No abstract available.
Cell Proliferation* ; Cytomegalovirus* ; Humans*

No abstract available.
Cytomegalovirus* ; Humans* ; Methotrexate* ; Papaverine*

No abstract available.
Neurofibromatoses* ; Neurofibromatosis 1* ; Neurofibromin 1 ; Vitiligo*

BACKGROUND: The antinociceptive effect and the potency of systemically administered morphine (micro-agonist), nalbuphine (agonist-antagonist), and ketorolac (cyclooxygenase inhibitor) was examined in rats using the formalin test. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (250~300 g) received intraperitoneal injection of either saline or 3 doses of each test drug (0.3, 1.0, 3.0 mg/kg of morphine, 0.3, 1.0, 3.0 mg/kg of nalbuphine, and 10, 30, 100 mg/kg of ketorolac) 30 minutes prior to formalin injection. 50 microliter of 10% formalin was injected into the dorsal surface of the right hindpaw after 1 minute of 4% halothane induction. The construction of the dose-response curves and the determination of doses producing 50% maximum possible effect (ED50) were computed. RESULTS: Intraperitoneal injection of morphine, nalbuphine and ketorolac resulted in the significant, dose-dependent supression of both phases, but nalbuphine has a ceiling effect at high dose for analgesia at the phase I of the formalin test. The rank order of relative potency in rats to the formalin test was nalbuphine (1.16)>morphine (1)>>ketorolac (0.1) in phase I, morphine (1)>nalbuphine (0.61)>>ketorolac (0.02) in phase IIa, and morphine (1)>nalbuphine (0.57)>>ketorolac (0.03) in phase IIb. CONCLUSION: Comparing the systemic analgesic potency, nalbuphine and ketorolac will be needed in dosages 1.5 and 50 times that of morphine, respectively. These results suggest that ketorolac is not good enough as a single analgesic drug in preemptive analgesia for major surgery.
Analgesia ; Animals ; Formaldehyde* ; Halothane ; Humans ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Ketorolac* ; Male ; Morphine* ; Nalbuphine* ; Pain Measurement* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

PURPOSE: We wanted to describe the MR imaging findings of endometrial cancer in patients with a history of prior radiation therapy for cervical cancer (ECRT) and we compare them to the MR imaging findings of patients with spontaneously occurring endometrial cancer (SEC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two patients with endometrial cancer that was diagnosed by operation or endometrial biopsy were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of past RT for cervical cancer: ECRT (n = 4) and SEC (n = 18). The MR images were retrospectively analyzed by consensus of two experienced radiologists. The MR imaging findings were analyzed by the size, shape and signal intensity of the mass, distension of the uterine cavity, the presence of cervical stenosis and the nature of the fluid collection. RESULTS: For the mass shape, all the ECRT lesions were polypoid masses. However, the SEC patients had 5 polypoid masses and 13 wall thickenings. The maximal diameter, signal intensity and enhancement pattern of the masses were not different between the ECRT and SEC patients. The width of the endometrial cavity varied between 3.9 cm in the ECRT patients and 0.4 cm in the SEC patients (p =0.002). All the ECRT patients had cervical stenosis. However, none of the SEC patients had cervical stenosis. CONCLUSION: MR imaging of ECRT patients demonstrated prominent distension of their uterine cavity and cervical stenosis, which may be the result of radiation fibrosis in the uterus.
Biopsy ; Cervix Uteri* ; Consensus ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Endometrial Neoplasms* ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Radiation Pneumonitis ; Retrospective Studies ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms* ; Uterus

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the number of leiomyoma patients-exposed to bisphenol A (BPA) and to observe whether the serum concentration of BPA is related to leiomyoma growth. METHODS: A total of 158 patients were recruited for this study. Leiomyoma patients were divided into three groups, mild (n = 48), moderate (n = 32) and severe (n = 28), according to the size of leiomyomas. The control (n = 30) group was defined as having no leiomyomas. Transvaginal ultrasonography was used to identify and measure the leiomyomas. Serum BPA concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: BPA was detected in 87.0% out of a total of 158 samples, and in 86.0% out of 108 leiomyoma patients. In detail, the detection rates of serum BPA were 88.0% in the control group, 77.2% in the mild group, 90.0% in the moderate group and 96.0% in the severe group. The mean BPA concentration in the control group was 0.558 +/- 0.097 ng/mL, the leiomyoma groups, the mean BPA concentrations were 0.274 +/- 0.063 ng/mL (mild), 0.346 +/- 0.064 ng/mL (moderate) and 0.647 +/- 0.039 ng/mL (severe) (P = 0.0003). Values represent the mean +/- standard error. CONCLUSION: The detection rates of serum BPA in the control and leiomyoma groups were 88.0% and 86.0%, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in the serum BPA concentrations between the control and leiomyoma groups. To verify the effect of BPA on leiomyoma growth, a close and sequential monitoring is recommended for people who are at risk for uterine leiomyoma.
Endocrine Disruptors ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyoma* ; Ultrasonography ; Uterus

