Esophageal carcinosarcoma is a rare malignant esophageal neoplasm consisting of both carcinomatous and sarcomatous elements, with an incidence of 0.5%. There have been only a few case reports of carcinosarcoma and squamous cell carcinoma coexisting in the esophagus. However, all of these are cases of synchronous or metachronous development of carcinosarcoma after chemoradiotherapy in patients of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. A 53-year-old man underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy because of chest pain for several months. Endoscopic examination revealed a huge pedunculated esophageal polypoid mass. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was performed and histopathologic examination confirmed spindle cell carcinoma (carcinosarcoma). He refused additional esophagectomy. After 21 months, third follow-up endoscopy showed poorly-demarcated flat, faint discolored lesions at different location from the previous ESD site and endoscopic biopsies confirmed squamous cell carcinoma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of metachronous development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in a patient with esophageal carcinosarcoma.
Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/*diagnosis/drug therapy/pathology ; Carcinosarcoma/*diagnosis/drug therapy/pathology ; Cisplatin/therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Esophageal Neoplasms/*diagnosis/drug therapy/pathology ; Fluorouracil/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; S100 Proteins/metabolism ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/metabolism

The brain grows with age in non-human primates (NHPs). Therefore, atlas-based stereotactic coordinates cannot be used directly to target subcortical structures if the size of the animal's brain differs from that used in the stereotactic atlas. Furthermore, growth is non-uniform across different cortical regions, making it difficult to simply apply a single brain-expansion ratio. We determined the skull reference lines that best reflect changes in brain size along the X, Y, and Z axes and plotted the changes in reference-line length against the changes in body weight. The skull reference lines had a linear relationship with body weight. However, comparison of skull reference lines with body weight confirmed the non-uniform skull growth during postnatal development, with skull growth more prominent in the X and Y axes than the Z axis. Comparing the differences between the atlas-based lengths and those calculated empirically from plot-based linear fits, we created craniometric indices that can be used to modify stereotactic coordinates along all axes. We verified the accuracy of the corrected stereotactic targeting by infusing dye into internal capsule in euthanized and preserved NHP brains. Our axis-specific, craniometric-index-adjusted stereotactic targeting enabled us to correct for targeting errors arising from differences in brain size. Histological verification showed that the method was accurate to within 1 mm. Craniometric index-adjusted targeting is a simple and relatively accurate method that can be used for NHP stereotactic surgery in the general laboratory, without the need for high-resolution imaging.
Body Weight ; Brain ; Internal Capsule ; Methods ; Primates ; Skull

PURPOSE: To introduce the history and principle mechanism of electrochemical treatment (EChT) with animal study and report two cases successfully treated breast cancer and hemangioma by EChT. METHODS: In animal study, the breast cancer tumor in nude mouse treated with EChT (100 Coulomb/cm3) were reviewed for histologic changes. In the case studies, we reported method of EChT and clinical results after EChT. Case 1: 74 yr old female with locally advanced breast cancer received 3 times EChT with 1,000 Coulomb/time, 8 Volt. Case 2: 51 yr old female with breast hemagioma received one time EChT with 80 Coulomb, 8 Volt. RESULTS: In animal study, There were destructive change including vaculated cell fragment and extensive coagulative necrosis. Case 1 showed no local recurrence during 18 monthes after EChT. Case 2 also showed no evidence of recurrence of hemangioma. CONCLUSION: The EChT is easy to use. It is effective, safe, less traumatic and makes patients recover quickly. This is a new and effective method to treat patients with tumours that are inoperable and can not receive chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Animals ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Necrosis ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence

BACKGROUND: Stroke involving the cerebral white matter (WM) has increased in prevalence, but most experimental studies have focused on ischemic injury of the gray matter. This study was performed to investigate the WM in a unique rat model of photothrombotic infarct targeting the posterior limb of internal capsule (PLIC), focusing on the identification of the most vulnerable structure in WM by ischemic injury, subsequent glial reaction to the injury, and the fundamental histopathologic feature causing different neurologic outcomes. METHODS: Light microscopy with immunohistochemical stains and electron microscopic examinations of the lesion were performed between 3 hours and 21 days post-ischemic injury. RESULTS: Initial pathological change develops in myelinated axon, concomitantly with reactive change of astrocytes. The first pathology to present is nodular loosening to separate the myelin sheath with axonal wrinkling. Subsequent pathologies include rupture of the myelin sheath with extrusion of axonal organelles, progressive necrosis, oligodendrocyte degeneration and death, and reactive gliosis. Increase of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity is an early event in the ischemic lesion. WM pathologies result in motor dysfunction. Motor function recovery after the infarct was correlated to the extent of PLIC injury proper rather than the infarct volume. CONCLUSIONS: Pathologic changes indicate that the cerebral WM, independent of cortical neurons, is highly vulnerable to the effects of focal ischemia, among which myelin sheath is first damaged. Early increase of GFAP immunoreactivity indicates that astrocyte response initially begins with myelinated axonal injury, and supports the biologic role related to WM injury or plasticity. The reaction of astrocytes in the experimental model might be important for the study of pathogenesis and treatment of the WM stroke.
Astrocytes ; Axons ; Coloring Agents ; Extremities ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; Gliosis ; Gray Matter ; Internal Capsule* ; Ischemia ; Microscopy ; Models, Animal ; Models, Theoretical ; Myelin Sheath ; Necrosis ; Neurons ; Oligodendroglia ; Organelles ; Pathology ; Plastics ; Prevalence ; Recovery of Function ; Rupture ; Stroke ; White Matter

