The effect of tamoxifen therapy on the endometrium and ovarian cyst formation in patients with breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of tamoxifen on female reproductive organs in women with breast cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 309 women with breast cancer who were currently receiving tamoxifen and undergoing regular gynecological examination. RESULTS: We evaluated 92 pre- and 217 postmenopausal women. The prevalence of endometrial thickening was 12% in the pre- and 10.6% in the postmenopausal group. An endometrial biopsy was performed in 43 women and confirmed endometrial cancer in 1, endometrial polyps in 14, and endometrial hyperplasia in 4 women. Transvaginal ultrasonography showed 25 cases of newly developed ovarian cysts. Most ovarian cysts had disappeared during follow-up. CONCLUSION: Tamoxifen use in women with breast cancer causes few complications and is considered safe for female reproductive organs in case of regular gynecological examination.

Predictive Value of Lipid Accumulation Product, Fatty Liver Index, Visceral Adiposity Index for Metabolic Syndrome According to Menopausal Status.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to investigate the value of clinical indicators of metabolic syndrome according to menopausal status in healthy Korean women. METHODS: The study included 3936 female patients who were managed at Pusan National University Hospital Health Promotion Center from 2008 to 2014. Each patient completed self-report questionnaires and underwent personal interviews with a healthcare provider to assess their past medical history such as any previous disease, medication and/or menstrual histories along with the measurement of her current body size. Lipid accumulation product (LAP), fatty liver index (FLI), visceral adiposity index (VAI), other anthropometric measurements, and laboratory results were evaluated regarding the patient's diagnostic status of metabolic syndrome and menopause. RESULTS: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 11.6% and that of premenopausal and postmenopausal group were 7.0% and 14.6%, respectively. By univariate analysis, the area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic curve of LAP, VAI, and FLI were 0.93, 0.93, and 0.93, respectively, in premenopausal group, and they were decreased in postmenopausal group, with the value of 0.89, 0.89, and 0.88, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study showed the predictive values of LAP, VAI, and FLI for metabolic syndrome upon the patient's status of menopause-such markers should be carefully applied in women of menopausal transition.

Interaction of metallo- and free base meso-tetrakis(N-methylpyridium-4-yl)porphyrin with a G-quadruplex: effect of the central metal ions.

The effects of the central metal ion on complex formation between meso-tetrakis(N-methylpyridium-4-yl)porphyrin (TMPyP) and the thrombin-binding aptamer G-quadruplex, 5'G2T2G2TGTG2T2G2, were examined in this study. The central metal ions were vanadium and zinc. At a [porphyrin]/[G-quadruplex] ratio of less than one, the absorption and CD spectra were unaffected by the mixing ratio for all three porphyrins, suggesting that the binding mode is homogeneous. Relatively small changes in the absorption spectrum when forming the complexes with the G-quadruplex, the positive CD signal, and the large accessibility of the I(-) quencher, suggested that all these porphyrins are not intercalated between the G-quartet. Stabilization of the G-quadruplex by ZnTMPyP was most effective. The effect of VOTMPyP on G-quadruplex stabilization was moderate, whereas TMPyP slightly destabilized G-quadruplex. From this observation, the involvement of the ligation of one G-quartet component to the central metal ion in G-quadruplex stabilization by metallo-TMPyP is suggested.

Evaluation of a commercial glycoprotein enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for measuring vaccine immunity to varicella.

PURPOSE: To evaluate a recently marketed commercial glycoprotein enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (gpEIA) kit, the VaccZyme™ VZV gpEIA, for measuring the immunity of varicella-vaccinated children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We investigated the accuracy and reproducibility of the VaccZyme™ VZV gpEIA kit for the detection of antibodies to VZV. We also examined the sensitivity, specificity, and correlation between antibody titers calculated with gpEIA versus fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen (FAMA) by using sera of 349 children, ranging from 1 to 6 years old. RESULTS: VaccZyme™ VZV gpEIA gave precise and reproducible intra- and inter-assay results. FAMA and gpEIA titers showed a linear correlation (Pearson correlation coefficient=0.987). The sensitivity and specificity of the VaccZyme™ gpEIA was 31.4% and 100%, respectively, when the guidelines of the gpEIA (<100 mIU/mL) and FAMA 1:4 were adopted as cutoff values. However, the maximum sensitivity and specificity were 88.9% and 95.1%, respectively, with the highest correlation (κ=0.840), if the cutoff values were set with gpEIA at 49.7 mIU/mL and FAMA 1:16. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that the VaccZyme™ VZV gpEIA kit gave precise and reproducible data for measuring antibody titer after varicella vaccination. The results also showed that the antibody titer calculated with the VaccZyme™ gpEIA kit strongly correlated with the FAMA titer. However, cutoff values should be re-optimized for the evaluation of vaccine immunity.

Pregnancy loss following coxsackievirus b3 infection in mice during early gestation due to high expression of coxsackievirus-adenovirus receptor (CAR) in uterus and embryo.

