In the rat brain stem, neurons innervating the sublingual and submandibular gland were investigated by means of cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) and pseudorabies virus (PRV). Injection of CTB into the sublingual gland and PRV into the submandibular gland, neural tracer labeled neurons showed similar positions in central nervous system with PRV into the sublingual gland and CTB into the submandibular gland. CTB labeled-neurons were observed in superior salivatory nucleus, PRV labeled-neurons in superior salivatory nucleus and reticular nucleus. CTB was more fine tracer than PRV for observation of superior salivatory nucleus. The size of CTB labeled-neurons is larger in submandibular gland than in sublingual gland. The size of PRV labeled-neurons were nearly the same after injection to submandibular or sublingual gland. No neurons were labeled together with CTB and PRV. Neurons innervating sublingual and submandibular gland were localized independently in superior salivatory nucleus. These results provided a neuroanatomical data of the neurons innervating the sublingual and submandibular gland in the superior salivatory nucleus.
Animals ; Brain Stem ; Central Nervous System ; Cholera Toxin* ; Cholera* ; Herpesvirus 1, Suid* ; Neurons ; Pseudorabies* ; Rats ; Sublingual Gland ; Submandibular Gland*

PURPOSE: In the treatment of advanced metastatic colorectal cancer, several new agents, such as irinotecan and oxaliplatin, have been developed, which have improved both disease free and overall survivals. Among these agents, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) still remains one of the most active agents, and the selection of patients who can benefit from 5-FU-based chemotherapy is still important, as those unlikely to benefit could be spared the harmful side effects. The expression levels of thymidylate synthase (TS), thymidine phosphorylase (TP) and p53 have been known to be associated with the clinical response to 5-FU-based therapy as well as the prognosis, and that of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is associated with poor survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The relationship between the expressions of TS, TP, VEGF and p53 in primary tumors, using immunohistochemistry, and the response of 45 metastatic colorectal cancer patients (M: F=25: 20, median age 59 yrs) to 5-FU-based chemotherapy were evaluated. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients were treated with 5-FU/ LV/irinotecan (FOLFIRI) and 8 with 5-FU/LV/oxaplatin (FOLFOX). The overall response rate was 28.9% (13/45). When immunohistochemically analyzed with monoclonal antibodies against TS, TP, VEGF and p53, 55.6% of the patients (25/45) were positive for TS, 48.9% (22/45) for TP, 82.2% (37/45) for VEGF, and 80% (36/45) for p53. There was a significant difference in the intensity of TS expression between the clinical responders and non-responders (p=0.036). In terms of the staining pattern of TS expression, diffuse staining was correlated with a poor response (p=0.012) and poor survival (p=0.045). However, there was no correlation between the expressions of TP, VEGF or P53 and the response to chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the expression of TS in primary colorectal cancer might be an important prognostic factor for chemotherapy response and survival, and might be a useful therapeutic marker for the response of chemotherapy.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Drug Therapy* ; Fluorouracil ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Prognosis ; Thymidine Phosphorylase* ; Thymidine* ; Thymidylate Synthase* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

OBJECTIVE: Endometrial cancer is the most common malignant tumor of the female genital tract. Its incidence has increased in recent years, making up 13% of female genital cancers. Nevertheless, the search for agents effective in the treatment of either advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer has been disappointing. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) were recently found to be well-tolerated in patients with hematologic and solid malignancies. HDACIs have been shown to inhibit cancer cell proliferation, stimulate apoptosis, and induce cell cycle arrest. Our purpose was to investigate the antiproliferative effects of the HDACIs (sodium butyrate and HDAC-I1) against endometrial cancer cell line (Hec 1A) and normal endometrial cell line (T-HESCs). METHODS: MTS reduction assay was carried out to determine the cell viability. Cell cycle analysis and DNA fragmentation assay was done by fluorescent activated cell sorter analysis. The expression of cell cycle-regulatory and apoptosis-related proteins were evaluated by Western blot. Caspase 3 and 7 activity were measured by immuno-flouorescent staining. RESULTS: Each sodium butyrate and HDAC-I1 induced growth inhibition in a dose and time dependent manner in endometrial cancer cells but did not induce growth inhibition in normal endometrial cells. Treatment with each drugs in endometrial cancer cells increased the percentage of cells in subG1 phase. The expression of p53, p21, p27, FAS, and FAS legand were increased and it was associated with increased p21 and p27 expression in a p53-dependent manner. Activation of caspase-3, 7, 8, 9 and down-regulation of Bcl-2, up-regulation of Bax, with concomitant increase in PARP cleavage, were observed. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that sodium butyrate induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in human endometrial cancer cells rising their possibility applicable against human endometrial cancers.
Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Butyrates ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Survival ; DNA Fragmentation ; Down-Regulation ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Female ; Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors ; Histone Deacetylases ; Histones ; Humans ; Incidence ; Proteins ; Sodium ; Up-Regulation

