The aim of this study was to assess the effect of 6-week vegetable juice supplementation (360 ml/day) on serum lipid profiles and antioxidant activity in college women. Twenty women (mean age: 21) with normal life style and dietary pattern and who are free of any specific diseases were recruited among the student in S women's university. The subjects consumed vegetable juice to take part in an uncontrolled clinical trial for a 6-week intervention period. While there was no difference in the concentration of total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol, serum concentrations of TG and HDL/LDL ratio were significantly reduced by 22% (p = 0.013) and 6% (p = 0.007) respectively. Significant decrease in malondialdehyde (p = 0.000) was accompanied by an increase in the activity of serum antioxidant enzymes, such as GSHPx (p = 0.000), SOD (p = 0.007). It was also found that total antioxidant status was improved by 5.4% (p = 0.009). Serum parameters were all changed without affecting body mass index, waist and hip circumferences, or nutrient intakes after six week of supplementation. This study demonstrated that the supplementation regular meals with vegetable juice can favorably affect serum lipid profiles and antioxidant systems, and hence could contribute to reduce the risks of chronic diseases in college women.
Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Hip ; Humans ; Life Style ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Malondialdehyde ; Meals ; Vegetables*

No abstract available.
Blood Pressure*

PURPOSE: To determine the side effects of short-term high-dose methylprednisolone therapy (pulse methylprednisolone therapy), which was used to treat patients with optic neuritis, traumatic optic neuropathy, orbital pseudotumor, and orbital myositis. METHODS: All 27 patients treated with pulse methylprednisolone therapy from June 2005 to June 2006 were included in this study. Each patient was injected with 1 g per day of methylprednisolone intravenously, administered in 250 mg doses every 6 hours, for 3 days. We measured body mass index (BMI), fasting glucose, HbA1c, blood pressure, and intraocular pressure. In addition, we performed slit lamp examination and chest X-ray. RESULTS: The average age of the 27 patients was 35.8 years, including 16 males and 11 females. Thirteen patients had optic neuritis, 10 patients had traumatic optic neuropathy, 3 patients had orbital pseudotumors, and 1 patient had orbital myositis. Before treatment, the average of body mass index (BMI) was 23.09 (kg/m2), but at 3 months after treatment it was 23.73 (kg/m2). All patients had fasting glucose levels higher than the normal range during the treatment. However, all fasting glucose levels returned to within the normal range at 3 months after treatment, except in 1 patient. In addition, a major complaint among patients was an increase in body weight. CONCLUSIONS: We performed a close observation of controlled diet and exercise on patients who were treated with pulse methylprednisolone therapy because we knew it would have a hyperglycemic effect. An increase in body weight is the most common complaint of steroid therapy. Even after treatment is completed, it is important to monitor glucose level and weight.
Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Diet ; Eye ; Eye Diseases ; Fasting ; Female ; Glucose ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Male ; Methylprednisolone ; Optic Nerve Injuries ; Optic Neuritis ; Orbit ; Orbital Myositis ; Orbital Pseudotumor ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Reference Values ; Thorax

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant* ; Streptococcal Infections*

Various cancer types have been associated with cancer-related cerebral infarction. In this study, we describe the first case of cancer-related cerebral infarction in which the underlying disease was primary bone marrow lymphoma (PBML). A 79-year-old man presented with abruptly developed bilateral lower extremity weakness and confusion. Diffusion-weighted imaging on admission showed multiple cortical and subcortical embolic infarction lesions in multiple vascular territories. Diagnostic evaluations to determine the embolic source revealed no abnormalities. Laboratory testing demonstrated elevated D-dimer (2.59 μg/mL) but no other prothrombotic abnormalities. In suspicion of cancer-related stroke, we performed chest CT, abdomen CT, and FDG-PET to detect the hidden malignancy. Findings revealed no evidence of cancer; however, they did reveal signs of anemia (hemoglobin 9.0 g/dL). Bone marrow aspiration biopsy showed large atypical B cell involvement suggestive of high-grade B cell lymphoma. The patient was diagnosed with primary bone marrow diffuse large B-cell lymphoma initially presenting with ischemic stroke. Our case suggests that primary bone marrow cancer may be a candidate for the differential diagnosis of hidden malignancy in patients with suspected cancer-related stroke. Bone marrow biopsy may be essential for establishing an appropriate differential diagnosis in patients with abnormal hematologic findings.

OBJECTIVE: The ovarian cycle is characterized by repeating patterns of cellular proliferation and differentiation that accompany follicular development and the formation and regression of the corpus luteum (CL). That angiogenesis may play an important role in this process. Angiogenesis is supposed to be regulated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The goal of the present investigation, therefore, was to determine whether the expression of VEGF was changed in the normally cycling human ovary. We also investigated VEGF expression in the regressed CL (ie, nonfunctiong CL) of normal term pregnancy to define the association with steroidogenic activity. To our knowledge there is no report available on VEGF expression in the CL of term pregnancy. METHODS: We assessed VEGF expression in ovaries obtained from, 26-42 yr of age, and from patients undergoing hysterectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy for nonendocrinological or nonovarian disorders. Tissue samples from premenopausal women included specimens from follicular (n=4) and luteal (n 4) phases. In addition, we studied ovarian specimens from pregnant women (n=3). Immunohistochemical analysis for VEGF was performed using a rabbit polyclonal antibody directed against human VEGF. RESULTS: These data demonstrate a development-related VEGF expression in the follicle and indirectly show that VEGF expression may be up to the existence of LH-receptor. And also, VEGF was overexpressed in the regressed CL of pregnant women compared with the functioning CL of nonpregnant cycles CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the intensity of VEGF expression is not correlated with steroidogenic activity, although both of them are stimulated by LH.
Cell Proliferation ; Corpus Luteum ; Female ; Humans* ; Hysterectomy ; Menstrual Cycle ; Ovarian Follicle ; Ovary* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

To overcome the difficulty of controlling stem cell fate and function in applications to regenerative medicine, a number of alternative approaches have been made. Recent reports demonstrate that a non-cellular niche modulating the biophysical microenvironment with chemical factors can support stem cell self-renewal. In our previous studies, early establishment was executed to optimize biophysical factors and it was subsequently found that the microgeometry of the extracellular matrix made huge differences in stem cell behavior and phenotype. We review here a three-dimensional, non-cellular niche designed to support stem cell self-renewal. The characteristics of stem cells under the designed system are further discussed.
Extracellular Matrix ; Phenotype ; Regenerative Medicine ; Stem Cells

BACKGROUND: All medical conduct should be practiced under the permission of patients or guardians. Because anesthetic procedures have high risk, every anesthesia practice is done under verbal and/or written consent. However, collecting anesthetic permission is not common in Korean medical anesthesiologists. The purpose of this article is to survey current anesthetic status and to provide some suggestions. METHODS: We had given questionnaire sheet to anesthesiologists participating in an annual meeting of the Korean Society of anesthesiologists. It included the percentage of receiving the anesthetic consent, the reasons why they received the informed consent or not, and the conditions to improve to receive it. RESULTS: The total number of responded anesthesiologists was 187. More than half of the responders had received the informed consents from less than 25% of their patients. And only thirty percent of them had taken the consents from more than 75% of their patients. To increase this rate, they replied, it is needed to strengthen the legal validity of the consent and to improve working conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of receiving the informed consent is very low for the anesthesia practice in Korea. There are some procedures that are needed to improve the current situation so that anesthesiologists can provide better quality to the patients.
Anesthesia* ; Humans ; Informed Consent* ; Jurisprudence ; Korea* ; Patient Rights

BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of warts is known to be a relatively effective and safe cure. However, the pain, which occurs during being exposed to a light source and after its exposure, is being reported to be the most frequent and serious limitation in this therapy. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to examine whether the level of pain can be lowered, by comparing EMLA(R), which is a topical anesthesia, with placebo, during topical ALA-PDT, and to try to compare the range and characteristics in pain. METHODS: Twenty two patients with common warts were treated with ALA-PDT twice in the interval of 4 weeks, and were divided into two groups by the random distribution table. The distribution was made so that the patients, who used EMLA(R) as the topical anesthesia given at the first visit, could use a placebo at the second visit, and so that the patients who used placebo at the first visit, could use EMLA(R) at the second visit. Thus, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study was carried out. The pain was evaluated during the treatment, right after the treatment, and one day after the treatment by using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Also four different ranges of the pain and its six characteristics were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 22 patients with common warts who underwent this study. 1 patient, was completely cured after the first visit, and did not participate further in the study. The data of the patients with complete recovery wasn't included in the final statistical analysis. As a result of the evaluation of pain, the mean VAS score that was measured during the treatment, right after the treatment, and one day after the treatment was measured to be a little lower in the case of applying EMLA(R) versus placebo, but a statistically significant difference was not observed. Regarding the degree of pain, regardless of applying EMLA(R), most patients felt painful locally on the surface, and the majority complained of burning and shooting pain. CONCLUSION: Dermatologists tend to routinely apply EMLA(R), prior to a procedure in order to decrease pain. However, as a result of this research, the routine use of EMLA(R) given at PDT is thought to be unreasonable.
Anesthesia ; Burns ; Cross-Over Studies ; Humans ; Light ; Photochemotherapy ; Triazenes ; Warts

BACKGROUND: Nitrous oxide concentration is easily controlled by respiratory ventilation. It suppresses bone marrow via the inhibition of thymidylate synthesis. The aim of this work was to determine the optimal pressure and exposure duration of nitrous oxide, as well as methotrexate concentration that maximizes the suppression of 4 cancer cells: CCRF-CEM, K562, A549 and MDA-MB-231. METHODS: Each cancer cell was cultured in a hyperbaric chamber at 1, 2 and 3 atmosphere of 74% nitrous oxide for 24, 48, and 72 hours at 0, 0.3, 0.7, 1, 2, 5 and 10 microM methotrexate (MTX), respectively. The results were expressed in the ratio of the number of cancer cells cultured under specific conditions (S cells) to that under normal conditions (N cells). RESULTS: The S/N ratio of CCRF-CEM cells was 87.4% in 24-hour culture, 95.0% in 48-hour culture and 115.9% in 72-hour culture (P < 0.05). The S/N ratio of K562 cells was 103.6% at 1 atm, 102.4% at 2 atm and 115.6% at 3 atm (P < 0.05). The S/N ratio of A549 cells was 94.3% at 1 atm, 94.1% at 2 atm, 99.3% at 3 atm, 96.2% in 24-hour culture, 99.2% in 48-hour culture and 99.3% in 72-hour culture (P > 0.05). However, the S/N ratio of MDA-MB 231 cells was 66.9% in 24-hour culture, 83.1% in 48 hour culture and 87.8% in 72-hour culture (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Only the growth of the MDA-MB-231 cells was significantly reduced after a longer exposure time to nitrous oxide, but those of the other cells were not.
Atmosphere ; Bone Marrow ; K562 Cells ; Methotrexate ; Nitrous Oxide ; Ventilation