BACKGROUND: In ganglion cell tumos, immunohistochemical characteristics and malignant changes of neuronal cells and the usefulness of the MIB-1 (Ki67) indices for granding ganglion cell tumors and abnormalities of the adjacent nonneoplastic cortex have been issued. METHODS: The clinicopathologic features of 34 surgically resected ganglion cell tumors (32 gangliogliomas and 2 gangliocytomas) were retrospectively analysed, and immunohistochemical characteristics and malignant changes of neuronal cells and the usefulness of the MIB-1 (Ki67) indices for grading ganglion cell tumors and abnormalities of the adjacent normal cortex were investigated using various immunohistochemical studies. RESULTS: According to the Daumas-Duport grading system, there were 24 (70.6%) grade II, 8 (23.5%) grade III, and two (5.9%) grade IV cases. Malignant transformation was present only in the glial (7 cases) or both glial and neuronal (3 cases) components. The MIB-1 indices were statistically significant (p<0.001): grade II was 0.0-1.05% (0.27+/-0.3%), grade III was 0.8-8.02% (2.8+/-3.2%), and grade IV was 3.0-4.99% (3.99+/-1.0). Anaplasia and MIB-1 positivity was observed among the neurons in the three cases. Perikaryal cytoplasmic expression or surface punctate accentuation of synaptophysin were noted only in the neoplastic neurons in some cases. Fifteen out of 20 cases, which included the nonneoplastic cerebral cortex, displayed mild cortical dysplasia (microdysgenesis). CONCLUSIONS: The neuronal component also showed malignant transformations with proliferating activity. In our study, synaptophysin-immunoreactive patterns of neoplastic neurons were unique. The MIB-1 indices were helpful for grading ganglion cell tumos. Only mild cortical dysplasia was present in the normal cortex adjacent to the tumor.
Anaplasia ; Cerebral Cortex ; Cytoplasm ; Ganglioglioma ; Ganglion Cysts* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Ki-67 Antigen ; Malformations of Cortical Development ; Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial ; Neurons ; Retrospective Studies ; Synaptophysin

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) cause neurologic dysfunction by blocking the voltage-gated sodium channels located in all of the peripheral nerves and muscles. We experienced two patients presenting with generalized motor weakness after ingestion of pufferfish. The nerve conduction study showed diffuse slowing of motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity, prolonged motor terminal latency and decreased sensory nerve action potentials without temporal dispersion or conduction block. Abnormal findings of nerve conduction study improved rapidly without any deterioration. Clinical symptoms and signs ameliorated in accordance with findings of nerve conduction study without any neurologic sequelae. These imply that tetrodotoxication is reversible and functional neurologic disorder. We suggest that nerve conduction studies can be available in serial monitoring of tetrodotoxication as an objective means.
Action Potentials ; Eating ; Humans ; Muscles ; Nervous System Diseases ; Neural Conduction ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Peripheral Nerves* ; Tetraodontiformes ; Tetrodotoxin ; Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels

Mutations in the transmembrane inner ear (Tmie) gene, which encodes the Tmie protein, have been attributed to deafness autosomal recessive 6 (DFNB6), an autosomal nonsyndromic recessive hearing loss disorder. Although the Tmie gene was identified a few years ago, little is known about subcellular localization of the Tmie protein. In order to address this, we developed a stable cell line expressing Tmie protein. The expression of Myc-tagged Tmie protein was confirmed by Western blot analysis using an anti-Myc antibody and localization of the Tmie protein was confirmed by immunostaining, using the anti-Myc antibody as well as the anti-tmie antibody. Our study demonstrates that the Tmie protein is localized mostly in the cellular membrane and to a lesser extent in cytoplasm. These results suggest that our Tmie expressing stable cell line provides a suitable in vitro model to explore Tmie synthesis and functions.
Blotting, Western ; Cell Line ; Cytoplasm ; Deafness ; Ear, Inner ; Hearing Loss ; Membranes

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the changes of mandibular anterior alveolar bone thickness with age. METHODS: Cephalometric radiographs of 160 skeletal class I patients (male 80, female 80) with normal vertical growth pattern was investigated by measuring the buccolingual thickness of mandibular alveolar bone on the basis of root axis. RESULTS: As the age increases, both male and female showed a significant decrease in buccolingual width of the mandibular anterior alveolar bone and in the width of mandibular anterior lingual alveolar bone except the CEJ area of females. However, there was no significant difference in the thickness of mandibular anterior buccal alveolar bone and in the width of maximum prominence of mandibular symphysis with age. CONCLUSION: From the above results, it is concluded that Korean children whose growth pattern is sagittally skeletal class I with a vertical normal growth pattern have a greater mandibular anterior lingual alveolar bone width than Korean adults; therefore, lingual movement of mandibular incisors, which is usually accompanied in extraction treatment, is considered to be more preferable in younger patients.
Adult ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Incisor ; Male ; Tooth Cervix

