Bony defect is one of the most common problems in craniomaxillofacial surgery. Although aurogenous bone graft is the best choice for the treatment of bone defect, it provides many problems such as donor site morbidity, irregular absorption, and limited amount of harvest. To overcome the shortcomings of autogenous bone graft many bone substitutes have been introduced. The ideal bone substitution is to have characteristics such as cheap, easy to obtain, rapid fusion to recipient bone, hard structure, long maintenance of shape and volume, low infection rate, and low exposure rate. Among those bone substitutes which have been widely used we chose lyophilized cartilage allograft because of low antigenecity, low resorption rate, easiness of carving and ling term preservation. From August 1993 to August 1997, 66 patients had been performed craniomaxillofacial reconstruction with lyophilized cartilage allograft. Orbital wall reconstruction and correction of enophthalmos were 24, correction of cleft lip and nose deformity were 19, temporal augmentations were 7, and others 16. Complications such as infection, exposure were not common. And partially removed cartilage was proved some calcification. Radiologic follow-up presented well positioned lyophilized cartilage allograft. Two radiologic works revealed haziness of bone density at the site of cartilage allograft. This suggests the ossification of lyophilized cartilage allograft. Together with liw infection rate, low exposure rate, and good framework for osteoconduction, lyophilized cartilage allograft are regarded as one of the good bone substitutes.
Absorption ; Allografts* ; Bone Density ; Bone Regeneration ; Bone Substitutes ; Cartilage* ; Cleft Lip ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Enophthalmos ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Nose ; Orbit ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: Pravastatin, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, has been known to be the most effective drug in patients with hypercholesterolemia. We studied the effectiveness and side effects of this drug. METHODS: We studied twenty four patients(8 males, 16 females), with pravastatin 5mg bid for 8 weeks, whose fasting serum total cholesterol levels were higher than 240mg/dl on the first visit. Lipid profiles were checked at 2 weeks interval for 8 weeks and compared with baseline level individually. RESULTS: Among lipid profiles, pravastatin significantly decreased the total cholesterol from 282.8mg/dL to 224.5mg/dL(reduction rate, 21%), the LDL cholesterol from 197.2mg/dL to 143.8mg/dL(27%), the total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio from 6.2 to 4.6(25%), and the LDL cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio from 4.1 to 2.7 (34%). These changes were statistically significant(p<0.05). Triglyceride and HDL cholesterol showed no significant changes compared to baseline levels during treatment. The clinical and laboratory findings after treatment did not show serious abnormalities except two patients who dropped out due to side effect such as constipation and skin eruption. CONCLUSION: Results from the present study show that short-term pravastatin therapy seems to be effective and safe in patients with hypercholesterolemia.
Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Constipation ; Fasting ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hyperlipidemias* ; Male ; Oxidoreductases ; Pravastatin* ; Skin ; Triglycerides

No abstract available.
Angiofibroma ; Carbon ; Carbon Dioxide ; Lasers, Gas

PURPOSE: Estrogens control the development and cell proliferation of various tissues including the normal mammary epithelial cells, where they induce the expression of the immediate and delayed hormone-responsive genes. The proliferative effects of estrogen have been attributed to its ability to increase the expression of the key cell cycle regulatory genes responsible for cell cycle progression. However, the regulation of cell proliferation is only one aspect of estrogen function. It has also been well documented that estrogen plays a critical role in the etiology and progression of human breast and gynecological cancers. This tumorigenic effect of estrogen might be associated with its anti- apoptotic activities such as of Bcl-2 induction. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of E2IG5, which is an estrogen-induced downstream effector molecule, in breast cancer cell lines. RESULTS: This study shows that E2IG5 is a pro-apoptotic protein that is localized to the mitochondrial membrane via two distinct transmembrane domains. When over-expressed, it induces a mitochondrial permeability transition with the resultant of release cytochrome c and caspase activation. However, three out of four breast cancer cell lines lost their estrogen dependence of E2IG5 expression, which suggests the possible involvement of E2IG5 in the development of breast cancer. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that breast cancer cells may loose their pro-apoptotic signals and selectively use the proliferative mechanism of estrogen, which drives the normal mammary epithelial cells to transform into cancer cells. Further studies using breast cancer tissues will be needed.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line* ; Cell Proliferation ; Cytochromes c ; Epithelial Cells ; Estradiol ; Estrogens ; Genes, Regulator ; Humans ; Mitochondrial Membranes ; Permeability

