No abstract available.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Humans

A 56 year-old female presented with dysphagia 8 weeks ago and newly developed dysphonia 2 weeks ago. The radiology study and swallowing difficulty evaluation study revealed the esophagus and the posterior wall of the laryngopharynx to be severely compressed by the mass of the anterior 4th and 5th vertebral body of cervical spine. En bloc excisional biopsy of the bony mass was performed, which completely resolved the clinical symptoms. We report a rare case of osteochondroma occurring at the anterior portion of cervical spine leading to dysphasia and dysphonia with a review of relevant literature.
Aphasia ; Biopsy ; Deglutition ; Deglutition Disorders ; Dysphonia ; Esophagus ; Female ; Humans ; Hypopharynx ; Osteochondroma ; Spine

BACKGROUND: Cell-cell adhesion in tissue is mainly regulated by hornotypic interaction of cadherin molecules, which are anchored to the cytoskeleton via cytoplasmic proteins, including a-and / 3-catenin. Loss of E-cadherin and catenin have been attributed a pathogenetic role in tumor invasion. METHODS: We examined the expression of E-cadherin and a-catenin in human thyroid carcinoma by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Normal tissue strongly expressed E-cadherin and a-catenin. However, E-cadherin and a-catenin expression were frequently reduced in thyroid carcinoma (E-cadherin: 62.5%, a-catenin: 81.3%). But the expression of E-cadherin and a-catenin in tumors with metastatic spreading were not different with tumors without metastasis. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that reduced E-eadherin and a-catenin expression may be a sensitive marker for disturbance in the adhesive function of the junctional complex, but further evaluation with more cases is needed for confirmation of the result of the same degree of expression in tumors with metastasis.
Adhesives ; Cadherins* ; Cytoplasm ; Cytoskeleton ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

Higher cognitive functions refer to the highest level of human intellectual functioning, including formation, reasoning, and executive functions. The executive functions can be conceptualized as having four components ; volition, planning, purposive action, and effective performance. Because higher cognitive functions represent the most advanced stages of intellectual development, they are often highly susceptible to the effects of brain injuries and mental disorders. The ability to perform effectively within the environment is determined in large part by an individual's adequacy in performing such higher-order function. Especially executive functions are necessary for appropriate, socially responsible, and effectively sell-serving adult conduct. Therefore, an assessment of the psychiatric patient's performance in these areas will provide useful diagnostic information, as well as information concerning social and vocational prognosis.
Adult ; Brain Injuries ; Executive Function ; Humans ; Mental Disorders ; Prognosis ; Volition

BACKGROUND: The CD34(human progenitor cell antigen) is a monomeric, 115 kD glycoprotein which is expressed on hemitopoietic progenitor cells. It is also now known as an immunohistochemical marker of endothelial cell like UEA-I and factor VIII R Ag and its function is thought to be related to endot.helial adhesion, migration, and angiogenesis. OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to investigate the patterns of CD34 expression during the early and late stages of vascular formation in pyogenic granuloma. METHOD: We performed immuinoperoxidase staining(ABC technique) by using a monoclonal anti-CD34 antibody(QBEND10, IgG1) on the formalin fixed, paraffin embedded sections of 19 cases of pyogenic granulomas. Result : 1. In all cases of pyogenic grinulomas, CD34 was strongly expressed in the endothelial cells of normal vessels in the perilobular stroma and in the endothelial cells of the mature vessels within the lobules of hemangioma. 2. In the foci of immature vessels, most of the endothelial cells located near the small vascular lumina and endothelial cells with intracellular lumen formations expressed CD34, while the endothelial cells far from the vascular lumina and endothelial cells without intracellular lumen formations mostly did not express CD:4. CONCLUSION: The above result. suggested that the expression of CD34 of the endothelial cells vary with the stage of maturation of the vessels.
Endothelial Cells ; Factor VIII ; Formaldehyde ; Glycoproteins ; Granuloma, Pyogenic* ; Hemangioma ; Paraffin ; Stem Cells

