Two typical cases of epithelioid sarcoma were examined by immunohistochemical stain using antibodies to epithelial membrane antigen, carcinoembryonic antigen, vimentin and cytokeratin. Both cases showed positive reactivity for the four kinds of antibodies. These results point to the fact that epithelioid sarcoma simultaneously expresses epithelial markers and characteristic mesenchymal phenotypes. Epithelioid sarcoma appears to be a tumor derived from a multipotential mesenchymal cell with multidirectional differentiation.
Antibodies ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Keratins ; Mucin-1 ; Phenotype ; Sarcoma* ; Vimentin

PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiological patterns of vascular invasion in peripheral cholangiocarcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hepatic arteriography and portography in 20 cases with cholangiocarcinoma including 12 cases with anglographic CT were retrospectively analized. RESULTS: The arteriography showed no arterioportal shunt, hypertrophy of tumor vessel, or tumor staining extending to central portion of the mass in all cases. However, doughnut shaped peripheral tumor staining was seen until late hepatogram phase in 12 cases and compensatory hyperperfusion around the mass was seen in six cases(eight cases if include arterial CT). Encasement of tumor vessel was seen in 12 cases, and hypertrophy of feeding vessel in nine cases. On portogrphy, the filling defect on segmental portal branch could be demonstrated only in 11 cases. Shape of the portal defect was tapered narrowing in six cases, abrupt narrowing in two cases but intraluminal nodular filling defect was not seen. Remainning three cases were difficult to define the shape. On seven cases of CT during arterial portography, three cases showed mass shaped defect and four showed segmental defect but three of them could demonstrate the partially preserved portal flow in defective portal area. CONCLUSION: Hepatic arteriography in peripheral cholagiocarcinoma showed no evidence of hypertrophy of tumor vessels and tumor stain extending to central portion but peripheral staining on late hepatogram phase and compensatory hyperperfusion could be seen. Portal vein was more commonly involved through perivascular connective tissue invasion rather than by direct extension into the portal lumen.
Angiography* ; Cholangiocarcinoma* ; Connective Tissue ; Hypertrophy ; Portal Vein ; Portography ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiological patterns of vascular invasion in peripheral cholangiocarcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hepatic arteriography and portography in 20 cases with cholangiocarcinoma including 12 cases with anglographic CT were retrospectively analized. RESULTS: The arteriography showed no arterioportal shunt, hypertrophy of tumor vessel, or tumor staining extending to central portion of the mass in all cases. However, doughnut shaped peripheral tumor staining was seen until late hepatogram phase in 12 cases and compensatory hyperperfusion around the mass was seen in six cases(eight cases if include arterial CT). Encasement of tumor vessel was seen in 12 cases, and hypertrophy of feeding vessel in nine cases. On portogrphy, the filling defect on segmental portal branch could be demonstrated only in 11 cases. Shape of the portal defect was tapered narrowing in six cases, abrupt narrowing in two cases but intraluminal nodular filling defect was not seen. Remainning three cases were difficult to define the shape. On seven cases of CT during arterial portography, three cases showed mass shaped defect and four showed segmental defect but three of them could demonstrate the partially preserved portal flow in defective portal area. CONCLUSION: Hepatic arteriography in peripheral cholagiocarcinoma showed no evidence of hypertrophy of tumor vessels and tumor stain extending to central portion but peripheral staining on late hepatogram phase and compensatory hyperperfusion could be seen. Portal vein was more commonly involved through perivascular connective tissue invasion rather than by direct extension into the portal lumen.
Angiography* ; Cholangiocarcinoma* ; Connective Tissue ; Hypertrophy ; Portal Vein ; Portography ; Retrospective Studies

We report metastatic omental hepatocellular carcinoma in two patients with post-lobectomy hepatocellular carcinoma who have had previous abdominal surgery or the rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma. Ometal metastatic masses were similar to primary masses of the liver in pathologic findings as well as in radiologic findings.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Humans ; Liver ; Rupture

