No abstract available.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast*

A ‘collision’ tumor refers to the existence of two different neoplasms within the same tumor. Sometimes, the term ‘biphasic tumor’ is also used. However, a ‘collision’ tumor is defined as the occurrence of two neoplasms within proximity of each other yet maintaining distinctly defined, separate boundaries. In contrast, a ‘biphasic’ tumor demonstrates two or more phenotypically distinct neoplastic cell populations merging within the same space. Here, we report a case of collision tumor associated with sarcomatoid eccrine porocarcinoma and basal cell carcinoma arising in a 57-year-old male patient.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Eccrine Porocarcinoma* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Autoimmune diseases (AIDs), a heterogeneous group of immune-mediated disorders, are a major and growing health problem. Although AIDs are currently treated primarily with anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs, the use of stem cell transplantation in patients with AIDs is becoming increasingly common. However, stem cell transplantation therapy has limitations, including a shortage of available stem cells and immune rejection of cells from nonautologous sources. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology, which allows the generation of patient-specific pluripotent stem cells, could offer an alternative source for clinical applications of stem cell therapies in AID patients. We used nonintegrating oriP/EBNA-1-based episomal vectors to reprogram dermal fibroblasts from patients with AIDs such as ankylosing spondylitis (AS), Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The pluripotency and multilineage differentiation capacity of each patient-specific iPSC line was validated. The safety of these iPSCs for use in stem cell transplantation is indicated by the fact that all AID-specific iPSCs are integrated transgene free. Finally, all AID-specific iPSCs derived in this study could be differentiated into cells of hematopoietic and mesenchymal lineages in vitro as shown by flow cytometric analysis and induction of terminal differentiation potential. Our results demonstrate the successful generation of integration-free iPSCs from patients with AS, SS and SLE. These findings support the possibility of using iPSC technology in autologous and allogeneic cell replacement therapy for various AIDs, including AS, SS and SLE.
Autoimmune Diseases* ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells* ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Pluripotent Stem Cells ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Stem Cells ; Transgenes

The prenatal diagnosis of spina bifida includes the combined use of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) screening and fetal sonography. On ultrasonogram, spina bifida is characterizd by visualization of the spinal defect and associated cranial abnomalities: the Lemon sign, the Banana sign, ventriculomegaly, small biparietal diameter, and obliteration of the cisterna magna. We should now be able to rely on ultrasound as the main technique for diagnosis of spina bifida when MSAFP is elevated. Recently, we have experienced three cases of spina bifida diagnosed with meningomyelocele, lemon sign, banana sign and ventriculomegaly on ultrasonogram at respectively 18+3, 18, and 18+6 weeks of gestation. We present these cases with a brief review of literatures.
alpha-Fetoproteins ; Cisterna Magna ; Diagnosis ; Mass Screening ; Meningomyelocele ; Musa ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Spinal Dysraphism* ; Ultrasonography*

PURPOSE: The expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP- 2) by cancer cells has been implicated in metastasis through cancer cell invasion of the basement membranes mediated by a degradation of collagen IV. However, the MMP-2 proenzyme requires proteolytic activation for its physiologic or pathologic role. We tried to 1) compare expression and activation of MMP-2 in breast cancers with benign tumors, 2) determine the correlation between the actviation of MMP-2 in breast cancer and established prognostic factors, 3) observe whether MMP-2 is expressed and activated in axillary lymph nodes as well, and 4) determine the degree of correlation between MMP-2 activity in lymph nodes and metastatic status, if MMP-2 is expressed in lymph node. METHODS: The specimens came from 11 fibroadenomas, 32 invasive ductal carcinoma and 129 axillary lymph nodes from cancer cases. Pro-MMP-2 cDNA transfected MDA-MB-231 cells were cultured and the conditioned media from them was used for a control. Zymography was used to monitor MMP-2 activation through the detection of the inactive proenzyme form (72 kDa) and the active form (62 kDa). Immunohistochemical staining was also performed for the localization of MMP-2 expression in tissues. RESULTS: 1) 72 kDa was expressed in all fibroadenomas and cancers, while 62 kDa was expressed in only 10 cases of fibroadenomas and all cancers. MMP-2 activity (62 kDa/72 kDa +62 kDa) was significantly higher in cancers than in fibroadenomas (P=0.014). 2) MMP-2 activity in cancers was significantly correlated with nodal metastasis (P=0.040). 3) The expression of MMP-2 in lymph nodes was very low and MMP-2 activity was not correlated with metastatic status. However, the immunohistochemical staining showed different staining patterns between the metastatic and non-metastatic nodes. CONCLUSION: We suggest that a measurement of the activation of MMP-2 could be useful as a prognostic marker representing metastatic potential in breast cancer. However, the low expression of MMP-2 in lymph nodes is an interesting subject for further study.
Basement Membrane ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Collagen ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; DNA, Complementary ; Fibroadenoma ; Lymph Nodes ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2* ; Neoplasm Metastasis*

