BACKGROUND: There is considerable experimental evidence to indicate that tumor growth is dependent on angiogenesis. To investigate how tumor angiogenesis correlates with clinical factors and prognosis in breast carcinoma, we counted microvessels (capillaries and venules) and graded the density of micro vessels within the invasive ductal carcinomas of 59 patients. METHODS: Using light microscopy, we highlighted the vessels by staining their endothelial cells immu nohistochemically for rabbit antihuman factor-VIII related antigen (Dako L1809, USA). The microvessels were carefully counted (per 200 field) in the most active areas of neovascularization without knowledge of either the outcome in the patient or the clinical variables. RESULTS: The mean age was 47.8 years. There was no statistical correlation between angiogenesis and either estrogen receptor status or age. However, there was a statistical correlation with tumor size (p< or =0.05). There was a statistical difference between lymph-node-metastasis positive group and negative group (p= 0.006). Angiogenesis correlated statistically with TMN stage (microvessels count:stage I= 31.27, stage II= 40.74, and stage III= 78.9)(p= 0.001). There was a statistical correction between angiogenesis and follow-up results (microvessels counts:disease free group= 42.11, living metastatic group= 63.64, and expired group= 73.60)(p= 0.031). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the degree of angiogenesis (the number of microvessels per 200 field in the area of most intensive neovascularization) may have a predictive value in invasive breast carci nomas. Therefore, assessment of tumor angiogenesis may give us useful information for selecting thera peutic and follow-up plan for patients with breast carcinomas.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Endothelial Cells ; Estrogens ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Microscopy ; Microvessels ; Noma ; Prognosis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Experimental studies using porcine non- heart beating donors to ameliorate graft injuries in liver transplantation has been conducted. Recently, it has been reported that cellular calcium may have an important role in ischemic injury, which consists of damage during ischemia and impairment at the time of reperfusion. therefore, it is possible that calcium channel blocker might prevent warm ischemic injury of the graft in liver transplantation when administered to the donor before harvesting and to the recipient at reperfusion. the purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect of a calcium channel blocker diltiazem (DTZ) on hepatic ischemic injury using a porcine model. METHODS: Twenty pigs weighing 20 to 30 kg were enrolled in this study. Cardiac death was induced by direct cardiac injection of potassium chloride. The perfusion of UW (University of Wisconsin) solution started after 30 min of cardiac arrest. Orthotopic liver transplantation was perforated. Group A (experimental group) was administrated of DTZ at a dose of 70microgram/kg bolus iv injection before hepatic ischemia, perfused of 70microgram/L in UW solution and thereafter infused continuously 70microgram/L in 5% dextrose solution. RESULTS: Two ones death occurred among the ten transplant pigs. 24 hour survival rates were 80%. DTZ administrated group showed the hepatic blood flow and arterial ketone body ratio better compared with untreated controls (p<0.05). In addition, the increase of plasma lactate level was suppressed after ischemia (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that DTZ has a protective effect on ischemic induced hepatic damage and might be useful in the prevention of primary graft failure caused by warm ischemia in liver transplantation.
Calcium ; Calcium Channels ; Death ; Diltiazem ; Glucose ; Heart ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Lactic Acid ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Perfusion ; Plasma ; Potassium Chloride ; Reperfusion ; Survival Rate ; Swine ; Tissue Donors* ; Transplants ; Warm Ischemia

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a key molecule in the biosynthesis of prostaglandins, which are important inflammatory mediators in human airway inflammatory diseases. This study was designed to investigate the effects of several COX inhibitors on the interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta)-mediated COX-2 expression in human airway epithelial cells. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We observed the effects of anti-inflammatory drugs such as budesonide, triamcinolone, dexamethasone, NS-398, indomethacin, salicylate and resveratrol on the IL-1beta-induced COX-2 expression in cultured human airway NCI-H292 epithelial cells. The levels of COX-2 mRNA and COX-2 protein were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot. RESULTS: NS398, reveratrol and three corticosteroids strongly suppressed the IL-1beta-mediated COX-2 expression. However, indomethacin and salicylate did not inhibit or inhibited only weakly. CONCLUSION: The extent of IL-1beta-induced supression of COX-2 expression in the cultured human airway NCI-H292 epithelial cells depended on the kinds of anti-inflammatory drugs.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Blotting, Western ; Budesonide ; Cyclooxygenase 2* ; Dexamethasone ; Epithelial Cells* ; Humans* ; Indomethacin ; Interleukin-1* ; Interleukin-1beta ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases ; Prostaglandins ; RNA, Messenger ; Triamcinolone

