Thyroid carcinogenesis is accompanied by loss of thyroid-specific functions and refractory to radioiodine and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) suppression therapy. Redifferentiating agents have been shown to inhibit tumor growth and improve the response to conventional therapy. Polyphenol phytochemicals (PPs) in fruits and vegetables have been reported to inhibit cancer initiation, promotion, progression and induce redifferentiation in selected types. In this study we examined PPs induce redifferentiation in thyroid cancer cell lines. We investigated the effects of genistein, resveratrol, quercetin, kaempferol, and resorcinol on the F9 embryonal carcinoma cell differentiation model. The thyroid cancer cell lines, TPC-1, FTC-133, NPA, FRO, and ARO, displayed growth inhibition in response to genistein, resveratrol, quercetin. We further demonstrated that genistein decreased the dedifferention marker CD97 in NPA cells and resveratrol decreased CD97 in FTC-133, NPA, FRO cells and quercetin decreased CD97 in all cell lines. We observed increased expression of differentiation marker NIS in FTC-133 cells in response to genistein, and resveratrol but no change in NPA, FRO, ARO cells. Quercetin increased or induced NIS in FTC-133, NPA, FRO cells. These findings suggest that PPs may provide a useful therapeutic intervention in thyroid cancer redifferentiation therapy.
Antigens, CD/metabolism ; Antineoplastic Agents/*pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Embryonal/*drug therapy/metabolism ; Cell Differentiation/*drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation/*drug effects ; Flavonoids/*pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Genistein/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Kaempferols/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Models, Biological ; Phenols/*pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Quercetin/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Resorcinols/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Stilbenes/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Symporters/metabolism ; Thyroid Neoplasms/*drug therapy/metabolism

As jaws of children differ from those of adults in the aspects of architectural and mechanical properties, site, form and treatment modality of pediatric fractured jaws are somewhat different from those of adults. This study takes stastics of 33 pediatric patients with mandibular fractures (55 fracture sites) who were admitted to the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery. Kyung-hee university from May 1986 to March 1995, aged up to 15years with primary or mixed dentition, by age, cause, site and treatment modality. The results are as follows. 1. The mandibular fracture has sexual predilection for male, 0 to 3 years group. 2. The main cause of mandibular fracture is falling from various position, followed by traffic accident. 3. The highest incidence of fracture site is symphysis and/or condyle area. 4. Circumferential wiring is widely used for pediatric mandibular fracture.
Accidents, Traffic ; Adult ; Child ; Dentition, Mixed ; Humans ; Incidence ; Jaw ; Male ; Mandibular Fractures* ; Surgery, Oral

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was performed to investigate the clinical and serological characteristics of toxocariasis in the Pohang region. METHODS: A total of 145 patients with peripheral eosinophilia (> 450 cells/microL) were enrolled and divided into two groups based on Toxocara excretory-secretory IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) positivity, and the clinical features and serologic markers were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The seropositive rate of Toxocara was 62.1%. The serum total eosinophils (p = 0.038), total IgE level (p < 0.01), Dermatophagoides farinae (Df) seropositivity rate (p < 0.01), frequency of eosinophilic tissue infiltration in the lung or liver (p < 0.01), and ingestion of raw cow meat or liver (p < 0.01) were higher in seropositive patients than in seronegative patients. However, the presence of asthma and rhinitis (p < 0.01) were more frequent in seronegative patients. Among seropositive patients, positive correlations were observed between serum total IgE, total eosinophils, and the optical density value of the Toxocara IgG ELISA (p < 0.01; p = 0.015, respectively). The specific IgE to Df was significantly higher (p < 0.01) than that to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp), suggesting a cross reaction between the Df antigen and the Toxocara antigen. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who have elevated serum total IgE and have eosinophilia without allergic disease might have toxocariasis. The lower frequency of asthma or rhinitis and a tendency for higher specific IgE to Df than that to Dp could be useful findings for the diagnosis of toxocariasis in patients with eosinophilia.
Asthma ; Cross Reactions ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Eating ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulin G ; Liver ; Lung ; Meat ; Pyroglyphidae ; Rhinitis ; Toxocara ; Toxocara canis ; Toxocariasis

