Seven patients with giant cavernous hemangioma of the liver were treated surgically with success at Pusan Gospel Hospital, Kosin Medical College, Pusan, from 1980 through 1989. They were 3 males and 4 females, and their ages ranged from 6 to 59 years. The tumors were located on the right lobe of the liver in 5 patients and on the left lobe in 2. The lesions were solitary in all patients, and their sizes varied from 4cm to 15cm in diameter. All patients underwent hepatic resection: 1 right hepatic lobectomy and 4 partial resections for tumors on the right lobe, and 1 left lobectomy and 1 left lateral segmentectomy for tumors on the left lobe. There was no surgical death, but 1 patient had a postoperative complication: multiple stress ulcers on the stomach and ileum. The pathologic diagnosis was cavernous hemangioma in all cases. In the long-term follow-up, there was no recurrence of preoperative symptoms in any patient.
Adult ; Child ; Female ; Hemangioma, Cavernous/*surgery ; Humans ; Ileal Diseases/etiology ; Liver Neoplasms/*surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications/etiology ; Prognosis ; Stomach Ulcer/etiology ; Stress, Physiological/etiology ; Ulcer/etiology

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common age-related neurodegenerative disorder characterized mainly by motor dysfunction resulting in bradykinesia, rigidity, tremor, gait impairment, and postural instability. The classic pathogenic feature of PD is preferential loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Downregulation of rRNA transcription is one of major mechanisms to maintain cellular homeostasis under stress conditions. Nucleolar stress has emerged as a component of the degenerative process caused by impaired rRNA transcription and altered nucleolar integrity. Recent study has indicated that the response to stress conditions and quality control mechanisms are impaired in PD, and that metabolic stress may be a trigger mechanism for PD. This review aims to present evidence for a role of nucleolar stress in PD and has summarized mechanisms by which nucleolar stress may play a role in the progression of PD.
Cell Nucleolus ; physiology ; Humans ; Parkinson Disease ; etiology ; physiopathology ; RNA, Ribosomal ; genetics ; Signal Transduction ; Stress, Physiological ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases ; physiology

To investigate the effect of stress on homocysteine metabolism in the rat and explore the mechanism as well as the key regulatory link of stress-induced hyperhomocysteinemia, male Wistar rats were treated with restraint stress while control rats received routine treatment. By HPLC-fluorometry, the homocysteine level in rat plasma was determined. Cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) activity in blood, heart, liver and kidney was measured by radioisotope assay using [(14)C]-serine as the labeled substrate. Total RNA was isolated from rat liver after restraint stress. RT-PCR and Northern blot were used to estimate the level of CBS mRNA. The results showed that hyperhomocysteinemia was induced by restraint stress. The highest CBS enzyme activity was seen in rat livers. A decrease in hepatic activities of CBS was found in restraint stress rats. The 29.4% +/-2.5% reduction in the activity of CBS was accompanied by a 44.1% +/-3.4% decrease in its mRNA level. CBS enzyme activity was slightly elevated in the kidney of stressed rats while it was almost undeterminable in the cardiovascular system. The study suggests that stress leads to an inhibition of the transsulfuration pathway in homocysteine metabolism. The hepatic CBS influenced by stress at the level of transcription exerts a profound effect on the circulating levels of homocysteine. The liver is the key organ where stress affects homocysteine metabolism.
Animals ; Down-Regulation ; Homocysteine ; metabolism ; Hyperhomocysteinemia ; blood ; etiology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Restraint, Physical ; Stress, Physiological ; complications ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo summarize current understanding of the roles of anti-inflammatory and proinflammatory mechanisms in the development of atherosclerosis and acute coronary syndrome and to postulate the novel concept of inflammation stress as the most important factor triggering acute coronary syndrome. Moreover, markers of inflammation stress and ways to block involved pathways are elucidated.

DATA SOURCESA literature search (MEDLINE 1997 to 2002) was performed using the key words "inflammation and cardiovascular disease". Relevant book chapters were also reviewed.

STUDY SELECTIONWell-controlled, prospective landmark studies and review articles on inflammation and acute coronary syndrome were selected.

DATA EXTRACTIONData and conclusions from the selected articles providing solid evidence to elucidate the mechanisms of inflammation and acute coronary syndrome were extracted and interpreted in the light of our own clinical and basic research.

DATA SYNTHESISInflammation is closely linked to atherosclerosis and acute coronary syndrome. Chronic and long-lasting inflammation stress, present both systemically or in the vascular walls, can trigger acute coronary syndrome.

CONCLUSIONSInflammation stress plays an important role in the process of acute coronary syndrome. Drugs which can modulate the balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory processes and attenuate inflammation stress, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers, statins, and cytokine antagonists may play active roles in the prevention and treatment of acute coronary syndrome when used in addition to conventional therapies (glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists, mechanical intervention strategies, etc).

