PURPOSE: To compare the antiproliferative effects between bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and mitomycin C in human Tenon's capsule fibroblasts. METHODS: Primarily cultured human Tenon's capsule fibroblasts were exposed to 0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 microg/ml bevacizumab and mitomycin C, and incubated for 5 days. Cellular survival and production of nitric oxide were assessed by MTT assay and Griess assay, respectively. RESULTS: Bevacizumab showed antiproliferative effects only at high concentrations (200 microg/ml) and revealed much less effect on the cellular survival compared to mitomycin C. In addition, bevacizumab did not affect the production of nitric oxide. CONCLUSIONS: The antiproliferative effect of bevacizumab is much lower than mitomycin C in human Tenon's capsule fibroblasts.
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Mitomycin ; Nitric Oxide ; Tenon Capsule ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; Bevacizumab

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), on the survival and production of nitric oxide (NO) in human trabecular meshwork cells (HTMC). METHODS: Primarily cultured HTMC were exposed to 0, 0.25, 1.0, and 2.5 mg/ml bevacizumab for 24 hours. Cellular survival and production of NO were assessed by MTT assay and Griess assay, respectively. RESULTS: Bevacizumab did not affect the cellular survival at low concentrations but decreased cellular survival significantly at high concentrations (>1.0 mg/ml) accompanied with increased NO production. CONCLUSIONS: High concentrations of bevacizumab may be toxic to HTMC.
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; Trabecular Meshwork ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; Bevacizumab

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of oxidative stress on the senescence of trabecular meshwork (TM) cells and the effect of L-ascorbic acid (LAA) against oxidative stress-induced senescence. METHODS: Primary cultured human TM cells were exposed to 0.05 or 0.1 mM hydrogen peroxide for 30 minutes and incubated for 1 week with or without co-exposure of LAA. Cellular survival, nitrite production, and senescence were assessed with MTT, Griess, and SA-beta-gal assays, respectively. RESULTS: Hydrogen peroxide decreased cellular survival and NO production accompanied increased cellular senescence. LAA did not prevent hydrogen peroxide-induced senescence. CONCLUSIONS: Oxidative stress-induced senescence of TM cells may be related to the dysfunction of trabecular meshwork in glaucoma.
Aging ; Ascorbic Acid ; Cell Aging ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Hydrogen ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Oxidative Stress ; Trabecular Meshwork

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of methylglyoxal (MG), intermediate metabolite of advanced glycation end products(AGE), on the induction of oxidative stress in human trabecular meshwork cells (HTMC). METHODS: Primarily cultured HTMC were exposed to at concentrations of 0, 30, 100, and 300 micrometer of MG for 18 hours, with or without co-exposure to N-acetyl-cysteine. Cellular survival and apoptosis were assessed by MTT assay and flow cytometry using annexin-PI double staining. Production of nitric oxide (NO), superoxide, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) was assessed by Griess assay, cytochrome c assay, and dichlorofluorescein diacetate assay, respectively. RESULTS: MG did not affect cellular survival at concentrations under 100 micrometer, but induced apoptosis of HTMC at concentrations over 100 micrometer. MG decreased NO production, accompanied with increased superoxide production. In addition, MG increased ROS, which were abolished by N-acetylcysteine. CONCLUSIONS: MG induced oxidative stress by decreasing NO production, accompanied by increasing superoxide and ROS productions in HTMC. AGE could induce trabecular meshwork dysfunction.
Acetylcysteine ; Apoptosis ; Cytochromes c ; Flow Cytometry ; Glycosylation End Products, Advanced ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; Oxidative Stress ; Pyruvaldehyde ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Superoxides ; Trabecular Meshwork

We report a case of acute comitant esotropia in a child with a cerebellar tumor. A 3-year-old boy was referred for management of a 9 month history of acute acquired comitant esotropia. On first presentation, the patient's angle of esodeviation was 50 prism-diopters (PD) at distance and near fixation without any lateral incomitance. The cycloplegic refraction revealed +0.75 diopters in both eyes. Very mild bilateral papilledema was found on the fundus examination, but the neurological examination did not reveal any other pathological findings. Brain MRI showed a 5 cm mass located in the midline of the cerebellum as well as hydrocephalus. The mass was completely excised and histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of pilocytic astrocytoma. Despite neurosurgery, the patient's strabismus remained unresolved. One year after neurosurgery, both medial rectus muscles were surgically recessed by 6 mm, resulting in esotropia of 8PD at distant and near fixation without restoration of bifoveal fusion at follow-up 2 years after the eye muscle surgery. Therefore, acute onset comitant esotropia in a child can be the first sign of a cerebellar tumor, even without any other neurological signs and symptoms.
Acute Disease ; Astrocytoma/*complications/surgery ; Brain/pathology ; Cerebellar Neoplasms/*complications/diagnosis/surgery ; Child, Preschool ; Esotropia/*etiology/pathology/physiopathology/surgery ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; Oculomotor Muscles/surgery ; Refraction, Ocular ; Time Factors

BACKGROUND: Liver cirrhosis causes substantial socio-economic burden and is one of the major severe liver diseases in Korea. Nonetheless, there is only a few studies that analyzes disease burden of liver cirrhosis in Korea. Such study must be carried out due to its increasing need from the invention of new drugs for chronic hepatitis and demand for cost-effectiveness analyses. METHODS: Patient sample data with ensured representativeness was analyzed retrospectively to compare the medical costs and uses for patients with compensated cirrhosis and decompensated cirrhosis. Patient claims data that include K74 and K703 from the year of 2014 were selected. Within the selected data, decompensated cirrhosis patient was identified if complications such as ascites (R18), encephalopathy (B190), hepatic failure (K72), peritonitis (K65), or esophageal varices (I85) were included, and they were compared to compensated cirrhosis patients. RESULTS: 6,565 patients were included in the analysis. The average cost per patient was 6,471,020 (SD 8,848,899) KRW and 2,173,203 (4,220,942) KRW for decompensated cirrhosis and compensated cirrhosis, respectively. For inpatients, the average hospitalized days was 38.0 (56.4) days and 27.2 (57.2) days for decompensated cirrhosis and compensated cirrhosis, respectively. For outpatients, the average number of visits was 8.7 (9.1) days and 5.3 (7.5) days for compensated cirrhosis and decompensated cirrhosis, respectively. CONCLUSION: Compared to compensated cirrhosis patients, decompensated cirrhosis patients had higher costs, especially for hospitalization, injection, examination, and drugs administrated within medical institutions.
Ascites ; Brain Diseases ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices ; Fibrosis ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Inventions ; Korea ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Failure ; Liver* ; Outpatients ; Peritonitis ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: Transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy is the procedure of choice for diagnosing prostate cancer. We compared with pain-relieving effect of acetaminophen, a known drug for enhancing the pain-relieving effect of tramadol, and eutectic mixture of local anesthetics (EMLA), a local anesthetic agent, with that of the conventional periprostatic nerve block method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective, randomized, single-blinded study. A total of 430 patients were randomly assigned to three groups. Group 1 received a periprostatic nerve block with 1% lidocaine, group 2 received acetaminophen 650 mg, and group 3 received EMLA cream for pain control. All patients were given 50 mg of tramadol intravenously 30 minutes before the procedure. At 3 hours after completion of the procedure, the patients were asked to grade their pain on a horizontal visual analogue scale (VAS). The patients were also asked whether they were willing to undergo future biopsy if required. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the three groups in terms of age, prostate-specific antigen, prostate size, or numbers of biopsy cores. The pain scores for groups 2 and group 3, which were 3.47+/-1.92 and 3.50+/-1.36, respectively, were similar and were significantly lower than that of group 1, which was 5.24+/-2.07. CONCLUSIONS: Acetaminophen and EMLA cream with intravenous injection of tramadol are safe, easy, and effective methods of controlling pain during the procedure. These methods were more effective for pain relief than was the conventional periprostatic nerve block method.
Acetaminophen ; Administration, Oral ; Anesthetics, Local ; Biopsy ; Biopsy, Needle ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Lidocaine ; Nerve Block ; Prilocaine ; Prospective Studies ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Tramadol

Conversion of immunosuppressants to sirolimus, an inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin, is a useful treatment option for prevention of the adverse events of immunosuppressants such as calcineurin inhibitor in renal transplantation recipients. In addition, sirolimus has been improving the quality of life and increasing the survival of patients with renal transplantation by decreasing immunosuppression-related malignancies, particularly skin cancer. However, complete remission of skin squamous cell carcinoma after renal transplantation only by conversion to sirolimus has not been well reported, although its preventive effect on skin cancer is well known. We report on a 72-year-old male with squamous cell carcinoma in his nasal cavity consequent to renal transplantation, which was treated completely with the conversion of cyclosporine to sirolimus without surgical removal or chemotherapy.
Aged ; Calcineurin ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cyclosporine ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Male ; Nasal Cavity* ; Quality of Life ; Sirolimus* ; Skin ; Skin Neoplasms

Multiple pulmonary nodules were found in a 71-year-old Korean female patient with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma during diagnostic work-up. A presumptive diagnosis of metastases was made and percutaneous fine needle aspiration cytology was undertaken. Finally, pathological examination of the tissue revealed granulomatous inflammation with cryptococcal infection. The patient received 6 months of antifungal treatment with fluconazole and her chest radiographic findings were improved after the treatment. She is now under clinical follow-up. Recognition that pulmonary cryptococcal infection can mimic metastasis is important in reaching the correct diagnosis and in determining the correct treatment.
Aged ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cryptococcosis* ; Cryptococcus ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fluconazole ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Multiple Pulmonary Nodules ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Radiography, Thoracic

Terra firma-forme dermatosis (TFFD) is a bizarre, acquired and idiopathic dermatosis that etiology has still not been fully defined. It is characterized by the presence of asymptomatic, brownish dirt-like lesion maybe due to disorder of keratinization. These lesions cannot be removed with ordinary cleansing. Therefore, TFFD can be differentiated from dermatosis neglecta. Patient was a 17-year-old man with brownish lesions on his face for 1 month. The patient had a history of regular washing habit with soap and water. The lesions were asymptomatic however due to cosmetic reasons, the patient wanted to treat his skin lesions. Punch biopsy revealed hyperkeratosis and fungal spore are in stratum corneum. Salicylic acid peeling with alcohol base was performed on the patient's face. The skin lesions disappeared completely on gentle swabbing with peeling. In this point, the diagnosis of TFFD could be considered. Since, this disease can be confused with dermatosis neglecta, we report this case with literature review.
Adolescent ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Salicylic Acid* ; Skin ; Skin Diseases* ; Soaps ; Spores, Fungal ; Water