This study examined the expression of the bcl-2 protein in 59 cases of transitional cell carcinomas (TCCs) of the bladder and evaluated the relationship of bcl-2 and p53 with apoptosis. The cases were divided into 41 low-grade TCCs, 18 high-grade TCCs, 32 superficial TCCs, and 27 invasive TCCs. p53 and bcl-2 protein were detected by the immunohistochemical method and apoptosis was analysed by using hematoxylin-eosin stained slide. The results were as follows: bcl-2 protein was detected in 8 (14%) TCCs and all of these cases were low grade TCCs. Expression of bcl-2 protein was not correlated with clinical stage. There was no correlation between bcl-2 and p53 protein. According to the immunohistochemical results of bcl-2 and p53 protein, the cases were divided 4 groups. Apoptotic index (AI) was higher in p53 positive/ bcl-2 negative group than other groups but the significance was recognized only between p53 positive/bcl-2 negative group and p53 negative/bcl-2 negative group (p<0.05). p53 protein was detected in 20 (36%) TCCs and its expression was correlated positively with histologic grade and clinical stage (p<0.05). AI correlated positively with histologic grade and clinical stage (p<0.01). These data indicate that overexpression of bcl-2 protein is rare in TCC of the bladder and associated with low grade TCCs. Overexpression of p53 is associated with the tumor progression in the TCCs. AI correlates with p53 positivity but does not correlate with bcl-2 positivity.
Apoptosis* ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell* ; Urinary Bladder*

Lung is known as a vulnerable organ to metastatic tumors. Metastasis occurs mainly through lymphatics but seldom via blood vessels. Adenocarcinoma with mucin emboli is very rare. Primary foci reported in the literature were breast, lung, ovary and pancreas. A lung biopsy from a 60-year-old male patient showed floating mucin associated with metastatic adenocarcinoma to the lung in the blood vessels. The tumor cells spreaded along the vascular endothelium as if they were vascular endothelial cells. The tumor cells and mucin in the vessel were strong positive for PAS staining. Elastic and immunohistochemical staining for smooth muscle actin highlighted the vascular wall in the mucin containing structure with infarction of the lung. The primary focus was identified in the pancreatic head through the abdominal ultra-sonographic and computer-tomographic examination.
Actins ; Adenocarcinoma* ; Biopsy ; Blood Vessels ; Breast ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Female ; Head ; Humans ; Infarction ; Lung* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mucins* ; Muscle, Smooth ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Ovary ; Pancreas

SPARC, secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine, is a extracellular matrix-associated protein implicated in the modulation of cell adhesion, migration, cell cycle regulation, and angiogenesis. SPARC is expressed in fibrocytes and endothelial cells involved in tissue repair and invasive malignant tumors in the gastrointestinal tract, breast, lung, kidney, adrenal cortex, ovary, and brain. This study was aimed to characterize the different expression of SPARC in the thyroid follicular adenomas and follicular carcinomas. Immunohistochemical staining was performed in paraffin-embedded tissues of 25 follicular adenomas and 15 follicular carcinomas of the thyroid gland. Immunohistochemically, SPARC was not expressed in the 19 follicular adenoma and 2 follicular carcinoma but highly expressed in the 6 follicular adenoma and 13 follicular carcinoma. These findings suggest that SPARC is a potential diagnostic marker of follicular carcinoma and is helpful to distinguish follicular carcinoma from follicular adenoma without vascular or capsular invasion.
Adenoma* ; Adrenal Cortex ; Brain ; Breast ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Movement ; Cysteine ; Endothelial Cells ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Kidney ; Lung ; Ovary ; Thyroid Gland*

No abstract available.
Appendicitis*

The effect of interpregnancy interval on birthweight of the subsequent child was investigated for the 1,347 women of 25 to 40yearsold age who visited OBGY and Pediatric department of the general hospital in Taegu city. Questions in designed questionnaire were asked by student interviewers who were trained in nursing school. Mean birth weight by interpregnancy intervals were compared by intervals of 6 months. Mean birth weight increased from 3,250 grams for intervals of 6 months to 3,357 grams for intervals of 25-30 months, but the difference was not statistically significant (=0.47). Correlations between the continuous variables which were suspected as confounders and interpregnancy interval and birth weight were investigated. The coefficient of correlation between maternal age and interpregnancy interval was 0.39, between gestational period and birth weight 0.30 and between prepregnancy weight and birth weight 0.16 and between birth weight of first baby and birth weight (of second baby) 0.44. But maternal age, gestational period and prepregnancy weight were not considered as confounder, because they were not correlated simultaneously with birth interval and birth weight. Associations between the discrete variables which were suspected as confounders, and interpregnancy interval were investigated by Chi-square test. Associations between interpregancy interval and educational level of mothers, types of husband's occupation, types of medical security, sex were not significant (P-values were 0.59, 0.75, 0.75, 0.82 respectively), so we did not considered these variables as confounding variables. In multiple regression analysis of birth weight, significant variables were birth weight of first baby, gestational analysis of birth weight, significant variables were birth weight of first bay, gestational period, sex of neonate and prepregnancy body weight of mother. Of the 1,347 births, the rate of low birth weight was 2% (27 birth). The rate for interpregnancy interval 7-12months was highest as 3.6% and that for 13-18 months was lowest as 0.6%, but there was no regular tendency related with interpregnancy interval.
Bays ; Birth Intervals ; Birth Weight* ; Body Weight ; Child ; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Daegu ; Female ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Maternal Age ; Mothers ; Occupations ; Parturition* ; Schools, Nursing

