Cardiac myxoma is the most common primary tumor of the heart. The tumor contains a variety of cell types that are thought to arise from a focus of primitive pluripotential mesenchymal cells in the area of the fossa ovalis. Throughout the myxoid stroma, there are variable amounts of reticular fivers, collagen, elastic fibers and smooth muscle cells. A 38-year-old female had right atrial myxoma with multiple pulmonary infarcts. In this case, we experienced an unusual degenerative change in the tumor of granulomatous lesion consisting of hemosiderin pigments, foreign body giant cells and peculiar, spheroid, semilunar or bamboo-shaped degenerated elastic fibers. Microscopically it resembles Gamna-Gandy nodule seen in the spleen of chronic passive congestion.
Female ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical effect of bucillamine in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we performed an open clinical trial for 3 months. METHODS: 10 out of 12 patients completed bucillamine trial(200mg/day) for their initial treatment against arthritis, and 9 out of 11 patients with refractory RA completed the bucillamine trial. Disease activity was assessed by the duration of morning stiffness(MS), visual analogue pain scale(VAPS), functional capacity(FC), tender joint counts(TJC), swollen joint counts(SJC), ESR, and CRP every month. Adverse effects were monitored monthly. RESULTS: At the end of trial, all parameters were decreased in the initial treatment group except of CRP. No parameters were decreased in the refractory group. Gastrointestinal disturbance was the most commmon adverse effect. Skin rash, stomatitis, proteiuria and elevated hepatic enzyme were minor adverse effects. CONCLUSION: Bucillamine was effective in the initial treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, but not effective in the patients with refractory rheumatoid arthritis. Bucillamine is relatively safe in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in both groups.
Arthritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Exanthema ; Humans ; Joints ; Stomatitis

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell*

A Dieulafoy's lesion is an uncommon, but important, cause of gastrointestinal bleeding. It is associated with massive, life-threatening hemorrhage and is typically difficult to diagnose. Although originally described in the stomach and rarely found below the proximal stomach, identical lesions have been reported in other gastrointestinal organs, including the duodenum, jejunum, colon, and rectum. Most cases occur with bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. However, we present an incidental asymptomatic Dieulafoy's lesion in the colon, which was treated successfully by using an endoscopic hemoclipping technique.
Colon ; Duodenum ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hemorrhage ; Jejunum ; Rectum ; Stomach

No abstract available.
Anthropology, Physical* ; Optic Nerve

PURPOSE: To evaluate the degree of contrast enhancement of intracranial tumors on delayed (6-8min.) MR imaging after administration of Gd-DTPA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Both immediate and delayed post-contrast MR imagings were studied prospectively in 35 patients. with brain tumors (11 gliomas, 6 meningiomas, 4 neurinomas, 5 parencymal metastases, 5 hemangioblastoma, 4 others) at either 0.5 T or 2.0 T unit. After precontrast TI-, proton-density, and T2-weighted spin echo images were obtained, each patient underwent Tl-weighted imaging immediately following infusion of 0.1 mmol/Kg of Gd-DTPA. Subsequently, the second postcontrast Tl-weighted images were obtained with no additional injection of the contrast media. Time-interval between the postcontrast immediate and the delayed images was approximately 6-8 minutes. Degree of contrast enhancement of the lesions was assessed both visually and quantitatively. For quantitative study, contrast enhancement ratio(CER) of tumors was calculated in both immediate and delayed post-contrast images. RESULTS: There was stronger visual enhancement in 7 of 11 cases with gliomas and 3 of 5 cases with parenchymal metastasis on delayed images when compared with immediate images, whereas all 10 cases of extraaxial tumors(meningiomas and neurinomas) showed decreased enhancement on delayed images. Quantitatively, mean CERs of gliomas and metastases were higher on delayed study than on immediate study by 20. 5% and 49.2%, respectively. Extraaxial tumors showed decrease of CER on delayed study by 19.7% as compared with that of immediate study. Hemangioblastomas showed visually poor enhancement on delayed image in 4 cases and equal enhancement on both immediate and delayed images in remaining one case, and quantitatively demonstrated decrease of CER on delayed study by 15.4%. CONCLUSION: Since there was more conspicuous contrast enhancement in many intraaxial tumors such as gliomas and metastases on 6-8 minutes delayed post-contrast MR study, the delayed post-contrast study may be needed in some intraaxial tumors for their characterization, and may also be helpful for the differential diagnosis between intraaxial and extraaxial tumors.
Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Contrast Media ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Glioma ; Hemangioblastoma ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Meningioma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neurilemmoma ; Prospective Studies

