PURPOSE: To determine the effectiveness of percutaneous transarterial embolization for the treatment of arteriovenous malformation (AVM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven patients with AVMs located in the kidney, liver, lung, chest wall, uterus and paraspinal region underwent angiography and percutaneous transarterial embolization. The embolic materials used were steel coil, gelfoam, contour emboli, and absolute alcohol; in some cases, more than one of these were employed. The analysed the angiographic findings and clinical status following embolization were assessed and analysed. RESULTS: The AVMs had tortuous, dilated feeding arteries (n=7) and veins with early venous drainage (n=6). In the hepatic AVM, a grape-like dilated vessel arose from the hepatic artery and was connected to the portal vein. In the uterine AVM, numerous dilated feeding arteries formed a honeycomb. In the feeding arteries of the chest wall AVM and in the nidus of the pulmonary AVM, aneurysms were present. In simple AVMs, the patient's symptoms were relieved by first embolization. Complex AVMs, however, required repeated embolizations for symptomatic relief. Although extensive, complex AVMs of the chest wall and uterus recurred after initial embolization, repeated treatment successfully improved the clinical status of such patients. The complications developing after emboliation were fever (n=3) and pain (n=3), but these were relieved by conservative care. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous transarterial embolization is a safe and effective therapeutic method for the treatment of AVM. In a case of inoperable complex AVM, repeated embolization is the only method for symptomatic relief and the maintenance of life.
Aneurysm ; Angiography ; Arteries ; Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Drainage ; Ethanol ; Fever ; Gelatin Sponge, Absorbable ; Hepatic Artery ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lung ; Portal Vein ; Steel ; Thoracic Wall ; Uterus ; Veins

The occurrence of pseudoaneurysm of the femoral artery after catheterization is uncommon. Ultrasonography-guided compression is currently the first choice of treatment, with a success rate of more than 90%. Recently, however, with the increasing use of larger percutaneous instruments and periprocedural anticoagulation, the incidence of pseudoaneurysm unresponsive to ultrasonography-guided compression is increasing. The authors encountered a case of pseudoaneurysm of the common femoral artery which did not respond to the repeated use of this technique, though treatemnt involving was successful. We believe that in ultrasonography-guided percutaneous thrombin injection was successful. We believe that in cases involving occlusion of a a pseudoaneurysm in which ultrasonography-guided mpression has failed, this is a simple, safe, and time-saving procedure.
Aneurysm, False* ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Femoral Artery* ; Incidence ; Thrombin* ; Ultrasonography*

Aneurysm ; Arteries ; Splenic Artery

We experienced a case of Takayasus arteritis with eclampsia in a 43-year-old woman. The patient had angiographically definite Takayasus arteritis with the involvement of right common and internal carotid arteries. On MR images performed at clinical manifestations of eclampsia, unilateral involvement of T2 high signal intensities were demonstrated in right cerebral hemisphere. We report this case with a literature review.
Adult ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cerebrum ; Eclampsia* ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pregnancy* ; Takayasu Arteritis*

Young Simpson syndrome is a rare malformation syndrome characterized by congenital hypothyroidism, dysmorphic face, mental retardation, severe postnatal growth retardation, hypotonia and congenital heart abnormalities. In the present study, we report a case of 4-year-old girl with Young Simpson syndrome for the first case in Korea.
Child, Preschool ; Congenital Hypothyroidism ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Korea ; Muscle Hypotonia

STAT3 plays a prominent role in proliferation and survival of tumor cells. Thus, STAT3 has been considered to be a prime target for development of anti-cancer therapeutics. The electrophilic cyclopentenone prostaglandin,15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2(15d-PGJ2 ) has been well recognized for its capability to modulate intracellular signaling pathways involved in cancer cell growth and progression. We previously reported that 15d-PGJ2 had potent cytotoxicity against harvey-ras transformed human mammary epithelial cells through direct interaction with STAT3. In this study, we have attempted to verify the inhibitory effects of 15d-PGJ2 on STAT3 signaling in human breast tumor cells. The triple negative breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 displaying constitutive phosphorylation of STAT3 on the tyrosine 705 (Tyr705) residue, underwent apoptosis upon inhibition of STAT3 by 15d-PGJ2 . In contrast, estrogen receptor positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells that do not exhibit elevated STAT3 phosphorylation were much less susceptible to 15d-PGJ2 -induced apoptosis as assessed by PARP cleavage. Furthermore, 15d-PGJ2 inhibited interleukin-6-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT3 in LNCaP cells. According to molecular docking studies, 15d-PGJ2 may preferentially bind to the cysteine 259 residue (Cys259) present in the coiled-coil domain of STAT3. Site-directed mutagenesis of STAT3 identified Cys259 to be the critical amino acid for the 15d-PGJ2 -induced apoptosis as well as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Taken together, these findings suggest STAT3 inactivation through direct chemical modification of its Cys259 as a potential therapeutic approach for treatment of triple negative breast cancer treatment.

