No abstract available.
Female ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic* ; Salpingectomy*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cervix Uteri* ; Endometrial Stromal Tumors* ; Female ; Humans ; Uterus*

No abstract available.
Coronary Sinus ; Echocardiography ; Vena Cava, Superior

PURPOSE: The aim of our study was to identify the CT features helpful in the differential diagnosis of Iobar consolidation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated the CT findings in 52 consecutive patients with Iobar consolidation which were proved to be pulmonary tuberculosis(n=24), malignant obstructive pneumonitis due to bronchogenic carcinoma(n=21), and lung abscess(n=7). We retrospectively reviewed CT scans with respect to 1) number of cavities or low attenuation area suggesting necrosis(we described these as cavity), 2) the contour of cavity, 3) enhancement of the cavity wall, 4) enhancement of pleura, 5) small nodules adjacent to the consolidation, 6) similar lesion in other location in lung, 7) air-bronchogram 8) mediastinal lymph node enlargement, and 9) extrapleural change. RESULTS: The helpful CT fingings in the patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were multiple cavities(more than three;79.2%), small nodules adjacent to the Iobar consolidation(75.0%), similar lesion in another lobe or lung(91.7%), air-bronchogram(91.7%), and mediastinal lymph node enlargement(58.3%). Although extrapleural change had low sensitivity it was highly specific for pulmonary tuberculosis(sensitivity, 43.5%;specificity, 91. 7%). Multiple cavities(61.9%) and mediastinal lymph node enlargement(52.4%) were common findings of malignant obstructive pneumonitis. In the patients with lung abscess, the common findings were small number of cavities(one or two, 85.7%) and air-bronchogram(85.7%). However, other findings of pulmonary tuberculosis were rarely seen in the patients with malignant obstructive pneumonitis or lung abscess. CONCLUSION: The CT findings of Iobar consolidation may be used as useful adjuncts in the differential diagnosis of Iobar consolidation.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Lung Abscess* ; Lung* ; Lymph Nodes ; Pleura ; Pneumonia* ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

BACKGROUND: Although pulmonary resection is the standard approach for the management of pulmonary metastases from soft tissue sarcoma, most of them are unresectable and chemotherapy remains the only option. The effectiveness of the cytotoxic drugs may be limited by the toxicities that occur before the therapeutic dose is reached. The regional administration of doxorubicin using pulmonary arterial perfusion in a rodent model can produce 10 to 25 times higher concentrations in the lung than systemic administration with minimal systemic toxicities. However, it is unclear whether a high concentration of doxorubicin has beneficial effects for killing cancer cells. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We studied this to evaluate the dose-dependent cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of doxorubicin on methylcholanthrene-induced rat fibrosarcoma(MCA) cells. This study examined the cytotoxicity and apoptosis-related gene expressions(Fas, FasL, Bax, caspase 1, caspase 2, caspase 8, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Bcl-xS) in MCA cells after 24 hours exposure to various concentrations of doxorubicin such as 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 micrometer. RESULT: Dose-dependent cytotoxicity was observed after 24 hours exposure to doxorubicin. However, peak apoptosis after 24 hours exposure was observed at 5 micrometer of doxorubicin. Above 5 micrometer, apoptotic activity was decreased with dose-increment. All mRNA levels of apoptosis-related genes after 24 hours exposure were up-regulated above the control level at 1 micrometer of doxorubicin and then decreased by doxorubicin dose-increment except caspase 8, which showed higher levels than the control level at 5 micrometer. Apoptosis-related protein levels were highest at 1 micrometer of doxorubicin and then decreased by doxorubicin dose-increment. However, Bax and Bcl-xL proteins steadily showed higher levels than the control throughout the different concentrations of doxorubicin. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that apoptosis is the main cytotoxic mechanism in low concentrations of doxorubicin in MCA cells and apoptosis-related genes, such as Bax, caspase 8, a can kill MCA cells, even when apoptosis is inhibited, and have its propriety for achieving much cytotoxicity against MCA cells.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; bcl-X Protein ; Caspase 1 ; Caspase 2 ; Caspase 8 ; Doxorubicin* ; Drug Therapy ; Fibrosarcoma ; Homicide ; Lung ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Perfusion ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Rodentia ; Sarcoma

