Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has been widely used in the clinic because of the benefit of high spatial and temporal resolution, and the excellent anatomical tissue contrast. Cancer-targeted MR molecular imaging comprises 3 major components: a relevant molecular target which is specifically highly expressed on the membrane of the cancer cell; a target specific imaging probe which is composed of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle coreconjugated target specific ligand such as antibody, peptide, and molecules; MR imaging hardware and software which are sensitive to the imaging probe. Among the various molecular targets, HER2/neu receptor antibody, folic acid, and arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) are well known targeting ligands. The sensitivity of the cancer-targeted MR imaging is affected by the magnetic susceptibility of the T2 contrast agent, resolution of the image, targeting efficiency of the imaging probe, and image acquisition pulse sequence. Recently, successful cancer-targeted MR imaging with T1 contrast agent and cancer-specific molecular MR imaging using innate contrast of the cancer cell by chemical exchange phenomenon without using the imaging probe has been introduced. Cancer-targeted MR molecuar imaging is a robust diagnostic method to detect cancer at the cellular stage of the cancer development and it would help improve early detection rate of the cancer.
Ferric Compounds ; Folic Acid ; Iron ; Ligands ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Magnetics ; Magnets ; Membranes ; Molecular Imaging ; Nanoparticles

No abstract available.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Carcinoma, Endometrioid*

PURPOSE: To investigate the localization and functional lateralization of the supplementary motor area (SMA) in motor activation tests in comparison to that of the primary motor area. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven healthy volunteers obtained echoplanar imaging blood oxygen level dependent technique. This study was carried on 1.5T Siemens Magneton Vision system with the standard head coil. Parameters of EPI were followed as ; TR/TE; 1.0/66.0 msec. flip angle : 90degree, field of view : 22cmx22cm, matrix : 128x128, slice number/slice thickness/gap : 10/4mm/0.8mm with fat suppression technique. Motor task as finger opposition in each hand consisted of 3 sets of alternative rest and activation periods. Postprocessing were done on Stimulate 5.0 by using cross-correlation statistics. To compare the functional lateralization of the SMA in the right and left hand tests, each examination was evaluation for the percent change of signal intensity and the number of activated voxels both in the SMA and in the primary motor area. Hemispheric asymmetry was defined as difference of summation of the activated yokels between each hemisphere. RESULTS: Percent change of signal intensity in the SMA (2.49-3.06%) is lower than that of primary motor area(4.4-7.23%). Percent change of signal intensity including activated voxels were observed almost equally in the right and left SMA. As for summation of activated voxels primary motor area had significant difference between each hemisphere but not did the SMA. CONCLUSION: Preferred contralateral dominant hemisphere and hemispheric asymmetry were detected in the primary motor area but not in the SMA.
Echo-Planar Imaging ; Fingers ; Hand* ; Head ; Healthy Volunteers ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Oxygen

No abstract available.
Ambulatory Care Facilities* ; Humans ; Outpatients* ; Pharynx*

We report a case of giant cell tumor of the tendon sheath involving the foot, in a 21-year-old female patient, who presented with an asymptomatic tumor on the dorsum of her right foot. Histopathologically the tumor is surrounded by thin fibrous connective tissue. The characteristic findings of the excised specimen revealed a typical mixture of abundunt round or polygonal histocyte-like cells with varying portions of spindle-shaped fibroblast-like cells and multinucleated giant cells. Variable amounts of hyalinized fibrous stromal tissue were also present. After excision, local recurrence has not been observed for 3 months.
Connective Tissue ; Female ; Foot* ; Giant Cell Tumors* ; Giant Cells* ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Recurrence ; Tendons* ; Young Adult

