No abstract available.
Dental Arch* ; Humans

No abstract available in English.
Arm

In order to evaluate the effects of trichloroethylene (TCE) on the central and autonomic nervous system, the brain stem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) and the electrocardiographic R-R interval variability (CV(rr)) were measured in three groups of workers (11) working in TCE degreasing process, workers (4) exposed to lead and two groups of workers (12) not exposed to any kinds of neurotoxicants. Two components of the CVrr reflecting parasympathetic activity (C-CV(rsa)) and sympathetic and parasympathetic activities (CCV(mwsa)) were examined. The TCE workers were exposed to TCE at the level of less than 1 hour per week while the degreasing material was changed. There were no differences in the latencies of BAEPS and CV(rr) and the components of the CV(rr) between control and TCE and lead groups. However, two lead workers had the blood lead level of less than 60 g/dl recommended as present biological guideline by the Ministry of Labor, showed the delayed latencies of V5 and I-V in BAEP. This results suggested that intermittent TCE erposure didn't affect the auditory nervous pathway and the autonomic nervous system, however, lead exposure might affect the central nervous system at the level of less than 60 g/dl in blood lead.
Autonomic Nervous System ; Brain Stem* ; Brain* ; Central Nervous System ; Electrocardiography ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem* ; Trichloroethylene*

Experimental study was done to investigate the effect of suramin on the in vitro and in vivo proliferation and metastasis of penile squamous carcinoma cell line(CUPE-1), morphological changes of CUPE-1 cells induced by suramin and mechanism of action of suramin. Suramin inhibited in vitro proliferation of CUPE-1 significantly with 1C50 of 100 microgram/ml media. In vitro antiproliferative effect of suramin on CUPE-1 was reversible after stopping administration of the drug. Weekly intraperitoneal administration of 200 mg/kg of suramin to nude mouse inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of intraperitoneally implanted CUPE-1 cells significantly. but did not show significant effect on the proliferation of subcutaneously implanted CUPE-1 cells. Suramin induced senile changes on ultrastructure of CUPE-1 cells. Suramin of 300 microgram/ml inhibited the prolireration-stimulating effect of EGF significantly, whereas, suramin of 100 microgram/ml did not inhibit the effect of EGF significantly. Suramin did not show significant cytotoxicity on 3H-thymidine release assay. These results suggest that suramin is a promising drug for the treatment of advanced penile squamous cell carcinoma and blood level of suramin in clinical trial should be continuously maintained in about 300 microgram/ml, and that the main machanism of suramin against CUPE-1 is cytostatic. by antagonizing the action of EGF and inducing growth arrest and senile change.
Animals ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Robenidine ; Suramin

BACKGROUND: Fundus photographs performed during health check-up were reviewed to determine the usefulness in mass screening. METHODS: Subjects consistine of 3017 people who had undergone physical health check up at the Health Clinic, Dong-Eui Medical Center in 1997 and whose fundus photographs of both eyes were taken showing clearly visible posterior pole and optic disc were chosen as subjects. Medical records which included cases of reported close exam and causes, actual cases of close exam and final diagnoses. RESULTS: Of the 3017 people, reported close exam was performed in 665 (22.0%). Among them glaucoma was suspected in 460 retinal hemorrhagic lesion in 63, retinal degenerative lesion in 67 and others in 75. There were 187 actual cases(28.1%) of close exam including glaucoma suspect in 79, retinal hemorrhagic lesion 47, retinal degenerative lesion 34 and others 27. Among 187 actual cases of close exam, 140 people (1.3%) were eventually diagnosed as glaucoma suspect (60), retinal hemorrhagic lesion (38), retinal degenerative lesion (21) and others (21). CONCLUSIONS: Fundus photographs are useful in mass screening, but performing close exam to enhance the usefulness of the fundus photographs is necessary.
Diagnosis ; Glaucoma ; Mass Screening* ; Medical Records ; Retinaldehyde

