Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, is critical for tumor growth and metastasis. Notably, tumors themselves can lead to angiogenesis by inducing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is one of the most potent angiogenic factors. Inhibition of angiogenesis is currently perceived as one of the most promising strategies for the blockage of tumor growth. In this study, we investigated the effects of Acer tegmentosum maxim water extract (ATME) on angiogenesis and its underlying signal mechanism. We studied the antiangiogenic activity of ATME by using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). ATME strongly inhibited VEGF-induced endothelial cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and tube formation, as well as vessel sprouting in a rat aortic ring sprouting assay. Moreover, we found that the p44/42 mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling pathway is involved in the inhibition of angiogenesis by ATME. Moreover, when we performed the in vivo matrigel plug assay, VEGF-induced angiogenesis was potently reduced when compared to that for the control group. Taken together, these results suggest that ATME exhibits potent antiangiogenic activity in vivo and in vitro and that these effects are regulated by the extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) pathway.
Acer/*metabolism ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors/*pharmacology ; Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement/drug effects ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects ; Cell Survival ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases/*metabolism ; Hep G2 Cells ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells/*drug effects ; Humans ; MAP Kinase Signaling System/drug effects ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1/metabolism ; Neoplasm Invasiveness/pathology ; Neovascularization, Pathologic/*drug therapy/prevention & control ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III/metabolism ; Phosphorylation/drug effects ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transcription Factors/metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/antagonists & inhibitors/metabolism

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although suspension laryngoscopy is a very common procedure in the otolaryngoloical field and suspension force (Fs) is suspected to be related with the complications or laryngeal exposure, Fs has not been objectively measured yet. The objective of this study is to measure suspension force continuously during suspension laryngoscopy. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Sixteen patients who had undergone laryngoscopic surgery were evaluated. The value measured with a load cell during the procedure was converted to Fs with calculation. The maximum force (Fsmax) and the mean force (Fsmean) were evaluated. The angle between the laryngoscope and the chest holder(angle alpha), and the angle between the chest holder and the horizontal plane (angle beta) were gauged. RESULTS: The mean values of Fsmax and Fsmean were 14.2 and 25.5 kgf, respectively. The mean values of angle alpha and angle beta were 124.0+/-4.3 degrees, and 19.0+/-2.6 degrees, respectively. CONCLUSION: The continuous measurement of the suspension force was executed successfully and quantitatively with a simple method.
Humans ; Laryngoscopes ; Laryngoscopy* ; Methods ; Thorax

OBJECTIVES: The goal of operation for degenerative lumbar diseases is to relieve radiculopathy and low back pain and to prevent further degeneration. The authors analyzed the surgical results of posterior lumbar interbody fusion(PLIF) and 360degrees fixation to evaluate the proper treatment policy in spinal stenosis, degenerative spondylolisthesis and low grade isthmic spondylolisthesis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The authors performed PLIF on 92 patients and 360degrees fixation on 138 patients with spinal stenosis, degenerative spondylolisthesis and low grade isthmic spondylolisthesis. We retrospectively studied clinical outcomes and subjective satisfaction of these patients by several criteria such as visual analog scale(VAS), Prolo's economic and functional outcome scale, medication usage after operation and questionaire for overall outcome. RESULT: Pre- and postoperative VAS on back pain and leg pain showed decrease of pain from 6.5, 6.7 to 2.2, 2.4 in PLIF group and from 7.0, 7.2 to 2.5, 2.7 in 360degrees fixation group. Excellent and good outcomes on Prolo's scale were 81.5% in PLIF group and 82.6% in 360degrees fixation group. Medication usage after operation was reduced in 79.3% of PLIF group and in 78.3% of 360degrees fixation group. Patients' self-reported overall success of their procedure showed 82% in PLIF group and 84% in 360degrees fixation group. CONCLUSION: Both PLIF and 360degrees fixation showed good outcomes and provided biomechanically stable fusion in spinal stenosis, degenerative spondylolisthesis and low grade isthmic spondylolisthesis. Therefore, only PLIF seems necessary and considered a proper surgical treatment for these disorders.
Back Pain ; Humans ; Leg ; Low Back Pain ; Radiculopathy ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spondylolisthesis

The aminoglycoside antibiotics is widely used in the treatment of infectious caused by gram-negative bacteria and for synergistic effect with(beta-lactam antibiotics. However, its therapeutic usefulness is limited by this potential nephrotoxicity and by disturbance of electrolyte homeostasis resulting in hypomagnesemia, hypokalemia, hypocalcemia such as Bartter-like syndrome. Many case repots have been reported on development of Bartter-like syndrome after aminoglycosides administration. But these reports had the many differences of such as types of aminoglycosides, age of patients, duration and total dose of treatment, combined antibiotics and baseline diseases. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess the effects of micronomocin sulfate on magnesium, calcium and potassium status of patients in acute pyelonephritis. Twenty one patients in acute pyelonephritis(18 female/3 male, ages 20-75) was treated with single or combined antibiotics. Eleven of twenty one patients as study group were treated with both micronomicin sulfate(aminoglycoside, 4mg/kg/day, during 5-8days) and flomoxef sodium (3rd cephalosporine, 2g/day, during 5-8days), and ten of twenty one patients as control group were treated only with flomoxef sodium(3rd cephalosporine. 2g/day. during 5-8days). Renal values, plasma and urinary electrolytes were measured before and at the end of IV antibiotic therapy. After micronomicin sulfate administrated for 6.4+/-1.5days, serum Mg, Ca, K, FEMg (fractional excretion of Mg), TTKG(transtubular K concentration gradient) and FECa(fractional excretion of Ca) did not significantly change(p>0.05). Therefore, those results suggest that micromonicin sulfate therapy within dose of 240mg/day(4mg/kg/day) for 6.4+/-1.5days may not cause disturbance of electrolyte homeostasis such as Bartter-like syndrome in acute pyelonephritis. Howerever, electrolyte disturbance is an important complication when aminoglycosides is given in larges doses over extended periods. Therefore, monitoring of blood concentration and urinary losses of electrolyte should be carried out along with careful observation of Bartter-like syndrome.
Aminoglycosides ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Calcium ; Electrolytes ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Hypocalcemia ; Hypokalemia ; Magnesium ; Male ; Plasma ; Potassium ; Pyelonephritis* ; Sodium

Glassy cell carcinoma is an unusual neoplasm of the uterine cervix with highly aggressive clinical behavior. On cervico-vaginal smear examination, the tumor has well confused of atypical repair cell of the endocervix. Recently, we have experienced two cases of glassy cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix, diagnosed on cervico-vaginal smears and confirmed on following histologic sections. The cervico-vaginal smears revealed abundant clusters with well defined boarders. The cell clusters were composed of large tumor cells. The tumor cells had distinct granular cytoplasm and eosinophilic macronucleoli. Characteristic cytologic features of this tumor were discussed in view of differential diagnosis.
Adenocarcinoma ; Breast ; Cervix Uteri ; Cytoplasm ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Eosinophils ; Female ; Hydronephrosis*

No abstract available.
Placenta Previa* ; Placenta*

Ceftriaxone is a new semi-synthetic, broad spectrum third generation cephalosporin. It has a high degree of stability in the presence of beta-lactamase and its half-life averages about 8 hours. A total of 109 patients with uncomplicated gonococcal urethritis seen at the VD Clinic, Choong-Ku Public Health Center, in Seoul in the periods of March April 1986, and April-May 1987, were subjected to this study. The diagnosis of gonococcal infection and the test. of cure were made on the basis of culture and Gram staining of urethral smear. The patients were divided randomly into two groups consisting of 49 and 60, and treated with ceftriaxone, 250mg, IM and 500mg, IM respectively. No failure case was seen in both groups. lt is suggested that ceftriaxone, 250mg, IM regimen may be used as the first line treatment for uncomplicated gonococcal urethritis.
beta-Lactamases ; Ceftriaxone* ; Diagnosis ; Half-Life ; Humans ; Male* ; Public Health ; Seoul ; Urethritis*

We report a patient with a previously undiagnosed spine metastasis that developed into paraplegia following a continuous epidural block. This is an uncommon and quite rare complication. A 52-year-old male hepatoma case with upper abdominal cancer pain was indicated for a celiac plexus block. A continuous epidural block was performed prior to the celiac plexus block. A Tuohy needle was introduced at the Tll-12 interspace and an epidural catheter was inserted about 15cm in length cephalad through the needle. During the procedure, a saline solution was infused through the Tuohy needle and epidural catheter. The tip of the catheter was expected to be near the T, level. The upper abdominal pain was subsided after the injection of 3 ml of 1% lidocaine and 3 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine via the epidural catheter around noon time. When we made ward rounds that evening, the patient complained of motor weakness and sensory change below T; however, the local anesthetics were injected continuously through the epidural catheter every 4 hours. Next morning, because the patient complained of paraplegia, the epidural injection was discontinued. Under the suspicion of spinal cord compression, a computed tomogram of the thoracic spine was taken. It showed an osteolytic destruction of the right pedicle of T, due to a metastatic tumor. This suggested subclinical tumor invasion to the epidural space. The infusion of saline and local anesthetics through the Tuohy needle and the epidural catheter may increase the epidural pressure and compress the spinal cord. A laminectomy was refused by the family and the patient was discharged from the hospital after 6 treatments of radiotherapy without any improvement. It is advisable to take a spine CT or bone acan in terminal cancer patients before an epidural block, and when paraplegia develops after an epidural block.
Abdominal Pain ; Anesthetics, Local ; Bupivacaine ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Catheters ; Celiac Plexus ; Epidural Space ; Humans ; Injections, Epidural ; Laminectomy ; Lidocaine ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Needles ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Paraplegia* ; Radiotherapy ; Sodium Chloride ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Compression ; Spine*

We describe herein four cases of childhood dermatomysitis of Brunsting type. The ages of these patients were between 7 to 10 years at the time of the disease. All four patients had pathognomOnic cutaneous changes, such as heliotrope erythema and Gottron's papules, which are not seen frequently in adult type dermatomyositis. These patients did not show any marked serologic abnormalities suggestive of having other connective tissue diseases or autoimmune diseases. All patients were initially treated with prednisolone and chloroquine, and have been under control with low dose prednisolone, or chloroquine alone.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Chloroquine ; Connective Tissue Diseases ; Dermatomyositis* ; Erythema ; Humans ; Prednisolone

We report herein two cases of cheilitis granulcmatosa which were beneficial effects with intralesional triamcinolone acetonide. Casc 1, 27-year-old, showed both lip swelling with moderate scrotal tongue for 7 years and Case 2, 50-year-old, -had lower lip swelling for 1. 4 years. Histopathologic findings show lymphohistiocytic infiltration in the dermis with focal tuberculoid granuloma in case 1 and ill-defined granuloma in case 2.
Adult ; Cheilitis* ; Dermis ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Lip ; Melkersson-Rosenthal Syndrome* ; Middle Aged ; Tongue, Fissured ; Triamcinolone Acetonide