In our preliminary study to find antiviral or antitumor agents from Korean natural products, we found that the Shope fibroma virus (SFV) induced fibromas reaching maximum size at 5~6 days with spontaneous disappearance at 15~20 days after SFV intracutaneous inoculation into Korean domestic rabbits. However, the sizes of fibromas of rabbits at day 5 after virus inoculation were significantly different individually. Assuming that the variation of tumor size was due to either susceptibility or the preexisting antibodies against SFV in the Korean domestic rabbits, the rabbits were checked for the antibodies against SFV by IFAT using SFV infected RKl3 cells. The antibody positive rate of normal Korean domestic rabbits was 32.8% and the sizes of the fibromas of the positive rabbits were significantly smaller than those of negative rabbits (p<0.0001). The fibroma sizes were dependent on the antibody titers of rabbits to SFV. The sizes of fibromas after inoculation of SFV into immunized rabbits were about one tenth of those by the first inoculation into normal rabbits. This is the first report on the antibody prevalence against SFV among normal Korean domestic rabbits and it suggest the existence of a wild fibroma virus or related virus in Korea.
Antibodies* ; Antineoplastic Agents ; Biological Products ; Fibroma Virus, Rabbit* ; Fibroma* ; Korea ; Prevalence ; Rabbits* ; Tumor Virus Infections*

BACKGROUND: The MK1 strain, a novel bacterial isolate from soft-rotten tissue of the Neungee mushroom, produces copious amounts of exopolysaccharide (EPS) in a dextrose minimal medium. This study examined the molecular characteristics and immunomodulatory activity of MK1 EPS. METHODS: The EPS in the culture supernatant was purified by cold ethanol precipitation, and characterized by SDS-PAGE/silver staining and Bio-HPLC. The immunomodulatory activities of the EPS were examined using the mouse monocytic cell line, RAW 264.7 cells. RESULTS: The molecular weights of the purified EPS were rather heterogeneous, ranging from 10.6 to 55 kDa. The EPS was composed of glucose, rhamnose, mannose, galactose, and glucosamine at an approximate molar ratio of 1.00:0.8:0.71:0.29:0.21. EPS activated the RAW cells to produce cytokines, such as TNF-alpha and IL-1beta, and nitric oxide (NO). EPS also induced the expression of co-stimulatory molecules, such as B7-1, B7-2 and ICAM-1, and increased the phagocytic activity. The macrophage-activating activity of EPS was not due to endotoxin contamination because the treatment of EPS with polymyin B did not reduce the macrophage-activating activity. CONCLUSION: The EPS produced from the MK1 strain exerts macrophage-activating activity.
Agaricales ; Animals ; Cell Line ; Cold Temperature ; Cytokines ; Ethanol ; Galactose ; Glucosamine ; Glucose ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; Macrophages ; Mannose ; Mice ; Molar ; Molecular Weight ; Nitric Oxide ; Rhamnose ; Sprains and Strains ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Heterotopic pregnancy is the coexistence of intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancy. It is a rare obstetrical phenomenon with an incidence rate about 0.003%. The risk factors of heterotopic pregnancy are IUD, PID, endometriosis, tubal surgery, etc resulting in functional and anatomical injury to tubes. Recently, the wide use of ovulation induction and in vitro fertilization has increased the incidence rate. The clinical manifestation are low abdominal pain, adnexal mass, peritoneal irritation signs, vaginal bleeding, etc. Early detecion of heterotopic pregnancy is very difficult. However, recently, due to development of pelviscopy, ultrasonogram and other diagnostic procedures, the diagnostic rate has increased.Because of the high maternal morbidity and mortality resulted from intraabdominal bleeding after rupture of ectopic pregnacy, immediate termination of ectopic pregnancy is required usually by operative methods. We experienced a case of heterotopic pregnancy after tubal reanastomosis and report this case with a brief review of literatures.
Abdominal Pain ; Endometriosis ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Hemorrhage ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Ovulation Induction ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic ; Pregnancy, Heterotopic* ; Risk Factors ; Rupture ; Sterilization Reversal* ; Ultrasonography ; Uterine Hemorrhage

Congenital anomalies occur in 2-3% of neonates and have unknown and variable causes. It's occurance rate is higher in twin gestations than in singleton gestations, especially in monozygotic twins. In most cases of twin anomalies, one fetus is normal and the other fetus is not. When an anomaly is found in one fetus, various tests, such as chorionic villus sampling, amniocentesis, and umbilical cord aspiration are strongly recommended in high risk groups of chromosmal anomaly for accurate diagnosis and proper treatments. A case of congenital anomalies in both twins diagnosed in a 35 year old multiparous woman is presented with brief review of literatures.
Adult ; Amniocentesis ; Anencephaly ; Chorionic Villi Sampling ; Diagnosis ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Twins* ; Twins, Monozygotic ; Umbilical Cord

No abstract available.
Animals ; Rats* ; Suprachiasmatic Nucleus* ; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide*