No abstract available.
Animals ; Cattle* ; Yersinia enterocolitica* ; Yersinia*

PURPOSE: Although androgens are the main steroids controlling the growth of prostate glands, estrogens are also important in the regulation of its growth. Prostate cancer cells, like other cancer cells, maintain high levels of polyamines. In LNCaP cells, apoptosis is induced by mifepristone. During the process of cell death, the regulation of ROS production, caspase-3 activation and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage were investigated in the presence of estrogen and polyamines to identify their possible roles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cell growth was assessed using the MTT assay, and the intracellular ROS production by the DCFH-DA assay. The p53 protein expression, activation of caspase-3 and PARP cleavage were checked by Western blotting, with specific antibodies to each. RESULTS: The growth and viability of the cells were significantly inhibited, in a dose- and time-dependent manners, by mifepristone (MIF) treatment. The production of ROS were dependent on the MIF dosage. The activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of PARP also increased with the duration of MIF treatment. The expression of p53 protein also increased with increases in the MIF incubation time. E2 severely inhibited the ROS production, caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage. However, polyamines only inhibited the ROS production, without influencing the caspase-3 activation or PARP cleavage. CONCLUSION: In LNCaP cells, MIF induces apoptosis through ROS production. The expression of p53 protein, caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage accompanied the process of apoptosis. The apoptotic processes were inhibited by E2, but polyamines only inhibited the ROS production, implying the multifunctional role of E2, in addition to its role as a free radical scavenger.
Androgens ; Antibodies ; Apoptosis* ; Blotting, Western ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Death ; Estrogens* ; Mifepristone ; Polyamines* ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Steroids

OBJECTIVES: This study is based on the report including the psychological assessment results and therapeutic interventions of the survivors from hijacked Samho Jewerly by Somali pirates on January 15th, 2011. METHODS: We first assessed the emotional, cognitive, and personality functions of 7 crews, took 4-sessions of cognitive behavioral therapeutic intervention, conducted after-treatment assessments, and compared them with the previous results. RESULTS: Some of the crew showed PTSD due to the exposure to the stress triggered by the extreme state of fear, presented reexperience, avoidance of the trauma and chronical arousal state. CONCLUSION: Although this study was investigated with the minority group related to the one single accident, each case revealed the changes of symptoms and course after the trauma. The same traumatic event had different influences as how each individual perceived the experience. Furthermore, each clinical course was individually different either, depending on age, psychological resource, social support, daily life stress, or secondary gain.
Arousal ; Humans ; Minority Groups ; Ships ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic ; Stress, Psychological ; Survivors

No abstract available.
Humans ; Langerhans Cells* ; Prognosis*

Objective: External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) with concurrent chemotherapy followed by intracavitary brachytherapy is the standard treatment in locally advanced cervical cancer. This study examined the brachytherapy utilization rate and evaluated the effect of brachytherapy on survival in cervical cancer patients in Korea. Methods: In this study, data from the Korea Central Cancer Registry and Korean National Health Insurance Service and data on mortality from Statistics Korea were linked and used. Patients with other cancers, distant metastasis at diagnosis, or unknown stage or who underwent hysterectomy were excluded. A total of 12,721 cervical cancer patients were analyzed in this study. Results: The brachytherapy utilization rate (%) was calculated as the proportion of patients who received brachytherapy among those who received curative EBRT. The brachytherapy utilization rate decreased from 84% in 2005 to 78% in 2013 (p<0.001). Brachytherapy utilization rates varied by region, ranging from 72% to 100% except for in Jeju Island, where the rate was 56%. The brachytherapy utilization rate was lower in patients older than 80 years; patients with localized disease, non-squamous cell carcinoma, or Charlson comorbidity index 3 or more; patients diagnosed after 2010; patients from certain regions; patients receiving medical aid; and patients who underwent gynecologic procedures. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that brachytherapy when added to curative EBRT was independently associated with better cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) than curative EBRT only. Conclusion The brachytherapy utilization rate decreased from 2005 to 2013 and varied by region in Korea. Brachytherapy use is independently associated with significantly higher CSS and OS in cervical cancer.

A 69-year-old male presented with a week of worsening headache, mild dizziness and left side weakness,and the radiological work-up of his brain displayed an enhancing mass on the right frontal lobe.The tumor was totally resected. The patient was initially diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme. Hisneurologic symptoms recovered after surgery. He underwent adjuvant radiotherapy with concurrent temozolomide.Approximately 7 months after surgery, the patient complained of epigastric pains. AbdominalCT scan showed multiple hepatic metastasis and multiple lymphadenopathy. Chest CT andTorso positron emission tomography-CT scans for additional metastasis study revealed multiple metastaticlesions in the right lung, left pleura, liver, lymph nodes, bones, and muscles. Percutaneous liverbiopsy was performed, and associated pathology was consistent with sarcomatous component. Afterliver biopsy, brain tumor pathology was reviewed, which revealed typical gliomatous and sarcomatouscomponents. The patient was therefore diagnosed with metastatic gliosarcoma. The patient was in aseptic condition with aggravated pleural effusion. The patient died 9 months after the diagnosis of primarygliosarcoma.