Sinonasal Undifferentiated Carcinoma (SNUC) is a very rare, highly aggressive malignant tumor of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. SNUC tends to present with advanced-stage disease, often with intracranial invasion. It requires an aggressive multimodality therapy that includes surgical resection. A cure rate of less than 20% is generally reported in the literature, with most patients dying within 1 year of onset of the disease. Three patients diagnosed as SNUC were treated at the Yeungnam University Medical Center between the years 2000 and 2003 were analyzed retrospectively. All patients presented with the disease very advanced. The three cases were given chemotherapy or chemotherapy with radiotherapy. Two patients died of the disease, surviving only 6 and 11 months following treatment, respectively. We did a follow-up on just the one remaining case with incomplete controlled disease for 27 months. The overall prognosis of SNUC is very poor. We consider that more intensive multimodality therapies are recommended for all patients with SNUC.
Academic Medical Centers ; Carcinoma* ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Nasal Cavity ; Paranasal Sinuses ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Vasointestinal peptide (VIP) is an important neurotransmitter involved in the regulation of mucus secretion, but the relationship of VIP and mucin genes is not clear. This study was designed to investigate the effect of VIP on MUC2/5AC genes expression and mucin secretion in human airway epithelial cells. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The mRNA levels of MUC2/5AC genes and mucin secretion were determined by RT-PCR and the immunoblot method in cultured human airway NCI-H292 epithelial cells. RESULTS: VIP (10-6-10-10 M) induced MUC2/5AC gene expression and mucin secretion in a reverse dose-dependant manner. The maximum expression of mRNA and mucin secretion level of MUC2/5AC was 10-10 M of VIP. Actinomycin D inhibited the VIP-mediated MUC2/5AC gene expression and mucin secretion, but cycloheximide did not. Budesonide attenuated the VIP-mediated MUC2/5AC genes expression and mucin secretion. RU-486, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, restored the inhibitory effect of budesonide. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that VIP regulates MUC2/5AC gene expression and secret mucin by transcriptional regulation, and that budesonide inhibits the VIP-mediated MUC2/5AC genes expression and mucin secretion through the glucocorticoid receptor.
Budesonide ; Cycloheximide ; Dactinomycin ; Epithelial Cells* ; Gene Expression ; Humans* ; Mifepristone ; Mucins ; Mucus ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid ; RNA, Messenger ; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In this study, we evaluated the effect of bimodal hearing in the speech perception test and the increasing level of bimodal hearing over cochlear implantation in speech perception score regarding residual hearing. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Nineteen prelingually deaf patients, who had used bimodal hearing over a period of 8 months, were divided in two groups in accordance to their low frequency residual hearing. The children were tested in open-set speech perception under +10 SNR and +20 SNR. The scores of bimodal hearing and unilateral cochlear implantation were compared by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Also, the increased level of speech perception scores of bimodal hearing over cochlear implantation alone were calculated using the formula, [bimodal score (%)-unilateral cochlear implantation (%)], and was compared between groups. RESULTS: In pure tone audiometry under silent condition, the result of bimodal hearing was similar to unilateral cochlear implantation in magnitude in both groups. Under the noisy condition, both groups had better result in bimodal hearing in terms of speech perception. Also, the increased level was higher in bimodal hearing over unilateral cochlear implantation in the better residual hearing group. However, since the sample size was small enough, it is considered that there was no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Cochlear implanted patients with residual hearing are expected to get better speech perception in noisy environment with bimodal hearing regardless of the level of residual hearing.
Audiometry ; Child ; Cochlear Implantation ; Cochlear Implants ; Hearing ; Hearing Aids ; Humans ; Sample Size ; Speech Perception

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Mucus hypersecretion is a hallmark of many respiratory inflammatory diseases such as asthma, bronchitis and sinusitis. While the current therapeutic pharmacological approaches to reducing mucus hypersecretion are limited, clinical studies have suggested that glucocorticoids reduce mucus secretion in patients with airway disease. However, the effect of glucocorticoids on mucus hypersecretion is not clear. Recently, we observed that IL-1beta induces MUC2 gene expression and mucin secretion in a previous experiment. This study was designed to investigate the effects of budesonide on the IL-1beta-mediated MUC2/5AC genes expression and mucin secretion. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We observed the steady state mRNA level of MUC2/5AC genes using RT-PCR and mucin protein using immunoassay method in cultured human airway NCI-H292 epithelial cells. RESULTS: Budesonide attenuated IL-1beta-mediated MUC2/5AC gene expression as well as mucin secretion. The attenuated effect of budesonide was in a dose-dependent pattern. This attenuated effect of budesonide was blocked by glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, RU-486. CONCLUSION: This result suggests that budesonide suppresses the IL-1beta-mediated MUC2/5AC genes expression and mucin secretion via blockage of glucocorticoid receptor.
Asthma ; Bronchitis ; Budesonide* ; Epithelial Cells* ; Gene Expression ; Glucocorticoids ; Humans* ; Immunoassay ; Interleukin-1beta ; Mifepristone ; Mucins* ; Mucus ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid ; RNA, Messenger ; Sinusitis