PURPOSE: Apoptosis is a form of cell death characterized by specific morphological changes in the dying cell including contraction of cytoplasm, chromatin condensation, and cellular fragmentation into membrane-bound bodies. A common biological marker of apoptosis is the degradation of nuclear DNA resulting in a ladder of nucleosome-sized DNA fragments when resolved by electrophoresis. The potential therapeutic implications of simultaneous activation of apoptosis in androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostatic cells are clearly very important in the development of cancer treatment modalities for advanced prostate cancer. The efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents correlates with their ability to induce apoptosis, Therefore, quantification of experimentally induced apoptosis in cancer cell lines is likely to be a predictor of the outcome of treatment. The main objective of this study was to examine the induction of apoptosis as a new strategy for cancer therapy by cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (CDDP) or 12-0-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) in human prostate (androgen-dependent LNCaP and androgen-independent DU-145), and breast cancer cells (MCF-7). MATERIALS AND METHODS: DNA gel electrophoresis, flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy for morphological analysis were used to further characterize drug response in human prostate and breast cancer cells. RESULTS: Treatment of the LNCaP and DU-145 cells with CDDP or TPA resulted in dose-dependent growth inhibition and accumulation of cells in Ao (apoptotic region), and caused significant degradation of the genomic DNA into intemucleosomal-sized DNA fragments, indicating apoptosis. In contrast, MCF-7 cells showed little or no DNA fragmentation. CONCLUSION: These studies suggest that a differential susceptibility to apoptosis and chemosensitivity may be related to the efficacy of chemotherapeutic .agents. CDDP and TPA may have clinical implication in the treatment of prostate cancer. In particular, cytotoxic effects of TPA may well lead to new possibilities for improved strategy.
Apoptosis* ; Biomarkers ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cell Death ; Cell Line ; Chromatin ; Cisplatin ; Cytoplasm ; DNA ; DNA Fragmentation ; Electrophoresis ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans* ; MCF-7 Cells ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Neoplasms

The Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (KAMIR) is the first nationwide registry that reflects current therapeutic approaches and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) management in Korea. The results of the KAMIR demonstrated different risk factors and responses to medical and interventional treatments. The results indicated that the incidence of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) was relatively high, and that the prevalence of dyslipidemia was relatively low with higher triglyceride and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rates were high for both STEMI and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) with higher use of drug-eluting stents (DESs). DES were effective and safe without increased risk of stent thrombosis in Korean AMI patients. Triple antiplatelet therapy, consisting of aspirin, clopidogrel, and cilostazol, was effective in preventing adverse clinical outcomes after PCI. Statin therapy was effective in Korean AMI patients, including those with very low levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and those with cardiogenic shock. The KAMIR score had a greater predictive value than Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) and Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) scores for long-term mortality in AMI patients. Based on these results, the KAMIR will be instrumental for establishing new therapeutic strategies and effective methods for secondary prevention of AMI and guidelines for Asian patients.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Aspirin ; Cholesterol ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Dyslipidemias ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Lipoproteins ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Prevalence ; Registries* ; Risk Factors ; Secondary Prevention ; Shock, Cardiogenic ; Stents ; Thrombosis ; Triglycerides

No abstract available.
Bile Ducts* ; Bile* ; Choledochal Cyst*

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the cardiac rehabilitation program (Phase III) on cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory function in the elderly (age, > or = 60) who experienced acute myocardial infarction. METHODS: The design of research was nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Subjects were 10 people in the experimental group and 10 in the control group. The intervention program was the cardiac rehabilitation program (Phase III), and was performed for 50 ~ 60 minutes, twice a week for 8 weeks. The dependent variables were the cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory function. RESULTS: Significant differences were shown in RHR, RSBP, SRPP, SBS, BMI, PT of the experimental group after the intervention. As for the differences in the amount of changes, there were differences among groups in RHR, RSBP, SRPP, SBS, PMET, and PT of the experimental group. CONCLUSION: The cardiac rehabilitation program (Phase III) may be effective in improving cardiovascular function and enhancing cardiorespiratory function in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction.
Aged ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction

Ovarian tumors of an epithelial origin in pediatric age are uncommon and mucinous cystadenoma, borderline malignancy is extremely rare. We experienced a case of ovarian mucinous cystadenoma, borderline malignancy in a 14-year-old girl. She was admitted due to huge abdominal distension for 2 months. Her past history and family history were normal. The physical examination was normal except tense and distended abdomen. All laboratory findings were normal. On abdominal ultrasonography and CT scan, a huge cystic tumor filled with fluid and inner multiseptation was noted. Unilateral salphingo- oophorectomy was done and pathologic findings were compatible with ovarian borderline malignancy of mucionous cystadenoma. The postoperative course was uneventful.
Abdomen ; Adolescent ; Cystadenoma ; Cystadenoma, Mucinous* ; Female ; Humans ; Mucins* ; Ovariectomy ; Physical Examination ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation ; Ultrasonography

