A case of 68 years old(Korean) male patient who has had a malignant melanoma of the iris in his left eye with sudden decreased visual acuity of duration of one month is reported. The left eye was enucleated and prepared for histopathological examination, Histopathological examination revealed a malignant melanoma, amelanotic epithelioid type, without extraocular metastasis, involving the iris of "Left eye".
Humans ; Iris* ; Male ; Melanoma* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Visual Acuity

Cloacal anomalies are very rare congenital malformations with the incidence of 1/50,000-250,000 births. Hydrocolpos involves the dilatation of the vagina due to obstruction of the genital tract, leading to accumulation of secretions. Because of wide spectrum of abnormal anatomy involving urogenital and gastrointestinal systems, prenatal diagnosis is difficult. As ultrasound becomes more and more reliable, prenatal diagnosis is possible as early as in the second trimester. The presence of prenatally detected hydro (metro) colpos warrants a systematic evaluation of fetal and neonatal anatomy to rule out a large variety of possibly associated malformations or syndromes. We present a case of urogenital sinus maldevelopment which was initially presented as a fetal ascites.
Ascites ; Dilatation ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocolpos ; Incidence ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Ultrasonography* ; Vagina

To study the changes in the subsets of peripheral blood T-lymphocytes before and after nephrectomy(Nx) and interferon (IFN) therapy, twenty-four patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC), who were received radical Nx in all, were divided into three groups; one group consisted of 5 patients with lung metastasis who had been administrated IFN-alpha(M1 group), another group consisted of 10 patients without metastasis who had been administrated IFN-alpha(MO group), and the other group consisted of 9 patients without metastasis who had not been administrated IFN-alpha(IFN(-) group). Immunological parameters such as the percentage of CD3, CD4,CD8 positive cells and the ratio of percentage of CD4/CD8 positive cells were examined by two color flow cytometry. The value of CD4 positive cells showed a significant increase after Nx and the administration of IFN-alpha(P<0.05). The value of CD3 and CD8 positive cells showed no particular changes in all groups. The ratio of percentage of CD4/CD8 positive cells showed a tendency to increased after Nx and administration of IFN-alpha. There was a correlation between the administration of IFN-a and the changes of percentage of CD4 positive cells. We suggest that the administration of IFN-a lead to the increase of helper T cells and immunotherapy such as IFN in RCC patients has some benefits on cellular immunity.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Immunotherapy ; Interferons* ; Lung ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nephrectomy* ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; T-Lymphocytes ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer

The effects of styrene on the induction of cytochrome P-450s (P450), (P4501A1/2, P4502B1/2 and P4502El) and activities of other related enzymes were investigated in the male Sprague Dawley rats which were treated with styrene 500 (S1), 1,000 (S2) 1,500 (S3) mg/kg in olive oil intraperitoneally once a day for two days and sacrificed for the preparation of liver microsomes after 24 hrs. 1. The contents of total protein and P450 in the microsomes derived from the styrene treated groups were slightly higher than those from the control group except those from the 53 group (1,500 mg styrene/kg body weight) . The decreases in microsomal protein contents was prominent in the S3 (p<0.05), but the P450 contents was increased significantly in the S2 (p<0.05). 2. The activities of NADPH-P450 and NADH b5 reductase in hepatic microsomes derived from the treated groups were significantly increased in the treated groups(p<0.05). 3. The activities of PROD were also prominently increased with the treatment of styrene except in 53 group, but the activity of EROD was decreased by styrene treatment. The activities of pNPH in the styrene treated groups were higher than that of the control group (p<0.05). 5. Western blotting with monoclonal antibodies against P4502B1/2 isozymes showed the presence of P4502B1/2 in hepatic microsomes from the rats treated with styrene, and the increase in the densities of immunoblots were corelated with the dosages of styrene. The blot densities against P4501A1/2 and P4502El were slightly increased in the styrene treated groups compared with the control group. These results suggested that styrene could primarily induce P4502B1/2 as major and P4501A1/2 and P4502El in minor forms for the metabolism of styrene in rats.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Blotting, Western ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2B1 ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System* ; Cytochromes* ; Humans ; Isoenzymes ; Male ; Metabolism ; Microsomes ; Microsomes, Liver ; NAD ; Olea ; Oxidoreductases ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Styrene*

