OBJECTIVE: Tumor angiogenesis is believed to conelate with tumor growth, progression and metastasis. Studies of angiogenesis in breast, prostate and melanoma have shown that angiogenesis, the induction of new capillaries and venules, is associated with tumor metastases and recurrences. The purpose of this study was to investigate the angiogenesis as a prognostic factor in invasive cervical cancer. METHODS: Forty-three formalin fixed embedded blocks of invasive cervical cancers were examined using immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal antibody against factor VIII-related antigen. RESULTS: The miaovessel counts were 53.50+/-20,07 in patients with lymph node metastasis, and 45.97+/-28.12 in those without such metastasis. There was a trend for the microvessel count to increase with lymph node metastasis. However, thae was no significant difference in microvessel counts regarding node status. There was no significant difference between microvessel counts in patients with stage I(47.90+/-25.89) and those with stage Il(45.50+/-29.27), The microvessel counts in squamous cell carcinoma(46.54+/-27.79) were not significantly different from those in adenocarcinoma(47,50+/-27.05), The microvessel count in patients with tumor size >-4 cm(53.00+/-21.17) was not significantly higher than in those with tumar size <4 cm(46.20+/-27.94). CONCLUSION: There was no significant correlation between microvessel counts and clinical stage of disease, pathological type, tumor size or lymph node metastasis in patients with invasive cervical cancer. There was a trend for the microvessel count to increase with lymph node etastasis.
Breast ; Capillaries ; Formaldehyde ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Melanoma ; Microvessels ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prostate ; Recurrence ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms* ; Venules ; von Willebrand Factor

The p53 gene is a tumor suppressor gene and mutations in this gene play an import-ant role in the development of many human malignancies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the overexpression of p53 protein as a prognostic factor in invasive cervical cancer. Forty-three formalin fixed, paraffin wax embedded blocks of invasive cervical can-cers were examined using immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal antibody against p53. The result were as follows : 1. Immunostaining for p53 consistent with overexpression was seen in 23.8%(5 of 21) of stage I cancers and in 13.7%(4 of 22) of stage II cancers. 2. Immunostaining for p53 consistent with overexpression was seen in 21.6%(8 of 37) of squamous cell carciomas and in 0%(0 of 6) of adenocarcinomas. 3. The incidence of p53 overexpression was 25.0%(1 of 4) in cases with lymph node metastasis, compared with 17.9%(7 of 39) in cases without lymph node metastasis. 4.. The incidence of p53 overexpression was 20.0%(8 of 40) in cases with less than 4 cm, compared with 0%(0 of 3) in cases with equal to or larger than 4cm. In conclusion, p53 overexpression was not associated with stage, histologic type, and tumor size. However, there were trend for p53 overexpression to increase in patients with lymph node metastasis.
Adenocarcinoma ; Formaldehyde ; Genes, p53 ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Paraffin ; Staphylococcal Protein A ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

BACKGROUND: The maximal removal rate of indocyanine green (ICG Rmax), which has been used as a useful indicator of quantitative assessment of the hepatic function, has some disadvantages such as high cost, requirement of multiple sampling, and long turn-around time. This study was designed to clarify that the measurement of the lidocaine metabolite, monoethylglycinekylidide (MEGX) test, can replace the ICG Rmax. And in healthy adults, MEGX forma pion was measured and compared according to methods of measurement and serf. METHOD: In 18 patients to whom ICG Rmax test was requested, ICG Rmax test was carried out at two doses of 0.5 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg and MEGX formation after 15 minute of 1 mg/kg lidocaine Injection was measured by fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) method. The correlation between them was analyzed, To 25 healthy volunteers included in this study as normal control, lidocaine was given intravenously at, a dose of 1 mg/kg and MEGX forma pion was measured IS and 30 minute later (MEGX15, MEGX30) using both high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and FPIA methods. RESULT: Patient group resealed significant correlation between ICG Rmax and MEGX15 (r=0.7674, p<0.001) and also between ICG Rl5 and MEGX15 (r=0.5612, p=0.008). There was significant difference between MEGX15 of 9 patients with chronic liver diseases and those of normal controls (22.24+/- 13.18 and 35.40+/- 14.43 ng/mL, respectively) (p=0.01). In normal controls, the correlation between methods was significant (p=0.001) and the values measured by FPIA method was significantly higher than that by HPLG (p(0.001). Of the normal controls, male group had higher MEGX15 values than female group in both methods (in HPLC method 33.89+/-15.95 and 22.53+/- 8.36, and in FPIA method 41.48+/-16.61 and 28.81+/-7.88 ng/mL, respectively), and in female group MEGX30 values was significantly elevated compared to MEGX15 (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Inferred from the fact that the correlation between ICG Rmax and MEGX was good, MEGX test can be considered a replacement for ICG Rmax. In healthy adults, it is considered that there is serf-related difference In the rate of lidocaine metabolism so we should pay attention to it in interpreting the MEGX results.
Adult ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Female ; Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Indocyanine Green* ; Lidocaine ; Liver Diseases ; Male ; Mesons ; Metabolism

Salmonella is a communicable enteric pathogen commonly found in foodborne diseases. We showed the prevalence of S. enterica serovars from domestic residents and overseas travelers. In 2004-2005 years, Weltevreden, Anatum, and Tallahassee were predominant Salmonella serovars from overseas travelers, but Enteritidis, Typhimurium, and Typhi were major Salmonella serovars from domestic residents. In order to analyze the trends of prevalence and distribution of the serovars, Salmonella surveillance with an international study is essential for the disease control and prevention.
Foodborne Diseases ; Korea* ; Prevalence* ; Salmonella*