We describe a case of spontaneous total necrosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Contrast-enhanced CT scanning revealed a hypoattenuating mass during both the hepatic arterial and portal venous phase. During the latter, subtle capsular enhancement was noted. Ultrasonography demonstrated the presence of a hypoechoic mass with a peripheral hyperechoic rim. The patient underwent tumorectomy, and a totally necrotic mass was found. Microscopic examination revealed necrotic tissue with HCC ghost cells, suggesting spontaneous total necrosis of HCC.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Humans ; Liver ; Necrosis* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is an infrequent but potentially lethal infection characterized by rapid progressive destruction of fascia and fat, concomitant systemic toxicity, and high fatality. In spite of the clinical significance of NF, only limited data is available regarding the clinical characteristics of patients with NF in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who had been diagnosed as community-acquired NF in 9 centers of the Republic of Korea between January 2000 and November 2010. RESULTS: During the study period, a total of 103 patients had a community-acquired NF. Of sixty six cases with causative microorganisms identified, the majority (55, 83.3%) had monomicrobial infections. Whereas streptococci were the most common cause of NF in patients without underlying diseases (16/24, 66.7%), variable organisms, such as staphylococci, streptococci, Enterobacteriaceae, and non-fermentative Gram-negative bacilli were causative organisms of NF in patients with underlying diseases. The majority of patients with NF caused by Vibrio vulnificus or Aeromonas hydrophila (7/9, 77.8%) had liver cirrhosis or alcoholism. Surgery to counteract NF was performed in 60.2% of patients with NF (62/102), and mean time to surgery was 3 days. In-hospital mortality was observed in 21 of 99 patients with available data (21.2%). In multivariate analysis, the presence of solid tumors (adjusted OR [aOR]=63.88, 95% CI=2.58-1580.61, P=0.011), shock (aOR= 24.19, 95% CI=2.00-292.19, P=0.012), bacteremia (aOR=87.53, 95% CI=3.99-1921.46, P=0.005), and Gram-negative bacilli infections (aOR=437.11, 95% CI=4.67-40956.82, P=0.009) were associated with in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Streptococci were predominant causative organisms of community-acquired NF in patients without underlying diseases. However, in patients with underlying diseases, variable organisms such as staphylococci, streptococci, Enterobacteriaceae, or non-fermentative Gram-negative bacilli were isolated. NF caused by V. vulnificus or A. hydrophila occurred frequently in patients with liver cirrhosis or alcoholism.
Aeromonas hydrophila ; Alcoholism ; Bacteremia ; Enterobacteriaceae ; Fascia ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Medical Records ; Multivariate Analysis ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock ; Vibrio vulnificus

BACKGROUND: Although erysipelas and cellulitis are common soft tissue infectious diseases, there have been a few studies which investigate clinical characteristics and causative organisms in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who had been diagnosed with erysipelas or cellulitis from ten general hospitals between January 2009 and February 2011. RESULTS: During the study period, a total of 144 patients with erysipelas and 735 with cellulitis were recruited. The mean age of erysipelas patients was 53.6 years, and that of cellulitis patients was 47.5 years. Diabetes mellitus was the most common underlying disease in both groups. The most common site of erysipelas was the face (80.6%) and that of cellulitis was the lower extremity (64.9%). Culture studies have been done in 31.9% (46/144) of patients with erysipelas, and 41.1% (302/735) with cellulites. Causative organisms were identified in 3 patients (2.1%) with erysipelas and 57 (7.8%) with cellulitis. Streptococcus pyogenes was isolated from two patients with erysipelas, and group G streptococcus from one. Staphylococcus aureus (44.0%) was the most common isolate in patients with cellulitis, followed by streptococci (27.1%), Enteobateriaceae (11.9%), and Vibrio species (6.8%). First-generation cephalosporin was the most commonly used antimicrobial agent in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: beta-hemolytic streptococcus and S. aureus were the most common causative organisms of patients with erysipelas and cellulitis.
Cellulitis ; Communicable Diseases ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Erysipelas ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Streptococcus ; Streptococcus pyogenes ; Vibrio

OBJECTIVES: We estimated the population prevalence of antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), including unreported infections, through a Korea Seroprevalence Study of Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Retention and Transmission (K-SEROSMART) in 258 communities throughout Korea. METHODS: In August 2022, a survey was conducted among 10,000 household members aged 5 years and older, in households selected through two stage probability random sampling. During face-to-face household interviews, participants self-reported their health status, COVID-19 diagnosis and vaccination history, and general characteristics. Subsequently, participants visited a community health center or medical clinic for blood sampling. Blood samples were analyzed for the presence of antibodies to spike proteins (anti-S) and antibodies to nucleocapsid proteins (anti-N) SARS-CoV-2 proteins using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. To estimate the population prevalence, the PROC SURVEYMEANS statistical procedure was employed, with weighting to reflect demographic data from July 2022. RESULTS: In total, 9,945 individuals from 5,041 households were surveyed across 258 communities, representing all basic local governments in Korea. The overall population-adjusted prevalence rates of anti-S and anti-N were 97.6% and 57.1%, respectively. Since the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency has reported a cumulative incidence of confirmed cases of 37.8% through July 31, 2022, the proportion of unreported infections among all COVID-19 infection was suggested to be 33.9%. CONCLUSIONS The K-SEROSMART represents the first nationwide, community-based seroepidemiologic survey of COVID-19, confirming that most individuals possess antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and that a significant number of unreported cases existed. Furthermore, this study lays the foundation for a surveillance system to continuously monitor transmission at the community level and the response to COVID-19.