Osteogenesis imperfecta is a heterogeneous group of disorders that are characterized by connective tissue defects resulting in bone fragility, blue sclera, impaired hearing, defective dentition, and hyperlaxibility of the joints. The overall incidence of osteogenesis imperfecta is estimated at 1/25,000. We recently experienced a case of osteogenesis imperfecta type II diagnosed in uterus by ultrasonogram and confirmed after termination of pregnancy and autopsy. We report a case here with a brief review of the literature.
Autopsy ; Connective Tissue ; Dentition ; Diagnosis* ; Hearing ; Incidence ; Joints ; Osteogenesis Imperfecta* ; Osteogenesis* ; Pregnancy ; Sclera ; Ultrasonography* ; Uterus*

PURPOSE: The expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP- 2) by cancer cells has been implicated in metastasis through cancer cell invasion of the basement membranes mediated by a degradation of collagen IV. However, the MMP-2 proenzyme requires proteolytic activation for its physiologic or pathologic role. We tried to 1) compare expression and activation of MMP-2 in breast cancers with benign tumors, 2) determine the correlation between the actviation of MMP-2 in breast cancer and established prognostic factors, 3) observe whether MMP-2 is expressed and activated in axillary lymph nodes as well, and 4) determine the degree of correlation between MMP-2 activity in lymph nodes and metastatic status, if MMP-2 is expressed in lymph node. METHODS: The specimens came from 11 fibroadenomas, 32 invasive ductal carcinoma and 129 axillary lymph nodes from cancer cases. Pro-MMP-2 cDNA transfected MDA-MB-231 cells were cultured and the conditioned media from them was used for a control. Zymography was used to monitor MMP-2 activation through the detection of the inactive proenzyme form (72 kDa) and the active form (62 kDa). Immunohistochemical staining was also performed for the localization of MMP-2 expression in tissues. RESULTS: 1) 72 kDa was expressed in all fibroadenomas and cancers, while 62 kDa was expressed in only 10 cases of fibroadenomas and all cancers. MMP-2 activity (62 kDa/72 kDa +62 kDa) was significantly higher in cancers than in fibroadenomas (P=0.014). 2) MMP-2 activity in cancers was significantly correlated with nodal metastasis (P=0.040). 3) The expression of MMP-2 in lymph nodes was very low and MMP-2 activity was not correlated with metastatic status. However, the immunohistochemical staining showed different staining patterns between the metastatic and non-metastatic nodes. CONCLUSION: We suggest that a measurement of the activation of MMP-2 could be useful as a prognostic marker representing metastatic potential in breast cancer. However, the low expression of MMP-2 in lymph nodes is an interesting subject for further study.
Basement Membrane ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Collagen ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; DNA, Complementary ; Fibroadenoma ; Lymph Nodes ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2* ; Neoplasm Metastasis*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Scalp*

Low back pain is common during pregnancy and has been reported in as many as 56% of pregnant women.However, the incidence of symptomatic lumbar disc displacement in pregnancy is exceedingly rare, and anesthetic management is particularly important in such cases because the attending anesthesiologist and surgeon must consider the effects of the anesthesia, the patient's position, and surgery on the fetus.We administered an epidural anesthesia for percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy at 35 weeks of gestation with the patient in the prone position.The patient maintained an uneventful pregnancy and delivered a healthy baby at 38 weeks of gestation
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Epidural ; Back Pain ; Diskectomy ; Displacement (Psychology) ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pregnancy ; Prone Position

No abstract available.
Thyroid Diseases* ; Thyroid Gland*