Struma ovarii showing clinical characteristics of ovarian malignancy

Struma ovarii is a rare form of ovarian neoplasm, composed entirely or predominantly of thyroid tissue and generally a benign germ cell tumor of the ovary. Ascites have been reported in approximately 15-20% of all cases. However, the combination of struma ovarii and elevated CA125 has rarely been reported. We experienced a rare case of a postmenopausal woman with benign struma ovarii associated with massive ascites, a complex pelvic mass. There was marked elevation of her CA125 level. The clinical impression was ovarian malignancy. Surgical excision of the ovarian mass induced immediate resolution of the ascites and a normalization of the serum CA125 level. No recurrence of the ascites or of the tumor has been observed during the 10-month follow-up. Struma ovarii can mimic ovarian malignancy clinically, particularly if complex and associated with ascites and an elevated CA125 level.     

IL-12对支气管哮喘小鼠Th2免疫应答的影响

目的　哮喘是Th2细胞介导的气道慢性非特异性炎症。IL 12在抗原致敏阶段可有效抑制Th2免 疫应答形成,而对已产生的Th2免疫应答是否同样具有抑制作用尚有争议。本研究探讨IL 12对哮喘时已产生的 Th2免疫应答的影响,为临床应用提供可靠的理论依据。方法　实验一:取25只6～8周雌性BALB/c小鼠,腹腔 注射鸡卵清蛋白(OVA)和氢氧化铝致敏。于致敏前、致敏后第7,14,21,28天,各取处死5只检测脾脏单个核细胞 培养上清液中的Th2类细胞因子IL 4和IL 5水平,观察Th2免疫反应形成情况。实验二:另取40只相同小鼠随机 分为哮喘组(n=20)和IL 12治疗组(n=20),均腹腔注射鸡卵清蛋白(OVA)和氢氧化铝致敏后雾化吸入OVA诱 发哮喘。IL 12治疗组在致敏后25d开始连续5d腹腔内注射0.5μg(1mL)重组IL 12,哮喘组仅注射PBS。两组 均在最后1次诱发后(致敏后30d)处死,取支气管肺泡灌洗液(BALF)和脾脏单个核细胞培养上清液检测Th2类 细胞因子IL 4、IL 5和Th1类细胞因子IFN γ水平(ELISA法)。结果　实验一:小鼠在致敏后14d脾脏单个核细 胞分泌IL 4和IL 5明显增高,说明小鼠致敏后第14天已形成Th2免疫应答。实验二:与哮喘组比较,IL 12治疗组 BALF中IL 4(192±19pg/mLvs19±5pg/mL)和IL 5浓度(328±71pg/mLvs141±15pg/mL     

对脾生理功能的东西医学比较研究

主要从东洋医学和西洋医学角度,对脾脏的生理功能进行了比较研究。1)“脾主运化”功能,类似于西洋医学中胰脏的外分泌功能所起的消化作用。“脾在液为涎”功能,可以认为与西洋医学中唾液含有的消化酶amylase和ptyalin对淀粉所起的消化作用,在功能作用上和胰脏的消化功能,在某种程度上相类似。2)“脾主统血”功能,与西洋医学中认为的脾脏(spleen)贮藏循环血液中1/3以上血小板,并参与止血机制的作用,在某种程度上相类似。3)“脾主肌肉及四肢”的观点,和饮食物在胰脏的外分泌功能作用下被充分消化吸收,把营养素供给全身是人体维持正常生理功能的作用,有一定关系。4)“脾主升清”,“脾在志为思”,“脾在窍为口,其华在唇”等观点,与西洋医学的胰脏或脾脏没有直接关系。     

病毒序列促转基因在斑马鱼胚胎发育过程中的高效表达

目的探讨转基因在斑马鱼胚胎发育过程中高效表达的有效途径和手段。方法以增强处理的绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)作为报告基因,在表达质粒的两翼连接构建腺关联病毒(adeno-assoc iated virus,AAV)来源的病毒性反转末端重复序列(inverted term inal repeats,ITR s),以显微注射方式注入斑马鱼受精卵的单一细胞和双细胞时相。结果病毒序列中的ITR s可使转基因表达效率达到33.0%,远远高于未与病毒序列结合的质粒。结论源于病毒的ITR s可显著促进转基因在斑马鱼胚胎发育过程中的表达。     

Stimulation Hierarchy: Optimal Sequence for Double and Triple Extrastimuli During Electrophysiological Studies

To determine the optimal ventricular stimulation sequence, an 11-step programmed electrical stimulation (PES) protocol was completed, even if a ventricular arrhythmia (VA) was induced with earlier steps. The protocol consisted of one, two, and three extrastimuli during sinus rhythm (SR), and at two drive pacing rates (VP1 and VP2) plus rapid burst and ramp pacing. By analyzing the 79 completed protocols that induced the clinical arrhythmia, the following were determined: (1) the frequency of induced clinical and nonclinical VA with each stimulation step; (2) the yield ratio (YR) of each step, defined as the probability of inducing clinical versus nonclinical arrhythmia; (3) the cumulative yield of induced clinical and nonclinical arrhythmia with two widely used stimulation sequences, i.e., triple extrastimuli delivered early in the stimulation protocol (MMC sequence) and triple extrastimuli delayed until after double extrastimuli failed to induce the clinical arrhythmia (B sequence); (4) the relative efficiency of these sequences were determined. The percentage of induced clinical and nonclinical arrhythmia with SR + 3 extrastimuli, VP1 + 2 extrastimuli, and VP2 + 2 extrastimuli were (53%, 5%), (36%, 5%), and (41%, 9%), respectively. The cumulative yield of induced clinical VA with the MMC-type sequence reached 55% by the third step of the protocol, whereas 50% was attained only at the eighth step of the B-type sequence. The cumulative percentage of induced nonclinical VA with either sequence was similar during the early steps of the protocol. The MMC sequence was more efficient, requiring overall 36% of potential steps for clinical arrhythmia induction, compared with 48% for the B sequence (P less than 0.001). For questionable arrhythmia states, e.g., syncope of unknown origin and nonsustained VT, a modified sequence is proposed that may further reduce the induction of uninterpretable arrhythmias.     

Treatment of Vascular Skin Lesions with the Variable Pulse 595 nm Pulsed Dye Laser

BACKGROUND: In the dermatology field, variable-pulse 595 nm pulsed dye lasers (PDLs) are now being widely used to treat vascular skin lesions. However, there is little information available on variable-pulse 595 nm PDL treatment of dark-skinned patients. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcome of variable-pulse 595 nm PDL treatment on Korean patients. METHOD: Two hundred thirty-nine patients (Fitzpatrick skin phototypes III to V) with vascular skin lesions, such as nevus flammeus, telangiectasia, or hemangioma, were included in this study. All patients were treated with a variable-pulse 595 nm PDL, and the outcomes were assessed by comparing preoperative and postoperative photographs. RESULTS: The average number of treatments per patient was 4.29, and 51.9% of patients showed a good (51-75% clearance) to excellent (76-100% clearance) response. For nevus flammeus, 48.0% of the patients achieved good to excellent results. The gender and age of the patients did not influence the clinical response; however, lesions of the head and neck were found to respond more favorably to treatment. For telangiectasia, 78.0% of patients showed good to excellent results, and, again, the gender and age of the patients did not alter the treatment outcome. For hemangioma, the male to female ratio of patients was 1.0:3.1 and 54.1% of the patients achieved a good to excellent response. Superficial hemangioma showed a better clinical response than deep hemangioma, and the lesions of younger patients responded more favorably than those of older patients. CONCLUSION: The variable-pulse 595 nm PDL was found to be effective for treating several vascular skin lesions in dark-skinned patients. However, there were differences in treatment outcome owing to disease, age, and the location of the lesions.     

Impact of childhood cancer on religious life of Korean families

This paper reports on the social and personal relevance of religious faith entering into the situation of family stress due to the illness of a child with cancer. The expectations of religious faith may include, objectively, the actual physical healing of the child or the determination of the child's fate; it may include, subjectively, the hope for emotional support, the provision of moral guidance in time of difficulty, or an overarching life-view. There were major religious changes in 20% of the families. While all the major religious faiths in South Korea were represented in the study, 61% of the sample identified Christianity as their primary religious response.