Both adaptive and deleterious responses of cells to ethanol are likely triggered by short-term interactions of the cells with ethanol. Many studies have demonstrated the direct effect of ethanol on growth factor-stimulated cell proliferation. Using Swiss 3T3 cells whose growth was inhibited by ethanol in a concentration-dependent manner, we further investigated the molecular mechanisms of acute ethanol treatment by examining its effect on EGF- and PDGF-mediated cellular signaling systems for the mitogenic function. Tyrosine autophosphorylation of the growth factor receptors was partially prevented by ethanol in intact cells. When ethanol was included before or after EGF stimulation, no effect on the receptor signaling was observed. Here we also report that ethanol inhibits activation of ERK induced by both EGF and PDGF. EGF-induced JNK activation was reduced but PDGF-induced rapid JNK activation was delayed by the addition of ethanol. The balance between its inhibitory and stimulatory effect on the signaling molecules might determine the rate of cell growth.
3T3 Cells ; Animal ; Cell Division/drug effects ; Drug Interactions ; Epidermal Growth Factor/pharmacology* ; Ethanol/pharmacology* ; Mice ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism ; Mitogens/pharmacology* ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor/pharmacology* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects

Concurrent medical problem is common in dementia patients and critical to their care. Despite its importance, there was no bedside global rating scale for the seriousness of medical comorbidity. Lykestos et al. newly developed a reliable bedside scale, the General Medical Health Rating(GMHR). The objective of this study was to standardize the GMHR in form of Korean version(KGMHR). The study population consisted of 35 dementia patients in nursing home. Rating was performed by 1 physician and 2 nurses. Forty percent(14/35) of patients had one or more unstable medical illnesses. KGMHR ratings no more than 3 were 71.5%(25/35) of patients. The value of interrater reliability coefficient alpha was 0.9121. Correlations between KGMHR ratings and number of unstable medi-cal illnesses were high(r=-0.487, p<0.01). KGMHR ratings were also correlated with number of medications being taken for comorbid conditions(r=-0.542, p<0.01). In conclusion, KGMHR is a very reliable and simple rating scale for medical comorbidity in dementia patients. So the KGMHR could be a useful tool for evaluation of comorbidity in dementia patients. To verify the prognostic value of KGMHR, further large sized long-term study are needed.
Comorbidity ; Dementia* ; Humans ; Nursing Homes

PURPOSE: To prospectively assess the diagnostic potential of computed tomography urography (CTU) as a prior examination in the detection of bladder cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 3280 CTU examinations were assessed in 3050 consecutive patients. Patients who were over 35 years of age, with gross hematuria, persistent microhematuria, or a history of urothelial tumor, were included in our study. Our study investigated the diagnostic capability of CTU over the course of two prior examinations. After the first examination, patients with a definite lesion observed by CTU were referred directly for rigid cystoscopy (RC) and patients with negative or probable lesion were referred for flexible cystoscopy (FC). After the second examination, patients with a definite lesion observed by CTU were referred directly for RC, patients with probable lesion were referred for FC, and patients with negative lesion were referred for clinical follow-up. Performance characteristics for the two prior examinations were determined by using pathologic findings or clinical follow-up as the reference standard. RESULTS: The overall sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for detecting bladder cancer were 95.2%, 95.4%, 95.4%, 69.1%, and 99.2%, respectively, for the first prior examination, and 93.4%, 93.3%, 93.3%, 61.1%, and 98.4%, respectively, for the second prior examination. CONCLUSION CTU as a prior examination is accurate for the early detection of bladder cancer. Notably, when used as a second prior examination, CTU could help to avoid the unnecessary use of FC in patients with negative lesions.

Purpose: To report two cases of paraproteinemic keratopathy (PK).Case summary: A 57-year-old man visited the ophthalmology clinic complaining of decreased visual acuity since 1 year earlier. White crystalline deposits were observed on both corneas and the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of both eyes was 1.0. After 3 months, the BCVA decreased to 0.8 in the right and 0.6 in the left. Increased corneal deposits were observed. To rule out PK, his medical records were checked. The patient had been diagnosed with lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma 3 years earlier. Diagnosing PK, the patient was referred back to the Hemato-Oncology department. After 3 months of chemotherapy, the corneal deposits decreased and BCVA returned to 1.0. A 69-year-old woman presented complaining of decreased visual acuity for 2 years. The uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was 0.4 in the right and finger count at 30 cm in the left. Brown deposits were observed on both corneas and lenses. The serum copper level was elevated. She was referred to the internal medicine department and diagnosed with multiple myeloma. After treatment, the laboratory results returned to normal, but the UCVA decreased to hand motion in the left. A left white cataract was noted and cataract surgery was performed. 1 month postoperatively, the BCVA was 0.9, with no change in the corneal deposits. Conclusions When there are corneal deposits, we should consider PK in the differential diagnosis. In such cases, systemic treatment is the first line. Therefore, diagnosing and referring PK patients to the internal medicine department is crucial.

