Tumor necrosis factor-n (TNF - alpha) involved in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis and contribute to the degeneration of oligodendrocytes as well as neurons. TNF - alpha is produced by miocroglia and astrocytes, which also produce hormones and cytokines that influence its biological activity. Astrocytes, the major glial cells in the CNS, are capable of producing TNF - alpha at both the mRNA and protein levels in response to interleukine-1 (IL-1) or TNF - alpha. Two immunosuppressive cytokines, transforming growth factor - beta (TGF - beta) and IL-10, have been shown to influence glial cell function. TGF - beta can modulate the activity of glial cells by inhibiting interferon-gamma (IFN - gamma) induced expression of class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules on astrocytes and microglia. To explore the role of astrocytes in the production of TNF - alpha, astrocytes were pretreated with IL-10 or TGF - beta and then stimulated with IL-1p to determine their effects on TNF - alpha production. The secretion of TNF - alpha by human fetal astrocytes was markedly inhibited by TGF - beta at a low concentration. In contrast IL-10 had no effect on TNF - alpha mRNA level. These results show that TGF - beta may regulate the expression of TNF - alpha in activated human fetal astrocytes.
Astrocytes* ; Cytokines ; Gene Expression* ; Humans* ; Interferon-gamma ; Interleukin-10 ; Major Histocompatibility Complex ; Microglia ; Multiple Sclerosis ; Necrosis ; Neuroglia ; Neurons ; Oligodendroglia ; RNA, Messenger ; Transforming Growth Factors

No Abstract Available.
Cell Line* ; Humans* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

No Abstract Available.
Cell Line* ; Humans* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

This study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic value of colposcopy by comparing colposcopic findings with cytology, histology of colposcopically directed biopsy and final biopsy result on hysterectomy. From January 1, 1988 to August 31, 1996, the colposcopic examinations was undertaken in 1200 patients, excluding grossly visible carcinoma of the cervix. The result were as follows : 1. Colposcopic examinations were satisfactory in 95.4% and unsatisfactory in 4.58%. 2. The accuracy rate of cytologic diagnosis was 73.1% and colposcopic impression was 93.1%. 3. The false negative rate of colposcopic impression was 2.6%, much less than 24,7% of cytologic examination. 4. The cytologic accuracy rate in cervicitis was higher than that of colposcopic impression but the accuracy rate of colposcopic impression in diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia was higher than that of cytology. 5. Among 97 cases in which colposcopically directed biopsy were performed, more advanced lesion were disclosed in 12 cases(12.4%).
Biopsy ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; Cervix Uteri ; Colposcopy* ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms* ; Uterine Cervicitis

No abstract available.
Astrocytes* ; Gene Expression* ; Humans* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

No abstract available.
Astrocytes* ; Humans*

BACKGROUND: Atlanto-axial dislocation (AAD) is a common complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Diverse or different patterns of neurological manifestations including brainstem signs, myelopathy, vertebrobasilar insufficiency, and radiculopathy are expected in each type of AAD. This study is designed for the evaluation of neurological manifes-tations of AAD in RA, and for the comparison of clinical profiles with radiological findings. METHODS: Thirty patients compatible with radiological criteria of AAD were selected. The age, sex, symptom duration, and neurological signs were evaluated in the clinical profiles. Based on the neurological signs, the patients were classified into three groups. Radiological classifications of AAD were done according to the direction of AAD (anterior, vertical, lateral, mixed) and degrees of dislocation (grade I, II, III). Correlational analysis was performed as a measure of association with the clinical profiles and radiological findings. RESULTS: Neurological manifestations were present/found in 50% of the patients. Each types of AAD were distributed into the following groups:; anterior - 76.7%, mixed - 13.3%, lateral -10%, pure vertical - 0% in our study. The various groups determined by the neurological signs may be correlated with the severity of AAD, especially in the anterior type (> 8mm) and mixed type. Neurological signs were not noted in the pure lateral type. Vascular signs such as vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) were more common in the anterior-AAD, but myelopathic or brainstem signs were more common in the mixed type. CONCLUSIONS: Diverse neurological findings exist in AAD. Different and characteristic manifestations are also noted in each type of AAD. Critical neurological signs including myelopathic, brainstem signs and VBI are prominent in severe anterior-AAD or mixed type.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Brain Stem ; Classification ; Dislocations ; Humans ; Neurologic Manifestations* ; Radiculopathy ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency

BACKGROUND: Atlanto-axial dislocation (AAD) is a common complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Diverse or different patterns of neurological manifestations including brainstem signs, myelopathy, vertebrobasilar insufficiency, and radiculopathy are expected in each type of AAD. This study is designed for the evaluation of neurological manifes-tations of AAD in RA, and for the comparison of clinical profiles with radiological findings. METHODS: Thirty patients compatible with radiological criteria of AAD were selected. The age, sex, symptom duration, and neurological signs were evaluated in the clinical profiles. Based on the neurological signs, the patients were classified into three groups. Radiological classifications of AAD were done according to the direction of AAD (anterior, vertical, lateral, mixed) and degrees of dislocation (grade I, II, III). Correlational analysis was performed as a measure of association with the clinical profiles and radiological findings. RESULTS: Neurological manifestations were present/found in 50% of the patients. Each types of AAD were distributed into the following groups:; anterior - 76.7%, mixed - 13.3%, lateral -10%, pure vertical - 0% in our study. The various groups determined by the neurological signs may be correlated with the severity of AAD, especially in the anterior type (> 8mm) and mixed type. Neurological signs were not noted in the pure lateral type. Vascular signs such as vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) were more common in the anterior-AAD, but myelopathic or brainstem signs were more common in the mixed type. CONCLUSIONS: Diverse neurological findings exist in AAD. Different and characteristic manifestations are also noted in each type of AAD. Critical neurological signs including myelopathic, brainstem signs and VBI are prominent in severe anterior-AAD or mixed type.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Brain Stem ; Classification ; Dislocations ; Humans ; Neurologic Manifestations* ; Radiculopathy ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency

In effort to determine whether aircraft noise can have health effects such as hearing loss, hypertension and psychological stress, a total of 111 male professors and administrative officers working a college near a military airport in Korea(exposed group) and a total of 168 males and 112 females matched by age groups(control groups) were analyzed. Personal noise exposure and indoor and outdoor sound level of jet aircraft noise were measured at the exposed area. And pure tone, air conduction test and measurement of blood pressure were given to the exposed(males) and matched control groups(males and females). BEPSI(Brief Encounter Psychological Instrument) and psychological response to aircraft noise were examined for the exposed group. The noise dosimetry results revealed time-weighted averages(TWAs) that ranged from 61 to 68 dBA. However the levels encountered during taking off jet airplanes reached 126 dBA for two half minutes time period. The audiometric test showed that mean values of HTL(hearing threshold level) in exposed group at every frequency(500, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, and 8,000 Hz were much lower than them of male and female control groups. And in old age groups, interaction of age and noise was observed at 8,000 Hz in both ears(p< 0.05). Conclusively, aircraft noise does not appear to induce hearing loss directly, but may decreased hearing threshold level by interaction of aging process and noise exposure. However, difference of mean values of exposed and control groups on blood pressure was not significantly. In psychological test, annoyance was the most severe psychological response to noise in exposed group, but mean value of BEPSI was not correlated with job duration in exposed group
Aging ; Aircraft* ; Airports ; Blood Pressure* ; Female ; Hearing Loss* ; Hearing* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Military Personnel ; Noise* ; Presbycusis ; Psychological Tests ; Stress, Psychological*

PURPOSE: The p16(INK4A) gene encodes a specific inhibitor of cell cycle progression. In recent years, genetic deletion and altered expression of p16(INK4A) gene were frequently showed in many human cancers. So, the p16(INK4A) gene is considered as tumor suppressor gene. However, there has been a few data for the p16(INK4A) in gastric cancer, colon cancer, and hepatoma.So.we investigated the genetic deldtion and altered expression of p16(INK4A) in gastric cancer, colon cancer and hepatoma cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The homozygous deletion of p16(INK4A) was examined by using PCR and the protein expression of p16(INK4A) by using Western blotting in cancer cell lines established from Korean patients: stomach cancer, colon cancer and hepatoma cell lines. RESULTS: Homozygous deletion of p16(INK4A) was detected only 1 stomach cancer cell line out of 13 cell lines examined. The p16(INK4A) was detected in 3 of 13 cancer cell line. These results showed the low frequency of p16(INK4A) homozygous deletion and high frequency of p16(INK4A) expression alteration in stomach cancer, colon cancer and hepatoma cell lines. CONCLUSION: In this study, it may be suggested that the altered pl6(INK4A) expression as well as p16(INK4A) gene deletion play important role in oncogenesis. Further studies to determine the mechanism of p16(INK4A) gene inactivation are expected.
Blotting, Western ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line* ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 ; Gene Deletion ; Gene Silencing ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Stomach*