No abstract available.
Hospice Care* ; Hospices* ; Internationality* ; Palliative Medicine*

BACKGROUND: Cell-cell adhesion in tissue is mainly regulated by hornotypic interaction of cadherin molecules, which are anchored to the cytoskeleton via cytoplasmic proteins, including a-and / 3-catenin. Loss of E-cadherin and catenin have been attributed a pathogenetic role in tumor invasion. METHODS: We examined the expression of E-cadherin and a-catenin in human thyroid carcinoma by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Normal tissue strongly expressed E-cadherin and a-catenin. However, E-cadherin and a-catenin expression were frequently reduced in thyroid carcinoma (E-cadherin: 62.5%, a-catenin: 81.3%). But the expression of E-cadherin and a-catenin in tumors with metastatic spreading were not different with tumors without metastasis. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that reduced E-eadherin and a-catenin expression may be a sensitive marker for disturbance in the adhesive function of the junctional complex, but further evaluation with more cases is needed for confirmation of the result of the same degree of expression in tumors with metastasis.
Adhesives ; Cadherins* ; Cytoplasm ; Cytoskeleton ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: In mammals, alphaand beta-defensins are antimicrobial peptides that are expressed in various epithelial and phagocytic cells. Human beta-defensin-1 and -2 (hBD-1, hBD-2) have recently been shown to be expressed in various epithelial cells. Vaginal mucosa can be a target of vaginitis and the site of uropathogens' colonization that precedes urinary tract infections. Therefore, innate host defense mediators like antimicrobial peptides in the vaginal mucosa are important. Estrogen and progesterone receptors have been shown to be expressed in the vaginal squamous epithelium. Sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone may cause vaginal atrophy or susceptibility to uropathogens. So, we performed this study to investigate the expression patterns of hBD-1 and -2 mRNA in vaginal squamous epithelium (VSE) with using lipopolysaccharide (LPS), 17beta-estradiol and progesterone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Normal VSE cells that were retrieved from vaginal tissue during vaginoplasty were primarily cultured in keratinocyte growth medium and they we allowed to undergo their 3rd passage. Modulation of the expressions of hBD-1 and -2 mRNA by various stimuli (LPS 0.5microgram/ml, E2 2nM, P 1micrometer) was measured by semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: HBD-1 and -2 were constitutively expressed in the normal VSE cell lines, but the hBD-2 expression was not significant. A marked increase of the constitutive expression of hBD-2 mRNA was observed upon stimulation with LPS, but not upon stimulation with E2. A moderate decrease of the constitutive expression of hBD-2 mRNA upon stimulation with LPS was observed with administering progesterone. CONCLUSIONS: These expressions of hBD-2 mRNA may have important roles in the innate host defense of the urogenital area. Artificial intake of progesterone may lead to susceptibility via a decrease of defensins.
Atrophy ; beta-Defensins ; Cell Line ; Colon ; Defensins ; Epithelial Cells* ; Epithelium ; Estrogens ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; Humans ; Keratinocytes ; Mammals ; Mucous Membrane ; Peptides ; Phagocytes ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Progesterone* ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA, Messenger ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Vagina ; Vaginitis

A survey was done on the participants of the previous education seminar. Eighty two endoscopists from 67 instituties had replied and 50 practitioners replied for a total of l32 that were surveyed and analyzed. (continue...)
Education* ; Endoscopy* ; Korea*

No abstract available.
Gastric Stump*

No abstract available.
Esophageal and Gastric Varices* ; Hemorrhage*

We report a case of MALT lymphoma in a 49-year-old woman. Her disease occurred simultaneously in the mucosa of her right upper eyelid conjunctiva and in her left nostril as ulcerating tumors associated with itchy ichthyosiform skin lesions on the trunk, hyperkeratotic palms and soles, and dystrophic nails. Histopathological examinations revealed consistent findings of MALT lymphoma with dissemination; i.e., diffuse infiltrates of lymphoplasmacytoid cells with a few Russel body-like structures, eosinophils, some shoddy granulomas under the irregularly hyperplastic epidermis, and diffuse infiltrates of CCL ( centrocyte-like ) cells and small lymphocytes inside and outside many lymphoid follicle-like structures in the subcutaneous tissue forming florid lymphoepithelial lesions. She died after 27 months duration of her disease with worsening of ichthyosiform skin lesions and dystrophic nails in spite of total excision of the tumors. We discuss the clinical and histopathologic features of MALT lymphoma with dissemination and the various similar diseases to differentiate.
Conjunctiva ; Eosinophils ; Epidermis ; Eyelids* ; Female ; Glycogen Storage Disease Type VI ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone* ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Ulcer

The binding activities of 6 plant lectins were studied in a total of 6 cases of Ewing's sarcoma of the bone, using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) method on paraffin embedded material. The lectins used in this study were Ricinus communis agglutinin I (RCA I), Concanavalin A (Con-A), Peanut agglutinin (PNA), Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), Ulex europeus I (UEA I), and Soybean agglutinin (SBA). However, no specific lectin, which showed consistent binding activity in the majority of Ewing's sarcoma cells was identified, in 5 of 6 cases, intracytoplasmic RCA I binding cells were occasionally observed, at somewhat regular intervals, among the neoplastic cell nests. Con-A stains were also positive in 4 cases, but the numbers of Cona-A binding cell were fewer than that of positive cell with RCA I, With PNA, WGA, UEA I, and SBA virtually no tumor cells were stained. These findings suggest that all Con-A positive cells and a part of RCA I binding cells are probably stromal macrophage-histiocytes, which are incorperated in neoplastic cells. And remaining RCA I positive cells seem to be either a kind of differentiating neoplastic cells or supporting cells having close correlation with the neoplastic cells.

PURPOSE: To evaluate high signal intensity of nontumorous conditions of corpus callosum on T2-weighted MR images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourty nine patients with nontumorous high signal intensities involving corpus callosum on sagittal T2-weighted image were restrospectively analyzed. Nontumorous condition of corpus callosum were diffuse axonal injury(DAI, 19 cases), cerebral infarctions(16 cases), multiple sclerosis(MS, 5 cases), Wilson's disease(2 cases) and hydrocephalus(7 cases) that were diagnosed by clinical and MR findings. Numbers, configuration, involved thickness and sites of high signal intensities of corpus callosum were analyzed. RESULTS: DAI and infarctions showed either single or multiple lesions. MS and hydrocephalus showed multiple lesions, but Wilson's diseases showed single lesion. In DAI, infarctions and MS the lesions involved any part of corpus callosum, splenium in WIIson's disease, and all parts of corpus callosum in hydrocephalus. Wilson's disease showed only partial thickness involvement, and others involved partial or full thickness of corpus callosum. Configuration of high signal intensity was linear in most cases of hydrocephalus, and oval in Wilson's disease, and oval and confluent in MS, and variable in DAI and infarctions. CONCLUSION: High signal intensities of nontumorous conditions of corpus callosum revealed variable findings, and therefore, analysis of nontumorous high signal intensities of corpus callosum is not made by only MR findings but by conjuction with clinical aspects.
Axons ; Corpus Callosum* ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Infarction

No abstract available.
Hemorrhoids*