No abstract available.
Lipoma*

Natural isoflavones and flavones are important dietary factors for prostate cancer prevention. We investigated the molecular mechanism of these compounds (genistein, biochanin-A and apigenin) in PC-3 (hormone-independent/p53 mutant type) and LNCaP (hormone-dependent/p53 wild type) prostate cancer cells. A cell growth rate and apoptotic activities were analyzed in different concentrations and exposure time to evaluate the antitumor activities of genistein, biochanin-A and apigenin. The real time PCR and Western blot analysis were performed to investigate whether the molecular mechanism of these compounds are involving the p21 and PLK-1 pathway. Apoptosis of prostate cancer cells was associated with p21 up-regulation and PLK-1 suppression. Exposure of genistein, biochanin-A and apigenin on LNCaP and PC-3 prostate cancer cells resulted in same pattern of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The inhibition effect for cell proliferation was slightly greater in LNCaP than PC-3 cells. In conclusion, flavonoids treatment induces up-regulation of p21 expression, and p21 inhibits transcription of PLK-1, which promotes apoptosis of cancer cells.
Antineoplastic Agents/*pharmacology ; Apigenin/pharmacology ; *Apoptosis ; Cell Cycle/drug effects ; Cell Cycle Proteins/biosynthesis/*genetics/metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21/biosynthesis/*metabolism ; Flavonoids/*pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects ; Genistein/pharmacology ; Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms/genetics/metabolism/*pathology ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors/pharmacology ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases/biosynthesis/*genetics/metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins/biosynthesis/*genetics/metabolism ; Transcription, Genetic/drug effects

No abstract available.
Child* ; Cytomegalovirus Infections* ; Cytomegalovirus* ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M* ; Pneumonia

A splenic cystic lymphangioma is a very rare benign condition, and is classified as one of the cystic proliferations of the spleen. They are considered to result from developmental malformation of the lymphatic system and can be divided roughly into two types according to the extent of the disease: the isolated type, where only the spleen is involved, and the widespread type, where splenic involvement is an expression of multiple organ involvement. Thery are usually seen in children and often found incidentally. Herein, a case of cystic lymphangioma of the spleen in an elderly woman is presented, with emphasis on the rarity of cases in old age and on the problems of differential diagnosis in relation to other cystic proliferations of the spleen.
Aged* ; Child ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphangioma* ; Lymphangioma, Cystic ; Lymphatic System ; Spleen*

This study was conducted to assess the amount of superior oblique tuck surgery and the corrected amount of vertical strabismus and head tilt after superior oblique tuck surgery in patients with unilateral superior oblique palsy.Superior oblique tuck surgery was performed on 13 patients with unilateral superior oblique palsy, which corresponded to the second or the third type with hypertropia of 25 PD (prism diopters)or less of Knapp classification. The mean preoperative vertical deviation was 17.8 PD and the mean postoperative vertical deviation was 8.8 PD:the mean corrected amount of vertical deviation was 9.0 PD.Head tilt, which had been observed in 10 (77%)patients preoperatively, improved by over 5 degrees, head tilt in 5 (50%)of them postoperatively.The results suggest that superior oblique tuck surgery may as well be combined with ipsilat eral inferior oblique weakening or with ipsilateral or contralateral vertical rectus muscle surgery in unilateral superior oblique palsy patients with the amount of vertical deviation of 15 PD or more.
Classification ; Head ; Humans ; Paralysis* ; Strabismus

BACKGROUND: Propofol and remifentanil are used for tracheal intubation in the absence of neuromuscular blocking agents. We hypothesized that the addition of sevoflurane to propofol and remifentanil would improve intubation conditions and provide hemodynamic stability. METHODS: Seventy-six patients scheduled for elective surgery were randomly allocated to be ventilated with either 4% (group I) or 7% sevoflurane (group II) after propofol injection (2 mg/kg). All patients received remifentanil (1 microgram/kg) 30 seconds after administration of propofol. Ninety seconds after remifentanil was given, laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation were performed. Intubation conditions and hemodynamic changes were evaluated. RESULTS: The overall incidence of clinically acceptable intubation conditions was significantly higher in group II (92%) than group I (58%) (P = 0.001). Scores for vocal cord position, coughing, and limb movement were significantly better in group II (P < 0.05). Mean blood pressure remained significantly lower than the pre-induction level throughout the investigation in both groups (P < 0.001), but there was no incidence of bradycardia or hypotension requiring treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Tracheal intubation without neuromuscular blocking agents can be achieved safely and reliably by adding 7% sevoflurane to propofol (2 mg/kg) and remifentanil (1 microgram/kg).
Blood Pressure ; Bradycardia ; Cough ; Extremities ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Incidence ; Intubation ; Laryngoscopy ; Methyl Ethers ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Neuromuscular Blocking Agents ; Piperidines ; Propofol ; Vocal Cords

BACKGROUND: In large clinical series, noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) following middle ear surgery has been demonstrated in 1.2% to 4.5% of patients and it is associated with a lower incidence than expected. The aim of the present work was to analyze the effect of halothane anesthesia on NIHL and hair cell morphological change. METHODS: We used 40 BALB/c mice with normal Preyer's reflex to investigate the effect of halothane on the NIHL. Control (n = 20) and halothane group (n = 20, respectively) were exposed to 120 dB SPL (sound pressure level), broad band white noise 3 hours daily for 3 consecutive days. The halothane group was anesthetized with halothane while exposed to noise. Hearing thresholds were determined with the auditory brainstem response (ABR). On day 7 post-noise, mice were sacrificed and the cochlea were collected for the histological study. RESULTS: ABR thresholds in the halothane group were less elevated after noise exposure than in the control group and then gradually recovered. In control group, the damage to the outer hair cell and supporting cell was noticeable, but not in halothane group. The expression of Bcl-2 protein was detected in halothane group, the expression of Bax protein was seen in control group. As a result in TUNEL stain, the result is positive in the control group but negative in the halothane group. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of NIHL decreased and the tissue damage was suppressed while anesthetized by halothane. And the noise-induced cell death of hair cell was also suppressed during anesthesia.
Anesthesia ; Animals ; Apoptosis* ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; Cell Death ; Cochlea ; Ear, Middle ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Hair ; Halothane* ; Hearing Loss* ; Hearing* ; Humans ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Incidence ; Mice* ; Noise* ; Reflex

