No abstract available.
Electrophoresis*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of chronic deprivation of estradiol on the serotonin level in Sprague-Dawley rat's cerebral cortex and hippocampus. METHODS: One hundred of female Sprague-Dawley rats were taken care for seven to eight weeks, then they were randomly assigned into two group; fifty rats underwent bilateral oophorectomy & the remaining rats were the control group. Six months after oophorectomy, brain tissue was extracted from cerebral cortex and hippocampus and then homogenated: this was done in the both groups. The upper layer of the homogenated substance was taken and frozen and finally dried up. The next process was marking with PITC, quantification through HPLC and comparing with authentic serotonin. Protein quantity was measured by using Bradford method. RESULTS: Comparison between the bilateral oophorectomy group and the control group for serotonin content in the cerebral cortex was 134.2+/-14.3 nmol/mg protein(mean+/-SEM) and 122.5+/-11.6 nmol/mg protein in each group. As for the serotonin content in the hippocampus was 148.8+/-13.9 nmol/mg protein and 132.9+/-13.7 nmol/mg protein in each group. It shows that, there was no significant difference in the serotonin level, in the two areas mentioned above. CONCLUSION: The effect of estradiol on the serotonin level may be dependent on the hormonal change duration. Chronic effect of hypoestrogenism might have no effect on tryptophan hydroxylase and monoamine oxidase, thus not changin the serotonin level. These data supported the previous findings that chronic hypoestrogenism had no effect on serotonin level.
Animals ; Brain ; Cerebral Cortex* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Estradiol ; Female ; Female* ; Hippocampus* ; Humans ; Monoamine Oxidase ; Ovariectomy* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley* ; Serotonin* ; Tryptophan Hydroxylase

No abstract available.
Adolescent* ; Humans ; Love*

The diagnosis of carcinoma in situ of urinary bladder is difficult in that the symptoms and cystoscopic findings are nonspecific. The cytology of urine could be helpful for diagnosis of carcinoma in situ of urinary bladder. We present a case of bladder washing cytology of carcinoma in situ. A 54 year old man presented with dysuria for 1 year. Cystoscopic findings revealed multifocal reddish trabeculated lesions. The bladder washing cytology revealed rather uniform tumor cells which were singly scattered or forming syncytium in the clean background. The nuclei were round to oval with inconspicious nucleoli. The cystoscopic biopsy revealed typical histologic features of carcinoma in situ of urinary bladder.
Biopsy ; Carcinoma in Situ* ; Diagnosis ; Dysuria ; Giant Cells ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Urinary Bladder*

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between the clinical response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and PCNA and VEGF protein expression, apoptosis and its related gene expression such as Bcl-2 and Bax in cervical cancer. We retrospectively reviewed 30 patients with locally advanced or bulky cervical cancer treated with three courses of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical hysterectomy or radiation therapy at Seoul National University Hospital from June 1995 to June 1998. The specimen were obtained before chemotherapy by colposcopy directed biopsy. The protein expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, VEGF and PCNA were examined by immunohisto- chemical staining and the apoptosis was examined by TUNEL staining. These results were compared with chemotherapeutical response which was evaluated by colposcopy or CT/MRI. There were 2 CR(complete response), 19 PR(partial response) and 9 NC(no change) and there was no progressive disease. There was no significant difference between responder and nonresponder according to the age, tumor size and FIGO stage. The 3 year survival rates of responder and nonresponder were 90.0% and 66.7% respectively and there was significant difference between two groups(p=0,015). The expression of Bcl-2 and Bax was positive in 23.3%(7/30) and 46.7%(14/30). The expression of VEGF was positive in 83.3%(25/30). PCNA PI(positive index), defined as PCNA positive cells in percentage was more than 25.0% in 20 cases. Apoptotic index, defined as the number of the cells undergoing apoptosis per 1,000 tumor cells, ranged from 3 to 53(mean 22.3). Although there was no significant relationship between the clinical response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the expre- ssion of Bcl-2, Bax, VEGF and PCNA PI, apoptotic index was significantly higher in responder than nonresponder when the cutoff value of positive was defined as apoptotic index more than 5(p=0.032). In conclusion, the evaluation of the pattern of apoptosis before neoadjuvant chemothera- py is potentially useful for the prediction ofz tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for cervical cancer.
Apoptosis* ; Biopsy ; Colposcopy ; Drug Therapy* ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen* ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Survival Rate ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

Differentiation between benign and malignant hepatic lesions was attempted according to the shape of the lesion, internal architecture and characteristics of signal intensity on MR images. MR images. We retrospectively analyzed 20 cases of hemangiomas, 12 cases of hepatomas and 5 cases of cysts which were diagnosed by clinical, radiological and surgical methods (33 patients). On T1-weighted, proton weighted, and T2-weighted images, most hemangiomas (70%) and cysts (100%) had smooth margin and were round or oval in shape, while hepatocellular carcinomas had irregular (67%) or lobulated (33%) borders. Ninety percent of hemangiomas and 100% of cysts had homogeneous signal intensity, but 67% of hepatocellular carcinomas were inhomogeneous. Signal intensities of hepatocellular carcinomas were more variable. However, hemangionmas were isointense or hyperintense on proton weighted images, and markedly hyperintense on T2-weighted images . In conclusion, inhomogenous, irregular border, and variable signal intensity lesions had high likelihood of malignancy, while homogenous and markedly hyperintense lesions were more likely benign.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Diagnosis* ; Hemangioma ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Protons ; Retrospective Studies

Differentiation between benign and malignant hepatic lesions was attempted according to the shape of the lesion, internal architecture and characteristics of signal intensity on MR images. MR images. We retrospectively analyzed 20 cases of hemangiomas, 12 cases of hepatomas and 5 cases of cysts which were diagnosed by clinical, radiological and surgical methods (33 patients). On T1-weighted, proton weighted, and T2-weighted images, most hemangiomas (70%) and cysts (100%) had smooth margin and were round or oval in shape, while hepatocellular carcinomas had irregular (67%) or lobulated (33%) borders. Ninety percent of hemangiomas and 100% of cysts had homogeneous signal intensity, but 67% of hepatocellular carcinomas were inhomogeneous. Signal intensities of hepatocellular carcinomas were more variable. However, hemangionmas were isointense or hyperintense on proton weighted images, and markedly hyperintense on T2-weighted images . In conclusion, inhomogenous, irregular border, and variable signal intensity lesions had high likelihood of malignancy, while homogenous and markedly hyperintense lesions were more likely benign.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Diagnosis* ; Hemangioma ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Protons ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Dacarbazine*

PURPOSE: Alterations in cerebral blood flow are very important for understanding the neurological consequences of all varieties of perinatal asphyxia. The purpose of this study is to measure the change of cerebral blood flow velocity and resistance index (RI) of middle cerebral artery (MCA) according to the time in asphyxiated infants. METHODS: We studied 7 asphyxiated term infant and 27 normal term infant who were born at Ewha Womans University Hospital from January 1996 to August 1997. Using the Doppler ultrasound, we examined blood flow velocity and RI of the middle cerebral artery. RESULTS: Clinical characteristics were not significantly different in both groups. Peak systolic flow velocity (PSFV) in asphyxiated infants significantly decreased than control (P<0.05). End diastolic flow velocity (EDFV) was not significantly different in both groups. RI in asphyxiated infants significantly decreased for 24 hours (P<0.05). No control infant ever had a RI value of 0.55 or below, three (42.9%) asphyxiated infants had a RI value of 0.55 or below. The changes of the systemic BP and heart rate were not significant. Two (28.6%) asphyxiated infants were proven periventricular white matter ischemia by ultrasonography. CONCLUSION: It is therefore very important to monitor RI in asphyxiated infants even if the degree of asphyxia is mild.
Asphyxia ; Blood Flow Velocity* ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Infant* ; Ischemia ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: Alterations in cerebral blood flow are very important for understanding the neurological consequences of all varieties of perinatal asphyxia. The purpose of this study is to measure the change of cerebral blood flow velocity and resistance index (RI) of middle cerebral artery (MCA) according to the time in asphyxiated infants. METHODS: We studied 7 asphyxiated term infant and 27 normal term infant who were born at Ewha Womans University Hospital from January 1996 to August 1997. Using the Doppler ultrasound, we examined blood flow velocity and RI of the middle cerebral artery. RESULTS: Clinical characteristics were not significantly different in both groups. Peak systolic flow velocity (PSFV) in asphyxiated infants significantly decreased than control (P<0.05). End diastolic flow velocity (EDFV) was not significantly different in both groups. RI in asphyxiated infants significantly decreased for 24 hours (P<0.05). No control infant ever had a RI value of 0.55 or below, three (42.9%) asphyxiated infants had a RI value of 0.55 or below. The changes of the systemic BP and heart rate were not significant. Two (28.6%) asphyxiated infants were proven periventricular white matter ischemia by ultrasonography. CONCLUSION: It is therefore very important to monitor RI in asphyxiated infants even if the degree of asphyxia is mild.
Asphyxia ; Blood Flow Velocity* ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Infant* ; Ischemia ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Ultrasonography