OBJECTIVES: The authors developed computerized cognitive function test system for Korean adults for the reliable and valid assessment of the cognitive function. This study was conducted to explore the areas of the cognitive functions of the newly developed system and to provide clinical guidelines for the interpretation of the results by the test system. METHODS: The computerized cognitive function test system was developed through several steps of preliminary application and corrections. The reliability and the validity were also tested. Factor analysis was applied to explore the areas of the cognitive functions from the data of 150 Korean adults, age 20 to 50, whose educational levels were higher than high school graduate. RESULTS: The attention tests evaluated auditory and visual sustained attention, attentional control, and information processing speed. The memory tests consisted of immediate memory, working memory, and auditory and visual learning abilities. Higher cortical function tests evaluated different areas by each test. The total system mainly evaluated attention maintenance, information processing speed, working memory, learning abilities, abstract thinking abilities, and mental flexibilities. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically applicable computerized cognitive function test battery with high reliability and validity were developed. The factor analysis showed that it assessed most of the major cognitive areas, except language and sensorimotor coordination. Future effort is requested to develop tests which can evaluate the cognitive areas omitted in the currest system.
Adult* ; Automatic Data Processing ; Cognition ; Factor Analysis, Statistical* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Learning ; Memory ; Memory, Short-Term ; Reproducibility of Results ; Thinking

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to investigate in detail the xenograft mouse orthotopic lung cancer model induced by PC14PE6 adenocarcinoma cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three cell doses (0.5x10(6); 1x10(6); 2x10(6)) of PC14PE6 cells were injected into the lungs of male BALB/c nude mice by the intrathoracic injection method. The lung and other organs, including brain, liver, spleen, kidney, muscle, adrenal gland, and lymph node on knee, were removed and stained with H/E to detect the presence of tumor cells. RESULTS: The reliable tumorigenicity time in the PC14PE6 adenocarcinoma cell-inoculated BALB/c nude mouse was 10 days after intrathoracic injection. The average life span of the three groups after inoculation was 14 days in the 2x10(6) cells inoculum group; 25 days in the 1x10(6) cells inoculum group; and 32 days in the 0.5x10(6) cells inoculum group. The PC14PE6 adenocarcinoma cells induced orthotopic lung cancer limited within the thorax. CONCLUSIONS: This orthotopic lung cancer model is an efficient cancer model with easy inoculation methods, rapid and high tumorigenicity, and simple monitoring methods for metastasis.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adrenal Glands ; Animals ; Brain ; Heterografts ; Humans ; Kidney ; Knee ; Liver ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Mice* ; Mice, Nude ; Models, Animal ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Spleen ; Thorax

