Postischemic functional impairment of the kidney is a severe problem following living or cadeveric renal transplantation. It is well established that a substantial component of postischemic injury is caused by oxygen free radicals generated from xanthine oxidase at ischemia/reperfusion (VR) through lipid peroxidation. Glutathione is well known as a radical scavenger of oxygen free radicals. Malonyldialdehyde (MDA) is a stable end product of lipid peroxidation. The present study was undertaken to investigate whether the measurement of levels of xanthine oxidase activity, glutathione, and MDA in renal tissue could be used as indicators of renal function following I/R injury 50 male Sprague-Dawley were divided into 3 groups; control group (N=10), allopurinol-pretreatment group (Group A, N=20) and no-pretreatment group (Group B, N=20) for in-vitro and in-vivo study. Animals in in-vitro study underwent bilateral renal ischemia for 60 min after pretreatment with allopurinol in group A and saline in group B, and left nephrectomy was then performed for study of ischemic injury. After 30 min of right renal reperfusion, right nephrectomy was then performed for VR injury study. Xanthine oxidase activity, glutathione, and MDA were measured in nephrectomized kidney tissues. In-vivo renal function studies were performed in both group A and B with measurement of creatinine clearance (Ccr) at 7th day of experiments after renal ischemia for 60 min. The xanthine oxidase activity decreased significantly in group A, but increased significantly in group B. The type conversion ratio increased significantly in group B. Glutathione levels decreased significantly in group B compared to group A. MDA levels increased significantly in group B compared to group A. Ccr decreased significantly in group B compared to group A. Thus, it is suggested that the measurement of levels of xanthine oxidase activity, glutathione, and MDA in renal tissue following ischemia/reperfusion injury could be used as indicators of renal function.
Allopurinol ; Animals ; Creatinine ; Free Radicals ; Glutathione ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Kidney ; Kidney Transplantation ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; Nephrectomy ; Oxygen ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion ; Xanthine Oxidase

The study was designed to compare the anti-carcinogenic effect of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers on colon carcinogenesis in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-treated rats by determining the levels of apoptosis, cell proliferation, eicosanoids and 1,2-diacylglycerol (DAG) in colonic mucosa. Sixty male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups depending on the types of CLA isomers, i.e. BT group (no CLA contained), CLA-C group (cis-9, trans11 isomer contained), and CLA- T group (trans-10, cis-12 isomer contained). The experimental diet was composed of protein at 20%, carbohydrate at 56.2%, and fat at 14.5% including 0.8% CLA isomers by weight. The experimental diet was fed for 14 weeks with the initiation of intramuscular injection of DMH, which was injected twice a week for 6 weeks to give total dose of l80mg per kg body weight. Two CLA isomers (c9t11 and t10c12) significantly increased the relative percentage of apoptosis but reduced cell proliferation in mucosal cell and also the levels of PGE2, TXB2, and DAG in colonic mucosa. However, there was no significant differences in anti-carcinogenic effect between c9t11 isomer and t10c12 isomer. Overall, colon carcinogenesis could be significantly inhibited by CLA isomers by increasing apoptosis and reducing cell proliferation, the levels of eicosanoids and DAG in colonic mucosa.
1,2-Dimethylhydrazine ; Animals ; Anticarcinogenic Agents ; Apoptosis* ; Body Weight ; Carcinogenesis ; Cell Proliferation* ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Diet ; Dimenhydrinate ; Dinoprostone ; Eicosanoids ; Humans ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Linoleic Acid ; Male ; Mucous Membrane* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

PURPOSE: To obtain basic data for development of a glioblastoma-specific immunotoxin, the expression of variable cell surface receptors on a human glioblastoma xenograft model was evaluated, using NOD/SCID mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We developed a xenograft model in NOD/SCID mice implanted with a human glioblastoma cell line (U-87MG). Immunohistochemical studies were performed on implanted tumor nodules (n=8) using antibodies against CD71, EGFR, IGF-IRalpha, CXCR4 and IL-4Ralpha. RESULTS: Expression of IL-4Ralpha, in implanted tumornodules, was the highest of the cell surface receptors evaluated in this study. However, the endothelial cells in, and around, the tumor nodules also revealed immunopositivity against IL-4Ralpha. The immunoreactivity of IL-4Ralpha, and other surface receptors such as CD71, IGF-IRalpha and EGFR, was prominent in tumor nodules associated with tumor necrosis. CONCLUSION: IL-4Ralpha would be a possible target for the development of glioblastoma-specific immunotoxin, although there are limitations due to its endothelial expression.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Cell Line ; Endothelial Cells ; Glioblastoma* ; Heterografts* ; Humans* ; Immunotoxins ; Mice* ; Mice, SCID ; Necrosis ; Receptors, Cell Surface*

The visual loss owing to acute optic nerve injury after blunt head trauma has been reported about 5% at the incidence. But it has been real circumstances that we still don`t have the exact knowlege about surgical indication, operation time and steroid dosage for this candidate. Lately, endoscopic surgery was introduced for treatment of orbital disease instead of classic external approach and we have performed and report endoscoic endonasal optic canal decompression followed by megadose steroid injection in 5 patients who experienced visual loss due to optic canal fracture following trauma.
Craniocerebral Trauma ; Decompression* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Optic Nerve Injuries ; Orbital Diseases

OBJECTIVE: In view of the facts that education about diseases and realization of the need for drugs can improve compliance of the patients, we assessed the knowledge about drugs and medication compliance in psychiatric outpatients. In addition, we investigated factors that influence patients' compliance to develop a model of medication compliance. METHODS: One-hundred twelve male and eighty female psychiatric outpatient were asked about drug information using questionnaires. We developed a model that predicts medication compliance using chi square tests and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: More than a hart of the patients knew at least one of the names and the effects of the drugs they had taken, but many of them didn't know the side effects of drugs. About eighty percent of the patients showed good compliance. Knowledge of side effects, belief in the benefits of drugs, and level of education could predict medication compliance reliably. CONCLUSIONS: Because education level could not be managed by physician, we could enhance compliance through education about drug side effects and benefits of medications.
Compliance ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medication Adherence* ; Outpatients* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

