No abstract available.
Leukemia*

Carcinosarcoma of the esophagus is a rare neoplasm composed of both carcinoma and spindle sarcomatous area. Usually the carcinoma component is a squamous cell carcinoma but rarely adenocarcinoma or undifferentiated carcinoma is found. The histogenesis of the sarcomatous component is still unknown. A case of ulcerated polypoid lesion with a stalk in esophagus was reported. Microscopically it was composed of spindle shaped cells interminled with squamous cell carcinoma and small cell carcinoma nests. No distinct transition between spindle shaped cells and carcinoma are was observed. Immunoreactivity to cytokeratin was observed in both carcinomatous and spindle cell component, but electron microscopic examination failed to demonstrated desmosome or tonofilaments in spindle cells. Undifferentiated small cell nests were reactive to neuron specific enolase and contained membrane bounded secretory granule in electron microscopy.
Adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to compare and contrast ankle range of motion, functional ability, talar- tilt angle and foot injuries between high school ballet majors with and without foot deformities and to provide fundamental data about effective intervention methods for their successful performance and injury prevention. METHODS: Subjects were 18 female high school ballet dancers, eight with foot deformities and ten without foot deformities. For statistical analysis, the independent t-test (SPSS 20.0; SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA) was used and the significant level of P<0.050 was selected. RESULTS: 1. Foot injuries of plantar flexion and talar tilt were significantly different between the two groups (P<0.050). 2. The deformity group displayed a higher proportion of mechanical instability compared to that of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Foot deformities in high school students majoring in ballet can have negative effects to the ankle joint, with a strong possibility of ankle instability and foot injuries linked to tarlar tilt, and quite probably, of chronic ankle sprain.
Ankle Injuries ; Ankle Joint ; Ankle* ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Female ; Foot Deformities* ; Foot Injuries* ; Humans ; Range of Motion, Articular*

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to compare and contrast ankle range of motion, functional ability, talar- tilt angle and foot injuries between high school ballet majors with and without foot deformities and to provide fundamental data about effective intervention methods for their successful performance and injury prevention. METHODS: Subjects were 18 female high school ballet dancers, eight with foot deformities and ten without foot deformities. For statistical analysis, the independent t-test (SPSS 20.0; SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA) was used and the significant level of P<0.050 was selected. RESULTS: 1. Foot injuries of plantar flexion and talar tilt were significantly different between the two groups (P<0.050). 2. The deformity group displayed a higher proportion of mechanical instability compared to that of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Foot deformities in high school students majoring in ballet can have negative effects to the ankle joint, with a strong possibility of ankle instability and foot injuries linked to tarlar tilt, and quite probably, of chronic ankle sprain.
Ankle Injuries ; Ankle Joint ; Ankle* ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Female ; Foot Deformities* ; Foot Injuries* ; Humans ; Range of Motion, Articular*

Cortex mori (Morus alba L.: Sangbaikpi), the root bark of mulberry tree, has been used as an antiphlogistic, diuretic, and expectorant in herbal medicine. Previous studies have demonstrated that the phenolic extract of Cortex mori have hypotensive, hypoglycemic, antifungal, antiviral, antiinflammatory, and anticancer effects, and the hot water extract from Cortex mori has inhibitory effects on compound 48/80- induced mast cell degranulation and histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMCs). This study was perforrned to investigate the effects of polysaccharide fraction from Cortex mori (PFCM) on compound 48/80-induced degranulation, histamine release, calcium influx, changes of intracellular cAMP and cGMP level, and morphological changes of RPMCs. The results were summarized as follows. 1) Compound 48/80-induced cytomorphological changes such as swelling, degranulation, intracellular vacuoles, and interrupted cell boundary were significantly inhibited by pretreatment with either hot water or polysaccaride fractions frorn Cortex mori (PFCM), 2) the compound 48/80-induced histamine release from RPMCs pretreated with PFCM was significantly inhibited, compared to that of control without PFCM pretreatment, 3) the PFCM inhibited remarkably the compound 48/80-induced calcium influx into the RPMCs, 4) the PFCM increased significantly the intracellular cAMP levels and decreased the intracellular cGMP levels of RPMCs, compared to those of normal control, and 5) the compound 48/80-induced cAMP levels of RPMCs pretreated with PFCM were significantly increased, compared to those of positive control without PFCM, and the compound 48/80-induced cGMP levels of RPMCs pretreated with PFCM were remarkably decreased, compared to those of positive control without PFCM. From the above results, it is suggested that PFCM have an activity to inhibit the compound 48/80-induced mast cell activation.
Animals ; Calcium ; Herbal Medicine ; Histamine Release ; Mast Cells* ; Morus ; Phenol ; Rats ; Trees ; Vacuoles ; Water

