Limb salvage operations for osteosarcoma of the extremity usually consist of wide excision and skeletal reconstruction. Most osteosarcoma patients are anemic prior to the surgery as majority of them undergo preoperative neo-adjuvant chemotherapy; thus, it is necessary to treat anemia before and after the surgery since limb salvage operation tends to accompany significant blood loss. Despite the fact that blood transfusion has bad influence on prognosis, complication, and postoperative outcome of cancer patients, it is still considered as a standard management to fix anemia for limb salvage operations. We would like to present a case report in which the authors succeeded in performing limb salvage operations on patients with distal femur osteosarcoma without transfusion.
Anemia ; Blood Transfusion* ; Drug Therapy ; Extremities ; Femur* ; Humans ; Limb Salvage* ; Osteosarcoma* ; Prognosis

Alveolar soft-part sarcoma of the female genital tract are extremely rare. Fewer than 30 cases have been described in the literature. We experienced a case of alveolar soft-part sarcoma of the female genital tract which was diagnosed by routine light microscopic study using ultrastructural and immunohistochemical stain. We report this case with a brief review of the literature.
Female* ; Humans ; Sarcoma, Alveolar Soft Part*

BACKGROUND: Herpes zoster(HZ), caused by reactivation of latent varicella-zoster virus, is manifested by dermatomal distribution of skin rashes, acute pain and post-herpetic neuralgia by pathologic involvement of the sensory ganglia. Low-energy laser(LEL) deliver a small amount of energy without elevation of the tissue temperature. LEL is reported to have various biologic effects such as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, regenerative, antiallergic, immunocorrective, and antibacterial effects. OBJECTIVE: We attempted to evaluate the therapeutic effect of LEL on an acute phase of HZ. METHODS: A total of 60 patients with acute HZ were enrolled in the study. The control group(30 patients) received medications including analgesics, antihistamine, and topical care without LEL irradiation. The experimental group(30 patients) were irradiated with LEL daily for 7 days in addition to the same kinds of medications for the control group. The efficacy of LEL irradiation for HZ was assessed by analyzing changes in skin rashes, pain scores, and postherpetic neuralgia.
Acute Pain ; Analgesics ; Exanthema ; Ganglia, Sensory ; Herpes Zoster* ; Herpesvirus 3, Human ; Humans ; Neuralgia ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical significance of residual amniotic fluid volume, as measured by the amniotic fluid index(AFI), on the prediction of latency period and perinatal outcomes in patients with preterm premature rupture of the membranes(PPROM). METHODS: Study population consisted of 103 singleton pregnancies with PPROM between 24 and 34 weeks' gestation. Amniotic fluid index was determined using transabdominal ultrasound at admission. Latency period was defined as time interval in hours between admission and delivery. All medical records of mothers and neonates were reviewed. Spearman's rho rank correlation, receiver-operator characteristic(ROC) curve analysis, survival analysis and Cox's proportional hazard model were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant correlation between latency period and AFI at admission. ROC curve analysis showed that AFI at admission had a significant predictive value in the prediction of latency period < 48 hours. Survival analysis demonstrated that AFI < 5.0 was strongly associated with the likelihood of shorter latency period, Cox's proportional hazard model indicated that AFI < 5.0 was a significant independent predictor for the occurrence of latency period < 48 hours even after adjustment of other independent variables. The patients with AFI <5.0 had a higher rate of cesarean section due to fetal distress than those with AFI > 5.0 but the incidence of chorioamnionitis was not significantly different between two groups. Comparing the perinatal mortality and neonatal morbidity including infectious morbidity between the neonates born to mothers with AFI <5.0 and those with AFI > 5.0, there was no significance after adjustment of gestational age at birth. CONCLUSION: AFI at admission has a significant correlation with latency period and predictive value in prediction of latency period in the patients with PPROM. AFI <5.0 is a independent predictor for the shorter latency period.
Amniotic Fluid* ; Cesarean Section ; Chorioamnionitis ; Female ; Fetal Distress ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Latency Period (Psychology)* ; Medical Records ; Membranes* ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Perinatal Mortality ; Pregnancy ; Proportional Hazards Models ; ROC Curve ; Rupture* ; Ultrasonography

