Backgroand: In our previous study, it was demonstrated that estradiol-dependent prostaglandin synthesis may be mediated by cAMP elevation during the process of iplantation in rats. The present study was undertaken to investigate if estradio1, a hydrophobic molecule could interact with uterine plasma membrane, thereby influencing adenylate cyclase and cAMP. Methods: The specific binding of [3H]estradiol to plasma membrane prepared from rat uterus has been identified and characterized. Results: The association of [3H]estradiol to plasma membrane preparations reached equilibrium at 24 hrs. [3H]estradiol binding was directly proportional to the concentration of plasma membrane preparations and its binding was temperature-sensitive. This binding was saturable, reversible and binding site was one type with high affinity(Kd=0.16+0.03 nM) and high binding capacity(Bmax= 2.03 + 0.38pmol/mg protein). The dissociation constant was estimated as 1.6*10(-10)M. In a competition assay, binding was specific for estrogenic compounds. When 100% specific binding was detennined in the presence of 3*10(-6) M diethylstilbestrol, 17B-estradiol and tamoxifen displaced specific binding by 115% and 23%, respectively. Neither progesterone nor cortisol at 500-fold excess displaced the specific binding. Conclusion: These data suggest the presence of specific binding sites on the plasma membrane for estradiol in the rat uterus.
Adenylyl Cyclases ; Animals ; Binding Sites ; Cell Membrane ; Diethylstilbestrol ; Estradiol ; Estrogens ; Hydrocortisone ; Membranes ; Progesterone ; Rats ; Signal Transduction ; Tamoxifen ; Uterus

PURPOSE: The purpose of this retrospective study was to identify factors predictive of survival in rectal cancer patients who received surgery with curative intent after preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between July 1996 and June 2010, 104 patients underwent surgery for rectal cancer after preoperative CRT. The median dose of radiotherapy was 50.4 Gy (range, 43.2 to 54.4 Gy) for 6 weeks. Chemotherapy was a bolus injection of 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin for the first and last week of radiotherapy (n=84, 77.1%) or capecitabine administered daily during radiotherapy (n=17, 16.3%). Low anterior resection (n=86, 82.7%) or abdominoperineal resection (n=18, 17.3%) was performed at a median 47 days from the end of radiotherapy, and four cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy was administered. The serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level was checked at initial diagnosis and just before surgery. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 48 months (range, 9 to 174 months), 5-year disease free survival (DFS) was 74.5% and 5-year overall survival (OS) was 86.4%. Down staging of T diagnoses occurred in 32 patients (30.8%) and of N diagnoses in 40 patients (38.5%). The CEA change from initial diagnosis to pre-surgery (high-high vs. high-normal vs. normal-normal) was a statistically significant prognostic factor for DFS (p=0.012), OS (p=0.002), and distant metastasis free survival (p=0.018) in a multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Patients who achieve normal CEA level by the time of surgery have a more favorable outcome than those who retain a high CEA level after preoperative CRT. The normalization of CEA levels can provide important information about the prognosis in rectal cancer treatment.
Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Deoxycytidine ; Disease-Free Survival ; Fluorouracil ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leucovorin ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Retrospective Studies ; Capecitabine

Succinylcholine(SCC) is well known to elevate the serum potassium level and to threaten life in some cases. In order to minimize the elevation of serum potassium following SCC, several attempts have been made such as SCC tamming and pretreatment with pancuronium or lidocaine or diazepam. Our study was undertaken to evaluate the change of serum potassium following induction in 60 patients divided into 7 different groups; group l. SCC 1mg/kg; group ll. SCC 2 mg/kg, grouplll, SCC 1mg/kg after SCC 10mg; group IV, SCC 1mg/kg after pancuronium 0.015mg/kg, group V. Pnacuronium 0.1mg/kg; group VI, SCC 1mg/kg after Lidocaine 1mg/kg; grou VII, SCC 1mg/kg after Diazepam 0.2mg/kg. The results were as follows: 1) Serum potassium were increased 0.14mEq/L in group l and 0.17 mEq/L in group ll. 2) Serum potassium were decreased in group lll, VI and VII than their control values but they were not statistically significant. 3) The decrease in serum potassium was most significant in group IV and V.
Calcium ; Diazepam ; Humans ; Lidocaine ; Pancuronium ; Potassium ; Succinylcholine

