BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is known to mediate ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced skin inflammation However, there is still ambiguity as to which NOS isotype mediates the process in vivo. Furthermore, contradictory results have been reported on which cell types respond to UVB irradiation in vitro. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate the change of inducible NOS (iNOS) expression in vivo as a result of UVB radiation on the skin of a rat. METHOD: To examine the time-course change in iNOS expression in the rat skin, the rats were exposed to 400 ml/cm2 of UVB radiation, and skin samples were taken at various time intervals up to 48 h. iNOS expression on the skin of a rat was evaluated by both Western blot analysis and immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: From Western blot analysis, UVB irradiation induced inducible NOS (iNOS) expression in the epidermis at 12-48 h postirradiation with a peak expression at 24 h. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that UVB-induced iNOS expression was localized to the epidermis and infiltrating inflammatory cells in the upper dermis of the rat. CONCLUSION: iNOS was induced by UVB irradiation on the skin of a rat, mainly in the epidermis. Therefore, iNOS is supposed to be one of the major mediators with regard to inducing an inflammatory response in UVB-irradiated rat skin in vivo.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Inflammation ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II* ; Rats* ; Skin*

No abstract available.
Drug Therapy*

PURPOSE: This study was done to determine the usefulness of serum pepsinogen (PG) levels as a screening method for gastric cancer, and to assess the relationships between serum PG and clinicopathologic factors of gastric adenocarcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum PG concentrations were measured in 94 subjects who were classified into (a) a control group (50 subjects) without abnormal endoscopic finding on a health checkup, or (b) a gastric cancer group (44 subjects) who had surgery at Daegu Catholic University Hospital between Nov. 2008 and May 2009. Receiver operator characteristic curves were utilized to select the most suitable test. Using different cutoff points, sensitivity and specificity were calculated. We compared preoperative serum PG levels with several clinicopathologic findings for patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. RESULTS: The Serum PG I:II ratio was the most useful as a screening test. The sensitivity and specificity of PG screening for gastric cancer were, respectively, 81.8% and 82%. The cut off point correlated with the type of intestinal cancer (Lauren classification; P=0.003), tumor stage (P=0.001), and gastric adenocarcinoma with peritumoral chronic atrophic gastritis (P=0.036). CONCLUSION: Serum PG levels were found to be a potentially useful screening test and to correlate with clinicopathologic factors in gastric cancer patients. But, in order to use serum PG found in a health checkup for gastric cancer as a clinical application a large scale study is recommended.
Adenocarcinoma ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; Humans ; Intestinal Neoplasms ; Mass Screening ; Pepsinogen A ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stomach Neoplasms

PURPOSE: There has been much reported data showing that breast reconstruction surgery does not result in reduced patient survival if the accepted principles of cancer surgery are closely followed. The proper reconstructive technique can be selected according to diverse factors, but breast size and the site of tumor are mostly important. The latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap (LDMCF) is one of the most commonly used techniques for early breast cancer patients who have small breasts. But, it has difficulties for supplying enough tissues to the widely excised tumor site. Especially for ptosis patients, reduction mammoplasty by itself is not enough to achieve symmetry of the breast. We suggest that the pectoralis major myomammary flap (PMMF) is a useful technique for the patients with ptosis. METHODS: Seventeen patients with ptosis were treated with breast conserving surgery with PMMF reconstruction. A quadrantectomy rather than lumpectomy was performed through a planned skin incision, and axillary lymph node dissection was performed according to the results of sentinel lymph node biopsy. The PMMF is carefully harvested without perforating branch injury to the internal thoracic artery. Reconstruction was done via the PMMF through the medial tunnel between both breasts. RESULTS: Among the seventeen patients, seroma occurred in two patients and no necrosis occurred at all. The cosmetic result was fair in 15 patients and poor in two patients, based on the four-point scoring system of breast cosmetics. CONCLUSION: After performing enough quadrantectomy to adhere to the accepted principles of cancer surgery, PMMF was quite useful to supply enough proper tissues for breast reconstructions, and especially for the ptosis patients.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cosmetics ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Mammaplasty ; Mammary Arteries ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Necrosis ; Nitriles ; Pyrethrins ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy ; Seroma ; Skin

We evaluated the effectiveness of Tc-99m labeled antigranulocyte antibody immunoscintigraphy in differentiating the causes of vertebral compression fracture. This study involved 16 patients with vertebral compression fracture; 8 were due to trauma or osteoporosis, 3 were due to metastasis and 5 were due to tuberculous spondylitis. We retrospectively analyzed the location and the extent of decreased tracer uptake in tomographic images of Tc-99m labeled antigranulocyte antibody immunoscintigraphy. Eight patients had a 16 vertebral compression fractures due to trauma or osteoporosis , three patients had a 3 vertebral compression fractures due to metastasis and 5 patients had a 6 vertebral compression fractures due to tuberculous spondylitis. Sixteen vertebral compression fractures by trauma or osteoporosis showed a normal tracer uptake in pedicle, laminar and spinous process, but there was noted with 6 decreased uptake, 8 absence of tracer uptake and 2 normal tracer uptake in the vertebral body. Two vertebral compression fractures by metastasis showed the absence of uptake in vertebral body, pedicle, laminar and spinous process, and one showed an absence of vertebral body and spinous process. Six vertebral compression fractures by tuberculous spondylitis showed the absence of uptake in six compression fractures, the absence of pedicle in five compression fractures. We concluded Tc-99m labeled antigranulocyte antibody immunoscintigraphy may be helpful to differentiate the causes of vertebral compression fractures.
Fractures, Compression* ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteoporosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Spondylitis

