No abstract available.
Female* ; Humans ; Quality of Life*

PURPOSE: Recently, it has been reported that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with some gastric cancers. But EBVs role in EBV-associated gastric carcinomas (EBVaGCs) has not been fully elucidated. This study was undertaken to evaluate the characteristics of EBVaGCs and to compare those with non-EBVaGCs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: EBV infection was studied using paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of 119 cases of gastric adenocarcinomas by in situ hybridization for EBV-encoded small RNAs (EBERs). In EBVaGCs and non-EBVaGCs, molecular characteristics were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining for latent membrane protein (LMP)-1, p53 protein, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). RESULTS: EBERs were detected in 12 cases (10.1%) of 119 gastric adenocarcinomas. LMP-1 was negative in all carcinomas tested, p53 protein was positive in 7 cases (58.3%) of 12 EBVaGCs and in 51 (47.7%) of 107 non-EBVaGCs, the difference between two groups being not significant. Mean PCNA index was 38.2+-26.1% in EBVaGCs and 22.8 +- 20.0% in non-EBVaGCs. The index was significantly higher in the former than in the latter. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that neoplastic progression in EBVaGCs was implicated with high expression of PCNA, but not consistently with overexpression of p53 protein or LMP-1.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; In Situ Hybridization ; Membrane Proteins ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen* ; RNA ; Stomach Neoplasms

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical outcomes of intrauterine insemination (IUI) according to the catheter used. MATERIALS AND METHOD: From March 1998 to September 1998, total 95 infertile patients were included in this study. Patients were randomly allocated to TomCat group (n = 39) and Mackler group (n = 56) according to the catheter for insemination. The controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) using luteal long protocol of gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) was used in all patients. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t-test, Fisher's exact test, and x2 test as appropriate. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05. RESULTS: The total dose and duration of exogeneous gonadotropin required were similar between the two groups. There were also no significant differences in serum estradiol (E2) level, endometrial thickness and texture on the day of hCG administration between the two groups. However, the percentage of uterine souding due to failure of initial approach was significantly higher in TomCat group compared to Mackler group (23.1% vs. 0%, p < 0.01). The percentage of bleeding after IUI in TomCat group seemed to be higher than that in Mackler group (15.4% vs. 3.6%, p = 0.06), although there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. There was also no significant difference in the clinical pregnancy rate per patient between the two groups. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that using Mackler catheter might be effective for IUI, especially for the patients with cervical factor infertility.
Catheters* ; Estradiol ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Gonadotropins ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infertility ; Insemination* ; Pregnancy Rate

No abstract available.
Meningitis, Cryptococcal*

The authors studied EBV genome expression in 40 conventionally processed samples of nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC), using in situ hybridization for EBERs and immunohistochemistry for LMP, Bcl-2 and p53 proteins. The NPCs consisted of 6 keratinizing squamous cell carcinomas (KSCs), 13 nonkeratinizing carcinomas (NKCs) and 21 undifferentiated carcinomas (UCs). The results were summarized as follows: 1) EBERs were expressed in 80.0% of all the NPCs (32/40). As for the subtypes, they were detected in 92.3% of NKCs (12/13), in 90.5% of the UCs (19/21), and in 16.7% of the KSCs (1/6). In positive cases, the nuclei of tumor cells displayed uniformly strong staining. 2) LMP was expressed in 10.0% of all the NPCs (4/40), all of which were UC. The LMP expression in the UCs was not correlated to the expression of EBERs, Bcl-2 and p53 proteins. 3) Bcl-2 protein was detected in 85.0% of all the NPCs (34/40). As for the subtypes, they were detected in 92.3% of the NKCs (12/13), in 90.5% of the UCs (19/21), and in 50.0% of the KSCs (3/6). 4) p53 protein was detected in 75.0% of all the NPCs (30/40). As for the subtypes, they were detected in 81.0% of the UCs (17/21), in 69.2% of the NKCs (9/13), and in 66.7% of the KSCs (4/6). 5) In the NPCs the expression of EBER showed a significantly positive correlation with that of p53 or Bcl-2 protein. The above results indicate that the association of EBV with NPC is chiefly with poorly differentiated and undifferentiated carcinomas. Additionally, carcinomas commonly display widespread, strong immunoreactivity of Bcl-2 and p53 proteins over tumor cells. In conclusion, these observations indicate that the EBV-association in NPC appears to contribute to the overexpression of tumor-related genes during carcinogenesis.
Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Genome ; Herpesvirus 4, Human* ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization

This study was conducted to determine the level of inflammatory cytokines in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with meningitis. All the CSF of the patients were examined by Gram and acid-fast stain, culture, and PCR for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycoplasrma spp..The levels of sugar, protein and leukocytes count were also evaluated in the CSFs. Concentrations of Interleukin (IL)-1B, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a in the CSF were evaluated by the ELISA kit (Genzyme, USA). General bacteria, tubercle bacilli, and Mycoplasma spp. were not detected with stain and culture methods, but, Mycoplasma spp. was detected by PCR method from four (6.3%) patients with meningitis. The mean CSF concentration of IL-1B, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-cx in the control group were 0.6+/-0.2, 896.8+/-107.6, 50.1+/-5.1, and 4.8+/-1.4 pg/ml, respectively. The mean CSF concentration of IL-1B, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-a in the patients with aseptic meningitis were 3.8+/-0.6, 1261.6+/-144.3, 466.7+/-42.3, and 10.8+/-2.0 pg/ml, respectively. The mean CSF concentration of IL-1B, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-a in the patients with mycoplasmal meningitis were 10.2+/-8.1, 1979.5+/-133.8, 459.7+/-96.4, and 17.5+/-5.1 pg/ml, respectively. There were significantly differences in the levels of IL-1B, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-a between control and patients with aseptic meningitis or Mycoplasmal meningitis (each p<0.001). These results suggest that increased levels of IL-1B, IL-8, and TNF-a could be higly suggestive of meningitis.
Bacteria ; Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Cytokines ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interleukin-6* ; Interleukin-8* ; Interleukins ; Leukocytes ; Meningitis* ; Meningitis, Aseptic ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Mycoplasma ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

1. Ten cases of fracture of the carpal navicular were observed and analyzed, which were treated by thumb-including short arm cast in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Han Kang Sacred Heart Hospital during the period from November 1, 1977 to May 31, 1978. 2. Of the total ten cases eight cases were between the age of twenty and forty. 3. The sites of fracture were confined to the middle one third in ten cases. The fracture lines were-transverse in six cases. 4. There was little difficulty in confirming the diagnosis initially with clinical symptoms and signs and roentgenologic studies available. But, in one case the frature line was not detected by usual roentgenologic studies including the carpal navicular view. 5. Union was obtained from two cases after ten weeks of cast immobilization, from four cases after twelve weeks and from three cases after twenty weeks. In the remaining one case, however, pain was persistent after twenty-four weeks of immobilization. 6. The results of treatment were excellent in four cases and good in five cases so that nine patients could return to their work.
Arm ; Diagnosis ; Heart ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Orthopedics

Nucleolar organizer regions are DNA loops encoding rihbosomal RNA production and detectable by the argyrophilia of their associated proteins(AgNORs). AgNOR numbers correlate with cellular proliferating activity. Many studies have shown a significnt difference in AgNOR counts between benign and malignant tumors. AgNOR counts were also helpful in differential diagnosis. For the evaluation of its diagnostic utility in gastric lesions, a silver staining technique was carried out in paraffin sections of 5 control cases, 5 benign peptic ulcers, 7 hyperplastic polyps, 10 tubular adenomas, 16 early gastric adenocarcinomas and 15 advanced gastric adenocarcinomas. The results were as follows. The mean numbers of AgNORs in early and advanced gastric adenocarcinomas(1.94 and 2.16) were significantly higher than those of normal foveolar epithelium(1.43) and epithelia of benign gastric ulcers(1.54), hyperplastic polyps(1.64) and tubular adenomas(1.79). In malignancy, there was increased variability in size and shape of AgNORs. There was little differences in mean AgNOR numbers between early and advanced gastric adenocarcinomas. Differentiation of the tumor made no difference in AgNOR numbers. From the above results, the AgNORs count, if its morphologic change are taken into consideration, is helpful in differentiation between malignant and non-malignant lesions.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Adenocarcinoma

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Papillary* ; Thyroid Gland*

The present study was intended to examine the effect of sodium vanadate on contractility of vascular smooth muscle. Aortic ring preparations were made from the rabbit thoracic aorta and endothelial cells were removed from the ring. The contractility of the aortic ring was measured under various conditions. The results were summarized as follows; 1) Sodium vanadate induced contraction of vascular smooth muscle in a dose-dependent fashion. 2) The contractile effects were not blocked by treatments with adrenergic blocking agent(phentolamine) and indomethacin, indicating the direct action of the drug on vascular smooth muscle. 3) In the presence of ouabain, Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase inhibitor, sodium vanadate still increased the contractility of vascular smooth muscle. 4) Treatment with 4.4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2.2'-disulfonic acid(DIDS) blocked completely the contractile effects of sodium vanadate. 5) In the presence of verapamil, lanthanum and ryanodine, the contractility of the vascular smooth muscle by sodium vanadate was decreased. From the above results. it was suggested that sodium vanadate acts directly on vascular smooth muscle and causes contraction. It was probably due to inhibition of Ca(++)-ATPase in plasma membrane as well as increasing the release of Ca(++) from sarcoplasmic reticulum and Ca(++) influx across the plasma membrane, but not inhibition of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase.
Aorta, Thoracic ; Cell Membrane ; Endothelial Cells ; Indomethacin ; Lanthanum ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Ouabain ; Ryanodine ; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum ; Sodium* ; Vanadates* ; Verapamil