No abstract available.
Cisplatin* ; Drug Therapy, Combination* ; Fluorouracil* ; Stomach Neoplasms*

Nineteen patients (twenty knees) with degenerative arthritis of knee treated by arthroscopic curettage were reviewed. Of the nineteen patients, there were eighteen females and one male ranging in age from 49 to 68 years (mean, 57 years). The mean follow up period was 18.2 months (range, 12 months to 21 months). Simple standing roentgenorgram and 99m-Tc bone scintigraphy were used to select the patients with medial compartment involvement only, less than 5 degree of varus deformity and sparing of patello-femoral joint. Knee scoring by Hospital for Special Surgery Formula showed improvement from the preoperative average 68 points to postoperative average 89.6 points (21.6 points increase) and 84.1 points (16.1 points increase) at 6 months and one year respectively. Arthroscopic curettage of knee, if done early in degenerative arthritis, not only can shorten hospital days and immobilization period but also can defer other major surgical treatments by promoting natural healing process and symptomatic relief.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Curettage ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Joints ; Knee ; Male ; Osteoarthritis ; Radionuclide Imaging

Congenital pericardial defect is relatively rare and two different types, partial and complete, of different clinical significance have been recognized. Most reported defects are complete type and left-sided lesion. Most patients are asymptomatic or complain of vague chest pain. Partial pericardial defect can be potentially fatal due to cardiac herniation and strangulation or coronary insufficiency. Plain chest reontgenography shows abnormal prominence along the cardiac border. 2-D echocardiography demonstrates a drop-off of pericardial echo and protruding cardiac chamber through the defect. Because of the potential fatality, surgical repair is recommended for the partial pericardial defect. We report a case of congenital partial left pericardial defect, which was diagnosed by plain chest reontgenography and 2-D echocardiography, with related literatures.
Chest Pain ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Thorax

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of wrist position on the ulnar nerve conduction velocity. METHOD: Ulnar motor nerve conduction studies were performed bilaterally in twenty healthy adult volunteers. For each limb, nerve conduction study was carried out in two different positions. In the first position, shoulder were abducted, elbow and wrist flexed to 90o. For the second position, all joints were kept constant except for the wrist where it was extended. Routine conduction study was performed in both wrist positions. All data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The average conduction velocities in the wrist flexed position were 61.6 m/sec for the forearm segment and 62.3 m/sec across elbow. With the wrist extended, the average was 62.6 m/sec and 64.1 m/sec, respectively. The differences in conduction velocities between two different wrist positions were statistically significant (p<0.05). In the wrist flexed position, the average measured latencies were 2.3 msec with wrist, 5.4 msec below elbow, and 7.4 msec above elbow stimulation, compared to wrist extended which showed 2.4, 5.4 and 7.2 msec, respectively. The difference of latencies at wrist between the two wrist positions was statistically significant (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The authors conclude that wrist position affect ulnar nerve conduction velocity.
Adult ; Elbow ; Extremities ; Forearm ; Humans ; Joints ; Neural Conduction ; Shoulder ; Ulnar Nerve* ; Volunteers ; Wrist*

BACKGROUND: Galectin-1 (Gal-1) is a member of the galectin family of proteins, which are carbohydrate-binding proteins with an affinity for beta-galactosides. Gal-1 is differentially expressed by various normal and pathological tissues and it performs polyvalent, wide-ranging biological activities. A Gal-1 expression or over-expression in tumors and/or in the tissue surrounding them must be considered as a sign of malignant tumor progression that is often related to tumor metastasis. Although Gal-1 also plays important roles for tumorigenesis and tumor progression, the expression of Gal-1 in melanocytic nevus, dysplastic nevus and malgant melanoma has not yet been investigated. OBJECTIVE: We wanted to investigate and compare the expression of Gal-1 in melanocytic nevus, dysplastic nevusand malignant melanoma. METHODS: The paraffin-embedded specimens of 9 cases of malignant melanoma (MM), 6 cases of dysplastic nevus (DN) and 6 cases of intradermal nevus (IN) were subjected to immunohistochemical staining for Gal-1. RESULTS: The percentage of positive cells for Gal-1 in the MM was significantly higher than that of the DN and IN (p<0.01). The staining intensity of the positive cells for Gal-1 was the highest also in the MM. Meanwhile Gal-1 was more strongly expressed in highly atypical (more pleomorphic, more atypical mitoses) areas of the melanoma tissues. But there was no significant difference between the DN and IN for the expression of Gal-1. LIMITATION: This study is restricted to a small number of patients. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that Gal-1 is more strongly expressed in malignant melanoma than in melanocytic nevus and dysplastic nevus. Interestingly, Gal-1 was more strongly expressed in the highly atypical portions of the melanoma tissue. Gal-1 might well contribute to the tumorigenesis and malignancy of melanocytes.
Benzamides ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; Dysplastic Nevus Syndrome ; Galectin 1 ; Galectins ; Humans ; Melanoma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nevus, Intradermal ; Nevus, Pigmented ; Proteins ; Tyrosine

