Sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma is an uncommon tumor that has to be distinguished from renal carcinosarcoma. We have described three cases of sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma showing different clinical and light microscopic features. An ultrastructural study of the tumor cells from the sarcomatoid area revealed frequent desmosomal junction, confirming the epithelial nature of the neoplasm. All three cases showed an aggressive clinical course and tended to invade adjacent organs or tissues. We believe that an histological and immunohistochemical examination in conjunction with an electron microscopic examination are necessary to diagnose sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Carcinosarcoma* ; Desmosomes ; Microscopy, Electron

No abstract available.
Movement Disorders* ; Prevalence*

Cystadenomas are benign neoplasm in which the epithelium demonstrates adenomatous proliferation. Several morphologic variants of cystadenomas have bean described, including papillary-oncocytic, mucous, and seromucous subtypes. Cystadenomas arising from salivary glands are very rare and seromucous cystadenoma of parotid gland has not been reported in Korea so far. Cystadenomas of the parotid gland usually Present as asymptomatic slowly growing mass and those of the minor salivary glands produce smooth nodules that may be compressible. We performed a superficial parotidectomy in a patient with a seromucous cystadenoma. This may be the first report of seromucous cystadenoma of carotid gland in Korea.
Cystadenoma* ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Korea ; Parotid Gland* ; Salivary Glands ; Salivary Glands, Minor

Background: Thioacetamide is a classic hepatotoxic reagent which leads to the reproducible hepatic fibrosis in rats. Thioacetamide-induced fibrosis is an appropriate model for cirrhosis in humans due to the long duration of course and similiar histology. Thioacetamide produces hepatotoxicity through lipid peroxidation but it is unclear whether lipid peroxidation directly correlated with hepatic fibrosis. Pentoxifylline, a derivative of the methylxanthine, showed an antifibrogenic effect in cell cultures of human fibroblasts and some animal models. But this antifibrogenic effect is controversial. Pentoxifylline revealed a hepatoprotective effect in some toxic hepatitis. This hepatoprotective effect seems to influence cell cycle regulatory protein during regeneration. This study aimed to evaluate an effect of pentoxifylline on fibrosis and cell cycle regulatory protein during liver regeneration in thioacetamide-induced rat cirrhosis. Lipid peroxidation assay was compared with collagen content so as to evaluate the correlation with fibrosis. METHOD: Liver cirrhosis was induced by 0.03% oral administration of thioacetamide. Pentoxifylline was administered simultaneously with thioacetamide. The semiquantitative fibrosis index was measured based on histologic finding. Collagen content was estimated by spectrophotometric assay. Activated hepatic stellate cells were counted using alpha-SMA immunohistochemistry. Malondialdehyde, lipid peroxidation metabolite, was estimated by thiobarbituric acid reactive substance assay. Cell cycle regulatory protein was evaluated by western blot. RESULTS: There was no difference in semiquantitative fibrosis index, collagen content and hepatic stellate cell count between thioacetamide treated rats and simultaneous pentoxifylline treated rats. Lipid peroxidation product was not correlated with collagen content. Western blot showed no difference in cell cycle regulatory protein. CONCLUSION: Pentoxifylline does not show an antifibrogenic effect in thioacetamide-induced rat cirrhosis, in which thioacetamide induced hepatocellular damage and fibrosis. Lipid peroxidation may be a secondary effect rather than primary mediating mechanism in hepatic fibrosis.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Cycle* ; Collagen ; Drug-Induced Liver Injury ; Fibroblasts ; Fibrosis* ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver Regeneration ; Liver* ; Malondialdehyde ; Models, Animal ; Negotiating ; Pentoxifylline* ; Rats* ; Regeneration ; Thioacetamide

The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics or the potassium channels existing in the rat urinary bladders. Smooth muscle strips of rat detrusor urinae were examined by isometric myography. Relaxation responses of detrusor muscle strips to the three potassium channel openers pinacidil, a cyanoguanidine derivative, BRL 38227, a benzopyran derivative and RP 52891, a tertrahydrothiopyran derivative were examined. The potassium channel openers reduced the basal tone, and the rank order of potency was RP 52891>pincidil>BRL 38227. Procaine, an inhibitor of the voltage-sensitive potassium channel tended to increase the basal tone, but it did not affect the relaxant effects of the calcium-activated potassium channel opener did not antagonize the relaxant effects, but it reduced the Emax of RP 52891 and BRL 38227. Glibenclamide, an inhibitor of the ATP-sensitive potassium channel, antagonized the relaxant effects of pinacidil, RP 52891 and BRL 38227 reducing the Emax of RP 52891 and BRl 38227. Galanin which inhibits secretion of insulin through opening the ATP-sensitive potassium channels in pancreatic β-cells rather increased the basal tone of the isolated detrusor strips. These results suggest that the urinary bladder of the rat has mainly the ATP-sensitive, glibenclamide sensitive potassium channel, which is a different type from that in the pancreatic β-islet cells.
Animals ; Cromakalim ; Galanin ; Glyburide ; Insulin ; KATP Channels ; Muscle, Smooth ; Myography ; Pinacidil ; Potassium Channels* ; Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated ; Potassium* ; Procaine ; Rats* ; Relaxation ; Urinary Bladder