A 68 year-old male was admitted with complaint of dyspnea and nonproductive cough which developed 6 hours after accidental inhalation of nitrogen dioxide. On admission, acute pulmonary edema and severe hypoxemia were found. With oxygen and bronchodilator therapy, diffuse alveolar consolitation and his dyspnea were improved from the following day. He was discharged at 8th hospital day with prednisolone 30mg daily for prevention of bronchiolitis obliteraus. During 6 weeks of follow up, there was no evidence of bronchiolitis obliterans.
Aged ; Anoxia ; Bronchiolitis ; Bronchiolitis Obliterans ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Inhalation* ; Male ; Nitrogen Dioxide* ; Nitrogen* ; Oxygen ; Prednisolone ; Pulmonary Edema*

BACKGROUND: Hysteroscopy is considered to be the gold standard not only for visualizing the cervical canal and the uterine cavity, but also for treating many different types of benign pathologies localized to those regions. The advent and evolution of endoscopic imaging and surgery during the last two decades has added new dimensions to the armamentarium of a gynecologist to combat intrauterine lesions. Office hysteroscopy is increasingly being used as a first line investigation for abnormal uterine bleeding and other diseases involving the uterine cavity. The aim of our study is to assess the diagnostic and operative efficacy of office hysteroscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In our department, 140 patients underwent a hysteroscopy examination and 18 of these underwent an office based hysteroscopy examination from September 1995 to March 2005. The cases who underwent an office based hysteroscopy examination were reviewed in order to assess the clinical usefulness and significance in the management of intrauterine lesions. RESULTS: Major indication was abnormal uterine bleeding (12 cases, 66.7%). The others were a missed IUD and infertility. The hysteroscopic findings were a normal uterine cavity (6 cases, 33.3%), IUD in situ, polyp, submucosal myoma, endometrial hyperplasia and a placenta remnant. CONCLUSION: Office hysteroscopy is a safe, quick and effective method for making an intrauterine evaluation. In addition, it provides immediate results, offers the capacity of direct targeted biopsies of suspicious focal lesions, and offers the direct treatment of some intrauterine conditions.
Biopsy ; Endometrial Hyperplasia ; Female ; Humans ; Hysteroscopy* ; Infertility ; Myoma ; Pathology ; Placenta ; Polyps ; Uterine Hemorrhage

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress is important in both diabetic complications and the development and the progression of type 2 diabetes via the effects on the pancreatic beta-cells. EGCG (epigallocatechin galleate), a major constituent of green tea, has been known to have beneficial effects on various diseases through the mechanisms of antioxidant and cell signaling modulation. But, very small numbers of studies were published about the direct effects of EGCG on the pancreatic beta cell lines. We performed this study to see the protective effect of EGCG on pancreatic beta cell line under H2O2 and the mechanisms of this phenomenon. METHODS: We used INS-1 cells and hydrogen peroxide as an oxidative stressor. Their viabilities were verified by MTT assay and FACS. The activity of glutathione peroxidase was assessed by total glutathione quantification kit. Western blot and semi-quantitative RT-PCR for the catalase, SOD (superoxide dismutase), PI3K and Akt were performed. Functional status of INS-1 cells was tested by GSIS (glucose stimulated insulin secretion). RESULTS: The biological effects of EGCG were different according to its concentrations. 10 micrometer EGCG effectively protected hydrogen peroxide induced damage in INS-1 cells. The expression and the activity of SOD, catalase and the glutathione peroxidase were significantly increased by EGCG. EGCG significantly increased PI3K and Akt activity and its effect was inhibited partially by wortmannin. GSIS was well preserved by EGCG. CONCLUSION: EGCG in low concentration effectively protected INS-1 cells from the oxidative stress through the activation of both antioxidant systems and anti-apoptosis signaling. Further studies will be necessary for the more detailed mechanisms and the clinical implications.
Androstadienes ; Blotting, Western ; Catalase ; Diabetes Complications ; Glutathione ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Insulin ; Insulin-Secreting Cells ; Oxidative Stress ; Tea