BACKGROUND: Sun exposure and therapeutic irradiation have been shown to induce alterations in extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, including elastin, glycosaminoglycan and collagens. The integrity of the connective tissue mainly depends on balanced rates of matrix synthesis and degradation of the extracellular matrix. Therefore, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) may be involved in ultraviolet irradiation (UVR)-induced alterations in ECM proteins. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of UVA as well as UVB irradiations on ST-1 gene expression in cultured human skin fibroblasts. METHODS: After exposure of different doses of UVA and UVB on cultured human skin fibroblasts, we examined the expression of ST-1 gene by Northern blot analysis, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) assay with CAT construct containing AP-1 binding site. Additionally, we carried out the gel mobility shift assay to investigate the effects of UVR on the DNA-binding activity of AP-1. RESULTS: After UVR on fibroblasts, the steady-state levels of ST-1 mRNA were in-creased in response to UVA and UVB by 2.5-fold and 4.2-fold, respectively, as compared with controls. Similar results were obtained by CAT assay showing that CAT activity increased as the UVA and UVB doses increased. Furthermore, gel mobility shift assay demonstrated that both UVA and UVB increased AP-1 DNA binding complexes. CONCLUSION: UVB as well as UVA up-regulated ST-1 gene expression at transcriptional levels in vitro. We speculate that modulation of MMPs, including ST-1, gene expression by UVR may contribute to the connective tissue damage related to photoaging and other photocutaneous disorders.
Animals ; Binding Sites ; Blotting, Northern ; Cats ; Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase ; Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; DNA ; Elastin ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Extracellular Matrix ; Fibroblasts* ; Gene Expression ; Humans* ; In Vitro Techniques ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin ; Solar System ; Transcription Factor AP-1

A 12-year-old girl presented with a 1-week duration of hair loss associated with splitting of the hair ends and whitish dots on the occipital hairs. On microscopic examination, a longitudinal splitting of the hair shaft with reconstitution of the normal hair distal to the fracture, nodular swellings, with the appearance of broomsticks pushed into one another, at the site of whitish swellings, and the flattening and twisting of the hair shaft around the long axis were demonstrated. Minor trauma to injury-prone hair is a common cause of hair shaft defects, however the reports with the combined conditions are insufficient in the literature. We describe a patient with central trichoptilosis associated with localized trichorrhexis nodosa and pili torti.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Child ; Female ; Hair ; Humans

No abstract available.
Panax*

The development of the cardiac ganglion was studied by electron microscopy in human fetuses ranging from 30mm to 270mm crown rump length. At 40mm fetus, the cardiac ganglia were observed in the adventitia of both the aorta and pulmonary artery, superior aspect of the left and right atrium, and interatrial septum. The cardiac ganglia were comprised of clusters of undifferentiated cells, neuroblasts, and unmyelinated nerve fibers. The ganglia were small and uncapsulated until 70mm fetus. At 70mm fetus, the cardic ganglia consisted of neuroblasts, satellite cells, and unmyelinated nerve fibers. Each ganglion was ensheathed in a connective tissue capsule. The cytoplasm of neuroblast contained Nissl bodies, mitochondria, coated vesicles, extensive Golgicomplex, and rough endoplasmic reticulum. Synaptic contacts between the cholinergic preganglionic axon and dendrites of postganglionic neuron were first observed. At 100mm fetus, the cardiac ganglia consisted of small clusters of ganglion cells and dendrites, together with supporting elements and blood vessels. During next prenatal stage from 170mm fetus, the ganglion cells were large and each contained a large nucleus with one or more nucleoli. The cytoplasm of ganglion cells contained much rough endoplasmic reticulum and extensive Golgi complex. Cholinergic preganglionic axons were numerous and interposed between the satellite cells. Adrenergic axons were rarely observed. A great number of synaptic junctions between the cholinergic preganglionic axon terminals and the dendrites of postganglinic neuron were found, and a few axosomatic synapses were also observed. Adrenergic nerve terminals did not seem to be involved in the synaptic transmission. The cardiac ganglion cells of the human fetal heart were innervated only by cholinergic nerve.
Adventitia ; Aorta ; Axons ; Blood Vessels ; Coated Vesicles ; Connective Tissue ; Crown-Rump Length ; Cytoplasm ; Dendrites ; Endoplasmic Reticulum, Rough ; Fetal Heart ; Fetus* ; Ganglia ; Ganglion Cysts* ; Golgi Apparatus ; Heart Atria ; Humans* ; Microscopy, Electron ; Mitochondria ; Nerve Fibers, Unmyelinated ; Neurons ; Nissl Bodies ; Presynaptic Terminals ; Pulmonary Artery ; Synapses ; Synaptic Transmission

Cardiac output depends on the ability of systolic ejection and diastolic filling of the heart. M-mode echocardiography can provide accurate clinical assessment of left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions. To see whether there are changes of the left ventricular function in asymptomatic hypertensives and if any kind of dysfunction and whether any relationship between the pattern of the ventricular hypertrophy and type of ventricular dysfunction exists, the authors examined the systolic and diastolic function indices of the left ventricle in 50 normotensives and 88 hypertensives composed of 18 patients without left ventricular hypertrophy(group 1), 40 patients with disproportionate septal thickening (group 2) and 30 patients with concentric left ventricular hypertrophy(group 3). Obtained results were as follows : 1) Blood pressure & left ventricular mass index were increased significantly in each hypertensive group compared to normal control. 2) Ejection fraction & fractional shortening in the hypertensive groups were not different from the normotensive control group. 3) Left ventricular isovolumic relaxation time(A2D time) was prolonged in each hypertensive group, especially in group 3. 4) Left atrial emptying index (AEI) was decreased in each hypertensive group. 5) Left ventricular percent ventricular A wave (% VAW) was increased in all hypertensive groups. Above study suggested that the left ventricular diastolic function could be impaired in the hypertensives without associated systolic dysfunction, and the degree of the diastolic dysfunction was not much affected by the type of left ventricular hypertrophy, but the more prolonged A2D time in the concentric hypertrophy group.
Blood Pressure ; Cardiac Output ; Echocardiography ; Heart ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Relaxation ; Ventricular Dysfunction ; Ventricular Function, Left

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate and compare the embryonic developmental capacity and pregnancy rates in conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with ejaculated sperm or testicular sperm cycles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fertilization was examined in the following morning after IVF (group I), ICSI (group II) or TESE-ICSI cycles (group III). Fertilized oocytes were co-cultured with Vero cells until embryo transfer (ET). On day 2 and 5~7, grades of embryos (<4- or > or =4-cell) and blastocysts (BG1, 2, 3 or early) were evaluated. Clinical pregnancy rate was determined by detecting G-sac with transvaginal ultrasonogram. We analyzed the results bychi2 and Student's t-test and considered statistically significant when P value was less than 0.05. RESULTS: Fertilization rate was significantly higher (p<0.05) in group I (79.0+/-21.2%) than in group II and III (56.8+/-21.6% and 36.7+/-25.3%). Cleavage and blastulation rate of group I (95.8+/-13.8% and 59.5+/-25.3%) were significantly higher (p<0.05) than those of group III (83.4+/-18.6% and 40.4+/- 36.5%). Clinical pregnancy rate was significantly higher (p<0.05) in group I and II (40.7% and 41.7%) than that in group III (12.5%). No differences were found in the rates of multiple pregnancy and abortion among three groups. Embryonic implantation rate was higher in group I (15.1+/-20.2%, p<0.05) and II (14.7+/-20.6%, NS) than that in group III (5.1+/-15.6%). However, embryonic implantation rate was increased in ET with blastocyst(s) among three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Fertilized oocytes obtained from TESE-ICSI were harder to be successfully cultured to blastocyst stage for 5~7 days than that from IVF cycles. However, all blastocyst(s) ET increased the embryonic implantation rate equally in IVF, ICSI and TESE-ICSI cycles.
Blastocyst ; Embryo Transfer ; Embryonic Development* ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Fertilization ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Oocytes* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnancy, Multiple ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic* ; Spermatozoa ; Ultrasonography ; Vero Cells