We report a case of Neurofibromatosis in a 19-year-old male who showed a pinkish atrophic patch on the back. He presented with multiple caf au lait macules, neurofibromas and axillary freckling. Cervical and thoracic spine X-ray revealed wedge-shaped bony deformities due to neurogenic tumor involving the vertebral foramina. Histopathologic examination demonstrated dilated vessels in the papillary dermis, decreased collagen in the reticular dermis and entrapped eccrine gland. This case suggests pseudoatrophic macule should be regarded to be a rare cut manifestation in neurofibromatosis. To our best knowledge, this is the first report in korea to show atrophic patch in neurofibromatosis.
Collagen ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Dermis ; Eccrine Glands ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Neurofibroma ; Neurofibromatoses* ; Spine ; Young Adult

Central serous chorioretinopathy is a disease which causes decreased visual acuity and functional disturbance. As the subretinal fluid is absorbed, the visual acuity is improved but patient's complaint such as metamorphosia is remained. To assess the recovery of visual functional disturbance in response to absorption of the fluid, the hue discrimination and contrast sensitivity were tested in central serous retinopathy patients (N=30) at the first visit, first visit after the absorption of subretinal fluid, and final visit. At the first visit, there were stastically significant differences in the mean square root of total error score, blue-yellow and red-green partial error score between normal control group and central serous retinopathy group and stastically significant differences in all spatial frequency between normal group and central serous retinopathy group. First visit after the absorption of subretinal fluid, and final visit, there were stastically significant differences in the mean square root of total error score, blue-yellow and red-green partial error score between normal control group and central serous retinopathy group and stastically significant differences in mid-high spatial frequency between normal group and central serous retinopathy group.
Absorption ; Central Serous Chorioretinopathy* ; Contrast Sensitivity* ; Discrimination (Psychology)* ; Humans ; Subretinal Fluid ; Visual Acuity

Pleomorphic (undifferentated) carcinoma is a rare histologic type of carcinomas of the gallbladder and an atypical carcinoid is thought to be an intermediated type between carcinoid tumor and small cell carcinoma. Dense core "neurosecretory" granules can be found in the above mentioned tumors. We experienced a case of a double tumor of the gallbladder in a 51-year old male patient. Grossly, a large solid mass, about 5.0 cm in diameter, was found in the fundic portion and the neck portion also had a small 1.5 cm-sized polypoid mass. Microscopically, these lesions had features of pleomorphic carcinoma and atypical carcinoid, respectively. Immunohistochemically, they manifested reactivity for neuron specific enolase. Ultrastructural study revealed neurosecretory granules in the cytoplasms of tumor cells of the fundic and neck masses. Although light microscopic features of these tumor masses are quite different, we consider that these tumors represent a spectrum of neuroendocrine differentiation.
Male ; Humans

Agnogenic myeloid metaplasia (AMM) is a myeloproliferative disorder characterized by leukoerythroblastosis, tear-drop erythrocytes, extramedullary hematopoiesis with hepatosplenomegaly, and varying degrees of myelofibrosis. The mean age at presentation is about 60 years, and pediatric cases are rare. We experienced a case of AMM in a 9 months old female who was presented with pallor, huge splenomegaly and intermittent fever. Peripheral blood showed leukoerythroblastosis poikilocytosis, and tear drop cells. Bone marrow was difficult to aspirate, and biopsy specimen showed increased reticulin with decreased cellularity, which was compatible with myelofibrosis. We presented a case of AMM with brief review of the literatures.
Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Fever ; Hematopoiesis, Extramedullary ; Humans ; Infant ; Myeloproliferative Disorders ; Pallor ; Primary Myelofibrosis* ; Reticulin ; Splenomegaly

PURPOSE: To characterize strain-specific differences in radiation response in murine tissues with different radiosensitivity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six-week old male mice of 2 strains, C57Bl/6J and C3H/HeJ, were given whole body gamma-radiation with a single dose of 10 or 25 Gy. At different times after irradiation, mice were killed and tissues with different radiosensitivity, thymus and liver, were collected. Each tissue sample was stained with hematoxylin and eosin and apoptotic cells were scored. Expression of p53, Bcl-2, Bcl-x, and Bax was analysed by western blotting and densitometry. RESULTS: Radiation induced massive apoptosis in thymus with a peak level at 8 h after radiation. With 10 Gy irradiation, apoptotic indices in C57Bl/6J and C3H/HeJ were 81.0 2.5% and 59.4 4.0%, respectively (p<0.05). Radiation upregulated the expression of p53, Bcl-x, and Bax, but not Bcl-2; p53 with a peak level of 2.5 fold (C57Bl/6J) and 1.4 fold (C3H/HeJ) at 4 h, Bax with a peak level of 2.6 fold (C57Bl/6J) and 1.3 fold (C3H/HeJ) at 8 h, and Bcl-x with a peak level of 11.1 fold (C57Bl/6J) and 8.2 fold (C3H/HeJ) at 8 h after radiation. In liver, however, radiation-induced apoptosis was minimal (peak apoptotic index of 2.1% in C57Bl/6J and 1.7% in C3H/HeJ). None of p53, Bcl-2, Bcl-x, and Bax was significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: Induction of apoptosis and regulation of related genes by radiation were tissue specific. Strain difference of radiation-induced apoptosis was well coupled with theinduction of related genes in thymus, a radiosensitive tissue. This study shows that quantitative difference of radiation induced apoptosis by strain is regulated at the gene level with the involvement of multiple genes.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Blotting, Western ; Densitometry ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Hematoxylin ; Humans ; Liver ; Male ; Mice ; Radiation Tolerance ; Thymus Gland