Adult ; Dermatitis, Occupational ; etiology ; Drug Eruptions ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Phthalimides ; adverse effects

BACKGROUNDAn effective purging technique plays an important role in autologous hematopoietic stem cells transplantation. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) provides a novel approach for this purpose. This study dealt with the purging effects of di-sulfo-di-phthalimidomethyl phthalolcyanine zinc (ZnPcS2P2)-based photodynamic therapy (ZnPc-PDT).

METHODSFluorescence intensity of cell extracts was measured using a fluorescence spectrophotometry. The proliferative potency of K562 cells and HL60 cells was detected using MTT colorimetric assay, Typan blue dye exclusion method, colony formation test. The proliferative potency of normal hematopoietic cells was evaluated using mixture colony-forming unit (CFU-Mix), granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming unit (CFU-GM), and erythrocyte colony-forming unit (CFU-E) assays. K562 cells were mixed with normal mononuclear cells (MNCs) at ratios of 1:100 and 1:1000 for creating the model of simulated remission bone marrow. Colony formation test and nested-RT-PCR were carried out to detect the residual K562 cells in cell mixture.

RESULTSAfter a 5-hour incubation with ZnPcS2P2, the content of ZnPcS2P2 in normal MNCs was the lowest value. At the same time, the content in K562 cells and HL60 cells was very high. Therefore, the time point was selected as the optimal one for irradiating the cell suspensions. ZnPc-PDT could significantly kill proliferative K562 cells and HL60 cells in a dose-dependent manner. At the concentration of 1.0 microg/ml, the inhibitory rate of ZnPc-PDT on the colony formation was 100% for K562 cells, 89.7% for HL60 cells. 0.25 microg/ml ZnPc-PDT could completely photoinactivate residual K562 cells in the simulated remission bone marrow. Under an identical condition, the inhibitory rates of CFU-Mix, CFU-GM, CFU-E were 18.0%, 18.6%, and 17.8% respectively.

CONCLUSIONZnPc-PDT appears to be a promising approach for bone marrow purging.

Bone Marrow Purging ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Colorimetry ; HL-60 Cells ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; drug effects ; Humans ; Indoles ; pharmacology ; K562 Cells ; Photochemotherapy ; Photosensitizing Agents ; pharmacology ; Phthalimides ; pharmacology

Until now, we do not have specific Korean data on the age related prostatic volume and voiding symptoms associated with prostatic volume among randomized aged population. Due to this problem, we studied the correlations on the age, prostatic volume and voiding symptom among random sampled 255 people over the age 60 from the 11 Myun in Chinyang Gun, Kyungsangnam-do from the July 12th to July 26th, 1993. The mean age of the examined people was 71.5 years. 244 people answered on questionaire for voiding symptom scoring and 224 people agreed on the transrectal ultrasonic measurement of the prostatic volume. The prolate spheroid method and elliptical method were used for the measurement of the prostatic volume with the major transverse diameter, major anteroposterior diameter and cephalocaudal diameter of each prostates as Terris. The volume of the prostate ranged from 6.2cc to 54.5cc ( Prolate spheroid method ) and 4.7cc to 44.1cc(Elliptical method ). The prostate volumes measured by the elliptical method were smaller than that measured by prolate spheroid method in each age group. The average prostatic volume measured by the elliptical volume and prolate spheroid method were 17.7/22.5cc(E/P) in age 61 to 65 group(n=17), 19.9/22.8cc in age 66 to 70 group(n= 88), 21.6/ 26.0cc in age 71 to 75 group(n=71), 24.4/27.7cc in age 76 to 80 group(n=34) and 18.1/23.7cc in age over 80 group(n =14) and the pattern of the changes in the prostatic volume related with aging was significant(p <0.05 ). The voiding symptom scores were measured and divided according to the prostate volume into 3 groups, below 20cc, 20.1 to 30 and over 30cc groups. The voiding symptom scores ranged from 0 to 35 and the mean symptom scores were 10.9, 11.7 and 14.1 in each group and these changes were not statistically significant(p>0.05).
Aging ; Humans ; Phosmet ; Prostate ; Ultrasonics

No abstract available.
Hyperplasia* ; Neointima* ; Thalidomide*

No abstract available.
Hyperplasia* ; Neointima* ; Thalidomide*

A patient with cutaneous sarcoidosis was treated with thalidomide for steroid unresponsive sarcoidal granulomas of the skin. The duration of the therapy was 16 weeks, during which time, the skin lesions showed clinically and histologically improvement. The initial dosage was 50mg a day, which was increased to 100mg a day after 5 weeks. No side effect was noted. The good response of sarcoidal granulomas of the skin to thalidomide observed in this patient demonstrates the usefulness of this drug as a possible long-term monotherapeutic or steroid-sparing agent in the treatment of cutaneous sarcoidosis.
Granuloma ; Humans ; Sarcoidosis* ; Skin ; Thalidomide*

PURPOSE: To determine the relationships among refractive error, corneal asphericity, and axial length in elementary school students. METHODS: One hundred eleven eyes from 56 subjects were included in this study. All subjects underwent cycloplegic refraction corrected to the spherical equivalent. Axial length was measured, and corneal topography was performed. Corneal asphericity was assessed using eccentricity (e) calculated according to the formula Q=-e2. The relationship among spherical equivalent, asphericity, and axial length was determined using a linear regression model. RESULTS: Subjects were between 8 and 12 years of age (mean, 9.99+/-1.33). The average spherical equivalent was -1.38+/-2.08D (-7.13~2.63D), the average axial length was 23.84+/-1.17 mm (20.10~26.37 mm), and the average corneal asphericity was -0.29+/-0.10 (-0.55~-0.07). An increase in myopia was positively correlated with an increase in axial length (p<0.0001). The degree of myopia was negatively associated with corneal asphericity (p=0.019). An increase in axial length was related to an increase of negativity in asphericity (p=0.012). CONCLUSIONS: An increase in myopia was correlated with an increase in axial length. As the degree of myopia and axial length increased, corneal asphericity became more prolate. A longitudinal study with more subjects is required to validate these results.
Corneal Topography ; Eye ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Myopia ; Phosmet ; Refractive Errors

Dexamethasone ; Humans ; Melphalan ; Multiple Myeloma ; Recurrence ; Thalidomide

Systemic thalidomide has good effect on refractory chronic discoid lupus erythematosus (CDLE) whereas topical regimen of it has not been reported previously. In this paper, a case of refractory CDLE cured with topical thalidomide in clinic was reported and the feasibility of topical therapy was reviewed.
Female ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid ; Thalidomide

Thalidomide is an anti-angiogenic agent widely used in patients with multiple myeloma. The response to therapy is commonly monitored using serum and/or urine M protein, as these are known to reflect the tumor burden. Although extramedullary plasmacytomas are tissues with high neovascularization, it has been suggested in some reports that the response to thalidomide in these patients may be inferior, despite changes in the serum M protein level. Herein, we report the case of a patient who newly developed hepatosplenic extramedullary plasmacytoma, despite reduction in the serum M protein level following thalidomide treatment.
Humans ; Multiple Myeloma* ; Plasmacytoma ; Thalidomide* ; Tumor Burden