No abstract available.
Pregnancy*

p53 is the most frequently mutated gene in female breast cancer tissues and the prognosis of breast cancer could be changed by mutation of the gene. This study was performed to examine risk factors for breast cancer subtypes classified by p53 mutation and to investigate the roles of p53 gene mutation in carcinogenesis of breast cancer. The study subjects were 81 breast cancer patients and 121 controls who were matched to cases 1:1 or 1:2 by age, residence, education level and menopausal status. All the subjects were interviewed by a well-trained nurse with standardized questionnaire on reproductive factors, and were asked to fill the self-administrative food frequency and 24 hour recall questionnaires. p53 gene mutation in the cancer tissue was screened using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) method. Mutation type was identified by direct sequencing of the exon of which mobility shift was observed in SSCP analysis. Mutations were detected in p53 gene of 25 breast cancer tissues. By direct sequencing, base substitutions were found in 20 cancer tissues (10 transition and 10 transversion), and frame shift mutations in 5 (4 insertions and 1 deletion). For the whole cases and controls, risk of breast cancer incidence decreased when the parity increased, and increased when intake amount of total calory, fat, or protein increased. Fat and protein were statistically significant risk factors for breast cancer with p53 mutation. For breast cancer without p53 mutation, protein intake was the only significant dietary factor. These results suggests that causes of p53 positive breast cancer would be different from those of p53 negative cancer, and that dietary factors or related hormonal factors induce mutation of p53, which may be the first step of breast cancer development or a promoter following some unidentified genetic mutations.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinogenesis ; Case-Control Studies* ; Education ; Exons ; Female ; Frameshift Mutation ; Genes, p53 ; Humans ; Incidence ; Parity ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Prognosis ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors*

NMP is a kind of protein relating to the internal structural framework of the nucleus, which is related to gene expression and regulation such as DNA replication and processing of RNA, and is made in tumor cell more than in normal cell. The object of this study is to evaluate the utility of NMP22 in urine as the possible marker of monitoring the transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. Two groups attended the trial of NMP22; 1) 25 healthy volunteers 2) 25 patients with the transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. The result is that the values of the mean NMP22 of the healthy volunteers and the patients with the transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder were 4.04+/-1.83 U/ml and 186.9+/-405.9 U/ml, respectively. The difference was statistically significant (p=0.028). The value of urinary mean NMP22 according to the tumor grade and the tumor stage didn`t show the significant difference statistically (grade I: 41.3+/-51.9 U/ml, grade II: 167.6+/-369.3 U/ml, grade HI: 362.7+/-605.5 U/ml, superficial TCC: 204.2+/-453.0 U/ml, invasive TCC:132.0+/-217.1 U/ml). In detecting the transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, the sensitivity of urine cytology was 68% and the sensitivity of combining urinary NMP22 and urine cytology was 88%, when the value of the urinary NMP22 over 7.70 U/ml was considered as the positive. Urinary NMP22 is expected to increase the diagnosis and the detection of recurrence of the transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder if it is used together with the urine cytology as the urinary tumor marker of the transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.
Carcinoma, Transitional Cell* ; Diagnosis ; DNA Replication ; Gene Expression ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Nuclear Matrix* ; Recurrence ; RNA ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; Urinary Bladder*

No abstract available.
Leukemia*

BACKGROUND: Recently, it has been established that plateletpheresis needs more efficiency and shorter processing time. Fenwall laboratories developed a new collection chamber for CS-3000 Plus, PLT-30TM collection chamber, which can reduce the processing time with efficient collection. We evaluated the PLT-30TM collection chamber by comparing it with A-35 collection chamber that has been used as a standard collection chamber of CS-3000 Plus us. METHODS: Thirty platelet collection procedures were performed using the CS 3000 Plus with A-35 collection chamber and PLT-30TM collection chamber. The changes of the hematologic parameters between pre- and post-donation in donors and the total platelets yields and the contaminated WBCs in the plateletpheresis products were evaluated. In processing, the yield predictor calibration was adjusted to 1.00 and 1.13 in A-35 and PLT-30TM respectively. Yield predictors of pheresis were the same as 3.5x1011 in both and end point volumes were calculated from the CS-3000 Plus. Processing volume and processing times were compared between A-35 and PLT-30TM groups. RESULTS: With PLT-30TM collection chamber, 3.38+/-0.72x1011/L platelets were harvested, whereas 3.20+/- 0.73x1011/L were collected with A-35 collection chamber, which was not significantly different. But processing time with the PLT-30TM collection chamber was more reduced than that with the A-35 collection chamber by about 20 minutes (PLT-30TM : 88.6+/-8.4 min, A-35 : 106.7+/-11.7min). Collection efficiency of PLT-30TM chamber was 50.7+/-12.5% and that of A-35 chamber was 44.4 + 8.8%. The leukocyte contamination of the platelet concentrates were not statistically different(PLT-30TM: 0.0-3.6x106, A-35 : 0.1-4.1x106). CONCLUSIONS: PLT-30TM collection chamber has the advantages of shortening the donation time and decreasing the processing volume with better collection efficiency and flexibility of platelet concentrate volume.
Blood Component Removal ; Blood Platelets ; Calibration ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; Plateletpheresis ; Pliability ; Tissue Donors

Acute scrotum is defined as an acute painful swelling of the scrotum or its content. There are many conditions it may cause acute scrotum, but since a delay in the diagnosis and treatment may led to necrosis and its loss, the possibility of torsion of the spermatic cord should be ruled out in the first place. In a retrospective study of 32 childhood patients with acute scrotum presenting to Chungbuk National University Hospital from March 1992 to March 1995, we evaluated general aspects of acute scrotum including the result of follow up. The incidence of acute epididymitis, testicular torsion, mumps orchitis, and torsion of a testicular appendage were 66%, 19%, 9% and 6%, respectively. Of the eight scrotal explorations performed, 6 had testicular torsion, and 2 had torsion of appendages. With the exception of cases of far advanced necrotic testes, both color Doppler ultrasound and radioisotope imaging were highly specific diagnostic modalities. But, because of the potentially devastating outcome of a false-negative result of imaging studies, we continue to believe that physical exam is the best guide regarding the necessity of surgical exploration and all patients with unequivocal examinations are best served by prompt surgical therapy.
Acute Pain ; Child* ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Diagnosis ; Epididymitis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Mumps ; Necrosis ; Orchitis ; Retrospective Studies ; Scrotum* ; Spermatic Cord ; Spermatic Cord Torsion ; Testis ; Ultrasonography ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color*

It was well known that atrial myocytes systhesize atrial natriuretic peptide[ANP], and secrete it into the atrial lumen through the atrial endocardium. But the mechanism for regulation of ANP secretion has not been clearly elucidated, because there was little information of the atrial morphology concerning basal lamina. Basal lamina is surmised as one of barriers that control the movement of ANP, a large molecule. This study was attempted to elucidate the morphological characteristics of basal lamina and connective tissue fibers of atrial endocardial layer by scanning electron microscopy. Basal lamina was exposed by removal of the overlying endothelium. This was achieved by using OsO4 maceration, immersion in aqueous boric acid or EDTA treatment. After removal of the endothelial cell, the specimens were exposed to ultrasonic vibration in case of need. The external surface of basal lamina showed a fairly smooth appearance on the whole, although a few irregular folds are often encountered. Fenestrations, 0.1-1 micrometer in diameter, were randomly observed on the basal lamina, and they were circular to oval in shape. Margin of fenestrations was somewhat distinct and some was divided into two parts by linear structures. The structural differences of fenestrations between right and left atria were not found. The fibroreticular lamina under the basal lamina was revealed by removal of the endothelial cells and their basal lamina. This layer was consisted of interwoven fine fibers. These fine fibers were repeatedly divided and fused, forming reticular network. Some fine fibers connected with basal lamina. Some connective tissue fibers below fibroreticular layer were collected into thick bundles running parallel to myocytes. Above results may serve as a basis for the physiological and morphological studies of atrium.
Animals ; Atrial Natriuretic Factor ; Basement Membrane* ; Connective Tissue ; Edetic Acid ; Endocardium* ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelium ; Immersion ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Muscle Cells ; Rats* ; Running ; Ultrasonics ; Vibration

PURPOSE: We assessed the significance of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) as candidate tumor marker and prognostic predictor for renal cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The serum concentration of bFGF was determined in 51 patients with renal cell carcinoma and in 33 healthy adults by quantitative sandwich immunoassay. We examined the prognostic value of the serum bFGF level and its association with other clinicopathological parameters such as tumor stage and grade. RESULTS: The mean value of serum bFGF in patients with renal cell carcinoma (15.3+/-11.12pg/ml) was statistically higher than that of the control group (3.8+/-1.87pg/ml). The correlations between serum bFGF and tumor stage, distant metastasis, Fuhrman's nuclear grade and venous invasion, were found in this study. While a correlation between serum bFGF and lymphatic invasion was not found in it. Serum levels of bFGF after radical nephrectomy in 38 patients with renal cell carcinoma statistically decreased. BFGF had prognostic relevance for recurrence and development of metastasis in renal cell carcinoma. Fuhrman's nuclear grade had the most significant correlation to serum bFGF. The mean value of bFGF were noticed as 4.9+/-3.1pg/ml, 10.3+/-5.9 pg/ml, 18.2+/-11.8pg/ml, and 22.7+/-7.0pg/ml of patients in G1, G2, G3 and G4, respectively. In high grade tumors, bFGF levels were higher than that of low grade tumors (p=0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Serum bFGF seems to be useful as diagnostic and assistant follow-up tumor marker in patients with renal cell carcinoma. And it seems to be effective as prognostic predictor for the recurrence and development of metastases in same patients.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2* ; Fibroblast Growth Factors ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nephrectomy ; Recurrence

No abstract available.
Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

No abstract available.
Hair Removal*