In order to extract useful tumor cell-specific information. DNA contents and other morphological parameters were measured by image analysis. Single cell preparation was made from archived paraffin blocks of 14 cases of bronchogenic squamous cell carcinoma, poorly differentiated, by protease treatment. The cells were Feulgen stained, and DNA content, area, perimeter, and major axis of the tumor cell nuclei were measured. Inflammatory lymphocytes concurrent with the tumor cells were used as an internal standard. DNA ploidies of the lymphocytes and 2C tumor cells showed simple peaks with Gaussian distribution and mean coefficients of variation of 10% and 14% respectively. By the location and proportion of the tumor cells other than 2C cells, DNA ploidies could be classified into diploidy(1 case), polyploidy(2 cases), and aneuploidy(11 cases). The mean proportion of DNA aneuploidal tumor cells relative to the total tumor cells was 82.8%. In 8 cases, nuclear areas showed more or less overlapped distribution, whereas DNA contents showed discrete peaks. THes results suggest that many bronchogenic squamous cell carcinomas, poorly differentiated, have DNA aneuploidy and high proportion of aneuploidal cells, and that nuclear size and DNA content are more or less independent parameters.

Percutaneous biliary drainage is an effective new nonsurgical method for combined external/internal catheterdecompression of obstructed extrahepatic bile ducts. Molnar and Stockum, and more recently others, have reportedsucdess utilizing this approach to establish biliary drainage in patients with obstructive jaundice. Percutaneousbiliary drainage was performed in 9 patients with obstructive jaundice. Internal drainage was accomplished in 4patients (44.4%), and external drainage in 5 patients (55.6%). Major complications occurred in 2 patients; bileleakage, one; sepsis, one. Minor complications occurred in 7 patients; mild or high fever, 5 cases; transienthemobilia, 2 cases. The catheter management problems encoutered including pain, catheter dislodgement ormigration, lumen occulusion, and external bile leakage.
Bile ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Catheters ; Drainage ; Fever ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; Methods ; Sepsis

Mobile computing environment is leading dynamic changes in our life. While the computer has been developed for complex calculation, it came to our life very closely with the help of wireless communication technologies and with the portability of the terminals. In the mobile computing environment, we can easily get the information from the wireless communication system while in the moving. Based on the wireless network technologies, we make use of applicable services for each mobile user. In this paper, we introduce several technologies supporting the mobile computing environment, and present the services, which are based on those technologies.

No abstract available.
Bone Density* ; Female ; Lactation* ; Postpartum Period*

PURPOSE: To find out the process of bone remodelling and risk factors in birth-associated femoral fracture. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We evaluated the four femoral fractures in three neonates about the obstetric and family history, and measured the angulation at the fracture site and the angle between the proximal and distal epiphysis of the femur on the radiographies taken at regular intervals. RESULTS: The incidence of birth-associated femoral fracture was 0.06%. In two cases, fracture angulation and interepiphyseal angle had been decreased. However the angular deformity was worsened in two cases, but the interepiphyseal angle had been decreased regardless to the change of fracture angulation. So the alignment of epiphyseal plate came to normal alignment of joint surface. CONCLUSION: The underlying disorder should be searched, because of its rarity. The physeal reorientation that makes joint alignment near normal irrespective of amount of angular deformity is assumed as the predominant mechanism in remodelling process of the angular deformity.
Congenital Abnormalities* ; Epiphyses ; Femoral Fractures ; Femur ; Growth Plate ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Joints ; Risk Factors

Cyclooxygenase (COX) is an enzyme involved in the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins(PGs), and exists in two forms, COX-1 and COX-2. COX has been reported to be involved in early implantation by secretion of PGs which causes permeability of vessels and reaction of decidual cells around the implantation site. Recently, in mice and sheep studies, COX-1 and COX-2 expression in the endometrium has been reported to be different according to implantation and stages of the estrous cycle, but expression of COX-1 and COX-2 in human endometrium during the menstrual cycle has not yet been established. The purpose of this stuffy was to observe the variances of COX-1 and COX-2 expression by immunohistoehemical staining in endometrial samples obtained from human hysterectomy specimens and biopsies of women of reproductive age according to different stages of the menstrual cycle. Also, we attempted to observe COX-1 and COX-2 expression in the epithelial and stromal cells of the endometrium obtained during the mid-secretory phase, which were cultured separately. COX-2 showed a cyclic pattern of expression according to the different stages of the menstrual cycle and was strongly expressed particularly at the mid-secretory phase which corresponds to the time of implantation. However, COX-1 tended to be increased in the early proliferative, and mid- and late secretory phases, but was also expressed in the whole menstrual cycle showing no particular pattern. In the separately cultured cells COX-1 was expressed in epithilial cells and COX-2 in the stromal cells. The above results suggest that since COX-2 is expressed at the same time as implantation and cultured cells display a specific secretory pattern, COX-2 has inductive endocrine enzyme properties and has an important effect on endometrial cells during implantation. Also, COX-2 expression in endometrial cells may be utilized as a useful marker of endometrial maturation.
Animals ; Arachidonic Acid ; Biopsy ; Cells, Cultured ; Cyclooxygenase 1* ; Endometrium* ; Estrous Cycle ; Female ; Humans* ; Hysterectomy ; Menstrual Cycle ; Mice ; Permeability ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases ; Sheep ; Stromal Cells

