No abstract available.
Hair*

Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) is believed to be pivotal hormone in hypothalamo-pituitary gonadal axis and the hypothalamus is believed as the exclusive organ producing GnRH and pituitary is for GnRH re ceptor until recently. Some reported the exptra-hypothalamic GnRH or extra-pituitary GnRH receptors from decades ago. The aims of this study are to confirm the existence of the GnRH receptor in bladder epithelial cancer cell, HT-1197 and HT-1376, and evaluated the possible role of the GnRH on cell cycle. The GnRH and GnRH receptor were detected by immunohistochemical staining and the effect of GnRH on cell cycle change in both cell line were studied by fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS). The control cells were cultured at media supplemented with normal serum, and experimental group were cultured at media supplemented with charcoal stripped serum (CSS) which excluding peptide hormones except exogenous GnRH with different concentration. The GnRHs and GnRH receptors were detected at both cell lines and the cell cycle analysis showed that there were little difference in proportion of cell cycle among examined 10,000 cells in both cell lines, neither control nor experimental groups. This study shows that the GnRHs and GnRH receptors exist in bladder cancer cells and GnRH did not influence on the cell cycle progression. With this study, we suppose that the bladder cancer cells produce the GnRH and GnRH receptors and the role of the GnRF produced from the bladder cancer cells might be the autocrine rather than endo-or paracrine factor.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Cell Cycle* ; Cell Line ; Charcoal ; Fluorescence ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone* ; Gonadotropins* ; Gonads ; Hypothalamus ; Peptide Hormones ; Receptors, LHRH ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms

PURPOSE: Lipiodol CT is a important modality for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and compared is usually performed at 2-3 week after Lipiodol injection. Therefore, we assessed and the diagnostic value and merits of immediate CT after chemoembolization from there of 2-3 week delayed Lipiodol CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty three cases of chemoembolization which were performed both immediate CT after chemoembolization and 2-3 week delayed Lipiodol CT were reviewed retrospectively. They were divided into four grades according to pattern of lipiodol uptake by three radiologists. The diagnostic value of immediate Lipiiodol CT was compared to delayed Lipiodol CT. RESULTS: Grade 0 was two cases(3.0%) and Grade 1 was seven cases(21.2%). In the cases of Grade 2(23/33, 69.7%) tumor uptake could be dishng wished from parenchymal uptake of Lipiodol by its density and pattern. Tumor uptake showed dense and homogeneous pattern, but parenchymal uptake revealed less dense and hepatoram-like wedge shaped pattern. Lipiodol uptake of tumor in Grade 3(1/24, 3.0%) was equal to that in delayed Lipiodrl CT. Grade 3 and 2(72.7%) of the immediate Lipiodol CT were not inferior to delayed Lipiodol CT in its diagnostic value. CONCLUSION: The immediate Lipiodol CT could make rapid establishment of treatment plan and are expected to be more convenient than delayed CT for the patients.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Diagnosis ; Ethiodized Oil ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Condylomata Acuminata* ; Dermoscopy* ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Lymphangioma* ; Vulva*

