Colorectal cancer consists of 8.2 percent of all malignancy in korea, and shows more increaing tendency. Despite the advances in the detection of calorectal cancer no single screening technique has achieved both high degree of diagnostic accuracy and minimal patient morbidity. We studied 24 patients, who underwent colonoscopy, with clinical suspicious colon cancer at Presbyterian Medical Center between Jan and Sep.1995, and evaluated the diagnostic feasibility of colon lavage cytology using oral cleansing solution.(continue...)
Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Colonoscopy ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Protestantism ; Therapeutic Irrigation

Colorectal cancer consists of 8.2 percent of all malignancy in korea, and shows more increaing tendency. Despite the advances in the detection of calorectal cancer no single screening technique has achieved both high degree of diagnostic accuracy and minimal patient morbidity. We studied 24 patients, who underwent colonoscopy, with clinical suspicious colon cancer at Presbyterian Medical Center between Jan and Sep.1995, and evaluated the diagnostic feasibility of colon lavage cytology using oral cleansing solution.(continue...)
Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Colonoscopy ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Protestantism ; Therapeutic Irrigation

PURPOSE: Candida albicans is an opportunistic pathogen that is commonly found in human microflora. Biofilm formation (BF) is known as a major virulence factor of C. albicans. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of bacterial presence on biofilm formation of C. albicans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The BF of Candida was investigated when it was co-cultured with C. albicans (C. albicans 53, a yeast with a low BF ability, and C. albicans 163, a yeast with high BF ability) and bacteria. BF was assessed with XTT reduction assay. A scanning electron microscope was used to determine the structure of the biofilm, and real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify and quantify hyphae-associated genes. RESULTS: Co-culturing with two different types of bacteria increased the BF value. Co-culturing with C. albicans 53 and 163 also increased the BF value compared to the value that was obtained when the C. albicans was cultured individually. However, co-culturing with bacteria decreased the BF value of C. albicans, and the BF of C. albicans 163 was markedly inhibited. The expression of adherence and morphology transition related genes were significantly inhibited by co-culturing with live bacteria. CONCLUSION: Bacteria have a negative effect on the formation of biofilm by C. albicans. This mechanism is the result of the suppression of genes associated with the hyphae transition of C. albicans, and bacteria particles physically affected the biofilm architecture and biofilm formation.
Architecture as Topic ; Bacteria ; Biofilms* ; Candida albicans* ; Candida* ; Coculture Techniques ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Methods ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Virulence ; Yeasts

Biofilms are commonly associated with an increased risk of catheter-associated infection. To study the efficacy of materials designed to reduce biofilm formation, microbial biofilms on clinically used urinary catheter were examined. We performed 2, 3-bis (2-methyoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfo-phenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide (XTT) reduction assay to determine of biofilm formation ability and observed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to analyze biofilm architecture. Additionally, we calculated relative cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) to measure hydrophobicity of microorganisms. On SEM, catheter surfaces made of latex or anti-infective (IC)-latex were rough but those of silicone, hydrogel-coated silicone (HCS), or silver-alloy-coated silicone (SCS) were relatively smoother. According to XTT reduction assay, biofilm formation was reduced on the surface of smooth silicone-based catheters compared to rough latex-based catheters. The greatest to lowest formation of microbial biofilm were as follows for these material types: silicone-elastomer-coated (SEC) latex > latex > silicone > IC-latex > HCS > SCS. Catheter materials can affect the microbial biofilm formations. First, rougher surfaces on the catheter made the microbial attachment easier and a greater amount of biofilm was formed. Second, when chemicals that inhibit growth and attachment of microorganisms on the inner and outer surfaces of the catheters were applied, the biofilm formation was inhibited. SCS was found to be the most effective in reducing the microbial biofilm formation. These results indicate that microbial biofilm formation may be closely related to the surface roughness and microbial CSH.
Biofilms* ; Catheter-Related Infections ; Catheters ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions ; Latex ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Silicon ; Silicones ; Urinary Catheters*

BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis is essential for tumor growth and metastasis. Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), also known as vascular permeability factor(VPF), is an angiogenic factor that plays important roles in tumor growth. Angiogenesis studies on VEGF deal with various types of malignant tumors, but little is known about the role or significance of VEGF in human thyroid neoplasms. Therefore, this study was performed to determine whether the VEGF expression in different histological types of thyroid tumors is altered and to see if there was a relationship between the expression of VEGF and either metastasis or the invasiveness of thyroid carcinomas. METHODS: Forty-two cases that underwent thyroidectomy at Kosin Medical Center, between March, 1999 and February, 2000, were included in this study. Of the 42 cases, 27 were malignant(26 papillary carcinoma, 1 Hurthle cell carcinoma) and 15 were benign lesions. The expression of VEGF was determined by immunohistochemistry using paraffin embedded thyroid tissue blocks, and was quantified as negative(absent), +(1~24%), ++(25~49%), +++(50~74%) and ++++(> or =75%), according to the extent of positive cells. RESULTS: VEGF was stained with red-brown colored granules in the cytoplasm of the thyroid tumor epithelium and was expressed in 27 of the 42 cases(+1, ++8, +++5, ++++13). Most malignant tumors(24 of 27 cases) were stained with VEGF, but only 3 of the 15 benign tumors cases were stained(P<0.001). When the VEGF expression was divided into ++ or below and +++ or above groups, the expression of VEGF was much more extensive in the malignant than benign tumors(P<0.001). Of the 27 malignant tumors cases, lymph node metastasis and/or invasion was noted in 13. VEGF expression was more extensive in malignant tumors with lymph node metastasis and/or invasion than in those without(P<0.001). CONCLUSION: In this study, the rate and extent of VEGF expression were greater in the malignant than the benign thyroid tumors, and also the extent of VEGF expression was the extent of VEGF greater in the malignant tumors with lymph node metastasis and/or invasion than those without
Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; Capillary Permeability ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Cytoplasm ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Paraffin ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroidectomy ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

BACKGROUND: Sulfonylurea drugs have been used for many decades as one of the main families of drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Even though there are many opportunities to medicate sulfonylurea drugs concomitantly with many other drugs, and furthermore there have been several case reports on drug interactions with sulfonylurea drugs, there has been no clear demonstration revealing the mechanisms that cause these interactions. We therefore evaluated inhibitory potential of sulfonylurea drugs, including glibenclamide, glipizide and gliclazide, on the cytochrome P450 (CYP)-catalyzing enzymes using human liver microsomes. METHODS: The inhibitory effects of glibenclamide, glipizide and gliclazide, on the CYP-catalyzing reaction, were evaluated for CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 using human liver microsomes, and probe drugs for each. RESULTS: Glibenclamide showed relative potent inhibitory effects on the CYP2C9- and CYP3A4-catallyzed reaction (IC50; 11.3 ( microM and 59.0 ( microM). The other CYP isoforms tested showed only weak inhibitory effects by due to glibenclamide (IC50 > 112 ( microM). Glipizide showed potent inhibitory effect on CYP3A4-catalyzed reaction only (IC50; 11.2 ( microM), and weak, or no, inhibitory effects on each on the other CYP isoforms tested (IC50 > 276 ( microM). CONCLUSION: The sulfonylurea drugs showed inhibitory potential on the CYP-catalyzing reaction in human liver microsomes. The results obtained in the present study provide insights into the potential of the drug interaction to ward drugs co-administered with sulfonylureas. It will be necessary to take into consideration the control of blood glucose, as well as therapeutic drug monitoring, to reduced toxicities when sulfonylurea drugs are co-administered with drugs of a narrow therapeutic range, or with severe dose-dependent toxicities.
Blood Glucose ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A2 ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2D6 ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System ; Cytochromes* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Drug Interactions ; Drug Monitoring ; Gliclazide ; Glipizide ; Glyburide ; Humans* ; Liver* ; Microsomes, Liver* ; Protein Isoforms

