No abstract available.
Animals ; Embryonic Development* ; Female ; Mice* ; Oviducts* ; Pregnancy

This phase II study aimed to assess the clinical activity and toxicity of ifosfamide based regimen in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, relapsed or refractory to cisplatin-containing combination chemotherapy. From July 1991 to June 1993, 18 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, relapsed or refractory to cisplatin were treated as follows. Relapsed cases were treated with IP(ifosfamide 4,0g/m2 intravenously and cisplatin 60mg/m2 intravenously on day 1) regimen every 3-4 weeks. The regimen used in refractory cases was Et-I(etoposide 100mg/m2 intravenously on days 1 to 3 and ifosfamide 1.0g/m2 intravenously on days 1 to 5) regimen every 3 or 4 weeks. The uroprotectant mesna was concomitantly used. Responses and toxicities were evaluated according to the WHO Criteria. The overall response rate was 27.8%(5/18), including 2 complete response and 3 partial response. There were four episodes(22.2%) of grade 3, 4 myelosuppression, but no other grade 3, 4 non-hematologic toxicity. Salvage therapy with ifosfamide based regimen is a useful and well tolerated treatment strategy in selected patients with relapsed ovarian cancer.
Cisplatin ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Humans ; Ifosfamide ; Mesna ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Recurrence ; Salvage Therapy

No abstract available.
Dysgerminoma*

BACKGROUND: Low values of lung compliance have been reported in patients with increased pulmonary blood flow due to intracardiac left to right(L-R) shunt. The compliance had returned to within normal limits 4 to 6 weeks after surgical correction of the shunt. We investigated whether lung compliance was improved immediately after surgical correction of the shunt. METHODS: Fifty four pediatric patients who were undergoing repair of intracardiac L-R shunt were evaluated. Lung compliance, arterial oxygen tension(PaO2) and arterial to end-tidal carbon dioxide tension difference(Pa-ETCO2) were measured after induction of anesthesia and at the completion of surgery. Left atrial pressure(LAP) was monitored. Lung compliance and end-tidal carbon dioxide tension were measured by monitoring system built in Cato anesthetic ventilator system. RESULTS: Lung compliance was significantly lower after surgery(6.57+/-6.46 ml/mbar) than after induction of anesthesia(7.71+/-7.18 ml/mbar). After surgery, PaO2 was significantly decreased and Pa-ETCO2 significantly increased than after induction of anesthesia. The decrease in lung compliance after surgery significantly correlated with a decrease in PaO2(r=0.43) and an increase in Pa-ETCO2 (r=0.47) but not correlated with LAP. CONCLUSIONS: Although surgical correction of intracardiac L-R shunt reduces pulmonary blood flow, the lung compliance decreases in immediate postoperative period. Therefore a deterioration of postoperative lung compliance may need judicious management for pulmonary and hemodynamic instability.
Anesthesia ; Carbon Dioxide ; Compliance ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Lung Compliance* ; Lung* ; Oxygen ; Postoperative Period ; Ventilators, Mechanical

BACKGROUND: Dobutamine and amrinone, phosphodiesterase-III inhibitor, are known to have both inotropic and vasodilatory properties. We evaluated the effects of both drugs on systemic and pulmonary hemodynamics in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). METHODS: With Institutional Review Board approval, 45 patients whose mean pulmonary arterial pressure was greater than 30 mmHg were studied. After sternotomy under the steady state of anesthesia and controlled ventilation (30 mmHg < PaCO2 < 40 mmHg), patients recieved one of following drugs for 30minutes (min); dobutamine 5.0ug/kg/min (Group I), low dose amrinone (loading dose 1.0 mg/kg, followed by infusion 7.5 g/kg/min, Group II) or high dose amrinone (loading dose 2.0 mg/kg, followed by infusion 10 g/kg/min, Group III). Hemodynamic variables were measured at 10 min and 30 min after start of infusion. RESULTS: Dobutamine didn't decrease pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and cause no hemodynamic change while low and high dose amrinone reduced PAP and especcially decrease of PAP in low dose amrinone group was statistically significnat. High dose amrinone increased cardiac index (CI) and decreased both systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI) and central venous pressure (CVP) more significantly than control value. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with chronic right ventricular failure associated with PH, amrinone may decrease the PAP and improve cardiac performance more effectively than dobutamin does. Increment of dosage of amrinone may not result in significant reduction of PAP.
Amrinone* ; Anesthesia ; Arterial Pressure ; Central Venous Pressure ; Dobutamine* ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hypertension, Pulmonary* ; Sternotomy ; Vascular Resistance ; Ventilation

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence and genotype of high risk HPV infection with oligonucleotide microarray based DNA chip in cervical cancer. METHODS: The presence of HPV and its type were tested with oligonucleotide microarray based DNA chip in 84 specimen from cervical cancer (squamous cell carcinoma; 58, adenocarcinoma; 22, adenosquamous carcinoma and small cell carcinoma; 4). RESULTS: The overall detection rate of high risk HPV infection was 84.5% (71/84). In squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, the detection rate were 79.3% (46/58) and 100% (22/22) respectively. The distribution of HPV types in squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma was as follows; HPV 16 (60.3%, 59.1%), HPV 18 (1.7%, 27.3%). CONCLUSION: The most common type of high risk HPV detected in squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of cervix was HPV 16 followed by HPV 18. In contrast with squamous cell carcinoma, HPV 18 was more frequently detected than HPV 16 in adenocarcinoma. HPV DNA chip seems to be effective in the detection and typing of HPV in tissues from cervical cancer.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinoma, Adenosquamous ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cervix Uteri ; Female ; Genotype ; Human papillomavirus 16 ; Human papillomavirus 18 ; Humans ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Prevalence* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentration of IL-8 and VEGF in serum and cervicovaginal washing fluid and to investigate whether local production of IL-8 and VEGF could be found. METHODS: Cervicovaginal washing fluid and sera were obtained from 14 patients with invasive cervical cancer and 19 patients with other benign disease who showed normal Pap smear result. The level of IL-8 and VEGF was determined by ELISA (PharMingenTM, San Diego, CA, USA). RESULTS: The mean concentration of cervicovaginal washing fluid IL-8 was 2181.7 pg/ml (+/-2235.7) in case group and 899.0 pg/ml (+/-1192.0) in control group, and the mean concentration of serum IL-8 was 230.6 pg/ml (+/-214.1) and 103.5 pg/ml (+/-138.5) respectively. With VEGF, the mean concentraiton of cervicovaginal washing fluid was 216.9 pg/ml (+/-125.4) in case group and 102.9 pg/ml (+/-138.1) in control group and of serum was 31.2 pg/ml (+/-15.6) and 17.7 pg/ml (+/-17.3) respectively. There was a significant correlation between IL-8 and VEGF in control group (spearman P=0.001 (0.858), 0.001 (0.839). 95% CI, cervicovaginal washing fluid, serum) as well as in case group (spearman P=0.001 (0.905), 0.041 (0.462). 95% CI). CONCLUSION: The concentration of IL-8 and VEGF from both serum and cervicovaginal washing fluid was significantly increased in case group than in control group. There seems to be a local production of IL-8 and VEGF in cervicovaginal tissue from the results of a significant correlation between IL-8 and VEGF in control group as well as in case group and a significant increase of the median concentration of IL-8 and VEGF in cervicovaginal washing fluid than in serum.
Case-Control Studies* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interleukin-8* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

Various invasive and non-invasive imaging techniques have been used for the diagnosis of cardiac disease. The recently introduced multidetector row CT (MDCT) shows rapid scan speed, high temporal resolution and large volume coverage in a single breath-hold. MDCT opens a new horizon for cardiac imaging because noninvasive coronary artery imaging has become feasible using MDCT. In this article, we illustrate the technical aspects of coronary CT angiography using MDCT.
Angiography ; Coronary Angiography* ; Coronary Vessels ; Diagnosis ; Heart Diseases ; Multidetector Computed Tomography*