OBJECTIVE: This is a retrospective review of 22 surgically treated benign and malignant tumors of brachial plexus region to describe clinical presentation, the characteristics of brachial plexus tumor and clinical outcomes with a literature review. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with consecutive 22 surgeries for primary brachial plexus tumors were enrolled between February 2002 and November 2011 were included in this study. The medical records of all patients were reviewed. RESULTS: Eleven male and 10 female patients were enrolled. Mean age was 39 years. Three patients had brachial plexus tumor associated with neurofibromatosis (13.6%). Presenting signs and symptoms included parenthesis and numbness (54.5%), radiating pain (22.7%), direct tenderness and pain (27.2%), palpable mass (77.3%). Twelve patients presented preoperative sensory deficit (54.5%) and 9 patients presented preoperative motor deficit (40.9%). Twenty tumors (90.9%) were benign and 2 tumors (9.1%) were malignant. Benign tumors included 15 schwannomas (68.2%), 4 neurofibromas (18.2%) and 1 granular cell tumor (4.5%). There were 1 malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) and 1 malignant granular cell tumor. Gross total resection was achieved in 16 patients (72.7%), including all schwannomas, 1 neurofibroma. Subtotal resection was performed in 6 tumors (27.3%), including 3 neurofibromatosis associated with brachial plexus neurofibromas, 1 MPNST and 2 granular cell tumor in one patient. CONCLUSION: Resection of tumor is the choice of tumor in the most of benign and malignant brachial plexus tumors. Postoperative outcomes are related to grade of resection at surgery and pathological features of tumor.
Brachial Plexus ; Female ; Granular Cell Tumor ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Male ; Medical Records ; Nerve Sheath Neoplasms ; Neurilemmoma ; Neurofibroma ; Neurofibromatoses ; Peripheral Nerves ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Dermoscopy ; Melanoma*

BACKGROUND: Adaptive remodeling of the wall of diseased arterial segments occurs to compensate for the accumulation of atherosclerotic plaque. Histopathologic studies and intraoperative high-frequency epicardial coronary ultrasound imaging as well as intracoronary ultrasound imaging have shown that human coronary arteries enlarge in parallel with the formation of atherosclerotic plaque. Therefore, the lumen area is preserved until the progressive accumulation of plaque exceeds the compensatory mechanisms of the vessel. In 1995, however, Pastercamp et al. reported that arterial wall constriction (shrinkage) or inadequate enlargement may be a different mechanism associated with the development of severe arterial lumen narrowing in addition to plaque proliferation. The aim of this study is to examine what extent of de novo native coronary arterial stenosis is accompanied by compensatory enlargement and to find the predictors of inadequate remodeling with intravascualr ultrasound. METHODS: Fifty eight patients were enrolled from February 1997 through October 1997. Patients who had the lesion of more than 50% stenosis of minimal luminal diameter in coronary angiography were indicated. The lesion which was located in the ostium or was very tortuous or angulated was excluded. The lesion which had the history of balloon angioplasty or stent insertion was also excluded. We used 20 MHz endosonic intravascular ultrasound catheter. We measured EEM area (External Elastic Membrane area), lumen area and plaque plus media area and analysed plaque characteristics. RESULTS: 1) Fifty-eight consecutive patients (43 men, 15 women; mean age 55.4 years, range 33 to 78) who had not undergone previous catheter intervention were studied with a single intravascular ultrasound system. 2) Among 58 patients, 20 patients (35%) had acute myocardial infarction, 30 patients (52%) unstable angina, 6 patients (10%) stable angina and 2 patients (3%) old myocardial infarction. Lesions were located at the left anterior descending arteries in 29 patients (50%), right coronary arteries in 21 patients (36%) and left circumflex coronary artery in 8 patients (14%). 3) Compensatory enlargement was observed in 19 (32%) of 58 lesions and inadequate compensatory enlargement in 39 (68%). 4) EEM and plaque areas at lesion site of compensatory enlargement group were significantly larger than those of inadequate enlargement group (p<0.05). 5) Risk factors for coronary arterial disease including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia (serum cholesterol<0A65B>240 mg/dl), smokings and plaque characteristics were not statistically related with inadequate enlargement. Although there was no statistical significance, there was a tendency of inadequate enlargement in patients with diabetes mellitus and calcified plaque. 6) The only predictor of inadequate remodeling was the postmenopausal female (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Adaptive compensatory coronary arterial remodeling was occured less frequently in patients with acute coronary syndromes than in patients with stable angina. The only statistically significant predictor of adaptive compensatory coronary arterial remodeling was postmenopausal women. Inadequate compensatory coronary arterial remodeling was occured more frequently in patients with diabetes mellitus or calcified plaque but without statistical significance.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Angina, Stable ; Angina, Unstable ; Angioplasty, Balloon ; Arteries ; Catheters ; Constriction ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Female ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hypertension ; Male ; Membranes ; Myocardial Infarction ; Phenobarbital ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Stents ; Ultrasonics* ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: Preoperative identification of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) in gastric cancer (GC) patients may have great advantages for the minimally invasive treatment. This study was performed to evaluate the possibility of preoperative SLN detection using CT lymphography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen patients with early GC were enrolled. CT images were obtained before and at 1, 3, and 5 minutes after endoscopic submucosal peritumoral injection of 2 mL iopamidol. For patients with clearly identified SLNs, to make comparisons with the CT lymphography results, intraoperative SLN detection was performed using subserosally injected Indocyanine green (ICG) lymphography and ex vivo ICG and iopamidol lymphography using mammography was also performed. RESULTS: CT lymphography clearly visualized draining lymphatics and SLNs in 4 (28.6%) out of 14 patients. All clearly visualized SLNs (one to three SLNs per patient) under preoperative imaging were detected in the same location by intraoperative ICG lymphography and ex vivo ICG and iopamidol lymphography using mammography. All preoperative SLN detections were observed with the primary tumors in the lower third of the stomach. CONCLUSION: Although our study demonstrated a SLN detection rate of less than 30%, CT lymphography with radio-contrast showed potential as a method of preoperative SLN detection for GC.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Iopamidol/diagnostic use ; Lymph Nodes/pathology/*radiography ; Lymphography/*methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Models, Biological ; Preoperative Care ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy ; Stomach Neoplasms/pathology/*radiography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/*methods

