BACKGROUND: It has become generally accepted that cigarette smoking contributes to accelerated coronary and peripheral vascular disease, pulmonary fibrosis and periodontal disease. Moreover, it has been postulated that cigarette smoking causes skin-aging. Many of cutaneous manifestations of nicotine which is a major component of the particulate phase of tobacco smoke are related to its vasoconstrictive and thrombotic effects on the peripheral vascular system. How-ever, direct effect of nicotine on extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins including collagens is not well established. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of nicotine on type I collagen gene expression in cultured human skin fibroblasts. METHODS: After exposure to different doses of nicotine on cultured human skin fibroblasts, we examined the expressions of α1(I) procollagen gene and fibronectin gene by Northern blot analysis and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) assay with CAT construct containing the 3.5 kb COL1A2 promoter. RESULTS: In Northern blot hybridization, steady-state levels of α1(I) procollagen mRNA were decreased 0.8-fold at 1 µg/mL of nicotine, 0.5-fold at 10 µg/mL and 0.2-fold at 100 µg/mL, compared to untreated control. Those of fibronectin mRNA were decreased 0.9-fold, 0.7-fold, and 0.3-fold, respectively. In CAT assay, the relative COL1A2 CAT activity was 1.0 in the untreated control, 0.7 at a concentration of 1 µg/mL of nicotine, 0.5 at 10 µg/mL, and 0.3 at 100 µg/mL. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that nicotine is a down-regulator of collagen gene expression at transcriptional level in vitro. We speculate that nicotine may contribute to the skin-aging by modulation of extracellular matrix gene expression including collagen as well as by its vasoconstrictive and thrombotic effects.
Animals ; Blotting, Northern ; Cats ; Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase ; Collagen ; Collagen Type I ; Extracellular Matrix ; Fibroblasts* ; Fibronectins ; Gene Expression ; Humans* ; Nicotine* ; Periodontal Diseases ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; Procollagen ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Tobacco

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is the most prevalent T-cell-mediated inflammatory skin disease in humans. Numerous cytokines and adhesion molecules are expressed in the skin lesion of psoriasis such as TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, VCAM-1 and ICAM-1. All of them contain at least one binding site for the transcription factor NF-κB. TNF-α activates NF-κB and many other transcription factors. Thus, transcription and expression of many genes involved in the inflammatory process may be influenced by TNF-α. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to study the effect of synthetic double-stranded DNA with high affinity for the NF-κB binding site on the TNF-α induced proinflammatory cytokines and ICAM-1 gene expression in the HaCaT cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We examined whether inhibition of NF-κB activity by oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) decoy for NF-κB blocks TNF-α induced cytokines such as IL-la, IL-1 a, IL-6 and ICAM-1 expression with electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: In EMSA, TNF-α treatment (10 ng/ml) induced the activation of NF-κB. The NF-κB binding activity in the TNF-α treated HaCaT cells increased 5.0-fold compared to non-treated group. Next, we examined the effect of liposome mediated NF-κB decoy oligonucleotides (ODN) transfection. After transfection of the NF-κB decoy ODN, TNF-α increased NF-κB binding activity to 1.9-fold of non-treated group. Accordingly the transfection of NF-κB decoy ODN inhibited the TNF-α induced NF-κB binding activity up to 63%. RT-PCR analysis revealed that the transfection of NF-κB decoy ODN inhibited TNF-α induced cytokines and ICAM-1 mRNA expression. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our results suggest the potential utility of NF-κB decoy technique for biologic therapy of psoriasis.
Binding Sites ; Biological Therapy ; Cytokines ; DNA ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1* ; Interleukin-1 ; Interleukin-6 ; Liposomes ; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides ; Oligonucleotides ; Psoriasis ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Transcription Factors* ; Transfection ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1

No abstract available.
Granuloma* ; Leprosy, Lepromatous*

There has been a sharp increase in the number of obese people worldwide thanks to modern prosperity in accordance with rapid industrialization and economic development. Recently, bariatric surgery has been applied actively to extremely obese patients (BMI>35 kg/m2) and presented as an alternative solution to provide not only weight loss but also a treatment for metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most important diseases in morbidly obese patients, and many patients suffer from symptoms like epigastric pain, regurgitation, and dry cough. However, such symptoms are easy to be overlooked and studies on GERD are scarce in relation to bariatric surgery. In morbidly obese patients, high abdominal pressure leads to a pressure gradient between esophagus and stomach. This induces a hiatal hernia causing a greater likelihood of GERD. Many studies in regards to GERD were made after bariatric surgery (sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, and gastric band), and various results have been presented. Studies should be carried out on pre-operative diagnosis of GERD, choice of operative method, and improvement of symptoms after the operation. Research is also needed upon bariatric operation in patients with uncontrolled GERD.
Bariatric Surgery ; Cough ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Economic Development ; Esophagus ; Gastrectomy ; Gastric Bypass ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Hernia, Hiatal ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Metabolic Diseases ; Methods ; Obesity, Morbid* ; Stomach ; Weight Loss

