The complement system is known to be involved in the pathogenesis of the skin lesions in pernphigus vulgaris, bullous pemphigoid, dermatitis herpetiformis, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Authors examined the skin specimens of each disease cases, who did not show any evidence of complement deficiency, to determine the deposition of complement components(C4, C3, Chb-9) and their inhibitors(C4bp, Factor H, S-protein) by modified direct immunofluorescence. We also looked at the staining pattern and localization, for further insights of their pathobiologic contributions in each disease. The findings of deposits of complement components up to C9, as well as inhibitor proteins at the primary histopathologic sites, in the majority of those cases, may indicate that the complement system, to certain extent, involves the inflamrnatory reactions in these diseases. The co-localization of C5b-9 and S-protein could be regarded as the consequence of in situ formation of SC5b-9 complexs or as the result of non-lytic adsorbed complexes of fluid phase SC5b-9. The pathologic role of the complement seems to depend mostly on the complement-fixing biologic property and the amount of the tissue bound immune complexes, which are often heterogeneous to different diseases and among different patients.
Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Complement Factor H ; Complement Membrane Attack Complex ; Complement System Proteins* ; Dermatitis Herpetiformis ; Epidermolysis Bullosa Acquisita ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Pemphigoid, Bullous ; Skin ; Skin Diseases*

The angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitor (Captopril) has recently been studied extensively in various experimental models of radiation injury and has proven its protective effects in various organs, such as the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and kidneys. Twenty-three Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into experimental and control group. The experimental group was divided into two large groups: the first one received a single dose of 18 Gy irradiation from an electron beam on the local field of the kidney region only, and the second group received captopril per oral continuously after the same doses of irradiation. The second experimental group was divided into four subgroups by captopril doses: 62.5 mg/l, 125 mg/l, 250 mg/l, and 500 mg/l, respectively. On light and electron microscopy, the kidneys of the irradiated rats with no captopril treatment showed diffuse glomerular contraction, congestion with occlusion and focal necrosis of the endothelial, and mesangial cells. The tubules showed ballooning degeneration, desquamation, and diffuse coagulation necrosis. Captopril treated rats, especially those given a high dose (more than 250 gm/l), revealed a marked reduction of the tubular and glomerular injuries. There was a statistically significant difference in the degree of renal injury among the experimental groups (p<0.05). The result of this study suggests that an administration of high dose captopril might prevent radiation-induced renal injury, especially in the early post-irradiation period.
Animals ; Captopril* ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Kidney ; Lung ; Mesangial Cells ; Microscopy, Electron ; Models, Theoretical ; Necrosis ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; Radiation Injuries ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

No abstract available.

A 34 year-old woman was hospitalized with anterior chest pain and indigestion. Chest radiograph and computed tomogram revealed a sewing needle in the cardiac cavity. She had no histories of surgical intervention, drug abuse, or acupuncture. We removed the needle from the right ventricle under cardiopulmonary bypass.
Acupuncture ; Adult ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Chest Pain ; Dyspepsia ; Female ; Foreign Bodies* ; Heart Ventricles* ; Humans ; Needles* ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Substance-Related Disorders

The fashion of vascular anastomosis, end-to-end or end-to-side (E-to-S), are depended upon surgeon's preference or surgical situations. In E-to-S anastomosis two different methods of arteriotomy are applicable but it has been suggested the type, either elliptical or slit arteriotomy, play a different role in the flow hemodynamics. We thought that the difference is more considerable in microvascular surgery. This study examines the effects of elliptical versus slit arteriotomy on morphologic vessel patency. Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups of ten rats each. Both carotid arteries were selected as a experimental model. During the procedures the rat brain was tolerable to ischemia and all animals were survived after operations. The morphologic analysis of anastomosis site was through resin-casting method with scanning electromicroscopic examination. The results showed notable difference between two groups in three-dimensional morphology at two-month of operation. This difference may affect the flow hemodynamics and long-term vessel patency. In microvascular anastomosis, the mortpologic difference of the elliptical arteriotomy is worse than slit arteriotomy which compromises the vessel circumference.
Animals ; Brain ; Carotid Arteries ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Male ; Models, Theoretical ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Immunohistochemical staining on paraffin sections for S-100 protein improved diagnostic accuracy for melanocytic tumor. But specificity of S-100 protein in the diagnosis of melanocytic tumor is very low, because S-100 protein was also expressed in neurogenic tumor and salivary gland tumor. To investigate a specific tumor marker for the malignant melanoma, immunohistochemical staining for HMB-45 and S-100 protein was performed on the paraffin sections of 25 cases of malignant melanoma and 46 cases of nevi. Positive reaction for HMB-45 and S-100 protein was diffusely identified in the cytoplasm of tumor cells. Positive ratio for HMB-45 was 100% in malignant melanoma, 92% in junctional component of compound nevus and 0% in intradermal nevus. Positive ratio for S-100 protein was 92% in malignant melanoma, 100% in compound nevus and 100% in intradermal nevus. The sensitivity and specificity for HMB-45 in malignant melanoma were 100%, but those for S-100 protein were 92% in sensitivity and 86.7% in specificity. These results indicate that HMB-45 has a high sensitivity and specificity for malignant melanoma cells and it can be quite useful for the histopathological diagnosis of malignant melanoma.
Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tumor Markers, Biological

