BACKGROUND: The integrins comprise a family of transmembrane glycoproteins which mediate cell-cell and cell-matr ix intera ctions, and the bcl-2 oncogene is involved in tumorigenesis by blocking apoptosis. Typical acquired melanocytic nevi appear to follow a life cycle characterized by active growth, maturation, and progressive involution. In contrast, congenital rnelanocytic nevi have a different course and prcgnosis with potential for development of melanoma, and metastatic spread is very common in malignant melanoma. Objective . We investigated the expression of integrins (a2,a3,a) and bcl-2 in congenital and acquired rnelanocytic nevi, and malignant, melanomas by immunohistochemical technique. Methods . Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues from 7 compound nevi, 7 intradermal nevi, 5 congenital melanocytic nevi, and 5 malignant melanomas were immunolabeled with monoclonal antibodies directed against a2, a3,and a integrin, and bcl-2 protein. RESULTS: All acquired and congenital melanocytic nevi showed a uniform staining for a2, a3, a and bcl-2. In 3 compound nevi which the nevus cells lie mainly within the upper dermis, the nevus cells in the papillary dermis showed weak to negative a expression. Within neurotized are as of intradermal nevus, bcl-2 and a expression became weaker and totally absent. All 5 malig- nant melanomas exhibited strong a2, a3, a, and bcl-2 expression. However, the tumor cells in the lower advancing border failed to express a integrin in 3 of 5 malignant, melanomas. In most malignant melanomas, there was variable intensity of staining for bcl-2 in different areas of the tumor. Conclusion . These findings suggest that the integrins and bcl-2 may be involved in active growth, maturation, and progressive involution of the melanocytic nevi, and seem to be related to metastasis and tumorigenesis of the malignant melanoma.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Apoptosis ; Carcinogenesis ; Dermis ; Glycoproteins ; Humans ; Integrins* ; Life Cycle Stages ; Melanoma* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nevus ; Nevus, Intradermal ; Nevus, Pigmented* ; Oncogenes

The authors, in this paper, addressed a variety of problems and difficulties which Korean psychiatrists should cope with. The surprising development of neurosciences, splitting of neuropsychiatry into neurology and psychiatry, easygoing attitude of psychiatrists, changes in the delivery system of health care and ill-balanced education of psychiary were listed as causes of or contributors to them. Social bias to psychiatry and regulations from outside are also considered as contributors. Psychiatric education, including medical school, residency training, continuing medical education and psychiatric textbooks, need to be changed in order to enlarge the boundary of psychiatry. Reestablishment of identity of psychiatry and psychiatrist is unavoidable, considering far-reaching new knowledge of neuroscience and gradually invisible borderzone between neurology and psychiatry. The other ways worth while to consider are : the expansion of psychiatrists' activities, development of medical behavioral science to a clinical specialty, creation of new psychiatric subspecialties, and additional training of psychiatric residencies in the primary medical care.
Behavioral Sciences ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Delivery of Health Care ; Education ; Education, Medical, Continuing ; Internship and Residency ; Neurology ; Neuropsychiatry ; Neurosciences* ; Psychiatry ; Schools, Medical ; Social Control, Formal

In 1970, Boutine introduced a alumina ceramic for cemented total hip replacement . A ceramic articulation thought to be superior to metal on polyethylene due to its extremely low coefficient of friction and its potential for resistance to wear. Mechanical failure of ceramic femoral head is rare. We report a case of fracture of ceramic femoral head, which occured after implantation of uncemented total hip replacement.
Aluminum Oxide ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip* ; Ceramics* ; Friction ; Head* ; Polyethylene

p53 gene mutation is commonly accepted to be associated with loss of negative cell cycle control and progression of tumors. The proliferative activity of tumor cells is considered to be a valuable indicator of tumor aggressiveness. This study is intended to compare p53 protein expression with cell proliferation rates in the ovarian epithelial tumors according to the various clinicopathological parameters. Immunohistochemistry using monoclonal p53 antibody (DO-1) and PCNA antibody (PC10) was applied to 56 cases of ovarian epithelial tumors including 17 cases of borderline tumor. The results were as follows. Both immunohistochemical staining of PCNA and p53 protein showed positive reactions confined to the nuclei of tumor cells. There were significant differences of p53 protein expression rates between borderline malignancies (11.8%) and cystadenocarcinomas (56.4%) of ovary. The expression rate of p53 protein was not significantly different according to the differentiation and the stage, but the cases of strong positive reaction to p53 protein were more frequently noted in the poorly differentiated and advanced staged tumors. The PCNA indices of p53 strong positive cases were higher than those of p53 weak positive cases. In summary, p53 protein and PCNA expression may be used as an adjuvant in differentiating borderline lesions from carcinomas of ovary and predicting their biological behaviors.
Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Cell Proliferation ; Cystadenocarcinoma ; Female ; Genes, p53 ; Immunohistochemistry ; Ovary ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Leiomyoma* ; Vulva*