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that Cortex mori ( Morus alba L, Sangbaikpi ; CM ), the root bark of mulberry tree, plays a role in inhibiting mast cell activation. Human seminal plasma ( HSP ) modulates immune systems and activates rat peritoneal mast cells ( RPMC ). However, the inhibitory agents of HSP - induced mast cell activation have not been disclosed yet. OBJECTIVE AND METHOD: This study was undertaken to determine the effects of CM on HSP-induced mast cell activation by morphologic and functional methods. Morphological changes of RPMC by HSP alone or CM plus HSP were observed with the inverted light microscope. And the amounts of histamine and calcium were measured by radioisotopic enzymatic histamine and radioisotopic calcium assays. RESULTS: By inverted microscopy, HSP-induced RPMC degranulation occurred in a dose-dependent fashion. After pretreatment of RPMC with CM, there was no HSP-induced degranulation. Degranulation index (DI) of RPMC treated with Hanks balanced salt solution (HBSS), CM or HSP was 7.0+/-4.3, 9.0+/-6.2, 56.5+/-16.9, respectively. After pretreatment of RPMC with CM, HSP-induced DI was 11.0 +/-7.1. These results indicate that CM inhibited HSP-induced degranulation of RPMC. HSP-induced RPMC histamine release (HR) was dose-dependent. HR of RPMC treated with HBSS, CM or HSP was 0.18+/-0.10, 0.30+/-0.19, 4.48+/-0.86 ug/ml, respectively. After pretreatment of RPMC with CM, HSP-induced HR was 0.52+/-0.21 ug/ml. These results indicate that CM inhibited HSP-induced HR from RPMC. Intracellular calcium level ( ICL) of RPMC was also increased according to the concentration of HSP. ICL of RPMC treated with HBSS, CM or HSP was 6.1+/-1.0, 9.0+/-2.1, 30.2+/-6.5 pmole, respectively. After pretreatment of RPMC with CM, HSP-induced ICL of RPMC was 11.6 +/- 3.3 pmole. These results indicate that CM inhibited HSP-induced calcium uptake of RPMC. CONCLUSION: From these results, it is suggested that CM contains some substances which inhi-
Animals ; Calcium ; Histamine ; Histamine Release ; Humans* ; Immune System ; Mast Cells* ; Microscopy ; Morus ; Rats* ; Semen* ; Trees

This study was performed to detect the hormonal abnormalities and to investigate the relationship between the levels of plasma testosterone and DHEA-S in 21 female patients with acne vulgaris using radioimmunoassay. The results were as follows : 1. The levels of plasma testosterone in patients group and control group(n=9) were 352+/-11.8 ng/dl, 223+/-9.7 ng/dl, respectively, and significantly elevated in patient group(p < 0.01), 2. The levels of plasma DHEA-S in patient group and control group were 286.6+/-126.8 pg/dl, 238.6+/-60.0 pg/dl, respectively, and did not show statistical significance. 3. The levels of plasma testosterones in patient subgroups classified by modified Pillsbury method were as follows minor group 32.6+5.3 ng/dl, mild group 33.4+/-15,5 ng/dl, moderate group 39.6+/-12.6 ng/dl. The testosterone levels in all the subgroups increased significantly than those in control group(352-t11.8 ng/dl) (p<0.05, p<0.05 p < 0.01) 4. The levels of plasrna DHEA-S in patient subgroups were follows minor group 242.5+/-412 pg/dl, mild group 263.9+/-166.1 pg/dl, moderate group 353.4+/-1273 pg/dl. The DE3EA-S levels in moderate group increased significantly than those in cotrol (238,6+/-60,0 pg/dl) and minor group(p<0.05). 5. There was no correlation between the plasma testosterone levels and the plasma DHEA-S levels in the acne patients.
Acne Vulgaris* ; Dehydroepiandrosterone* ; Female ; Humans ; Plasma* ; Radioimmunoassay ; Testosterone*

PURPOSE: To study the subcellular localization with flow-cytometry and to evaluate their prognostic values. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The breast tissues were obtained from 28 patients with breast cancer and 6 patients with benign mass. The expression of BRCA1 protein was analyzed with the flow cytometry(Coulter Epics-XL, Coulter Corps, FL, USA) using the monoclonal antibody(BRCA1(Ab-1), Calbiochem, MA, USA) before and after nuclear and cytoplasmic permeabilization in association with DNA ploidy analysis. Several BRCA1 protein indices were derived including 95 percentile channel fluorescence(95% CF) and mean channel fluorescence(MCF) and percentage of BRCA 1 positive cell population arbitarily defined as those above 0.12 channel fluorescence. RESULTS: Cytoplasmic 95% CF were higher in breast cancer(n=28, 0.65+/-0.26) than in benign mass(n=6, 0.40+/-0.13, p=0.0211). Cytoplasmic BRCAl positive cell percentages were significantly higher in malignant tissues(24.0+/-10.3) than in benign mass(43.4+/-15.2, p=0.0059). Cytoplasmic BRCA1 positive cell percentages were significantly different according to the stages(stage I vs II, 32.6+/-9.8 vs 48.3+/-18.8, p=0.048, stage I vs stage III, 32.6+/-9.8 vs 47.0+/-10.9, p=0.010). The BRCA1 protein indices were not significantly correlated with histologic grades and DNA indices(aneuploidy, S phase and proliferation fractions). CONCLUSIONS: Flowcytometric assay offers an alternative approach to evaluating BRCA1 protein status of breast cancer tissue and detection of cytoplasmic BRCA1 protein by this method may help to understand the role of BRCA1 in breast cancer cell biology. The further study on cytoplasmic or nuclear BRCA1 protein in association with clinical therapeutic response or prognosis seems to be warranted.
BRCA1 Protein* ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cytoplasm ; DNA ; Flow Cytometry ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Ploidies ; Prognosis ; S Phase

Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Leiomyoma ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography ; Uterine Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Uterus ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; Venous Thrombosis ; diagnosis ; surgery

This study was carried out to observe the ultrastructure of tongue mast cells in frog, Bombina orientalis. In the light microscopy, mast cells were round, oval, spindle-like and irregular shape and occasionally had one or more tail-like long cytoplasmic processes. Mast cells had many red granules stained with toluidine blue in the cytoplasm. In the electron microscopy, mast cells had membrane-bounded granules and poorly developed organelles. The granules were composed of two parts, low and dense electron density. In high magnification the dense part in the middle region of granule had honey comb-like crystalline structure.
Anura* ; Crystallins ; Cytoplasm ; Honey ; Mast Cells* ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron ; Organelles ; Tolonium Chloride ; Tongue*