Effects of Ultratiolet (UV) light was studied in isolated thoracic aortae of rabbits and porcine coronary arteries. The following results were obtained. 1) Radiation of UV light did not affect both arterial rings in resting tension. 2) Both arterial preparations contracted with various vasoconstrictors (KCI,NE,PE,BayK 8644 and (+S202 etc.) were relaxed by UV light radiation in a radiation time-dependent fashion. 3) The magnitudes of the relaxation were not significantly different in both the rings with or without intact endothelium. 4) MB and LY markedldy reduced the UV light-induced relaxation in both the rings. 5) PP significantly attenuated the UV light-induced relaxation of rabbit thoracic aorta, but did not affect that of porcine coronary artery. 6) The UV Light-induced relaxation of porcine coronary artery was significantly attenuated by DT or NF, while that of rabbit thoracic aorta was not. 7) (+)S202 significantly potentiated the UV light-induced relaxation of porcine coronary artery contracted with KCI or Hist. Above results suggest that the UV light-induced relaxation of vascular smooth muscles is independent on the endothelium, and the relaxation results from primarily activation of guanylyl cyclase and is in part related to adenylyl cyclase and calcium metabolism. In adddition, a dihydropyridine calcium agonist, (+)S202, may sensitize vascular smooth muscle to the relaxing effect of UV light through some unknown mechanism.
Adenylyl Cyclases ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Calcium* ; Coronary Vessels ; Endothelium ; Guanylate Cyclase ; Metabolism ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Rabbits ; Relaxation* ; Ultraviolet Rays ; Vasoconstrictor Agents

Higt energy electron beam therapy is a method which is used for the treatment of superficial tumors (less than 5 cm deep) with a characteristically sharp drop-off in dose beyond the tumor. This method offers distinct advantages in dose uniformity and in minimizing the dose to deeper tissues. We report herein three cases of epithelial skin cancer treated with high energy electron beam. The first patient was a 79-year-old male who had primary basal cell carcinoma(BCC) on the right lateral canthus. The second patient was a 67-year-old male who had recurreiit BCC on the right cheek. Both of them received electron beam therapy on the lesion and there were no clinical relapse signs over 1 year. The third patient was a 46-year-old male who had squamous cells, carcinoma on the lower lip. He also received electron beam therapy on the lesion, but it recurred.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cheek ; Humans ; Lip ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Skin Neoplasms* ; Skin*

Small cell carcinoma of the ovary has been identified as a specific histopathologic entity. The first II cases were reported by Dickersin et a1, 1982, Since then only 80 cases were reported in literature. This rare and highly aggresive melignancy primarily affeets ehildren and young women(10-40) and grows rapidly, with hypercalcemia occuring frequently. Abscence of effective treatment results in early mortality. Recently we have experienced one case of primary sma11 cell carcinoma of the ovary, which is presented with a brief review of the literature.
Carcinoma, Small Cell* ; Female ; Hypercalcemia ; Mortality ; Ovary*

