PURPOSE: p53 gene mutations, one of the most common alterations found in human tumors, has also been detected in gastric carcinoma, and shown to have a crucial and early role in gastric carcinogenesis of intestinal type and mainly associated with tumor progression in the cancer of diffuse type. We tried to investigate the frequency of p53 mutations in 27 gastric carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fresh tumor tissue from a series of gastric carcinoma was screened for p53 mutations by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) with silver staining and confirmed by direct-sequencing in 27 cases of gastric carcinoma. Immunohistochemical method for p53 protein accumulation was also performed in the same cases. RESULTS: Immunohistochemistry revealed 20 of 27 cases of gastric carcinoma, positive for p53. PCR-SSCP analysis of p53 exons 5-8 detected mobility shift in 4 out of 20 p53-positive tumors; three from exon 5 and the other from exon 7, respectively. DNA sequencing of exon 5 showed CGC to CAC point mutation in one of three cases; exon 7, ATC to AAC point mutation. It seemed that there was no correlation between genetic alterations of p53 gene detected by PCR-SSCP and expression of p53 protein by immunohistochemistry. CONCLUSIOAS: Our results suggest that mutations of the p53 gene are rare genetic events in carcinogenesis of gastric carcinomas. There was discrepancy between mutations screened by PCR-SSCP and overexpressions in immunohistochemical staining.
Carcinogenesis ; Exons ; Genes, p53 ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational* ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Silver Staining

OBJECTIVE: To verify the effect of Matrigel, a ECM complex from Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm(EHS) mouse sarcoma on the preimplantation development and apoptosis of mouse fertilized eggs. METHOD: Late Pronucleus stage eggs were cultured through the blastocyst stage in the presence of Matrigel (0.5%, v/v). Characteristics of apoptosis and cell number assessed by Hoecst staining and TUNEL labeling at the blastocyst stage, respectively. RESULTS: Morphological development, number of cells per embryo was significantly increased but rate and number of TUNEL positive nuclei of the embryo were decreased in the presence of Matrigel. CONCLUSION: This result suggested that at low concentration of Matrigel improves both viability and morphological development in the preimplantation mouse embryos.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Blastocyst ; Cell Count ; Eggs ; Embryonic Structures* ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Mice* ; Ovum ; Sarcoma ; Zygote

Primary malignant melanornn of the vagina is rare, with only about 130 reported cases worldwide. They presumably arise from melanocytes that are present in the vagina in 3% of normal wornen. Vaginal melanoma accounts for less than 1% of melanomas and less than 3% of primary malignant tumors of the vagina. Most of patients complain vaginal bleeding, vaginal discharge, foreign body sensation in order. The best treatment of vaginal melanoma rernains eni.gmatic, Many authors indicate that radical surgery may be the pcferred approach and the number of reported cases treated with radical surgery is increasing. But other author comment that no significant change in survival is apparent with radical surgery. Overall prognosis is poor as most patients have deeply penetrating lesions at the time of diagnosis. Recently, not only the effort to increase the survival rate but the quality of life including sexual function after treatment is becoming an important issue about treatment ot cancer patients. We experienced a case of primary malignant melanoma of the vagina treated with radical surgery and restored the sexual function by vulvovaginal reconstruction using gracilis myocutaneous flap. So we report this case with brief literature review.
Diagnosis ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Melanocytes ; Melanoma* ; Myocutaneous Flap ; Prognosis ; Quality of Life ; Sensation ; Survival Rate ; Uterine Hemorrhage ; Vagina* ; Vaginal Discharge

Acetabular bone deficiencies encountered during the revision hip arthroplasties should be recon- structed to provide the implant stability and to restore the normal center of rotation of hip and the leg length. We revised the loosened acetabular cup by grafting fresh-frozen bulk femoral head and inserting uncemented cup in 17 hips of 15 patients. The average follow-up period was 2 years and 3 months. The acetabular bone deficiencies were type 2A in 6 hips, type 2B in 8, type 3A in 1 and type 3B in 2 by Paprosky's classification. Three blocks of femoral head were grafted in 3 type 3 deficiencies, but only one in type 2 deficiencies. The cup-host bone contact was 41% on the average. However, the cup-host bone contact in the zone I was present only in 12 out of 17 hips and its average was 14%. Incorporation of the allograft into the host bone occurred between 5 months and 1 year and 7 months (average, 8,6 months) after revision surgery. Significant radiographic loosening sign was noted only in 2 hips which had not only type 3B bone deficiencies reconstructed with 3 blocks of femoral head allograft but also no cup-host bone contact in zone I . The bulk allograft of fresh-frozen femoral head demonstrated acceptable results in type 2 acetabular bone deficiencies, although the follow-up period was relatively short. Reconstruction of type 3B acetabular bone deficiencies by using multiple blocks of femoral head allograft had been failed. We presumed that the lack of the graft stability and the intimate contact between the grafts and host bone was the cause of failure.
Acetabulum* ; Allografts* ; Arthroplasty ; Classification ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head* ; Hip ; Humans ; Leg ; Transplants

