No abstract available.
Cystadenoma, Mucinous* ; Mucins* ; Pancreas*

No abstract available.
Arteriovenous Malformations*

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Pier abutments act as a Class I fulcrum lever system when the teeth are incorporated in a fixed partial denture with rigid connectors. Therefore non-rigid connector incorporated into the fixed partial denture might reduce the stresses created by the leverage. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate, by means of finite element method, the effects of non-rigid connectors and supporting alveolar bone level on stress distribution for fixed partial dentures with pier abutments. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A 2-dimensional finite element model simulating a 5-unit metal ceramic fixed partial denture with a pier abutment with rigid or non-rigid designs, the connector was located at the distal region of the second premolar, was developed. In the model, the lower canine, second premolar, and second molar served as abutments. Four types of alveolar bone condition were employed. One was normal bone condition and others were supporting bone reduced 20% height at one abutment. Two different loading conditions, each 150 N on 1st premolar and 1st molar and 300N on 1st molar, were used. RESULTS: Two types of FPD were displaced apically. The amount of displacement decreased in an almost linear slope away from the loaded point. Non-rigid design tended to cause the higher stresses in supporting bone of premolar and molar abutments and the lower stresses in that of canine than rigid design. Alveolar bone loss increased the stresses in supporting bone of corresponding abutment. CONCLUSION: Careful evaluation of the retentive capacity of retainers and the periodontal condition of abutments may be required for the prosthetic design of fixed partial denture with a pier abutment.
Alveolar Bone Loss ; Bicuspid ; Ceramics ; Denture, Partial, Fixed ; Displacement (Psychology) ; Molar ; Tooth

This study was to investigate Melanoma-antigen gene (MAGE) expression by reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested PCR) with the original common primers of MAGE-A1 to -A6 and analysis of correlation between its expression and the well-known clinical parameters in addition to evaluate the clinical feasibility of the common primers. Surgical tumor and corresponding nonneoplastic tissue samples from 38 patients with colorectal cancer were studied. To confirm the identities of RT-PCR products, direct sequencing was done after in vitro subcloning. No expression of MAGE was observed in the non-neoplastic colorectal mucosal tissues. Sixteen (42.1%) of 38 carcinomas expressed at least one of MAGE A-1 to -6. The expression of the MAGE genes was not related to age, sex, histological grades, the depth of invasion, metastasis to lymph nodes, vessel, neural, or perineural invasion. The identities with the corresponding mRNAs were confirmed in 6 cases for MAGE-A2 (15.8%), 6 cases for MAGE-A4 (15.8%), 2 cases for MAGE-A3 (5.3%), and one case for MAGE A-6 (2.6%). These results suggest that MAGE expressions, except those of MAGE-A2 and -A4, seem to have a limited role in the molecular pathogenesis of colon cancer. However, the common primer sets to detect of expressions for MAGE-A1 to -A6 simultaneously appear to be feasible to differentiate malignant from benign lesions in colorectal diseases.
Antigens, Neoplasm/*genetics/metabolism ; Carcinoma/*genetics/metabolism/pathology ; Colorectal Neoplasms/*genetics/metabolism/pathology ; DNA Primers ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins/*genetics/metabolism ; Protein Isoforms/genetics/metabolism ; RNA, Messenger/genetics/metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tumor Markers, Biological

BACKGROUND: In recent years, numerous human tumor specific antigens such as melanoma antigen gene(MAGE) that is recognized by autologous cytotoxic T lymphocytes have been identified. MAGE is expressed in many human malignancies in various organs, such as lung, breast, stomach, esophagus and leukemia. Therefore MAGE has been studied widely for tumor diagnosis and immunotherapy. But, so far there were no clinical studies evaluating the role of MAGE in pleural effusion. We investigated the expression of MAGE in the patients with exudative pleural effusion for it's diagnostic utility and the RESULTS: were compared with those of cytologic examinations. METHODS: Diagnostic thoracentesis was performed in 44 consecutive patients with exudative pleural effusion during 6 months. We examined the expression of MAGE and cytology with the obtained pleural effusion. Expression of MAGE was interpreted by means of a commercial kit using RT-PCR method. Enrolled patients were divided into two groups such as malignant and benign and we analyzed its' sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between two groups in age, sex, white blood cell counts in pleural fluid, pleural fluid/serum protein ratio and pleural fluid/serum LDH ratio. The sensitivity and specificity of MAGE were 72.2% and 96.2% respectively and the positive predictive value and negative predictive value of MAGE were also 92.9% and 83.3% respectively. The sensitivity and negative predictive value of cytologic examinations were 66.7% and 81.3% respectively. There were no significant differences between sensitivities of MAGE and cytologic examinations but false positive result of MAGE was found in 1 case of tuberculous pleurisy. CONCLUSION: MAGE is a sensitive and specific marker for the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant effusion in patients with exudative pleural effusion. And MAGE would provide the equal sensitivity compared with that of cytologic examination in patients with malignant pleural effusion if 5mL of the pleural fluid is examined.
Breast ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Esophagus ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Leukemia ; Leukocyte Count ; Lung ; Melanoma ; Pleural Effusion* ; Pleural Effusion, Malignant ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stomach ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; Tuberculosis, Pleural