Genes of cancer-associated testis antigens (CTAs) are expressed in various cancer tissues. In order to use CTAs as cancer diagnosis marker, we developed molecular method for detection of CTAs transcripts in tissue. In order to know the applicability of DNA of cancer-associated testis antigens (CTAs) on cancer diagnosis, molecular diagnostic methods for detection of gene expression of melanoma antigen gene (MAGE), GAGE, and B melanoma antigen (BAGE) was studied. After comparing DNA sequences of CTAs, S1/AS1 and S2/AS2, GAGE-S/ GAGE-AS, and BAGE-S/BAGE-AS primers were designed for the detection of MAGEs, GAGEs and BAGEs, respectively. The gene expression of CTAs in cancer cell lines, head and neck cancer tissues, ovary cancer tissue, and peritoneal cells of gastric cancer patients were investigated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using these primers. The MAGEs, GAGEs and BAGE genes were expressed in 8/8 (100%), 5/8 (62.5%) and 1/8 (12.5%) of head and neck cancer tissues, respectively. The gene expression of MAGEs were also detected in 8/10 (80%) of ovary cancer tissues and in 9/10 (90%) of peritoneal cells of gastric cancer patients in RT-PCR test using S1/AS1 primers. The results of this study suggest that molecular diagnosis method using CTAs genes, especially RT-PCR using S1/AS1 primer combination, is useful for diagnosis of cancer and it will be used for the prediction of cancer progression or regression and metastasis in future.
Base Sequence ; Cell Line ; Diagnosis* ; DNA ; Gene Expression ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Humans ; Melanoma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Pathology, Molecular ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Testis*

A case of arterial priapism was treated by superselective transcatheteric autologous clot embolization of cavernosal artery 25 days after blunt periheal trauma. No immediate improvement was noted but the priapism subsided on 48th day after the procedure. Normal physiclogic erectlie function was achieved on 53rd day after the procedure, and the period of postprocedure impotence was shortened, as compared with previously reported cases. Autologous blood clot embolization may be an effective treatment method even in delayed priapism, and superselective technique is thought to be more effective to shorten the postprocedure erectlie dysfunction
Arteries ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Male ; Priapism*

No abstract available.
Vincristine*

The trematode Paramphistomum cervi empolyed in this experiment was obtained from the reticulum of cattle slaughtered at the local abbatoir. The worms were selected and washed several times in normal sterilized saline solution. Each about ten of intact worms were incubated in 50 cc volume of special incubation flasks with incubation mixture consisting of 50 cc of Krebs-Ringer phosohate buffer (pH 7.4) to which were added universally labeled C(14)-glucose and non-radioactive carrier glucose concentration of 200 mg per cent. The worms were allowed to incubate for 3 hours in the incubator at 38 C. After incubation period, respiratory CO(2) samples from central wall of incubation flask were analysed for total CO(2) production rate and their specific activity of respiratory CO(2). Glycogen samples isolated from worms were analysed for the tissue concentration and their radioactivities in order to determine the turnover rate of glycogen pool. The glucose uptake rate was determined by analysing the difference of the glucose concentration in a medium before and after incubation period. Radioactivities of these series of experiments were counted by an endwindow Geiger-Muller counter as an infinitely thin samples. The quantitative analysis of C(14)-glucose utilized by Paramphistomum cervi was summerized as the following. The glucose uptake rate by Paramphistomum was a mean value of 2.32+/-0.27 micro-mole/hr/g of wet wt. and total CO(2) production rate by the worms averaged 10.85+/-0.41 micro-mole/hr/g of wet wt. The relative specific activities of respiratory CO(2) averaged 49.72+/-13.20 per cent. Thus, a mean of 49.72 per cent of total CO(2) production rate was originated from the glucose in the medium, therefore the rate of CO(2) production derived from medium glucose was mean of 5.24+/-2.16 micro-mole/hr/g of wet wt. Thus, the average value of 37.46+/-5.28 per cent of glucose utilized by the worms from the medium glucose was oxidized to respiratory CO(2). The tissue concentration of Paraphismum was a mean of 41.56+/-5.82 micro-mole/hr/g of wet wt or 4.16+/-0.72 per cent/g , and the turnover rate of glycogen pool yielded with a mean of 0.12+/-0.014 percent/hr or 0.06+/-0.04 mg/hr/g of wet wt. Therefore, a mean value of 16.75+/-4.84 per cent of glucose was incorporated to the glycogen. These data account for that at least 54.21 per cent of the utilized glucose by the worms participated in furnishing the oxidation into respiratory CO(2) and the synthetic process into glycogen. According to the above data of the experiment, it is suggested in the metabolic process of glucose by the Paramphistomum that the synthetic process into the glycogen is less active than the oxidative process into the resppiratory CO(2).
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Paramphistomum cervi ; autoradiography ; biochemistry ; glucose ; metabolism ; CO(2) ; glycogen