No abstract available.
Angiomyoma* ; Vulva*

No abstract available.
Angiomyoma* ; Vulva*

OBJECTIVE Present study was aimed to verify the effect of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in the preimplantation development of mouse embryos and the involvement of the mitogen activated protein kiase (MAPK) in the GM-CSF signaling. METHODS: Two-cell embryos were cultured for 96 h in the presence or absence of GM-CSF (0, 0.4, 2, 10 ng/ml) and PD98059, a MEK inhibitor (10 muM). Morphological development, cell number per blastocyst, and apoptotic nuclei, were eamined. MAPK activity of embryonic immunoprecipitate by MAPK (ERK1/2) antibody was measured by in vitro phosphorylation of myelin basic protein. RESULTS: At post hCG 122 h the embryonic development among the experimental groups was significantly different (p=0.018). The rate of blastocyst development and cell number per embryo were the highest in 2 ng/ml GM-CSF treatment group. The percent of apoptotic cells of the GM-CSF-treated embryos was the lowest among the group. in blastocysts, GM-CSF treatment transiently increased MAPK activity. PD098059 attenuated the effect of GM-CSF on the morphological development, increase in cell number per blastocyst, down regulation of apoptosis, and upregulation of MAPK activity, suggesting that activation of MAPK cascade possibly mediated the embryotropic effect of GM-CSF. CONCLUSION: This result suggested that GM-CSF potentiated the development of preimplantation mouse embryos by activation of MAPK.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Blastocyst ; Cell Count ; Down-Regulation ; Embryonic Development ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Granulocytes* ; Mice* ; Myelin Basic Protein ; Phosphorylation ; Pregnancy ; Up-Regulation

Human papillomavirus (HPV) 16/18 is a causative agent of uterine cervical carcinoma. HPV 16/18 can alter cell cycle regulation through apoptosis. Bcl-2 is an important regulatory gene of apoptosis. A study was done to evaluate the relation between HPV 16/18 and bcl-2 and apoptosis in 21 cases of carcinoma in-situ (CIS), 5 cases of microinvasive carcinoma and 23 cases of invasive squamous cell carcinoma. HPV 16/18 was detected by hybrid capture system (HCS), bcl-2 protein by immunohistochemical method and apoptosis by using the hematoxylin-eosin stained slide. The results were as follows: Expression of the bcl-2 protein was 43% (9/21) in CIS and 26% (6/23) in invasive carcinoma. Expression of the bcl-2 protein was 42% (5/12) in CIS with HPV 16/18 infection, 44% in CIS without HPV 16/18 infection, 20% (2/10) in invasive carcinoma with HPV 16/18 infection and 31% (4/13) in invasive carcinoma without HPV 16/18 infection. Mean apoptotic index (mAI) was 3.36 in CIS, 5.23 in microinvasive and 6.25 in invasive carcinoma. mAI was 3.66 in CIS with HPV 16/18 infection, 2.86 in CIS without HPV 16/18 infection, 6.18 in invasive carcinoma with HPV 16/18 infection and 6.30 in invasive carcinoma without HPV 16/18 infection. Based on these results, we conclude that there are no correlation between HPV infection and bcl-2, and between HPV infection and apoptosis in invasive and in situ carcinoma of the uterine cervix, and apoptosis is increased according to tumor progression.
Apoptosis* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cell Cycle ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Genes, Regulator ; Humans

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was aimed to examine if FB1 induced-hepatotoxicity involves apoptosis, and cholesteryl hemisuccinate (CS) pre-treatment would selectively interfere with FB1 induced-apoptosis of hepatocytes. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were intravenousely injected with FB1 (1.25 mg/kg/day) for two days, and were sacrificed at 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after injection. Another experiment group was composed of rats with pretreatment of CS (100 mg/kg/day, i.p.) before FB1 injection. RESULTS: This study demonstrated that administration of hepatotoxic dose of FB1 to Sprague-Dawley rats resulted in liver injury leading to cell death by apoptosis. FB1-induced apoptosis was preceded by early elevation in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total cholesterol, and appearance of injured pre-apoptotic cells at 12 hours was followed by massive fragmentation and margination of heterochromatin at 24 hours. CS pre-treatment prior to FB1 injection ameliorated serum biochemistry and hepatic injury with apoptosis, demonstrated by histological, ultrastructural and TUNEL (terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick end labeling) methods. In addition, there was remarkable decrease in number of PCNA (proliferative cell nuclear antigen)-positive proliferating hepatocytes compared to that of FB1 treated group. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that apoptosis significantly contributes to FB1-induced hepatotoxicity in vivo, and pre-exposure of rat to CS prevents FB1-induced hepatic apoptosis and proliferation.
Alanine Transaminase ; Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Biochemistry ; Cell Death ; Cholesterol ; Hepatocytes* ; Heterochromatin ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Liver* ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley