BACKGROUND: The subcellular localization and activity of beta-catenin are tightly regulated within the cell. The aim of this study was to analyze the aberrant beta-catenin expression in breast carcinomas and to determine its clinical significance. METHODS: Fifty five cases of breast carcinoma were immunostained with monoclonal antibodies against beta-catenin. Normal expression of -catenin was defined as exclusive membranous staining. Abnormal expression of beta-catenin was reclassified into 3 categories: complete or partial loss of membranous staining (LOM) without cytoplasmic staining and nuclear staining, LOM with cytoplasmic staining and without nuclear staining, and LOM with nuclear staining and with/without cytoplasmic staining. RESULTS: Normal membranous beta-catenin expression was detected in 25 (45.5%) of 55 cases of breast carcinoma. Thirty cases with abnormal -catenin expression comprised 9 cases (16.1%) showing LOM without cytoplasmic and/or nuclear staining, 20 cases (36.4%) showing LOM with cytoplasmic staining and without nuclear staining, and one case (1.8%) showing LOM with nuclear and cytoplasmic staining. Abnormal beta-catenin expression was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (p=0.03). LOM with cytoplasmic and/or nuclear expression was significantly correlated with poor disease free survival by univariate (p=0.03) and multivariate analyses (p=0.03). In addition, it was correlated with poor overall survival with a borderline significance (p=0.059). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the cytoplasmic and/or nuclear expression of beta-catenin can be used as a biologic marker for predicting disease recurrence and poor patients' survival in breast carcinomas.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; beta Catenin ; Biomarkers ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; Cytoplasm ; Disease-Free Survival ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence

Hemodialysis is a way of treatment for the patients with acute and chronic renal failure. Marginal man depicts the enormous amount of stress that hemodialytic patients suffer. It is known that family with chronic illness get stressed along with the patients and they need nursing care also. This qualitative study was conducted in order to identify the family adaptation process in patients with hemodialysis. 6 dyads of hemodialytic patients and caregivers were interviewed for this research. By way of grounded theoretical strategy the data was collected from October 20, 1999 to November 20, 1999, at a hemodialytic unit that was located in Iksan, Chonbuk by the researcher. The main research questions were What's the adaptation experience of a patient since after being received with hemodialysis? to the patients, and What's the family adaptation experience of hemodialysis? to the caregivers. The collected data was analyzed by grounded theoretical strategy built by Glaser & Strauss in 1967. Results were as follows; 7 grounded concepts were observed from the patients with hemodialysis and 4 grounded concepts were found from the caregivers. Two categories were derived ; 1) Holding hope that is related with treatment 2) Changing a value system
Caregivers ; Chronic Disease ; Hope ; Humans ; Jeollabuk-do ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Nursing Care ; Renal Dialysis*

Stroke is known as a detrimental disease that leaves serious sequelae. The stroke patients suffer from limitations of physical and social activities. The patients try to adapt themselves to the limitations in order to achieve rehabilitation. This study was performed to clarify the lived experience of rehabilitation from the stroke patients. In collecting data for this study. in- depth personal interviews were made by a researcher from February to April in 2001 at rehabilitation clinics and physical therapy centers locate in Iksan city. The methodological approach was van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological methodology in order to understand the meaning and nature of stroke patients' experiences in rehabilitating their physical limitations. Collected data were analyzed logical way of study that was of study that was develope by ban Manen. The 8 patients who agreed to participate in this research were interviewed by researcher under the private and comfortable environment. Personal interviews were done three or five times per each patients and each interview took 70 to 90 minutes. The statements were analyzed and finally revealed three essential themes: Theme 1 - Desperateness to achieve freedom again Theme 2 - Seizing hope of recovering Theme 3 - Seeking support from family members, relatives and friends Based on these themes, stroke patients' rehabilitation experience are described as following. The stroke patients have strong desire to achieve freedom again in order to escape from social isolation. The stroke patients want to go back to the state of their previous health state. The stroke patients strongly try to do anything for their recovering and also to have positive thinking. In the other hand. they feel pity for themselves through desperation, fear, sorrow, and self-pity. The stroke patients have dissatisfaction about neighbors' rumor and attitude toward themselves. The stroke patients have experiences to rely on neighbors' support seeking a warm word of consolation. This research showed us that van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological methodology leads us to understand stroke patients' rehabilitation process more comprehensibly. Based on this research, it is suggested that further studies provide a foundation for the development of a rehabilitation theory for Korean stroke patients.
Freedom ; Friends ; Hand ; Hope ; Humans ; Jeollabuk-do ; Logic ; Rehabilitation ; Social Isolation ; Stroke* ; Thinking ; United Nations

