Hepatoblastoma is a rare malignant liver tumor found in children. Its biological characteristics and prognostic factors have not been well known. We investigated 29 cases of hepatoblastoma, registered in university hospitals in Seoul from 1984 to 1996. By the immunohistochemical method, p53, Waf-1 (p21), bcl-2, heat shock protein 70 (hsp70), c-jun, transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) expressions were studied. Those data were compared with clinico-pathologic features; age, sex, tumor size, tumor stage and histologic subtypes. Expression of p53 and bcl-2 were each observed separately in single cases. Expression of c-jun was more frequently noted in patients at higher stages. Expression of TGF-alpha decreased in the order of pure fetal, mixed, embryonal and small cell anaplastic subtypes. Cumulative survival rate was lower in females than in males and in patients with a higher tumor stage. According to histologic subtypes, survival rates decreased in the order of pure fetal, mixed, embryonal and small cell anaplastic subtypes. Survival rate was lower in patients with c-jun expression. Group of TGF-alpha labelling index under 19 showed a lower survival rate than that over 19. In conclusion, we found that tumor associated proteins, c-jun and TGF-alpha, are closely related to the prognosis of hepatoblastoma but p53 and bcl-2 may not be related to it.
Child ; Female ; Hepatoblastoma* ; Hospitals, University ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; Humans ; Liver ; Male ; Population Characteristics ; Prognosis ; Seoul ; Survival Rate ; Transforming Growth Factor alpha

No abstract available.
Arthroplasty* ; Hip Joint* ; Hip*

Background and objectives: Carvedilol is a cardiovascular drug, beta- and alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist, currently approved for the treatment of hypertension, angina, congestive heart failure by FDA. Carvedilol has been shown to attenuate oxygen free radical-initiated lipid peroxidation and to inhibit neointimal formation of aorta following vascular injury by balloon angioplasty. We have investigated the effect of carvedilol on DNA synthesis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) stimulated by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Rat aortic smooth muscle cells were obtained by the combined collagenase and elastase methods. Cells between the 4th and 8th passages were used for the experiments. Incorporated radioactivity of [3H]-thymidine was measured by liquid scintillation spectrometry. RESULTS: PDGF-BB (1 nM) increased [3H]-thymidine incorporation about 70-100% over basal value in cultured VSMC. PDGF-stimulated increase in DNA synthesis was significantly suppressed by simultaneous administration of carvedilol. In contrast, propranolol did not significantly affect 3[H]-thymidine uptake in rat aortic VSMC. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrate that carvedilol significantly inhibits the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cell in our condition. These results indicate that carvedilol may be effective in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases principally associated with abnormal vascular smooth muscle growth.
Angioplasty, Balloon ; Animals ; Aorta ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cell Proliferation ; Collagenases ; DNA ; Heart Failure ; Hypertension ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Oxygen ; Pancreatic Elastase ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; Propranolol ; Radioactivity ; Rats ; Spectrum Analysis ; Vascular System Injuries

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to determine whether the corpus callosum is involved in pathophysiology of schizophrenia and measured corpus callosal areas of first episode, chronic schizophrenic patients and controls. METHODS: We obtained the brain magnetic resonance imaging of 23 schizophrenic inpatients(15 males, 8 females)and 23 controls(11 males, 12 females)with simple headache or dizziness. Among the schizophrenic group, first episode patients were 13, chronic patients were 10. In mid-sagittal plane, the corpus callosum was divided into 7 areas and the cerebral area was measured. This data was analyzed with NIH image 1.60 software. We compared the corpus callosal areas of schizophrenics with controls by t-test and by ANOVA according to sex. Thereafter, ANCOVA was performed with mid-sagittal cerebral area as covariant. Comparison of first episode, chronic schizophrenics and controls was carried out by MANCOVA that was adjusted with age and mid-sagittal cerebral area. RESULTS: The schizophrenics, compared with controls, had smaller corpus callosal areas except for the 3rd, 6th callosal area, but statistical significance was absent. According to sex, male schizophrenics had insignificantly smaller total callosal areas than male controls and female schizophrenics had larger ones. In comparision of first episode, chronic schizophrenic patients and controls, first episode patients had smaller every corpus callosal areas than chronic ones, chronic ones had larger total callosal area than controls and first episode ones had smaller total area than controls, but statistical significances were absent also. CONCLUSION: Our study did not reveal the structural abnormality of corpus callosum in schizophrenic patients, but many controversial results have been reported in other studies. This inter-study inconsistency could be explained by the hypotheses of not only clinical but also biological different phenotypes within the schizophrenia.
Brain ; Corpus Callosum ; Dizziness ; Female ; Headache ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Male ; Phenotype ; Schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and effect of ultrasound-guided ethyl alcohol injection on malleolar and olecranon synovial proliferative bursitis. METHODS: Twenty-four patients received ultrasound-guided 50% diluted ethyl alcohol injection at the site of synovial proliferative bursitis after aspiration of the free fluid. RESULTS: Swelling and symptoms significantly decreased in 13 of the 24 patients without any complications. Eleven patients had partial improvement in swelling and symptoms. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided alcohol injection could be an alternative therapeutic option before surgery in patients with chronic intractable malleolar and olecranon synovial proliferative bursitis.
Bursitis* ; Ethanol* ; Humans ; Olecranon Process* ; Pilot Projects* ; Prospective Studies* ; Synovial Membrane ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: To adapt to rapid and turbulent changes in the field of medicine, education, and society, medical school faculties need appropriate leadership. To develop leadership competencies through education, coaching, and mentoring, we need a leadership competency model. The purpose of this study was to develop a new leadership competency model that is suitable for medical school faculties in Korea. METHODS: To collect behavioral episodes with regard to leadership, we interviewed 54 subjects (faculties, residents, nurses) and surveyed 41 faculties with open-ended questionnaires. We classified the behavioral episodes based on Quinn and Cameron's leadership competency model and developed a Likert scale questionnaire to perform a confirmatory factor analysis. Two hundred seven medical school faculties responded to the questionnaire. RESULTS: The competency clusters that were identified by factor analysis were professionalism, citizenship, leadership, and membership to an organization. Accordingly, each cluster was linked with a dimension: self, society, team (that he/she is leading), and organization (to which he/she belongs). The clusters of competencies were: professional ability, ethics/morality, self-management, self-development, and passion; public interest, networking, social participation, and active service; motivating, caring, promoting teamwork, nurturing, conflict management, directing, performance management, and systems thinking; organizational orientation, collaboration, voluntary participation, and cost-benefit orientation. CONCLUSION: This competency model that fits medical school faculties in Korea can be used to design and develop selection plans, education programs, feedback tools, diagnostic evaluation tools, and career plan support programs.
Cooperative Behavior ; Humans ; Korea ; Leadership ; Mentors ; Orientation ; Schools, Medical ; Self Care ; Social Networking ; Societies, Medical ; Surveys and Questionnaires