various dentin bonding systems on microtensile bond strength of immediate dentin sealing (IDS) and delayed dentin sealing (DDS). Eighteen extracted permanent molars were used in this study. The teeth for DDS group were restored with a provisional restorations, and immersed in saline solution for 1 week, and divided into 3 subgroups according to various dentin bonding adhesives; SB subgroup (3 step total-etch adhesive), SE subgroup (2 step self-etch adhesive), XE subgroup (1 step self-etch adhesive). In IDS group, the teeth were divided into 3 subgroups, and applied with bonding adhesives as in DDS group. The teeth were restored with provisional restorations, and immersed in saline solution for 1 week. Indirect composite disc was cemented with resin cement, and all specimens were subjected to microtensile bond strength. The data were statistically analyzed with one-way ANOVA and Student t-test. The results were as follows: 1. The IDS group showed significantly higher microTBS than DDS group in 3 step total-etch and 2 step self-etch adhesive (p < 0.05). 2. In IDS and DDS group, 3 step total-etch adhesive showed the highest microTBS value, followed by 2 step self-etch, and 1 step self-etch adhesive. In IDS group, the microTBS value for 1 step self-etch adhesive was significantly different from those of the other subgroups (p < 0.05), and in DDS group, there were statistical differences in all subgroup (p < 0.05). 3. Failure modes of tested dentin bonding adhesives were mostly mixed failure and only 1 step self-etch adhesive showed adhesive failure.
Adhesives ; Analysis of Variance ; Dentin ; Humans ; Molar ; Resin Cements ; Sodium Chloride ; Tooth

BACKGROUND: Docetaxel has been effectively used as an anti-cancer chemotherapuetic agent for various tumor treatments including lung cancer. However, the cell death induction mechanism(s) involved with docetaxel treatment in lung cancer cells has not been known yet. MATERIAL AND METHOD: In the present study, the cellular and biochemical changes of NCI-H1703 cells (non-small cell lung cancer cell line, p53-mutant) after docetaxel treatment have been monitored by flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy and western blot. RESULT: Docetaxel treatment significantly resulted in decrease of S phase as well as increase of G2 phase, and consequently evoked an increase of cell death in NCI-H1703 cells. After docetaxel exposure the activations of caspase-3 and caspase-9 were detected. CONCLUSION: Take together, it is suggested that the docetaxel induces NCI-H1703 cell death by caspase-9 and caspase-3 dependent mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.
Blotting, Western ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Caspase 3 ; Caspase 9 ; Cell Death* ; Cell Line* ; Flow Cytometry ; G2 Phase ; Lung Neoplasms ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; S Phase

OBJECTIVES: This study compared the cyclic fatigue resistance of nickel-titanium (NiTi) files obtained in a conventional test using a simulated canal with a newly developed method that allows the application of constant fatigue load conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ProFile and K3 files of #25/.06, #30/.06, and #40/.04 were selected. Two types of testing devices were built to test their fatigue performance. The first (conventional) device prescribed curvature inside a simulated canal (C-test), the second new device exerted a constant load (L-test) whilst allowing any resulting curvature. Ten new instruments of each size and brand were tested with each device. The files were rotated until fracture and the number of cycles to failure (NCF) was determined. The NCF were subjected to one-way ANOVA and Duncan's post-hoc test for each method. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was computed to examine any association between methods. RESULTS: Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (rho = -0.905) showed a significant negative correlation between methods. Groups with significant difference after the L-test divided into 4 clusters, whilst the C-test gave just 2 clusters. From the L-test, considering the negative correlation of NCF, K3 gave a significantly lower fatigue resistance than ProFile as in the C-test. K3 #30/.06 showed a lower fatigue resistance than K3 #25/.06, which was not found by the C-test. Variation in fatigue test methodology resulted in different cyclic fatigue resistance rankings for various NiTi files. CONCLUSIONS: The new methodology standardized the load during fatigue testing, allowing determination fatigue behavior under constant load conditions.
Androsterone ; Fatigue

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare the maximum screw-in forces generated during the movement of various Nickel-Titanium (NiTi) file systems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty simulated canals in resin blocks were randomly divided into 4 groups for the following instruments: Mtwo size 25/0.07 (MTW, VDW GmbH), Reciproc R25 (RPR, VDW GmbH), ProTaper Universal F2 (PTU, Dentsply Maillefer), and ProTaper Next X2 (PTN, Dentsply Maillefer, n = 10). All the artificial canals were prepared to obtain a standardized lumen by using ProTaper Universal F1. Screw-in forces were measured using a custom-made experimental device (AEndoS-k, DMJ system) during instrumentation with each NiTi file system using the designated movement. The rotation speed was set at 350 rpm with an automatic 4 mm pecking motion at a speed of 1 mm/sec. The pecking depth was increased by 1 mm for each pecking motion until the file reach the working length. Forces were recorded during file movement, and the maximum force was extracted from the data. Maximum screw-in forces were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc comparison at a significance level of 95%. RESULTS: Reciproc and ProTaper Universal files generated the highest maximum screw-in forces among all the instruments while M-two and ProTaper Next showed the lowest (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Geometrical differences rather than shaping motion and alloys may affect the screw-in force during canal instrumentation. To reduce screw-in forces, the use of NiTi files with smaller cross-sectional area for higher flexibility is recommended.
Alloys ; Pliability