STAT3 plays a prominent role in proliferation and survival of tumor cells. Thus, STAT3 has been considered to be a prime target for development of anti-cancer therapeutics. The electrophilic cyclopentenone prostaglandin,15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2(15d-PGJ2 ) has been well recognized for its capability to modulate intracellular signaling pathways involved in cancer cell growth and progression. We previously reported that 15d-PGJ2 had potent cytotoxicity against harvey-ras transformed human mammary epithelial cells through direct interaction with STAT3. In this study, we have attempted to verify the inhibitory effects of 15d-PGJ2 on STAT3 signaling in human breast tumor cells. The triple negative breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 displaying constitutive phosphorylation of STAT3 on the tyrosine 705 (Tyr705) residue, underwent apoptosis upon inhibition of STAT3 by 15d-PGJ2 . In contrast, estrogen receptor positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells that do not exhibit elevated STAT3 phosphorylation were much less susceptible to 15d-PGJ2 -induced apoptosis as assessed by PARP cleavage. Furthermore, 15d-PGJ2 inhibited interleukin-6-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT3 in LNCaP cells. According to molecular docking studies, 15d-PGJ2 may preferentially bind to the cysteine 259 residue (Cys259) present in the coiled-coil domain of STAT3. Site-directed mutagenesis of STAT3 identified Cys259 to be the critical amino acid for the 15d-PGJ2 -induced apoptosis as well as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Taken together, these findings suggest STAT3 inactivation through direct chemical modification of its Cys259 as a potential therapeutic approach for treatment of triple negative breast cancer treatment.

PURPOSE: In order to evaluate the time of disappearance of cytomegalovirus(CMV) IgG antibodies from mothers, and the alteration of the positive rate of CMV IgG antibodies among preschool period children, we investigated the positive rate of CMV antibodies among preschool children. METHODS: We studied 391 children who visited the Department of Pediatrics from March, 2001 to February, 2004. We measured the serum CMV IgG of 217 children and the serum CMV IgM of 358 children. RESULTS: The positive rate of CMV IgG antibodies is 83.9 percent(the number of positive IgG children is 182 out of 217). The alteration of the positive rate is 92.9 percent in 0-3 months, 75.0 percent in 4-6 months and the nadir was 20.0 percent in 7-9 months. Then, the positive rate increased to 83.9 percent in 22-24 months. After 22 months, the positive rate was 92.1 percent(the number of positive IgG children was 105 out of 114). The positive rate of CMV IgM antibody by age is 3.3 percent in 0-1 months, 3.6 percent in 1-2 months, 10.5 percent in 2-3 months, 14.3 percent in 3-4 months, 14.3 percent in 4-5 months, and then the results of five children among 148 children were positive. The distribution was one in 22-23 months, one in 25-26 months, one in 27-28 months, one in 28-29 months, one in 40-41 months. We discovered IgM positive children succesively from birth to 5 months, but sporadically after 5 months. CONCLUSION: The CMV IgG from mothers has decreased since birth and the time of nadir is 7-9 months. But it increases to a mean value of 83.9 percent at 22-24 months because of perinatal or postnatal infections.
Antibodies ; Child* ; Child, Preschool ; Cytomegalovirus* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G* ; Immunoglobulin M ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Pediatrics

Treatments of choice for cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infections are the removal of the entire CIED system, control of infection, and new device implantation. Occasionally, a complete CIED removal can not be performed for several reasons, such as very old age, severe comobidity, limited life expectancy, or refusal by a patient. We encountered a male patient who developed traumatic CIED infection five years after cardioverter-defibrillator implantation. An intravenous electrode could not be removed by a simple transvenous extraction procedure, and he refused surgical removal of the remnant electrode. After control of local infection, the tips of the electrode were separated and buried between muscles, and the wound was closed with a local flap. CIED infection did not recur for 12 months even without relying on long-term antimicrobial treatment.
Defibrillators, Implantable ; Disulfiram ; Electrodes ; Electrodes, Implanted ; Electronics ; Electrons ; Humans ; Life Expectancy ; Male ; Muscles

PURPOSE: It is very important to differentiate breast cancer from benign mass. There are many reports to evaluate the differential diagnosis under the several diagnostic tools. We evaluated the usefulness of mammography and Tc-99m MIBI scintimammography in the differential diagnosis of breast mass and correlated with pathologic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 80 patients (age: 24-72, mean: 48.4) who underwent mammography and Tc-99m MIBI scintimammography for breast masses. Scintimammographies (anterior-posterior and lateral projections) were acquired in 10 minutes and 2 hours after intravenous injection of Tc-99m MIBI. Four specialists in diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine evaluated the findings of breast masses under the mammography and Tc-99m MIBI scintimammography, and calculated the tumor to background (T/B) ratio. The pathologic results were obtained and we statistically analyzed the correlations between pathologic results and imaging findings under the mammography and Tc-99m MIBI scintimammography by chi-square and correlation test. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of mammography for detection of breast cancer were 87.5%, 56.3%, 75.0%, and 75.0% respectively. 45 cases of 80 patients were suspicious for breast cancer under the Tc-99m MIBI scintimammography. 41 cases of 45 patients were confirmed as breast cancer and the remaining 4 cases were confirmed as benign masses. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of Tc-99m MIBI scintimammography for detection of breast cancer were 85.4%, 87.5%, 91.1%, and 80.8% respectively. The sensitivity of scintimammography was lower than that of mammography for detection of breast cancer, however the specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were higher. In the benign mass, the mean T/B ratio in 10 minutes was 1.409 +/- 0.30, and that in 2 hours was 1.267 +/- 0.42. The maximal T/B ratio of benign mass in 10 minutes was 1.604 +/- 0.42, and that in 2 hours was 1.476 +/- 0.50. In the malignant mass, the mean T/B ratio in 10 minutes was 2.220 +/- 1.07, and that in 2 hours was 1.842 +/- 0.75. The maximal T/B ratio of malignant mass was 2.993 +/- 1.94, and that in 2 hours was 2.480 +/- 1.34. And the T/B ratio under the early and delayed images were meaningful. CONCLUSION: The scintimammography is useful diagnostic tool to differentiate breast cancer from benign mass, although the sensitivity of mammography for detection of breast mass is high. Especially, the use of the T/B ratio is helpful to diagnose breast cancer.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Mammography* ; Nuclear Medicine ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Specialization