No abstract available.
Risk Assessment*

No abstract available.
Pregnancy*

Hyperkeratosis of the renal pelvis and ureter is a rare condition and is explained by the metaplastic change from transitional to cornified squamous epithelium. This lesion is frequently associated with, and perhaps caused by chronic urinary infection, but potentially premalignant, accompaning with carcinoma in about 10 to 20 per cent of the cases at the time of diagnosis. A case of hyperkeratosis of renal pelvis & ureter which was clinically suspected of carcinoma in a 49-year old woman with a long history of chronic pyelonephritis is presented with review of literature.
Female ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: We examined the vasoconstricting poperties of endothelin (ET) on isolated arteries from pregnant as well as non-pregnant uterus. METHODS: Arteries of the uterus were obtained from both hysterectomized uterus and during pregnany hysterectomy for control group and cesarean section for pregnant group. Rings of uterine artery were suspended on muscle chambers at their optimal length for generating tension and contractile properties were examined. RESULTS: ET-1 and ET-2 induced concentration-dependent constriction of both isolated arterial strips from non-pregnant and pregnant uterus. The contraction to ET-1 and ET-2 were more enhanced in full-term pregnancy. Furthermore, in pregnant group, sarafotoxin S6c and IRL 1620, ET. agonists, induced a dose-dependent contraction, which was not shown in those from non-pregnant human. Pretreatment of human uterine arterial strips from pregnant uterus with BQ610, an ET. antagonist, for 10 min resulted in a dose-related rightward shift of ET-1 response curve with diminution of maximal response. Schild plot analysis yielded a pA value of 7.29 with a slope of 0.98. However, BQ788, an ET antagonist, did not produce any rightward shift. The contraction to lower concentration (10-8~3*10-7 M) of sarafotoxin S6c was not affected by BQ788, whereas that to higher concentration (10-s-8*10-7 M) was marked diminished. However, BQ610 did not exnt any efFect on sarafotoxin S6c-induced contraction in arterial staips from pregnant uterus. When the bath solution was replaced with Ca-free physiological salt solution (PSS) containing 1 mM EGTA for 10 min prior to adding sarafotoxin S6c, sarafotoxin S6c-induced contraction was completely abolished. Sarafotoxin S6c (10 nM)-induced contraction was prefetentially blocked by a protein kinase C antagonist, H-7, whereas it was less sensitive to a calmodulin antagonist, calmidazolium, CONCLUSION: Based on above results, we concluded that ET plays an important role in regulating uterine blood flow through the activation of ETa and ETB receptors. Furthermote, ETB receptors may predominantly contribute to the modulation of human uterine circulation in full-term pregnancy.
1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine ; Arteries* ; Baths ; Calmodulin ; Cesarean Section ; Constriction ; Egtazic Acid ; Endothelin-2 ; Endothelins* ; Female ; Humans* ; Hysterectomy ; Pregnancy ; Protein Kinase C ; Receptors, Endothelin ; Uterine Artery ; Uterus*

Primary angiosarcoma of the female reproductive system is extremely rare, and its management is not well understood. We experienced a very rare case of angiosarcoma arising in the uterus of a 37-year-old woman who presented abdominal distension. At laparotomy, the uterus was observed to be enlarged and deformed by multilobulated hemorrhagic mass. Tumor deposits were present on both ovaries and the omentum. The operation consisted of total abdominal hysterectomy with salpingo-oophorectomy, and omentectomy. Microscopic examination showed that the tumor consisted mostly of solid sheets of pleomorphic and spindle cells forming irregular, communicating cleft-like spaces. Well-formed vascular channels lined by atypical endothelial cells were seen in differentiated areas. Some vessels were partially lined by normal endothelial cells and partially by neoplastic endothelial cells. Papillary architecture composed of epithelioid tumor cells was noted in a focal area. The tumor cells were immunoreactive for factor VIII-related antigen, Ulex europaeus agglutinin-1, CD31 and CD34. Weibel-Palade bodies were not seen in the tumor cells. She received adjuvant chemotherapy, but died 13 months after the diagnosis.
Adult ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Diagnosis ; Endothelial Cells ; Female ; Hemangiosarcoma* ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Laparotomy ; Omentum ; Ovary ; Ulex ; Uterus* ; von Willebrand Factor ; Weibel-Palade Bodies

