It is important to maintain normal calcium concentration especially ionized calcium concentration in chronic renal failure patients on hemodialysis. The direct measurement of ionized calcium is less commonly used due to a lack of automated equipment as well as the cost of laboratory equipment. Numerous formulas for adjusted total calcium and calculated ionized calcium are used in clinical practice. We examined the relationship between direct measured ionized calcium and total calcium, corrected total calcium, calculated ionized calcium (formula of Nordin et al) in 53 chronic renal failure patients on hemodialysis. The results were as follows; 1) In predialysis group, plasma total and ionized calcium levels were 2.36+/-0.26, 1.04+/-0.21mmol/L respectively, and higher than normal controls. The correlations between plasma ionized calcium and total calcium, calculated ionized calcium, corrected total calcium were r=0.72 (P=0.0001), r=0.81 (P=0.0001), r=0.65 (P=0.0001) respectively. The plasma ionized calcium level was not correlated with the level of albumin, pH, phosphate, parathyroid hormone. 2) The plasma total and ionized calcium levels were significantly increased with hemodialysis and values were 2.49+/-0.14mmol, 1.14+/-0.14mmol/L respectively. The correlation between ionized and total calcium was r=0.41 (P=0.0021). These results suggested that the calculated ionized calcium (formula of Nordin et al) and total calcium can be used to predict the plasma ionized calcium level in chronic renal patients on hemodialysis.
Calcium* ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Parathyroid Hormone ; Plasma ; Renal Dialysis*

Acute eosinophilic pneumonia is reported as a specific disease entity. But, it is different from chronic eosinophilic pneumonia in its onset, clinical course and recurrence. Badesh et al reported the following diagnostic criteria os acute eosinophilic pneumonia a less than one-month history of symptoms prior to diagnosis, no evidence of asthma, the absence of other organic disease, no obvious etiology and an evidence of recurrent disease. We experienced a case of acute eosinophilic pneumonia in 37 old male. Pathologically eosinophilic pneumonia is confirmed and other features meet Badesh's criteria.
Asthma ; Diagnosis ; Eosinophils* ; Humans ; Male ; Pulmonary Eosinophilia* ; Recurrence

BACKGROUND: Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) following high dose chemotherapy has been an important therapeutic option for patients with hematologic malignancies or some solid tumors. The number of progenitor cells in the collection products has been used to determine the optimum time to stop the collections and to predict the hematopoietic engraftment after transplantation. In this study, we investigated the relationship between end-product cell counts measured by different methods and the influence of the infused cell dose on the engraftment rate. METHODS: Twenty five patients receiving autologous PBSCT and 25 patients receiving allogeneic BMT were studied. The number of total nucleated cells (TNC), of mononuclear cells (MNC), of CD34+ cells, and of CFU-GM (colony-forming unit-granulocyte monocyte) colonies were measured in each collection product. The number of days required to achieve an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of 0.5x109/L with TNC count of 1.0x109/L and platelet count of 20x109/L without transfusions was taken as an arbitrary measure of the engraftment rate. RESLUTS: A close correlation between CD34+ cells/kg and CFU-GM/kg was observed in both collection products (p<0.05). However, MNC/kg also showed significant correlations with CD34+ cells/kg and CFU-GM/kg in allogeneic bone marrow collection products (p<0.05). The CFU-GM amount in the PBSC products was greater than that in the bone marrow collection products (p<0.05). Time to engraftment was a median of 14 (range 9-50) days in autologous PBSCT group, but 29 (range 17-57) days in allogeneic BMT group. In autologous PBSCT, infused CD34+ cells/kg and CFU-GM/kg correlated significantly with ANC recovery (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The number of CD34+ cells was correlated with that of CFU-GM in the collection products, and the infused cell doses showed positive relation to the engraftment rate in autologous PBSCT. These findings suggest that measurement of CD34+ cell counts alone would be a sufficient parameter to predict the engraftment rate in autologous PBSCT.
Bone Marrow Transplantation* ; Bone Marrow* ; Cell Count ; Drug Therapy ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Progenitor Cells ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Neutrophils ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation* ; Platelet Count ; Stem Cells*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Mycoplasma*

