To investigate whether anti-Candida proteinase antibody could be a diagnostic marker, we examined seroreactivity to proteinase in sera from 90 healthy controls and 8 of C. albicans culture-positive patients. Previously we purified proteinases of C. albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis using a series of chromatographic steps consisting of DEAE- Sepharose, Sephacryl S-200, and size-exclusion HPLC. ELISA and Western blot technique were adopted to examine seroreactivity of C. albicans proteinase with sera. On ELISA, the seroreactivities of healthy controls and C. albicans-cultured patients were 0.601 +- 0.014 (mean+SEM), and 0.695 +- 0.079, respectively (P=0.084, t-test). In C. albicans-cultured patients, the positive rate was 62.5% (5/8) and the positive rate of healthy controls was 39% (35/90). On Western blot analysis, C. albicans proteinase molecule was blotted by all sera tested. But the intensity of blotted band was different with the same dilution of sera; the intensity of C. albicans proteinase molecule band blotted by 2 sera of 3 healthy control's sera was distinctively lower than that by C. albicans-cultured patients sera. However, all sera including C. albicans-cultured patient's sera did not blot the proteinase secreted by C. tropicalis and C. parapsilosis. It is necessary to collect sequential sera of patients with candidiasis and to establish a cut-off value for ELISA or serum dilution for Western blot analysis that will give reliable test sensitivity and specificity.
Blotting, Western ; Candida albicans* ; Candida* ; Candidiasis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Peptide Hydrolases ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sepharose

No abstract available.
Immunoglobulin G* ; Inflammation*

Adenomatoid tumor is extremely rare benign neoplasm occurring in the genital tract. They are mesothelial origin tumors and frequently found in the testis, epididymis, tunica vaginalis, or spermatic cord in male. But most adenomatoid tumors are found near or in epididymis. While in female they are usually located in the fallopian tube, uterus, and ovary. Adenomatoid tumors are usually small, firm or solid, and asymptomatic, these are clinically found or routine physical examination. They are usually less than 2cm in diameter, but may measure up to 5cm, Histologically the tumor consists of tubules and gland like spaces lined with cuboidal or flattened in a fibrous stroma. The tumor was first described and adenomyoma by Sakaguchi in 1915. Since that time there have been numerous case reports of similar tumors. But the term, adenomatoid tumor, introduced by Golde and Ash in 1945 seems to have been even more widely used. Recently we experienced a case of adenomatoid tumor of epididymis, which was found incidentally during physical examination and confirmed by excisional biopsy in a patient who complained lower abdominal pain.
Abdominal Pain ; Adenomatoid Tumor* ; Adenomyoma ; Biopsy ; Epididymis* ; Fallopian Tubes ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Ovary ; Physical Examination ; Spermatic Cord ; Testis ; Uterus

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to introduce a method of obtaining the oscillation graphs of the dental x-ray tube heads relative to time using an accelerometer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An Accelerometer, Piezotron type 8704B25 (Kistler Instrument Co., Amherst, NY, USA) was utilized to measure the horizontal oscillation of the x-ray tube head immediately after positioning the tube head for an intraoral radiograph. The signal from the sensor was transferred to a dynamic signal analyzer, which displayed the magnitude of the acceleration on the Y-axis and time lapse on the X-axis. The horizontal oscillation of the tube head was measured relative to time, and the settling time was also determined on the basis of the acceleration graphs for 6 wall type, 5 floor-fixed type, and 4 mobile type dental x-ray machines. RESULTS: The oscillation graphs showed that tube head movement decreased rapidly over time. The settling time varied with x-ray machine types. Wall-type x-ray machines had a settling time of up to 6 seconds, 5 seconds for fixed floor-types, and 11 seconds for the mobile-types. CONCLUSION: Using an accelerometer, we obtained the oscillation graphs of the dental x-ray tube head relative to time. The oscillation graph with time can guide the operator to decide upon the optimum exposure moment after xray tube head positioning for better radiographic resolution.
Acceleration ; Head Movements ; Head* ; Radiography

