We induced apoptosis in normal rats by intramuscular injection of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and immunohistochemically evaluated the thymus for the TdT-mediated dUTP biotin nick end labelling on the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th, 15th and 21st days following the bolus intramuscular injection. The injections of 5-FU induced a greater extent of apoptosis in the thymus. In the thymus, a mild increase in apoptosis was observed 24 hours after injection. The greatest number of apoptotic cells were seen at 72 hours. The size of the thymus decreased and the cortex thinned with hypocellularity. The injection of 5-FU caused massive cell loss in the thymus. Most apoptotic cells were scattered in the cortex and lower levels of apoptosis were also observed in the medulla. After 72 hours, the level of apoptosis returned to the control level. Considering the above results, we think that 5-FU induced toxicity may be related to 5-FU induced apoptosis in normal tissue, especially the thymus.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Biotin ; Fluorouracil* ; Injections, Intramuscular* ; Rats* ; Thymus Gland*

The heterotopic and tissues may be divided into two categories: those that are found in the head and neck region, and those that arise elsewhere. The latter type is rare and most cases are found in the lungs of patients with neural tube defect, particularly anencephaly. Our report descrives anencephalic male infant with heterotopic glial nodules in both lungs. The largest nodule is 2x1.5x1 cm, locates in the lower lobe of the left lung, and has a round gray-white cut surface with cystic spaces. Microscopically, the nodules consist of irregularly arranged astrocytes and glial fibers, in which are embedded gland-like or cystically dilated bronchioles. The astrocytes and glial fibers are strongly positive for glial fibrillary acidic protein and show astrocytic filaments on electron microscopy. This will be an additional case supporting the amniotic fluid aspiration/implantation theory of pathogenetic mechanism of distal heerotopic glial tissue.
Infant ; Male ; Female ; Humans

A case of prune belly syndrome, which was observed in a 3 month-old male, is presented. The congenital anomaly complex in which absence of abdominal muscle is associated with urinary tract abnormalities and abdominal testes has been well known. The literature is reviewed briefly.
Abdominal Muscles ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Prune Belly Syndrome* ; Testis ; Urinary Tract

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most frequent malignant neoplasm among women in the Orient. This cancer is also increasing in Korea due to westernization of the living pattern, increased recognition among the general population, and improved methods for early detection. In the surgical treatment of breast cancer, cosmetic conservation of the breast has drawn the patients' attention so that conservative surgery is increasing nowadays. The purpose of this study is to describe the current status of breast cancer management at our institution and to identify the survival and the recurrence rates according to the stage and the surgical method used. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 150 patients diagnosed as having breast cancer on pathologic examination at the Department of General Surgery, EulJi College of Medicine, from January 1991 to December 1996 and evaluated the clinical findings, the diagnostic method, operation, and the prognosis. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 49.1 years, and 34.0% of the patients was in the fifth decade. A palpable mass in the breast was the most frequent clinical symptom and sign (80.7%). The interval between symptom onset and diagnosis was about 6 months in 76.0% of patients. The size of the mass was 2~5 cm in 51.3% of the patients. A modified radical mastectomy was the most frequently employed surgical method (74.0%), but conservative surgery has increased lately. Seventy-ight patients (52.0%) were in stage II. The five-ear survival rates for stages I, II, III were 100%, 82.9%, and 55.0% (p=0.00006). The five-ear survival rates for 0, 1~3, 4~9, and more than 10 axillary-ode metastases were 85.9%, 55.3%, 53.6%, and 21.1%, respectively (p=0.0007). The five-ear survival rates for breast-conserving surgery and a modified radical mastectomy, for both stage of I and II, were 90.9% and 89.3% (p=0.8114), respectively, and the recurrence rates were 17.9% and 23.8% (p=0.88). CONCLUSIONS: The authors may conclude that breast-onserving surgery may offer an effective alternative to a modified radical mastectomy for patients with stage I & II breast cancer.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Mastectomy, Modified Radical ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Medical Records ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate

This study was performed to estimate the quantity of the effects of tobacco price raise on the smoking rate, and the smoking attributable deaths in Korea. The data were collected by questionnaire survey from 538 male office workers. The questionnaire contained items on age, sex, living place, status of education, smoking history, the intention to quit smoking when the tobacco price be raised. The questionnaire were distributed to the offices of enterprises, hospitals, research centers, and public agencies and then collected. Data were analyzed by using the age specific smoking rate, relative risks of eight major smoking related diseases, vital statistics, and the population attributable risk of deaths of smoking males. On the other hand, the impact of the tobacco price raise on the population attributable risk of death due to smoking in Korea was estimated by applying the presumed smoking rate after the price raise. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The smoking rate of male white color workers in large cities was 59.5%. 2. The proportion of male smokers who has the intention to quit smoking when the tobacco price be raised was 61.5%. 3. The proportion of male smokers who has the intention to quit smoking if the price of tobacco be raised was proportional to the degree of increasing tobacco price. It is estimated that if the tobacco price were raised more than four times as now, the presumed smoking rate goes down as low as 26.7%. If the tobacco price be raised 20% each year, presumed smoking rate is 46.2%. 4. The number of attributable male death of smoking estimated by using 8 major smoking related diseases(lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, cerebrovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) was 25,863 death each year. That is 20.1% of total age over 20 male deaths. 5. If the tobacco price were raised more than four times as now and all smokers who has intention to quit smoking quits smoking, 12,336 lives, or 47.7% of smoking related deaths could be saved. 6. If the actual practice rate of quitting smoking among male smokers with intention to stop smoking when the price of tobacco be raised is 10%, 25%, or 50%, then the expected decrease of death numbers when the tobacco price were raised more than four times as now can be 1,112, 3,483, 5,796 respectively.
Chronic Disease ; Education ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; Hand ; Humans ; Intention ; Korea ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Tobacco* ; Vital Statistics