Uterine serosal pregnancy is an extremely rare form of ectopic pregnancy. This is a report of a 35-year-old primigravida woman who was diagnosed with uterine serosal pregnancy via laparoscopic intervention. A 35-year-old woman (gravida 1, para 0) was referred from a local clinic for a ruptured left tubal pregnancy at amenorrhea 5+0 weeks with elevated serum beta human chorionic gonadotropin (16,618 mIU/mL). A pregnancy on the left posterior wall of the uterine serosa was diagnosed during the operation and successfully treated with laparoscopic surgery as a conservative management strategy to enable fertility preservation. With the advantages of ultrasonography and laparoscopy, an early diagnosis of a primary abdominal pregnancy located on the left posterior wall of the uterine serosa was made, prior to the occurrence of severe intra-abdominal massive hemorrhage, which was then treated laparoscopically as a conservative management strategy enabling the preservation of fertility.
Adult ; Amenorrhea ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Fertility ; Fertility Preservation ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnancy, Abdominal ; Pregnancy, Ectopic ; Pregnancy, Tubal ; Serous Membrane ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: Cardiac atrium is an endocrine gland secreting a family of natriuretic peptides. The secretion of atrial natriuretic peptide(ANP) had been shown to be controlled by variable factors. The change in atrial dynamics have been considered as one of the most prominent stimuli for the stimulation of ANP secretion. Hypoxic stress has been shown to increase cardiac ANP secretion. However, the mechanism by which hypoxia increases ANP secretion cardiac ANP secretions. However, the mechanism by which hypoxia increases ANP secretion has not to be defined. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was tow-fold: to develop a protocol to defined the effect of hypoxia on ANP secretion in perfused beating rabbit atria and to clarify the mechanism responsible for the accentuation by hypoxia of ANP secretion. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Experiments have been done in perfused beating rabbit atria. ANP was measured by radioimmunoassay. RESULT: Hypoxic stimulus with nitrogen decreased atrial stroke volume. The decrease in atrial stroke volume recovered basal level during the period of recovery with oxygen. ANP secretion and the concentration of perfusate ANP in terms of extracellular fluid(ECF) translocation which reflects the rate of myocytic release of ANP were increased by hypoxia and returned to basal levels during the recovery. Changes in ECF translocation paralleled by hypoxia and returned to basal levels during the recovery. Changes in ECF translocation paralleled to that of atrial stroke volume. At the start of recovery in atrial storke volume, ECF tranalocation incrased for several minutes. The above responses were stable and reproducible. Glibenclamide treatment prevented the recovery in atrial stroke volume. Increments by hypoxia of ANP secretion and ANP concentration were suppressed by glibenclamide. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that hypoxia incrased atrial myocytic ANP release and that the mechanism responsible for the accentuation is partially related to the change in K+ATP channel activity.
Anoxia ; Atrial Natriuretic Factor* ; Endocrine Glands ; Glyburide ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Natriuretic Peptides ; Nitrogen ; Oxygen ; Radioimmunoassay ; Stroke Volume

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Nucleotide binding to purinergic P2Y receptors contributes to the regulation of fluid and ion transport in the middle ear epithelial cells. Here, we investigated the regulatory mechanism of the P2Y2 receptor agonist, uridine-5'-triphosphate (UTP), on Cl- transport in cultured normal human middle ear epithelial (NHMEE) cells. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Electrophysiological measurements were performed in monolayers of cultured NHMEE cells. Short circuit currents (Isc) were measured from the cells mounted in Ussing chambers under various conditions. RESULTS: Apical addition of UTP in presence of amiloride evoked a transient rise and a sustained response in Isc due to Cl- efflux. Application of different Cl- channel blockers to the apical side of the cells significantly decreased UTP-induced Isc. Niflumic acid (NFA), a known blocker of Ca(2+)-activated chloride channels (CACC), and CFTRinh172, a selective inhibitor of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), partially inhibited the UTP-induced Cl- secretion, respectively. CONCLUSION: Cl- transport across the airway epithelia plays a predominant role in regulating airway hydration. In this study, UTP is shown to increase both CACC and CFTR-dependent Cl- secretion in NHMEE cells, suggesting their role in fluid and ion transport in the middle ear epithelium.
Amiloride ; Chloride Channels ; Cystic Fibrosis ; Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator ; Ear, Middle ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Ion Channels ; Ion Transport ; Niflumic Acid ; Receptors, Purinergic P2Y ; Uridine Triphosphate

Objective: Burr hole trephination is a common treatment for chronic subdural hematoma, intracranial hematoma, and intraventricular hematoma due to its effective drainage of hematoma, minimal invasiveness and short operation time. However, cosmetic complications such as scalp depression can occur. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of an allogenic acellular dermal matrix (ADM) to prevent scalp depression at the burr hole site. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed with 75 cases in 66 patients who were treated with burr hole trephination from January 2018 to December 2019. These cases divided into 2 groups; based on the method used to cover the burr hole site: Gelfoam packing only (GPO) and ADM. The degree of the scalp depression was measured from the more recent follow-up brain computed tomography scan. Results: There was a significant difference in the degree of scalp depression between GPO and ADM groups (p=0.003). No significant correlation between patient's age and the degree of scalp depression (GPO: p=0.419, ADM: p=0.790). There were no wound infection complication in either group. Conclusion ADM is a suitable material to prevent scalp depression after burr hole trephination.