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to introduce a method of obtaining the oscillation graphs of the dental x-ray tube heads relative to time using an accelerometer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An Accelerometer, Piezotron type 8704B25 (Kistler Instrument Co., Amherst, NY, USA) was utilized to measure the horizontal oscillation of the x-ray tube head immediately after positioning the tube head for an intraoral radiograph. The signal from the sensor was transferred to a dynamic signal analyzer, which displayed the magnitude of the acceleration on the Y-axis and time lapse on the X-axis. The horizontal oscillation of the tube head was measured relative to time, and the settling time was also determined on the basis of the acceleration graphs for 6 wall type, 5 floor-fixed type, and 4 mobile type dental x-ray machines. RESULTS: The oscillation graphs showed that tube head movement decreased rapidly over time. The settling time varied with x-ray machine types. Wall-type x-ray machines had a settling time of up to 6 seconds, 5 seconds for fixed floor-types, and 11 seconds for the mobile-types. CONCLUSION: Using an accelerometer, we obtained the oscillation graphs of the dental x-ray tube head relative to time. The oscillation graph with time can guide the operator to decide upon the optimum exposure moment after xray tube head positioning for better radiographic resolution.
Acceleration ; Head Movements ; Head* ; Radiography

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine the clinical value of human papilloma virus deoxyribonucleic acid testing with the hybrid capture test, specifically to examine whether human papillomavirus testing could identify which women with Papanicolaou smears read as atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance were most likely to have histologically confirmed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. STUDY DESIGN: Hybrid capture testing for high-risk human paillomavirus types(type 31, 33, 35, 45, 51, 52, 56), repeat Papanicolaou smears and colposcopically directed biopsies were performed concurrently on 55 women refered to chosun university hospital with a previous Papanicolaou smear read as atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance. RESULTS: Human papillomavirus eoxyribonucleic acid positivity was associated with a six fold increased likelihood of histologic confirmation of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. The sensitivity of hybrid capture for any cervical intraepithelial neoplasia was 92% (12/13) and specificity was 86%(36/42), whereas the corresponding values for the repeat Papanicilaou smear was 85%(11/13) and 38%(16/42), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Testing for human papillomavirus deoxyribonucleic acid with hybrid capture appears to offer an effective means by which patients whose cervical Papanicolaou smears have been read as atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance could be triaged for colposcopy. In particular, high sensitivity and specificity for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia could be maintained.
Biopsy ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; Colposcopy ; DNA ; Female ; Humans* ; Papanicolaou Test ; Papilloma* ; Sensitivity and Specificity

To assess the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in ischemic stroke, we analyzed the findings of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using technetium-99m hexamethyl propyleneamine oxime (Tc-99m HMPAO). The SPECT images revealed abnormal areas of decreased perfusion in 29 out of 31 subjects (93.5%), which represented a higher detection rate than those for CT and MR (89.5%, respectively). Also, the areas of decreased perfusion were frequently larger than the lesions on CT and MR. Areas of decreased perfusion remote from the CT/MR lesions were found in 10 patients, including 8 with crossed cerebellar diaschisis (CCD). Thus, studies of rCBF by Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT can be useful in the assessment of ischemic stroke.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Brain Ischemia/*physiopathology/radiography/radionuclide imaging ; Cerebrovascular Circulation/*physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Regional Blood Flow ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: Estrogens control the development and cell proliferation of various tissues including the normal mammary epithelial cells, where they induce the expression of the immediate and delayed hormone-responsive genes. The proliferative effects of estrogen have been attributed to its ability to increase the expression of the key cell cycle regulatory genes responsible for cell cycle progression. However, the regulation of cell proliferation is only one aspect of estrogen function. It has also been well documented that estrogen plays a critical role in the etiology and progression of human breast and gynecological cancers. This tumorigenic effect of estrogen might be associated with its anti- apoptotic activities such as of Bcl-2 induction. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of E2IG5, which is an estrogen-induced downstream effector molecule, in breast cancer cell lines. RESULTS: This study shows that E2IG5 is a pro-apoptotic protein that is localized to the mitochondrial membrane via two distinct transmembrane domains. When over-expressed, it induces a mitochondrial permeability transition with the resultant of release cytochrome c and caspase activation. However, three out of four breast cancer cell lines lost their estrogen dependence of E2IG5 expression, which suggests the possible involvement of E2IG5 in the development of breast cancer. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that breast cancer cells may loose their pro-apoptotic signals and selectively use the proliferative mechanism of estrogen, which drives the normal mammary epithelial cells to transform into cancer cells. Further studies using breast cancer tissues will be needed.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line* ; Cell Proliferation ; Cytochromes c ; Epithelial Cells ; Estradiol ; Estrogens ; Genes, Regulator ; Humans ; Mitochondrial Membranes ; Permeability