OBJECTIVES: The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of acquired clonal hematopoietic disorders characterized by peripheral cytopenias and a hypercellular or normocellular dysplastic bone marrow. The mechanisms responsible for development of MDS are not known. We performed this study to evaluate the hematopoietic abnormalities and apoptosis in MDS. METHODS: Long-term bone marrow culture (LTBMC) was performed for colony assays, cobblestone area assay, stromal morphologic changes from 7 patients with MDS and 7 normal controls. In situ nick end labeling (ISNEL) method was performed for detection of apoptosis from LTBMC in 7 patients with MDS and 7 normal controls. ISNEL method also performed in bone marrow cell bloc samples in 36 patients with MI3S. RESULTS: Viability of nonadherent cells from LTBMC of patients with MDS was not decreased compared with normal controls at 1 week, but significantly decreased at 2 and 3 weeks compared with normal controls (P<0.0001). Formation of the cobblestone areas from patients with MDS was slightly decreased compared with normal controls at 1st week, but significantly decreased at 2nd and 3rd weeks compared with normal controls (P<0.0001). Slightly decreased compared with normal controls at 1 week, but significantly decreased at 2 and 3 weeks compared with normal controls (P<0.0001). Stromal layers produced in LTBMC of normal controls and 1 patient with MDS were detected at 1 week and were formed confluent stroma from 3 weeks, but another patients with MDS who did not form a confluent stroma. Patients with MDS had significantly lower colony forming unit granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) compared with normal controls at 1 (P<0.01) and 2 weeks (P<0.001) of LTBMC. Two weeks of LTBMC resulted more profound inhibition of CFU-GM formation than 1 week (P<0.0001). Apoptotic cell death was absent in adherent and non adherent cells from normal controls at 1 and 2 weeks, but massive apoptotic cell death was found in adherent and non adherent cells from patients with MDS at 1 and 2 weeks and the degree of apoptosis was profound at 2 weeks compared with 1 week. Among the 36 patients, fifteen patients demonstrated varying degrees of apoptosis positive cells, 4 having low, 8 intermediates, and 3 high scores. Remaining 21 patients showed absent apoptosis or only occasional positive cells. CONCLUSION: Hematopoietic abnormalities such as a failure of differentiation are caused by the stromal defects and the biologic basis of the apparent paradox of peripheral cytopenias in the face of hypercellular (or normocellular) marrow is related by intramedullary apoptotic cell death of the stromal and hematopoietic cells.
Apoptosis* ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Bone Marrow* ; Cell Death ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Progenitor Cells ; Humans ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling* ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes* ; Stem Cells

PURPOSE: Urinary tract infection (UTI) in children is the most common disease during the infantile period, therefore early diagnosis and treatment are important. Pyuria is a useful clinical parameter for the initial diagnosis of a UTI. In this study we aimed to compare the clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings in relation to the duration of pyuria in infants with UTIs. METHODS: Three hundred seventy-four infants <12 months of age who were admitted between January 1995 and December 2005 for the first episode of a febrile UTI were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups according to the duration of pyuria as follows: group 1, pyuria resolved <3 days after initial treatment; and group 2, pyuria lasted at least 3 days after initial treatment. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups in relation to gender, age, total duration of fever, and organisms in the urine. Group 2 had a significantly higher peripheral blood leukocyte count (14,360.86+/-5,526.16 cells/mm3 vs. 11,822.55+/-5,687.26 cells/mm3, P<0.001), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (32.81+/-19.34 mm/hr vs. 23.74+/-20.43 mm/hr, P<0.001), and C-reactive protein (6.84+/-5.68 mg/dL vs. 3.78+/-3.99 mg/dL, P<0.001) than group 1. There was a significantly higher incidence of hydronephrosis and a higher grade of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in group 2 compared to group 1. CONCLUSION: In infants with UTI, pyuria of longer duration is related to severe UTI and higher grade VUR, therefore aggressive radiologic studies may be necessary.
Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; Child ; Early Diagnosis ; Fever ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Incidence ; Infant ; Leukocyte Count ; Pyuria ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinary Tract ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux