OBJECTIVE: The ovarian cycle is characterized by repeating patterns of cellular proliferation and differentiation that accompany follicular development and the formation and regression of the corpus luteum (CL). That angiogenesis may play an important role in this process. Angiogenesis is supposed to be regulated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The goal of the present investigation, therefore, was to determine whether the expression of VEGF was changed in the normally cycling human ovary. We also investigated VEGF expression in the regressed CL (ie, nonfunctiong CL) of normal term pregnancy to define the association with steroidogenic activity. To our knowledge there is no report available on VEGF expression in the CL of term pregnancy. METHODS: We assessed VEGF expression in ovaries obtained from, 26-42 yr of age, and from patients undergoing hysterectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy for nonendocrinological or nonovarian disorders. Tissue samples from premenopausal women included specimens from follicular (n=4) and luteal (n 4) phases. In addition, we studied ovarian specimens from pregnant women (n=3). Immunohistochemical analysis for VEGF was performed using a rabbit polyclonal antibody directed against human VEGF. RESULTS: These data demonstrate a development-related VEGF expression in the follicle and indirectly show that VEGF expression may be up to the existence of LH-receptor. And also, VEGF was overexpressed in the regressed CL of pregnant women compared with the functioning CL of nonpregnant cycles CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the intensity of VEGF expression is not correlated with steroidogenic activity, although both of them are stimulated by LH.
Cell Proliferation ; Corpus Luteum ; Female ; Humans* ; Hysterectomy ; Menstrual Cycle ; Ovarian Follicle ; Ovary* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Polyamines*

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: Magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) has been used in the treatment of pre-eclampsia, hypertension and arrhythmia. Magnesium enhances the neuromuscular block of rocuronium. This study has been conducted to evaluate the reversal efficacy of sugammadex from deep rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block (NMB) during consistent pretreatment of MgSO₄ in rabbits. METHODS: Twenty-eight rabbits were randomly assigned to four groups, a control group or study groups (50% MgSO₄ 150–200 mg/kg and 25 mg/kg/h IV), and received rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg. When post-tetanic count 1–2 appeared, sugammadex 2, 4, and 8 mg/kg was administered in the 2-mg group, control and 4-mg group, and 8-mg group, respectively. The recovery course after reversal of sugammadex administration was evaluated in each group. RESULTS: The mean serum concentration of magnesium was maintained at more than 2 mmol/L in the study groups, and the total dose of MgSO₄ was more than 590 mg. The reversal effect of sugammadex on rocuronium-induced NMB in pretreated MgSO₄ was not different from that in the group without MgSO₄. The recovery time to train-of-four ratio 0.9 after sugammadex administration in the 2-mg group was longer than in the other groups (P < 0.001); there were no other significant differences among the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The reversal of sugammadex from a deep rocuronium-induced NMB during large pretreatment of MgSO₄ was not affected. However, we should consider that the reversal effect of sugammadex varied depending on the dose.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Control Groups ; Hypertension ; Magnesium Sulfate* ; Magnesium* ; Neuromuscular Blockade* ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Rabbits*

BACKGROUND: Magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) has been used in the treatment of pre-eclampsia, hypertension and arrhythmia. Magnesium enhances the neuromuscular block of rocuronium. This study has been conducted to evaluate the reversal efficacy of sugammadex from deep rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block (NMB) during consistent pretreatment of MgSO₄ in rabbits. METHODS: Twenty-eight rabbits were randomly assigned to four groups, a control group or study groups (50% MgSO₄ 150–200 mg/kg and 25 mg/kg/h IV), and received rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg. When post-tetanic count 1–2 appeared, sugammadex 2, 4, and 8 mg/kg was administered in the 2-mg group, control and 4-mg group, and 8-mg group, respectively. The recovery course after reversal of sugammadex administration was evaluated in each group. RESULTS: The mean serum concentration of magnesium was maintained at more than 2 mmol/L in the study groups, and the total dose of MgSO₄ was more than 590 mg. The reversal effect of sugammadex on rocuronium-induced NMB in pretreated MgSO₄ was not different from that in the group without MgSO₄. The recovery time to train-of-four ratio 0.9 after sugammadex administration in the 2-mg group was longer than in the other groups (P < 0.001); there were no other significant differences among the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The reversal of sugammadex from a deep rocuronium-induced NMB during large pretreatment of MgSO₄ was not affected. However, we should consider that the reversal effect of sugammadex varied depending on the dose.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Control Groups ; Hypertension ; Magnesium Sulfate* ; Magnesium* ; Neuromuscular Blockade* ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Rabbits*