Purpose: High-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is the standard management for relapsed or high-risk non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). We reported the busulfan, melphalan, and etoposide (BuME) conditioning regimen was effective in patients with relapsed or high-risk NHL. Moreover, the busulfan, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide (BuCE) conditioning regimen has been used widely in ASCT for NHL. Therefore, based on these encouraging results, this randomized phase II multicenter trial compared the outcomes of BuME and BuCE as conditioning therapies for ASCT in patients with NHL. Materials and Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to receive either BuME (n=36) or BuCE (n=39). The BuME regimen was comprised of busulfan (3.2 mg/kg/day, intravenously) administered on days –7, –6, and –5, etoposide (400 mg/m2 intravenously) on days –5 and –4, and melphalan (50 mg/m2/day intravenously) on days –3 and –2. The BuCE regimen was comprised of busulfan (3.2 mg/kg/day intravenously) on days –7, –6, and –5, etoposide (400 mg/m2/day intravenously) on days –5 and –4, and cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg/day intravenously) on days –3 and –2. The primary endpoint was 2-year progression-free survival (PFS). Results: Seventy-five patients were enrolled. Eleven patients (30.5%) in the BuME group and 13 patients (33.3%) in the BuCE group had disease progression or died. The 2-year PFS rate was 65.4% in the BuME group and 60.6% in the BuCE group (p=0.746). There were no non-relapse mortalities within 100 days after transplantation. Conclusion There were no significant differences in PFS between the two groups. Therefore, busulfan-based conditioning regimens, BuME and BuCE, may be important treatment substitutes for the BCNU-containing regimens.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the survival rate, local failure rate and patterns of failure, and analyze the prognostic factors affecting local relapse of ductal carcinoma in situ treated with breast conserving surgery and radiotherapy Materials and Methods: From June 1995 to December 2001, 96 patients with ductal carcinoma in situ treated with breast conserving surgery and radiotherapy were retrospectively analyzed. The operations were either local or wide excision in all patients, with an axillary lymph node dissection performed in some patients. Radiation dose to the whole breast was 50.4 Gy, over 5 weeks, with 1.8 Gy daily fractions, with additional doses (10~14 Gy) administered to the primary tumor bed in some patients with close (< or =2 mm) or positive resection margin. The median follow-up period was 43 months (range 12~102 months). RESULTS: The 5-year local relapse free survival and overall survival rates were 91 and 100% respectively. Local relapse occurred in 6 patients (6.3%). Of the 6 recurrences, one was invasive ductal cell carcinoma. With the exception of one, all patients recurred 2 years after surgery. There was no regional recurrence or distant metastasis. Five patients with local recurrence were salvaged with total mastectomy, and are alive with no evidence of disease. One patient with recurrent invasive ductal cell carcinoma will receive salvage treatment. On analysis of the prognostic factors affecting local relapse, none of the factors among the age, status of resection margin, comedo type and nuclear grade affected local relapse. Operation extent also did not affect local control (p=0.30). In the patients with close resection margin, boost irradiation to the primary tumor bed did not affect local control (p=1.0). CONCLUSIONS: The survival rate and local control of the patients with ductal carcinoma in situ treated with breast conserving surgery and radiotherapy were excellent. Close resection margin and boost irradiation to the primary tumor bed did not affect local relapse, but further follow-up with much more patients is needed.
Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal* ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Mastectomy, Segmental* ; Mastectomy, Simple ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Radiotherapy* ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome*

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary artery banding (PAB)in the functional univentricular heart (UVH)is a palliative procedure for staging toward the Fontan procedure;however,it is known to be a risk factor. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The records of all 37 patients with functional UVHs who underwent surgical palliation using PAB between September 1989 and August 1999 were reviewed retrospectively.We investigated the aortic arch obstruction,the development and progression of subaortic stenosis after PAB,and risk factor of mortality according to surgical method. RESULT: In 37 neonates and infants with single ventricular physiology,aortic arch obstruction was combined in 7.There were 6 early deaths (16.2%)after PAB and 3 late deaths (8.1%)after Fontan operation.The actuarial overall survival including early mortality at 3 and 5 years were 8 0 .7+/-6.6%,72.2 +/-8.2% respectively. Among 31 patients who survived PAB,27 patients (87.1%)could become candidates for Fontan operation;22 patients(71.0%)completed Fontan operation with 3 deaths and 5 were waiting bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt(BCPS)or Fontan operation (follow-up mean 4.5 year,minimal 2 year). Subaortic stenosis developed in 8 patients after PAB (8/29,27.6%);3 cases in the patients without arch anomaly (3/22,13.6%)and 5 in those with arch anomal y (5/7,71.4%).The subaortic stenosis was managed with Damus-Kaye-Stansel procedure (DKS)in 6 patients without operative mortality and conal septum resection in 2 without long-term survivor. Analysis of risk factors established that aortic arch obstruction was strongly associated with subaortic stenosis (p<0.001).The only risk factor of late mortality was Fontan procedure without staged palliation by BCPS (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: PAB is effective as an initial palliative step in functional UVH.And the high risk group of patients with aortic obstruction can undergo effective short-term PAB as an initial palliative step,with subsequent DKS for subaortic stenosis.This strategy,initial PAB and careful surveillance,and early relief of subaortic stenosis can maintain acceptable anatomy and hemodynamics for later Fontan procedures.
Aorta, Thoracic ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Fontan Procedure ; Heart* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Mortality ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Risk Factors ; Survivors