In order to develop questionnaire estimating vinyl chloride monomer(VCM) exposure levels, to reset selection criteria for detailed tests, to measure current VCM exposure levels, to evaluate the mutagenic effects of VCM exposures and to develop multiphasic screening method of PVC- or VCM-handling workers, VCM concentrations of work environments were measured and tentative self-administrative questionnaire, physical examination, sister chromatid exchange(SCE) test and some clinical chemical test were applied to 195 men who had been handling VCM or PVC(Exposed Group) and 37, in the same factories without exposure to VCM or in polyethylene- or polypropylene-related factories(Control Group). Mean VCM concentrations of work environments were 0.268+/-0.183 ppm under PVC synthesis processes, 0.160+/-0.200 ppm under VCM synthesis process, 0.076+/-0.111 ppm under PVC pipe producing processes, 0.090+/-0.108 ppm under PVC wall paper, sheet, or film producing processes, 0.071+/-0.051 ppm under PVC floor producing processes, 0.243+/-0.250 ppm under PVC sash producing processes, and 0.020+/-0.031 ppm under triming process. VCM levels of work environments under manual resin mixing processes (0.209+/-0.168 ppm)were higher than those of the others (0.209+/-0.168 ppm) (p-value<0.05). There was no VCM-related symptoms, the positive response rates of which were higher in the Exposed Group. Overall abnormal rate in clinical chemistry test of the Exposed Group was higher than that of the Control Group, but due to extermely low exposure level of exposure group and to small sample size of the Control Group, no statistical significance was found(p-value>0.05). SCE frequencies of the Exposed Group were significantly higher than those of Contorl Group(p-value<0.05) and those of test-abnormal persons were higher than those of test-normal persons. SCE frequencies linearly increased with not only current but also cumulative VCM exposure levels(p-value<0.05). These results suggest that adverse health effect may ensue from VCM exposure to as low as 1 ppm. But SCE frequencies had no statistically significant correlation with drinking amounts, smoking amoutns, or radiation dose equivalents. Questionnaire was revised by referring to these results and formula estimating cumulative VCM exposure levels based on occupational history in questionnaire were made. In addition, were presented methods evaluating work environments and multiphasic screening test for PVC workers.
Chromatids ; Clinical Chemistry Tests ; Drinking ; Humans ; Male ; Multiphasic Screening* ; Patient Selection ; Physical Examination ; Polyvinyl Chloride* ; Polyvinyls* ; Questionnaires ; Sample Size ; Siblings ; Sister Chromatid Exchange ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Vinyl Chloride*

No abstract available.
Antibodies, Monoclonal* ; Humans* ; Interleukins*

BACKGROUND: Isobaric bupivacaine has same baricity as cerebrospinal fluid and therefore, so it remains at the level of injection. But, the risk of high spinal anesthesia exist, because increased intrathecal pressure is possible in prone position as isobaric bupivacaine has mild hypobaricity at body temperature but is isobaric at room temperature. So, we studied the influence of the position of the blockade of spinal anesthesia in isobaric spinal anesthesia. METHODS: We studied 26 patients undergoing elective surgery for which spinal anesthesia was considered appropriate. One group (the P group) were scheduled for surgery in the prone position with a frame (n = 13), the second group (the S group) were scheduled for surgery in the supine position (n = 13). Patients were injected with 12 mg of 0.5% isobaric bupivacaine at L3-4 in the lateral decubitus position with a 22 G spinal needle at the rate of 0.2 ml/sec. We then assessed anesthetic blockade level, heart rate, and blood pressure. RESULTS: The height of the sensory block in the prone position group was at the 10th thoracic dermatome, whereas in the supine position this was at the 8th thoracic dermatome at 15 minutes. There was a little difference between the two groups, but this was insignificant statistically. CONCLUSIONS: Both the supine and the prone positions are suitable for isobaric spinal anesthesia with bupivacaine. Isobaric spinal anesthesia in the prone position with a frame is as safe as in the supine position. Spinal anesthesia with isobaric bupivacaine is considered to have a low risk of high spinal anesthesia and a low complication level in the prone position with a frame, as for the supine position.
Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Blood Pressure ; Body Temperature ; Bupivacaine* ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Needles ; Prone Position* ; Supine Position

PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate the changes in the IL-1beta and the IL-6 concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) after initial successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), to examine the difference in the IL-1beta and the IL-6 concentrations in CSF between the cerebral performance category (CPC) 1-2 group and CPC 3-5 group after successful CPR, and to identify early makers predicting the outcome after successful CPR. METHODS: We studied prospectively 10 patients with spontaneous circulation after CPR. Samples of CSF were taken at 20 min, 4 hr, 24 hr, and 48 hr after restoration of spontaneous circulation. The control group was consisted of the nonspecific 6 patients in brain computed tomography and CSF finding among the visited patients in emergency department with complaints of headache. The CSF IL-1beta and IL-6 were measured by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: 1) The concentrations of CSF IL-6 for CPC 3-5 were higher in the successful CPR group than in the control group. 2) In the severely neurologically disabled group (CPC 3-5), the concentrations of CSF IL-6 were significantly higher at 20 min 4 hr, 24 hr and 48 hr after successful CPR than they were in the mildly neurologically disabled group(CPC 1-2). 3) The concentrations of CSF IL-6 in the severely neurologically disabled group (CPC 3-5) reached peak levels at 24 hours after successful CPR. 4) The concentrations of CSF IL-1beta did not differ between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that CSF IL-6 is increased more in the severely neurologically disabled group (CPC 3-5) than it is in the mildly neurologically disabled group (CPC 1-2) after successful CPR. We found a significant relationship between the concentration of CSF IL-6 and initial outcome for the CPR patient. Thus, we suggest that CSF IL-6 might play a role in brain ischemic-reperfusion injury and might be used as a prognostic marker after successful CPR.
Brain ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Headache ; Heart Arrest* ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain* ; Interleukin-1beta ; Interleukin-6 ; Prospective Studies