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*

Meibomian gland adenocarcinoma is a rare neoplasm which may be overlooked until it spreads into the orbit. We have experienced a case of meibomian gland adenocarcinoma which spread into the orbit, and performed orbital exenteration. Two months later, the patient had a recurrence at the superolateral margin of the orbit that surgically excised. The radiation therapy with total dose of 5000 rads over a period of one month was performed and the tumor mass was regressed. There was no evidence of recurrence at 12 months after radiation therapy.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Humans ; Meibomian Glands* ; Orbit* ; Recurrence

Aneurysms of peripheral pulmonary arteries are uncommon. It may appear as a coinlesion in a plain chest film. In general, a popular and effective method for pathologic diagnosis of solitary lung lesion is needle aspiration biopsy, a technique which is safe in most instances. Also, ultrasonograhic or fluoroscopic methods are needed for the evaluation of this lesion. If pulmonary artery aneurysm is untreated, the prognosis of this disease is poor. Sixty percents of the patients with pulmonary artery aneurysm died following rupture of the aneurysm. Surgical correction is the preferred treatment. We are reporting a case of pulmonary aneurysm with the review of literature.
Aneurysm* ; Biopsy, Needle ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lung ; Needles ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Rupture ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis

Essential palmar hyperhidrosis is a disease characterized by excessive perspiration on the palms and hands due to the hyperaction of sympathetic nervous discharge. In severe cases, excessive sweating is seen on the face, axilla, trunk, and soles. Several therapeutic modalities were applied but surgical resection of the sympathetic ganglion is the only curative method. Numerous open surgeries of the thoracic sympathetic ganglia for the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis have been advocated, but they have also produced several complications. A new therapeutic technique for this disorder has been introduced by combining a thoracoscope and video system. Nowadays, thoracoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy is accepted as the treatment of choice for essential palmar hyperhidrosis. This technique is safe and easy. It also reduces the operating time and admission period. It has also very few complications. Compensatory hyperhidrosis on the trunk, back, and thigh, etc. is commonly an unwanted and unsolved complication after thoracic sympathectomy. Through my experience of thoracic sympathectomy, I thought that the incidence of compensatory hyperhidrosis was closely related to the extent of thoracic sympathectomy. So I restricted the extent of thoracic sympathectomy as a T2 sympathetic ganglion from September 1995. From Mar., 1989 To Aug., 1995, T2, T3 sympathetic ganglionectomies were performed for palmar hyperhidrosis patients and from Sept. 1995 T2 sympathetic ganglionectomies were performed. Using questionnaires, I compared these 2 groups. The results of this study are summarized as follows; 1) Using thoracoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy, operating time, admission period and complications could be reduced. 2) The risk of bleeding during the operation(especially bleeding from the hemiazygous vein) could be reduced in the T2 sympathectomy group. 3) The treatment effect of T2 sympathectomy is no different from T2, T3 sympathectomy for essential palmar hyperhidrosis. 4) The incidence of compensatory hyperhidrosis is less in the T2 sympathectomy group than in the T2, T3 sympathectomy group. From the above results, I concluded thoracoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy is the treatment of choice for essential palmar hyperhidrosis and the adequate extent for sympathectomy is T2 sympathetic ganglion.
Axilla ; Ganglia, Sympathetic ; Ganglionectomy ; Hand ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hyperhidrosis* ; Incidence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sweat ; Sweating ; Sympathectomy* ; Thigh ; Thoracoscopes

No abstract available.
Female ; Humans ; Manganese*

We experienced 3 cases of manometry-induced colon perforation. A 75-year-old man (case 1) underwent anorectal manometry (ARM) 3 years after radiotherapy for prostate cancer and a laparoscopic intersphincteric resection for rectal cancer. A 70-year-old man (case 2) underwent ARM 3 months after conventional neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and a laparoscopic low anterior resection for rectal cancer. A 78-year-old man (case 3) underwent ARM 2 months after a laparoscopic intersphincteric resection for rectal cancer. In all cases, a colon perforation with fecal peritonitis occurred. All were treated successfully using prompt and active operations and were discharged without any complications. ARM with a balloon, as a measure of rectal compliance, should be performed 2 months or longer after surgery. If a perforation occurs, prompt and active surgical intervention is necessary due to the high possibility of extensive fecal peritonitis.
Aged ; Arm ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Colon ; Compliance ; Humans ; Manometry* ; Peritonitis ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Radiotherapy ; Rectal Neoplasms