BACKGROUND: Controversy exists as to whether or not inhalation anesthetics and intravenous anesthetics impair arterial oxygenation (PaO2) during one lung ventilation (OLV). Accordingly, we examined the effect of enflurane and propofol on PaO2 and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) during OLV. METHODS: Forty patients, who had prolonged periods of OLV anesthesia with minimal trauma to the nonventilated lung were studied in a cross over design. Patients were randomized to four groups; Group 1 received 1 MAC of enflurane and oxygen from induction until the first 20 min after complete lung collapse, then were switched to propofol 100 g/kg/min (P100). In group 2, the order of the anesthetics was reversed. Group 3, Group 4 received the same order of the anesthetics as Group 1, Group 2, respectively but received propofol 200 g/kg/min (P200). RESULTS: During OLV, the PaO2 values were lower than those with two lung ventilation (TLV), there were no significant differences among each groups and between propofol and enflurane in PaO2, but in the selected patients (n=10, PaO2<120 mmHg during OLV), PaO2 in propofol group was higher than that of enflurane group (p<0.05). Conversion from TLV to OLV caused a significant increase in PVR, but there were no difference in PVR between propofol and enflurane group. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the usual clinical dose of propofol affords no advantage over 1 MAC of enflurane anesthesia except low PaO2 patients during OLV. Propofol might be of value in risk patients of hypoxemia during thoracic surgery when OLV is planned.
Anesthesia ; Anesthetics ; Anesthetics, Inhalation ; Anesthetics, Intravenous ; Anoxia ; Cross-Over Studies ; Enflurane* ; Humans ; Lung ; One-Lung Ventilation* ; Oxygen* ; Propofol* ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Thoracic Surgery ; Vascular Resistance ; Ventilation

Chronic hepatitis associated with the idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome has been very rarely reported worldwide. Recently, we experienced a case of chronic hepatitis with piecemeal necrosis as the clinical feature of the idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome. The patient was a 49-year-old woman who complained of a mild fever, nausea, vomiting, and pain in the right upper quadrant. The eosinophil count of peripheral blood increased up to 14,020/microliter (64% of WBC). Liver biopsy specimen showed severe porto-periportal inflammation with marked eosinophilic infiltration and ballooning degeneration of hepatocytes. Corticosteroid therapy significantly normalized the eosinophil count of peripheral blood.
Biopsy ; Eosinophils ; Female ; Fever ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Hypereosinophilic Syndrome* ; Inflammation ; Liver ; Middle Aged ; Nausea ; Necrosis ; Vomiting

Neuroblastomas are derived from the neural crest ectoderm, and are the most common solid abdominal masses of infancy. Congenital neuroblastoma, however, is rare. We report a rare case of congenital neuroblastoma with multiple metastases found at autopsy, performed at 2 days after birth. He was born by cesarian section and weighed 2,350 g. His respiration was weak and abdomen was distended. The patient died 2 days after birth. Postmortem examination revealed a relatively well demarcated ovoid mass, in the left adrenal, with necrosis and hemorrhage. Multiple small metastatic tumor nodules in the liver, lung, kidney, brain, rib, thyroid glands, and spleen, were noted. The histopathological pictures confirmed the diagnosis of neuroblastoma of the adrenal with multiple metastasis.
Adrenal Gland Neoplasms/congenital/*diagnosis/pathology ; Autopsy ; Chromogranins/biosynthesis ; Cytoplasm/metabolism ; Human ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Necrosis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neuroblastoma/congenital/*diagnosis/pathology ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase/biosynthesis

Mesothelioma originates in several sites including the pleura, peritoneum, pericardium, and tunica vaginalis. The pleura is the most common site of origin, but cases originating in the per- itoneum is relatively rare. Mesothelial lesions of the peritoneum may pose significant diagnostic problems. Yet, the accurate identification of this lesion is important because of its distinctive behavior and treatment modality. We herein report a case of malignant mesothelioma of the peritoneum arising in the capsule of the liver. The accuracy of our diagnosis has been confirmed by the immunohistochemical study and electron microscopic examination.
Diagnosis ; Liver* ; Mesothelioma* ; Pericardium ; Peritoneum* ; Pleura

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to elucidate whether or not splenectomy alters the acute toxic effects on rat tissue induced by barium sulfate. METHODS: A total of 80 Sprague-Dawely male rats were divided into three groups; the control group and the barium sulfate treated groups with and without splenectomy. The pathologic changes in the solid organs were examined at the time after intraperitoneal treatment with barium sulfate. The changes of white blood cell count were also examined. RESULTS: The barium induced toxicity was most prominent in the spleen. The changes in the other organs were proportional to the experimental duration, and the changes in the barium only treatment group were more severe than the observed changes in the splenectomy and barium treated group. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the degree of barium toxicity of barium only treated group was more severe than that of the splenectomy group.
Animals ; Barium Sulfate* ; Barium* ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Rats* ; Spleen ; Splenectomy*