PURPOSE: To determine the different of enhancement patterns of hepatic hemangioma according to the lesionsize, using dual-phase spiral CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fify-nine lesions in 45 patients with hepatichemangiomas were subjected to spiral Ct. According to size, the lesions were divided into two groups(< 2.5cm :n=34 ; >_2.5cm : n=25). The enhancement patterns of the lesions were classified as one of four types (homogeneoushyperdense, peripheral hyperdense, central hyperdense, or hypodense) during the early phase, and as one of fivetypes homogeneous hyperdense, peripheral hyperdense, central hyperdense, hypodense or isodense) during the delayedphase. We evaluated differences in enhancement patterns during the early and delayed phase according to lesionsize. RESULTS: During the early phase, the enhancement patterns of lesions large than 2.5cm were peripheralhyperdense(96%) or homogeneous hyperdense (4%);those of less than 2.5cm were peripheral hyperdense (53%),homogeneous hyperdense(26%), hypodense(18%), or central hyperdense(3%). Thus, hemangiomas in these two groupsusually showed a peripheral enhancement pattern during the early phase, but in those which were smaller than2.5cm, atypical enhancement patterns were more common. During the delayed phase, the enhancement patterns oflesions larger than 2.5cm were peripheral hyperdense (60%) or homogenous hyperdense (40%), while the patterns ofthose smaller than 2.5cm were homogeneous hyperdense (67%), peripheral hyperdense (24%), central hyperdense (3%),hypodense (3%), or isodense (3%). Thus, the enhancement patterns of lesions larger than 2.5cm were usuallyperipherally hyperdense during the delayed phase, while those smaller than 2.5cm showed a homogeneous enhancementpattern. CONCLUSION: The enhancement patterns of hepatic hemangiomas differ according to lesion size. A knowledgeof these differences is helpful in the diagnosis of hepatic hemangioma.
Diagnosis ; Hemangioma* ; Humans ; Tomography, Spiral Computed*

BACKGROUND: One of the most important prognostic factors in colorectal cancer is lymph node metastasis, which predicts a reduced survival time. Although lymph node metastases were not detected by a conventional hematoxylin-eosin stain technique, 20 to 30 percent of patients fail long-term survival on account of a local or systemic recurrence. Recurrent disease in these patients is believed to develop from occult tumor in lymph nodes. PURPOSE: The authors have conducted an immunohistochemical study with two different antibodies against cytokeratin to identify occult micrometastases in lymph nodes which were diagnosed as tumor negative by conventional histopathology. METHODS: Paraffin blocks of sixty-five patients with colorectal cancer (T2/3, N0, M0) after a curative resection between January 1991 and December 1993 at Kyung-Hee University Hospital were stained with avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique using two monoclonal antibodies (anti-cytokeratin AE1/AE3 and anti-cytokeratin No. 20, DAKO, Hamburg, Germany). To assess the clinical correlation between micrometastasis in lymph node and patients survial, 5-year disease-free survival rates were calculated by Kaplan-Meier method and the significance of the differences was estimated by the log-rank test. P values <0.05 were taken to be significant. RESULTS: Of the sixty-five patients with 1133 lymph nodes, tumor cells detected by anti-cytokeratin AE1/AE3 and anti-cytokeratin No. 20, were 2.4 percent (27/1133) and 3.4 percent (38/1133), respectively. Micrometastases were detected in twenty-six patients (40.0 percent). The histologic stage of four cytokeratin positive cases was upstaged from T2, N0, M0 to T2, N1/2, M0, and twenty-two of T3, N0, M0 to T3, N1/2, M0. Cytokeratin-positive cases showed statistically significant recurrence rate (42.3 percent) compared to that of cytokeratin -negative cases (17.9 percent)(x2 test, p=0.032). With the median follow-up of 62 months, 5-year disease-free survival rates of the micrometastses negative and positive cases were 81.7 percent and 61.3 percent, respectively (p=0.0438). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, immunohistochemical technique to identify the occult micrometastases in lymph nodes overlooked in conventional histopathology is a useful staging method to anticipate a recurrence and a prognosis more precisely.
Antibodies ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keratins ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Micrometastasis* ; Paraffin ; Prognosis ; Recurrence