No abstract available.
Endoderm* ; Endodermal Sinus Tumor*

Generalized plane xanthoma is less common and usually involves the eyelids, lateral side of the neck, upper trunk, and extremities. Lesions, however, may appear on any portion of the body. Cutaneous xanthomas may occur in hyperlipidemic and in normolipidemic states. Generalized normolipidemic plane xanthoma is often associated with multiple myeloma, other reticulo-endothelial malignancies and monoclonal gammopathy with unknown significance(MGUS). We wish to report two eases of generalized plane xanthoma associated with IgG monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance.
Extremities ; Eyelids ; Immunoglobulin G ; Multiple Myeloma ; Neck ; Paraproteinemias* ; Xanthomatosis*

BACKGROUND: The growth of elderly population increased the need for oral health care. Elderly patients with poor teeth alignment needs more attention with orthodontic treatment METHODS: Elderly patients visiting department of orthodontics, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital between 2000-2004 were treated with fixed appliances in one or both dental arches. Treatment plans were different from than that of younger patients and included uncommon and strategic removals of teeth and prosthesis. RESULTS: There was decrease in orthodontic treatment forces with increasing age, and the observation made from this study was favorable in the patients' as well as in the orthodontist's, point of view. It was possible to move the remaining teeth considerably, and the retention was made with various fixed appliances. CONCLUSIONS: Orthodontic treatment is not limited by patient age. However, it is wise not to extend treatment goals too far beyond the patients' objective needs
Aged* ; Dental Arch ; Heart ; Humans ; Oral Health ; Orthodontics ; Prostheses and Implants ; Tooth

PURPOSE: Bipolar energy has recently been used for transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). Although this modality is thought to be safe, there are some controversies concerning the pathologic accuracy of the biopsy specimens. We compared clinical efficacy, safety, and pathologic characteristics of deep biopsy specimens between bipolar and monopolar devices. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2002 to June 2007, a total of 115 patients underwent TURBT with deep biopsy with the use of bipolar (bipolar group, n=64) or monopolar (monopolar group, n=51) devices. We retrospectively analyzed tumor size, tumor number, urine cytology, perioperative blood loss (postoperative changes in hemoglobin levels), complications, duration of catheterization, duration of hospitalization, pathologic stage, WHO grade, deep biopsy specimen thickness, and grade of thermal damage. RESULTS: There were no statistical differences in tumor size, tumor number, urine cytology, complications, duration of hospitalization, pathologic stage, or WHO grade between the two groups. Postoperative changes in hemoglobin levels were significantly lower in the bipolar group (p=0.038), and the duration of catheterization was shorter in the bipolar group (p=0.026). The deep biopsy specimen thickness was significantly thinner in the bipolar group (2.25+/-0.94 mm vs. 3.02+/-1.39 mm, p<0.05). The grade of thermal damage was not statistically different between the two groups (p=0.862). CONCLUSIONS: In terms of clinical efficacy and safety, bipolar TURBT is comparable to monopolar TURBT, having advantages in perioperative blood loss and duration of catheterization. In addition, pathologic changes in deep biopsy after bipolar and monopolar TURBT are similar. Bipolar TURBT can be properly used for bladder tumors without pathologic error.
Artifacts ; Biopsy ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Hemoglobins ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Pathology, Surgical ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms

Objective: Although the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale was originally developed to stage Alzheimer’s dementia (AD), it is now used globally for various types of dementia. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristic pattern of CDR domains and its association with neuropsychological findings and activities of daily living (ADL) in patients with vascular dementia (VaD) and patients with AD. Methods: We recruited very mild to mild VaD and AD patients who were age-matched among the first visitors to a dementia clinic. All subjects underwent a standardized clinical interview, physical and neurological examinations, and laboratory tests, including brain magnetic resonance imaging, according to the protocol of the Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease assessment battery. Results: A total of 105 pairs of VaD and AD patients participated in this study. Although the adjusted scores on Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination were similar between the two groups, the VaD patients performed better on the Boston Naming Test, Word List Memory, Word List Recall, Word List Recognition, and Constructional Recall Test. However, the scores on global CDR, CDR sum of boxes, and ADL-related CDR domains were higher in VaD patients than in AD patients (p<0.001). The VaD patients also showed poor performances on the Disability Assessment for Dementia Scale, Frontal Assessment Battery, Executive Clock Drawing Task, and Stroop tests. Conclusion Despite similar general cognitive function and better memory function, patients with VaD tend to be staged as severer dementia on the CDR scale than patients with AD because of more impaired ADL associated with executive dysfunction.

Pseudocyst of the auricle presents as a non-inflammatory, fluctuant swelling on the upper half or third section of the ear, due to intracartilaginous accumulation of fluid. Histological examination shows an intracartilaginous cavity without an epithelial lining. The etilogy and pathogenesis of this disorder remains unknown, but the lesion is likely to be due to localized de-generation of cartilage. The degenerated cartilage is replaced by a vascular fibrous tissue from which there is serious exudation, and a clinical cystic swelling is formed. We describe in this report three cases of pseudocyst of the auricle, of which one was treated successfully by surgical excision and a pressure dressing, and the others by aspiration and steroid injection therapy. In all cases, the skin lesions had not recurred, and the patients were left with an excellent cosmetic result.
Bandages ; Cartilage ; Ear ; Humans ; Skin