High-dose methylprednisolone (MP) has been shown to play an important role in traumatic optic nerve injury. The purpose of this study was to investigate histopathologic changes of the injured optic nerve with time course after experimental trauma to the optic nerve had been induced. The optic nerve trauma was made by rotating the eyeball in rabbits. Twelve rabbits were divided into three groups (Group 1; 2 weeks, Group 2; 1 month, and Group 3; 2 months) according to time course after MP administration. Each group comprised of control group and treatment group. MP significantly reduced damage of the myelinated nerve and gliosis in comparision with the control group, when MP was administered IV immediately after trauma in the treatment group at a bolus of 30mg/kg, two times for 3 days, with a subsequent continuous MP infusion at 30mg/kg for 4 days. And massive gliosis and damage of the myelinated nerve in the control group were oberserved on electron microscopy. However, we could not find PMNLs, macrophages, and proliferation of fibroblast in both the control group and treatment group. It is possible that high-dose MP protects further damage of the injured optic nerve and that the beneficial effect is partially due to its antioxidant rather than its anti-inflammatory effect. This histopathologic study indicated that high-dose MP might improve the neurological outcome in the injured optic nerve.
Fibroblasts ; Gliosis ; Macrophages ; Methylprednisolone* ; Microscopy, Electron ; Myelin Sheath ; Optic Nerve Injuries ; Optic Nerve* ; Rabbits

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to elucidate the clinicopathological significances, including the prognostic role, of metastatic lymph node ratio (mLNR) and tumor deposit diameter in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) through a retrospective review and meta-analysis. METHODS: We categorized the cases into high (≥ 0.44) and low mLNR (< 0.44) and investigated the correlations with clinicopathological parameters in 64 PTCs with neck level VI lymph node (LN) metastasis. In addition, meta-analysis of seven eligible studies was used to investigate the correlation between mLNR and survival. RESULTS: Among 64 PTCs with neck level VI LN metastasis, high mLNR was found in 34 PTCs (53.1%). High mLNR was significantly correlated with macrometastasis (tumor deposit diameter ≥ 0.2 cm), extracapsular spread, and number of metastatic LNs. Based on linear regression test, mLNR was significantly increased by the largest LN size but not the largest metastatic LN (mLN) size. High mLNR was not correlated with nuclear factor κB or cyclin D1 immunohistochemical expression, Ki-67 labeling index, or other pathological parameters of primary tumor. Based on meta-analysis, high mLNR significantly correlated with worse disease-free survival at the 5-year and 10-year follow-up (hazard ratio [HR], 4.866; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.527 to 6.714 and HR, 5.769; 95% CI, 2.951 to 11.275, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed that high mLNR significantly correlated with worse survival, macrometastasis, and extracapsular spread of mLNs. Further cumulative studies for more detailed criteria of mLNR are needed before application in daily practice.
Cyclin D1 ; Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies ; Linear Models ; Lymph Nodes ; Neck ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms

Degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis requires fusion of the involved segments and decompression laminectomy because it is mechanically unstahle and usually associated with stenosis of the spinal canal. Transabdominal retroperitoneal approach through small longitudinal pararectal skin incision provides easy and safe access to L3-4 and L4-5 disc spaces with less bleeding. We thought that anterior interbody fusion enable us to restore the disc space and to reduce partially the listhesis with less hleeding and less harvest of graft hone compared to posterolateral fusion, and also without the risk of neural or dural damage which could he occurred in posterior lumbar interbody fusion 4.15.16.17). Thus, authors performed the same-day anterior and posterior spinal surgery (APSS) in 28 patients (30 disc spaces) from 1992 to 1996 and analyzed the clinical and radiological results. The most common site of involvement was L4-5 level (82.1%). The mean follow-up period was 2 years and 2 months (from l2 months to 4 years). Fusion was ohtained at 29 disc spaces (96.7%) within 24 weeks (average, I 6 weeks). The anterior displacement was corrected up to the average of 65.4% (5.8mm) postoperatively and the average of 60.7% (5.2mm) correction remained at last follow-up. The intervertebral disc space was restored up to the average of 96.9% (7.5mm) postoperatively and the average of 86.0% (6.2mm) restoration remained at last follow-up. Twenty-five out of 28 patients (89.2%) showed excellent or good clinical results hy the criteria of Kim, et al6). In conclusion, the same-day procedure of successive anterior interbody fusion, decompression laminectomy and posterior pedicular instrumentation for the degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis associated with spinal stenosis was thought to be a good method of treatment.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Decompression ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Laminectomy ; Skin ; Spinal Canal ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spondylolisthesis* ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: Dandruff is a common complaint, and is suffered by up to 50% of the population at some time. Malassezia yeasts, which comprise part of the normal skin flora, might be a critical factor in this disease, as they have been found in higher proportions in patients with seborrheic dermatitis or dandruff, its milder form. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of 4 weeks of treatment with 1% zinc pyrithione (ZP) shampoo. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, 4-week treatment period was preceded by a 1-week run-in period. A total of 30 patients were enrolled in this study. Assessments included the patient's subjective score (PSS) and the investigator's assessment score (IAS), images of the affected scalp area, the severity of sebum production, and the erythema and moisturizing effect of the shampoo. RESULTS: 1% ZP shampoo significantly reduced the extent and severity of scaling, as measured by folliscope imaging on visit 2 (p=0.0391) and visit 3 (p=0.0381), as well as pruritus related to the disease as measured by the grading systems, PSS (p=0.0352) and IAS (p=0.0142). Additionally, the results of this study show that a treatment regimen with 1% ZP shampoo significantly reduced scalp sebum production as measured by a sebumeter. Erythema measured by the chromameter was not as meaningful. The corneometric values were slightly increased in the group treated with 1% ZP shampoo but not in the group treated with ZP-free shampoo. Side effects of the ZP shampoo were quite mild and tolerable, and were observed only in a small group of patients. CONCLUSION: 1% ZP shampoo appears to be both effective and well-tolerated when used for the treatment of dandruff.
Dermatitis, Seborrheic ; Erythema ; Humans ; Malassezia ; Organometallic Compounds ; Pruritus ; Pyridines ; Scalp ; Sebum ; Skin ; Yeasts ; Zinc

In recent years, adjuvants have received much attention because of the development of purified subunit and synthetic vaccines which are poor immunogens and require adjuvants to evoke the immune response. Therefore, immunologic adjuvants have been developed and testing for most of this century. During the last years much progress has been made on development, isolation and chemical synthesis of alternative adjuvants such as derivatives of muramyl dipeptide, monophosphoryl lipid A, liposomes, QS-21, MF-59 and immunostimulating complexes (ISCOMS). Biodegradable polymer microspheres are being evaluated for targeting antigens on mucosal surfaces and for controlled release of vaccines with an aim to reduce the number of doses required for primary immunization. The most common adjuvants for human use today are aluminum hydroxide and aluminum phosphate. Calcium phosphate and oil emulsions have been also used in human vaccination. The biggest issue with the use of adjuvants for human vaccines is the toxicity and adverse side effects of most of the adjuvant formulations. Other problems with the development of adjuvants include restricted adjuvanticity of certain formulations to a few antigens, use of aluminum adjuvants as reference adjuvant preparations under suboptimal conditions, non-availability of reliable animal models, use of non-standard assays and biological differences between animal models and humans leading to the failure of promising formulations to show adjuvanticity in clinical trials. The availability of hundreds of different adjuvants has prompted a need for identifying rational standards for selection of adjuvant formulations based on safety and sound immunological principles for human vaccines. The aim of the present review is to put the recent findings into a broader perspective to facilitate the application of these adjuvants in general and experimental vaccinology.
Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine ; Adjuvants, Immunologic ; Aluminum ; Aluminum Hydroxide ; Calcium ; Emulsions ; Humans ; Immunization ; ISCOMs ; Lipid A ; Liposomes ; Microspheres ; Models, Animal ; Polymers ; Vaccination ; Vaccines ; Vaccines, Synthetic