The effects of styrene on the induction of cytochrome P-450s (P450), (P4501A1/2, P4502B1/2 and P4502El) and activities of other related enzymes were investigated in the male Sprague Dawley rats which were treated with styrene 500 (S1), 1,000 (S2) 1,500 (S3) mg/kg in olive oil intraperitoneally once a day for two days and sacrificed for the preparation of liver microsomes after 24 hrs. 1. The contents of total protein and P450 in the microsomes derived from the styrene treated groups were slightly higher than those from the control group except those from the 53 group (1,500 mg styrene/kg body weight) . The decreases in microsomal protein contents was prominent in the S3 (p<0.05), but the P450 contents was increased significantly in the S2 (p<0.05). 2. The activities of NADPH-P450 and NADH b5 reductase in hepatic microsomes derived from the treated groups were significantly increased in the treated groups(p<0.05). 3. The activities of PROD were also prominently increased with the treatment of styrene except in 53 group, but the activity of EROD was decreased by styrene treatment. The activities of pNPH in the styrene treated groups were higher than that of the control group (p<0.05). 5. Western blotting with monoclonal antibodies against P4502B1/2 isozymes showed the presence of P4502B1/2 in hepatic microsomes from the rats treated with styrene, and the increase in the densities of immunoblots were corelated with the dosages of styrene. The blot densities against P4501A1/2 and P4502El were slightly increased in the styrene treated groups compared with the control group. These results suggested that styrene could primarily induce P4502B1/2 as major and P4501A1/2 and P4502El in minor forms for the metabolism of styrene in rats.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Blotting, Western ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2B1 ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System* ; Cytochromes* ; Humans ; Isoenzymes ; Male ; Metabolism ; Microsomes ; Microsomes, Liver ; NAD ; Olea ; Oxidoreductases ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Styrene*

The pH of the oral cavity can dynamically change due to diverse foods and beverages served. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate flexural and compressive properties of composite resins after immersion in solutions of different pHs. Four composite resins were cured and immersed in test solutions of different pHs (3, 7.1, and 9) for 2 weeks. Flexural and compressive properties (strength and modulus) were evaluated using universal test machine. After immersion, initial flexural and compressive strength significantly changed to 1.5–30.0% and 0.3–19.6%, respectively; flexural and compressive modulus significantly changed to 4.4–29.0% and 3.5–21.5%, respectively. However, the values obtained from solutions of different pHs were not significantly and consistently different to each other.
Beverages ; Composite Resins ; Compressive Strength ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Immersion ; Mouth

There has been increasing use of the H₂O₂-based teeth bleaching agents. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bleaching effectiveness of the laser irradiation combined with nitrogen doped-TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) on the stained resin. Nitrogen (N) doped-TiO₂ NPs were prepared under sol-gel method. Light absorbance, X-ray diffraction patterns of NPs, and bleaching of methylene blue and stained resins were evaluated. For bleaching of stained resin, NPs-containing gel was used. For irradiation, light of two different wavelengths was used. Unlike TiO₂, N-TiO₂ showed high absorbance after 400 nm. N-TiO₂, which have used TiN as a precursor, showed a new rutile phase at the TiN structure. For methylene blue solution, N-TiO₂ with 3% H₂O₂ resulted in the greatest absorbance decrease after laser irradiation regardless of wavelength. For stained resin test, N-TiO₂ with 3% H₂O₂ resulted in the greatest color difference after laser irradiation, followed by group that used N-TiO₂ without 3% H₂O₂.
Methods ; Methylene Blue ; Nanoparticles ; Nitrogen ; Tin ; Tooth Bleaching Agents ; X-Ray Diffraction