PURPOSE: In order to find out how frequently and what kind of extra-cardiac anomalies (CAs) is associated with congenital heart disease (CHD) in general and in each CAs, autopsies with congenital cardiovascular malformations were studied. METHODS: Autopsy files of Seoul National University Children's Hospital from 1991 to 1995 were reviewed to find cases of CHDs. Other extra-CAs were tabulated from the records of autopsy files. The study population was comprised of 156 cases (86 still birth or product of terminated pregnancy; 66 livebirth; 4 unknowns-whether still birth or livebirth). RESULTS: The sex ratio was 1.14:1 males to females. In still birth cases, gestational age ranged from 16 to 42 weeeks and in live birth cases, age ranged from 1 day to 1 year 7 months (mostly neonates). The ventricular septal defect (VSD) was the most common CA, followed by coarctation of aorta, tetralogy of Follot in this order of frequency. No extra-CA was found in 55 cases, 1 extra-CA in 54 cases, 2 extra-CAs in 35 cases, 3 or more extra-CAs in 12 cases. VSD was commonly associated with Edward syndrome and holoprosencephaly, tetralogy of Fallot with holoprosencephaly, and coarctation with cystic hygroma. The most commonly involved organ system was the central nervous system followed by the digestive system, facial anomaly, and so on. Chromosomal anomaly associated with CHDs was 24 cases. Common individual anomalies were cystic hygroma, Edward syndrome, holoprosencephaly, and so on. CONCLUSION: As the fetus and infants with CHD have high incidence of associated extra-CAs, collaborative works involving dysmorphologist, geneticist, pathologist, surgeons, and pediatric cardiologist are needed. For further studies of CA and extra-CAs, a systematic database andprecise medical records and interdepartmental collaboration are necessary.
Aortic Coarctation ; Autopsy* ; Central Nervous System ; Cooperative Behavior ; Digestive System ; Female ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Heart Defects, Congenital* ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Holoprosencephaly ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Live Birth ; Lymphangioma, Cystic ; Male ; Medical Records ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Seoul ; Sex Ratio ; Tetralogy of Fallot

BACKGROUND: The target of the treatment of metabolic syndrome and diabetes is an improvement of insulin resistance. D-chiro-inositol (DCI) plays a role in a phospholipid mediating intracellular insulin action. In the previous studies, the urine level of DCI were decreased in the diabetic animal with insulin resistance. Some clinical studies showed that DCI improved a glucose level and HbA1c. Therefore we studied the relationship between DCI and glucose metabolism, especially insulin resistance. METHODS: To investigate the mechanism of DCI affecting the glucose metabolism, we examined the effects of DCI on 2-deoxyglucose uptake, gene expression of adipocytokines and AMPK pathway by using RT-PCR and western blot in 3T3-L1 cells. RESULTS: Insulin-stimulated 2-deoxyglucose uptake increased in DCI-treated cells by about 1.2-fold (relative to the control) and was inhibited by phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3 Kinase) inhibitors (Wortmanin, LY294002) and AMPK inhibitor (STO-609). In Western blot analysis, it didn't show the difference of phosphorylation of Akt and AMPK between DCI-treated group and control in 3T3-L1 cells. However, DCI decreased the gene expression of resistin in 3T3-L1 cells. CONCLUSION: DCI may involve other pathway of insulin signaling, but not PI3 Kinase and AMPK signaling pathways and it may be useful in managing metabolic syndrome by improving insulin resistance through increasing glucose uptake and decreasing resistin relevant to insulin resistance.
3T3-L1 Cells ; Adipokines ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Deoxyglucose ; Gene Expression ; Glucose ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Negotiating ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Resistin

PURPOSE: We evaluated the usefulness of quantitative analysis of computed tomography (CT) pulmonary angiography as a predictor of the prognosis of acute pulmonary embolism (PTE). METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 55 patients who visited our emergency department from January 2000 to November 2007 who were confirmed with PTE by CT pulmonary angiography. Two radiologists blinded to patient outcome measured CT parameters including the diameter of vessels and chambers, and the quantified pulmonary artery (PA) clot load score on the basis of embolus size and location. CT parameters and other clinical predictors were analyzed to determine their ability to predict major adverse event (MAE). RESULTS: Of the 55 patients, 16 (29.1%) had a MAE PTE related shock, intubation, death, thrombolysis, right ventricular (RV) dysfunction within 30 days). Geneva score (odds ratio 2.5, 95% CI 1.18-5.29, p=0.02) and PA clot load score (odds ratio 1.64, 95% CI 1.18-2.27, p<0.01) were strong independent predictors of MAE. The cut-off value of Geneva and PA clot load scores were 4.5 and 19.0, respectively, and the area under the ROC curve were 0.697 (0.546~0.848) and 0.908 (0.828-0.988), respectively. CONCLUSION: Geneva and PA clot load score are significant predictors of PTE related shock, intubation, death, thrombolysis, and RV dysfunction within 30 days. CT pulmonary angiography is a useful predictor for the prognosis of PTE as well as a useful diagnostic tool.
Angiography ; Embolism ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Intubation ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Retrospective Studies ; ROC Curve ; Shock