In order to evaluate risk factors (sex, age, preoperative diagnoses, graft size, neovascularization of the recipient cornea, bilaterality, history of the previous graft failure, doner corneal preservation method, phakic status, glaucoma and enucleation time after death) influencing graft rejection, we reviewed 96 eyes underwent penetrating keratoplasty at the Chonnam University Hospital from May 1992 to December 1995, retrospectively. The rate of the graft rejection in penetrating keratoplasty was 34.3% (33 eyes). In detail, graft rejection occurred in 16 eyes(47%) among 34 vascularized corneas of recipient(R=18.0, P=0.000), 23 eyes(69.7%) among 33 vascularized orneas of donor side after operation (R=0.3, P=0.010), 5 eyes(35.7%) among 14 bilateral grafts, 4 eyes (57.1%) among 7 eyes having a history of graft failure, 6 eyes(40.0%) among 15 aphakic eyes(R=3.84, P=0.033), and 14 eyes among 32 eyes enucleated longer than 6 hours after death (R=10.1, P=0.002). In contrast, graft rejection occurred in 13 eyes (76.5%) among 17 postoperative glaucomatous eyes and in 20 eyes (25.3%) among 79 postoperative non-glaucomatous eyes, there was no statistically significant difference between two groups(P>0.05). These results suggest that neovascularzation of the either donor or recipient cornea, aphakic status of the recipient eyes, and enucleation time longer than 6 hours after death are high risk factors for graft rejection.
Cornea ; Diagnosis ; Glaucoma ; Graft Rejection* ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Keratoplasty, Penetrating* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants*

BACKGROUND: The selection of anesthetic agents is important in mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome patient because serious and unexpected complications can occur after anesthetic exposure.CASE: A 30-year-old man with MELAS syndrome and sepsis underwent colectomy. Propofol was administered by step-wise until target effect-site concentration (Ce) 1.0 µg/ml and stopped for the loss of consciousness and to avoid hemodynamic instability. After the loss of consciousness, total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) using dexmedetomidine (1.0 µg/ml/h) and remifentanil (1–4 ng/ml of Ce) was performed for the maintenance of anesthesia to avoid malignant hyperthermia and mitochondrial dysfunction. During the surgery, the bispectral index score stayed between 26 and 44, and increased to 97 after the end of anesthesia.CONCLUSIONS: TIVA with dexmedetomidine and remifentanil as non-triggering anesthetic agents in patients with MELAS syndrome and systemic sepsis may have advantages to decrease damages associated with mitochondrial stress and metabolic burden.
Adult ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Intravenous ; Anesthetics ; Colectomy ; Dexmedetomidine ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Malignant Hyperthermia ; MELAS Syndrome ; Propofol ; Sepsis ; Unconsciousness

Neurogenic tumors of the brachial plexus are rare. An malignant schwannoma originates from the schwan cells or nerve sheath cells. Occasionally, schwannomas are associated with Von Rechlinghausen's disease, but this is rare. We were recently presented with a thirty-five year old female patient with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis about ten years prior. The patient also presented with a mass that has been slowly growing for one year. Onset of pain occurred six months after the tumor began to grow. The mass was 5X7 cm in size. The patient underwent en bloc resection of the tumor as the mass recurred twice in spite of postoperative radiotherapy.
Brachial Plexus* ; Female ; Humans ; Neurilemmoma* ; Radiotherapy ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

No abstract available.
Actinobacillus* ; Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans* ; Apoptosis* ; Humans ; Jurkat Cells*

PURPOSE: To evaluate functional MR imaging of the motor speech area with and without motor stimulation duringthe rest period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine healthy, right-handed volunteers(M:F=7:2, age:21-40years) wereincluded in this study. Brain activity was mapped using a multislice, gradient echo single shot EPI on a 1.5T MRscanner. The paradigm consisted on a series of alternating rest and activation tasks, performed six times. Each volunteer in the first study(group A) was given examples of motor stimulation during the rest period, while eachin the second study(group B) was not given examples of a rest period. Motor stimulation in group A was achieved bycontinuously flexing five fingers of the right hand. In both groups, maximum internal word generation was achievedduring the activation period. Using fMRI analysis software(Stimulate 5.0) and a cross-correlationmethod(background threshold, 200; correlation threshold, 0.3; ceiling, 1.0; floor, 0.3; minimal count, 3),functional images were analysed. After correlating the activated foci and a time-signal intensity curve, theactivated brain cortex and number of pixels were analysed and compared between the two tasks. The t-test was usedfor statistical analysis. RESULT: In all nine subjects in group A and B, activation was observed in and adjacentto the left Broca's area. The mean number of activated pixels was 31.6 in group A and 27.8 in group B, adifference which was not statistically significant(P>0.1). Activities in and adjacent to the right Broca 's areawere seen in seven of group A and four of group B. The mean number of activated pixels was 14.9 in group A and 18in group B. Eight of nine volunteers in group A showed activity in the left primary motor area with negativecorrelation to the time-signal intensity curve. The mean number of activated pixels for this group was 17.5. Inthree volonteers, activation in the right primary motor area was also observed, the mean number of activatedpixels in these cases was 10.0. CONCLUSION: During the rest period, functional MR imaging of the motor speechcenter combined with motor stimulation was more effective than that without stimulation, and simultaneouslyprovided mapping of the primary motor area.
Brain ; Fingers ; Hand ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Volunteers