Although the development of wireless capsule endoscopy made it possible to visualize the entire small bowel endoscopically, capsule endoscopy has some limitations such as the impossibility of taking biopsies and carrying out therapeutic interventions. The new double-balloon method of enteroscopy has advantages over capsule endoscopy or push enteroscopy. This method is possible to take biopsies and perform therapeutic procedures such as thermal coagulation, injection, or polypectomy. It is also possible to visualize entire small bowel through oral and anal approach and improve endoscopic image by rinsing and air insufflation. We herein report a case of proximal jejunal diverticular bleeding diagnosed by double-balloon enteroscopy.
Biopsy ; Capsule Endoscopy ; Double-Balloon Enteroscopy* ; Hemorrhage* ; Insufflation

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Intrahepatic biliary stricture is one of the most common cause of treatment failure in hepatolithiasis, and it is also the main cause of stone recurrence. Ductal dilatation with percutaneous cholangioscopy is a promising therapy for biliary stricture, however the long- term outcome of this treatment modality has limited documentation. We performed the long-term follow up examination of these cases to investigate stone clearance and recurrence after percutaneous balloon dilatation, with or without stenting, and of stricture associated with intrahepatic cholelithiasis. METHODS: From October 1996 to December 1999, 28 patients with hepatolithiasis and intrahepatic biliary stricture were treated with percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopic or postoperative cholangioscopic lithotripsy, and balloon dilatation. Choledochoscopic electrohydraulic lithotripsy was applied when impacted or large stones were encountered. We studied clinical and radiological examination regularly to evaluate the complete clearance and recurrence of stone after ductal dilatation. RESULTS: Complete clearance of stones was achieved in 23 patients (82.1%). The rate of stone recurrence in complete stone clearance group after mean follow up period of 41 months was 17.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Balloon dilatation is an efficient method of complete stone removal and prevention of the stone recurrence in biliary stricture-associated hepatolithiasis.
Cholelithiasis ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Dilatation* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Lithotripsy ; Recurrence* ; Stents ; Treatment Failure

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to evaluate a relationship between the blood concentrations of toxic metals and the blood pressure in people living near the copper smelter. METHODS: The study included 570 adults living within 4km of the smelter. We compared systolic and diastolic blood pressure between tertiary groups for blood cadmium, mercury and lead levels, respectively. Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors affecting systolic and diastolic blood pressures. RESULTS: In male subjects, there is a significant difference in the mean of systolic and diastolic blood pressure between tertiary groups of blood cadmium and mercury levels, but in women, there was no significant difference in the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures in all tertiary groups of heavy metals. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that age, BMI, and cadmium concentration in men were risk factors for blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Residents living near the Janghang smelter showed high concentrations of blood lead and cadmium, suggesting that they were exposed to high concentrations of heavy metals released from the smelter in the past. Such exposure may have caused some blood pressure increase. Especially, the concentration of cadmium in the case of men and the concentration of mercury in blood in the case of women were found to be significantly related to the increase of blood pressure. The local population should be advised to make efforts to reduce exposure to environmental contaminants, in order to minimize cardiovascular disease, and to pay close attention to any health problems possibly related to toxic metal exposure.
Adult ; Blood Pressure* ; Cadmium ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Copper* ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Metals* ; Metals, Heavy ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aims of this study were to determine subgoups of functional dyspesia and to evaluate the short-term effect of cisapride in patients with functional dyspepsia in Korea. METHODS: 1025 patients, with a mean age of 42.6 years, with symptoms of functional dyspepsia, were recruited consecutively and upper gastrointestinal symptoms were investigated by interview in 41 hospitals in Korea. In an open, multicenter trial, 1025 patients received Smg of cisapride three times a day (TID) for at least .2 weeks for the treatment of symptoms of functional dyspepsia. When necessary, the dose of cisapride was increased to 10mg TID and the duration of therapy was extended to 4 weeks. RESULTS: The most frequently reported symptoms of functional dyspepsia were epigastric discomfort or fullness (85%), bloating (70%), belching (53%), early satiety (52%) and epigastric pain (46%) retrospectively. Subgroups of functional dyspepsia were as follows; dysmotility-like 73.5%, ulcer-like 39.7%, reflux-like 13.0%, and unspecified dyspepsia 14.0%. However, 33.2% of subjects with functional dyspepsia could be classified into more than one subgroup. Upper gastrointestinal symptoms were decreased to average 50.3% (range; 42.2 to 59.2%) after 2 weeks of cisapride treatment and to 25% (19.2 to 29.9%) after 4 weeks. cisapride therapy resulted in good or excellent improvement in 59.0% of the patients after two weeks, in 75% of patients after 4 weeks. Adverse events were occurred in 52 patients (5.8% of all patients), most commonly, loose stools or diarrhea (3.5%), abdominal pain (1.1%), and dizziness (0.3%). The majority of adverse events was mild and transient in nature and led to premature discontinuation of treatment in 4 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Although the majorities of patients with functional dyspepsia have dysmotility like symptoms in Korea, there is such overlap among the dyspepsia subgroups. Most patients responded well to a short therapeutic trial with cisapride without significant side effects.
Abdominal Pain ; Cisapride* ; Diarrhea ; Dizziness ; Dyspepsia* ; Eructation ; Humans ; Korea* ; Retrospective Studies