Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma is histologically characterized by marked cellular pleomorphism of lipid-laden neoplastic astrocytes and bizarre giant cells showing mitotic figures and high cellularity. Inspite of its ominous-looking microscopic features, howerver, the prognosis is usually favorable. This tumor develops mainly in the supratentorial area of young people and frequently involves the leptomeninges. We experienced a case of pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma in 18 year-old-male. In addition to the cellular pleomophism, the prominent reticulin fibers surround the individual tumor cells or the tumor cells nests. Immunohistochemical staining and electron microscopy revealed glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) expression and pericytoplasmic basal lamina in the tumor cells.

A 20-year-old female, who had been treated with topical PUVA therapy for her vitiligo, developed characteristic skin lesions of disseminated superficial artiric porokeratosis(DSAP). All of her three sisters had vitiligo and had been treated with topica PUVA, hut only one developed DSAP lesion. Her mother had had DSAP lesions on expcsec areas for 20 years. DSAP shows an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance, and is charaterized by multiple ciark brownish keratotic papaules surrounded by slightly elevatied order. The exacerbation of the lesion by exposure t.o UV lignt indicates that the regulatingene for DSAP is related to sunlight. 1-lerein we reported a case of DSAP induced by topica] PUVA therapy in one patient during management of familial vitiligo in 3 sisters.
Female ; Humans ; Mothers ; Porokeratosis* ; PUVA Therapy ; Siblings ; Skin ; Sunlight ; Vitiligo* ; Wills ; Young Adult

Meningioma is the most common neoplasm of central nervous system which is hardly diagnosed by cytologic examination. However, preoperative cytologic diagnosis can be easily made in the case of extracranial meningioma, especially in head and neck lesion. We recently experienced a case of fine needle aspiration cytology of meningioma in submandibular area of a 24 year-old male patient. The smear revealed high cellularity in the clean background. Individual tumor cell of nests or syncytium had round or oval nuclei with fine chromatin and moderate amount of lightly stained cytoplasm with indistinct mar- gin. Characteristic cellular whorls, intranuclear inclusions and scattered psammoma bodies made it easy to diagnose a meningioma.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; Central Nervous System ; Chromatin ; Cytoplasm ; Diagnosis ; Fanconi Syndrome* ; Giant Cells ; Head ; Humans ; Intranuclear Inclusion Bodies ; Male ; Meningioma ; Neck ; Salivary Glands ; Young Adult

Results of 170 total knee arthroplasties(TKAs) performed from 1986 to 1995, followed up for at least one year, were reviewed. Lateral retinacular release was performed in 76 knees(45%) and not performed in 94 knees(55%). We compared the results of TKAs combined with lateral retinacular release with those without lateral retinacular release. The clinical results of TKAs were evaluated by the Knee Scoring System of Hospital for Special Surgery(HSS). The average follow-up period was 34 months. The clinical results assessed by HSS score, pain score and range of motion improved postoperatively in both groups, but there was no significant difference between the two groups. There were 8(4.7%) with patellar subluxations in 170 TKAs, one(1.3%) in the group with lateral retinacular release and 7(7.5%) in the group without lateral retinacular release(t-test; p<0.05). Analysis of lateral tilt of patella on roentgenographs also showed a significant difference between the two groups. 7 knees(9.2%) with lateral tilt were observed in the group with lateral retinacular release and 22 knees(23.4%) with lateral tilt in the group without lateral retinacular release(t-test; p<0.05). There was no osteonecrosis or fracture of patella in either group. In summary, lateral retinacular release might improve the patellar tracking and lower the incidence of patellar subluxation and lateral tilt of patella. Lateral retinacular release alone did not seem to cause patellar osteonecrosis and subsequent patellar fracture which were detectable in plain roentgenographs. So, we suggest that lateral retinacular release can be performed without great risk of potential patellar complications in TKAs requiring lateral retinacular release for proper patellar tracking.
Arthroplasty* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Incidence ; Knee* ; Osteonecrosis ; Patella ; Range of Motion, Articular

