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.

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

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

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

PURPOSE: To evaluate protective mechanism of melatonin against radiation damage and its relationship with apoptosis in mouse jejunum. MATERIALS AND METHODS:' 168 mice were divided into 28 groups according to radiation dose and melatonin treatment. To analysis crypt survival, microcolony survival assay was done according to Withers an (l Elkind's method. To analysis apoptosis, TUNEL assay was done according to Labet-Moleur's method. RESULTS: Radiation protection effect of melatonin was demonstrated by crypt survival assay and its effect was stronger in high radiation dose area. Apoptosis index with 8 Gy irradiation was 18.4% in control group and 16.5% in melatonin treated group. After 18 Gy, apoptosis index was 17.2% in control group and 15.4% in melatonin treated group. Apoptosis index did not show statistically significant difference between melatonin treated group and control group. CONCLUSION: Melatonin shows clear protective effect in mouse jejunum against radiation damage but it.', protective effect seems not to be related with apoptosis protection effect.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Cell Survival* ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Jejunum ; Melatonin* ; Mice* ; Radiation Protection

Normal micturition is usually accomplished by 3 years of age. We have experienced micturition dysfunction in neurologically and anatomically normal children, but we are embarrassed in identifying the exact cause of each case and searching for the treatment modalities. I thought there was a possibility of lower urinary tract dysfunction as an evoking factor of micturition dysfunction and so I conducted urodynamic study in neurologically and anatomically normal children with micturition dysfunction at Yonsei University Hospital from April, 1984 till December, 1986 and have come to the conclusion as follows ; 1. There was normal urodynamic findings in 9 cases(26.5%) and single abnormal findings in 18 cases(52.9%) which were composed of 6 cases(17.6%) of unstable bladder findings, 2 cases(5.9%) of hypersensitive bladder, 9 cases(26.5%) of high maximum urethral closure pressure and 1 case(2.9%) of detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia and combined abnormal findings in 7 cases(20.6%). High maximum urethral closure pressure finding, which was main abnormal one were found in 13 cases(38.2%), while unstable bladder in 12 cases(35.3%) among 34 children with micturition dysfunction. 2. Among the urodynamic parameters under anesthetic or awaken state, only the mean value of percentage of bladder capacity to normal was significantly higher in anesthetic group than awaken group. 3. Among the urodynamic parameters according to single symptom, all(percentage of bladder capacity to normal, maximum urethral closure pressure) were lower in incontinent group and maximum urethral closure pressure was higher in frequency group, but these differences were not statistically significant. 4. The satisfactory result of conservative treatment was found in 25 cases(73.5%), and was better in the group with single abnormal finding than with combined abnormal finding. In conclusion, the urodynamic study is essential to get the diagnosis and give the treatment accurately, but there should be more technical improvement doing in pediatric age group.
Ataxia ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Tract ; Urination* ; Urodynamics*

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

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

In order to evaluate the confounding factors of neurobehavioral tests and the neurobehavioral effects in the workers exposed to organic solvents, NCTB was carried out on 100 workers. 46 workers had never been exposed to neurotoxic substances, and the others were being exposed to the solvents, mainly toluene. Simple reaction time, digit symbol, Santa Ana dexterity test and persuit aiming were different with age in non exposure group. Simple reaction time was carried out well in males, and digit symbol and persuit aiming were in females. There was no difference at educational level when the subject was educated over 12 years. Santa Ana dexterity and Benton visual test differed according to exposure level to toluene, however simple reaction time didn't. The acute neurotoxic effect was not excluded in this study. But, NCTB could be used to evaluate and prevent neurobehavioral changes in workers exposed to neurotoxic solvents in Korea.
Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Reaction Time ; Solvents* ; Toluene

No abstract available.