Ulcerative colitis is a chronic relapsing inflammatory disease of the colonic and rectal mucosa, which affects children as well as adults. Inflammation caused by ulcerative colitis is limited to the colon and rectum, to the mucosa and submucosa, and is involved continuously, with varying degrees of ulceration, hemorrhage, edema, and regenerating epithelium. Ulcerative colitis most commonly presents with the onset of diarrhea, later associated with hematochezia, but usually without systemic signs of fever, weight loss, or hypoalbuminemia. Approximately 30% of cases have moderate signs of systemic illness. Although less commonly seen than in Crohn's disease, the first sign of ulcerative colitis may be growth failure characterized by decreased linear growth velocity. We experienced a case of ulcerative colitis with growth disturbance and treated with sulfasalazine. During follow up for a year, the symptoms subsided, and the height and weight increased.
Adult ; Child ; Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Colon ; Crohn Disease ; Diarrhea ; Edema ; Epithelium ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypoalbuminemia ; Inflammation ; Mucous Membrane ; Rectum ; Sulfasalazine ; Ulcer* ; Weight Loss

NF-kappaB transcription factors are key regulators of immune and stress responses, apoptosis, and differentiation. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) activates or represses NF-kappaB signaling at different times during infection. An initial increase in NF-kappaB activity occurs within a few hours of infection. The virus appears to adapt to this change since initial viral gene expression is promoted by the elevated NF-kappaB activity. Because NF-kappaB upregulates innate immune responses and inflammation, it has also been suggested that HCMV needs to downregulate NF-kappaB signaling. Recent studies have shown that HCMV has various mechanisms that inhibit NF-kappaB signaling. HCMV reduces cell surface expression of tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) and blocks the DNA binding activity of NF-kappaB. Furthermore, some HCMV tegument proteins antagonize NF-kappaB activation by targeting the key components of NF-kappaB signaling at late stages of infection. In this review, we summarize the recent findings on the relationship between HCMV and NF-kappaB signaling, focusing, in particular, on the viral mechanisms by which the NF-kappaB signaling pathway is inhibited.
Apoptosis ; Cytomegalovirus ; Cytomegalovirus Infections* ; DNA ; Genes, Viral ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate ; Inflammation ; NF-kappa B* ; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor ; Transcription Factors

Deoxyribonucleotides (dNTPs) are important for the efficient growth of DNA viruses. Therefore, many DNA viruses have strategies for the upregulation of cellular dNTP levels. Both α- and γ-herpesviruses encode functional homologs of cellular dNTP anabolic enzymes, including the class I ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) large (R1) and small (R2) subunits, whereas β-herpesviruses modulate host cells to induce genes that increase dNTP levels. Interestingly, β-herpesviruses still express the nonfunctional RNR R1 subunit. However, it is not clear why β-herpesviruses still carry inactive R1 homologs. Recently, the R1 homologs of herpesviruses have been shown to inhibit innate immune signaling pathways. In particular, both functional and nonfunctional R1 homologs target receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIP1) and inhibit RIP1-mediated signaling pathways to promote viral replication. Here, we summarize recent findings on the activity of herpesviral R1 homologs and discuss their roles in the regulation of innate immune signaling pathways.
Deoxyribonucleotides ; DNA Viruses ; Herpesviridae ; Protein Kinases ; Ribonucleotide Reductases* ; Up-Regulation

To determine the therapeutic effect of closed-needle irrigation of knee for pain from osteoarthritis(OA), we conducted a randomized, single blind, 8 week prospective trial study. A comparison was done between the closed-needle irrigation of knee and standard conservative treatment in 30 patients with non-end stage OA of the knee. Statistically significant differences (P<0.05) favoring closed-needle irrigation of knee over conservative treatment were noted by the Visual Analog Scale for pain in these patients. Overall assessments on effectiveness of therapy by patients(Patient's global assessment) and physician(Knee rating scale) were also statistically superior among closed-needle irrigation group. We conclude that the closed-needle irrigation of knee for the treatment of pain from osteoarthritis is an effective treatment and is superior than the traditional conservative treatment in therapeutic effect.
Humans ; Knee* ; Osteoarthritis* ; Prospective Studies ; Visual Analog Scale

The main objectives of this study were to assess the age related changes of biochemical indices of bone turnover in postmenopausal osteoporotic females, and to assess the correlations of these indices with bone mineral density(BMD) of lumbar spine measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry(DEXA). Subgects were 70 osteoporotic women in pre and postmenopausal periods. The results showed that Postmenopausal women had higher level of Osteocalcin(OS) and Deoxypyridinoline(DPYD) with lower level BMD of lumbar spine compared with premenopausal women. Age, height, and weight had significant correlations with BMD of lumbar spine. Also a significant correlation was observed between the OS and DPYD. Pre and postmenopausal osteoporotic women(5, 10, 15 year duration) were similar for the rate of bone turnover. These results indicate that the biochemical indices used in our study are the potential markers to predict an age related change of BMD, as well as bone turnover rate of the lower BMD subjects. The combination of BMD measurement and assessment of the bone turnover rate by measuring biochemical indices would be helpful for the screening and treatment of patients with risks of osteoporosis.
Bone Density ; Female ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Osteocalcin ; Osteoporosis ; Postmenopause ; Spine

