The Effects of Epigallocatechin Gallate on Ultraviolet B Irradiated Cultured Human Skin Fibroblasts / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: The main polyphenol components in green tee are (-)-epicatechin, (-)-epigallocatechin, (-)-epicatechin gallate and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). It is well known that flavonoids such as catechins can be protective against inflammatory and cancer and cardiovascular diseases. These protective effects are largely due to their inhibition of some enzymes and antioxidative activities by scavenging free radicals. Ultraviolet(UV) exposure of the skin, particulary UVB (290-320nm), causes adverse biological effects, including alterations in cutaneous immune cells, photoaging and photocarcinogenesis. Several studies have shown that EGCG afforded protection against UVB-induced inflammatory responses and photocarcinogenesis in murine models. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: In this study, we investigated the effects of EGCG on UVB irradiated human skin fibroblasts using viability test, thiobarbituric acid assay, propidium iodide(PI) stain, and western blot analyses and RT-PCR. RESULTS: Cell survival curves after UVB irradiation showed dose dependent decrement pattern by trypan blue exclusion assay. Only 42% of dermal fibroblasts survived at 150 mJ/cm2 UVB irradiation. The damage was associated with cell membrane lipid peroxidation, as shown by accumulation malondialdehyde(MDA). By pre-cultivation with EGCG (50nmol), a significant preventive effect was noted on the increase in the absolute number of surviving cells(up to 81.5% of cells survived) and the levels of MDA markedly decreased. Morphological changes associated with apoptotic cell death were easily distinguished by PI stain. Bases on our finding, we investgated the regulation of p53, p21, bax, bcl-2, cyclin D1, E, Cdk2, and PARP proteins by western blot analyses. The expression p53 protein was elevated by following UVB exposure which was inhibited by EGCG treatment. Using RT-PCR, the transcription of p53, fas and jun gene showed similar results which obtained by western blot analyses. CONCLUSION: EGCG, which have newly accepted as a potential UV protection properties, is effective membrane peroxidation inhibitor and prevent apoptotic changes when present in relevant concentration at the site of action beginning and during UVB irradiation. And the protective mechanism of EGCG against UVB-induced cell damage maybe, at least in part, related with p53, fas and jun pathway.

An objective score to predict upper tract deterioration in spinal cord injury patients / 대한비뇨기과학회지

The primary objective in taking care of the spinal cord injury patients is preservation of renal function. We evaluated 28 cases with spinal cord injury, who underwent intravenous pyelography, voiding cystourethrography and urodynamic assessment to determine the effects of low bladder compliance, hyperreflexia and detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia on the upper tact during the past 5 years period. And also, an objective hostility score was introduced that would predict the fate of the upper tracts and help to determine the need of treatment. Urodynamic evaluation revealed that 17 or 28 cages (67 %) had detrusor hyperreflexia and 11 cases (33 %) had detrusor areflexia. Of the 28 cases. 12 cases (44 %) had low compliant bladder. Hydronephrosis was present in six of the 12 eases (41 %) that had low compliance. These results were in sharp contrast to the normal compliant bladder in which two of 16 cases (12 %) had hydronephrosis. No case with a hostility score of less than 5 went on to develop upper tract changes. In contrast, eight of 10 cases with scores of 6 or more went on to develop upper tract change. In conclusion, the patients with the hostility score of 6 or more were significantly at risk of developing upper tract damage. So, these patients should have adequate and frequent follow-up evaluation.

The effect of adjuvant M-VAC(methtrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin and cisplatin) chemotherapy on advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract / 대한비뇨기과학회지

We treated 11 patients with advanced transitional cell carcinoma of upper urinary tract with adjuvant M-VAC chemotherapy and their median survival time was compared with 9 patients without M-VAC chemotherapy as e historical group. The total number of cycles per each patient ranged from 1 to 5 with a mean of 3.4. Of these patients, 8 patients could be evaluated for response and 4 patients were responded (2 complete and 2 incomplete. response rate 50%). The median duration of response was 26 months for complete responders and 4.5 months for incomplete responders. The median duration of survival for all chemotherapy group, complete responders, progression and historical control group were 22, 23+, 14 and 21 months. respectively. Median survival was 22 months in all 11 patients. 23+ months in clinical responders, 14 months in progression and 21 months in historical control group. Although overall survival was not prolonged significantly in chemotherapy than the historical control group, M-VAC was effective in small proportion of patients (CR: 2/8). The duration of survival of the patients with complete remission was prolonged significantly.

Antimicrobial drug resistance and molecular charaterization of R-plasmid of escherichia coli isolated from urine / 대한비뇨기과학회지

