Meridian massage is originated from oriental medical manipulation, and it has been mainly applied to as pain and paralysis. The purpose was to develop new method of nursing care for help hemiplegic patients to recover their functions of upper limbs and to reduce depressions. This study was carried out between 8. March, and 8. June. 2000 and the subjects of the study were .60 hemiplegic stroke patients who were participants at a hospitalized in K oriental medical center. The experimental group(30) and the control group(30) were assigned by means of participation order. The experimental group took meridian massage on affected upper limb for 10 minutes daily for 2 weeks. We evaluated muscle power and endurance with band from AVIVA company.: range of motion with goniometer: shoulder pain with visual analogue scale: swelling with Jeweiers ring measurement of Dirette: depression with self-rating depression scale translated into Korean by Yang(1982). Data were analyzed by SPSS PC and the results are described below. The experimental group showed better muscle power and endurance than control group. Range of motiont of affected shoulder improved significantly in experimental group. Also, the experimental group showed less shoulder pain. hand edema. depression than control group. In this study, we observed that meridian massage is an effective nursing care in improving the function of upper limb and managing depression of stroke patients.
Depression* ; Edema ; Hand ; Humans ; Massage* ; Nursing Care ; Paralysis ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Shoulder ; Shoulder Pain ; Stroke ; Upper Extremity*

The significant advance in the development of molecular-targeting drugs has made an evaluation of Her-2, EGFR, and cyclin D1 an important clinical issue in breast cancer patients. This study compared the Her-2, EGFR, and cyclin D1 status of primary tumors as well as their matching lymph node metastases using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) in 73 breast cancer patients. Her-2, EGFR, and cyclin D1 protein showed a concordance between the primary lesion and the metastatic regional lymph nodes in 82%, 90%, and 63%, respectively. CISH also revealed 92%, 93%, and 85% concordance in the gene amplification status of Her-2, EGFR, and cyclin D1, showing a reasonable agreement between primary tumors and metastatic regional lymph nodes. Although a statistically significant agreement was found in Her-2 expression, a relatively high discordance rate (18%) raises a little concern. Our findings suggest that the Her-2 status can be reliably assessed on primary tumor but a possible difference can be found in Her-2, EGFR, and cyclin D1 status between the primary and the metastatic sites and this possibility should be concerned in patients considering molecular targeted therapy or patients with progress of disease.
Adult ; Aged ; Breast Neoplasms/genetics/*metabolism/pathology ; Chromogenic Compounds ; Cyclin D1/*analysis/genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Lymph Nodes/*metabolism/pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/genetics/metabolism ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor/*analysis/genetics ; Receptor, erbB-2/*analysis/genetics ; Survival Analysis

A case of peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the small bowel mesentery with osseous component is reported. A 23-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of acute severe abdominal pain. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a large solid and cystic, oval shaped mass, measuring 11.0x6.0 cm in the pelvic cavity. Histologically the resected lesion consisted of sheets of undifferentiated small round cells forming Homer-Wright rosettes and perivascular pseudorosettes, and showed areas of osteoid and bone formation. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that tumor cells expressed positivity against CD99 (MIC2), CD57, neuron-specific enolase, and vimentin. Fluorescence in situ hybridization study revealed Ewing sarcoma breakpoint region 1 (EWSR1) gene rearrangement on chromosome 22q12. To the authors' knowledge this is the first documentation of a peripheral neuroectodermal tumor with osteoid and bone formation of the small bowel mesentery.
Abdominal Pain ; Fluorescence ; Gene Rearrangement ; In Situ Hybridization ; Intestine, Small ; Mesentery ; Metaplasia ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive, Peripheral ; Osteogenesis ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; Sarcoma, Ewing ; Vimentin

PURPOSE: The education for self-management of asthma is considered as an essential component to control asthma and improve outcomes. This study aimed to develope an educational game for increasing knowledge of asthma management among children and their caregivers. METHODS: Three subspecialists of pediatric allergy and respirology, 1 pediatrician, 3 pediatric residents and 15 medical students conducted this study. An instructional systemic design using analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation (ADDIE) model was applied in the entire process of game production. We surveyed the demands of asthma education in 19 caregivers of children who were in the treatment of asthma in Korea University Anam Hospital and reflected its results on the construction of game. For the evaluation of the objective effects of developed game, the comparison study was performed between the patients who had experienced the game (n=20) and those who had not (n=22) by using questionnaire about the knowledge of asthma. RESULTS: The game was developed as a form of board game and had contents including precipitating factors, symptoms and treatment of asthma. The patients older than elementary student easily understood the mode and substances of game, and participated with their concentrations throughout approximately 2 hours' operating time. In analysis of the knowledge level of asthma, the patients who had experienced board game showed significantly higher knowledge level than those who had not (74.0+/-17.6 vs. 55.0+/-17.1, P=0.006). CONCLUSION: We developed a family board game for the asthma education through the systematic production process. The board game may increase the knowledge level in asthmatic children, which would improve the ability of self-management.
Asthma ; Caregivers ; Child ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Precipitating Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Self Care ; Students, Medical

