This study was designed to prospect the 'In-labelled paclitaxel as tumor imaging agent. In order to provide a taxol molecule with a functional group which is able to chelate In-lll, taxol-DTPA conjugate and 2-hemisuccinyltaxol were synthesized by esterification of taxol at C-2 on C-13 carbon with DTPA anhydride and succinic anhydride, respectively. Synthesis yield of the taxol derivatives was 34% for taxol- DTPA and 80% for 2'-hemisuccinyltaxol. Cytotoxicity of the taxol derivatives were measured by MTT method toward cell lines HT29, B16, P388, and CT26. The cytotoxic activities of the taxol derivatives were maintained, although less active than taxol. Radiolabelling of the taxol derivatives were proceeded directly with 111InCh or indirectly with 111In-citrate(ligand-exchange method). The ligand-exchane methocl was not suitable because some precipitat:es appeared during the reaction. On the contrary, by direct radiolabelling methnd, we were able to obtain taxol DTPA-111In in 100% radiochemical yield. However, 2'-hemisuccinyltaxol was not labellecl by both methods. Yield and radiochemiral purity of the radiolabelled com- pound were determined by HPI.C, paper chromatography and instant thin layer chromatography. Taxol-DTPA-111In was characterized to be hydrophilic by lipophi- licity test, and nearly non-adhesive to HT29, E316, P388, and CT26 by cell hinding affinity test. Binding affinity of the taxol-DTPA-111In complex to serum proteins was also examined by protein precipitation with 30% trichloroacetic acid. The results showed that 309o of the taxol-DTPA-111In complex binds with serum proteins.
Blood Proteins ; Carbon ; Cell Line ; Chromatography, Paper ; Chromatography, Thin Layer ; Esterification ; Paclitaxel* ; Pentetic Acid ; Trichloroacetic Acid

No abstract available.
Aged* ; Female ; Humans ; Sarcoma, Kaposi*

No abstract available.
Aged* ; Female ; Humans ; Sarcoma, Kaposi*

Actinomycosis is relatively rare infection which is produced by an anaerobic organism, actinomycetes, normally residing in the mouth, bowel and female genital tract. This disease is characterized by chronic inflammatory induration with abscess and multiple sinus formation. In most cases, the onset of this is preceded by an inflammatory or traumatic history on abdomen but diagnosis can't be made until operation. Recently this disease is treated with antimicrobial therapy and wide surgical excision. We experienced a case of omental actinomycosis and report it with brief review of literatures.
Abdomen ; Abscess ; Actinobacteria ; Actinomycosis* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Mouth ; Omentum

Kerion celsi is a severe inflammatory type of tinea capitis that presents as a boggy mass studded with broken hairs, oozing purulent material from follicular orifices. This infection is caused most commonly by zoophilic or geophilic pathogens. Trichophyton(T.) rubrum is an anthropophilic dermatophyte that is found all over the world. It has become one of the most important causative agents in tinea unguium and tinea pedis. But, kerion celsi caused by T. rubrum is rare. Kerion celsi is uncommon in adult. We report a case of kerion celsi caused by T. rubrum in a 72-year-old woman. She presented with localized tender erythematous plaques with pustules with oozing purulent material on the frontal scalp. A fungal culture from tissue of the lesions was grown on Sabouraud's dextrose agar and showed typical whitish cottony colonies of T. rubrum. The nucleotide sequence of internal transcribed spacer region for clinical isolate was identical to that of T. rubrum strain UZ1588_14 (GenBank accession number KP326579.1). She was treated with 200 mg of oral itraconazole daily for 3 months. The skin lesions improved 1 month after treatment, and recurrence has not been observed.
Adult ; Agar ; Aged* ; Arthrodermataceae ; Base Sequence ; Female ; Glucose ; Hair ; Humans ; Itraconazole ; Onychomycosis ; Recurrence ; Scalp ; Skin ; Tinea Capitis* ; Tinea Pedis ; Trichophyton*

BACKGROUND: Because of the common etiologic factor, such as smoking, lung cancer and chronic obstructive Pulmonary disease are often present in the same patient. The preoperative prediction of remaining pulmonary function after the resectional surgery is very important to prevent serious complication and postoperative respiratory failure. 99mTc-MAA perfusion scan has been used for the prediction of postoperative pulmonary function, but it may be inaccurate in case of large V/Q mismatching. We compared 99mTc-DTPA radioaerosol inhalation scan with 99mTc-MAA perfusion scan in predicting postoperative lung function. METHOD: Preoperative inhalation scan and/or perfusion scan were performed and pulmonary function test were performed preoperatively and 2 month after operation. We predicted the postoperative pulmonary functions using the following equations. Postpneumonectomy FEV1=Preop FEV1x% of total function of lung to remain RESULTS: 1) The inhalation scan showed good correlations between measured and predicted FEV1, FVC and FEF25-75%. (correlation coefficiency; 0.94, 0.91, 0.87 respectively). 2) The perfusion scan also showed good correlations between measured and predicted FEV1, FVC and FEF25-75%. (correlation coefficiency; 0.86, 0.72, 0.97 respectively). 3) Among three parameters, FEV1 showed the best correlations in the prediction by lung scans. 4) Comparison between inhalation scan and perfusion scan in predicting pulmonary function did not show any significant differneces except FVC. CONCLUSION: The inhalation scan and perfusion scan are very useful in the prediction of postoperative lung function and don't make a difference in the prediction of pulmonary function although the former showed a better correlation in FVC.
Humans ; Inhalation* ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Perfusion* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Smoke ; Smoking

Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is one of the most important bacteria in the formation of dental plaque and dental caries. S. mutans adheres to an acquired pellicle formed on the tooth surface, and aggregates with many oral bacteria. It initiates plaque formation by synthesizing glucan from sucrose, which is catalyzed by glucosyltransferases. Propolis is a resinous mixture produced by honeybees, by mixing saliva and beeswax with secretions gathered from wood sap and flower pollen. Bees prevent pathogenic invasions by coating the propolis to the outer and inner surface of the honeycomb. Propolis has traditionally been used for the treatment of allergic rhinitis, asthma and dermatitis. We investigated the inhibitory effects of propolis ethanol extract on biofilm formation and gene expression of S. mutans. The biofilm formation of S. mutans was determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and safranin staining. We observed that the extract of propolis had an inhibitory effect on the formation of S. mutans biofilms at concentrations higher than 0.2 mg/ml. Real-time PCR analysis showed that the gene expression of biofilm formation, such as gbpB, spaP, brpA, relA and vicR of S. mutans, was significantly decreased in a dose dependent manner. The ethanol extract of propolis showed concentration dependent growth inhibition of S. mutans, and significant inhibition of acid production at concentrations of 0.025, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 mg/ml, compared to the control group. These results suggest that the ethanol extract of propolis inhibits gene expression related to biofilm formation in S. mutans
Asthma ; Bacteria ; Bees ; Biofilms* ; Dental Caries ; Dental Plaque ; Dermatitis ; Ethanol* ; Flowers ; Gene Expression ; Glucosyltransferases ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Pollen ; Propolis* ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Saliva ; Streptococcus mutans* ; Streptococcus* ; Sucrose ; Tooth ; Wood

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Humans ; Tinea Capitis* ; Trichophyton*

With increasing sensitivity, availability, and use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the past three decades, there is also an increase in incidental abnormal findings. The most common findings of these incidental abnormalities are white matter lesions that are interpreted as demyelinating based on radiological criteria. MRI findings suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS) in patients without typical MS symptoms and with normal neurologic findings are now defined as a radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS) which reported relatively low incidence, especially hard to find case report in Korea. The natural history and pathophysiologic processes of RIS remain largely unknown. The nature, prevalence, and long-term prognosis of RIS, as well as the role of disease-modifying therapy should be established in the future.
Demyelinating Diseases ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Multiple Sclerosis ; Natural History ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; White Matter

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although metalic stents are established therapeutic options for the palliation of malignant biliary obstruction, it remains unclear which stricture or stent related factors affect the stent patency. METHODS: Metallic Wallstents (Microvasive, Boston-Scientific, MA, U.S.A.) were inserted endoscopically in 68 patients (mean age; 70.2+/-8.5, M:F=38:30) with malignant biliary obstruction. Patency rates were prospectively analyzed according to the characteristics of malignant strictures including length, morphologic type and degree of stricture. Furthermore, patient age, initial serum bilirubin level, the length of stent, the adequate expansion time, and the location of the distal stent end were evaluated as possible factors affecting the stent patency. Stent patency was assessed using the survival analysis of the Kaplan-Meier estimation and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Median overall stent patency was 231 days and overall rate of stent occlusion was 41.2% (28/68). The causes of stent blockage were tumoral ingrowth in 23 patients (33.8%), distal overgrowth of the cancer in 3 (4.4%), proximal overgrowth in 1 (1.5%) and sludge incrustation in 1 patient (1.5%). No significant differences in metallic stent patency rates according to primary tumor type, length and morphologic type of stricture, and length and location of distal end of the stent were found. Log-rank test and multivariate regression analysis, however, demonstrated that the degree of stricture assessed by cannula or guidewire passage and the adequate expansion time of the stent are independent factors associated with long-term metallic stent patency. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that early expansibility of the stent and easy passage of larger-caliber instruments over the stricture were favorable factors for long-term patency of the metallic stent.
Bilirubin ; Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Sewage ; Stents*