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to investigate the correlation between the symptoms and the incidence of anatomical variant without mucosal abnormality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Out of 892 patients with CT performed for the evaluation of sinus disease symptoms between March 1991 and March 1993, we observed the anatomic variations in 82 symptomatic patients without mucosal abnormality(male:female=43:39, mean age 36. 4 years). The control group included 88 patients with facial bone CT performed for the evaluation of trauma during the same period while patients with recent paranasal sinusitis were excluded. (male:female=76:12, mean age 22. 4 years). The scouis were performed with 5-ram section thickness from posterior margin of sphenoid sinus to anterior margin of posterior ethmoid and then with 3 mm thickness from anterior margin of posterior ethmoid to anterior margin of frontal sinus. The artatomic variations included nasoseptal deviation, concha bullosa, Hailer cells, Agger nasi cells, etc. RESULTS: The anatomic variations were demonstrated in 71 our of 82 symptomatic patients(86. 5%), whereas they were seen 26 of 88 patients(29. 5%) in control group. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that there is a possible causal relationship between anatomic variations and symptomas. Even though without accompaning mucosal abnormalities, anatomic variations could contribute simply to its symptomas. ^natomic variants may obstruct or narrow the airway, leading to turbulating air flow or interrupting ucociliary movement, and finally may produce a series os symptoms.
Facial Bones ; Frontal Sinus ; Humans ; Incidence ; Sinusitis ; Sphenoid Sinus

PURPOSE: We analyzed cases of advanced gastric cancer (AGC) by using two nodal stagings, UICC and Japanese systems. We also analyzed cases of UICC N3M0 by different ways to see which nodal system or group had better prognostic power. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From Feb.1990 to May 2000, 197 UICC M0 patients of AGC who had undergone curative resection were analyzed by using the nodal stagings of the UICC and the Japanese systems. Also, 58 patients with UICC N3M0 gastric cancer were analyzed by using the Japanese n-staging, metastatic ratio and the metastatic number. RESULTS: The 5-year survival rates were 62.9%, 33.0% and 21.2% for UICC N1, N2 and N3, and 61.2% and 25.3% for Japanese n1 and n2, respectively in patients of N3M0 AGC, the 5-year survival rates were 62.5% for Japanese n1, and 33.0% and 22.9% for metastatic ratios of less than 0.5 and metastatic numbers below 26, respectively significantly better than the 5-year survival rates for higher ratios and numbers (P=0.018, 0.021). CONCLUSION: UICC N staging of gastric cancer has better prognostic power with differentiation between stages than Japanese n staging. In patients with UICC N3M0 gastric cancer, the metastatic ratio and the metastatic number, as well as the Japanese n staging, were valuable prognostic factors.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Classification* ; Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: Information has been limited on the genetic control of germ cell apoptosis and its role in the pathogenesis of male infertility. The object of this study was to investigate the effects of c-kit gene expression and apoptosis on human spermatogenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Testicular specimens were obtained from 90 infertile males with nonobstructive azoospermia(NOA) due to primary testicular failure and from 9 healthy volunteers. The specimens of infertile men were divided into 4 groups according to hitopathologic findings: Sertoli cell only(SCO) syndrome(A), maturation arrest(B), hypospermatogenesis(C) and disorganization with sloughing(D). C-kit gene expression and apoptosis were detected with immunohistochemical stain. RESULTS: The frequency of c-kit expression was lower(p<0.05) and that of apoptosis was higher(p<0.01) in infertility groups B, C, and D compared to that of the control group. A significant inverse correlation was observed in the c-kit gene expression and apoptosis in groups B, C and D(p<0.05). A similar relationship was also observed in the Sertoli cells in group D and the control group. CONCLUSIONS: With the result, we suggest that variation in c-kit gene expression and apoptosis are associated with abnormal spermatogenesis and play a role in the pathophysiology of male infertility.
Apoptosis* ; Gene Expression ; Germ Cells ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Infertility ; Infertility, Male ; Male ; Sertoli Cells ; Spermatogenesis* ; Testis

PURPOSE: This study was done to evaluate the differences in clinical parameters and survival rates between the primary tumor (T) and nodal involvement (N) in stage II cancers. METHODS: This report is a retrospective clinical analysis of 100 patients of stage II gastric cancer who were treated surgically at the Department of Surgery, Chonbuk National University Hospital from Jan. 1990 to Dec. 1999. Among the 100 patients, the pT3N0 group included 48 patients, and the pT2N1 group 52 patients. In this study, we used the UICC TNM staging system (the fourth edition). RESULTS: There were no significant differences except for age and tumor sizes between the pT3N0 and the pT2N1 groups with regard to the mode of presentation, sex, location of tumor, type of resection, lymph node dissection, Borrmann and Lauren classification, cell cytology, recurrence, number of resected lymph nodes, and the 5-year survival rate. Based on the number of lymph nodal metastases, no significant difference was observed in the 5-year survival rate, but based on the ratio of lymph nodal metastases, the 5-year survival rate for those with up to 20% frequency of metastases was 85.2% and the 5-year survival rate for those with greater than 20% was 40.0%, which is significant difference in the 5-year survival rate. CONCLUSION: In stage II gastric cancer, there was no difference between the pT3N0 and the pT2N1 group, except that in the pT2N1 group, a subdivision of the pN stage according to the ratio of lymph nodal metastases could be successfully applied to the clinical evaluation of stage II gastric cancer.
Classification ; Humans ; Jeollabuk-do ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate