No abstract available.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length*

Pheochromocytoma is originated from chromaffin cell of sympathetic nervous system and associated with other disease, such as neurofibromatosis, duodenal carcinoid, medullary thyroid cancer and parathyroid adenoma. Especially, pheochromocytoma is developed more than 50% in neurofibromatosis associated with hypertension. In such cases, several clinical features documented as more frequent bilateral phochromocytoma, more associated with other neuroendocrine tumors and thus more poor prognosis. We can observe the sustained hypertension despite of surgical resection of tumors in pheochromocytoma cases. One of the possible reason of post operative sustained hypertension is the pheochromocytoma originated from minor organ of Zukerkandl that was not resected during operation. Untreated or delayed treated cases with pheochromocytoma were often expired by complication of hypertension such as cerebrovascular hemorrhage, myocardial infarction, etc. Thus, in neurofibromatosis with hypertension, screening of pheochromocytorna is very important for the early detection of tumor and more favorable prognosis. Recently, We experienced a case of neurofibromatosis associated with bilateral pheochromocy-toma expired by cerebral hemorrhage during operation, so we report the case with literature review.
Carcinoid Tumor ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Chromaffin Cells ; Hemorrhage ; Hypertension ; Mass Screening ; Myocardial Infarction ; Neuroendocrine Tumors ; Neurofibromatoses* ; Parathyroid Neoplasms ; Pheochromocytoma* ; Prognosis ; Sympathetic Nervous System ; Thyroid Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Confluent and reticulate papillomatosis(CRP) of Gougerot and Carteaud is an uncommon disorder of unknown cause for which a variety of treatments have been proposed. OBJECTIVE: We attempted to evaluate the therapeutic effect of oral minocycline for CRP. METHOD: Nine patients(age range, 14 to 38; mean age, 21years) with CRP were included in this study. They took minocycline 100mg daily. The therapeutic effect was evaluated weekly by 5 scoring systems according to the percentage clearing of the skin lesion: poor (score 1), <25% clearing; fair (score 2), 26-50%; good (score 3), 51-75%; excellent (score 4), 76-95%, clear(score 5), >95%. RESULTS: Two out of 9 patients showed complete clearing(score 5) of the skin lesions within 2 weeks. Seven patients revealed incomplete clearing(score 4) within 3 to 8 weeks. The mean scoring for 9 CRP patients was 4.2. Recurrences were noted in two patients at 24 and 26 months, respectively, but they responded to re-treatment with minocycline. The patients did not show any adverse reactions apart from two patients who developed mild pruritus. CONCLUSION: We recommend minocycline as the first choice of treatment for CRP because minocycline is safe, economic and effective.
Humans ; Minocycline* ; Papilloma* ; Pruritus ; Recurrence ; Skin

The empty sella syndrome is characterized by obesity, frequent pregnancy, headache and high blood pressure, but its exact cause remains unknown. Usually the incomplete diaphragmatic sella has been considered as the cause of the empty sella syndrome, but some authors recently have suggested that the antipituitary antibody way be related to development of pituitary atrophy and the pituitary empty sella syndrome, and thus it may be clinically useful as screening test for the empty sella syndrome. We experienced two empty sella syndromes associated Graves disease and applied the antipituitary antibody as the diagnostic tool of the empty sella syndrome. But none of this two patients had antipituitary antibody and we report these cases with reviews of literatures.
Atrophy ; Empty Sella Syndrome ; Graves Disease ; Headache ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Mass Screening ; Obesity ; Pregnancy

No abstract available.
Echocardiography, Transesophageal*

Carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma is one of the rare malignant tumors arising in the salivary glands. Parotid gland is the most frequently affected site, while the other minor salivary glands have much lower incidence rates. There has been no clinical report of the carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma developed in the maxillary sinus. Carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma is very malignant and its prognosis is rarest among those of parotid gland tumors. We experienced a 24-year-old male patient who had a bulging mass on his left infraorbital area for 18 months. A carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma arising in the left maxillary sinus was diagnosed and medial maxillectomy, postoperative chemotherapy and concurrent radiotherapy were done. So far we have followed up the patient for 15 months and there is no sign or symptom of recurrence or metastasis.
Adenoma, Pleomorphic* ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Maxillary Sinus* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Parotid Gland ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence ; Salivary Glands ; Salivary Glands, Minor ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: The pattern of left ventricular filling as depicted by Doppler echocardiographic transmitrial flow velocities has been used to left ventricular diastolic properties. Especially, altered transmitral flow by abnormal myocardial wall motion and left ventricular function in ischemic heart disease, was predicted during exercise test. METHODS: To determine the effects of exercise on Doppler echocardiographic measures of left ventricular diastolic filling, we studied 15 angina pectoris patients and 20 normal control subjects. Transmitral flow measurements comprised peak and integrated early passive(E) and late atrial(A) filling velocities and diastolic filling period. RESULTS: Heart rate in negative exercise treadmill test group was 70/min at rest, 111/min just after exercise, and 86/min at 5 minutes after exercise. Positive exercise treadmill test group was 69/min, 109/min and 82/min, respectively. DFP and E duration were also significantly decreased after exercise in group with negative treadmill exercise test. In positive treadmill exercise group, peak A was significantly increased from 0.57+/-0.15m/sec to 0.75+/-0.20m/sec at just after exercise(p<0.01), 0.67+/-0.12m/sec at 5 minuties after exercise. DFP and E duration were also significantly decreased after exercise. CONCLUSION: Doppler echocardiographic transmitral flow was altered by abnormal regional wall motion and left ventricular dysfunction in ischemic heart disease during exercise test. The use of Doppler echocardiography for this purpose is limited, however, because a number of variables may influence transmitral flow patterns, including age, preload, afterload and systolic function.
Angina Pectoris ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diagnosis* ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler* ; Exercise Test ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Isoflurophate ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; Ventricular Function, Left

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate the possibility of prolonged culture of human embryonic stem cells (hESC; SNUhES2) on human amniotic fluid cells (hAFC), which had been storaged after karyotyping. METHOD: The hAFC was prepared for feeder layer in the presence of Chang's medium and STO medium (90% DMEM, 10% FBS) at 37degrees C in a 5% CO2 in air atmosphere. Prior to use as a feeder layer, hAFC was mitotically inactivated by mitomycin C. The hESCs on hAFC were passaged mechanically every seven days with ES culture medium (80% DMEM/F12, 20% SR, bFGF). RESULTS: The hAFC feeder layer support the growth of undifferentiated state of SNUhES2 for at least 59 passages thus far. SNUhES2 colonies on hAFC feeder appeared slightly angular and flatter shape as compared with circular and thicker colonies observed with STO feeder layer and showed higher level with complete undifferentiation in seven days. Like hESC cultured on STO feeders, SNUhES2 grown on hAFC expressed normal karyotype, positive for alkaline phosphatase activity, high telomerase activity, Oct-4, SSEA-3, SSEA-4, Tra-1-60 and Tra-1-81 and formed embryoid bodies (EBs). CONCLUSION: The hAFC supports undifferentiated growth of hESC. Therefore, these results may help to provide a clinically practicable method for expansion of hESC for cell therapies.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Amniotic Fluid* ; Atmosphere ; Embryoid Bodies ; Embryonic Stem Cells* ; Feeder Cells ; Female ; Humans* ; Karyotype ; Karyotyping ; Mitomycin ; Telomerase

Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is subdivided into gamma-herpesvirus and causes Kaposi's sarcoma in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. A defining feature of herpesviral biology is the presence of two alternative genetic lifestyles - a latent infection and a lytic replicative cycle. Almost all herpesviruses examined so far have been shown to express viral miRNAs in latently and/or productively infected cells. KSHV encodes an array of 15 distinct miRNAs, all of which are expressed at readily detectable levels in latently KSHV infected cells. The expression of an array of these viral miRNAs in KSHV-infected cells suggests that down-regulation of host cell mRNAs by miRNA-mediated RNA interference may represent a critical step in the establishment and/or maintenance of latent infections by KSHV. To investigate KSHV miRNAs that are expressed in KSHV-infected cells, KSHV-infected human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and BCBL-1 cells were used and their miRNAs were analyzed by a modified real-time PCR method. Some KSHV miRNAs were detected in KSHV-infected HUVECs and their expression was affected by genetic life cycles. In addition, KSHV miRNAs were also detected in BCBL-1 and their expression was not related to treatment of sodium butyrate. These results indicate that KSHV infection in cells inducing KSHV miRNAs expression would be increased upon entry into latent replication.
Biology ; Butyrates ; Down-Regulation ; Endothelial Cells ; Herpesviridae ; Herpesvirus 8, Human* ; HIV ; Humans* ; Life Cycle Stages ; Life Style ; MicroRNAs* ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Messenger ; Sarcoma, Kaposi ; Sodium ; Umbilical Cord ; Veins

The toxic effect of azalea extract, especially on cardiovascular system, in relatively unclear. The purpose of this study is to study the possible underlying mechanism and effect of toxic ingredient of azalea on cardiovascular system. The 71 healthy rabbits were divided into 10 groups: In group as preliminary study; 4 cc of normal saline was administered intravenously (N); 0.7 gm/kg and 1.0 gm/kg of azalea extract was administered respectively in the same route, volume (A1, A2); atropine was administered intravenously (A); after pretreatment with atropine (0.04 mg/kg) to block parasympathetic system, azalea extract was injected like the above groups (AA1, AA2); normal saline, 0.7 gm/kg and 1.0 gm/kg of azalea extract were administered respectively with 0.2 cc (1:1000) epinephrine (E0, E1, E2). We measured the following indices at I minute interval during first 10 minutes and then 10 minute interval during next 30 minutes: RR interval, QTc interval, maximal systolic and diastolic pressure drop with occurring time and presence of significant arrhythmia. The results were as follows: 1. The changes of RR interval, QTc interval were significantly increased in groups by Azalea extract. The blood pressure change was significantly decreased in groups by Azalea extract. There were no significant differences according to dosage of Azalea extract. 2. The changes of RR interval, blood pressure were significant differences between administration of atropine and Azalea extract after pretreatment with atropine, but not in the change of QTc interval. 3. There were no significant differences in the change of RR interval, ATc interval, blood pressure drop according to pretreatment with atropine. 4. The interaction between epinephrine and Azalea extract was not noted by the effect of epinephrine itself. 5. The ST change by 0.7 gm/kg, 1.0 gm/kg of Azalea extract was revealed in 1 case (14.0%), 7 case (100%), respectively. 6. Most of all cases with arrhythmia, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, were noted in the group by epinephrine, except on case by Azalea extract (1.0 gm/kg). It was idioventricular rhythm. In conclusion, azalea extract has negative inotropic and chronotropic effect with arrhythmogenic potential possibly through direct myocardial ischemia or injury but we can't be absolutely exclusive of actions of autonomic nervous system, especially parasympathetic nervous system.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atropine ; Autonomic Nervous System ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular System* ; Epinephrine ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Parasympathetic Nervous System ; Rabbits ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; Ventricular Fibrillation