Metastatic brain parenchymal tumors are among the most important cause of death in patients with cancer, but many physicians didn't have any efforts to treat of metastatic tumors because of their poor responses of treatment. With the recent development of MR techniques, we could diagnose and treat them earlier. Recently many reports for prognostic factors of metastatic brain parenchymal tumors led to assume a more active attitude toward the diagnosis and treatment. We analysed 250 cases of metastatic brain parenchymal tumors diagnosed with the brain CT scan or MRI scan at Yonsei University, Severance Hospital from January, 1992 to December, 1995 and following results were obtained. 1. Metastatic brain parenchymal tumors are found in 254 cases(38.5%) of all intracranial neoplasms. 2. The most common primary tumor is lung cancer(154 cases, 61.6%) followed by breast cancer (30 cases, 12%), GI cancer (15 cases, 5.6%) in the order and melanoma (11.9%), rectal cancer (11.3%), lung cancer (8.6%) exhibit relatively high rate of intraparenchymal metastasis in the order. 3. The most common presenting symptom and sign is headache(52.8%) followed by motor deficit (32.4%), nausea and vomiting(21.6%). 4. Metastatic brain parenchymal tumors are detected simultaneously (73 cases, 28.8%), precociously (9 cases, 3.6%), after (153 cases, 61.2%) diagnosis of the primary tumor. Interval between the diagnosis of primary tumor and development of intracerebral metastasis is short in lung cancer (15.2 month) and long in breast cancer (43.1 month), nasopharyngeal cancer (51 month). In radiologic findings, the lesions were located in supratentorial areas in 186 cases, and in infratentorial in 36 cases. Ring type(63.6%) in enhancement is more than nodular type (33.2%). 5. Hemorrhages are found in 15 cases (7.6%) and calcifications in 2 cases. Density of lesions are hypodense(72.8%) than hyperdense on CT scan and high signal intensity in T1, or T2 weighted image of MRI are 66.7% and 88.9%. 6. Treatments for metastatic brain parenchymal tumors are conventional adiation therapy(165 cases, 66%), surgery(22 cases, 8.8%), gamma knife surgery (19 cases, 7.6%) in the order and there were 36 cases(14.4%) who didn't have any treatment. There are 132 cases(58.2%) who alive and 118 cases(47.2%) who dead. 7. Good predilicting findings in prognosis of metastatic brain parenchymal tumors are single lesion and supratentorial location. However, there are no significant value between prognosis and interval primary-to-metastasis, age, type of primary cancer, type of presenting symptom, size of edema.
Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cause of Death ; Diagnosis ; Edema ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Melanoma ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; Nausea ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis* ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: The role of aging in damage to DNA have been of increasing in recent years. DNA damage correlated with biochemical and physiologic changes that are characteristic of cellular impairment in aging and disease. Reduction of oxygen in tissue produces a number of oxygen free radicals which may induce cellular damage and even cell death. Glutathione, its function in reductive processes that are essential for the synthesis (and the degradation) of proteins, formation of deoxyribonucleotide precursors of DNA, regulation of enzymes, and protection of the cell against reactive oxygen compounds and free radicals. The aim of this study was, 1) to measure the glutathione concentration and glutathione proxidase activity of erythroyte, plasma, human gastric mucosa in elderly and liver cirrhosis patient 2) to investigate a role of glutathione mediated cellular defense mechanism against oxidative stress between in liver cirrhosis patient and in elderly. METHODS: We measured glutathione concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity in the plasma, erythrocytes, gastric mucosa of human in 4 group (Group A: 10 patients of liver cirrhosis and portal hypertensive gastropathy in age 40~55 years, Group B: same number and disease of patients in age over 65 years, group C: healthy person of age over 65 years, Group D: control). Glutathione concentration of erythocyte, plasma and human gastric mucosa was measured by spectrophotometer using Bioxytech GSH-400. Glutathione peroxidase activity of plasma was measured by Paglia & Valentine method using Bioxytech pl. Gpx and of erythocyte and human gastric mucosa was measured by using Bioxytech Gpx.340. Statistical significance of the different group was determined by ANOVA. A p<0.05 was considered significant. RESULT: Glutathione concentration of erythrocytes and gastric mucosa was decreased in Group A, B, C compared to group D. plasma concentration of glutathione was decreased in group A, B compared to group C, D. Activity of glutathione peroxidase was not different in any group (ANOVA, p<0.005). CONCLUSION: Even though glutathione concentration of erythrocyte and human gastric mucosa was decreased in elderly and in liver cirrhosis patient, our study shows decreased glutathione related defense mechanism against oxidative stress is different in view of plasma concentration of glutathione.
Aged ; Aging ; Cell Death ; DNA ; DNA Damage ; Erythrocytes* ; Free Radicals ; Gastric Mucosa* ; Glutathione Peroxidase* ; Glutathione* ; Humans* ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver* ; Oxidative Stress ; Oxygen ; Oxygen Compounds ; Plasma*