The Measurement of CSF glucose and CSF glucose-to-blood glucose ratio is a very useful laboratory test for the differential diagnosis of meningitis. We have observed the change of blood glucose & CSF glucose-to-blood glucose ratio according to the time of blood sampling in 84 patients with aseptic meningitis who had been admitted to the department of pediatrics, Dong Kang hospital from May 1993 to June 1993. The results obtained were as follows: 1) The blood glucose level examined with blood sample drawn just before lumbar puncture and one just after lumbar puncture was 98.29+/-16.20mg/dl and 106.49+/-19.47mg/dl, respectively. 2) The blood glucose level examined with blood sample drawn just before lumbar puncture and one 30 min. after lumbar puncture was 96.47+/-21.52mg/dl and 117.00+/-22.12mg/dl, respectively. 3) The CSF glucose-to-blood glucose ratios examined with blood sample drawn just before lumbar puncture and one just after lumbar puncture was 67.70+/-12.40% and 62.83+/-12.62%, respectively. 4) The CSF glucose-to-blood glucose ratios examined with blood sample drawn just before lumbar puncture and one just after lumbar puncture was 70.10+/-21.77% and 56.35+/-13.75%, reskpectively. We concluded that a simultaneous blood glucose level should be taken just before lumbar puncture.
Blood Glucose ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Glucose* ; Humans ; Meningitis ; Meningitis, Aseptic* ; Pediatrics ; Spinal Puncture

Gastritis is an inflammatory condition of the gastric mucosa induced by Helicobacter pylori infection, autoimmunity and chemical agents. Although Sydney system was devised for semiquantitative methods of gastritis, most physicians and pathologists consider it to be too complex and bothersome to use for routine diagnosis. Moreover, Sydney system does not reflect the overall gastritis condition and it cannot directly predict increased gastric cancer risk. To overcome these limitations, a new gastritis staging method, called Operative Link for Gastritis Assessment (OLGA) system was designed by the international group of gastroenterologists and pathologists. This system may achieve simplification of reports for the gastritis condition and it can aid in predicting gastric cancer risk and planning patient surveillance. Herein, we reviewed the routine evaluation methods, clinical implication and advantage/limitations of the OLGA system.
Aluminum Hydroxide ; Atrophy ; Autoimmunity ; Carbonates ; Gastric Mucosa ; Gastritis ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Metaplasia ; Stomach Neoplasms

Gastritis is an inflammatory condition of the gastric mucosa induced by Helicobacter pylori infection, autoimmunity and chemical agents. Although Sydney system was devised for semiquantitative methods of gastritis, most physicians and pathologists consider it to be too complex and bothersome to use for routine diagnosis. Moreover, Sydney system does not reflect the overall gastritis condition and it cannot directly predict increased gastric cancer risk. To overcome these limitations, a new gastritis staging method, called Operative Link for Gastritis Assessment (OLGA) system was designed by the international group of gastroenterologists and pathologists. This system may achieve simplification of reports for the gastritis condition and it can aid in predicting gastric cancer risk and planning patient surveillance. Herein, we reviewed the routine evaluation methods, clinical implication and advantage/limitations of the OLGA system.
Aluminum Hydroxide ; Atrophy ; Autoimmunity ; Carbonates ; Gastric Mucosa ; Gastritis ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Metaplasia ; Stomach Neoplasms

No abstract available.
Humans ; Stroke* ; Walking*

Intrauterine inflammation is defined as the inflammation of the chorion, amnion, and placenta. Untreated inflammation increases the risk of fetal inflammatory response syndrome, which may result in multiorgan diseases involving the brain, cardiovascular system, lung, eye, and intestine. Therefore, controlling inflammation is critical in pregnant women to reduce the risk of diseases. However, there are no safe and effective anti-inflammatory drugs for administration during pregnancy. Although the primary function of melatonin is to control circadian rhythms, it has protective effects against cellular insults occurring from hypoxia, oxidative stress, and inflammation. While animal studies support the effective and safe role of melatonin in improving pregnancy-related morbidities, it leaves plenty of opportunities for clinical studies investigating its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and protective effects against insults induced by intrauterine inflammation. Therefore, it will be worthwhile to investigate antenatal supplementation of melatonin in pregnant women with intrauterine inflammation to reduce the incidence of associated comorbidities.