The cryopathic hemolytic anemia is an autoimmune hemolytic anemia induced by cold antibody. Authors report a case of cryopathic hemolytic anemia confirmed by immunohematologic examination. A 22-year-old man was admitted at Kyung Hee Medical Center in March, 1994, with a past history of Kleinerfelter's syndrome and complained jaundice as well as dizziness. Direct antiglobulin test using polyvalent and anti-C3d monovalent antisera was positive, but was negative against anti-IgG, anti-IgA, and anti-IgM monovalent antisera. Cold agglutinin titer was as high as 1:1024 at 4 degrees C and anti-I specificity was confirmed by using cord bloods. The patient was not improved despite transfusion of washed red cells and administration of prednisolone, and on 16th day of hospitalization he manifested sudden episode of headache and loss of conscioussness, soon followed by death.
Anemia, Hemolytic* ; Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune ; Coombs Test ; Dizziness ; Fetal Blood ; Headache ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Immune Sera ; Jaundice ; Prednisolone ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: The purpose of our study is to evaluate the usefulness of cervicovaginal fetal fibronectin assay for the prediction of rupture of membrane and preterm labor. METHODS: A group of 39 pregnant women was involved in this prospective study. Out of 139 pregnant women, 96 were clinically diagnosed as ruptured membranes (group A). The remaining 43 of 139 pregnant women were clinically diagnosed as preterm labor(group B). The assay was performed by using the ROMCheckTM kit (Adeza Biomedical Corp., Sunnyvale, CA). RESULTS: In group 4, fetal fibronectin (fFN) positive rate is 55% (53 patients) and negative rate is 45% (43 patients). In group B, fFN positive rate is 56% (24 patients) and negative rate is 44% (19 patients). Both group of fFN positive patients show a significantly shorter interval from sampling to delivery than fFN negative patients. Also in group A, the percentage of fFN positive patients who delivered at less than 48 hours after sampling is greater than those with fFN negative patients and in group B, the preterm delivery rate is 79% with positive fFN and 37% with negative fFN. As a predictor for preterm delivery, the presence of fFN has the sensitivity 79%, the specificity 84%, the positive Predictive value 76% and the negative predictive value 86%. CONCLUSIONS: The result suggests that a positive fFN in pregnant women who have uterine contractions and ruptured membrane indicates a significant risk for preterm delivery and labor onset, and a negative fFN is a reassuring sign.
Female ; Fibronectins* ; Humans ; Labor Onset ; Membranes ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women* ; Prospective Studies ; Rupture ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Uterine Contraction

No abstract available.
Depression* ; Humans ; Seoul*

BACKGROUND: The authors studied to estimate the frequency of irregular antibodies and their significance in blood transfusion and antenatal care in Korea. METHODS: Irregular antibodies were tested by immediate saline spin, 37degrees C albumin and antiglobulin test for 2,008 transfusion candidates and 1,047 pregnant women at Severance hospital using commercial screening and identification cells (Dade, U.S.A.). RESULTS: The irregular antibodies were detected in 38 (1.24%) of total 3,055 subjects (transfusion candidates: 0.9%, pregnant women: 1.91%) . In transfusion candidates, the detected antibodies were Lewis antibodies, cold antibodies (anti-M, anti-P 1), Rh antibodies and unspeified warm antibodies, and their distributions were 56%, 22%, 17%, and 5%, respectively. In pregnant women, the detected antibodies were Lewis antibodies, Rh antibodies, anti-Jra, and unspeified warm antibodies, and their distributions were 45%, 45%, 5% and 5%, respectively. At immediate saline phase, 58% of irregular antibodies were detected. At 37degrees C albumin phase, 90% of irregular antibodies were detected and only 10% of irregular antibodies were detected at antiglobulin phase. CONCLUSIONS: Although the prevalence rates of clinically important irregular antibodies were low, 1/1000 of irregular antibodies could not be detected. Therefore, irregular antibody screening should be performed in all pretransfusion test. And, if antibody detection tests are negative, immediate saline crossmaching methods are acceptable in Korea.
Antibodies* ; Blood Transfusion ; Coombs Test ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mass Screening ; Pregnant Women* ; Prevalence*

BACKGROUND: The authors studied to estimate the frequency of irregular antibodies and their significance in blood transfusion and antenatal care in Korea. METHODS: Irregular antibodies were tested by immediate saline spin, 37degrees C albumin and antiglobulin test for 2,008 transfusion candidates and 1,047 pregnant women at Severance hospital using commercial screening and identification cells (Dade, U.S.A.). RESULTS: The irregular antibodies were detected in 38 (1.24%) of total 3,055 subjects (transfusion candidates: 0.9%, pregnant women: 1.91%) . In transfusion candidates, the detected antibodies were Lewis antibodies, cold antibodies (anti-M, anti-P 1), Rh antibodies and unspeified warm antibodies, and their distributions were 56%, 22%, 17%, and 5%, respectively. In pregnant women, the detected antibodies were Lewis antibodies, Rh antibodies, anti-Jra, and unspeified warm antibodies, and their distributions were 45%, 45%, 5% and 5%, respectively. At immediate saline phase, 58% of irregular antibodies were detected. At 37degrees C albumin phase, 90% of irregular antibodies were detected and only 10% of irregular antibodies were detected at antiglobulin phase. CONCLUSIONS: Although the prevalence rates of clinically important irregular antibodies were low, 1/1000 of irregular antibodies could not be detected. Therefore, irregular antibody screening should be performed in all pretransfusion test. And, if antibody detection tests are negative, immediate saline crossmaching methods are acceptable in Korea.
Antibodies* ; Blood Transfusion ; Coombs Test ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mass Screening ; Pregnant Women* ; Prevalence*