A murime monoclonal antibody (mAb) specific for the envelope glycoprotein gp120 of human immunodeficiency virus type-I (HIV-1) was chemically coupled to pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) from Phytolacca americana. The immunotoxin was purified by FPLC using 5200 colum. The purified immunotoxin efficiently bound to HIV-infected T cells as evidenced by fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis. The immunotoxin selectively killed human T lymphoid lines infected with HIV-lIIIB at less than 250 pM of the immunotoxin cells, while PAP or mAb alone did not have any significant effect on infected cells. The uninfected control T cell lines were not affected. Human cells infected with HIV-2 or other HIV-1 strains were not killed, suggesting that the killing depends completely on the antibody used for coupling. These in vitro results suggest that the PAP-mAb conjugate may be used to selectively remove cells expressing viral antigens from individuals infected with HIV.
Antigens, Viral ; Cell Line ; Glycoproteins ; HIV ; HIV-1 ; HIV-2 ; Homicide ; Humans* ; Immunotoxins ; Phytolacca americana* ; T-Lymphocytes*

BACKGROUND: Cladosporium spp. are dematiaceous fungi that are commonly isolated from indoor and outdoor environments, including hospital air. This fungus is rarely pathogenic to humans, but has been reported to cause infections of the skin and toenails, as well as sinusitis and pulmonary infections. The monitoring of culture results was conducted to identify the outbreak of an unknown black fungal infection between January and March 2006 in a University hospital, and infection control activity was performed to identify the cause of the outbreak. METHODS: An epidemiological investigation of 22 patients with infections caused by an unknown black fungus was conducted. Microscopic examination and molecular analysis on the internal transcript spacer (ITS) region was performed to identify the black fungus. To detect the source of contamination, a culture of environmental specimens was performed, and then, disinfection of the laboratory was implemented. RESULTS: The patients with black fungi belonged to various departments and wards. No symptoms of fungal infection were recognized on the basis of the survey. The black fungus was identified as Cladosporium spp. on the basis of morphological features and ITS region sequencing. Culturing of environmental specimens was performed in the laboratory. Black fungi were isolated from a specimen from a rack and had the same morphological features with Cladosporium spp. from clinical specimens. After the rack was autoclaved, Cladosporium spp. from clinical specimens was no longer isolated. CONCLUSION: Epidemiological investigation, microscopic examination, and molecular analysis revealed that the sudden increase in the isolation rate of Cladosporium spp. from clinical specimens was the result of a pseudo-outbreak caused by the contamination of a rack. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a pseudo-outbreak of Cladosporium spp. Continuous monitoring of culture results is important to avoid unnecessary labor for nosocomial infection control.
Cladosporium ; Cross Infection ; Disinfection ; Fungi ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Nails ; Sinusitis ; Skin

BACKGROUND: Psychogenic movement disorders (PMD) are not easily distinguished from other organic diseases. We attempted to discover the important clinical clues for the correct diagnosis of PMD. METHODS: In our study, we include-ed patients who visited Youngdong Severance Hospital due to movement disorders from 1994 to 1998. Using medical records and video tape recordings, we performed a retrospective evaluation of the patients with PMD. We included documented and clinically established PMD according to degree of certainty of the diagnosis of PMD ( by Fahn, 1994). RESULTS: Twenty-five (1.6%) of 1520 consecutive patients with movement disorders were diagnosed with documented or clinically established PMD. They presented a variety of movement disorders including tremors (60%), dystonia (16%), myoclonus (12%), chorea (4%), parkinsonism (4%), and isolated gait problems (4%). The precipitating factors were reported by 23 of the 25 (92%) patients, and 16 (64%) patients were suspected to enjoy secondary gains. Ten of the 11 patients underwent a distractibility test, 15 of 17 patients underwent placebo trials, and 3 of 5 patients underwent an one-way mirror observation showing significant and dramatic amelioration of their symptoms. Long-term psychi-atric treatment was effective in 4 of 9 patients. CONCLUSIONS: In patients who are suspected to have PMD by the pres-ence of causative factors, acute onset, incongruity, inconsistency, and presence of secondary gain, efforts to provide objective evidence for the diagnosis of PMD must be made. Many of the patients with PMD refused psychiatric evalua-tion. Half of the patients improved through psychiatric treatment.
Chorea ; Diagnosis ; Dystonia ; Gait ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Movement Disorders* ; Myoclonus ; Parkinsonian Disorders ; Precipitating Factors ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Tremor ; Videotape Recording

The clinico-pathological observation was done on 28 children with recurrent hematuria, who had been admitted to the Pediatric ward of NMC from January 1981 to July 1991. The results were as follows; 1) Most of the children with recurrent hematuria were over 6 years of age(24 cases, 85.7%)and the sex ratio was about 2.5:1. 2) IgA nephropathy (17 cases, 60.7%) was the leading pathologic lesion and mild focal nonspecific glomerulonephritis (5 cases), membranous nephropathy (2 cases), minimal chage (2 cases), Alport syndrome (1case), abnormal glomerular basement membrane (1 case) followed. 3) Types of recurrent hematuria ware gross in 22 cases and microscopic in 6 cases. Flank pain was noted only 1 case. The prodromal events of hematuria were upper respiratory infection in 15 cases and severe exercise in 2 cases. 4) There were no significant differences in clinical features and laboratory findings between IgA nephropathy and other pathologic lesions, except for higher frequency of proteinuria in former group. 5) During the follow-up periods, three cases were resulted in chronic renal failure and they were two cases of IgA nephropathy Class IV and one case of Alport syndrome. And one case of IgA nephropathy was resulted in nephrotic syndrom.
Child ; Flank Pain ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glomerular Basement Membrane ; Glomerulonephritis ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranous ; Hematuria* ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Nephritis, Hereditary ; Proteinuria ; Sex Ratio