Characterizations of the VP4 (P type) and VP7 (G type) genes of Korean isolates of bovine rotavirus were performed using RT-PCR/RFLP and nucleotide sequencing analysis. After RT-PCR amplification of partial length (1094bp) of the VP4 and full length (1062bp) of the VP7 genes, amplified PCR products were digested with restriction endonucleases and digestion patterns were compared with those of reference rotaviruses. With the VP4 genes, four RFLP (AD) profiles were observed; three (A, B and C) were the same as those of bovine rotavirus NCDV (P[1]), IND (P[5]) and B223 (P[11]), respectively, Profile D was the same as that of porcine rotavirus OSU (p[7]). With the VP7 genes, five RFLP profiles (I-V) were observed; three of them (1, II and III) were the same as those of bovine rotavirus NCDV (G6), Cody I-801 (G8), and B223 (G10), respectively, Profile IV and V were atypical to those of reference bovine rotaviruses used in this study. These two profiles were identified as G6 and G5, respectively, after analyzing and comparing the nucleotide sequences. The G typing analysis revealed that 61.9% (26/42) were G6, which included G6 subtype; 28.6% (12/42) were G5; 7.1% (3/42) were G10; 2.4% (1/42) were G8. The P typing analysis revealed that 54.8% (23/42) were P(5); 28.6% (12/42) were P(7); 11.8% (5/42) were P(11); 4.8% (2/42) were P(1). Our results showed that G6/P(5) were the most prevalent rotaviruses in diarrheic calves in Korea. Also, this is the first report that G5P(7) rotaviruses were identified from cattle with diarrhea.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Cattle ; Diarrhea ; Digestion ; DNA Restriction Enzymes ; Korea ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length* ; Rotavirus*

Lovastatin, a competitive inhibitor of the rate limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis was administered to 34 patients with primary hypertlipidemia, 20 mg once daily with the evening meal. Patients experienced mean total and LDL cholesterol reductions of 30.9% and 34.0% respectively. HDL cholesterol level was significantly increased by 15.4% and plasma triglyceride level was decreased by 11.2%. maximal hypocholesterolemic effects were evident at 8 weeks, after which the effects were stable. Adverse effects were noted in 2 patients who had mild gastrointestinal symptoms, that subsided after discontinuing the drug. We concluded that lovastatin is a well tolerated and effective agent for the treatment of primary hyperlipidemia.
Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias* ; Lovastatin ; Meals ; Plasma* ; Triglycerides

Measurements of mitral flow velocity by pulsed Doppler echocardiography are very useful in evaluating left ventricular diastolic filling properties. In hypertensive patients, abnormalities of diastolic function may precede systolic abnormalities and may serve as a more sensitive marker of end organ damage. We estimated left ventricular nass by 2-D echo short axis area-length method and compared with peak mitral flow velocity in early diastole(PFVE)and during atrial systolic(PFVA). There was a significant increase of LV mass and LV mass indices in the hypertensive patients and PFVE/PFVA ratio was decreased in them. Aithough there was no relationship between blood pressure and PFVE/PFVA ratio, a significant relationship was demonstrated between LV mass index and PFVE/PFVA ratio in the hypertensive patients.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Blood Pressure ; Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed ; Humans

No abstract available.
Dimethylformamide* ; Liver Diseases* ; Liver*

OBJECTIVE: The accuracy of analytical results of blood and urine heavy metals came out to the main issue on occupational health from late eighties. The discrepancy of the results for same samples from different laboratories made the diagnosis for occupational diseases be unreliable. Therefore, a quality control program for analysis of samples taken from workplace had been introduced in Korea since 1992. This study aims to show the quality control program f'or analysis of blood and urine samples and its proficient rates from 1992 to 1999 and to know how they have been being used in occupational health. METHODS: The quality control program runs twice a year with mandatory items of blood lead and urine hippuvic acid and voluntary items of blood cadmium and manganese and urine mandellic acid and methyl hippuric acid. Participant laboratories are receiving three levels for each items and two out of three samples have to be qualified for being a proficient laboratory for the item. The acceptable range of blood lead and urine hippuric acid is +/-15% and that of the others is within 3 SD(standard deviation) from the reference values. RESULTS: The proficient rates of blood lead and urine hippuric acid was 89%, 90%, repectively, however those of the other voluntary items have been from 51% to 62%. The proficient rates of urine mercury and urine N-methylformamide(NMF), which are introduced since 1999, were very poor. Urine hippuric acid and blood lead were analyzed frequently for the purpose of biological monitoring conducting by special health examination organizations. Urine and blood manganese and urine metabolites of trichloroethylene, urine phenol, methylhippuric acid and cadmium were followed. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the quality control program for biological monitoring has dramatically improve the ability of analysing blood and urine samples and eventually contributes to diagnose occupational diseases and to prevent occupational poisoning. However, some biological monitoring data, such as urine manganese, mercury and NMF, have been still reported from laboratories that were not accepted as a proficient laboratory.
Cadmium ; Diagnosis ; Environmental Monitoring ; Korea ; Manganese ; Metals, Heavy ; Occupational Diseases ; Occupational Health ; Phenol ; Poisoning ; Quality Control ; Reference Values ; Trichloroethylene

No abstract available.