Familial benign chronic pemphigua is a rare disease characterized by a localized recurrent eruption of grouped vesicles and exudative lesions involving the neck, groin, axillae and intertriginous areas. There are no systemic manifestations but chronicity and pruritic lesions creates a significant social and psychological handicap to those afflicted. We presented a case of familial benign chronic pemphigus in a 39 years old man He has had recurrent vesicles, fissures and crust formation in inguinal area for 10 years. Light microscopic findings showed suprabasal vesiculation with acantholysis and villi formation. And electron-microscopic findings showed as follows: Bizzare microvilli changes with widened intercellular spaces, followed by loss of desmosome and complete acantholysis. Tonofilament-desmosome complex is disrupted. Many of acantholytic cells are associated with abnormal keratinization which is repreaented by perinuclear thickened bundles of tonofilament arranged in whorls or lumps. Authors diagnosed with clinical symptoms, light and electron-microscopic findings as Hailey-Hailey disease. The lesions were improved by systemic antibiotics and steroid with cold soaking.
Acantholysis ; Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Axilla ; Desmosomes ; Extracellular Space ; Groin ; Humans ; Intermediate Filaments ; Microvilli ; Neck ; Pemphigus, Benign Familial* ; Rare Diseases

BACKGROUND: It is important to avoid the direct contact with water of detergents as possible for the treatment and prevention of hand eczema. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the protective effect of skin protector, Marly skin on housewifes eczema, METHODS: The patients with hand eczema apply skin protector, Maly skin, four times a day on their both hands. They are evaluated with the scores of subjective symptor is(itch, dryness, smarting) and objective signs(erythema, scaling, fissures), and skin replica which are taken from the specified site are analysed by using an image analyser and, scanning electron micrascipe. RESULTS: 4 weeks after application of skin protector, there are statstically significant decrease of total clinical symptom scores. Scanning electron microscopic findings of the skin replicas show marked changes between the beginning and the end of the study. On quantive image analysis of the skin replicas, the length of fissure is a little decreased and the depth of rrows is slightly increased than before application of skin protector, but these are not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Skin protector, Marly skin, has a protective effect on the development of hand eczema.
Detergents ; Eczema* ; Hand ; Humans ; Mali ; Skin

Graves disease occur in association with myasthenia gravis is rare. We report a case of Graves disease and myasthenia gravis treated by bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy and total thymectomy simultaneously. A 37 year old woman was admitted with anterior neck mass and ptosis. Various examinations were compatible with combined Graves disease and myasthenia gravis. The bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy and total thymectomy were done simultaneously. The pathologic diagnosis was Graves disease and thymic hyperplasia. The patients postoperative course was uneventful. The thyroid function of patient became euthyroid and the clinical symptoms related with myastenia gravis resolved during follow up period.
Adult ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Graves Disease* ; Humans ; Myasthenia Gravis* ; Neck ; Thymectomy* ; Thymus Hyperplasia ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroidectomy*

No abstract available.
Estrogens* ; Humans* ; Pituitary Neoplasms* ; Receptors, Estrogen*

