Individual tumors, even those of the same histologic type, show varying sensitivity to specific cytotoxic agent. Therefore, sensitivity testing assume an increasingly important as an orientational aid in planning chemotherapy. In the past decade there have been many attempts to develop a chemosensitivity test that would predict the clinical effectiveness of various chemostherapeutic agents against human neoplasms. In the United States National Institue's anticancer drug screening program, a colorimetric assey based on the ability of live cells to reduce a tetrazolium-base compound(MTT) to a blue formazan product was used. There has been an increase in reports of a chemosensitivity assay that use tetrazolium dyes and current the assay is in use in our country. The efficacy of several anticancer drug (vincristine sulfate, Etoposide, doxorubicin CDDP) were evaluated using the in vitro chemosensitivity of MTT assay with two cancer cell lines (MOLT-4, KHOS/NP). The follows obtained. 1) CI50 on MOLT-4 are 0.55ng/ml and 0.81ng/ml for vincristine and oncovin, 142.30ng/ml and 78.75ng/ml for lastet and vepesid, and 19.75ng/ml, 20.43ng/ml and 8.66ng/ml for ADR, ADM and adriblastin, respectively. 2) CI50 on KHOS/NP are 691.35ng/ml, 873.73ng/ml, 1,205.22ng/ml, 768.81ng/ml and 672.19ng/ml for cisplan, cisplatin, cispatin, platinol and cisplatin G, and 9.22ng/ml, 11.46ng/ml and 4.28ng/ml for ADR, ADM and adriblastin, respectively. In conclusion the MTT dye reduction assay to anticancer drug sensitivity using short-term microplate culture might serve as a reliable tool for the selection of effective chemotherapeutic agents in patients with cancers.
Cell Line ; Cisplatin ; Coloring Agents ; Doxorubicin ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drug Therapy ; Etoposide ; Humans ; United States ; Vincristine

Serial Brain MRI was performed on a seventeen-year-old girl with Kearns-Sayre syndrome. At the age of 11, she complained bilateral ptosis. Two years later, bilateral blepharoplasty was done and brain MRI was taken. T2-weighted MRI sequence showed high signal intensity areas in the brainstem, thalamus and white matter of the cerebrum and cerebellum bilaterally. Four years later, chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia developed and serial MRI and proton MRS were taken. Follow-up MRI showed similar but slightly progressed findings compared with previous films. The proton MR spectroscopic imaging demonstrated focal localization of abnormally increased lactate content in the involved area of the brain.
Blepharoplasty ; Brain ; Brain Stem ; Cerebellum ; Cerebrum ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Kearns-Sayre Syndrome* ; Lactic Acid ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Ophthalmoplegia, Chronic Progressive External ; Protons ; Thalamus

PURPOSE: Cefodizime is a new third-generation cephalosporin which has a structure and immunomodutation properties similar to cefotaxime. Various studies on cefodizime have demonstrated the direct eradication of bacteria in cooperation with the host defense mechanism, particularly with phagocytosis. We evaluated the effects of cefodizime on the phagocytosis of COS-1 cells transfected with FcgammaRI/gammagamma or FcgammaRIIA cDNA. METHODS: Phagocytosis was measured using the in vitro COS-1 cell modeling system according to Schreiber's method. COS-1 cells, which lack endogenoous Fcgammareceptors but have phagocytic potential, were transfected with either FcgammaRI/gammagammaor FcgammaRIIA cDNA. COS-1 cells, as target cells, were treated with antibiotics for 1 or 24 hours and incubated for 30 min with IgG coated sheep RBCs. Adhered IgG coated sheep RBCs were removed after brief exposure to hypotonic phosphate buffered saline. Phagocytosis index (PI) was calculated as the number of ingested RBCs per 100 phagocytic cells after wright-Giemsa staining. RESULTS: COS-1 cells tranfected with FcgammaR (either FcgammaRI/gammagamma or FcgammaRIIA cDNA) showed the phagocytic activity against IgG coated sheep RBC, while untransfected COS-1 cells did not. After treatment with cefodizime, phagocytic activity of FcgammaRI/gammagammacDNA transfected COS-1 cells was significantly increased, while that of FcgammaRIIA cDNA transfected COS-1 cells did not. Marked enhancement of phagocytosis of COS-1 cells was observed after treatment with cefodizime, but was not observed with ceftriaxone or moxalactam. CONCLUSION: Cefodizime showed marked enhancement of phagocytic activity of FcgammaR transfected COS-1 cells. FcgammaRI seems to play an important role in the enhancement of phagocytosis. Further studies will be required.
Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteria ; Cefotaxime ; Ceftriaxone ; COS Cells ; DNA, Complementary ; Immunoglobulin G ; Moxalactam ; Phagocytes ; Phagocytosis* ; Sheep