Although bladder cancers are very common, little is known about their molecular pathogenesis. It is known, that p53 alteration is found in about 60%p of muscleinvasive bladder cancer, necessiating aggressive therapy and poor outcome. We examined the nuclear expression of p53 protein, using D07 monoclonal antibody in the urine samples, from 31 patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder to investigate the correlation of p53 overexpression with histologic grades and depth of invasion. The positive rate of p53 protein was 27%o in superficial bladder tumor, but increased up to 71% in the invasive bladder carcinomas. The overexpression of p53 protein increased according to Mostofi grading system from 18% in grade I, 45% in grade Il, and up to 100% in grade ill. The p53 expression tended to be higher in the invasive and high grade bladder cancers than in the superficial and low grade ones(p<0.05). These results suggest that immunohistochemical analysis of the urine specimen in the bladder cancer patients could be a useful method of screening for the presence of p53 mutant protein. The mutant p53 protein expression may be an indicator of bladder cancer with more proliferative potential and/or aggressive biologic behavior.
Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; Genes, p53* ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mass Screening ; Mutant Proteins ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms* ; Urinary Bladder*

PURPOSE: To report clinical characteristics of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) in patients who previously underwent total thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer or a benign mass of the thyroid. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of the patients who were diagnosed with TAO from March 2008 to March 2012, we performed a retrospective chart review on those who had undergone total thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer or a benign mass of the thyroid before the occurrence of ophthalmopathy. RESULTS: Of the 206 patients diagnosed with TAO, seven (3.4%) met the inclusion criteria. The mean age of the subjects was 47.4 years, and all were female. Six patients were diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer, and one was diagnosed with a benign mass. The duration between total thyroidectomy and onset of TAO ranged from 3-120 months (median 48 months). Ophthalmic manifestations varied among cases. Except for the patient who was diagnosed with a benign mass, all patients showed hyperthyroid status and were under Synthroid hormone treatment at the time of TAO development. Five of these six patients had positive levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor autoantibodies. CONCLUSION: TAO rarely develops after total thyroidectomy, and the mechanism of TAO occurrence is unclear. However, most patients showed abnormalities in thyroid function and TSH receptor autoantibodies.
Adult ; Aged ; Autoantibodies/blood ; Carcinoma ; Carcinoma, Papillary/immunology/surgery ; Female ; Graves Ophthalmopathy/*diagnosis/immunology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications/etiology/immunology/pathology ; Receptors, Thyrotropin ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Neoplasms/complications/*surgery ; Thyroidectomy/adverse effects/*methods ; Thyrotropin/blood ; Treatment Outcome