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic hemoclip application is an effective and safe method of endoscopic hemostasis. We conducted a multicenter retrospective study on hemoclip and hemoclip combination therapy based on prospective cohort database in terms of hemostatic efficacy not in clinical trial but in real clinical practice. METHODS: Data on endoscopic hemostasis for non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB) were prospectively collected from February 2011 to December 2013. Among 1,584 patients with NVUGIB, 186 patients treated with hemoclip were enrolled in this study. Subjects were divided into three groups: Group 1 (n=62), hemoclipping only; group 2 (n=88), hemoclipping plus epinephrine injection; and group 3 (n=36), hemocliping and epinephrine injection plus other endoscopic hemostatic modalities. Primary outcomes included rebleeding, other therapeutic management, hospitalization period, fasting period and mortality. Secondary outcomes were bleeding associated mortality and overall mortality. RESULTS: Active bleeding and peptic ulcer bleeding were more common in group 3 than in group 1 and in group 2 (p<0.001). However, primary outcomes (rebleeding, other management, morbidity, hospitalization period, fasting period and mortality) and secondary outcomes (bleeding associated mortality and total mortality) were not different among groups. CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy of epinephrine injection and other modalities with hemoclips did not show advantage over hemoclipping alone in this prospective cohort study. However, there is a tendency to perform combination therapy in active bleeding which resulted in equivalent hemostatic success rate, and this reflects the role of combination therapy in clinical practice.
Adult ; Aged ; Angiography ; Cohort Studies ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Databases, Factual ; Epinephrine/therapeutic use ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/etiology/*therapy ; *Hemostasis, Endoscopic ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Proton Pump Inhibitors/therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Ulcer/complications/drug therapy/pathology ; Surgical Instruments ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND: It is important to recognize the independent prognostic factors of papillary carcinoma of thyroid in therapeutic and follow up planning. However, its good prognosis and its low prevalence make it difficult to analyze prognostic factors determining patients survival in a relatively short period of time. We retrospectively investigated the independent prognostic factors for determining disease recurrence after surgery which, in adults, are known to be closely related to the prognosis of cancer. METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 456 patients (male 70, female 381, unknown 5, mean age of 43.9+-12.9 years) who had visited the thyroid clinic in Seoul National University Hospital and analyzed the data with statistical software program. RESULTS: 1) At initial visit, chief complaint of the patients was abnormal neck mass in 90 percent. 2) In preoperative thyroid scan study, 82% showed cold area and 16% showed diffuse enlargement. 3) Of the 50 recurrent cases after surgery (11.5% of the total cases), 39 cases (78%) had recurred disease in neck area and 11 cases (22%) had recurrences at distant sites. (Lung 9 cases, Brain I case, Mediastinum 1case) 4) Statistically significant risk factors for recurrence after surgery were male sex, size of tumor (above 4.5cm in this study), extrathyroidal invasion of cancer, involvement of resection margin and no remnant ablation of thyroid tissue using radioiodine. CONCLUSION: Through retrospective study, we presented some clinical characteristics of papillary thyroid cancer in Korea and independent risk factors of cancer recurrences after surgery.
Adult ; Brain ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Mediastinum ; Neck ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Recurrence* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with various diseases and complications caused by the host's immune reactions. This study focuses on various clinical findings and hematologic complications in childhood EBV infection. METHODS: The study group was thirty-eight EBV infected children (Anti-EBV VCA IgM; positive) who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, Korea University from January 1996 to July 1997. Patients were evaluated by clinical and laboratory findings. RESULTS: The mean age was 5.1 years old and the male-female ratio was 1.2:1. Fever was the most common clinical manifestation, which was present in 30 (79%) cases. Lymphadenopathy was present in 22 (58%) cases, throat injection in 18 (47%) cases, nausea and vomiting were in 13 (34%) cases, cough in 13 (34%) cases, skin rashes in 11 (29%) cases, hepatomegaly in 10 (26%) cases. AST and/or ALT levels were elevated in 18 (45%) cases and Bilirubin level was elevated in 9 (24%) cases. Twenty cases had hematologic complications. Neutropenia was present in 6 (16%) cases, thrombocytopenia in 1 (3%) case, both anemia and neutropenia in 3 (8%) cases, both anemia and thrombocytopenia in 2 (5%) cases, both neutropenia and thrombocytopenia in 1 (3%) case, pancytopenia in 7 (18%) cases. CONCLUSION: A presumptive diagnosis of EBV infection may be made by the presence of clinical symptoms such as fever, pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy, and hematologic complications such as unknown neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and pancytopenia. In such conditions, specific serologic studies for EBV should be performed and confirmed by specific serologic studies.
Anemia ; Bilirubin ; Child* ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Exanthema ; Fever ; Hepatomegaly ; Herpesvirus 4, Human* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Korea ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Nausea ; Neutropenia ; Pancytopenia ; Pediatrics ; Pharyngitis ; Pharynx ; Thrombocytopenia ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Asphyxia* ; Brain* ; Humans ; Infant* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

BACKGROUND: As living and dead Mycobacteria could be amplified by polymerase chain reaction(PCR), it was considered that PCR was inappropriate for the monitoring of pulmonary tuberculosis after treatment. But we found negative conversion of PCR after successful treatment. We would like to know about the negative conversion rate of PCR and its conversion time after antituberculous treatment. METHODS: We collected 113 sputums from the 16 patients of pulmonary tuberculsosis visiting Catholic University Hospital of Taegu Hyosung. We consecutively tested AFB smear, AFB culture and PCR by 2 to 4 weeks after antituberculous therapy. The patients were classified according 13 the chest X ray findings. RESULTS: We detectsd negative conversion of PCR from all 16 patients of the pulmonary tuberculosis within 30 weeks after treatment. The average negative conversion time was 16 +/- 8 weeks. The conversion time according to the chest X-ray findings were as follows : For the 8 cases of minimum were 9 +/- 5 weeks,4 cases of modreate advanced were 20 +/- 8 weeks, and 4 cases of far advanced were 23 +/- 2 weeks. The product of PCR was gradually decreased according to the duration of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: From the results of our study, we could utilize M. tubercuosis PCR for the prediction of therapy response and monitoring of the patient with pulmonary tuberculosis after treatment.
Daegu ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Sputum ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*