VATER association represents vertebral defects, anal atresia, tracheo-esophageal fistula with esophageal atresia, renal abnormalities and radial limb dysplasia. The probability of the simultaneous occurrence of any three of these defects is so unlikely that it suggests a sporadic non-random association. This non-random association appears to be related to mesodermal defects in early developmental period. We experienced one case of VATER association in 21 months old male child having vertebral anomalies with severe scoliosis, rib defects, imperforated anus, right renal agenesis, lipomyelomeningocele, spinal cord tumor. We reported a case of VATER association with brief review of related literature.
Anal Canal ; Anus, Imperforate ; Child ; Esophageal Atresia ; Extremities ; Fistula ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mesoderm ; Ribs ; Scoliosis ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms* ; Spinal Cord*

HHE syndrome is characterized by hemiconvulsive seizure, hemiplegia and epilepsy occurring in sequence. Recently, cytotoxic edematous swelling of one hemisphere was presented as the pathogenesis because high signal intensity was shown in the diffusion image but no remarkable findings were noticed in the FLAIR image and T2WI in two cases presented by Freeman etc. The clinical course and the radiologic findings in our patient was the same as the above description other than sparing paracentral lobule. This reinforces the assumption that the brain damage in HHE syndrome is not induced by vascular hypoxic damage but by selectively cytotoxic damage through immunologic pathogenesis. Therefore, diffusion image is needed for the diagnosis of HHE syndrome in a febrile convulsive child. Also, early adequate treatment is required such as immunosuppressive treatment with high dose steroid and intravenous immunoglobulin. Furthermore, a proper measure to reduce cerebral edema is essential for the prevention of neurologic sequalae and deterioration to epilepsy.
Brain ; Brain Edema ; Child ; Diffusion ; Epilepsy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Magnetics ; Magnets ; Seizures

Some patients have ascites without having liver disease, so it is important to analyze the cause of these ascites. Tuberculous peritonitis is an infectious disease characterized by lymphocyte-dominant exudative ascites. In contrast, myxedema ascites is a very rare disease characterized by a high serum/ascites albumin gradient (SAAG) with hypothyroidism. We herein report a case involving a 48-year-old woman with both diseases simultaneously. She was hospitalized because of massive ascites, generalized edema, and a puffy face. Hypothyroidism was confirmed by thyroid function tests. Her ascitic fluid had a high SAAG; no other specific findings were identified by cytology, culture, or computed tomography. Three months after initiating drug therapy for the hypothyroidism, the patient's systemic edema improved but the ascites recurred. Accordingly, diagnostic laparoscopy was performed, and tuberculous peritonitis was confirmed. As seen in this case, when myxedema ascites is associated with tuberculous peritonitis, an accurate diagnosis may be challenging.
Ascites* ; Ascitic Fluid ; Communicable Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Edema ; Female ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; Laparoscopy ; Liver Diseases ; Middle Aged ; Myxedema* ; Peritonitis, Tuberculous* ; Rare Diseases ; Thyroid Function Tests

Carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) in blood and CSF was reported to be increased in cases of nervous system neoplasms by some investigators. To evaluate the oncological diagnostic value of CEA in the neurosurgical conditions, this study has been performed on 24 nervous system neoplasms and 8 non-nervous system as well as 49 controls. In addition, alpha-fetoprotein was also measured on the same conditions because of its close oncologic nature and recent diagnostic application on the general surgical conditions. The CEA concentration in blood and CSF were determined by CEA Radioimmunoassay kit, and the alpha-fetoprotein in blood and CSF were determined by GammaDab kit. The result showed that concentration of CEA and alpha-fetoprotein was higher and seemed to diagnostic in Extra-CNS neoplasma. In nerovous system, however, these were the lower than we expected, although were higher than control. Moreever, these levels were not unique on same oncologic condition and rather somewhat variable. From these results, increased concentration of these itself may be considered suggestive of existence of nervous system neoplasm, but it does mean neither degree of malignancy nor its origin.
alpha-Fetoproteins* ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen* ; Central Nervous System ; Humans ; Nervous System Neoplasms ; Radioimmunoassay ; Research Personnel