The cytologic heterogeneity of the tumor cells in gastric signet ring cell carcinoma was studied with 13 surgically early gastric carcinoma specimens by means of histochemical stainings on mucin(periodic acid Schiff-alcian blue at pH 2.5, paradoxical concanavalin A, high iron diamine) and electron microscopy. Of the 13 cases of early gastric cell carcinomas, 6 were mucosal type and 7 were submucosal type. Eleven cases consisted of mixture of gastric and intestinal type signet ring cells and the remaining 2 of the mucosal type were entirely made of gastric type. The colonic goblet cell type was found in 4 of the submucosal type. Within the mucosa the tumor cells showed a layering phenomenon; type A signet ring cells were distributed at the central zone and type B and C at the superficial or deeper zone. Each type of signet ring cell showed variable mucin histochemical stainability of gastric and/or intestinal nature. Above finding strongly suggest that the variable phenotypes of signet ring cells result from a heterogeneity of cytoplasmic mucin as well as different stages of differentiation of signet ring carcinoma cells.

No abstract available.
Asphyxia* ; Brain Stem* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Parturition*

AIM: To evaluate fundus findings in patients with intracranial aneurysm (ICA) to determine the relation between ICA and distinguishable retinal features.METHODS: We analyzed the medical records and ocular images of 46 patients with previously diagnosed ICA referred from the Neurosurgical Department.All patients underwent ophthalmologic evaluation including fluorescein angiography (FAG).Furthermore, the presence of drusen, macular degeneration, cotton wool spot, hard exudates, retinal hemorrhage, arteriolar attenuation, A-V crossing signs, arm-to-retina time, and A-V transit time were evaluated.The results of ICA patients (Group 1) were compared with those of 22 idiopathic epiretinal membrane patients with unaffected eyes (Group 2).RESULTS: Mean ages were 60.02y (Group 1) and 60.68y (Group 2) respectively (P=0.70).The prevalence of hypertension was similar in both groups.No case with retinal macroaneurysm was found in either group.The presence of drusen, macular degeneration, cotton wool spot, hard exudates, retinal hemorrhage, arteriolar attenuation, and A-V crossing sign was not significantly different between the two groups.Mean arm-to-retina time was not significantly different in two groups, either.CONCLUSION: We cannot find any evidence that the patients with ICA shows specific changes in the FAG and fundus.

OBJECTIVES: To elucidate an association of the fragile X syndrome with autism, Southern blot analysis was performed in 66 autistic children aged from 2 years to 11 years. METHODS: Subjects were 66 autistic children with of autistic disorder diagnosed by DSM-IV criteria and Childhood Autism Rating Scale-Korean version. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood and DNA was used to detect a FMR (Fragile Mental Retardation)-1 gene. Xho/PstI probes and two restriction enzymes (EcoRI, EagI)were used for Southern blot analysis. RESULTS: There were one boy with a methylated mosaic pattern and 3 boys and 2 girls with an unmethylated premutation band. But there was no full mutation pattern. CONCLUSION: Although the possibility of the relationship between autistic disorder and FMR-1 gene has been suggested, the results from this study do not provide any definite association of FMR-1 gene with autism in autistic children.
Autistic Disorder ; Blotting, Southern ; Child* ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; DNA ; Female ; Fragile X Syndrome ; Humans ; Male ; Molecular Biology*

