BACKGROUND: The automated border detection(ABD) echocardiography has the ability of recognizing the endocardial-blood interface, and therefore, on-line estimation of the left ventricular(LV) volume every cardiac cycle. Compared with the off-line conventional 2-dimensional echocardiographic method that requires tracing the endocardial border manually, the ABDd system can be a convenient and objective method in the estimation of the LV volume and the ejection fraction(EF). The purpose of this study is to compare the LV volume and EF between the on-line ABD system and the convertional off-line echocardiographic method. METHODS: In two weeks, 83 adult patients older than 16 years of age were referred to our echocardiographic laboratory. Among these 83 patients, 64 patients who had a normal sinus rhythm were included to our study. Using the Hewlett-Packard SONOS 1500, a 2.5 MHz transducer was placed dat the cardiac apex. Patients with an apical 4 chamber view of the LV in which at least 75% of the endocardium was clearly seen were selected for study. On that view, the ABD system was turned on, and the reansmit power and the time-gain compensation controls were adjusted in order to approximate the automated border to the visually apparent endocardial surface. The LV end-diastolic volume(LVESV) and LV end-systolic volume(LVESV) were calculated by the method of disc. LVEDV, LVESV, and EF were displayed every cardiac cycle. Also the off-line estimation of the LV volume was performed by the method of disc, after manually tracing the endocardial border on the apical 4 chamber view. RESULTS: 44 patients(69%) of 64 patients had > or =75% of the LV endocardium visualized. LVEDV, LVESV, and Ef with the ABD system were highly correlated with those with the off-line, manually traced method(r=0.95, 0.8, respectively), but LVEDV and EF with toe ABD system were significantly less than those with the latter(p<0.01). The limits of agreement between tow methods(off-line, manually traced method-ABD system) were somewhat wide. Those of LVEDV, LVESV and EF were +22~-10ml(mean 6ml), +15~-14ml(mean 0.1ml), and +19~-12%(mean 3.8%), respectively. CONCLUSION: LVEDV,LVESV, and EF measurements by the ABD system and the off-line manually traced methods thve a strong correlation, The ABD system should habe clinical applications in setting, in which measurements of LV volume and Ef are important, But, the comparison with a more reliable method is necessary.
Adult ; Compensation and Redress ; Echocardiography* ; Endocardium ; Humans ; Toes ; Transducers

PURPOSE: Chromosomal instability of chromosome 18 and inhibition of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) signaling pathway, which is mediated through Smad4, play important roles in the tumorigenesis of colon cancer. This study evaluated the value of the expression of chromosome 18 monosomy in colon cancer as a prognostic factor and its correlations with the expressions of Smad4 and TGF-beta receptor II proteins. METHODS: We analyzed the rate of the expression of chromosome 18 monosomy in 66 colon cancers with using chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) and we evaluated its value as a prognostic factor by determining its correlation with the pathologic factors and immunohistochemical expressions of Smad4 and TGF-beta receptor II proteins. RESULTS: Of the 66 colon cancers, monosomy of chromosome 18, as determined by CISH, was observed in 18 cases (27.3%), and the decreased expression of Smad4 and TGF-beta receptor II proteins was observed in 30 cases (45.5%) and 25 cases (37.9%), respectively. The monosomy of chromosome 18 and the decreased expression of Smad4 proteins showed statistically significant correlations with the histologic differentiation, the presence of tumor emboli, the nodal status and the stage. The decreased expression of TGF-beta receptor II proteins had statistically significant correlations with the histologic differentiation, the T-stage, the nodal status and the stage. The monosomy of chromosome 18 showed a statistically significant correlation with the decreased expression of Smad4 and TGF-beta receptor II proteins. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that chromosome 18 monosomy may have prognostic value for colon cancer.
Carcinogenesis ; Chromosomal Instability ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18* ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; In Situ Hybridization ; Monosomy* ; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta* ; Smad4 Protein ; Transforming Growth Factor beta*

