Effect of propofol on prostaglandin E2 production and prostaglandin synthase-2 and cyclooxygenase-2 expressions in amniotic membrane cells.

Purpose: Surgery during pregnancy can be a cause of preterm labor or birth, possibly resulting from anesthetic agents or direct effects of surgery. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of propofol on uterine contractility by examining prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production and the expression of PGE synthase 2 (PGES2) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in amniotic membrane cells.

Methods: Amniotic membranes were collected from healthy full-term women who underwent cesarean section at 37-40 weeks of gestation.

Anxiety and depression propensities in patients with acute toxic liver injury.

Aim: To investigate anxiety and depression propensities in patients with toxic liver injury.

Methods: The subjects were divided into three groups: a healthy control group (Group 1, n = 125), an acute non-toxic liver injury group (Group 2, n = 124), and a group with acute toxic liver injury group caused by non-commercial herbal preparations (Group 3, n = 126). These three groups were compared and evaluated through questionnaire surveys and using the Hospital Anxiety-Depression Scale (HADS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the hypochondriasis scale.

A prospective nationwide study of drug-induced liver injury in Korea.

Objectives: To address a growing concern about drug-induced liver injury (DILI), a nationwide study was performed to investigate the significance of DILI in Korea.

Methods: From May 2005 to May 2007, cases of DILI (alanine transferase > 3 × upper normal limit or total bilirubin > 2 × upper normal limit) from 17 referral university hospitals were prospectively enrolled. Adjudication by the seven review boards was considered for the confirmation of causality and the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method (RUCAM) scale was used.

Definitive chemoradiotherapy with capecitabine and cisplatin in patients with esophageal cancer: a pilot study.

We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with capecitabine and cisplatin in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. Eighteen patients with esophageal cancer were enrolled on the study. The chemotherapy during CRT consisted of two cycles of intravenous cisplatin of 60 mg/m(2) on day 1 and oral capecitabine 825 mg/m(2) twice daily from day 1 to 14 at 3-week intervals.

Association of vascular endothelial growth factor gene polymorphisms with susceptibility and clinicopathologic characteristics of colorectal cancer.

Since vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is known to be a potent pro-angiogenic factor, we evaluated the potential association of two VEGF gene polymorphisms (-634G>C and 936C>T) with the susceptibility and the clinicopathologic characteristics of colorectal cancer (CRC). The VEGF genotypes were determined using fresh colorectal tissue from 465 patients who had undergone a surgical resection and peripheral blood lymphocytes from 413 healthy controls by PCR/DHPLC assay. For the -634G>C polymorphism, the -634 GC or CC genotype was associated with a decreased risk of CRC (odds ratio [OR], 0.

Outpatient-basis chemotherapy of oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin as first-line treatment for patients with metastatic or recurrent colorectal cancer.

The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an outpatient-basis chemotherapy of oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin as the first-line treatment for patients with advanced colorectal cancer. Forty-three histologically confirmed patients with metastatic or recurrent colorectal cancer were enrolled. The chemotherapy consisted of oxaliplatin 85 mg/m(2) as a 2-hr infusion on day 1, plus leucovorin 30 mg/m(2) over 10 min, followed by bolus 5-fluorouracil 400 mg/m(2) and an 8-hr infusion of 5-fluorouracil 600 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 2 (modified FOLFOX4), all of which were administered on an outpatient basis every 2 weeks.

MRP2 haplotypes confer differential susceptibility to toxic liver injury.

Objectives: Multidrug resistance protein 2 (MRP2, ABCC2) plays an important role in the biliary clearance of a wide variety of endogenous and exogenous toxic compounds. Therefore, polymorphisms and mutations in the MRP2 gene may affect individual susceptibility to hepatotoxic reactions.

Methods: Associations between genetic variations of MRP2 and toxic hepatitis were investigated using integrated population genetic analysis and functional molecular studies.

Gene expression profiling of human HBV- and/or HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma cells using expressed sequence tags.

Liver cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. To identify novel target genes that are related to liver carcinogenesis, we examined new genes that are differentially expressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines and tissues based on the expressed sequence tag (EST) frequency. Eleven libraries were constructed from seven HCC cell lines and three normal liver tissue samples obtained from Korean patients.

[Toxic hepatitis associated with carp juice ingestion].

The potential hepatotoxicity of herbal remedies and/or health foods is usually ignored in daily life. There have been cases showing the toxic hepatitis and renal failure associated with the ingestion of raw carp bile. We experienced a case of toxic hepatitis without any evidence of renal failure that was associated with carp juice ingestion.

[Clinical and biochemical parameters of nutrition to predict hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhotic patients].

Background/aims: Protein-calorie malnutrition is a common complication in cirrhosis. Protein restriction for the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) may cause disease progression and poor prognosis. Therefore, we evaluated important clinical parameters for nutritional state in cirrhotic patients with or without HE to predict the development of HE.

A case of the hepatocellular carcinoma during the pregnancy and metastasis to the left atrium.

A 28-year-old female with a pregnant state of 29th gestational week was admitted because of nausea and vomiting. MRI showed a huge hepatocellular carcinoma. At the 36th gestational week, a normal delivery was done.

A case of acute cholestatic hepatitis associated with the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia (Boh-Gol-Zhee).

The potential hepatotoxicity of herbal remedies is usually ignored in daily life. One such compound, Boh-Gol-Zhee (in Chinese, Bu Ku Zi), appeared to be associated with the occurrence of acute cholestatic hepatic injury in the following case. Some alternative medicine therapists claim that Psoralea corylifolia is effective for the treatment of osteoporosis.

Timing of lamivudine administration according to Child class in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

Background: Few clinical trials have investigated the use of lamivudine (LAM) in patients with decompensated cirrhosis related to chronic hepatitis B. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of extended LAM treatment and to determine the timing of LAM administration in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

Methods: A total of 17 patients were treated with LAM 100 mg/day.

Phase II trial of amsacrine plus intermediate-dose Ara-C (IDAC) with or without etoposide as salvage therapy for refractory or relapsed acute leukemia.

Objective: The current trial attempted to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of a salvage therapy consisting of amsacrine plus intermediate-dose Ara-C (IDAC) with or without etoposide for acute leukemia patients in refractory or relapsed states.

Methods: A total of 51 patients with refractory or relapsed acute leukemia were included in the current trial. Twenty-nine patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) received a salvage therapy of amsacrine plus IDAC and etoposide, while 22 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) received amsacrine plus IDAC.

Preconditioning by extracorporeal liver support (MARS) of patients with cirrhosis and severe liver failure evaluated for living donor liver transplantation -- a pilot study.

Purpose: The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the effectiveness of preconditioning molecular adsorbent recirculating system (MARS) treatment on patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (AoCLF), who were awaiting living donor liver transplantation (LDLT).

Patients And Methods: Between January and December 2001, 10 consecutive AoCLF patients (with progressive hyperbilirubinemia (>20 mg/dl) and hepatic encephalopathy grade > or =2) were studied. MARS was used in eight of these patients who were evaluated for LDLT during 2001.

[Immunohistochemical expression of bcl-2, bcl-xL, bax, p53 proteins in gastric adenoma and adenocarcinoma].

Background/aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of bcl-2, bcl-xL, bax, and p53 proteins according to the pathological parameters such as grade of dysplasia, histological type, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage in the gastric adenoma and gastric adenocarcinoma.

Methods: Immunohistochemical staining using monoclonal bcl-2, bcl-xL, bax, p53 antibodies were performed on paraffin embedded specimens from forty-one gastric adenomas and 100 gastric adenocarcinomas.

Results: The expression rate of bcl-2 was higher in adenomas (34.

[Herbal preparation-induced liver injury].

Recently the use of herbal preparations as remedies for various medical conditions, has been rapidly increasing in Korea. In our previous study, 38.9% of patients with chronic liver disease were found to use some sorts of herbal preparations.

Transarterial chemo-lipiodolization can reactivate hepatitis B virus replication in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background/aims: Reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication is a well-known complication in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. The aims of this study were to determine the incidence of HBV reactivation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients undergoing transarterial chemo-lipiodolization, and to clarify factors contributing to HBV reactivation.

Methods: From April 2001 to September 2002, 146 HBsAg positive patients newly diagnosed as HCC were enrolled in the study.

[A study for clinical correlation of neuropsychological test and brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy in patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy].

Background/aims: The aim of the study was to correlate neuropsychological test results with regional cerebral biochemistry determined by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE).

Methods: The patients with liver disease were divided into 4 groups; group 1 chronic hepatitis; group 2, liver cirrhosis (LC) without a history of HE; group 3, LC with a history of HE of no manifestation, and group 4, LC with overt HE. All patients were examined using neuropsychological tests and brain MRS.

[Effect of Helicobacter pylori on gastric epithelial cell kinetics and expression of apoptosis-related proteins in gastric carcinogenesis].

Background/aims: We investigated apoptosis, cell proliferation and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in the gastric epithelial cells of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-negative and positive patients.

Methods: TUNEL staining, immunohistochemical staining for Ki-67, p53, Bcl-2, Bcl-X(L) and Bax were performed on paraffin-embedded specimens obtained from 11 H.

Elevation of serum asialo-alpha(1) acid glycoprotein concentration in patients with hepatic cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma as measured by antibody-lectin sandwich assay.

Serum asialoglycoproteins (desialylated glycoproteins) concentration was reported to be elevated in patients with hepatic disease as compared with that of normal subjects. In this study, we measured serum asialo-alpha(1) acid glycoprotein (AsAGP) level by a solid-phase sandwich assay in which monoclonal antibody (mAb) to alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein and galactose-binding lectin, ricinus communis (RCA), have been employed as capture protein and probe protein, respectively. The mAb-RCA sandwich assay was sensitive (0.

A case of pancreatic endometrial cyst.

Pancreatic endometrial cyst is an extremely rare instance of ectopic endometriosis that was first described by Marchevsky in 1984. A 21-yr-old woman with a history of epigastric pain and weight loss was found to have a cystic lesion in the pancreas on CT-scan. Under the tentative diagnosis of a pancreatic cystic neoplasm, partial pancreatectomy was performed.

[Efficacy and safety of long-term lamivudine therapy in the patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis secondary to hepatitis B].

Background/aims: Lamivudine use in patients with decompensated cirrhosis B has been reported to improve the hepatic function and often delay the need for liver transplantation. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of long-term lamivudine therapy in patients with decompensated cirrhosis by comparative study using a matched, untreated cohort.

Methods: 41 patients with decompensated cirrhosis B were included for this study (31 male and 10 female; mean age, 50 years; mean observation period, 18 months).