BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to examine the effects of diamide and thioredoxin (TRX) on vascular endothelial cells in order to clarify the mechanism by which vascular damage is mediated by oxygen free radicals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The pulmonary artery endothelial cell (PAEC) line derived from bovine serum was cultured for 8 hours in media supplemented with various concentrations of diamide and TRX. The XTT assay, MTS assay, SRB assay, LDH activity and lipid peroxidation tests were perfomed. RESULTS: In XTT and MTS assays, diamide significantly decreased the cell viability of cultured PAEC in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Diamide showed a decrease in the amount of total protein, although it showed an increase of lipid peroxidation and LDH activity in cultured PAEC. In regards to the protective effect of TRX on diamide-induced cytotoxicity, this showed an increase of total protein, however it showed a decrease of lipid peroxidation and LDH activity. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that diamide has a vasculotoxic effect on cultured bovine PAEC and that TRX is very effective in the protection of diamide-induced cytotoxicity by duye to the increase of total protein and the decrease of lipid peroxidation and LDH activity in these cultures.
Cell Survival ; Diamide* ; Endothelial Cells* ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Free Radicals ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Oxygen ; Pulmonary Artery ; Thioredoxins*

A non-communicating rudimentary uterine horn is a rare Mllerian duct anomaly. We experienced a case of unruptured rudimentary uterine horn pregnancy. The patient was diagnosed by laparoscopy and removed by laparoscopic resection of the pregnant rudimentary uterine horn was performed. We report our case with brief review of literatures.
Animals ; Diagnosis* ; Horns* ; Humans ; Laparoscopy* ; Pregnancy*

Central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) by complicating rapid correction of severe hyponatremia has been widely reported. Additionally, CPM was occasionally reported among patients with post-liver transplantation, burns, chronic renal failure with dialysis, or other diseases associated with or not associated with other electrolyte changes or hyperosmolarity. However, there have been a few reports of CPM occurring in diabetic patients without documented electrolyte changes. This report is, to the best of our knowledge, the first report of CPM in type 2 diabetic patients without electrolyte changes in Korea. A 40-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus with abruptly developed dysarthria and ataxia was admitted to our facility. He suffered from poor glucose control and multiple diabetic complications. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a well-defined bilateral symmetric hyperintense lesion in the central portion of the pons on T2- and diffusion-weighted images, which was consistent with CPM. After the patient's blood glucose and blood pressure normalized, his dysarthria and ataxia improved. Six months after discharge, follow-up MRI showed a persistent, but greatly reduced symmetric lesion in the central pons. It is certainly possible for CPM to be overlooked clinically in diabetic patients, but more cases could be diagnosed if careful attention was paid to this syndrome.
Adult ; Ataxia ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Brain ; Burns ; Diabetes Complications ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Dialysis ; Dysarthria ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Korea ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myelinolysis, Central Pontine ; Pons ; Transplants

Graves' disease (GD) can lead to specific eye afflictions including proptosis, periorbital swelling, conjunctival injection, chemosis, and opthalmoplegia, which then become a condition called Graves' ophthalmopathy or thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). A carotid cavernous fistula (CCF) is an abnormal vascular communication between the carotid artery and the cavernous sinus. The clinical signs of CCF are very similar to TAO and should be considered as a differential diagnosis of TAO. We would like to present an interesting case of a bilateral ophthalmopathy induced by CCF in a GD patient. A 54-year-old man with a 6-year history of GD presented with bilateral exophthalmos and conjunctival injection for two months. The orbital CT scan findings were consistent with CCF, and an angiography revealed bilateral CCF. He received a bilateral coil embolization for the CCF and his ophthalmic signs were immediately improved. We recommend orbital imaging to exclude other coexisting diseases in patients who are suspected of TAO, especially when the diagnosis is uncertain or when determining whether medical or surgical intervention is appropriate.
Angiography ; Carotid Arteries ; Cavernous Sinus ; Caves ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Exophthalmos ; Eye ; Fistula ; Graves Disease ; Graves Ophthalmopathy ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Orbit ; Troleandomycin