Targeted therapies guided by molecular diagnostics have become a standard treatment of lung cancer. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements are currently used as the best predictive biomarkers for EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors and ALK inhibitors, respectively. Besides EGFR and ALK, the list of druggable genetic alterations has been growing, including ROS1 rearrangements, RET rearrangements, and MET alterations. In this situation, pathologists should carefully manage clinical samples for molecular testing and should do their best to quickly and accurately identify patients who will benefit from precision therapeutics. Here, we grouped molecular biomarkers of lung cancers into three categories—mutations, gene rearrangements, and amplifications—and propose expanded guidelines on molecular testing of lung cancers.
Biomarkers ; Gene Rearrangement ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Lymphoma ; Pathology, Molecular ; Phosphotransferases ; Precision Medicine ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor

Background: The shelf life policies for central supply department (CSD) sterilized items and other devices should be determined by the healthcare facility's infection control program. We investigated effect of the sterility integrity of the CSD sterilized packs by wrapping-materials, storage period and environment to modify and extend current shelf-life. Methods: The first phase study was from May to October in 2000 and the second phase study was planned to extend further the shelf-life of the sterile packs from April 2001 to June 2002. Six hundred and fourty packs containing small gauze with four wrapping materials(100 times and 50 times washed two-ply reusable cotton, disposable craft paper, and disposable new pouch bag) and the 104 returned set after their shelf-life were stored on the top or middle of shelves or closed cabinets and storage durations from 1 to 20 weeks in the first phase study. The test packs were collected weekly and cultured in the laboratory. Five hundred seventy-six test packs were prepared with three wrapping materials (except 50 times washed cotton and returned set) and stored in the same location as the First phase study and collected and cultured monthly after three months storage (from July 2001) for one year in the second phase study. The temperature and relative humidity was monitored whenever the test pack was collected. Results: The gauze in the test packs were not contaminated until 154 days in the first study phase and until 423 days in the second phase study. The temperature and relative humidity of storage locations were 25.9degrees C and 55.2% in the first phase study and 26.0degrees C and 45.9% in the second phase study, respectively. Conclusions: There was no difference in the sterility integrity of the test packs with different wrapping materials. storage locations and environments. and storage durations. It was possible to extend shelf-life from two weeks to three and six months in the study hospital.
Delivery of Health Care ; Humidity ; Infection Control ; Infertility

BACKGROUND: CD24 was originally described as a B cell-specific marker, however its aberrant expression in various solid tumors has recently been reported. Our objective was to determine the pattern and extent of the CD24 expression in colorectal cancer and its related lesions, and to clarify its correlation with clinico-pathological parameters and especially those associated with patients' prognoses. METHODS: A total of 307 colorectal cancers and the related lesions (150 carcinomas, 30 high-grade adenomas, 49 low-grade adenomas, 41 hyperplastic polyps, and 37 normal colorectal epithelia) were immunohistochemically analyzed by treating CD24 monoclonal antibody onto tissue embedded paraffin blocks. RESULTS: CD24 expression was very rarely observed in the normal epithelia, hyperplastic polyps, and low-grade adenomas; however, in high-grade adenomas, the CD24 expression was shown to be mildly increased in the cytoplasm (13.3%). In carcinomas, the CD24 expression was increased substantially in both the membrane (38.0%) and the cytoplasm (44.7%). The expression of CD24 in the membrane was positively correlated with tumor size (p<0.01). The CD24 expression in the cytoplasm was positively correlated with several unfavorable parameters, including a larger tumor size (p<0.01), a higher tumor grade (p<0.01), a higher rate of tumor invasion (p<0.05), and a higher pTNM stage (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: High levels of CD24 expression in the membrane and cytoplasm were characteristic in colorectal cancer, and the cytoplasmic CD24 expression was correlated with several unfavorable clinical parameters.
Adenoma ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Cytoplasm ; Immunohistochemistry ; Membranes ; Paraffin ; Polyps ; Prognosis

Solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura is rare but should be included in the differential diagnosis of a peripheral pulmonary nodule. Cytologic features of solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura is not familar to the pathologist and may be misdiagnosed as malignancy. We report fine needle aspiration cytologic(FNAC) findings of a case of solitary fibrous tumor misdiagnosed as adenocarcinoma in a 48-year-old woman. The FNAC displayed a mixture of bland-looking spindle cells and clusters of epithelioid cells, which have hyperchromatic nuclei with prominent nucleoli. The helpful finding to distinguish it from other circumscribed benign and malignant lesions is the presence of fibromyxoid matrix admixed with blood vessels and thin collagen fibers. Familiarity with these features is essential to avoid misdiagnosis and overtreatment.
Adenocarcinoma ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Blood Vessels ; Collagen ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diagnostic Errors ; Epithelioid Cells ; Female ; Humans ; Lung* ; Middle Aged ; Pleura ; Recognition (Psychology) ; Solitary Fibrous Tumor, Pleural* ; Solitary Fibrous Tumors*

Wound healing is composed of a complex process that requires harmonies of various cell populations where fibroblasts play the main role. Oligomeric procyanidins (OPC) are main components of grape (Vitis vinifera) seed extracts, and recent studies showed OPC's effects on inflammation, cell migration, and proliferation. We investigated the effect of OPC on fibroblasts to regulate wound healing process. Human dermal fibroblast known as Hs27 cells were treated with various concentrations of OPC (0, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 µg/µl). Cell cytotoxicity was evaluated by the Cell Counting Kit assay, and the expression levels of secreted procollagen were analyzed. Procollagen levels in OPC treated cells exposed to transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) or ascorbic acid were evaluated using Western blot and immunocytochemistry. Relative mRNA expressions of procollagen, molecular chaperone such as HSP47, P4H were determined by real-time PCR in OPC treated cells. OPC showed no cytotoxicity on Hs27 cells at every concentration but inhibited procollagen secretion in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect also appeared under TGF-β1 induced collagen overproduction. Immunocytochemistry showed that higher levels of intracytoplasmic procollagen were accumulated in TGF-β1 treatment group, whereas ascorbic acid induced a release of accumulated procollagen under OPC treatment. The mRNA expressions of procollagen, molecular chaperone were not affected by OPC, but procollagen level was increased when exposed to TGF-β1. OPC inhibits procollagen secretion from fibroblasts with no effects on cell proliferations even under the environment of TGF-b1-induced collagen overproduction. OPC could regulate the diseases and symptoms of abnormal overabundant collagen production.
Ascorbic Acid ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Count ; Cell Movement ; Collagen ; Collagen Type I* ; Fibroblasts* ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inflammation ; Molecular Chaperones ; Proanthocyanidins* ; Procollagen* ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Vitis ; Wound Healing

BACKGROUND: Recently, BRAF inhibitors showed dramatic treatment outcomes in BRAF V600 mutant melanoma. Therefore, the accuracy of BRAF mutation test is critical. METHODS: BRAF mutations were tested by dual-priming oligonucleotide-polymerase chain reaction (DPO-PCR), direct sequencing and subsequently retested with a real-time PCR assay, cobas 4800 V600 mutation test. In total, 64 tumors including 34 malignant melanomas and 16 papillary thyroid carcinomas were analyzed. DNA was extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue samples and the results of cobas test were directly compared with those of DPO-PCR and direct sequencing. RESULTS: BRAF mutations were found in 23 of 64 (35.9%) tumors. There was 9.4% discordance among 3 methods. Out of 6 discordant cases, 4 cases were melanomas; 3 cases were BRAF V600E detected only by cobas test, but were not detected by DPO-PCR and direct sequencing. One melanoma patient with BRAF mutation detected only by cobas test has been on vemurafenib treatment for 6 months and showed a dramatic response to vemurafenib. DPO-PCR failed to detect V600K mutation in one case identified by both direct sequencing and cobas test. CONCLUSIONS: In direct comparison of the currently available DPO-PCR, direct sequencing and real-time cobas test for BRAF mutation, real-time PCR assay is the most sensitive method.
DNA ; Humans ; Indoles ; Melanoma ; Paraffin ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sulfonamides ; Thyroid Neoplasms