This study was designed to investigate the mole- cular mechanism of chemokine induction by lipopoly-saccharide(LPS) of E. coli. Chemokine gene expression was evaluated by the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) assay using RNAs isolated either from kidneys of LPS-injected inice or from the mesangial cells stimulated with LPS, IFN-r or TNF-a. LPS was shown to induce interferon gamma(IFN- 7 ) inducible protein 10 (IP-10) and monokine induced by interferon gamma (MIG) in kidney. IP-10 gene expression was induced by LPS and IFN-r, but MIG gene expression was induced by IFN-r in mesangial cell. Chemokines induced by LPS increased splenocyte migration. Sodium salicylate, wortmanin and piperazine blocked LPS mediated chemokine induction suggesting the activation of nuclear factor-a B pathway. It is concluded from this study that mesangial cells are the target of LPS in the renal failure resulting from the systemic infections. LPS induces chemokines directly and/or indirectly in the mesan- gial cells, and these chemokines may associated with renal inflammation.
Chemokines ; Gene Expression* ; Inflammation ; Interferons ; Kidney ; Mesangial Cells* ; Renal Insufficiency ; RNA ; Sodium Salicylate

Dendritic cell (DC)s are protessional antigen presenting cells and they have been used for antitumor immunotherapy or cell vaccines. However therapy using DC is restricted because the number of DC available from tissue is very low. Flt3 ligand (FL) has been known as a hematopoietic growth factor that increases proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells, and recently it showed inducibility of dendritic cell (DC)s and signiticant antitumor effects in vivo. Thus FL will be frequently used for DC induction and antitumor immunotherapy in future. Here we constructed FL plasmid and studied its in vivo effect. FL plasmids were made by cloning of partial FL cDNA into pcDNA3 plasmid, and gene expression and protein producibility of FL plasmid were confirmed in Renca cells transfected with FL plasmid. Mice were injected with FL plasmid (100ug/mouse) three times and 20 days later mouse spleens were harvested for staining and RT-PCR. There were lots of blastogenic cells in the spleen of mice treated with FL plasmid. FL plasmid also induced DEC205, IL-12 and GM-CSF gene expression in mouse splenocyte. All these data suggest FL plasmid may be used for induction of DC and antitumor therapy as DNA adjuvant.
Mice ; Animals

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of lead on the incidence of anemia and to find cases with lead poisoning early among female workers who have been exposed to lead occupationally, for one year from August, 1985. The level of blood lead and hemoglobin concentration were observed for 284 female lead workers and 123 female non-lead workers of industries in the Gumi industrial complex in Kyungpook Province. The average age was 20.3±2.9 years and 21.1±3.5 years in lead workers and non-lead workers, respectively. The average working duration was 26.46±19.26 months in lead workers. The mean value of blood lead was 30.11±6.61 µg/100 ml and 21.86±3.75 µg/100 ml in lead workers and non-lead workers, respectively. There were significant differences between two groups. The mean value of hemoglobin concentration was 14.00±0.57 g/100 ml and 14.03±0.64 g/100 ml in lead workers and non-lead workers, respectively. Anemia cases were not observed at Hb concentration below 12g/100 ml. The percentages of lead workers at Hb concentration ranged 12.0~13.0 g/100 ml were 4.5%. There was no dose-response relationship between blood lead level and the incidence of anemia. There were no remarkable differences between age and blood lead level as well as Hb concentration, and between working duration and the level of blood lead and hemoglobin.
Anemia ; Female* ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lead Poisoning ; Occupational Exposure* ; Occupations

In pili torti, the affected Eair shaft is flattened and twisted through 180 degrees on its own axis. The involved hairs are dry, thin, brittle, and break off easily. Congenital pili torti may occur as an isolated phenomenon or may occur in association with other abnormalities. Acquired pili torti is usually associated with some sort of scarring process in the scalp itself. We present a case of congnital pili torti without any other abnormalities in a 14 year-old female. The pedigree of her fariiily was consistent with the inheritance of congenital pili torti as an autosomal dominant trait.
Adolescent ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Cicatrix ; Female ; Hair ; Humans ; Pedigree ; Scalp ; Wills