Purpose: We report a case of sympathetic ophthalmia in which the inciting eye was treated with a tectonic keratoplasty using acellular preserved human cornea.Case summary: A 68-year-old man whose left eye was injured by a nail visited our institute complaining of a recent decrease in bilateral vision. The best corrected visual acuity was 0.32 for the right eye and 0.16 for the left. On slit-lamp examination, a superior peripheral corneal perforation with no wound leakage due to iris plugging was seen in the left eye (i.e., the inciting eye). The right eye (i.e., the sympathizing eye) had mutton-fat keratic precipitates and copious fibrinoid strands in the anterior chamber. Bilateral exudative retinal detachment with choroidal folds was prominent in both eyes. The next day, the necrotic iris lump was removed from the inciting eye and adhesiolysis of the iris and tectonic keratoplasty using acellular preserved human cornea were performed. Systemic steroid was started immediately postoperatively. The exudative retinal detachment improved in both eyes and cataract surgery was undertaken for the inciting eye 4 months later. Twenty-one months after the initial visit, the uncorrected visual acuity was 1.0 in the inciting eye, and both eyes had a sunset glow fundus appearance, without optic atrophy or recurrent chorioretinitis. Conclusions Tectonic keratoplasty using acellular preserved human cornea with anti-inflammatory treatment may be a favorable therapeutic option for the inciting eye with peripheral corneal perforation in sympathetic ophthalmia.

PURPOSE: We report a case of Urrets-Zavalia syndrome with a fixed dilated pupil after an uneventful trabeculectomy.CASE SUMMARY: Trabeculectomy was performed on a 51-year-old male who had a history of recurrent uveitis in the left eye, with uncontrolled intraocular pressure despite maximally-tolerated medial therapy. There was no unexpected event during surgery. Topical 1% atropine was used for only 2 days after surgery. In the early postoperative period, 1% prednisolone and 0.3% ofloxacin were given four times a day, then gradually reduced. One month later, only 1% prednisolone was given once a day. Intraocular pressure in his left eye was well controlled from 8–14 mmHg after surgery. One month after surgery, the pupils remained dilated. There was no reaction to topical 2% pilocarpine and no relative afferent pupillary defect or posterior synechia.CONCLUSIONS: Our case, although rare, suggests that Urrets-Zavalia syndrome should be considered in patients with well-controlled intraocular pressure after uneventful trabeculectomy.
Atropine ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ofloxacin ; Pilocarpine ; Postoperative Period ; Prednisolone ; Pupil ; Pupil Disorders ; Trabeculectomy ; Uveitis

Presently, Erbium:YAG laser, which is known as laser for osteotomy, is considered to have good resection effects and to bring about minimum thermal damage. Since studies on this has never been done within the country and left as a field still unexplored, I expect to use this study as experimental data on future use of laser on hard tissue. In this report, both surgical bur(diameter 0.5mm carbide roun bur) and Erbium:YAG laser(100mJ/pulse, 10pulse/sec) was used each on the femur of white mouse and after the same amount of osteotomy, the effect of bone healing on the light microscope was observed and comparative study was made histology. The results are as follows : 1. In the first group (1st day, 3rd day), the osteotomic bone portion of the experimental group was irregular with bone resorption and showed more blood cell infiltration, compared with the control group. 2. At 1 week, bone matrix and immature bone was formed in the peripheral and center of the resection area in the control group. But inthe experimental group, more bone formation was initiated in the peripheral than in the center and showed more infiltration of blood cells and inflammatory cells. 3. At 2 week, bone matrix became mature to have similar density with compact bone and showed new formed vessels in the control group. But in the experimental group, bone formation with decreased density was initiated and new formed vessels together with mature bones was observed. 4. At 3 week, mature bone with equal density and regular trabecular pattern was observed in the control group. But in the experimental group, the continuity between the new bone and old bone was rather loose with decreased maturity, but on the other hand, had even bone formation pattern. 5. At 4 week, both the control and experimental group showed perfect bone healing features. From the results above, I can observe that in osteotomy with Erbium:YAG laser bone healing is rather delayed in each step but if, effective percentage of resection could obtained it would be valuable to substitute mechnical bur or saw and bring about much progress and development in the area of oral and maxillofacial surgery. For this, more studies on bone resection and biomechanical strength of bone tissue after bone healing should be done on various animals.
Animals ; Blood Cells ; Bone and Bones ; Bone Matrix ; Bone Resorption ; Erbium* ; Femur ; Hand ; Lasers, Solid-State* ; Mice ; Osteogenesis ; Osteotomy* ; Surgery, Oral