PURPOSE: The recent advances in microsurgical techniques and their refinement over the past decade have greatly expanded the indications for digital replantations and have enabled us to salvage severed fingers more often. Many studies have reported greater than 80% viability rates in replantation surgery with functional results. However, replantation of multi-level amputations still remain a challenging problem and the decision of whether or not to replant an amputated part is difficult even for an experienced reconstructive surgeon because the ultimate functional result is unpredictable. METHODS: Between January of 2002 and May of 2008, we treated 10 multi-level amputated digits of 7 patients. After brachial plexus block, meticulous replantation procedure was performed under microscopic magnification. Postoperatively, hand elevation, heat lamp, drug therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy were applied with careful observation of digital circulation. Early rehabilitation protocol was performed for functional improvement. RESULTS: Among the 19 amputated segments of 10 digits, 16 segments survived completely without any complications. Overall survival rate was 84%. Complete necrosis of one finger tip segment and partial necrosis of two distal amputated segments developed and subsequent surgical interventions such as groin flap, local advancement flap and skin graft were performed. The overall result was functionally and aesthetically satisfactory. CONCLUSION: We experienced successful replantations of multi-level amputated digits. When we encounter a multi-level amputation, the key question is whether or not it is a contraindication to replantation. Despite the demand for skillful microsurgical technique and longer operative time, the authors' results prove it is worth attempting replantations in multi-level amputation because of the superiority in aesthetic and functional results.
Amputation ; Brachial Plexus ; Fingers ; Groin ; Hand ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation ; Necrosis ; Operative Time ; Replantation ; Skin ; Survival Rate ; Transplants

PURPOSE: Daegu, Korea was severely affected by pandemic and post-pandemic H1N1 infection during August 2009 to March 2012. The aim of this study was to analyze various clinical characteristics of patients who visited the emergency department with H1N1 infection during the first three years, and to compare the results for each year. We then performed an evaluation of the differences. METHODS: The medical records of patients who visited our emergency department and conformed to H1N1 virus infection by conventional rRT-PCR during the pandemic wave from August 2009 to March 2010(wave 1) and post-pandemic waves from August 2010 to March 2011(wave 2) and from August 2011 to March 2012(wave 3) were reviewed. A total of 986 patients (wave 1; 840, wave 2; 144, wave 3; 2) were included in this study. We analyzed the clinical characteristics, proportions of pneumonia, admission rate, relationships with underlying medical conditions, and requirement for mechanical ventilation of the infected patients, and then performed a statistical evaluation of the differences between wave 1 and wave 2 that was severely affected. RESULTS: During wave 1,840 patients, during wave 2, 144 patients, and during wave 3, two patients were diagnosed as novel influenza. Age 18-39 showed a significantly higher rate(78.7%) in the wave 1 patients group. Main clinical symptoms were cough and febrile sense in both waves. Patients with underlying medical conditions in wave 2(97 cases, 67.4%) showed a higher rate than those of wave 1(101 cases, 12.0%). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder was the most closely related underlying disorder in wave 2(18.8%). Patients requiring admission(37.5%) and ventilatory care(6.9%) due to severe pneumonic symptoms showed a significantly higher rate in wave 2. Only two young patients were diagnosed as novel influenza. Both complained of mild fever and cough, which recovered spontaneously. CONCLUSION: Most cases of influenza A (H1N1) infection were uncomplicated, characterized by influenza-like symptoms and spontaneous recovery. The number of patients showed a marked decreased year by year, however, the severity of clinical presentations increased in wave 2. Young adults who did not have cross-reactive antibodies to novel influenza A (H1N1) from previous infection or immunization were dominant in wave 1. Older patients with underlying medical conditions were more likely to admitted and present fatal progress in wave 1 and wave 2. Because influenza viruses are unpredictable, continued national preparedness, flexible response, and careful monitoring are essential.
Antibodies ; Cough ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Daegu ; Epidemiology ; Fever ; Humans ; Immunization ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; Influenza, Human* ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Observational Study* ; Orthomyxoviridae ; Pandemics* ; Pneumonia ; Respiration, Artificial ; Young Adult