Angiogenesis, formation of new microvessels providing oxygen and nutrient supply, is essential for tumor growth. It is dependent on the production of angiogenic growth factors by tumor cells. Angiopoietin 1 (Ang-1) and 2 (Ang-2) and their common receptor, Tie2, are thought to be critical regulators of tumor angiogenesis. We examined expression of Ang-1, Ang-2, and their common receptor Tie2 mRNAs and proteins in gastric cancers using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. We also investigated the relationship between their expression and differentiation of cancer cells, lymph node metastasis, tumor size, depth of cancer cell invasion, TNM staging and microvessel density (MVD). The expression of Ang-1, Ang-2, and Tie2 mRNA in cancer cells significantly correlated with the MVD (p<0.001, <0.001 and =0.019, respectively). Ang-1 and Tie2 positivity correlated with advanced gastric cancers (p<0.05) and larger cancers had higher positive rates of Ang-1, Ang-2, and Tie2 mRNA expression (p<0.001, =0.010 and =0.039, respectively). Significant positive correlations were also found between mRNA expression of Tie2 and those of Ang-1 and Ang-2 (p<0.01 and <0.001, respectively). These findings indicate that the expression of Ang-1 and Ang-2 is important for tumor angiogenesis, and suggest a possible role of autocrine/paracrine function of angiopoietin/Tie2 system in gastric cancer progression.
Stomach Neoplasms/blood supply/*genetics/*metabolism/pathology ; Receptor, TIE-2/*genetics/*metabolism ; RNA, Neoplasm/genetics/metabolism ; RNA, Messenger/genetics/metabolism ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; Middle Aged ; Male ; In Situ Hybridization ; Immunohistochemistry ; Humans ; Gene Expression ; Female ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell/blood supply/genetics/metabolism/pathology ; Angiopoietin-2/*genetics/*metabolism ; Angiopoietin-1/*genetics/*metabolism ; Aged ; Adult ; Adenocarcinoma/blood supply/genetics/metabolism/pathology

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Oxygen free radicals play an important role in acute pancreatitis. Pantoprazole as a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) has pancreatic anti-secretory effect and a pronounced inhibitory reactivity towards hydroxyl radicals. The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of pantoprazole on the course of acute pancreatitis. METHODS: We conducted a prospective randomized trial involving 40 patients with acute pancreatitis. Patients were divided into two groups. One group received PPI and the other group did not receive PPI. In the PPI group, patients received pantoprazole 40 mg intravenously twice a day for fasting time, and then 40 mg orally twice a day until discharge. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics and laboratory markers between two groups. In the pantoprazole group, mean hospital stay was 7.4 days, time to start oral intake was 69.0 hours, and time to pain relief was 59.7 hours. Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II score was 3.15 at admission day and 2.35 at discharge. On the other hand, in the non-pantoprazole group, mean hospital stay was 7.6 days, time taken to start oral intake was 71.4 hours, and time taken to pain relief was 61.8 hours. APACHE II score was 4.4 at admission and 2.85 at discharge. However, there were no significant differences between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with pantoprazole did not have influence on the clinical course of acute pancreatitis. But, considering it was a pilot study, large scale prospective trials will be needed.
2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles/therapeutic use ; APACHE ; Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alcohol Drinking ; Eating ; Female ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain Management ; Pancreatitis/*drug therapy/etiology ; Pilot Projects ; Prospective Studies ; Proton Pump Inhibitors/*therapeutic use ; Young Adult

Hemorrhagic cystitis is a common complication in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. We report a case of hemorrhagic cystitis after unrelated cord blood transplantation associated with adenovirus infection. Despite hydration, hematuria and large clots persisted. We instilled cidofovir into the bladder, which resulted in clearance of the adenovirus and significant clinical improvement. Our case emphasizes the effectiveness of intravesical cidofovir treatment for viral hemorrhagic cystitis.
Adenoviridae ; Adenoviridae Infections ; Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; Cystitis ; Cytosine ; Fetal Blood ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; Hematuria ; Organophosphonates ; Transplants ; Urinary Bladder

Hypercalcemia commonly occurs because of primary hyperparathyroidism and metastatic malignancies, such as multiple myeloma, breast cancer and lung cancer; these causes account for 90% of cases. The other causes of hypercalcemia are numerous, and immobilization is an under-appreciated etiology. The mechanisms underlying immobilization-induced hypercalcemia are uncertain. However, an overall increased osteoclastic bone resorption and decreased osteoblastic bone formation can induce hypercalciuria and hypercalcemia. Additionally, hypercalcemia can induce and be associated with acute kidney injury, but it is rarely reported in immobilization hypercalcemia. We report here a 58-year-old man with suspected immobilization hypercalcemia associated with acute kidney injury and treated successfully with glucocorticoids.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Bone Resorption ; Breast Neoplasms ; Glucocorticoids ; Humans ; Hypercalcemia ; Hypercalciuria ; Hyperparathyroidism, Primary ; Immobilization ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; Osteoblasts ; Osteoclasts ; Osteogenesis

Acute kidney injury associated with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and a coagulation factor defect may develop with infection, malignancy, severe trauma, or obstetric complications. However, a gynecological etiology, such as hysterectomy, in a patient with adenomyosis has rarely been reported. We describe a case of a 42-year-old women who presented with DIC and acute kidney injury after a total hysterectomy. We thought that the cause for the acute kidney injury might be small vascular thrombosis and acute tubulointerstital nephritis due to probable catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome with DIC. The patient was successfully treated with steroid therapy.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Adenomyosis ; Adult ; Antiphospholipid Syndrome ; Blood Coagulation Factors ; Dacarbazine ; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Nephritis ; Thrombosis

Renal artery pseudoaneurysm is an uncommon disease. A 47-year-old man complained of recently developed gross hematuria and left flank pain. The initial laboratory study and radiographic evaluation revealed acute pyelonephritis. After the treatment with antibiotics, gross hematuria was resolved and the patient was discharged. However, he revisited with repeated gross hematuria and throbbing left flank pain. The renal angiography revealed left intra-renal arterial pseudoaneurysm. Angiographic embolization by glue injection was successfully performed. Thereafter, gross hematuria and flank pain were disappeared. We report a successful glue embolization of intra-renal artery pseudoaneurym associated with acute pyelonephritis.
Adhesives ; Aneurysm, False ; Angiography ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Arteries ; Flank Pain ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pyelonephritis ; Renal Artery