No abstract available.
Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune*

No abstract available.
Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune*

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to describe the clinical progress and the maternal and fetal outcome in 16 pregnancies complicated by the HELLP(hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelet). Material: We reviewed the maternal and neonatal charts from 16 consecutive pregnancies complicated by the HELLP syndrome among 302 pregnancies complicated by preeclamsia and eclamsia managed at our hospital during the period of 4 years from June 1994 through June 1998. The HELLP syndrome was defined by previously published laboratory criteria. We assessed the time of onset, presenting symptom, laboratory finding, mode of delivery, fetal and maternal complication in each case. We also reviewed the clinical finding in detail in the case resulted in maternal death. RESULTS: In regards to the time of onset, 15 cases (93.7%) occurred at antepartum period and only 1 case (6.2%) occurred at postpartum period. Among the 15 cases occurred at antepartum period, 13 cases (81.25%) developed at 27 to 36 weeks gestation and 2 cases (12.5%) developed at near term. In regards to the presenting symptom, twelve patients (75%) complained of right upper quardrant or epigastric pain. Of 16 patients, 12 patients (75%) experienced headache and 10 patients (62.5%) complained of nausea, or vomiting and 5 patients (31.2%) had visual disturbance. The laboratory finding of all 16 cases were as follow; the mean level of platelet: 68700/mm3 (range: 48000 to 91700), the mean level of serum asparate aminotransferase: 335 IU/L (range: 62 to 135), the mean level of lactic dehydrogenase: 910 IU/L (range: 558 to 5794), and the mean level of total bilirubin: 2.6 mg/dl (range: 0.7 to 10.4). To review the mode of delivery, cesarean sections were done on 10 patients (62.5%) including 7(43.7%) emergency and 3(18.7%) elective operations. However, 6 patients (37.5%) delivered vaginally. Maternal complications were as follow; abruptio placenta in 1 case (6.2%), DIC in 2 cases (12.5%), pulmonary edema in 3 cases (18.7%), pleural effusion in 4 cases (25%), renal failure in 4 cases (25%), and 1 case of death. Fetal and neonatal outcome was assessed; 9 cases of intrauterine growth retardation (56.2%), meconium stained in 3 cases (18.7%), 2 stillbirth (12.5%), and 2 neonatal death (12.5%). CONCLUSION: HELLP syndrome is associated with serious maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality.
Bilirubin ; Blood Platelets ; Cesarean Section ; Dacarbazine ; Emergencies ; Female ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Headache ; HELLP Syndrome ; Hemolysis* ; Humans ; Liver* ; Maternal Death ; Meconium ; Mortality ; Nausea ; Oxidoreductases ; Placenta ; Pleural Effusion ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy* ; Pulmonary Edema ; Renal Insufficiency ; Stillbirth ; Vomiting

Lovastatin is a potent inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, which catalyzes the conversion of hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A to mevalonate, anearly and rate-limiting step in the synthesis of cholesterol. We studied the therapeutic effect and safety of lovastatin in 18 patients with nonfamilial primary hypercholesterolemia. Patients received 20mg/day lovastatin therapy as a single evening dose. If the total cholesterol level exceeded 200mg/dl after 2weeks of lovastatin therapy, the dosage of lovastatin was doubled. Mean percent total cholesterol level reductions from baseline were 26.4% and 31.9% after 4, and 8 weeks of lovastatin therapy respectively. Mean percent HDL-cholesterol level increase from baseline were 12% and 13% after 4, and 8 weeks of lovastatin therapy respectively. Adverse effects attributable to lovastatin were mild and temporary and no patient was withdrawn from therapy. We concluded that lovastatin was a well tolerated and effective agent for the treatment of nonfamilial primary hypercholesterolemia. Further studies are needed to establish the long-term safety and effectiveness of this drug.
Cholesterol ; Coenzyme A ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia* ; Lovastatin ; Mevalonic Acid ; Oxidoreductases