We report here on a case of a recurrent left anterior neck infection and focal left suppurative thyroiditis that were associated with a congenital pyriform sinus fistula (PSF) in an 18-year-old male. Acute suppurative thyroidits is a very rare clinical condition and it is usually caused by infection that's derived from infected perithyroidal tissue or a congenital internal fistula. The PSF can lead to recurrent episodes of neck inflammation and abscess, and it is the most common cause of acute suppurative thyroiditis in young man. In this current case, the CT scan showed an air-containing tract of a PSF from the left pyriform sinus to the left thyroid gland and the perithyroidal soft tissue. The CT scan also showed a neck inflammatory infiltration or abscess along the course of the sinus tract. The focal low density of the thyroid parenchyma was seen and this was suggestive of suppurative thyroiditis. Barium esophagography demonstrated the fistulous tract in the PSF. We performed laryngoscopy, and the internal opening of the pyriform sinus fistula was successfully cauterized with AgNO3 and the post procedure course was fair. When an air-containing tract and a recurrent inflammatory infiltration or abscess are present at the left anterior neck with including the thyroid and perithyroidal soft tissue, a PSF should be strongly suspected.
Abscess ; Adolescent ; Barium ; Fistula* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Laryngoscopy ; Male ; Neck ; Pyriform Sinus* ; Soft Tissue Infections* ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroiditis ; Thyroiditis, Suppurative ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: Epidemiologic studies have indicated that the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which inhibit cyclooxygenase activity, reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. In addition, several studies have demonstrated the increased expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in human colorectal cancer tissues. However, the role of COX-2 in colorectal cancer has not been fully established. The aim of this study was to clarify the clinicopathologic significance of COX-2 expression in human colorectal cancer. METHODS: We performed immunohistochemical straining for COX-2 expression in 124 human colorectal cancer specimens. COX-2 expression was then compared with clinicopathologic factors and survival outcomes. RESULTS: COX-2 was expressed in the cytoplasm of the cancer cells. COX-2 expression was noted in 86.3% of the cancer patients and significantly correlated with the histologic type. The depth of invasion, tumor size, lymph node metastasis and stage were not correlated with COX-2 expression. Multivariate analysis for the factors associated with survival showed that serum CEA, size, depth and lymph node involvement correlated with survival, but COX-2 expression had no correlation. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that COX-2 expression in primary lesion of colorectal cancer may not be a useful marker for evaluating prognosis. However, further studies are necessary for identification of the roles in colorectal carcinogenesis.
Carcinogenesis ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Cyclooxygenase 2* ; Cytoplasm ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases*

Demethoxycurcumin (DMC), which is a curcuminoid found in turmeric, has anti-proliferative effects on cancer cells. However, the effect of DMC on osteosarcoma has not been established. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of DMC on cell growth and apoptosis induction in MG-63 human osteosarcoma cells. This study was investigated using 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromid assay, Live/Dead cell assay, 4’, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining, and immunoblotting in MG-63 cells. DMC induced MG-63 cell death in a dosedependent manner, with an estimated IC50 value of 54.4 μM. DMC treatment resulted in nuclear condensation in MG-63 cells. DMC-induced apoptosis in MG-63 cells was mediated by the expression of Fas and activation of caspase-8, caspase-3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. Immunoblotting results showed that Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL were downregulated, while Bax and Bad were upregulated by DMC in MG-63 cells. These results indicated that DMC inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptotic cell death in MG-63 human osteosarcoma cells via the death receptormediated extrinsic apoptotic pathway and mitochondria-mediated intrinsic apoptotic pathway.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the physiological role of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) associated with odontogenic differentiation during tooth development in mice. Mouse dental papilla cell-23 (MDPC-23) cells cultured in differentiation media were stimulated with the specific NAMPT inhibitor, FK866, and Visfatin (NAMPT) for up to 10 days. The cells were evaluated after 0, 4, 7, and 10 days. Cell viability was measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The mineralization assay was performed by staining MDPC-23 cells with Alizarin Red S solution. After cultivation, MDPC-23 cells were harvested for quantitative PCR or Western blotting. Analysis of variance was performed using StatView 5.0 software (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The expression of NAMPT increased during the differentiation of murine odontoblast-like MDPC-23 cells. Furthermore, the up-regulation of NAMPT promoted odontogenic differentiation and accelerated mineralization through an increase in representative odontoblastic biomarkers, such as dentin sialophosphoprotein, dentin matrix protein-1, and alkaline phosphatase in MDPC-23 cells. However, treatment of the cells with the NAMPT inhibitor, FK866, attenuated odontogenic differentiation, as evidenced by the suppression of odontoblastic biomarkers. These data indicate that NAMPT regulated odontoblastic differentiation through the regulation of odontoblastic biomarkers. The increase in NAMPT expression in odontoblasts was closely related to the formation of the extracellular matrix and dentin via the Runx signaling pathway. Therefore, these data suggest that NAMPT is a critical regulator of odontoblast differentiation during tooth development.