PURPOSE: Some controversies exist over the prognostic values of lymphatic, venous, and neural invasion in patients with gastric cancer. This study was conducted to confirm the prognostic values of these histopathologic factors in gastric cancer patients who received a gastrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data for clinicopathologic factors and clinical outcomes were collected retrospectively from the medical records of 1,018 gastric cancer patients who received a gastrectomy at Yeungnam University Medical Center between January 1995 and December 1999. A statistical analysis was done using the SPSS program for Windows (Version 10.0, SPSS Inc., USA). The Kaplan-Meier method was used for the survival analysis. Prognostic factors were analyzed by using a multivariate analysis with Cox proportional hazard regression model. RESULTS: Ages ranged from 21 to 79 (median age, 56). A univariate analysis revealed that age, tumor size, location, gross type, depth of invasion, extent of gastrectomy or lymph node dissection, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, lymphatic invasion, venous invasion, neural invasion, pathologic stage, histologic type, and curability of surgery had statistical significance. Among these factors, lymph node metastasis, curability of surgery, neural invasion, lymphatic invasion, and depth of invasion were found to be independent prognostic factors by using a multivariate analysis. Venous invasion showed no prognostic value in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Neural invasion and lymphatic invasion are useful parameters in determining a prognosis for gastric cancer patients.
Academic Medical Centers ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Medical Records ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: Some controversies exist over the prognostic values of lymphatic, venous, and neural invasion in patients with gastric cancer. This study was conducted to confirm the prognostic values of these histopathologic factors in gastric cancer patients who received a gastrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data for clinicopathologic factors and clinical outcomes were collected retrospectively from the medical records of 1,018 gastric cancer patients who received a gastrectomy at Yeungnam University Medical Center between January 1995 and December 1999. A statistical analysis was done using the SPSS program for Windows (Version 10.0, SPSS Inc., USA). The Kaplan-Meier method was used for the survival analysis. Prognostic factors were analyzed by using a multivariate analysis with Cox proportional hazard regression model. RESULTS: Ages ranged from 21 to 79 (median age, 56). A univariate analysis revealed that age, tumor size, location, gross type, depth of invasion, extent of gastrectomy or lymph node dissection, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, lymphatic invasion, venous invasion, neural invasion, pathologic stage, histologic type, and curability of surgery had statistical significance. Among these factors, lymph node metastasis, curability of surgery, neural invasion, lymphatic invasion, and depth of invasion were found to be independent prognostic factors by using a multivariate analysis. Venous invasion showed no prognostic value in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Neural invasion and lymphatic invasion are useful parameters in determining a prognosis for gastric cancer patients.
Academic Medical Centers ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Medical Records ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: Delineation of serum lipid and lipoprotein values in children after Kawasaki disease (KD) is important because of the predilection of this disease for the coronary arteries. METHODS: The KD group was composed of 51 patients who were hospitalized from Jan. 2002 to Dec. 2003. Control was 25 patients with non-KD febrile illness. The levels of total lipid, phospholipid, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, apolipoprotein A1 (apo A1), apolipoprotein B, and Lipoprotein (a) were measured and compared with Echocardiographic findings. Measurements were obtained in four time periods: acute febrile, subacute, convalescent phase and 1 year after KD. RESULTS: HDL-C (33.64+/-7.49 mg/dL vs 50.43+/-14.41 mg/dL, P< 0.01) and apo A1 (99.75+/-6.39 mg/dL vs 113.34+/-11.35 mg/dL, P< 0.05) were decreased more in the acute febrile period of KD than in the control, but these changes were not correlated with cardiac complications. All lipid profiles were markedly elevated in the subacute stage and normalized in the convalescent stage; there were no changes until 1-year follow up. There were no significant differences in the changes of lipid profiles, including Lp (a) and coronary dilatation, in any time periods. CONCLUSION: KD is associated with important abnormalities in lipid metabolism, but these changes were transient and appear to be due to the disease itself. These data lead us to infer that KD dose not cause such permanent changes in lipid abnormalities as to be considered a risk factor for atherosclerosis, beyond that caused by the disease itself.
Child ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Risk Factors

Malignant lymphoma of the thyroid gland is extremely rare and its relatedness to Hashimoto's thyroiditis is well documented. Thyroid lymphoma frequently compromises the upper aerodigestive tract and should be differenciated from the anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Also, thyroid lymphoma is known to often recur in the gastrointestinal tract. Recently we have experienced a case of B cell immunoblastic type, non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphoma of the thyroid gland in a 61 year-old male patient. The case presented a rapidly growing mass with dyspnea at the anterior neck, and an open biopsy with tracheostomy was carried out. The patient received a combination chemotherapy and a partial remission was observed.
Biopsy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Dyspnea ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Lymphoma* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroiditis ; Tracheostomy

Objective: Intractable massive oronasal bleeding can become a life-threatening condition. The success rate of conventional bleeding control methods other than transarterial embolization (TAE) is not expected to be high. We investigated the efficacy of Sengstaken-Blakemore tube (SBT) balloon tamponade in patients with sustained and intractable oronasal bleeding secondary to facial injury. Methods: This study is a retrospective chart review from traumatic patients with sustained and intractable oronasal bleeding who were admitted to the emergency center of Ajou University Hospital and Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital from January 2014 to December 2016. Results: Twelve patients were included in the study, of whom nine (75%) were male. The median age was 31 years (range, 20–73 years). Bleeding was controlled in 11 of the 12 patients (91.7%) either temporarily or definitively. One patient without hemostasis underwent TAE. TAE was performed in an additional three patients out of the 11 patients with hemostasis who experienced continued nasal bleeding after the removal of SBTs. There were no complications from performing the procedure. Conclusion Using SBTs as a hemostatic tool will aid patients with life-threatening intractable oronasal bleeding. Furthermore, this method may be used in patients with continual and intractable oronasal bleeding after facial trauma as a bridging procedure from the emergency department or the intensive care unit to the interventional radiology.