This is a case report of the accidental insertion of an entire catheter into the right femoral vein during central venous catheterization through the right femoral vein. The risks of accidental guide wire or catheter breakage and migration of resulting fragments to the heart or intravascular or extravascular space has been increased with the frequent diagnostic and therapeutic use of central venous catheters. We used a single lumen polyurethane central venous catheter (SECALON UNIVERSAL, Viggo-Spectramed, UK). During central venous catheterization under general anesthesia, the catheter was disconnected from its hub and accidentally inserted into the right femoral vein. The catheter was retrieved by using a snare under fluoroscopic guidance without any complications.
Anesthesia, General ; Catheterization, Central Venous* ; Catheters* ; Central Venous Catheters* ; Femoral Vein* ; Heart ; Polyurethanes ; SNARE Proteins

A statistical observation was made on 856 in-patients with operative procedures in the Department of Urology, Catholic Medical College, During the period from January 1, 1971 to December 31, 1975.
Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Urology

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical manifestations and causes of upper limb edema in 8 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: Eight patients with upper limb edema in association with rheumatoid arthritis were investigated for their clinical manifestations and assessment of lymphatic function with lymphoscintigrphy. In lymphoscintigraphy, 99mTc-Human serum albumin((0.3ml, 1.0mci) was injected subcutaneously into the second web space of each hand. Images were obtained over injetion site and both axillary regions at Ohr and 2hr post-injection. The visualization of axillary lymph node and the percentage uptake of isotope in the axillary regions were evaluated. RESULTS: All patients except one have unilateral upper limb edema and showed no relation between lymphedema and either activity or duration of arthritis. Six of eight cases were found to have impaired lymph drainage and two cases showed normal lymphatic function. CONCLUSION: This study describes lymphedema in patients with rheumatoid arthritis due to impaired lymphatic function and a relatively rapid production of interstitial fluid.
Arthritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Drainage ; Edema ; Extracellular Fluid ; Hand ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphedema* ; Lymphoscintigraphy ; Upper Extremity

Polymyositis can develop infrequently as one of the autoimmune complications of D-penicillamine treatment, but its exact pathogenesis remains unclear. Suspicion of D-penicillamine induced polymyositis should be followed by immediate drug withdrawal and confirmation of diagnosis by determination of muscle enzymes, EMG and biopsy. Most patients recover from polymyositis completely within 6 months after drug withdrawal, even though steroid may be used in severe conditions. Suspicion of pre-existing low-grade myopathy or myositis should possibly be regarded as a relative contraindication to D-penicillamine treatment and analysis of muscle enzymes should be followed regularly. We experienced a case of rheumatoid arthritis who developed polymyositis after treatment of D-penicillamine for about 5 weeks(total dosage 3500mg) in a 47-year-old female and report this with a review of literature.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Muscular Diseases ; Myositis ; Penicillamine* ; Polymyositis*

