Biomedical subjects

Y C Kim

Publications and source records attributed to Y C Kim.

315 records · Page 18Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison between high and low molecular weight hyaluronates in knee osteoarthritis patients: open-label, randomized, multicentre clinical trial.

Efficacy and safety of high and low molecular weight hyaluronates in knee osteoarthritis patients were compared in a randomized, open-label trial. Patients in the high molecular weight hyaluronate group were treated once weekly for 3 weeks and in the low molecular weight group once weekly for 5 weeks. We evaluated weight-bearing pain, degree of flexion, swelling and knee tenderness; frequency and amount of rescue medication; patient and investigator global assessment of pain, and safety over 12 weeks after final injection of study medication. Significant improvements in pain and WOMAC-Likert scores were observed in both groups, but not between groups. Knee joint pain improvement was noted in both groups by patients and investigators during follow-up. Close correlation was observed between patient- and investigator-reported data. There was no significant difference in side-effects between the groups. In conclusion, the efficacy and safety of high and low molecular weight hyaluronate are similar.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Efficacy of pulsed electromagnetic therapy for chronic lower back pain: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial studied the effectiveness of pulsed electromagnetic therapy (PEMT) in patients with chronic lower back pain. Active PEMT (n = 17) or placebo treatment (n = 19) was performed three times a week for 3 weeks. Patients were assessed using a numerical rating scale (NRS) and revised Oswestry disability scores for 4 weeks after therapy. PEMT produced significant pain reduction throughout the observation period compared with baseline values. The percentage change in the NRS score from baseline was significantly greater in the PEMT group than the placebo group at all three time-points measured. The mean revised Oswestry disability percentage after 4 weeks was significantly improved from the baseline value in the PEMT group, whereas there were no significant differences in the placebo group. In conclusion, PEMT reduced pain and disability and appears to be a potentially useful therapeutic tool for the conservative management of chronic lower back pain.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Influence of extracellular Na+ removal on cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in smooth muscle cells of rabbit cerebral artery.

There are some controversies over the contribution of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) to the regulation of cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c) in smooth muscle. To prove the functional role of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, we examined whether the removal of extracelluar Na+ could affect [Ca2+]c of rabbit cerebral arterial smooth muscle. The fluorescence ratio of fura-2 (R(340/380)) was measured in the single myocyte of rabbit middle cerebral artery and Na+ was substituted with the same concentration of NMDG+ or Li+. In 21 out of 230 cells tested, Na+ removal increased R(340,380) (deltaR(340/380)) by 115 +/- 16.5% of the deltaR(340/380) induced by 10 mM caffeine in the same cell. The Na+ removal-induced deltaR(340/380) was blocked by a selective inhibitor of cardiac type NCX exchanger (KB-R7943, (2-[2-[4-(4-nitrobenzyloxy)phenyl]ethyl]isothiourea, 10 microM). In those cells where the Na+ removal by itself did not increase R(340/380), the caffeine-induced deltaR(340/380) was increased by Na+-removal (130 +/- 9.8% of control response, n=30). Under the whole-cell patch clamp condition, short application of caffeine induced transient increase of outward current (I(K,Ca)-transient) which reflect the change of subsarcolemmal [Ca2+]. The application of KB-R7943 increased the amplitude of I(K,Ca)-transient (n=4). These results suggest the functional existence of NCX in rabbit cerebral artery smooth muscle.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Skin involvement in Hodgkin's disease: a case report.

Skin involvement of Hodgkin's disease, which typically occurs in the advanced stage, is rare and is associated with a poor prognosis. We report a case of Hodgkin's disease which recurred solely in the skin and followed a favorable clinical course. A 44-year-old Japanese man was diagnosed as having a mediastinal Hodgkin's disease in January 1983. After a complete remission, recurrent skin tumors appeared in the left supraclavicular and anterior chest regions in March 1988. No evidence of lymph nodes or visceral organ involvement was detected. The tumors regressed after chemotherapy. There is no evidence of the disease 7 months after discharge.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of the biodurability of polyurethane-covered stent using a flow phantom.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the biodurability of the covering material in retrievable metallic stents covered with polycarbonate polyurethane. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using a peristaltic pump at a constant rate of 1 ml/min, bile was recirculated from a reservoir through a long tube containing four stents. Each of these was removed from the system every two weeks and a radial tensile strength test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed. Each stent, removed at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks, was compared with a control stent not exposed to bile juice. RESULTS: Gross examination showed that stents were intact at 2 weeks, but at 4, 6 and 8 weeks cracks were observed. The size of these increased gradually in accordance with the duration of exposure, and at 8 weeks several large holes in the polyurethane membrane were evident. With regard to radial tensile strength, extension and peak load at break were 84.47% and 10.030 N/mm, 54.90% and 6.769 N/mm, 16.55% and 2.452 N/mm, 11.21% and 1.373 N/mm at 0, 2, 4 and 6 weeks, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy at 2 weeks revealed intermittent pitting and cracking, and examination at 4, 6 and 8 weeks showed that the size of these defects was gradually increasing. CONCLUSION: When the polyurethane membrane was exposed to bile, biodegradation was first observed at week two and increased gradually according to the duration of exposure.

Bile Acids and Salts↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Molecular genetic analysis of primary lung cancer and cancer metastatic to the lung.

The lung is a very common site for primary cancer and metastatic disease. Advances in tumor biology have provided insight into the sequence of genetic alterations leading to tumor and metastasis formation in the lung. In this review we address two genetic alterations, the dominant ras oncogene and the p53 tumor suppressor gene, which are commonly found in lung cancer and pulmonary metastases. We discuss their specific roles in tumor development, invasion, metastasis formation, and their potential prognostic utility. In addition, we will discuss the concept of a novel modulator gene, ribonucleotide reductase, and review its role in the control of metastasis formation.

Alleles↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The effect of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) on rabbit cavernosal smooth muscle contractility.

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) has emerged as a possible candidate for a nonadrenergic, noncholinergic inhibitory neurotransmitter in penile erection. In this study, the effect of VIP and its relationship to the adrenergic and cholinergic mechanisms were examined using isolated corpus cavernosal strips from the rabbit penis. The mechanism of action of VIP on corporal relaxation was investigated with respect to the activation of cyclic GMP and the mobilization of calcium and potassium ions. VIP caused a dose-dependent relaxation of the cavernosal strip. Pretreatment with VIP had no effect on the contraction induced by norepinephrine, phenylephrine, and clonidine. VIP had no synergistic effect on the relaxation produced by acetylcholine or isoproterenol. Neither atropine nor propranolol had any blocking effect on the VIP-induced relaxation. Methylene blue decreased the VIP-induced relaxation of the cavernosal strip. VIP had no effect on the contraction induced by KCl at either 20 or 80 mM. In calcium-free high-potassium physiologic salt solution, VIP inhibited the calcium-induced contraction. These results suggests that the mechanism of action of VIP is not mediated through classical adrenergic and cholinergic neurotransmission on rabbit cavernosal strips, but that VIP may exert its action by the activation of cyclic GMP, which may be associated, in part, with the inhibition of calcium influx.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Various manifestations of early and minimally advanced gastric cancer in gastrointestinal series (GIS).

Preoperative gastrointestinal series (GIS) have been used to assess the precise localization and extent of early and minimally advanced gastric cancers, which are sometimes difficult to define en face by endoscopy. The purpose of this study was to relate various GIS manifestations of gastric cancer with the pathological condition. We reviewed 99 gastric cancer cases (107 lesions), which were treated between 1992 and 1995, in which the lesions were depicted by GIS assisted by a nasogastric tube. The pathological conditions were determined from the resected specimens. Differences in anatomic location and in some morphological characteristics contribute to differences in histological classification. We conclude that lesion depiction by GIS assisted by nasogastric tube reflects the cancer's pathological characteristics, including histological type, malignant cycle, and modification by desmoplastic reaction.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Expression of phospholipase C-gamma 1 and its transcriptional regulators in breast cancer tissues.

BACKGROUND: PLC-gamma 1 is activated through direct interaction with growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase but little is known about the mechanisms controlling PLC-gamma 1 expression and its biological significance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using immunoblotting, we evaluated PLC-gamma 1 protein overexpression in twenty breast cancer tissues. The expression of binding protein to GES1, GES2 and GES3, located in transcriptional regulator (GPE1) was found by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). We also determined whether there was any correlation between prognostic factors (numbers of metastatic axillary nodes, histologic grade, c-erbB2, p53, and E-cadherin) and the overexpression of PLC-gamma 1 protein. RESULT: On immunoblotting, 17 of 20 breast cancer tissues showed overexpression of PLC-gamma 1, a result of which was corresponded to that of immunohistochemistry. The binding proteins to GES1, GES2 and GES3 were overexpressed only when PLC-gamma 1 protein overexpression was apparent. Positive expression of E-cadherin only was significantly associated with PLC-gamma 1 protein overexpression (x = 0.607, p = 0.045). CONCLUSION: GPE1 binding proteins might be the transcriptional regulator in PLC-gamma 1 overexpression and the relationship between expression of PLC-gamma 1 and E-cadherin would require further elucidation.

Base Sequence↗