No abstract available.
Adolescent* ; Humans ; Substance-Related Disorders*

No abstract available.
Adolescent ; Adolescent Medicine* ; Adolescent* ; Humans

No abstract available.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the inhibitory role of vitamin A with respect to activation of Ito cells in fibrosis of the rat liver induced by common bile duct ligation(CBDL). The liver was examined by immunohistochemical staining for a-smooth muscle actin,the known marker of activated Ito cells, and light and electron microscopy after CBDL andCBDL with intraperitoneal injection of retinoic acid (Sigma, USA) 1 mg/Kg in 3 times per week. The results were sumrrlerized as follows: After CBDL, the bile ductules were markedly proliferated in the periportal areas extending toterminal hepatic veins. Interstitial fibrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration appeared, however,cholestasis was minimal. Retinoic acid treatment with CBDL decreased bile ductular proliferationand interstitial fibrosis compared to CBDL only. After CBDL, proliferated and activated Ito ceIs showing positive reaction in smooth muscle actin were present in the periductular andperisinusoidal areas, and areas of increased interstitial fibrosis. Activated ito cells weredecreased in number after CBDL with vitamin A treatment. Electron microscopically,intracytoplasmic fat droplets and the cytoplasmic processes of Ito cells were decreased afterCBDL. Myofibroblasts were frequently appeared in the interstitial fibrosis after CBDL. But,intracytoplasmic fat droplets of Ito cells were well preserved, and myofibroblasts were found lessfrequently after CBDL with vitamin A treatment. The results suggest that vitamin A plays an inbitory role in the activation and fibrogenesis ofIto cells after CBDL.
Rats ; Animals

OBJECTS: Thls study was designed to assess muscle tensions while working at a YDT workstation with surface electromyography (SEMG). METHODS: Variables texted were desk height, monitor positon on the desk, distance from edge of the desk to the keyboard. Eleven female volunteers working in the tele-com munication company were seated at an ergonomically adjusted workstation. They were assigned to a task of typing for 5 minutes and were given a 10 minutes resting with hands in their lap. For the initial experiment, the desk height was fixed to standard desk height(65.0 cm) recommended by ANSI and latter adjusted to a higher desk height (72.8 cm) for this study such that the subjects experienced slight elevation of shoulders. The monitor position initially at the center on the desk and latter left site of the desk (45o from monitorneck axles). The keyboard was positioned to an optimal distance (15 cm from the desk edge) and an abnormal distance (30 cm). Five muscle groups (paraspinal muscles, upper trapezium muscle, supraspinatus muscle, infraspinatus muscle, and rhomboid muscle) were selected for the study. The data of SEMG were analyzed by 2x2x2xs mixed factorial design. RESULTS: The results were as follows: 1. SEMG activity recorded from the paraspinal muscles were significantly higher when the angle of the monitor adjusted to 45 degree from the center of the desk.. 2. SEMG activity recorded from the upper trapezius/supraspinatus/infraspinatus muscles were significantly higher when the hight of the desk was elevated from the recommended height.3. SEMG activity from the rhomboid muscle showed no significantiy difference in all test conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The results of thls study confirm that the helght of a VDT workstation and the angle of the monitor are risk factors of upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders. Also SEMG would be useful for measuring muscle activities during workstation assessment.
Cumulative Trauma Disorders ; Electromyography* ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Muscles ; Paraspinal Muscles ; Risk Factors ; Shoulder ; Upper Extremity ; Volunteers

Intraperitoneal adminstration of radioisotopes is suggested to treat the metastatic ovarian cancer in the pertioneal cavity. Administering beta-emitting radioisotopes into the pertioneal cavity allows the maximum energy delivery to the cancerous cells of the pertioneal wall surface while sparing the normal cells located in deep site of the peritoneal wall. In this study, dose estimates of the peritoneal wall are provided to be used for prescribing the amount of 166Ho-chitosan complex administered. The 166Ho-chitosan complex diffused in the peritoneal fluid may attach to the peritoneal wall surface. The attachment fraction of 166Ho-chitosan complex to the peritoneal wall surface is obtained by simulating the ascites with Fischer rats. Both volume source in the peritoneal fluid and the surface source over the peritoneal wall surface are counted for the contribution to the peritoneal wall dose. The Monte Carlo code EGS4 is used to simulate the energy transfer of the beta particles emitted from 166Ho. A plane geometrical model of semi-infinite volume describes the peritoneal cavity and peritoneal wall. A semi-infinite plane of 10 micrometer in thickness at every 1 mm of depth in the peritoneal wall is taken as the target in dose estimation. Greater han 98 percents of attachment fraction has been observed from the experiments with Fischer rats. Given 1.3 microcurie/cm2 and 2.4 microcurie/ml of uniform activity density, absorbed dose is 123 Gy, 8.59 Gy, 3.00 Gy, 1.03 Gy, and 327 Gy at 0 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, and 4 mm in depth to the peritoneal wall, respectively.
Ascites ; Ascitic Fluid ; Beta Particles ; Energy Transfer ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Peritoneal Cavity ; Radioisotopes ; Rats, Inbred F344

No abstract available.
Leiomyosarcoma*

No abstract available.
Gerbillinae* ; Vestibular Nuclei*

BACKGROUND: c-erbB-1 (epidermal growth factor receptor) and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein have common tyrosine kinase activities, and alteration in their expression has been defined in various visceral tumors. However, relatively little is known about their expression in skin tumors. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to evaluate the distribution and expression pattern of c-erbB-1 and c-erbB-2 in skin neoplasms. METHODS: We have undertaken an immunohistochemical survey of c-erbB-1 and c-erbB-2 in the tissue specimens of keratoacanthoma (KA), actinic keratosis (AK), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC). RESULTS: Membranous c-erbB-1 expression had a tendency to be down-regulated in some specimens of SCC and dysplastic portions of AK. In invasive lesions of SCC, we observed increased cytoplasmic accumulation of c-erbB-1. Most specimens of BCC showed rather decreased expression of c-erbB-1 compared with other skin tumors. c-erbB-2 oncoprotein showed strong cytoplasmic staining in SCC, especially in the invasive tumor mass, and in some deeply dysplastic or hyperplastic portions of AK, though the difference of intensity was not striking between tumors. BCC revealed relatively weaker expression of c-erbB-2 than other skin tumors, which was similar in pattern to c-erbB-1. CONCLUSION: The expression patterns of c-erbB-1 and c-erbB-2 are altered in various skin neoplasms, and seem to be related to the dysplastic status or differentiation level of tumor cells.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cytoplasm ; Keratoacanthoma ; Keratosis, Actinic ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Skin Neoplasms ; Skin* ; Strikes, Employee

No abstract available.
Animals ; Heterografts* ; Humans* ; Interferon-alpha* ; Melanoma* ; Mice ; Mice, Nude*