A 37-year-old woman who had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery for left main and right coronary ostial lesions 2 years prior presented with angina and transient visual dimness. Computed tomography angiography showed a patent left internal mammary artery (LIMA) bypass graft and concentric narrowing with perivascular thickening around the arch vessels. The patient was diagnosed with Takayasu arteritis with coronary subclavian steal syndrome (CSSS). Thoracic angiography revealed severe stenosis of the left proximal subclavian artery (SCA) and reverse flow from the coronary artery to the distal left SCA via the LIMA graft. Successful percutaneous stenting of the left SCA was performed together with stenting of the right common carotid artery (CCA). The patient's symptoms were completely resolved. This case is informative since it shows that Takayasu arteritis can manifest as angina due to coronary ostial lesions and then can involve arch vessels, which can lead to CSSS in patients with CABG.
Adult ; Angiography ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump ; Coronary Vessels ; Coronary-Subclavian Steal Syndrome* ; Female ; Humans ; Mammary Arteries ; Stents ; Subclavian Artery ; Takayasu Arteritis* ; Transplants

Hydroxyapatite(HA) has been extensively used as bone graft materials and tooth implant surface coating materials because of its biocompatibility and osteoconductive properties. However, as HA is intrinsically poor in mechanical properties, zirconia(ZrO2) was incorporated with HA as reinforcing phases for improvement of mechanical properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the biological activities of HA-coated zirconia through the cell proliferation test, measurements of alkaline phosphatase activity, and histologic examination. Four kinds of tested blocks were prepared according to the pore size (300-500micrometer/500-700micrometer) and the porosity (70%/90%). Cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity was measured at 1, 7, 14 days. The number of cells proliferate after 7, 14 days were significantly increased in all groups when compared with that of the first day, but there was no significant difference between the 4 groups at each time period. At the 7 day, alkaline phosphatase activities of cells cultured in 4 groups were higher than that of the first day, but there was no significant difference between the 4 groups at each time period. The human gingival fibroblast and MG 63 cell was used to evaluate the cell cytotoxicity using MTT test. The materials tested in the current study turned out to be non-cytotoxic. In histologic examination(SEM), at 1 day there were many cells attached on the surfaces of all kinds of tested blocks. The number of cells were increased over time. At the 14 day, there were more cells proliferated than 1 day and some of the pores of blocks were partially filled with the proliferated cells. The in vitro response of osteoblast-like cells to the HA-coated zirconia showed comparable effect on transformation comparable to hydroxyapatite.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Bone Regeneration ; Cell Proliferation ; Durapatite ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Porosity ; Tooth ; Transplants

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of Crassirhzimae rhizoma and its possible use as an oral antiseptics for prevention of periodontitis. Its antibacterial activity against periodontopathic microorganisms including Actinobacillus actiomycetemcomitans, Capnocytophaga ochracea, Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Actinomyces viscosus, Fusobacterium nucleatumwas evaluated via modified stab culture method. The cytotoxicity against gingival fibroblasts and rat osteoblasts was investigated via [3H]thymidine incorporation and cellular activity was investigated via MTT assay. Chlorhexidine was used as control group. Crassirhizomae rhizoma was prepared at concentrations of 0.2, 0.15, 0.1, 0.05%. Chlorhexidine was also prepared at the same concentration. Crassirhizomae rhizoma showed lower antimicrobial antivity against these microorganism than chlorhexidine, but this difference was not significant. And, Crassirhzomae rhizoma showed more cellular activity and less cytotoxicity than chlorhexidine on human gingival fibrablast and rat osteoblast. This study suggests that Crassirhzomae rhizoma might be a candidate for a safe oral antiseptic for the prevention and treatment of periodontal disease.
Actinobacillus ; Actinomyces viscosus ; Animals ; Anti-Infective Agents, Local ; Capnocytophaga ; Chlorhexidine ; Fibroblasts ; Fusobacterium ; Humans ; Osteoblasts ; Periodontal Diseases ; Periodontitis ; Porphyromonas gingivalis ; Prevotella intermedia ; Rats ; Streptococcus mutans