PURPOSE: The more frequent use of screening mammography, along with improved imaging equipment and techniques, is today resulting in an increasing detection rate for suspicious nonpalpable lesion and thus an increasing need for needle localizations and biopsies. We evaluate the efficacy of hooked-wire fine needle localization. METHODS: From August 1992 to August 1999, 146 hooked-wire needle biopsies were performed at our institution for nonpalpable mammographically detected abnormalities. Specimen roentgenographies were done in all cases. The clinical datas, including mammographic findings and pathologic results, were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Patients ranged in age from 13 to 74 years (a mean of 45.7 years). Of the total 146 cases, 23 (15.7%) were found to be malignants (52.2 percent of these malignancies were carcinomas in situ and 47.8 percent were invasive carcinoma). The chance of a biopsy containing a malignant lesion was 17.2 percent if the biopsy was done for a microcalcification found on a mammograms, 7.7 percent for mass densities, and 28.6 percent if both were present. Benign pathological lesions were proven in 123 cases (84.3%) of the total 146 cases. The most common benign lesion was fibrocystic disease. A minor complication of the hooked-wire needle insertion occurred in one patient who had a hematoma requiring evacuation. Three patients experienced faintness, dizziness, and syncope during needle localization. The morbidity and the mortality rates for biopsies of the breast were nil. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that hooked-wire needle localization for nonpalpable lesion in the breast is a most useful diagnostic modality.
Biopsy ; Biopsy, Needle ; Breast* ; Dizziness ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Mammography ; Mass Screening ; Mortality ; Needles* ; Retrospective Studies ; Syncope

PURPOSE: To explore the role of cell cycle and apoptosis regulators during hepatocarcinogenesis, the expression of cell cycle-related proteins (cyclin D1 and p27kip1) and apoptosis-related proteins (p53, survivin, caspase 3). METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were given 120 ppm diethylnitrosamine (DEN) as a carcinogen and sequentially sacrificed. The expression of cell cycle and apoptotic related proteins were examined by light microscopy and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: During the DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis, sequential histologic changes from preneoplastic lesions (altered hepatic cellular foci, hyperplastic nodules, and hepatocellular adenomas) and ultimately overt hepatocellular carcinomas and metastatic lesions were noted. The cyclin D1 were progressively increased from preneoplastic lesions to hepatocellular carcinomas. However, the p27kip1 and the survivine proteins did not show any other difference with the increasing degree of carcinogenesis. The p53 and caspase 3 proteins were more significantly increased in hepatocellular carcinomas than preneoplastic lesions. The cyclin D1 protein expression did not show any correlation with the expression of p27Kip1 protein, but the p53 expression was related to the expression of survivin and caspase 3. CONCLUSION: From the above results, over-expression of cyclin D1 plays a role in the early and late stages of hepatocarcinogenesis. In addition p53 and caspase 3 might be useful markers for evaluating the risk of malignant transformation.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Cycle ; Cyclin D1 ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27 ; Diethylnitrosamine ; Light ; Microscopy ; Proteins ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

BACKGROUND: Despite advances in chemotherapy, the treatment of inoperable non-small cell carcinoma of the lung remains poor. According to the recent reports, the response rates of mitomycin, vinblastine, and cisplatin(MVP) chemotherapy are higher than those of other cisplatin based polychemotherapy and MVP chemotherapy can be used as neoadjuvant chemotherapeutic regimen. But the overall response rates of MVP chemotherapy range from 17 to 53 percent, so we studied the effect of MVP chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. METHOD: We treated forty patients with stage III or IV non-small cell lung cancer with two courses of MVP chemotherapy (8mg/m2 of mitomycin on day 1, 6mg/m2 of vinblastine on day 2 & day 14, and 100mg/m2 of cisplastin on day 1) at 4 weeks interval. Then all patients were evaluated the response of chemotherapy 4 weeks later, and received further chemotherapy, palliative radiotherapy or supportive therapy according to the patient's condition. We also determined the median survival time and prognostic factors. RESULTS: 1) Nine patients(23%) had a partial reponse, 23 patients(57%) had a stable disease, and disease progressed in 8 patients(20%). There were no patients with complete response. 2) The overall median survival time was 36 weeks(range, 9 to 119+ weeks). The median survival time of responder(partial response) and non-responder(stable and progressed) groups were 60 weeks(range, 36 to 82+ weeks) and 31 weeks(range, 9 to 119+ weeks) respectively(p=0.03). 3) The median survival time of the female group was 71 weeks and significantly prolonged in comparision with 35 weeks of the male group(p=0.01). But, the other prognostic factors didn't affect the survival time and response rate. 4) The median survival times of chemotherapy group and chemotherapy with palliative radiotherapy group were not significantly different. CONCLUSION: MVP combined chemotherapy is unsatisfactory in improving survival in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Therefore, further studies are needed to find more active new agents and to estabilish the efficacy of the combined treatment with radiotherapy and/or surgery.
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Cisplatin ; Drug Therapy* ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Mitomycin* ; Radiotherapy ; Vinblastine*