This study was conducted to investigate the cause and magnitude of food poisoning among residents and visitors for a birthday party in a rural area of Kyongju city in september, 1996. The total subjects were 137 persons, 119 residents(53 males, 66 females), including 7 hospitalixed patients and 18 visitors(8 males, 10 females). The investigation consisted of an interview survey, a study on clinical characteristics for the patients hospitalized, bacteriological examinations of the underground water and microbiologic examinations on microbes isolated from the patients. The population at risk was 59 persons(24 males, 35 females). The attack rate was 50.0%(12 cases) for males, 48.6% for females(17 cases). The cases were distributed evenly for all age groups. The attack rates for each party-food and possible fooe groups were not significantly different. Most clinical symptoms were significantly more frequent among cases than non-ases: abdominal pain(73.1%), diarrhea(73.1%), chilliness(69.2%), fever(65.4%), anorexia(61.5%), nausea(53.8%), general weakness(50.0%) and dizziness(50.0%) were the major symptoms among the cases. The admission rate among the cases was 24.1%(1 male, 6 females). In the stool cultures, Salmonella species group D was isolated from 6 persons of 85 examinees. It was identified as Salmonella enteritidis by serological diagnosis. The samples of underground water were assessed Enon-compatible for drinking in 10 wells(83.3%) of this rural area and it was suggested that it could have been contaminated from cattle feces. There were two wells in the party house, one of them was contaminated by bacterias including E. coli. The contaminated water was stored in a water tank located on the rooftop. This water was used for dish washing and cooking. Wd concluded that the cause of this epidemic was the underground water contaminated by Salmonella enteritidis from guman carriers or domestic animal carriers.
Animals ; Animals, Domestic ; Bacteria ; Cattle ; Cooking ; Diagnosis ; Drinking ; Feces ; Foodborne Diseases ; Groundwater ; Gyeongsangbuk-do* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Population Characteristics ; Salmonella enteritidis* ; Salmonella*

Malignant deciduoid mesothelioma is a rare malignant neoplasm occurring in the peritoneum of young women. We report a case of malignant deciduoid mesothelioma that occurred in the omentum of a 47-year-old woman. The patient had never exposed to asbestos and had no history of cesarean section. The lesions were multiple infiltrative nodules affected the peritoneal cavity, omentum, and surface of the uterus with both ovaries. Microscopically, the nodules were composed of mesothelial cells similar to decidual cells
Asbestos ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Humans ; Mesothelioma* ; Middle Aged ; Omentum ; Ovary ; Peritoneal Cavity ; Peritoneum ; Pregnancy ; Uterus

BACKGROUND: It has been known that alveolar macrophage exposed to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces a lots of nitric oxide (NO) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression. The Authors elucidated the effects of iNOS mRNA expression by inhalational anesthetics (isoflurane) on endotoxemic rats and positive pressure ventilation with and without LPS. METHODS: Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats (250 - 270 g) were anesthesized with urethane injected in the peritoneal cavity. Then the expression of iNOS mRNA in the alveolar macrophages of the rats were measured after injection of LPS, 2 hours of isoflurane (0.5 - 2.5%) anesthesia, and 2 hours of positive pressure ventilation. The activities of iNOS in macrophages were measured by analysing iNOS mRNA expression by Northern blot analysis with autoradiography using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. RESULTS: The size and patterns of the iNOS mRNA band in the 0.5 - 2% isoflurane group were almost same as with the control group. The size of the iNOS mRNA band in the 2.5% isoflurane group increased more than in the control group. In the continous positive-pressure ventilation with LPS group, the iNOS mRNA band was slightly increased compared to the normal lung and the continous positive-pressure ventilation without LPS group. CONCLUSIONS: Higher concentrations of isoflurane anesthesia may evoke the expression of iNOS mRNA in a septic model. Positive pressure ventilation in sepsis may induce iNOS mRNA production.
Anesthesia ; Anesthetics ; Animals ; Autoradiography ; Blotting, Northern ; Isoflurane* ; Lung ; Macrophages ; Macrophages, Alveolar ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; Peritoneal Cavity ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Positive-Pressure Respiration ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; RNA, Messenger* ; Sepsis ; Urethane

OBJECTIVES: In an epidemiologic study on the health impact of Agent Orange exposure, the valid estimation of exposure level is the most important step. Based on recent studies, we examined the correlation between exposure levels categorized by personal exposure estimates and serum 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD, Dioxin), exploring the possibility of utilizing the exposure level as a surrogate for the estimate of exposure to agent orange. METHODS: During the study period (Jan 1996-Feb 1996), blood specimens of 745 subjects taken randomly among 1,329 persons and kept frozen, were analyzed for 2,3,7,8-TCDD and six other dioxin congeners. The serum dioxin and congeners were measured in 1998 by CDC ,adjusted for serum lipids. We categorized the total exposure scores into five groups based on Agent Orange exposure data collected by interview and military records. Pearson and Spearman's correlation coefficients & multiple regression analysis were used to identify the relationship of the exposure level categorized with serum concentration of 2,3,7,8-TCDD, and six other dioxin congeners. RESULTS: Dioxin and the other congeners, except 1,2,4,6,7,8-HpCDD, showed significant correlations to exposure categories (p<0.005); 2,3,7,8-TCDD and OCDD showed positive correlations, whereas the other congeners did negative. The values of 2,3,7,8-TCDD differed according to exposure category and proportionally increased from the low exposure group to the high, a dose-response relationship, even after other possible confounding variables were adjusted for. In multiple regression analysis, age(beta=0.033), dioxin(beta=0.433), 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD(beta=0.998), 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDD(beta=0.773), 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD(beta=0.255), 1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDD(beta=3.468), 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD(beta=0.109) were found to be significantly related to the total exposure score(p<0.005). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the use of such categorizations as a surrogate measure of agent orange exposure in identifying exposure degrees in a health impact study is valid.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Citrus sinensis* ; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Humans ; Military Personnel ; Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin ; Veterans* ; Vietnam*