Nezelof's syndrome(combined immunodeficiency with immunoglobulin) is a hereditary primary immunodeficiency characterized by recurrent chronic pulmonary infections, oral and cutaneous candidiasis, failure to thrive, chronic diarrhea, skin infection, urinary tract infection, gram-negative sepsis, severe progressive varicella infection, lymphopenia, diminished lymphoid tissue, abnormal structure of the thymus, and presence of normal or increased levels of one or more of the major immunoglobulin classes, but with impaired antibody synthesis. We experienced a case of Nezelof's syndrome in 5-month-old boy who complained cough, poor feeding, vomiting and diarrhea in first admission day and discharged with recovered general condition in 38th admission day and then died of recurrent bacterial and fungal infections and malnutrition in 15-month-old age. He had no thymic shadow in chest X-ray and immunologic abnormalities including decreased lymphocyte count, decreased T cell count and function, normal number of B cell count and immunoglobulins with funtional impairment in antibody synthesis. We report a case of Nezelof's syndrome with brief review of related literatures.
Candidiasis, Cutaneous ; Cell Count ; Chickenpox ; Cough ; Diarrhea ; Failure to Thrive ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Isotypes ; Immunoglobulins ; Infant ; Lymphocyte Count ; Lymphoid Tissue ; Lymphopenia ; Male ; Malnutrition ; Sepsis ; Skin ; Thorax ; Thymus Gland ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Vomiting

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate clinical significance of endometrial and corporal extensions of Carcinoma of the uterine cervix. METHODS: The 273 patients with locally advanced cervical cancer who underwent radical hysterectomy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy between Jan 1983 to May 1998 were included in this study and endometrial and corporal extension was examined by pathologic report. Then, clinical characteristics such as age, stage, tumor size, geographic contour, the lymph node and parametrial invasions, recurrence rate, and 5 year-survival rate were compared between extension(n=30) and non-extension(n=243) group. Pearson chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and Kaplan-mayer survival analysis were used for calculation of statistical significance between two group. p-value less than 0.05 was considered to be clinically significant. RESULTS: The incidence of endometrial and corporal extension in this locally advanced cervical cancer group was 11% (30/273). The endometrial and corporal extension were closely related with advanced stage, larger cervical tumor mass, endophytic type, and pelvic lymph node metastasis. However, 5-year disease free survival rates or 5-year actuarial survival rates did not show statistically significant differences between extension and non-extension group (7S% vs 83% and 81% vs 84%, respectively) CONCLUSION: The endometrial and corporal extension were closely associated to high risk factors of advanced cervical cancer. Though its clinical significance for poor outcome were not proved in this study, prospective study with more patients is needed to clarify its clinical significance.
Cervix Uteri* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Incidence ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

PURPOSE: To explore the effect of recombinant human EGF on the proliferation and survival of human fibroblast cell lines following irradiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fibroblast was originated human skin and primary cultured. The trypan blue stain assay and MTT assay were used to study the proliferative effects of EGF on human fibroblast cell lines in vitro. An incubation of fibroblasts with rhEGF for 24 hours immediately after irradiation was counted everyday. Cell cycle distributions were analyzed by FACS analysis. RESULTS: Number of fibroblast was significantly more increased rhEGF (1.0 nM, 10 nM, 100 nM, 1,000 nM) treated cell than control after 8 Gy irradiation. Most effective dose of rhEGF was at 160 nM. These survival differences were maintained at 1 week later. Proportion of S phase was significantly increased on rhEGF treated cells. CONCLUSION: rhEGF cause increased fibroblast proliferation following irradiation. We expect that rhEGF was effective for radiation induced wound healing.
Cell Cycle ; Cell Line* ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Fibroblasts* ; Humans* ; S Phase ; Skin ; Trypan Blue ; Wound Healing

No abstract available.
Lymphoma*

Over the past years, university administrators have known how hard it is to transform into the modern university. Rigid in-bred research system, narrow interest, unworkable graduate programs are complicatedly woven into a network of academic fraction. Cronyism and protectionism flood various laboratories and research institutes affiliated with the university. Until recently, the department structure of medical school has steadfastly guarded its territory and refused to allow non-medical undergraduate students to apply for the graduate schools of medical science. The graduate schools in medical science are considered just extra appendages because most of graduate students should be engaged in hard work position such as junior faculty or residentship training course of university hospital. In the present environment of graduate program, medical schools are consequently not able to bring in full-time young researchers, but only recently has its door been open for others. It should be time to reorganize the medical school graduate course into large multidisciplinary research group by expanding graduate programs.
Academies and Institutes ; Administrative Personnel ; Humans ; Schools, Medical*