Nucleolar organizer regions are DNA loops encoding rihbosomal RNA production and detectable by the argyrophilia of their associated proteins(AgNORs). AgNOR numbers correlate with cellular proliferating activity. Many studies have shown a significnt difference in AgNOR counts between benign and malignant tumors. AgNOR counts were also helpful in differential diagnosis. For the evaluation of its diagnostic utility in gastric lesions, a silver staining technique was carried out in paraffin sections of 5 control cases, 5 benign peptic ulcers, 7 hyperplastic polyps, 10 tubular adenomas, 16 early gastric adenocarcinomas and 15 advanced gastric adenocarcinomas. The results were as follows. The mean numbers of AgNORs in early and advanced gastric adenocarcinomas(1.94 and 2.16) were significantly higher than those of normal foveolar epithelium(1.43) and epithelia of benign gastric ulcers(1.54), hyperplastic polyps(1.64) and tubular adenomas(1.79). In malignancy, there was increased variability in size and shape of AgNORs. There was little differences in mean AgNOR numbers between early and advanced gastric adenocarcinomas. Differentiation of the tumor made no difference in AgNOR numbers. From the above results, the AgNORs count, if its morphologic change are taken into consideration, is helpful in differentiation between malignant and non-malignant lesions.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Adenocarcinoma

We report a case of colonic type-papillary adenocarcinoma of appendiceal origin in a 73-year-old male patient. The patient presented with right lower quadrant mass and was operated for a preoperative diagnosis of inflammatory small bowel mass. The mid one-third of the appendix showed a 3.5x3.3 cm sized, broad-based, intraluminal papillary mass. Microscopically, it was a well differentiated papillary adenocarcinoma and revealed a strong immunoreactivity to carcinoembryonic antigen. Tumor desmoplasia and acute inflammatory change were prominent.
Male ; Humans ; Adenocarcinoma

We report two cases of primary cutaneous cryptococcosis that is a very rare disease. One patient was a 45 year-old female, who had had an erythematous hard nodule on dorsum of right wrist for ten months, The other patient was a 53-year-old male, who had had itching and burning erythematous rashes on left auricle for ten months. Histopathologic examination showed typical spores with capsules, Other physical examination and laboratory findings were within nomal limit. Our patients were successfully treated with excision and combination of amphotericin B and 5-fluoro-cytosine.
Amphotericin B ; Burns ; Capsules ; Cryptococcosis* ; Exanthema ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Physical Examination ; Pruritus ; Rare Diseases ; Spores ; Wrist

Flow velocimetry waveforms of the uterine artery and subtrophoblastic blood flow were analyzed at normal early pregnancy, missed abortion and blighted ovum, by using transvaginal color Doppler ultrasonography. Results show that a progressive fall in S/D ratio and RI with advancing in gestation. Among the three groups, the S/D ratio and RI of both uterine arteries were not a significant difference in all gestational age. Characteristic subtrophoblastic blood flows were obtained in 60.3%, 47.2% and 53.3% of normal pregnancy, missed abortion and blighted ovum, respectively. The S/D ratio and RI of subtrophoblastic blood flow were not a significant difference among the three groups. Although the number of cases studied is small and not prospective study, the further study about this will give us some understanding to the pathophysiology of early pregnancy failure.
Abortion, Missed ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Ovum ; Pregnancy ; Rheology ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color ; Uterine Artery

No abstract available.
Drug Therapy, Combination* ; Metoclopramide* ; Ondansetron* ; Prospective Studies* ; Vomiting*

We analysed 8 cases of gastrointestinal cytomegalovirus(CMV) infection including one autopsy, three surgically resected and four endoscopic biopsy cases. Involved sites were colon in four,stomach in three and small intestine in one. Three of them were associated with immu-nosuppressed condition but others had no clinical evidence of immune deficiency. Multiple aphthous mucosal ulceration was a common presentation, but one revealed a mucosal ulcer with segmental narrowing and thickening of wall. Microscopically, six showed cytomegalic inclusions in endothelial cells and fibroblasts, one in mucosal epithelial cells and the remaining one in both endothelial cells and mucosal epithelial cells. Immunohistochemical staining using monoclonal antibody against CMV confirmed postive result in seven cases. Serum IgM anti-CMV antibody was elevated in one case. We conclude that gastrointestinal CMV infection is currently not a rare condition and frequently associated with non-immunosuppressed condition, and thus a thorough histologic examination is required especially in the gastrointestinal ulcerative lesion. Once cytomegalic inclusion is suspected, immunohistochemical identification of CMV seems essential for specific diagnosis.
Biopsy