No abstract available.
Anemia, Hypoplastic, Congenital*

BACKGROUND: The auditory evoked potential (AEP) index and bispectral (BIS) index have been proposed as methods to measure the depth of sedation. A prospective study was designed to assess the performance of both these methods for measuring the depth of sedation induced by propofol patient-controlled sedation (PCS) under spinal anesthesia. METHODS: Forty ASA I and II adult patients under spinal anesthesia using 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine were studied. Group 1 (10 mg bolus, 30 mg loading) and Group 2 (20 mg bolus, 60 mg loading) received propofol and maintained PCS with 1min lockout interval and 100 mg/hr continuous infusion. AEP, BIS and Observer's assessment of alertness/sedation (OAA/S) scale were monitored during the operation. RESULTS: AEP and BIS decreased and increased following the changes on the patient's OAA/S scores and correlated with sedation significantly. There were no significant difference in mean AEP index (group 1; 13.4 +/- 8.4, group 2; 8.9 +/- 6.2), BIS index (group 1; 76.2 +/- 9.7, group 2; 71.2 +/- 9.8), and OAA/S scale (group 1; 3.8 +/- 1.3, group 2; 3.2 +/- 1.5) between the groups. Incidence of perioperative respiratory depression was significantly higher in group 2 (25%) than group 1 (5%), and incidence of involuntary movement was significantly higher in group 1 (20%) than group 2 (5%) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both AEP and BIS correlated well with the depth of sedation induced by propofol PCS under spinal anesthesia. AEP seems to be more valuable in measuring the change between consciousness and unconsciousness, and BIS seems to be more effective in measuring the depth of sedation.
Adult ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Bupivacaine ; Consciousness ; Dyskinesias ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Propofol* ; Prospective Studies ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Unconsciousness

OBJECTIVE: In order to investigate more accurate patterns of intrauterine growth in twin fetuses, we constructed the twin-specific growth curve based on gestational age in live-born non-anomalous infants. METHODS: 563 twin pairs, 1,126 infants delivered between January 1994 and October 1999 were comprised our study population. The newborns were grouped according to gestational age and the median, 10th, 50th, and 90th percentile birth weight for each gestational week were calculated. Curves were plotted for the general population and for each gender and parity and compared with previously reported singleton's growth curve. RESULTS: After 32 weeks gestation, birth weight of twins falls below that of singleton, so that by 38 weeks the 50th percentile for twins falls below the singleton 10th percentile. This difference was also present among all subgroups of twins, such as gender and parity. And the mean birth weight in male twin infant was heavier than in female twin infant throughout all gestational week. CONCLUSION: The pattern of growth in twin infants differed from those of singleton. We recommend twin-specific growth curve for clinical use in the management of twin gestations.
Birth Weight ; Female ; Fetus ; Gestational Age* ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Parity ; Pregnancy ; Twins*

We report a case of zosteriform cutaneous metastasis from breast cancer in a 62-year-old female patient who had painful confluent hard papules over left side of chest. Histopathologic examinations of the cutaneous lesion revealed neoplastic cell, which showing glandular structure and multifocal tumor emboli within dilated lymphatics, infiltrating in the dermis. She was treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Breast Neoplasms ; Dermis ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Radiotherapy ; Thorax

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) provides high resolution images, which are useful in studying ultrastructure of cells and tissues. We have to use very thin section about 60~100 nm thickness due to poor penetration power of the conventional TEM at 100 kV. To overcome this limitation, TEMs using higher accelerating voltage have been developed. TEMs can be categorized into conventional TEM, intermediate TEM, high voltage TEM (HVEM), and ultrahigh voltage TEM according to their accelerating voltage. HVEM using 500~1,000 kV has an enough penetration power to observe thick specimen up to 3~4 micro, which is useful understanding 3 dimensional configuration of the cell and tissue. HVEM was built up in Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI, Daejeon, Korea) at 2004, maximum accelerating voltage is 1.3 MV in Korea. Many results showed up to the present various fields of science such as medical science, biology, agriculture and so on. Here, we briefly summarize recent biomedical applications of HVEM to provide an insight of HVEM for morphologist.
Agriculture ; Biology ; Electrons ; Korea ; Microscopy, Electron ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission

Purpose: This study aims to verify the preoperative factor that can affect the footprint coverage during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair in full-thickness medium-size cuff tear and the change of footprint coverage on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at postoperative 6 months. Methods: A total of 30 medium-size full-thickness rotator cuff tears were analyzed. They were classified into complete footprint coverage group (CC, n=19) and incomplete footprint coverage group (IC, n=11) by arthroscopic findings and immediate postoperative MRI findings. MRI was performed before the operation, 1 day after the operation, and 6 months after the operation. Preoperative MRI evaluated the size of the anteroposterior tear width (cm), length of retraction (cm), fatty infiltration, and muscle atrophy. Postoperatively, footprint coverage, fatty degeneration, and muscle atrophy were evaluated. We compared healing and change of fatty degeneration between two groups. Results: The healing rate was significantly increased in the CC group (complete/partial healing, 10/9) compared to the IC group (complete/partial healing, 6/5) (p＜ 0.001). Six of 11 partial coverages (54.5%) were even improved to complete coverage at postoperative 6-month follow-up. However, the difference in footprint coverage did not affect the change of fatty degeneration at postoperative 6 months. Any change of fatty degeneration (FD) and initial FD of rotator cuff tendons were not correlated with healing (p＜ 0.05). Conclusion The footprint coverage can be changed in postoperative 6 months in MRI and anteroposterior tear size, retraction, fat degeneration, and muscle atrophy do not affect footprint coverage in medium-sized full-thickness rotator cuff tears.