Coxsackieviruses are important pathogens in children and the outcomes of neonatal infection can be serious or fatal. However, the outcomes of coxsackievirus infection during early gestation are not well defined. In this study, we examined the possibility of vertical transmission of coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) and the effects of CVB3 infection on early pregnancy of ICR mice. We found that the coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR) was highly expressed not only in embryos but also in the uterus of ICR mice. CVB3 replicated in the uterus 1 to 7 days post-infection (dpi), with the highest titer at 3 dpi. The pregnancy loss rate in mice infected with CVB3 during early gestation was 38.3%, compared to 4.7% and 2.7% in mock-infected and UV-inactivated-CVB3 infected pregnant mice, respectively. These data suggest that the uterus and embryo, which express abundant CAR, are important targets of CVB3 and that the vertical transmission of CVB3 during early gestation induces pregnancy loss.

Photoinduced reduction of manganese(III) meso-tetrakis(1-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin at AT and GC base pairs.

The photoreduction of water-soluble cationic manganese(III) meso-tetrakis(1-methylpyridium-4-yl)porphyrin (Mn(III)(TMPyP)(4+)) bound to a synthetic polynucleotide, either poly[d(A-T)2] or poly[d(G-C)2], was examined by conventional absorption and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, transient absorption, and transient Raman spectroscopy. Upon binding, Mn(III)(TMPyP)(4+) produced a positive CD signal for both polynucleotides, suggesting external binding. In the poly[d(A-T)2]-Mn(III)(TMPyP)(4+) adduct case, an interaction between the bound porphyrin was suggested. The transient absorption spectral features of Mn(III)(TMPyP)(4+) in the presence of poly[d(A-T)2] and poly[d(G-C)2] were similar to those of the photoreduced products, Mn(II)(TMPyP)(4+), whereas Mn(III)(TMPyP)(4+) in the absence of polynucleotides retained its oxidation state. This indicated that both poly[d(A-T)2] and poly[d(G-C)2] act as electron donors, resulting in photo-oxidized G and A bases. The transient Raman bands (ν2 and ν4) that were assigned to porphyrin macrocycles exhibited a large downshift of ~25 cm(-1), indicating the photoreduction of Mn(III) to Mn(II) porphyrins when bound to both polynucleotides. The transient Raman bands for pyridine were enhanced significantly, suggesting that the rotation of peripheral groups for binding with polynucleotides is the major change in the geometry expected in the photoreduction process. These photoinduced changes do not appear to be affected by the binding mode of porphyrin.

Seroepidemiologic survey of varicella-zoster virus in korean adults using glycoprotein enzyme immuno assay and fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen test.

BACKGROUND: Herpes zoster (HZ) occurs mainly in the elderly and Korea is rapidly becoming an aging society. Therefore, it is important to know the immune status against varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in Korean adults to prevent the disease. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to survey the immune status of Korean adults over 40 years of age against VZV. METHODS: Antibody titer was measured using a VaccZyme™ VZV glycoprotein enzyme immunoassay (gpEIA) (Binding Site, UK). Fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen (FAMA) test was performed to measure the seropositive rate. RESULTS: HZ incidence in the 214 adults enrolled in this study was 10.3%. The gpEIA geometric mean titer (GMT) was 490 mIU/ml and 90.2% of the subjects had a protective level of gpEIA antibody titer against varicella. The average gpEIA GMT of adults who previously had HZ was 1,122 mIU/ml, which was higher than the average gpEIA GMT of 457 mIU/ml in adults who had not had HZ. The FAMA positive rate was 98.6%. CONCLUSION: Most (90.2%) Korean adults ≥40-years-of-age have a protective level of gpEIA antibody against varicella and 98.6% were FAMA seropositive. The GMT of gpEIA antibody was significantly increased with age, and was higher in adults with a history of HZ.

Orbital solitary fibrous tumor : a case report and diagnostic clues.

Orbital solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a rare tumor originating from the mesenchyme. We describe the clinical presentations, radiological and operative findings, and pathological features of a patient with orbital SFT. The patient was a 46-year-old female who presented with progressive proptosis advanced for 20 months. On ophthalmological examination, no visual impairment was detected, but left eye was found to be obviously protruded on exophthalmometry. Orbital magnetic resonance imaging showed a 2.5 x 2 x 2 cm, intensely enhanced mass in the left orbit, which compressed the eyeball forward and the optic nerve downward. The patient underwent frontal craniotomy with superior orbitotomy and gross total resection was performed for the tumor. The histopathological diagnosis including immunohistochemistry was a SFT. After the surgery, proptosis was markedly relieved without visual impairment. Although orbital SFT is extremely rare, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of orbital tumors. Clinical presentations such as painless proptosis and CD34 immunoreactivity play a significant role in differentiating orbital SFT from other spindle-cell neoplasms of the orbit.