The active metabolite of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (calcitriol), inhibits the growth of several types of human cancer cells in vitro, but its therapeutic use is limited because it causes hypercalcemia. Among its analogs, 19-nor-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D2 (paricalcitol), has fewer calcemic effects and exhibits an activity equipotent to that of calcitriol. We assessed the antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects of paricalcitol in gastric cancer cells, and evaluated the potential role of vitamin D in the treatment of peritoneal metastatic gastric cancer. In this study, treatment with paricalcitol inhibited gastric cancer cell growth and induced cell cycle arrest. Paricalcitol also induced apoptosis and showed anti-inflammatory activity. Moreover, the growth of intraperitoneal metastases in vivo was reduced in mice treated with paricalcitol. 18F-FDG uptake was significantly lower in the paricalcitol group compared to control group (SUV; control group 13.2 +/- 5.3 vs paricalcitol group 4.5 +/- 3.0). Intraperitoneal tumor volume was significantly lower in paricalcitol treated mice (control group 353.2 +/- 22.9 mm3 vs paricalcitol group 252.0 +/- 8.4 mm3). These results suggest that the vitamin D analog, paricalcitol, has anticancer activity on gastric cancer cells by regulation of the cell cycle, apoptosis, and inflammation.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry/*pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Apoptosis/drug effects ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints/drug effects ; Cell Cycle Proteins/metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Ergocalciferols/chemistry/*pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18/chemistry/diagnostic use ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Peritoneal Neoplasms/drug therapy/*secondary ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Stomach Neoplasms/drug therapy/*pathology ; Transplantation, Heterologous

This is a case report of chronic maxillary sinusitis caused by root canal overfilling of Calcipex II (Techno-Dent). A 60 year-old male complained of dull pain in the right maxillary molar area after complicated endodontic treatment using Calcipex II paste and was finally diagnosed with a chronic maxillary sinusitis through a clinical and radiological observation. In the biopsy examination, the periapical granuloma contained a lot of dark and translucent Calcipex II granules which were not stained with hematoxylin and eosin. They were usually engulfed by macrophages but rarely resorbed, resulting in scattering and migrating into antral mucosa. Most of the Calcipex II granules were also accumulated in the cytoplasms of secretory columnar epithelial cells, and small amount of Calcipex II granules were gradually secreted into sinus lumen by exocytosis. However, chronic granulomatous inflammation occurred without the additional recruitment of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and lymphocytes, and many macrophages which engulfed the Calcipex II granules were finally destroyed in the processes of cellular apoptosis. It is presumed that Calcipex II granules are likely to have a causative role to induce the granulomatous foreign body inflammation in the periapical region, and subsequently to exacerbate the chronic maxillary sinusitis in this study.
Apoptosis ; Biopsy ; Cytoplasm ; Dental Pulp Cavity* ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Epithelial Cells ; Exocytosis ; Foreign Bodies ; Granuloma, Foreign-Body ; Hematoxylin ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lymphocytes ; Macrophages ; Male ; Maxillary Sinus* ; Maxillary Sinusitis* ; Middle Aged ; Molar ; Mucous Membrane ; Neutrophils ; Periapical Granuloma

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Since 1987, coronary stents have changed the pattern of practice of interventional cardiology, by reducing the complications and improving the clinical outcomes. However, coronary stent restenosis still remains a significant clinical problem in the field of interventional cardiology. The aim of this trial was to compare the clinical efficacy of a rotational atherectomy (ROTA), with that of a plain old balloon angioplasty (POBA), in patients with coronary stent restenosis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One hundred and three patients (men 80, 58.4+/-10.3 years of age), diagnosed with coronary stent restenosis, at Chonnam National University Hospital, between January 1999 and December 2000, were analyzed. The clinical end-points were the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE): death, myocardial infarction and target lesion revascularization (TLR) during the one-year clinical follow-up. RESULTS: The baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics were similar between the two groups. Before the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), the diameter of stenosis of the POBA and ROTA groups were 81.9+/-14.0 and 82.9+/-10.0%, respectively, which decreased to 25.5+/-15 and 22.7+/-12% after treatment. At the one-year clinical follow-up, the TLR rates were 7.0 and 6.3% in the POBA and ROTA groups, respectively. The MACE results were not different between the two groups (7.0 and 9.4% in the POBA and ROTA groups, respectively). CONCLUSION: There was no significant long-term clinical benefit of a rotational atherectomy prior to a POBA, compared with a POBA alone, for the treatment of coronary stent restenosis.
Angioplasty ; Angioplasty, Balloon* ; Atherectomy, Coronary* ; Cardiology ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Stents*