PURPOSE: This study is to conduct a comparative analysis of influencing factors on the experience of mammography targeting ordinary women and outpatients. METHODS: The target subjects were 116 ordinary women and 105 outpatients, and the study period was around 8 months from May to December. RESULTS: When mammography experience was examined, it was found that mammography experience was conducted in 44.8% of ordinary women and 59.0% of outpatients, but this study showed that there was a statistically significant difference. When the relation between the characteristics of the targeted objects and the experience of mammography was examined, it was found that ordinary women have a lot of experience when they have regular exercises and a high health belief. On the other hand, in case of outpatients. mammography experience was more frequent in the older group. In addition, outpatients had experiences in breast-related diseases or high self-efficacy. It was also found that the influencing factors on the experience of mammography were a high health belief in case of ordinary women, and old ages and high self-efficacy in case of outpatients. CONCLUSIONS: In order to increase the rate of conducting early detection behavior for mammography, it is needed to conduct an intervention that increases health belief for ordinary women, while it is effective to conduct an intervention that increases self-efficacy for outpatients.
Breast Neoplasms ; Exercise ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Mammography* ; Outpatients*

PURPOSE: Our objective was to evaluate mammographic findings of breast cancer in men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study includes 9 man with breast cancer diagnosed pathologically by radical mastectomy. Clinical and pathologic data were obtained by review of patients' medical record. Mammograms were analysed retrospectively. RESULTS: Of the 9 patients, eight had masses with spiculated margin or schirrous pattern with irregular margin. One patient had no specific evidence of breast cancer mammographically. Microcalcifications were seen in three patients, these calcifications were irregular in shape and were clustered. Of the 8 cases, four patients had the masses at the right breast, four at the left breast. Locations of breast cancer were subareolar(n=4) and were eccentric(n=4) from the nipple. The most common location was the upper outer quadrant. On histologic evaluation, 7 cases were infiltrating ductal carcinomas, one case was mucinous adenocarcinoma, and the remainder was proved as combined form of intraductal and infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Axillary lymph node metastasis were found in 4 cases. CONCLUSION: Mammographic findings of male breast carcinoma were that of subareolar or eccentrically located mass. Calcifications were same to the patterns of calcification as female breast cancer.
Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast Neoplasms, Male* ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Male* ; Mastectomy, Radical ; Medical Records ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nipples ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: Our objective was to evaluate mammographic findings of breast cancer in men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study includes 9 man with breast cancer diagnosed pathologically by radical mastectomy. Clinical and pathologic data were obtained by review of patients' medical record. Mammograms were analysed retrospectively. RESULTS: Of the 9 patients, eight had masses with spiculated margin or schirrous pattern with irregular margin. One patient had no specific evidence of breast cancer mammographically. Microcalcifications were seen in three patients, these calcifications were irregular in shape and were clustered. Of the 8 cases, four patients had the masses at the right breast, four at the left breast. Locations of breast cancer were subareolar(n=4) and were eccentric(n=4) from the nipple. The most common location was the upper outer quadrant. On histologic evaluation, 7 cases were infiltrating ductal carcinomas, one case was mucinous adenocarcinoma, and the remainder was proved as combined form of intraductal and infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Axillary lymph node metastasis were found in 4 cases. CONCLUSION: Mammographic findings of male breast carcinoma were that of subareolar or eccentrically located mass. Calcifications were same to the patterns of calcification as female breast cancer.
Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast Neoplasms, Male* ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Male* ; Mastectomy, Radical ; Medical Records ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nipples ; Retrospective Studies

Bullous pemphigoid is a chronic and relatively benign subepidermal blistering disease and is generally considered not to be a sulfa-responsive dermatosis. As a rule, bullous dermatosis that excellently responded to sulfapyridine and sulfones was considered by some to be diagnostic of dermstitis herpetiformia. In 1977, Person and Rogers described 6 cases of bullous pemphigoid responded to sulfapyridine and sulfones. These sulfa-responsive cases were younger than ordinary bullous pemphigoid patients and the histopathologic findings showed prevalence of the neutrophilic infiltration. In this report, the patient who diagnosed as bullous pemphigoid by immunofluorescent studies has younger onset (38 years of age) than usual bullous pemphigoid and histopatbologic findings showed dense neutrophilic infiltrations. The patient was treated with 100-200mg of DDS for 2 months and the skin lesions completely disappeared.
Blister ; Humans ; Neutrophils ; Pemphigoid, Bullous* ; Prevalence ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Sulfapyridine ; Sulfones