After bone damage of the fetal rat femurs induced by administrating cyclophosphamide(CP),(1/8 LD50) to the pregnant rat on 13th day of gestation, the effects of serum and ascorbic acid on the repair process of the bone during organ culture were studied, histologically and scanning electron microscopically. CP-damaged fetal femurs harvested at 20 days of gestation were cultured fro 2, 5 and 7 days in the waymouth media(WM) with or without fetal bovine serum(FBS) and ascorbic acid, and were observed with light microscope and JSM-35C scanning electron microscope. The results were as follows:1. CP-damaged bone tissue cultured in WM with 10% FBS showed relatively enhanced activities in the differentiation of chondrocytes and ossificstion as compared to that cultured in WM. 2. CP-damaged bone tissue cultured in WM with 10% FBS and 100µg/ml ascorbic acid, showed increase in the length of the bone marrow cavity, and active formation of new osteoid and collagen bundles. 3. The bone tissues cultured in WM with 10% FBS and 400µg/ml ascorbic acid revealed active deposition of bone matrix, thickening of periosteum and marked elongation of the bone marrow cavity. 4. Bone trabeculae of CP-damaged femurs cultured for 2 days in WM showed poor cell proliferation and insignificant bone matix formation. 5. The number of new cells and the amount of the collagen fibrils increased on the bone trabeculae of the bone cultured in WM with 10% FBS as compared to that cultured in WM and this increase was enhanced as the culture time progressed. 6. A remarkable increase was noted in the number of cells and collagen fibrils in the bone tissues cultured in WM with 10% FBS and ascorbic acid than in those cultured in WM with 10% FBS. 7. The number of the spherules formed by cellular component with collagen fibrils is more numerous than that formed by calcospherites associated with collagen fibrils.
Animals ; Ascorbic Acid ; Bone and Bones ; Bone Marrow ; Bone Matrix ; Cell Proliferation ; Chondrocytes ; Collagen ; Cyclophosphamide ; Femur ; In Vitro Techniques ; Organ Culture Techniques ; Periosteum ; Pregnancy ; Rats

Trichogenic tumors are very rare and described as cutaneous neoplasms probably derived from hair germ which develops into hair follicles. We report a case of trichoblastic fibroma on the left parietal scalp of a 45-year-old man. The lesion was a solitary, firm, non-tender, 2×2cm subcutaneous nodule. The histopathological study showed a well circumscribed dermal tumor composed of abundant basophilic palisading basaloid lobules with some keratinous cysts, hair follicle differentiation and fibroblastic stroma.
Basophils ; Fibroblasts ; Fibroma* ; Hair ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Rabeprazole ; Scalp

BACKGROUND: Pruritus, which is a frequent accompanying symptom of dermatological diseases, is also common during pregnancy, either localized or generalized. It may be related to specific dermatoses of pregnancy. OBJECTIVE: A clinical study was performed to know the exact nature of pruritus in pregnancy. METHODS: Subjects with systemic diseases, or laboratory abnormalities were excluded. People who have had pruritic dermatologic diseases before pregnancy were also excluded. One hundred and fifty five pregnant women were interviewed with physical examinations and followed up to the date of delivery. Pruritus was graded. RESULTS: Pruritus was present in 31.6%. Most affected subjects had mild or moderate severity. The abdomen was the most common site. There was a tendency for the duration of itching to increase with the duration of pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Conclusion: These findings may provide basic and useful data on pruritus during pregnancy.
Abdomen ; Clinical Study* ; Female ; Humans ; Physical Examination ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Pruritus* ; Skin Diseases

BACKGROUND: The effects of a muscle relaxant may differ in elderly compared with young adult patients for a variety of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic reasons. Atracurium is eliminated by nonorgan dependent pathway, Hofmann elimination and ester hydrolysis. So there are some arguments for age-related differences. The purpose of this study was to compare the differences of the onset and duration of atracurium in young and elderly. METHODS: Eighteen young adults (21-54 yr) and 18 elderly (>65 yr) patients anesthetized with nitrous oxide and enflurane. Atracurium (0.5 mg/kg) was given and then intubation was performed after T1 response was blocked more than 80%. Neuromuscular relaxation was measured by the first twitch of train-of-four (T1) response at the adductor pollicis after supramaximal stimulation of ulnar nerve at 2Hz every 12 sec. The onset (disappearance of T1) and duration of 5, 25, 50, 75% recovery time of T1 and recovery index (time for 25-75% recovery of T1) were recorded. RESULTS: Onset of block was not significantly different between the young and elderly. Recovery time of 5, 25, 50, 75% and recovery index were not prolonged in elderly compared with young adults. CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences between young and elderly adults in onest time, recovery time of 5, 25, 50, 75% and recovery index when atracurium is used in a single bolus dose. The results suggest that atracurium in elderly patients has similar onset and action duration compared with younger patients.
Adult ; Aged* ; Atracurium* ; Enflurane ; Humans ; Hydrolysis ; Intubation ; Nitrous Oxide ; Relaxation ; Ulnar Nerve ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Hemodynamics* ; Hepatocytes* ; Ischemia* ; Liver* ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator* ; Verapamil*