BACKGROUND: Basal cell carcinoma(BCC) does not commonly occur in dark-skinned people, although it is the most common cancer of light-skinned people. So it has been known that incidence of BCC is lower than that of squamous cell carcinoma(SCC) in Asian and Africans. However, several recent Korean articles have reported the reversal of the ratio of SCC to BCC. There has been no report about BCC following a nationwide survey in Korea. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to confirm the trends in BCC and SCC, and to identify the clinical and histopathological characteristics of BCC. METHODS: A clinical and histopathological analysis was done retrospectively with patients diagnosed as BCC from the Department of Dermatology of 15 University Hospitals or General Hospitals during the last 20 years(1977-1996). Annual incidence of BCC was compared with that of SCC at the same situation. We compared the results with those in other races statistically. RESULTS: 1. Incidence of BCC was 0.16% compared with 0.11% of SCC. The increasing incidence of BCC was more pronounced than that of SCC, although they were increased gradually. 2. The male-female ratio was 1:1.07, and the most frequent age group was the 6th decade(30.1%). 95% of the patients were older than the age of 40 years with the mean age of 62.7 years. 3. The most commonly involved site was the face(84.9%), especially on the nose, cheek, and eyelids. 4. The most frequent histologic pattern was nodulocystic type(35.4%), followed by mixed(30.1%), infiltrative(9.3%), superficial(6.7%), micronodular(6.2%), adenoid(5.9%), metatypical(4.0%), morpheaform(2.1%), and fibroepithelioma type(0.3%). 5. Histologically, 45.3% of BCC contained pigment. The histologic pattern most frequently associated with pigmented BCC was mixed type(53.1%) followed by nodulocystic(51.2%), superficial(46.8%), micronodular(38.6%), and adenoid type(33.3%). 6. Overall recurrence rate was 6.3%. Morpheaform, infiltrative, and metatypical BCC have a high erincidence of recurrence(26.3%, 13.2%, 8.1%, respectively). Therapeutic modalities that showed high recurrence rate was 5-FU, curettage and electrodessication, and cryotherapy(33.3%, 28.6%, 16.8%, respectively). CONCLUSION: It was confirmed following a nationwide survey that increasing incidence of BCC was more pronounced than that of SCC since early 1980s and BCC was the most common skin cancer in Korea.
Adenoids ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Cheek ; Continental Population Groups ; Curettage ; Dermatology ; Eyelids ; Fluorouracil ; Hospitals, General ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Nose ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Neurosurgical site infection may have serious sequelae, especially that occurring after craniotomy. A nationwide prospective multicenter study was performed in Korea to determine the incidence and risk factors for surgical site infections (SSI) after craniotomy. Methods: We collected demographic data, clinical and operative risk factors for SSI, and information regarding the antibiotics administered for the patients who underwent craniotomy in 17 hospitals between July and December of 2008. All the data were collected using a real-time web-based reporting system. RESULTS: Of the 1,020 patients who underwent craniotomy, 31 (3%) developed SSI, including 4 with superficial incisional SSI, 2 with deep incisional SSI, and 25 with organ/space SSI. The SSI rate was predicted on the basis of the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) risk index. The SSI rate of 3.1%, 3.3%, and 1.8% were ascribed NNIS scores of 0, 1, and 2, respectively. The independent risk factors for SSI identified were postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage (odds ratio, 12.13; 95% confidence interval, 4.54-32.42) and preoperative Glasgow coma scales score < or =8 (odds ratio, 2.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-5.18). Third generation cephalosporins were the most frequently (in 65.6% of the cases) used for prophylaxis. CONCLUSION: A multicenter SSI surveillance system for craniotomy was first established in Korea. The NNIS risk index was not effective in identifying the patients at risk. We required to further analyze a large number of SSI cases to correctly identify the risk factors for SSI after craniotomy.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Antibiotic Prophylaxis ; Cephalosporins ; Coma ; Craniotomy ; Cross Infection ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Weights and Measures

Inguinal hernia is the most common disease treated by the pediatric surgeon. There are several controversial aspects of management 1)the optimal timing of surgical repair, especially for preterm babies, 2)contralateral groin exploration during repair of a clinically unilateral hernia, 3)use of laparoscope in contralateral groin exploration, 4)timing of surgical repair of cord hydrocele, 5)perioperative pain control, 6)perioperative management of anemia. In this survey, we attempted to determine the approach of members of KAPS to these aspects of hernia treatment. A questionnaire by e-mail or FAX was sent to all members. The content of the questionnaire were adapted from the "American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section on Surgery hernia survey revisited (J Pediatr Surg 40, 1009-1014, 2005)". For full-term male baby, most surgeons (85.7 %) perform an elective operation as soon as diagnosis was made. For reducible hernia found in ex-preterm infants already discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), 76.2 % of surgeons performed an elective repair under general anesthesia (85.8 %). 42.9 % of the surgeons performed the repair just before discharge. For same-day surgery for the ex-premature baby, the opinion was evenly divided. For an inguinal hernia with a contralateral undescended testis in a preterm baby, 61.9 % of surgeons choose to 'wait and see' until 12 month of age. The most important consideration in deciding the timing of surgery of inguinal hernia in preterm baby was the existence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (82.4 %), episode of apnea/bradycardia on home monitoring (70.6 %). Most surgeons do not explore the contralateral groin during unilateral hernia repair. Laparoscope has not been tried. Most surgeons do not give perioperative analgesics or blood transfusion.
Analgesics ; Anemia ; Anesthesia, General ; Blood Transfusion ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ; Child* ; Cryptorchidism ; Diagnosis ; Electronic Mail ; Groin ; Hernia ; Hernia, Inguinal* ; Herniorrhaphy ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Korea* ; Laparoscopes ; Male ; Pediatrics ; Surveys and Questionnaires