PURPOSE: Sexual differences in the incidence and crystalline composition of urinary stones in humans are well-known, but it is unclear why men have a higher incidence of calcium oxalate stones than women. We investigated the effects of sex hormones on stone formation using an ethylene glycol (EG)-induced urolithiasis model in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 13 groups of 10 each, segregated by sex. Two groups of rats were untreated to serve as male and female controls. The other 11 groups were fed a 1% EG lithogenic diet for 4 weeks. Among these, 2 groups were males and females otherwise not treated; two groups were neutered with bilateral orchiectomies or oophorectomies as appropriate; two groups were neutered and received subcutaneous testosterone; 2 groups were neutered and received subcutaneous estradiol; 2 groups were intact males and females administered the opposite sex hormone; and 1 group was intact males given finasteride orally. Serum testosterone, estrogen, creatinine, electrolytes, 24-hour urine levels of oxalate and citrate, and creatinine clearance were measured. The crystal deposits were examined by light and polarizing microscopes. RESULTS: Exogenous testosterone promoted, whereas estrogen inhibited, calcium oxalate stone formation in EG-treated rats. Finasteride administration significantly decreased urinary oxalate excretion and calcium oxalate deposition, compared with controls. Urinary citrate was significantly decreased in EG-treated female rats, but was not influenced by neutering and/or exogenous sex hormones in either sex. There were no significant differences in serum concentrations of creatinine, sodium, or potassium among the control and experimental groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that testosterone promotes and estrogen inhibits calcium oxalate stone formation, and that dihydrotestosterone may be partially responsible for the exaggerated hyperoxaluria in EG-treated rats. Additionally, sex hormones have a lesser influence on urinary citrate than oxalate.
Adult ; Animals ; Calcium Oxalate* ; Calcium* ; Citric Acid ; Creatinine ; Crystallins ; Diet ; Dihydrotestosterone ; Electrolytes ; Estradiol ; Estrogens ; Ethylene Glycol ; Female ; Finasteride ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones* ; Humans ; Hyperoxaluria ; Incidence ; Male ; Nephrolithiasis* ; Orchiectomy ; Ovariectomy ; Potassium ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium ; Testosterone ; Urinary Calculi ; Urolithiasis

The purpose of this study was to compare smoking control strategies between Korea and the United States. Korea and other developing countries may learn from the experience of the United States in dealing with the growing epidemic of cigarettes. In particular, smoking control objectives, structures, laws and regulations, funds, programs and activities, research, and surveillance systems were compared. The comparison was conducted at the federal, states/provincial, and county levels of the two countries. The data were collected through various governmental websites, contact with people directly, and a literature review. Based on the comparison, seven recommendations for smoking control strategies were made primarily for Korea.
Cross-Cultural Comparison ; Federal Government ; Financing, Government/organization & administration ; Government Programs/*organization & administration ; Government Regulation ; Health Education/organization & administration ; Health Policy/legislation & jurisprudence ; Health Priorities/organization & administration ; Health Promotion/*organization & administration ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Local Government ; Population Surveillance ; *Public Health Practice/economics/legislation & jurisprudence ; Research Support as Topic/organization & administration ; Smoking/epidemiology/*legislation & jurisprudence/*prevention & control ; Smoking Cessation/legislation & jurisprudence/methods ; State Government ; United States/epidemiology

PURPOSE: The size of the burden placed on all concerned, the chronicity of the disorder, and the importance of patient compliance in optimal management make asthma an excellent target for the development of patient education programs. Despite the usefulness and the need of the asthma education programs, there is no asthma education programs developed in Korea. In order to develop the education programs for childhood asthma, we offer a model for educating parents, as the first step. METHODS: Most1y, adult education programs consist of 3 components-planning, implication, evaluation. At first, we are going to p1an the asthma education programs for parents of the patients. 2O Volunteers in mothers will be gathered in one c1ass. The curiculum is made of four 1-hour sessions. During the each session, mothers wi1l be taught about the asthma, discuss the shared experiences and practice the skins. RESULTS: This model consists of 4 sessions such as the definition of asthma, the treatment-medicines and correct use of inhalation devices, prevention and the management of acute episodes. CONCLUSIONS: Use of this education model wi1l achieve better control of childhood asthma by leading the parents and patients to participate actively in their asthma treatment. The effects of this program will be assessed by a formal objective evaluation using a pretest, posttest experimental research design.
Adult ; Asthma* ; Education* ; Humans ; Korea ; Mothers ; Nebulizers and Vaporizers ; Parents ; Patient Compliance ; Patient Education as Topic ; Research Design ; Skin ; Volunteers