Hypoxia, a common consequence of solid tumor growth in breast cancer or other cancers, serves to propagate a cascade of molecular pathways which include angiogenesis, glycolysis, and various cellcycle control proteins. As we have shown previously, hypoxia activates STAT5 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 5) and increases its binding activity to the GAS element in mammary epithelial cells. In this study we attempted to elucidate the mechanism by which cyclin D1 is regulated by the STAT5 protein under hypoxic conditions. Our data demonstrate that hypoxia (2% O2) or desferrioxamine (DFO) induces tyrosine and serine phosphorylation of STAT5 in human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and mammary epithelial cells (HC11). Imunoprecipitation and subsequent Western analysis showed that Jak2 leads to the tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of STAT5a or STAT5b under hypoxic conditions. Using a transfected COS-7 cell model system, we demonstrate that the activity of a cyclin D1 promoter-luciferase construct increased under hypoxic conditions or DFO treatment. The activity of the STAT5b/cyclin D1 promoter increased significantly by 12 h of hypoxia, whereas the activity of the STAT5a/cyclin D1 promoter was unaffected under hypoxic conditions. These increases in promoter activity are predominantly mediated by the Jak2/ STAT5b signaling pathway. We have shown by EMSA that hypoxia induces STAT5 to bind to the cyclin D1 promoter (GAS-1) in MCF-7 and HC11 cells. These data suggest that STAT5b may mediate the transcriptional activation of cyclin D1 after hypoxic stimulation.
Anaerobiosis/genetics ; Animals ; Breast Neoplasms/*genetics/metabolism ; COS Cells ; Cell Hypoxia/genetics ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Cyclin D1/*genetics ; Deferoxamine/pharmacology ; Female ; *Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Phosphorylation/drug effects ; Promoter Regions (Genetics) ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinase/*metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins/*metabolism ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Serine/metabolism ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Tyrosine/metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To describe the correlation between the functional dysphagia scale and aspiration pneumonia and which characteristics influence the occurrence of aspiration pneumonia in patients with idiopathic Parkinson disease. METHODS: Fifty-three patients with idiopathic Parkinson disease were prospectively evaluated in this study. Disease severity and functional status were measured by modified Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) staging, Schwab and England activities of daily living (S-E ADL) scale and Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE). Swallowing function was evaluated by the functional dysphagia scale (FDS) and the penetration-aspiration scale (PAS) based on a videofluoroscopic swallowing study. The patients were followed up for 3 months and divided into two groups according to the occurrence of aspiration pneumonia. The correlation between the variables and aspiration pneumonia was analyzed. RESULTS: Eight patients of the 53 patients were allocated to the aspiration pneumonia group and 45 patients to the non-aspiration pneumonia group. The patients in the aspiration pneumonia group had significantly higher H&Y staging, and scored lower on S-E ADL scale and K-MMSE. The patients in the aspiration pneumonia group had significantly higher scores on FDS and PAS. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the S-E ADL scale and the FDS were associated with the occurrence of aspiration pneumonia in the patients with Parkinson disease. CONCLUSION: Given that the FDS can quantitatively assess the functional problems associated with dysphagia, it can be clinically effective in predicting the occurrence of aspiration pneumonia, and the FDS and the S-E ADL scale could be predictive variables for aspiration pneumonia in patients with Parkinson disease.
Activities of Daily Living ; Deglutition ; Deglutition Disorders* ; England ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Parkinson Disease* ; Pneumonia ; Pneumonia, Aspiration* ; Prospective Studies

PURPOSE: The conventional gamma camera is not ideal for scintimammography because of its large detector size ( 500 mm in width) causing high cost and low image quality. We are developing a small gamma camera dedicated for breast imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The small gamma camera system consists of a NaI (Tl) crystal (60 mm X60 mm X6 mm) coupled with a Hamamatsu R3941 Position Sensitive Photomultiplier Tube (PSPMT), a resister chain circuit, preamplifiers, nuclear instrument modules, an analog to digital converter and a personal computer for control and display. The PSPMT was read out using a standard resistive charge division which multiplexes the 34 cross wire anode channels into 4 signals (X, X, Y, Y ). Those signals were individually amplified by four preamplifers and then, shaped and amplified by amplifiers. The signals were discriminated and digitized via triggering signal and used to localize the position of an event by applying the Anger logic. RESULTS: The intrinsic sensitivity of the system was approximately 8,000 counts/.'ec/pCi. High quality flood and hole mask images were obtained. Breast phantom containing 2-7 mm diameter spheres was successfully imaged with a parallel hole collimator. The image displayed accurate size and activity distribution over the imaging field of view. CONCLUSION: We have succesfully developed a small gamma camera using NaI(T1)-PSPMT and nuclear instrument modules. The small gamma camera developed in this study might imprnve the diagnostic accuracy of scintimammography by optimally imaging the breast.
Anger ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Electrodes ; Gamma Cameras* ; Logic ; Masks ; Microcomputers