No abstract available.
Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic* ; Incidence*

No abstract available.
Interleukin-6* ; Rabbits*

No abstract available.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Korea* ; Rural Population*

The study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of major blood components on the CT number. The CT numbers according to the various levels of hematocrit, total protein and cholesterol were checked and analysed by the dilution of pack cell, plasma and 184 complete blood cell count samples under same scanning conditions. In case of normal protein and cholesterol level(33 samples), the CT number was increased about 5.5 hounsfield unit according to 10% increase of hematocrit level: and In case of normal hematocrit and cholesterol level(39 samles), the CT number was increased about 3.5 hounsfield unit according to 1gm% increase of protein level. CT number changes were not predictable according to the changes of cholesterol level(34 samples). From these results, we concluded that major blood components should be considered in the CT number analysis of tissue.
Blood Cell Count ; Cholesterol ; Hematocrit ; Plasma Cells

Adenocarcinoma of the ciliary epithelium is a rare tumor, usually occuring in elderly patients who have a history of severe ocular trauma or chronic inflammation. We report an adenocarcinoma of the nonpigmented ciliary epithelium found within the phthisical globe of a 36-year-old female whose eye had been loss of vision since infancy. The mass, measured 4.0 x 4.0 cm, was relatively limited by sclera but had invasion to posterior portion. Histologically, the tumor was a compact mass which consisted of tubular and papillary structures with foci of the pleomorphic area. Strands of cells and individual cells were invested with thick basement membrane that have positivity for periodic acid-Schiff stain. Immunohistochemical staining showed strong reactivity for cytokeratin and epithelial membrane antigen, and focal for neuron-specific enolase and S-100 protein.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenocarcinoma, Papillary* ; Adult ; Aged ; Basement Membrane ; Epithelium* ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Keratins ; Mucin-1 ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; S100 Proteins ; Sclera

OBJECTIVE: Because of the limited penetration into the central nervous system after systemic administration of numerous therapeutic compounds, intratumoral chemotherapy for brain tumors has also been used. However, the efficacy of intratumoral drug administration is restricted by the poor diffusion of drug through tumor and brain interstitium. In order to enhance the diffusion of chemotherapeutic agent and increase the cytotoxicity with minimal dose, the authors report the results of convection-enhanced delivery(CED) of chemotherapeutic agent to the malignant brain tumor as a method of enhancing cerebral drug delivery. METHODS: Authors used "CADD-Micro(R) ambulatory infusion pump" from Deltec, which can be programmed for continuous infusion. Intratumoral injection of chemotherapeutic drug using the pump was applied to eight patients with glioma and one patient with lymphoma. Surgery was done and tumor was removed as much as possible. The tip of catheter was placed in the center of tumor cavity. Adriamycin (0.16~0.32mg) was put in the reservoir which was connected to the proximal catheter and fixed in the pump device. Twenty-four hours after surgery, Adriamycin was infused. RESULTS: There was no adverse reaction of CED technique. Compared with current delivery techniques, the improvement of survival rate has been observed(5 patients: alive, 3 patients: dead, 1 patient: lost(alive to 5 mo.)). CONCLUSION: CED can be useful method for distributing therapeutic molecules in the interstitial space of tumor and can be utilized for chemotherapeutic agents, immunotoxins, and gene etc..
Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Catheters ; Central Nervous System ; Diffusion ; Doxorubicin ; Drug Therapy ; Glioma ; Humans ; Immunotoxins ; Lymphoma ; Survival Rate

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. HCV core protein has been shown to modulate various cellular signaling pathways including the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway which is associated with inflammation, cell proliferation and apoptosis. However, there have been conflicting reports about the effect of HCV core protein on NF-κB pathway, and the mechanism by which the core protein affects NF-κB activity remains nuclear. In this study, the functional interaction of HCV core protein and IκB kinase γ (IKKγ) was investigated using the expression plasmids of core and the components of IKK complex. The data revealed that HCV core protein activates NF-κB. Also, HCV core protein up-regulated the phosphorylation and degradation of IκBα. The activating effect of HCV core protein on NF-κB was synergistically elevated by IKKγ. It was noticed that the N-terminal IKKβ binding site, C-terminal leucine zipper, and zinc finger domains of IKKγ are not necessary for its synergistic effect. HCV core protein and IKKγ appeared to activate NF-κB by up-regulating the IKKβ activity resulting in the degradation of IκBα. As expected, HCV core protein induced the expression of NF-κB-targeted pro-inflammatory genes such as iNOS, IL-1β and IL-6 in the transcription level. These results suggest that HCV core protein induces NF-κB through the interaction with IKKγ and may play a critical role in the development of inflammation and related liver diseases.
Apoptosis ; Binding Sites ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cell Proliferation ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; Leucine Zippers ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Diseases ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Plasmids ; Zinc Fingers

No abstract available.
Pyelonephritis*

We report 13 chromophobe renal cell carcinomas (10.8%) observed among 120 renal cell carcinomas in adults. The average age was 53 (range: 34-72) years old, and 6 were males and 7 females. The mean tumor size was 10 (range: 5-17) cm, mean nuclear grade 2.4, and mean Robson's stage was 1.9. There were two distinct histologic variants; typical variant (n=9) and eosinophilic variant (n=4). Both of them showed typical light microscopic features and positive reaction with Hale's colloidal iron and carbonic anhydrase II, a marker protein of intercalated cells of renal collecting ducts. A strong positive immunoreactivity for epithelial membrane antigen was noted in the cytoplasm in 12 of 13 tumors. Numerous microvesicles, 180~440 nm in diameter, were identified ultrastructurally. DNA aneuploidy was found in 3 out of 10 cases. Neither local recurrence nor metastasis have been identified during the following period of 4~144 (mean 48) months.
Adult ; Aneuploidy ; Carbonic Anhydrase II ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Colloids ; Cytoplasm ; DNA ; Eosinophils ; Female ; Humans ; Iron ; Male ; Mucin-1 ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence

Acanthamoeba keratitis is uncommon and rarely reported in Korea. It has been reported in world literature as a very severe, progressive necrotizing stromal keratitis due to a non-parasitic free-living amoeba. It is frequently associated with minimal corneal trauma especially from contact lens but sometimes occurs in patients without any past history. We report a case of acanthamoeba keratitis without a specific past history in a 42-year-old man. Light and electron microscopy demonstrated severe stromal keratitis with numerous thick-walled cysts, 10~15 m in diameter, scattered in the superficial and deep stroma. Because this keratitis is most often mistaken for fungal, bacterial or herpetic keratitis, early confirmatory diagnosis by direct smear, biopsy or culture is essentially required for the prevention of visual loss or devastating eyeball loss.
Acanthamoeba Keratitis* ; Acanthamoeba* ; Adult ; Amoeba ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Keratitis ; Keratitis, Herpetic ; Korea ; Microscopy, Electron