No abstract available.
Esophagus* ; Rupture*

No abstract available.
Esophagus* ; Rupture*

PURPOSE: This study was done to evaluate the effects of psychosocial interventions on cortisol and immune response in adult patients with cancer. METHODS: MEDLINE via PubMed, Cochrane Library CENTRAL, EMBASE, CINAHL and domestic electronic databases were searched. Twenty controlled trials (11 randomized and 9 non-randomized trials) met the inclusion criteria with a total of 862 participants. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane's Risk of Bias for randomized studies and the Risk of Bias Assessment tool for non randomized studies. Data were analyzed using the RevMan 5.2.11 program of Cochrane library. RESULTS: Overall, study quality was moderate to high. The weighted average effect size across studies was -0.32 (95% CI [-0.56, -0.07], p=.010, I2=45%) for cortisol concentration, -0.62 (95%CI [-0.96,-0.29], p<.001, I2=0%) for T lymphocyte (CD3) and -0.45 (95%CI [-0.74, -0.16], p=.003, I2=0%) for Th lymphocyte (CD4) numbers. Psychosocial interventions were not effective for Tc lymphocyte (CD4), NK cell, monocyte, and cytokine response. CONCLUSION: Although these results provide only small evidence of successful immune modulation, they support the conclusion that psychosocial interventions can assist cancer patients in reducing emotional distress and improving immune response.
CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/cytology/immunology ; Cytokines/metabolism ; Databases, Factual ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone/*analysis ; Killer Cells, Natural/cytology/immunology ; Monocytes/cytology/immunology ; Neoplasms/metabolism/pathology/*therapy ; Psychotherapy ; T-Lymphocytes/cytology/*immunology

Though the incidence of paragonimiasis has been remarkably decreased since 1970, it is still not a rare disease in Korea. Major problems in the diagnosis of pulmonary paragonimiasis on chest radiography are its differentiation from pulmonary tuberculosis and lung cancer. Chest radiographic findings have been described in detail, but little have been reported on CT findings. We reviewed CT findings of 10 patients with pulmonary paragonimiasis. The characteristic CT findings were similar to those on chest radiography, such as air-space consolidation (70%), nodular mass (50%), pleural effusion (40%), cystic lesion (30%), small low density within the mass (30%), linear density (20%), pneumothorax(20%), and burrow track (20%). CT depicted the cystic lesions and the burrow tracks more clearly and showed the small worm-retaining cysts within the mass that were not detectable on chest radiography. In conclusion, all of these CT findings are useful in the diagnosis of pulmonary paragonimiasis especially when differentiation from tuberculosis or lung canceris difficult on chest radiography.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Paragonimiasis* ; Pleural Effusion ; Radiography ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Rare Diseases ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

No abstract available.
Dopaminergic Neurons* ; Retina* ; Rodentia*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Humans* ; Mice* ; Muramidase* ; Paneth Cells* ; Rats*

No abstract available.
Dopaminergic Neurons* ; Retina*

No abstract available.
Blood Transfusion, Autologous*

An excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate is engaged in slow transmission by activating the secondary signal transduction pathway through metabotropic receptors of the target cells. The present study has been investigated the localization of group I (mGluR1 and mGluR5) and II (mGluR2/3) metabotropic glutamate receptors in the retina and their altered expression patterns following long-term diabetes using immunohistochemistry, in order to clarify the involvement of the slow transmission of glutamate in diabetic retinopathy. Insulin-dependent diabetes was induced by a single intravenous injection of streptozotocin. Experimental periods were set at 1, 4, 12 and 24 weeks after the onset of diabetes. MGluR1 and mGluR5 were expressed in the outer plexiform layer, 1, 3, and 5 strata of the inner plexiform layer, and the photoreceptor layer in the retina at normal state. In the early periods of diabetes, the expression pattern of group I receptors was no large change. The expression level in the photoreceptor layer of 12 and 24 weeks diabetic retinas was increased, while that in the IPL was decreased. MGluR2/3 was expressed in the amacrine cells, in the displaced amacrine cells, and in two bands in the inner plexiform layer at normal retina. In later diabetic periods, the expression level of mGluR2/3 was increased in the two bands especially. These results demonstrate that diabetes induces the activation of I and II mGluRs in the retina, and may suggest the involvement of slow transmission of glutamate via metabotropic receptors in progression of diabetic retinopathy.
Amacrine Cells ; Animals ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Glutamic Acid ; Immunohistochemistry ; Injections, Intravenous ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Rats* ; Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate* ; Retina* ; Signal Transduction ; Streptozocin

The retinal degeneration resulting from elevated intraocular pressure was evaluated through functional and morphological analyses, for better understanding of the pathophysiology of glaucoma. Ocular hypertension was induced via unilateral episcleral venous cauterization in rats. Experimental time was set at 1 and 3 days, and 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks post-operation. Retinal function was analyzed using electroretinography. For morphological analysis, retinal tissues were processed for immunochemistry by using antibodies against the calcium-sensing receptor and calcium-binding proteins. Apoptosis was analyzed using the TUNEL method and electron microscopy. Amplitudes of a- and b-wave in scotopic and photopic responses were found to be reduced in all glaucomatous retinas. Photopic negative response for ganglion cell function significantly reduced from 1-day and more significantly reduced in 2-week glaucoma. Calcium-sensing receptor immunoreactivity in ganglion cells remarkably reduced at 8 weeks; conversely, protein amounts increased significantly. Calcium-binding proteins immunoreactivity in amacrine cells clearly reduced at 8 weeks, despite of uneven changes in protein amounts. Apoptosis appeared in both photoreceptors and ganglion cells in 8-week glaucomatous retina. Apoptotic feature of photoreceptors was typical, whereas that of ganglion cells was necrotic in nature. These findings suggest that elevated intraocular pressure affects the sensitivity of photoreceptors and retinal ganglion cells, and leads to apoptotic death. The calcium-sensing receptor may be a useful detector for alteration of extracellular calcium levels surrounding the ganglion cells.
Amacrine Cells ; Animals ; Antibodies ; Apoptosis ; Calcium ; Calcium-Binding Proteins ; Cautery ; Electroretinography ; Ganglion Cysts ; Glaucoma ; Immunochemistry ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Intraocular Pressure ; Methods ; Microscopy, Electron ; Ocular Hypertension ; Rats ; Receptors, Calcium-Sensing ; Retina ; Retinal Degeneration ; Retinal Ganglion Cells ; Retinaldehyde