Background and Objectives: Few studies have been reported on the strains that cause postoperative infection after chronic otitis media (COM) surgery. This study examined the direction of empirical antibiotics selection for patients with postoperative infection.Subjects and Method This was a retrospective study of 33 patients who were admitted for antibiotics therapy after suffering intractable post-operative infection of COM surgery at Chonnam National University Hospital from 2011 to 2021. Demographic data and microbial culture results of pre-operation and post-operative infection, as well as selected antibiotics for different time periods were evaluated. Results: Most common pathologic organisms responsible for post-operative infection were Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (45.5%) and Ciprofloxacin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) (12.1%). Interestingly, there were only three cases where pre- and post-operative culture tests were the same, testing positive for two MRSA and one CRPA. The antibiotics selected as empirical antibiotics for postoperative infection were ceftazidime (48.5%) and vancomycin (27.3%). The rate of the cases where the selected empirical antibiotic was sensitive to the strain was 63.6%, and the rate of changing the antibiotics according to the microbial culture test result was 39.4%. Conclusion The strains cultured from the otorrhea of post-operatively infected patients had a very high ratio of drug-resistant strains and were different from the strains cultured from the otorrhea before surgery. Therefore, a microbial culture test is essential when an infection occurs after surgery, and regardless of the preoperative culture test results, patients with intractable postoperative infections should be treated with empirical vancomycin.

Objectives: . Endoscopic tympanoplasty (ET) provides minimally invasive transcanal access to the middle ear and improves middle ear visibility for the treatment of tympanic membrane (TM) perforations. However, the literature on surgical outcomes for large TM perforations is lacking and limited to small series. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical benefits of ET for large TM perforations. Methods: . This retrospective cohort study was conducted at nine tertiary referral hospitals in South Korea, where 252 patients who underwent ET as primary surgery from September 2019 to August 2021 were included. The outcome measures included the graft success rate and pre- and postoperative audiometric data. Results: . In 239 patients, the graft success rate of ET for large or subtotal perforations was 86.2% (206 patients), while the graft failure rate was 13.8% (33 patients). The graft failure rate was directly correlated with surgical techniques, including overlay and medial or lateral underlay tympanoplasty (P=0.027). Lateral underlay tympanoplasty showed the most favorable results. Sex, laterality, etiology, site and size of perforation, operation time, and graft materials did not vary significantly between the graft success and failure groups (P>0.05). The mean air-bone gap (ABG) improved significantly in both groups (graft success group: 10.0±0.6 dB and graft failure group: 7.7±0.3 dB; P<0.001). However, the ABG improvement did not significantly differ between the groups. Analysis of covariance revealed that the postoperative 500-Hz bone conduction threshold improved after successful ET (adjusted coefficient, –11.351; 95% confidence interval, –21.491 to –1.212; P=0.028). Conclusion . This study involved the largest population to date of large TM perforations treated by ET. The study findings suggest that ET is feasible and effective in treating large TM perforations.

Child ; Dental Arch ; Diagnosis ; Facial Asymmetry ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Jaw Relation Record ; Mandible ; Parents ; Splints ; Temporomandibular Joint

Esthesioneuroblastoma, Olfactory ; Humans ; Maxillary Sinus ; Nasal Cavity ; Neural Plate ; Olfactory Mucosa ; Radiotherapy

OBJECTIVE: The association between the connective tissue diseases and lung diseases is well established. DLCO and 99mTc-DTPA aerosol scintigraphy are used for evaluation of the alvelolar-capillary permeability. This study evaluated the changes in permeability of alveolar-capillary membrane and the utility of the 99mTc-DTPA aerosol clearance to detect lung involvement in patients with connective tissue diseases. METHODS: The patient group consisted of the patients with any proven connective tissue diseases (27 rheumatoid arthritis, 17 systemic lupus erythematosus, 7 other connective tissue diseases) and the control group consisted of healthy 12 persons. The patients and controls were non-smokers and had no concomitant diseases that could affect the result (diabetes, any lung diseases etc). Chest X-ray, spirometric measurements of lung volumes, flow idices, diffusing capacities and 99mTc-DTPA aerosol scintigraphy were performed in the patient group and control group. 99mTc-DTPA aerosol (1110 MBq) was used with the aero-vent jet nebulizer as a lung delivery system. Patients in sitting position inhaled for 5 minutes at normal tidal oral breathing, Scintigraphic data were recorded using the Picker Prism 2000 gamma cammera, 15 frames of the lung were obtained as the area of interest anteriorly and posteriorly (120 msec at each frame, for 30 minutes). 99mTc-DTPA clearance rate was calculated as the time to half clearance (T1/2). RESULTS: The mean clearance rates of 99mTc-DTPA were 64.0+/-24.1 min (RA 70.7+/-26.2 min, SLE 61.6+/-14.0 min, Others 43.9+/-24.7 min), and 47.0+/-10.3 min in the patient group and the control group respectively. Significant correlation was not found between the pulmonary clearance rate of 99mTc-DTPA and other parameters (disease duration, ESR, CRP, DLCO and FEV1/FVC). CONCLUSION: 99mTc-DTPA clearance in the patient group (RA, SLE, others) was significantly decreased than that in control group (p<0.05). In the patient group with normal chest X-ray, 99mTc-DTPA clearance in the connective tissue disorders was significantly decreased than control group (p<0.05). We suggest that 99mTc-DTPA aerosol scintigraphy may be one of useful technique for early detection of the lung involvement in the connective tissue disorders.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Connective Tissue Diseases* ; Connective Tissue* ; Humans ; Lung Diseases ; Lung* ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Membranes ; Nebulizers and Vaporizers ; Permeability* ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Respiration ; Thorax