Ninety nine strains of Escherichia coli isolated from clinical urine specimens in Taegu area were tested for the antimicrobial susceptibility to 20 drugs and studies for molecular and genetic characterization of R-plasmid. All strains were susceptible to amikacin (Ak), moxalactam(Mx), norfloxacin(Nf), ciprofloxacin(Cf) and ofloxacin(Of). One-6.1% of the strains were resistant to tobramycin(To). nalidixic acid(Na), enoxacin(Ex), pefloxacin(Pf) and rifampin(Rf), 17.2-31.3% to gentamicin(Gm), cephalothin(Ct) and cephamandole(Cfm), and 59.6-84.4% to kanamycin (Km), streptomycin(Sm), a.mpicillin(Ap), chloramphenicol(Cm), tetracycline(Tc), sulfisomidine (Su) and trimethoprime(Tp). MIC90 of Ak, Mx, Ex, Nf, Cf, Of and Pf were below the aritimicrobial concentration tested. In multiple drug resistance patterns, resistance to 7 drugs (CmTcSmSuAp TpKm) were most frequently encountered. Except Na and Rf in 66.4 % of resistant strains, most or drug resistance were co-transferred to recipient E.coli RG488 or RG176, indicating that multiple drug resistance was R-plasmid mediated phenomenon. Plasmid profiles for molecular characterization of R-plasmids from B. coli strains were studied through the methods of alkaline SDS lysis and agarose gel electrophoresis. R-plasmids were 40.9-122.3 mega dalton in molecular size. Pst I restriction enzyme digestion patterns of R-plasmid DNAs were examined. R-plasmids with different molecular weights and phenotype markers showed different restriction patterns. pDE9l58 and pDE 9055, which have same molecular weight and phenotype marker except Cfm, showed identical restriction pattern.

Early exploration of acute scrotum in children / 대한비뇨기과학회지

A retrospective analysis was made to evaluate the value of early surgical exploration of acute scrotum in 19 children. Testicular torsion (9 cases ) was the most frequent cause followed by epididymitis(4), hematocele(2). appendix testis torsion(2), infected hydrocele(1) and benign cystic teratoma(1). The age distribution of testicular torsion showed a biphasic pattern, neonatal and pubertal and 3 out of 9 torsed testes showed transverse lie in standing position on physical examination. The pyuria was present only in l out of 4 cases with epididymitis and leukocytosis was found in 7 cases, 6 with testicular torsion and 1 with epididymitis. Preoperative ultrasonographic diagnoses were correct in 2 out of 4 cases, 3 with testiculer torsion and 1 with epididymitis. Testicular salvage was possible in 3 torsed testes if surgery was performed within 14 hours from the onset of the symptom. In summary. testicular torsion was the most frequent cause of acute scrotum in children and early surgical exploration was necessary to improve the salvage of torsed testes.

Antimicrobial drug resistance of gram negative bacilli isolated from urine / 대한비뇨기과학회지

One hundred and fifty strains of Gram negative bacilli isolated from urine of patients with urological disease were tested for resistance to antimicrobial drugs including quinolones. Escherichia coli (61 strains) was most frequently isolated, and followed by Klebsiella spp. (36), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12). and Proteus spp. (6) in the decreasing order. New quinolone carboxylic acid compounds such as enoxacin (Ex). norfloxacin (Nf), ciprofloxacin (Cp), pefloxacin (Pf), and ofloxacin (Of) showed very high antimicrobial activities against the majority of organisms tested except P.aerogi. nose. In P.aeruginosa all strains were resistant to nalidixic acid, and 25-33% to Ex. Nf. Cp, Pf, and Or. The majority of strains tested were found to be resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics except moxalactam (Mr). aminoelycoside drugs except amikacin (Ak), and other drugs tested such as chloramphgnicol, tetracycline. rifampin and etc.. but in P.aeruginosa, 33-58% were resistant to Mx and Ak. Organisms multiplyine resistance to 5 or more druge were noted in almost all isolates tested The stain numbers of multiplying resistance to 5 or more drugs were 51 strains (83.6%) of E. Coli 24 strains (66.7%) of Klebsielle spp., 10 strains (83.3%) of P.aeruginosa, and 5 strains (83.3%) of Prorteus spp.

Clinical Assessment of Visual Internal Urethrotomy on Obliterated and Non-obliterated Urethral Stricture / 대한비뇨기과학회지

Visual internal urethrotomy may be a reasonable initial procedure of complete and incomplete urethral stricture before planning more extensive urethroplasty. However, it is essential to recognize its limitation because careless use can result in complications. So we have experienced 88 cases of complete and incomplete urethral stricture treated by visual internal urethrotomy. 1. In non-obliterated urethral stricture, satisfactory results were achieved in 57 of patients(78 %) after urethrotomy. Patients with more than 2cm long stricture and multiple strictures had the most unsatisfactory results ( required multiple urethrotomy). 2. In obliterated urethral stricture, 54 procedures of urethrotomy were carried out in 15 patients with complete urethral obstruction(average : 3.6times). When stricture was less than 1cm in length, good results were obtained in spite of several recurrences. However, when complete urethral stricture was more than 1cm in length, all patients failed due to recurred strictures. These results suggest that visual internal urethrotomy is a valuable initial method before urethroplasty, when stricture is less than 1cm in length in cases of complete urethral obstruction.

Adenocarcinoma of the Bladder: Clinicopathologic Follow-up / 대한비뇨기과학회지

Adenocarcinoma of the bladder is a rare tumor with incidence in the range between 0.6 and 2.0 % of all epithelial bladder neoplasms. Its prognosis is generally poor compared to transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. During the past 10 years since 1979, we have experienced 8 cases (3.2%) of adenocarcinoma the bladder among 252 cases of epithelial bladder neoplasms. Six cases of these were primary adenocarcinoma and 2 cases were of urachal origin. Overall two year survival rate was 23% with only 1 case free of cancer up to 3 years. Histologically, the tumors were classified as colonic type (4 cases), clear cell type (1 case), and not otherwise specified type (3 cases), without signet ring cell and colloid type. It might as well be concluded that there is no significant correlation between histologic type and survival rate. However there seems to be a significant correlation between clinical stage and survival rate.