The purpose of this study was to identify the children's sleeping patterns, such as the sleeping hours and the nature of sleep disruptions following hospitalization and its accompanying factor. The data were collected from December, 1997 to March, 1998 using a questionnaire developed by researchers. The subjects were 76 children in a hospital. The results of this study were summarized as follows : 1. The average sleeping hours(sleep duration) at night were 10 hours and 10 minutes and 9 hours and 9 minutes before and after hospitalization respectively. There was a significant difference(P<0.01). 2. The mean bed time(sleep onset) was 10:22 pm and 10:28 pm before and after hospitalization respectively. There was no significant difference. 3. The mean hour of rising(sleep termination) was 7:54 am 7:08 am before and after hospitalization respectively. There was a significant difference(P<0.01). 4. The mean number of sleep disruption was 0.72 and 1.94 before and after hospitalization respectively. There was a significant difference(P<0.01). The sleep disruptions were influenced by crying of other children(53.9%), lights(28.9%) nursing procedures(18.4%), noise of TV(17.1%) and noise of visitors(15.8%).
Child ; Crying ; Hospitalization* ; Humans ; Noise ; Nursing ; Child Health ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Epidermis is directly exposed to various external stimuli and protects internal structures. Most studies about skin tension focused on the dermis, and epidermal tension has not been able to attract interest because dermis much thicker than epidermis and dermal collagen fibers play a predominant role in the skin tension. However, circumstances which involve only the epidermis are often shown, and thus it is necessary to study the mechanical property of the epidermis. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to quantify the role of the epidermis as a mechanical barrier. METHODS: Human epidermal sheets were obtained from suction blisters in 14 patients with vitiligo during epidermal grafting. Maximal tension, that is the power required to break the epidermal sheets, was measured by tensiometer. RESULTS: The maximal tension of the epidermis ranged from 40.0 g/cm² to 84.5g/cm² with a mean values of 56.1g/cm² and did not differ significantly according to the age or anatomical sites. CONCLUSION: The barrier function of epidermis is important and the results are expected to be used as the basic information for other studies about the mechanical property of the epidermis. In addition, this will be important data in developing an artificial skin whose mechanical property is similar to that of the human skin.
Blister* ; Collagen ; Dermis ; Epidermis* ; Humans* ; Skin ; Skin, Artificial ; Suction* ; Transplants ; Vitiligo

In 41 cases of breast cancers, the aneuploidy measured by Image Analyzer was compared with that of flow cytometric analysis, and estrogen and progesterone receptor(ER/PR) and Her-2/neu oncoprotein were immunohistochemically stained and measured by Image Analyzer. In ER/PR, the positive nuclear area(PNA, %) was measured, and in Her-2/neu, the content of oncoprotein was expressed as pg/cell. To assess the usefulness of these parameters as a prognostic factor, the author evaluated the results in relation with tumor size, nuclear grade and lymph node metastasis. The obtained results are summarized as follows: 1) The detection rate (90%) of aneuploidy by image analysis was higher than that (70%) of flow cytometric analysis. The concordance rate of both method was 80%. 2) The positivity of ER was 73% and PR was 34%, and the high PNA of ER and PR was related with high nuclear grade. There was an inverse correlation of the ER PNA with tumor size and PR PNA with negative lymph node. 3) Her-2/neu oncoprotein overexpression was found in only 2 cases and another two showed borderline overexpression. All four cases had DNA tetraploidy. From the above results, it was concluded that the image analyzer could be used in DNA analysis and in quantitation of immunostained ER/PR and Her-2/neu oncoprotein, providing the important information in the management of the breast cancer patients.
Breast Neoplasms

A prevalence of anti-HCV and ALT value was analyzed in 89,995 healthy Korean blood donors. The positive rate of anti-HCV was 0.43% (386) and increased with age. And the positive rates of anti-HCV was statistically significant higher in group having elevated ALT level than in group having normal ALT level(P<0.005). The mixed-infection rates of the hepatitis B and C was 0.02%(25/89,995), and statistically the positivity of anti-HCV was higher in HBs Ag positive group than in HBs Ag negative group(P<0.01). On follow up study from 51 donors of the anti-HCV positivity in initial test, 15(29.4 %) cases were continuously positive by follow up test in 5-20 months. But these results were independent of transfusional history and intervals of follow up. The positive rates of anti-HCV during the follow up with reagents of Ortho- I and Ortho-II were 24% and 33% respectively. The positivity of anti-HCV was higher in group had continuously elevated serum ALT level than in group with normal serum ALT level.
Blood Donors ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Hepatitis B ; Humans ; Indicators and Reagents ; Prevalence ; Tissue Donors*

A 30-year-old man developed basal cell carcinoma 3 years ago which showed as a pea sized, crusted nodule with extending pigmentation and telangiectasia on the inner side of the right lower eyelid. Five stages of Mohs micrographic surgery were required for the complete eradication of all tumor cells in the lesions of the nodule and extending pigmentation. The defect following the surgery was 4.5 × 3.5cm and was too large to repair with a primary closure or simple single flap. So, the defect was repaired with a combined flap of glabellar bilobed and cheek rotation. We report that the combined flap of glabellar bilobed and cheek rotation is a useful and relatively simple method for the reconstruction of a large defect on the inner side of the lower eye-lid area.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Cheek ; Eyelids ; Humans ; Methods ; Mohs Surgery* ; Peas ; Pigmentation ; Telangiectasis

No abstract available.
Hair*

BACKGROUND: Acne scars are not effectively corrected by a single treatment modality because of their widely varied depths and widths. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to assess the effectiveness of staged combinations of several surgical modalities in the treatment of various acne scars. METHODS: Chemical peeling, CO₂ laserbrasion, scar excision, punch grafting, and dermabrasion were included in this study as surgical modalities. Initially, chemical peeling was performed on all patients and then CO₂ laserbrasion, scar excision and punch grafts were used for deep scars. Finally, dermabrasion was done for the remaining scars. Questionnaires were completed for clinical assessments by the patients and clinicians. RESULTS: Clinicians assessed the results as "excellent and good" in 75% of patients. However, only 53% of patients gave this same result. The degree of satisfaction escalated as the followup periods and number of chemical peeling procedures increased and as the sequence of the 3 staged operation progressed. CONCLUSION: We suggest that the principle of 3 staged operations would be effective in the treatment of patients with various types of acne scars.
Acne Vulgaris* ; Cicatrix ; Dermabrasion ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Transplants