BACKGROUND & SIGNIFICANCE: The neurological manifestations associated with Epstein-Barr viral (EBV) infection includes meningoencephalitis, Guillain Barre syndrome (GBS), Bell's palsy, myelopathy, and radiculopathy. To the best of our knowledge, the neurological manifestation associated with EBV infection has never been reported in Korea. Cases & RESULTS: We have found five patients (3 men, 2 women, mean age 28.4 years ; range 23-42) with EBV-associated neurological illness between August 1994 and July 1995. Serum enzyme immunoassay (EIA) tests for anti- early antigen(EA) IgM and anti-Epstein Barr nucleic acid (EBNA) IgG was positive in all patients, suggestive of reactivated EBV reaction. They showed a wide spectrum of neurological manifestations: 2 meningoecnephalomyelitis, 1 meningoencephalitis and cervical radiculopathy, 1 meningoencephalitis, and 1 GBS. T2-weighted brain magnetic resonance imaging studies showed high signal intensity lesions in three of the four patients who had meningoencephalitis. Outcomes were excellent in all but one patient. CONCLUSIONS: We present five patients with a wide spectrum of neurological manifestations associated with EBV infection. We suggest that one should suspect the EBV infection in a variety of neurological diseases of uncertain etiology.
Bell Palsy ; Brain ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Female ; Guillain-Barre Syndrome ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Korea ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Meningoencephalitis ; Neurologic Manifestations* ; Radiculopathy ; Spinal Cord Diseases

No abstract available.
Connective Tissue Diseases* ; Connective Tissue* ; Heart Block* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Mothers* ; Twins*

No abstract available.
Connective Tissue Diseases* ; Connective Tissue* ; Heart Block* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Mothers* ; Twins*

PURPOSE: We analyzed the gene status of p16INK4A, p15INK4B and MTAP (methylthio adenosine phophorylase) in Korean hepatdegrees Cellular carcinoma (HCC) to investigate whether the inactivation of these genes participated in hepatdegrees Carcinogenesis, and evaluated MTAP-targeted chemotherapy in MTAP-deficient cell lines. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We examined eleven primary HCC and 8 SNU cell lines using PCR, Southern blot analysis, PCR-SSCP, DNA sequencing, methylation-specific PCR, Western blot analysis, MTT assay, and crystal violet staining. RESULTS: Mutations or deletion of the p16INK4A, 15INK4B, and MTAP genes were rare, but methylation of the p16INK4A promoter region was common in HCC. The base alterations of 3' untranslated region of p16INK4A exon 3 were also detected in 3 samples. In SNU cells, p16INK4A was not detectable, when treated with demethylating agent, high levels of re-expressed p16INK4A protein were detected. In MTAP-targeted chemotherapy experiment, methylthioadeno sine (MTA) was able to rescue MTAP positive cell lines but not MTAP negative cell lines from growth inhibition by depletion of methionine and MTX treatment. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that de novo methylation of the p16INK4A promoter region seems to play an important role in the pathogenesis of HCC. And treatment of MTX, combined with methionine depletion in the presence of MTA, may be a high selective treatment for MTAP negative HCC.
3' Untranslated Regions ; Adenosine ; Blotting, Southern ; Blotting, Western ; Carcinogenesis ; Cell Line ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 ; Drug Therapy ; Exons ; Gentian Violet ; Methionine ; Methylation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Pemetrexed

BACKGROUND: Gabapentin is a safe and well-tolerated anticonvulsant with a wide therapeutic index, and it is used for neuropathic pain. The aim of this study was to compare previous dosing methods with the administration of four different doses of gabapentin while maintaining the same maximum daily dose for the safe administration of high doses of the medication. METHODS: The subjects were outpatients with various neuropathic pain syndromes, with at least two of the following symptoms: allodynia, burning pain, shooting pain, or hyperalgesia. The TID group received equal doses of gabapentin 3 times per day, while the QID group received 4 different doses of gabapentin per day. The pain score, frequency of breakthrough pain (BTP), severity and the duration of pain, sleep disturbance due to nocturnal pain, and adverse effects were recorded each day. RESULTS: The average daily pain score and sleep disturbance were significantly reduced in the QID group between days 3 and 10 of the experiment. The adverse effects of the medication were also reduced in the QID group. However, the frequency of BTP and severity and duration of pain were not significantly different between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of 4 different doses of gabapentin during the initial titration in outpatients with neuropathic pain resulted in a significant reduction in awakening from breakthrough pain and a reduction in the adverse effects of the medication.
Ambulatory Care ; Amines ; Breakthrough Pain ; Burns ; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids ; Drug Administration Schedule ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Humans ; Hyperalgesia ; Neuralgia ; Outpatients