Natural resistance-associated macrophage protein 1 (Nramp1) is a genetic locus associated with innate resistance or susceptibility of murine hosts to infection with intracellular pathogens such as Salmonella, Leishmania and Mycobacterium. The human homologue of the Nramp1 gene, designated NRAMP1, has been investigated as a candidate gene for genetic susceptibility to autoimmune diseases as well as infections. This study tries to determine whether NRAMP1 polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis in Koreans. The nine NRAMP1 polymorphisms (1 microsatellite, 1 variation in 3' UTR, 5 silent substitution, 2 amino acid substitution) were typed by PCR-RFLP in 74 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 53 healthy controls in Koreans. The distribution of allele and genotype frequencies were compared between patients and controls. Three NRAMP1 polymorphisms (823C/T, D543N and 1729+55del4) were significantly associated with RA. In addition, there were significant differences in the genotype frequencies for 823C/T, D543N and 1729+ 55del4 polymorphisms between RA patients and controls. Genotypes of A/A homozygote for D543N and TGTG deletion homozygote for 1729+55del4 were only detected in the patient group. These data indicate that genetic polymorphisms of NRAMP1 might be associated with the susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis in Koreans.
Alleles ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/immunology ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/genetics* ; Carrier Proteins/genetics* ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Human ; Immunity, Natural/genetics ; Male ; Membrane Proteins/genetics* ; Middle Age ; Polymorphism (Genetics)*

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of bevacizumab (Avastin; Genentech, San Francisco, CA, USA) on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and inflammation in fibrovascular membranes in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fibrovascular membranes from 19 eyes of 18 patients with PDR were studied using immunohistochemistry and analyzed in the following 3 groups; group 1: 4 inactive PDR eyes, group 2: 10 active PDR eyes treated preoperatively with adjunctive intravitreal bevacizumab, group 3: five active PDR eyes not treated preoperatively with bevacizumab. Immunohistochemical staining for VEGF, CD31 and CD68 were done. RESULTS: The immunoreactivity to VEGF and CD 31-positive blood vessels was significantly higher in membranes from group 3 than group 1 (p = 0.007 for VEGF, 0.013 for CD 31-positive vessels). Intravitreal bevacizumab caused a reduction in VEGF expression and vascular densities in 4 out of 10 (40%) excised membranes from eyes with PDR. However, six membranes (60%) in group 2 still demonstrated relatively strong VEGF expression and high vascular density. Infiltration of macrophages was observed in 16 out of the 19 membranes, and the density of macrophages was increased in group 2 compared with group 1 (p = 0.043). CONCLUSION: Intravitreal bevacizumab injections caused some reduction in VEGF expression and vascular densities in a limited number of active PDR patients. A single intravitreal bevacizumab injection may not be enough to induce complete blockage of VEGF and pathologic neovascularization in active PDR patients. Repeated injections, panretinal photocoagulation and/or PPV may be necessary following intravitreal bevacizumab to reinforce the anti-VEGF effect of the drug.
Adult ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors/*therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Monoclonal/*therapeutic use ; Diabetic Retinopathy/*drug therapy/*metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/*metabolism

BACKGROUND: In order to understand the pathogenesis and symptom development in Alzheimer's disease (AD), we attempted to develop a computer model for memory impairment in this study. METHODS: We made a simple autoassocia-tive memory network, first developed by Hopfield, which remembers numbers or patterns, transformed it into an AD model by pruning synapses, and measured its memory performance as a function of synaptic deletion. RESULTS: Decline in memory performance was measured as amount of synaptic loss increased and its mode of decline varied with different synaptic pruning methods. CONCLUSIONS: The developed computer model demonstrated how synaptic loss could cause memory impairment through a series of computer simulations, and suggested a new way of research in AD.
Alzheimer Disease ; Computer Simulation ; Memory* ; Neural Networks (Computer)* ; Synapses