The thyroid gland is an interesting endocrine organ where a spectrum of tumors with different behavior arise. At one end of spectrum there is differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) with excellent prognosis, whereas at the other end of the spectrum is anaplastic thyroid cancer which has universally poor outcome. Radioiodine (I-131) therapy has been in use for the treatment of thyroid diseases since 1946. It was introduced by Seidlin et al. 1) Although the use of I-131 has been vouge for a long time, its use in therapy for well differentiated thyroid cancer is still controversial 2). This is because, thyroid cancers (TC) are generally slow growing tumors, with low mortality and normal spans of survival. To record recurrence and mortality, long term follow up studies over a period of two to three decades are needed to establish definite conclusions on the acceptable mode of treatment. The incidence of the disease being very low a large number of cases needed to establish a meaningful statistical data is lacking as most published reports deal with small series. Here again in the problem encountered are the differing protocols for treatment with I-131, the indications for treatment which may include or exclude ablation of residual thyroid tissue, cervical nodal and distal metastases. The dosage of I-131 used for ablation of residual thyroid tissue and metastatic disease also vary. The most reliable conclusion regarding I-131 treatment are obtained from studies reported on a large series of patients followed over a period of 2 decades or more from a single institute with a more or less unchanged protocol of management.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Growth Hormone* ; Humans

The safe clinical practice of growth hormone(GH) replacement requires judgement of the overall GH status, however, there is no biological marker for this in adults. In addition, diverse actions of GH in healthy individuals render the assessment of optimal GH replacement difficult. As in other fields of clinical practice, strategies and protocols vary between centers, however, most physicians experienced in pituitary diseases agree that GH replacement should begin at low doses, and increased to the final maintenance dose. The adequacy replacement is best determined by combination of clinical response and serum IGF-I, level avoiding supraphysiological levels of this GH-dependent peptide. Actually, GH can reduce body fat and restore muscles, bones, and quality of life. Appropriate using of GH will elicit antiaging effects.
Adipose Tissue ; Adult ; Biomarkers ; Growth Hormone* ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Muscles ; Osteoporosis ; Pituitary Diseases ; Quality of Life

No abstract available.
Insulin-Like Growth Factor I*

No abstract available.
Cardiovascular Diseases* ; Growth Hormone*

No abstract available.
Growth Hormone

No abstract available.
Growth Hormone*

The cells of glomerular mesangium is composed mostly of intrinsic contractile mesangial cells and a few macrophages. Injury to the mesangium is central to many glomerular diseases. This study was aimed to evaluate and compare the expressions of alpha-smooth muscle actin (ASMA) and lysozyme in the mesangium of various human glomerular diseases and also of according to the severity of their progressions. We performed immunohistochemical and transmission electromicroscopic examinations in 51 cases of renal biopsy including 5 normal kidneys. The results were as follows; (1) ASMA staining was negligible in normal glomeruli. (2) Increased ASMA staining was observed in the mesangium of glomeruli from all specimens of primary glomerular disease, regardless of their diagnosis. (3) The staining intensity of ASMA in mesangium was mild in minimal change disease and membranous glomerulonephritis, and strong in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), diffuse mesangial hypercellularity, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN), and IgA nephropathy (IgAN). (4) The staining intensity of ASMA have no correlation with mesangial immune deposits. (5) The staining intensity of ASMA in mesangium was inversely correlated with the disease progression in FSGS and IgAN. (6) Glomeruli showing global or segmental sclerosis invariably lacked ASMA. (7) Compared with ASMA, the mesangial cells with lysozyme expression were very rare, even though it was in proportion to ASMA staining. Interstitial ASMA expression was confined to fibrotic area in various glomerular diseases. In conclusion, the expression of ASMA and lysozyme in mesangium are increased in a variety of glomerular diseases, regardless of disease entity. Their intensity was in proportion to the mesangial cell proliferation. In progressive glomerulonephritis, such as IgAN and FSGS, the increased expression of ASMA was prominent in the early lesion, and decreased with the progression of the glomerular sclerosis.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; Actins* ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Disease Progression ; Glomerular Mesangium ; Glomerulonephritis ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranous ; Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental ; Humans ; Kidney ; Macrophages ; Mesangial Cells ; Muramidase* ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Nephrosis, Lipoid ; Sclerosis

No abstract available.
Korea*

To evaluate the clinical and histopathological significance of electron dense deposits on capillary in IgA nephropathy, we reviewed and compared the clinical, laboratory, and pathological features of the patients with IgA nephropathy without loop extension of electron dense deposits(Group I, 91 cases) and IgA nephropathy with loop extension(Group II, 17cases) by ultrastructural examination using transmission electron microscope. IgA nephropathy associated with liver disease, Henoch-Schonlein purpura, systemic lupus erythematosus and the other IgA nephropathies associated with systemic diseases were excluded. The results were as follows; 1) There was no significant difference in age distribution. 2) Generalized edema was more common in group II. 3) Nephrotic ranged proteinuria(>3 g/24hr urine) was more prominent in Group II(52.9%) than Group I(8.8%). 4) Among the groups, segmental or mild deposits on the loops were noted in 13 cases, and severe and generalized deposits in 4 cases. Subendothelial deposits were noted in 6 cases, subepithelial deposits in 3 cases, subendothelial with intramembranous deposits in 1 case, subendothelial with subepithelial deposits in 1 case, intramembranous with subepithelial deposits in 2 cases, and subendothelial, subepithelial and intramembranous deposits in 4 cases. 5) The other associated ultrastructural changes of group II were diffuse effacement of foot processes with microvillous transformation, swelling or vacuolar degeneration of podocytes and glomerular endothelium. 6) According to the WHO morphologic criteria, the grade of Group II was significantly higher than Group I. From the above results, it can be concluded that the extension of electron dense deposits along the capillary loops in the cases of IgA nephropathy is highly correlated with proteinuria in the nephrotic ranged. It seems to be a poor prognostic indicator in view of the facts that it correlats with high histopathologic grading.