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) are common and serious complications of diabetes mellitus. The prognosis of DFU may be very poor even during early stages depending on the general conditions of patients, and amputation is often required to manage DFU. Various therapeutic approaches to DFU have been introduced, and among these negative-pressure wound therapy using vacuum-assisted closure (VAC-NPWT) is particularly noteworthy. We performed VAC-NPWT in three patients with complicated DFU. We used a modified VAC-NPWT protocol, which used wall suction and curaVAC(R). Dressing changes were performed every week, which was longer than standard method. All of our cases improved with granulating wound beds and were cleared of bacterial infection by the end of modified VAC therapy. These modifications reduced the costs of VAC-NPWT without introducing associated side effects. We recommend the active application of VAC-NPWT for complicated DFU, although this recommendation should be confirmed by large randomized controlled studies.
Amputation ; Bacterial Infections ; Bandages ; Diabetes Complications ; Diabetic Foot ; Humans ; Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy ; Prognosis ; Suction ; Ulcer

PURPOSE: To establish the method of constructing an experimental aneurysm model in porcine carotid artery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen aneurysms were created in the carotid arteries of eight pigs. After paramedian incision under intravenous anesthesia, the common carotid artery and external jugular vein were separated. A portion of the latter was cut to make an aneurysmal sac and this was sutured to the side wall of the common carotid arterial wall (end to side). Within one week, an arteriogram was obtained in all pigs and color Doppler study was performed in four. Digital subtraction arteriograms were serially obtained three images/sec, and these were analyzed to determine the size of the sac and the neck, flow pattern in the aneurysm, and stenosis in the common carotid artery. RESULTS: Arteriographic findings were obtained in ten of 14 aneurysms. Six aneurysms were saccular in shape, and the mean size of the sac and neck was 16x10 mm and 5.3 mm, respectively. Four aneurysms were lobulated, and in these cases, the mean size of the sac and neck was 9x3 mm and 3.7 mm, respectively. The mean size of the proximal common carotid artery was 4.5 mm, and at the operation site, mean stenosis was 40%. CONCLUSION: In 10/14 cases (71%), we successfully established an aneurysm model in the porcine carotid artery, and believe that it is suitable for use in interventional neuroradiology experiments.
Anesthesia, Intravenous ; Aneurysm* ; Animals ; Carotid Arteries* ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Jugular Veins ; Neck ; Swine*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Microsatellite instability (MSI) is associated with mutations in the DNA mismatch repair system and accounts for 10-15% of all cases of sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the characteristics and role of MSI as a marker for predicting the prognosis and therapeutic effect on CRC remain unclear. METHODS: Between June 2003 and December 2007, 259 patients (males, 159 [61%]; age, 63 [+/-11] years) who underwent surgery for CRC were retrospectively enrolled. The clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with high-frequency MSI (MSI-H) CRC were reviewed and compared to patients with low-frequency MSI or microsatellite stable CRC. The patient characteristics and MSI-related data were recorded for the following variables: gender, age, clinicopathologic findings, chemotherapy response, recurrence, and survival. RESULTS: MSI-H CRC was diagnosed in 30 patients (12%), low-frequency MSI CRC was diagnosed in 10 patients (4%), and microsatellite stable CRC in was diagnosed in 219 patients (84%). The MSI-H group exhibited the following characteristics: large size, right colon location, positive response to chemotherapy, low recurrence, longer survival, less neural invasion, poor differentiation, diffuse lymphoid reaction, and mucin pool formation. However, in the chemotherapy group (n=180), MSI-H was not a marker of longer survival. Based on Cox-regression analysis, stage IV CRC (OR=6.66; 95% CI, 2.24-53.00), MSI-H (OR=0.17; 95% CI, 0.04-0.73), and a positive response to chemotherapy (OR=0.02; 95% CI, 0.01-0.11) were related to mortality. CONCLUSIONS: MSI-H CRC had less neural invasion and diffuse lymphoid reaction. Further studies regarding the relationship between those pathologic findings and survival are needed.
Colon ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; DNA Mismatch Repair ; Humans ; Microsatellite Instability ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Mucins ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Succinimides