No abstract available.
Esophageal and Gastric Varices* ; Hemorrhage*

The hydrophobicity assay and DNA probe hybridization assay were compared for analysis of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC), heat-labile enterotoxin(LT) and heat-stable enterotoxin (ST). The ETEC isolated from diarrheal patients were serotyped and investigated for the presence of colonization factor antigens CFA/1, CFA/II, CFA/III and CFA/IV with the expression of mannose-resistant hemagglutination(MRHA) and the levels of surface hydrophobicity. The following results were obtained. 1. Out of these 48 strains, 34 strains were found to be positive for LT production by DNA probe hybridization assay. Out of 34 strains, 1 strain was ST producer, 25 strains were LT producers, and 8 strains were produced both ST+LT producers by DNA probe hybridization assay. 2. Out of 34 strains of positive DNA probe hybridization test, 31 strains was positive in the hydrophobicity test. Among strains of positive hydrophobicity test, 20, 1, and 7 strains produced only LT, only ST and both ST-LT, respectively. Screening efficiency for identifying ETEC by salting out test was 82.4% in sensitivity and 78.6% in specificity. For ETEC detection, the hydrophobicity assay was the least sensitive but was simple, rapid and a good substitute for the DNA probe hybridization assay. 4. CFAs were identified in 43.8% of ETEC strains; 2.1% of the CFAs strains with CFAs harbored CFA/I, 29.2% carried CFA/II, 16.7% carried CFA/III and CFA/IV. And 35.4% expressed none of these CFAs. CFA/I was found in ETEC of serotype 0128: K67, CFA/II was 0128: K67, 0142: K+ and 0159: K+, CFA/III was 086a: K15 and 0128: K67, CFA/IV was 0 86a: K15, 0128: K67, 0125: K70 and 0148: K+.
Colon ; DNA* ; Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli* ; Enterotoxins ; Escherichia ; Humans ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions* ; Mass Screening ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Perinatal asphyxia is an insult to fetus or newborn due to lack of oxygen or perfusion to various organs, especially to brain, resulting in the important complication known as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. A clinical study was conducted on 30 newborns with perinatal asphyxia, who were admitted to Pediatric department of Ewha Women's University Hospital during 18 months period from Sep. 1990 to Feb. 1992. CPK, LDH and isoenzymes were measured in 30 asphyxated neonates and compared with control group. The results were as follows: 1) The serum CPK values at 1st and 7th day were not different in the asphyxia group and control group. 2) The serum CPK-BB and MB fraction at 1st day were highly significant in the asphyxia group. 3) The CSF CPK value at 1st day was highly significant in the asphyxia group. 4) The serum LDH values and the serum LDH isoenzyme 3 were highly significant in asphyxia group at 1st day. 5) The CSF LDH values and the CSF LDH isoenzyme 2 and 3 were highly significant in asphyxia group at 1st day. So, we concluded the serum CPK-BB fraction, the CSF CPK values, the serum LDH values, the serum LDH 2 fraction, the CSF LDH values and the CSF LDH 2,3 fraction as predictors of neurologic disability following perinatal asphyxia.
Asphyxia* ; Brain ; Fetus ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; Infant, Newborn ; Isoenzymes ; Oxygen ; Perfusion

With 2mm-thick CT scanning during the rapid infusion of contrast material(TICT), cerebral aneurysms arising from the circle of Willis and adjacent vessels can be directly visualized. Twenty-five patients who had cerebral aneurysm confirmed by surgery were examined with TIGT and digital subtraction angiography. The authors examined TIGT prospectively to assess the detection rate of the cerebal aneurysms and to evaluate the clinical usefulness of TIGT. The detection rates of aneurysms by TIGT and digital subtraction angiography were 68% and 84%, respectively. TIGT is a rapid, safe and reliable method in the evaluation of patients with suspected cerebral aneurysm, permitting direct visualization of the aneurysm.
Aneurysm ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; Circle of Willis ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Methods ; Prospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

A survey was done on the participants of the previous education seminar. Eighty two endoscopists from 67 instituties had replied and 50 practitioners replied for a total of l32 that were surveyed and analyzed. (continue...)
Education* ; Endoscopy* ; Korea*