To evaluate the effect of tibial cut with posterior slope in total knee arthroplasty(TKA) surgery on the flexion of the knee, 41 knees(32 patients) with varying degree of the posterior slope were retrospectively reviewed at more than 1 year after operation. Does sloping the tibial cut iurface rnore posteriorly promote increasing of maximal flexion of the knee by elimination of excessive tenaion of the posterior cruciate liga ment The degree of the posterior slope was radiographically measured, awi the change of the degree of the maximal flexion between preoperative and postoperative period was clinimlly measured with a goniometer at the latest follow up more than 1 year after operation. Comparison of the results demonstrated significantly larger degree of rqaximal flexion for the knees that had tibial cut with the degree of the posterior slope, 5 degrees or rnore (p<0.05). We concluded that 5 degrees or more posterior slope in proxirnal tibial cut is one of the important fact()r which could achieve increased flexion of the knee after TKA operation.
Arthroplasty* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Knee Joint ; Knee* ; Postoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies

Actinomycosis is a chronic suppurative and granulomatous bacterial infection characterized by contiguous spread, abscess formation and sinus tract formation. There are four clinical forms according to the lesional site, as 1) cervicofacial, 2) thoracic, 3) abdominal, and 4) disseminated form. Recently, we experienced a case of 54 year-old patient with left mandibular actinomycosis. The pathognomonic findings of actinomycosis is sulfur granule with multiple filaments in Gram-stain and the treatment of actinomycosis is surgical excision of mass or sinus tract with massive antibiotics (esp. Penicillin) therapy for 6 to 12 months.
Abscess ; Actinomycosis* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacterial Infections ; Humans ; Penicillins ; Sulfur

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of spiral CT in predicting the depth of tumor invasion in patients with gastric cancer by comparing with histopathological finding. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied spiral CT scans of forty-eight patients, in whom gastric cancer was proven by gastrofibroscopic biopsy and surgery. After distending the stomach with 400ml tap water or effervescent granules, 100ml of contrast media was given intravenously at a rate of 3ml/sec. CT scanning was started at 45 sec after administration of the contrast material. Gastric tumors were subdivided into five types according to enhancing pattern from the inner layer of gastric wall to the outer layer. These pattern were correlated with histopathologic results. RESULT: The tumor masses were detected on CT scan in 10(77%) of 13 patients with early gastric cancer, while, the tumor masses were seen on CT scan in all patients with advanced gastric cancer. Of 9 patients with type 1 or type 2 enhancing pattern, early gastric cancer(T1) were proven in 7 patients(78%), serosal invasion (T3) in 2 patients(22%). In contrast, among 29 patients with type 4 and type 5, 22 patients(76%) were proven as serosal invasion(T3). Of 7 patients with type 3, 3 patients(43%) were proven as serosal invasion(T3), three(43%) as subserosal invasion(T2), one as early gastric cancer(T1). CONCLUSION: Analysis of morphological enhancing pattern on spiral CT is useful in predicting the depth of tumor invasion in patients with gastric cancer.
Biopsy ; Contrast Media ; Humans ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Tomography, Spiral Computed* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Water

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Humans ; Spinal Cord Compression* ; Spinal Cord*

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, histologically characterized by the presence of bland-looking spindle cells and infiltration of chronic inflammatory cells, is extremely rare in the gastric wall. We report a case of gastric inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor in a 27-month-old boy. The fine needle aspiration biopsy from the mass showed loose clusters or scattered spindle cells and inflammatory cells, predominantly of lymphocytes and plasma cells. The spindle cells resembled fibroblasts or myofibroblasts. Differential diagnosis from benign and malignant diseases involving abdominal cavity was discussed.
Abdominal Cavity ; Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Myofibroblasts* ; Plasma Cells ; Stomach