• BMB Reports
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2014

Atherosclerosis is a pathologic process occurring within the artery, in which many cell types, including T cell, macrophages, endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells, interact, and cause chronic inflammation, in response to various inner- or outer-cellular stimuli. Atherosclerosis is characterized by a complex interaction of inflammation, lipid deposition, vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, endothelial dysfunction, and extracellular matrix remodeling, which will result in the formation of an intimal plaque. Although the regulation and function of vascular smooth muscle cells are important in the progression of atherosclerosis, the roles of smooth muscle cells in regulating vascular inflammation are rarely focused upon, compared to those of endothelial cells or inflammatory cells. Therefore, in this review, we will discuss here how smooth muscle cells contribute or regulate the inflammatory reaction in the progression of atherosclerosis, especially in the context of the activation of various membrane receptors, and how they may regulate vascular inflammation.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.166-169
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• 1997

The nutcracker syndorme refers to compression of the left renal vein between the aorta and the superior mesentric artery which results in renal vein, left gonadal vein varices, hematuria and left sided flank pain. We report this experience of 11yr-11mon of girl has typical Nutcracker syndrome with persistent proteinuria and without typical hematuria. According to the renal biopsy for persistent proteinuria, biopsy shows pathologic findings similar to minimal change nephrotic syndrome. All symtpoms relieved without any specific treatments but she had no response to steroid treatment for persistent proteinuria. Now she was followed up through OPD base without symptom and consideration of surgical intervention.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.72-76
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• 1997

Myasthenia gravis is relatively rare disease which is related autoimmune response. There are various methods of management for myasthenia gravis, but nowaday radical thymectomy is the treatment of choice in the aspect of bringing out complete remission and clinical improvement. Sixteen patients of myasthenia gratis underwent radical thymectomy during last eight years, and its result was analysed. Complete rem ssion was achieved in five patients (31 %) and pharmacological or symptomatic improvement in seven patients (44%), thus giving a total remission in 12 patients (75%). Postoperative result was not correlated with age, sex, degree of preoperative symptom, surgical approach, pathologic diagnosis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.3
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• pp.753-753
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• 2020

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.208-216
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• 2017

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of simultaneous integrated boost intensity-modulated radiotherapy (SIB-IMRT) for preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy (PCRT) in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), by comparing with 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT). Materials and Methods: Patients who were treated with PCRT for LARC from 2015 January to 2016 December were retrospectively enrolled. Total doses of 45 Gy to 50.4 Gy with 3D-CRT or SIB-IMRT were administered concomitantly with 5-fluorouracil plus leucovorin or capecitabine. Surgery was performed 8 weeks after PCRT. Between PCRT and surgery, one cycle of additional chemotherapy was administered. Pathologic tumor responses were compared between SIB-IMRT and 3D-CRT groups. Acute gastrointestinal, genitourinary, hematologic, and skin toxicities were compared between the two groups based on the RTOG toxicity criteria. Results: SIB-IMRT was used in 53 patients, and 3D-CRT in 41 patients. After PCRT, no significant differences were noted in tumor responses, pathologic complete response (9% vs. 7%; p = 1.000), pathologic tumor regression Grade 3 or higher (85% vs. 71%; p = 0.096), and R0 resection (87% vs. 85%; p = 0.843). Grade 2 genitourinary toxicities were significantly lesser in the SIB-IMRT group (8% vs. 24%; p = 0.023), but gastrointestinal toxicities were not different across the two groups. Conclusion: SIB-IMRT showed lower GU toxicity and similar tumor responses when compared with 3D-CRT in PCRT for LARC.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.407-413
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• 2017

Vascular reactivity can be influenced by the vascular region, animal age, and pathologies present. Prostaglandins (produced by COX-1 and COX-2) play an important role in the contractile response to phenylephrine in the abdominal aorta of young rats. Although these COXs are found in many tissues, their distribution and role in vascular reactivity are not clear. At a vascular level, they take part in the homeostasis functions involved in many physiological and pathologic processes (e.g., arterial pressure and inflammatory processes). The aim of this study was to analyze changes in the contractile response to phenylephrine of thoracic/abdominal aorta and the coronary artery during aging in rats. Three groups of rats were formed and sacrificed at three distinct ages: prepubescent, young and old adult. The results suggest that there is a higher participation of prostanoids in the contractile effect of phenylephrine in pre-pubescent rats, and a lower participation of the same in old rats. Contrarily, there seems to be a higher participation of prostanoids in the contractile response of the coronary artery of older than pre-pubescent rats. Considering that the changes in the expression of COX-2 were similar for the three age groups and the two tissues tested, and that expression of COX-1 is apparently greater in older rats, COX-1 and COX-2 may lose functionality in relation to their corresponding receptors during aging in rats.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.2
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• pp.428-435
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• 2020

Herein, we report a case of synchronous bilateral triple negative invasive ductal breast carcinoma in a patient with discrepant pathologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Right and left breast cancer stages at the initial diagnosis were T1cN0M0 and T4dN3aM0, respectively. The patient was identified as a BRCA1 mutation carrier and treated with four cycles of adriamycin and cyclophosphamide, followed by four cycles of docetaxel. Bilateral breast cancer stages decreased with the first regimen. However, the bilateral breast cancers showed discrepant responses to chemotherapy with docetaxel. The right breast cancer showed a continuous tumor volume reduction while the left breast cancer showed marked progression. Finally, the tumor size was 0.3 cm and 12 cm in the right and left mastectomy specimens, respectively. As bilateral breast cancers of the same subtype may show discrepant responses to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, close monitoring and follow-up imaging are required to avoid delayed surgery.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.233-241
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• 1995

Purpose : To analyse clinical outcome and prognostic factors according to treatment modality, this paper report our experience of retrospective study of patients with esophageal cancer Materials and Methods : One hundred and ten patients with primary esophageal cancer who were treated in Presbyterian Medical Center from May 1985 to December 1992. We analysed these patients retrospectively with median follow up time of 28 months, one hundred and four patients($95{\%}$) were followed up from 15 to 69 months. In methods, twenty-eight patients were treated with median radiation dose irradiated 54.3Gy only. Fifty-six patients were treated with combined chemoradiotherapy. Sixteen cases of these patients were treated with concurrent chemoradiation and the other patients(forty cases) were treated sequential chemoradiotherapy. In concurrent chemoradiotherapy group, patients received 5-FU continuous IV infusion for 4 days. Cisplatin IV bolus. and concurrent esophageal irradiation to 30 Gy. After that patients received 5-FU continuous IV, Cisplatin bolus injection and Mitomycin-C bolus IV, Bleomycin continuous IV, and irradiation to 20 Gy. In sequential chemoradiotherapy group, the chemotherapy consisted of 5-FU 1,000mg/$m^2$ administered as a continuous 24 hour intravenous infusion during five days and Cisplatin 80-100mg/$m^2$ bolus injected, or Bleomycin, Vinblastine, Cisplatin, Methotrexate were used of 1 or 2 cycles. After preoperative concurrentm chemoradiation twenty-six patients underwent radical esophagectomy. Results : Ninety-three patients could be examined for response assessment, By treatment modality, response rates were $85.1{\%}$ for radiation alone group and $86.3{\%}$ for combined chemoradiation group. But in operation group, after one cycle of concurrent chemoradiation treatment, response rate was $61.9{\%}$. The pathologic complete response were $15.4{\%}$ in operation group. Overall median survival was II months and actuarial 5-year survival rate was $8{\%}$. The median survival interval was 6 months for radiation alone group, 11 months for combined chemoradiation group and 19 months for operation group. And also median survival was 19 months for complete responder group that 8 months for noncomplete responder group. In univariative analysis, statistically significant prognostic factors were tumor size, clinical stage, tumor response, and operation. In multivariative analysis, significantly better survival was associated with clinical stage, tumor response, radiation dose, and operation. Conclusion : Compared with radiotherapy alone, combined multimodality may improve the median survival in patients with localized carcinoma of the esophagus and toxicity is acceptable.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.812-828
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• 2020

Objective: To provide an evidence-based guide for the MRI interpretation of complete tumor response after neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (CRT) for rectal cancer using visual assessment on T2-weighted imaging (T2) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). Materials and Methods: PubMed MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched on November 28, 2019 to identify articles on the following issues: 1) sensitivity and specificity of T2 or DWI for diagnosing pathologic complete response (pCR) and the criteria for MRI diagnosis; 2) MRI alone vs. MRI combined with other test(s) in sensitivity and specificity for pCR; and 3) tests to select patients for the watch-and-wait management. Eligible articles were selected according to meticulous criteria and were synthesized. Results: Of 1615 article candidates, 55 eligible articles (for all three issues combined) were identified. Combined T2 and DWI performed better than T2 alone, with a meta-analytic summary sensitivity of 0.62 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43-0.77; I² = 80.60) and summary specificity of 0.89 (95% CI, 0.80-0.94; I² = 92.61) for diagnosing pCR. The criteria for the complete response on T2 in most studies had the commonality of remarkable tumor decrease to the absence of mass-like or nodular intermediate signal, although somewhat varied, as follows: (near) normalization of the wall; regular, thin, hypointense scar in the luminal side with (near) normal-appearance or homogeneous intermediate signal in the underlying wall; and hypointense thickening of the wall. The criteria on DWI were the absence of a hyperintense signal at high b-value (≥ 800 sec/mm²) in most studies. The specific algorithm to combine T2 and DWI was obscure in half of the studies. MRI combined with endoscopy was the most utilized means to select patients for the watch-and-wait management despite a lack of strong evidence to guide and support a multi-test approach. Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis provide an evidence-based practical guide for MRI assessment of complete tumor response after CRT for rectal cancer.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.386-398
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• 2020

Tissue fibrosis is an eventual pathologic change of numerous chronic illnesses, which is characterized by resident fibroblasts differentiation into myofibroblasts during inflammation, coupled with excessive extracellular matrix deposition in tissues, ultimately leading to failure of normal organ function. Now, there are many mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of tissue fibrosis, which facilitate the discovery of effective antifibrotic drugs. Moreover, many chronic diseases remain a significant clinical unmet need. For the past five years, many research works have undoubtedly addressed the functional dependency of ginsenosides in different types of fibrosis and the successful remission in various animal models treated with ginsenosides. Caveolin-1, interleukin, thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), liver X receptors (LXRs), Nrf2, microRNA-27b, PPARδ-STAT3, liver kinase B1 (LKB1)-AMPK, and TGF-β1/Smads are potential therapy targeting using ginsenosides. Ginsenosides can play a targeting role and suppress chronic inflammatory response, collagen deposition, and epitheliale-mesenchymal transition (EMT), as well as myofibroblast activation to attenuate fibrosis. In this report, our aim was to focus on the therapeutic prospects of ginsenosides in fibrosis-related human diseases making use of results acquired from various animal models. These findings should provide important therapeutic clues and strategies for the exploration of new drugs for fibrosis treatment.