No abstract available.
Diagnosis ; Seizures ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

BACKGROUND: In survivors of acute myocardial infarction(ANI), reduced heart rate variability(HRV) has been demonstrated to be an independent predictor of sudden cardiac death and mortality. The heart rate variability can be examined and analyzed non-invasively and quantitated with 24-hour ambulatory ECG monitoring. In general, the patency of infarct-related artery appears to be one of the most important prognostic factor after AMI. Therefor, the correlation between infarct artery patency and HRV was examined in survivors of AMI. METHODS: The 24-Hour ambulatory electrocardiogram was performed in 23 patients with AMI and 20 normal controls, and analyzed for frequency & time domain HRV. HRV was recorded dwithin 7 days after AMI, and coronary angiogram was performed at 7th day after AMI. The AMI patients were divided into two groups, depending upon patency of infarct-related artery and correlated to clinical manifestations. Thirteen patients had patent vessel(Group 1) and ten patients had non-patent vessel(Group 2). Parameters of frequency domain HRV include LF, HF & LF/HF ratio and time domain HRV include SDNN, SDANN, SD, rMSSD and pNN50. RESULTS: All parameters of HRV was depressed in patients of AMI than in normal control(p<0.05). The mean left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) was 54.1+/-10.6% in group 1 and 42.6+/-12.2% in group 2(p<0.05). The mean values of LF, SDNN, SDANN, and SD in group 1 and group 2 were 5.09+/-0.83msec2/Hz & 4.09+/-0.53msec2/Hz, 84.5+/-24.2msec & 59.0+/-11.8msec, 73.2+/-22.8msec & 50.5+/-12.6msec, and 37.8+/-13.1msec & 27.2+/-4.4msec(p<0.05), respectively. There was no difference between two groups in HF,rMSSD and pNN50. The location of infarction and thrombolytic therapy itself did not influence of HRV. The mean values of HF, SDANN, rMSSD and pNN50 in patients with LVEF<40% were reduced significantly than in patients with LVEF> or =40%. There was a significant correlation between LVEF and LF, between LVEF and HF and between LVEF and LF/HF ratio(r:0.55, p<0.05;r:0.67, p<0.05;r:-0.56, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: HRV was depressed due to reduced vagal activity in patients with AMI. The values of LF, SDNN, SDANN, and SD in group of patent infarct-related artery were reduced significantly than in non-patent group.
Arteries* ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Infarction ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Survivors ; Thrombolytic Therapy