A 21-year-old man presented with a 7 days history of fever. Careful clinical examination led to the discovery of left supraclavicular lymphadenopathy without hepatosplenomegaly. Serologic tests for Ebstein-Barr virus, HIV, hepatitis type B & C, syphilis and typhoid fever were negative. Blood, urine, and stool cultures yielded no growth. Histologically, the process mainly involved the connective tissue framework of the lymph node, sharing the features of inflammatory pseudotmor(IPT) of other organs: a storiform growth pattern, increased vascularity with associated vascular lesions, and a polymorphous inflammatory infiltrate in a collagen-rich stroma. Immunohistochemical study for spindle cells showed positive reaction for actin and vimentin but not for desmin, and lymphoid cells revealed polyclonality. Characteristics of mass formation, and the inflammatory nautre of the process enabled us adopt the term IPT which should be differentiated from hematolymphoid proliferative disorder or mesenchymal neoplasia.
Male ; Humans

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that Cortex mori ( Morus alba L, Sangbaikpi ; CM ), the root bark of mulberry tree, plays a role in inhibiting mast cell activation. Human seminal plasma ( HSP ) modulates immune systems and activates rat peritoneal mast cells ( RPMC ). However, the inhibitory agents of HSP - induced mast cell activation have not been disclosed yet. OBJECTIVE AND METHOD: This study was undertaken to determine the effects of CM on HSP-induced mast cell activation by morphologic and functional methods. Morphological changes of RPMC by HSP alone or CM plus HSP were observed with the inverted light microscope. And the amounts of histamine and calcium were measured by radioisotopic enzymatic histamine and radioisotopic calcium assays. RESULTS: By inverted microscopy, HSP-induced RPMC degranulation occurred in a dose-dependent fashion. After pretreatment of RPMC with CM, there was no HSP-induced degranulation. Degranulation index (DI) of RPMC treated with Hanks balanced salt solution (HBSS), CM or HSP was 7.0+/-4.3, 9.0+/-6.2, 56.5+/-16.9, respectively. After pretreatment of RPMC with CM, HSP-induced DI was 11.0 +/-7.1. These results indicate that CM inhibited HSP-induced degranulation of RPMC. HSP-induced RPMC histamine release (HR) was dose-dependent. HR of RPMC treated with HBSS, CM or HSP was 0.18+/-0.10, 0.30+/-0.19, 4.48+/-0.86 ug/ml, respectively. After pretreatment of RPMC with CM, HSP-induced HR was 0.52+/-0.21 ug/ml. These results indicate that CM inhibited HSP-induced HR from RPMC. Intracellular calcium level ( ICL) of RPMC was also increased according to the concentration of HSP. ICL of RPMC treated with HBSS, CM or HSP was 6.1+/-1.0, 9.0+/-2.1, 30.2+/-6.5 pmole, respectively. After pretreatment of RPMC with CM, HSP-induced ICL of RPMC was 11.6 +/- 3.3 pmole. These results indicate that CM inhibited HSP-induced calcium uptake of RPMC. CONCLUSION: From these results, it is suggested that CM contains some substances which inhi-
Animals ; Calcium ; Histamine ; Histamine Release ; Humans* ; Immune System ; Mast Cells* ; Microscopy ; Morus ; Rats* ; Semen* ; Trees

No abstract available.
Animals ; Chorionic Gonadotropin* ; Humans* ; Mice* ; Uterus*

This study was undertaken to observe whether an adult ventilator with a preset volume could be used as a controlled ventrolled ventilator far pediatric anesthesia. 35 Patients ranging in age from 3months to 7 years were divided into two groups based on body weight(Group 1: 5~10kg, 14 cases, Group 2: 11~15kg, 21 cases) and anesthetized with halothane-N2O/O2 - pancuronium using the Mapleson B system. Immediately after induction, the reservoir bay of the Mapleson B system was replaced by the reservoir tube of the adult ventilator (MCM 801). Arterial blood gas studies 30 and 60 minutes after induction were performed, and the data from group 1 was compared with that of group 2. The magnitude of PCO2 increase 30 minutes after induction was not significantly different from that at 60 minutes(p>0.05), and alterations of PCO2 in group 1 were not stati-stically significant with group 2 (P>0.05). In conclusion, it is suggested that the Mapleson B system attached to adult ventilator is an useful and convenient device for controlled ventilation in pediatric patients.
Adult ; Anesthesia ; Bays ; Humans ; Pancuronium ; Ventilation* ; Ventilators, Mechanical