BACKGROUND: Angiocentric T-cell lymphomas are rare T-cell malignancies which involve extranodal sites, such as the skin, nasal cavity, soft tissue and gastrointestinal tract. They have been reported with significant frequency in Asia. OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this study is to characterize the clinical, pathological, and immunohistochemical featnres of cutaneous angiocentric T-cell lymphoma. Another objective is to search for the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the tissues of cutaneous angiocentiric T cell lymphoma. METHODS: Clinical records, laboratory data, and histopathologic sections of 12 patients with cutaneous angiocentric T-cell lymphoma were reviewed. Paraffin tumor tissues were immunophenotyped. In situ hybridizaion studies were performed to detect the EBV genomes. RESULTS: The ages of the 12 patients ranged from 34 to 64 years(mean 45.8 years). The cutaneous lesions were nodules or plaqes, and were with ulcerated or had intact skin. Eight patients had evidence of extracutaneous involvement, usually involving lymph nodes, liver, and spleen. Eleven patients showed the abnormal laboratory findings including anemia, leukopenia, and elevated level of LDH. The disease pursued an aggressive course and was not uncommonly resistant to treatment. Histologically, the lymphomatous infiltrate occurred predominantly in the subcutaneous layer with involvement of the dermis. The pattern was mainly perivascular and periadnexal. A prominent feature was invasion of small or medium vesselsby lymphoma cells. The infiltrating lymphrcytes expressed CD45RO in all cases; variable expression of CD3 and CD56 was detected in piaffin sections. Among the 11 cases where in situ hybridization was performed, EBV genome could be detected in 9 cases. CONCLUSION: Angiocentric T-cell lymphoma of the skin is an aggressive lymphoma distinct from classic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. However, further studies are needed to regard them as a homogeneous entity of T-cell lymphoma involving the skin.
Anemia ; Asia ; Dermis ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Genome ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; Leukopenia ; Liver ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous ; Nasal Cavity ; Paraffin ; Skin* ; Spleen ; T-Lymphocytes ; Ulcer

The molecular approaches to human diseases are receiving greater attention following the completion of the Human Genome Project. Molecular biology techniques are being widely applied to the field of tumor biology, and thyroid carcinomas are not an exception; several genetic alterations have been suggested to play roles in thyroid carcinogenesis and its progression. Malignant tumors arising from thyroid follicular cells can be classified into papillary carcinoma, follicular carcinoma, poorly differentiated carcinoma and anaplastic carcinoma. BRAF mutation, RET/PTC rearrangement and RAS mutation are the suggested molecular causes of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). RAS mutation, PAX8- PPARγ rearrangement, PTEN mutation or methylation, and PIK3CA mutation are known to induce follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC). Poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) are related to adding p53 or β-catenin gene alterations to those of papillary or follicular carcinomas. The more aggressive genetic alterations are added stepwise as thyroid tumors advance from differentiated PTC or FTC to less differentiated PDTC and finally to ATC. Studying the molecular mechanisms underlying thyroid carcinogenesis may help overcome the limitations of the current diagnostic methods and this may provide more accurate diagnostic and prognostic tools. Furthermore, research at the molecular level is essential for personalized therapies and creating targeted therapies for thyroid carcinomas.
Adenocarcinoma, Follicular ; Biology ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Human Genome Project ; Humans ; Methylation ; Molecular Biology ; Oncogenes ; Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

The morphologic change of the mouse brain after exposure to magnetic field is studied. Our magnetic field model was a pulsed unipolar magnetic field with the flux density of 0.2 - 0.3 tesla and the frequency of 60 hertz. Twelve adult male mice were exposed to the magnetic field for 2, 4, 8, 12, 18 and 24 hours. After the exposure to the magnetic field mice were anesthetized with chloral hydrate, and paraformaldehyde was infused through the left ventricle for fixation. During exposure to the magnetic field, behavioral and weight changes of mice were observed. Mice became irritable and restless, especially during first 2 hours of the exposure. Microscopic and ultrastructural examination on the brain revealed nuclear chromatin clumping of the neuron in mice exposed to the magnetic field for more than four hours. The change was proportional to the exposed time and more prominent in the cerebral cortex. An immunohistochemical study for amyloid precursor protein (APP) was also performed. There was an increased expression of APP in the neuronal cytoplasm of the mouse brain exposed to the magnetic field for 4 hours or more. But the reaction was not proportional to the exposure time and reactive neuron was diffusely distributed through the whole brain. Anti-APP antibody reactivity was not correlated with the chromatin clumping. The mechanism of APP induction was postulated as stress-induced APP-gene induction, and the role of APP was presumed to protect the neuron against hazardous environment.
Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Mice ; Animals

This is a report of cardiac arrests which occurred in the operating room of National Medical Center from Jan. 1, 1970 to Dec. 31, 1976. All kinds of operations were performed in this hospital, butlopen heart surgery was excluded from this study. During this period 22, 825 surgical operations were done and 74 cardiac arrests occurred among them. Overall incidence of cardiac arrest was 1: 308 (0. 32%) and 43% of cardiac arrests were successfully resuseitated.
Heart Arrest* ; Incidence ; Operating Rooms* ; Thoracic Surgery

We have analyzed 2,080 patients who were admitted to the ICU for intensive care during a period of 11 years from April, 1965, when the ICU was opened, to December, 1975. The results are as follows: l. In 11 years, the total number of patients was 2,080 which was 2.5% of 84,933 patients who were admitted to NMC. Among them, operative cases were 724 (35%) and nonoperative were 1, 356(65%). 2. Male patients were more than female Patients (1. 3: l. ) 3. In age groups, the 20 decade had the highest number. 4. The number of patients from Internal Medicine Dept, was highest. 5. Total occupied bed days were 7,497 and majority of patient were in less than 3. 6 days. 6. The patients from the medical department have gradually decreased, but from the surgical department they showed increased pattern. 7. Drug intoxication was the commonest disease among patients. 8. Total mortality rate was 45%, and the highest mortality rate occurred in 30-39 age group.
Critical Care* ; Female ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units* ; Internal Medicine ; Male ; Mortality

The effect of fermentation parameters and medium composition on the simultaneous mycelial growth and exo-polymer production from submerged cultures of Ganoderma applanatum was investigated in shake-flask cultures. The optimum initial pH for mycelial growth and exo-polymer production was 5.0 and 6.0, respectively. The optimum temperature was 25degrees C and the optimum inoculum content was 3.0% (v/v). The optimal carbon and nitrogen sources were glucose and corn steep powder, respectively. After 12 days fermentation under these conditions, the highest mycelial growth was 18.0 g/l and the highest exo-polymer production was 3.9 g/l.
Carbon ; Fermentation ; Ganoderma ; Glucose ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Nitrogen ; Zea mays

Hypoglycemic effects of exo-biopolymers (EBP) produced by submerged mycelial cultures of Coriolus versicolor, Cordyceps sinensis, Paecilomyces japonica, Armillariella mellea, and Fomes fomentarius were investigated in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The rats from each experimental group were orally administered with EBPs (100 mg/kg BW) daily for 2 weeks. Though the hypoglycemic effect was achieved in all the cases, however, C. versicolor EBP proved as the most potent one. The administration of the C. versicolor EBP substantially reduced (29.9%) the plasma glucose level as compared to the saline administered group (control). It also reduced the plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels by 9.22, 23.83, 16.93, and 27.31%, respectively. The sugar and amino acid compositions of this EBP were also analyzed in detail.
Agaricales ; Alanine Transaminase ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Cholesterol ; Cordyceps ; Coriolaceae ; Glucose ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Paecilomyces ; Plasma ; Rats ; Streptozocin

The Elfvingia applanata (EA), Hericium erinaceum (HE),Grifola frondosa (GF), Pholiota nameko (PN), Pleurotus eryngii (PE), Trametes suaveolens (TS), Fomes fomentarius (FF), and Inonotus obliquus (IO) could produce the endo- (EN) and exo-biopolymer (EX) in submerged culture. The highest anti-complementary activity of the EN was exhibited by PN (49.1%), followed by HE (38.6%), TS (37.0%),and FF (33.0%),whereas the high activity of the EX was found with GF (59.8%),followed by HE (36.3%),TS (30.8%),and IO (28.8%). The EN of P. nameko (EN-PN) and EX of G. frondosa (EX-GF) were found to contain 78.6% and 41.2% carbohydrates, while 21.4% and 58.8% protein, respectively. The sugar and amino acid compositions of EN-PN and EX-GF were also analyzed in detail.
Agaricales* ; Carbohydrates ; Coriolaceae ; Pholiota ; Pleurotus ; Trametes

The anti-tumor effects of exo- (EX) and endo-biopolymers (EN) produced from submerged mycelial cultures of Ganoderma applanatum (GA), Collybia confluens (CC), and Pleurotus eryngii (PE) were studied using Sarcoma 180 bearing mice. Solid tumor growth was inhibited most effectively when 40 mg/kg body weight (BW) of GA-EX or PE-EN was administered to the intraperitoneal (i.p.) cavity of BALB/c mice. The spleen and liver indexes were increased in mice following i.p. administration of GA-EX and PE-EN fractions. GA-EX and PE-EN reduced the tumor formation by 30.7% and 29.4%, respectively. GA-EX and PE-EN increased the natural killer (NK) cell activity of splenocytes by 41.3% and 28.9%, respectively.
Agaricales ; Animals ; Biopolymers ; Body Weight ; Ganoderma ; Liver ; Mice ; Pleurotus ; Sarcoma 180 ; Spleen ; Ursidae

OBJECTIVE: Autophagy plays a vital role in homeostasis by combining organelles and cellular proteins with lysosome under starvation conditions. In addition, autophagy provides tumor cells with a source of energy. Continued autophagy will induce cells death. Here we aim to see if autophagic induction has an effect on conventional chemotherapeutic agents. METHODS: Rapamycin, or mammalian target of rapamycin and paclitaxel, apoptosis-inducing agents were used autophagy in HeLa cervical cancer cells. RESULTS: Growth inhibition of cells was not observed after the application of 0, 10, 20 nM of paclitaxel with or without rapamycin. Using a 5 nM concentration of paclitaxel, rapamycin administration inhibited cell growth significantly compared to no treatment. This implies the synergic antitumor effect of paclitaxel and rapamycin. Paclitaxel itself did not show any autophagic effect on cells but did show cell apoptosis by flow cytometry. Light chain 3, a microtubule-associated protein, which reflect autophagy, was increased with 5 nM of paclitaxel after pretreatment with 10 nM of rapamycin. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the autophagic inducer, rapamycin, can potentiate autophagic cell death when added as an apoptosis-inducing chemotherapeutic agent. In conclusion, the control of autophagy may be a future target for chemotherapy.
Apoptosis ; Autophagy ; Cell Death ; Flow Cytometry ; Homeostasis ; Light ; Lysosomes ; Organelles ; Paclitaxel ; Proteins ; Sirolimus ; Starvation ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms