No abstract available.
Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain*

No abstract available.
Epinephrine*

No abstract available.
Epinephrine*

PURPOSE: The human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is expressed in several tumor types, including colorectal cancer, and is a tumor-associated antigen used as a target for antigen-specific immunotheraphy. CEA is a self-antigen associated with development, expressed in fetal cells and rarely expressed in normal colorectal epithelial cells. The induction of immune response to CEA is very difficult. In this study, we attempted to increase the tumor immunity specific to CEA by using dendritic cells pulsed with fusion proteins of CEA and Tat (transactivator of transcription), which transduces extracellular proteins into cytoplasm and causes antigens to be presented with MHC class I pathway. METHODS: The Tat gene was amplified in the PNL4-3 HIV plasmid and then inserted into PCEP4 plasmid vector. The CEA gene was cloned from cDNA from LoVo human colorectal cell line and then amplified through polymerase chain reaction method. After cloning of PCEP4 plasmid vector, the dendritic cell was sensitized and internalized with CEA and Tat-CEA protein. Then the Western blot analysis of the expression of CEA in the gene-modified dendritic cell and the immunofluorescent staining of the expression of CEA in CEA or Tat-CEA-pulsed dendritic cell were performed. A detection of IFN-gamma-releasing CD8 cell and a cytotoxicity of T-cell were was assesed using ELISPOT assay. The Immunoglobulin (Ig) G isotypes were analyzed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The statistical significance was assessed using Students t-test. RESULTS: CEA pulsed in dendritic cells was distributed over the cell surface and TatCEA was observed in the cytoplasm. The cellular immune responses by immunization with dendritic cells pulsed with TatCEA (322/10(4) lymphocytes) were significantly increased compared with those with CEA (244/10(4) lymphocytes) by IFN-gamma ELISPOT assay (P<0.05). The cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity using mouse T-cell, EL-4 pulsed peptide (EAQNTTYL) as target cells was 23.3+/-2.75% (E:T=1:100) in the CEA group and 22.9+/-2.23% (E:T=1:100) in the TatCEA group. In ELISA analysis of the IgG isotype, the titer of IgG2a and IgG3, representing Th1 immune response, was lower than that of IgG1, representing Th2 immune response, in both the CEA group and the TatCEA group. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that TatCEA could be used for the development of a tumor vaccine and cellular immunotherapy using CTLs induced in vitro.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Cell Line ; Clone Cells ; Cloning, Organism ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Cytoplasm ; Dendritic Cells ; DNA, Complementary ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay ; Epithelial Cells ; Equidae ; Genes, tat ; HIV ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Immunization ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulins ; Immunotherapy ; Lymphocytes ; Mice ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; T-Lymphocytes

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of Imatinib which is tyrosine kinase inhibitor used for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia on the proliferation of the lens epithelial cells and the activities of growth factors. METHODS: In the experimental group I, the cells were exposed to Imatinib for 3, 5 min with various concentration. In the experimental group II, the cells were cultured with PDGF, bFGF, TGF-beta2. In the experimental group III, the cells were exposed to Imatinib for 3, 5 min with the various concentration in the presence of each growth factor. The cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. And the cell proliferation were evaluated by BrdU staining. The phosphorylation of ERK (Extracellular-signal regulated kinase) and the amount of collagen type I produced by TGF-beta2 were analyzed with western blot. RESULTS: MTT assay showed that the viability of lens epithelial cells was decreased about 50% at the concentration above Imatinib 30 micro M for 5 mins exposure in group I. Both PDGF and bFFG induced significantly increased cell viability in group II. The group III that was treated with both PDGF and bFGF showed the decrease of cell viability after being exposed to Imatinib. As the concentration of Imatinib increased, BrdU incorporation of experimental group I was decreased compared with control group. It also found that The BrdU incorporation of experimental group III was also decreased compared with experimental group II. The phosphorylation of ERK 1/2 and the amount of collagen type I production was significantly decreased in addition of Imatinib 20 to 30 micro M for 3 mins exposure. CONCLUSIONS: The proliferation of lens epithelial cells could be inhibited by Imatinib. And the activities of PDGF, bFGF, TGF-beta2 were also inhibited by Imatinib.
Blotting, Western ; Bromodeoxyuridine ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Survival ; Collagen Type I ; Epithelial Cells* ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins* ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; Phosphorylation ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Transforming Growth Factor beta2 ; Imatinib Mesylate

Heterotopic pregnancy with coexistiong intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancy, is a rare event in natural pregnancy. However, in recent years, the increase in the incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease and use of assisted reproductive technology had led to an increase in the frequency of heterotopic pregnancy. When the diagnosis of heterotopic pregnancy is delayed, maternal mortality and morbidity may be increased, and unwanted loss of intrauterine pregnancy may occur. Therefore, the early diagnosis of heterotopic pregnancy is clinically important, and clinicians have to consider the possibility of heterotopic pregnancy and conduct careful and thorough evaluation if suspected. We experienced a case of heterotopic pregnancy in a woman in the absence of the known risk factors. She underwent underwent spontaneous abortion of intrauterine pregnancy at postoperative 4th day, after laparoscopic salpingectomy for left tubal pregnancy. We report this case with brief review of literature.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Maternal Mortality ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Heterotopic* ; Pregnancy, Tubal* ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Risk Factors ; Salpingectomy

Heterotopic pregnancy with coexistiong intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancy, is a rare event in natural pregnancy. However, in recent years, the increase in the incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease and use of assisted reproductive technology had led to an increase in the frequency of heterotopic pregnancy. When the diagnosis of heterotopic pregnancy is delayed, maternal mortality and morbidity may be increased, and unwanted loss of intrauterine pregnancy may occur. Therefore, the early diagnosis of heterotopic pregnancy is clinically important, and clinicians have to consider the possibility of heterotopic pregnancy and conduct careful and thorough evaluation if suspected. We experienced a case of heterotopic pregnancy in a woman in the absence of the known risk factors. She underwent underwent spontaneous abortion of intrauterine pregnancy at postoperative 4th day, after laparoscopic salpingectomy for left tubal pregnancy. We report this case with brief review of literature.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Maternal Mortality ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Heterotopic* ; Pregnancy, Tubal* ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Risk Factors ; Salpingectomy

Tuboovarian abscess associated with pregnancy is not commonly reported. Diagnosis may be difficult if the obstetrician is not aware that this condition can occur during pregnancy. The diagnosis is often made at laparotomy by a physician expecting appendicitis or another inflam-matory condition. A case of ruptured tuboovarian abscess on 34 weeks' gestation of pregnancy was presented and reviewed briefly.
Abscess* ; Appendicitis ; Diagnosis ; Laparotomy ; Pregnancy*

Halothane was introduced in 1956. It has been used worldwidely as a relatively safe inhalation anesthetic but it is generally accepted that it can cause decrease of liver function. But the causative factor has not yet been pinpointed. Enflurane also seems to decrease liver function but the exact cause is not yet known. In order to study the effects of enflurane and halothane on liver function, we used 10 cases of spinal anesthesia as a control group, and 20 cases each of enflurane and halothane anesthesia respectively as experimental group. We then checked serum GOT, GPT, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, and eosinophil count in peripheral venous blood before oeration and 6 days after operation and looked for the existence of high fever of more than 39 degrees C 3 days postoperatively. The results are as follows: 1) We found statistical significant change of serum GOT, GPT, total billirubin alkaline phosphatase and eosinophil count in spinal, enflurane, or halothane anesthesia beofre and after operation. There was no statistically significance between the control and experimental groups. 2) No patient developed high fever of more than 39 degrees C until 3 days after anesthesia in any group. 3) No significant change of mean arterial blood pressure was observed before and during anesthesia in each group. In this study no definite conclusion that enflurane and halothane might have affected the liver function.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Anesthetics* ; Arterial Pressure ; Bilirubin ; Enflurane* ; Eosinophils ; Fever ; Halothane* ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Liver*

PURPOSE: Radical surgical extirpation in advanced breast cancer patients produces extensive loss of skin with large defects requiring plastic surgical procedures for the closure. Many reconstructive methods exist, the choice of which depends upon the characteristic of the wound, extent of resection and patient comorbidities. For adequate coverage of the large skin defects following resection of advanced breast cancer, current authors have performed a thoracoabdominal flap. METHODS: From August 2008 to June 2009, 4 cases of thoraco-abdominal flap were performed for chest wall reconstruction after mastectomy of advanced breast cancer. Flap dissection was entirely performed in a subfascial plane and the flap involving the external oblique abdominal muscle. The flap was rotated clockwise in left chest wall defects and counterclockwise in right chest defects and the donor site was closed directly. RESULTS: Their mean age, 55.7 years and the average follow-up interval was 9 months. Patients' oncologic status ranged from stage IIIc to stage IV, it was classified according to the TNM staging system. Flap dimensions ranged between 15 x 15 and 25 x 25 cm. One flap sustained a partial loss at the distal margin and revision with pectoralis major musculocutaneous island flap. CONCLUSION: Large chest wall reconstructions are usually required after radical excision of advanced cancer stages patients with poor general conditions. Thoracoabdominal flap is a simple, quick single-stage procedure, and offer to patient fast recovery, low complication rate, enabling further concomitant adjuvant therapy.
Abdominal Muscles ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Comorbidity ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mastectomy ; Neoplasm Staging ; Skin ; Thoracic Wall ; Thorax ; Tissue Donors