Angina Pectoris ; etiology ; Arteriosclerosis ; etiology ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Blood Vessels ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Inflammation ; complications ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Myocardial Infarction ; etiology ; Stress, Physiological ; complications ; Syndrome

AIMTo inspect the effects of cold-stress on filial growth and development of pregnant mice.

METHODSPregnant mice were divided into pregnant control group(PN) and pregnant cold-stress group (PC). The PC were kept in (4 +/- 2) C from 8:00 to 12:00 every day and the PN were kept in 25 degrees C. After 18 days, the blood pressure of pregnant mice were measured, and the weight of fetus, placenta and amniotic fluid were recorded. The natal mice visceral organs weight, visceral organs weight and body weight ratio were also measured. Growth curve and increment ratio curve of body weight were protracted every day from 1 st day to 44th day. Blood pressure of all filiality were measured in 8 weeks after they were born.

RESULTSThe blood pressure in PC was increased than that in PN (P < 0.05), the weight of fetus, placenta and amniotic fluid of PC decreased significantly compared with PN (P < 0.01). The filial visceral organ weight of PC reduced obviously compared with PN (P < 0.05), while the visceral organs weight and body weight ratio had no statistical meanings between the offspring of PC and PN (P > 0.05). Obvious difference of growth curve of the two filial groups was also existed until sexual maturity, but increment ratio curve of body weight of the two filial groups was basically fitted close. Filial blood pressure of PC was evidently higher than that in PN.

CONCLUSIONCold-stress stimulations seriously affect filial growth and development of pregnant mice.

Animals ; Cold Temperature ; adverse effects ; Female ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; etiology ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced ; etiology ; Male ; Mice ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; Stress, Physiological ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Shuyusan decoction on neuropeptide Y (NPY) and serotonin (5-HT) expression in the hippocampus and plasma of rats with chronic mild unpredictable stressors depression.

METHODSFifty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, namely the normal control group, model group, fluoxetine group, and high- and low-dose Shuyusan groups. Except for those in the normal control group, all the rats were subjected to chronic mild unpredicted stress for 21 consecutive days with corresponding treatments. Open-field test was used to assess the behavioral changes of the rats. The content of NPY in the hippocampus and plasma was detected by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and immunocytochemistry was used to determine the expression of 5-HT in the hippocampus.

RESULTSNPY levels in the hippocampus and plasma was significantly decreased in the model group as compared with that in the normal control group (P<0.05). Treatments with fluoxetine and high-dose Shuyusan both significantly increased NPY levels in the hippocampus and plasma in the depressive rats (P<0.05), resulting also in significantly increased 5-HT-immunoreactive neurons in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus and the average optical density (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONShuyusan decoction can effectively increase plasma and hippocampus NPY levels and the number of 5-HT-positive neurons in the cerebral cortex and happocampus of rats with chronic mild unpredictable stress-induced depression.

Animals ; Depression ; etiology ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Male ; Neurons ; metabolism ; Neuropeptide Y ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Serotonin ; metabolism ; Stress, Physiological

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between the coping style and mental health of patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation.

METHODSThe simplified coping style questionnaire and SCL-90 were used to conduct a survey of 106 patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation, and the scores were compared with the national norms.

RESULTSThe patients had a positive coping style score of 1.51-/+0.58 and negative coping style score of 1.13-/+0.58. The SCL-90 scores were significantly higher than the national norms. A significant correlation was found between the negative coping style and mental health of the patients.

CONCLUSIONNegative coping style is an important factor influencing the mental health of patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation.

Adaptation, Psychological ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; psychology ; Low Back Pain ; etiology ; psychology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life ; Stress, Physiological ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Animals ; Depression ; etiology ; metabolism ; Frontal Lobe ; metabolism ; Glutamic Acid ; metabolism ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Serotonin ; metabolism ; Stress, Physiological ; physiology ; Swimming

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Deglutition Disorders ; therapy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Electrocardiography ; Fatal Outcome ; Humans ; Intubation, Gastrointestinal ; adverse effects ; instrumentation ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Stress, Physiological

It is well known that depression and sense of hopelessness worsen the quality of life in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients receiving dialysis. However, the characteristics of depression in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients have not been analyzed in detail. We performed this study to investigate the severity of depression and the factors affecting depression in CAPD patients. With 96 CAPD patients, we evaluated each patient's depressive mood and hopelessness with CES-D (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression) scale and Beck Hopelessness Scale. We also evaluated the degree of stress of each patient with internal individual stress scale. Most CAPD patients experienced severe depression compared with the general population. Their depression was better explained by psychological factors, such as stress and sense of hopelessness, than by demographic or physical factors. On the basis of these findings, we suggest that the treatment of depression in CAPD patients might be possible by modulation of psychological factors.
Adult ; Aged ; Depression/*etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/psychology/*therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory/*adverse effects ; Sex Factors ; Stress, Physiological