p27Kip1 has been recognized as a negative regulator of cell cycle. Reduced level of p27 expression is associated with development and aggressiveness of several human tumors. To investigate the role of p27Kip1 on progression of colorectal adenocarcinoma, we studied 40 cases of human colorectal adenocarcinomas for expression of p27Kip1 protein using an immunohistochemical method, and compared these results with known prognostic parameters of colorectal adenocarcinoma. Among 40 cases of colorectal adenocarcinomas, p27Kip1 expression was detected in the nuclei of tumor cells in 14 cases (35%). The expression rate of p27Kip1 protein was significantly lower in the cases with lymph node metastasis (25.8%) than in those without lymph node metastasis (66.6%) (p<0.05). But it did not correlate with other parameters such as tumor size, histologic grade, vascular invasion, and Ki-67 labeling index. The results suggest that reduced expression of p27Kip1 protein plays a role in biologically aggressive behavior of colorectal adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Cell Cycle ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis

PURPOSE: Hands are the chief organs for physically manipulating the environment, using anywhere from the roughest motor skills to the finest, and since the fingertips contain some of the densest areas of nerve endings on the human body, they are continuously used organ with complex functions, and therefore, often gets injured. To prevent any functional loss, a detailed anatomical knowledge is required to have a perfect surgical treatment. Also it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of arrangements of the human extensor tendons and intertendinous connections when tenoplasty or tendon transfer is required. We performed a study of the arrangements of the human extensor tendons and the configuration of the intertendinous connections over the dorsum of the wrist and hand. METHODS: A total of 58 hands from Korean cadavers were dissected. The arrangements of extensor indicis proprius, extensor digitorum communis, and extensor digiti minimi tendons and intertendinous connections were studied. RESULTS: The most common distribution patterns of the extensor tendons of the fingers were as follows: a single extensor indicis proprius(EIP) tendon which inserted ulnar to the extensor digitorum-index(EDC-index); a single EDC-index; a single EDC-middle; a double EDC-ring; an absent EDC-little; a double extensor digiti minimi(EDM), a single EDC-index(98.3%), a single EDC-middle(62%), a double EDC-ring(50%), and an absent(65.5%) or a single (32.8%) EDC-little. A double(70.6%) EDM tendons were seen. Intertendinous connections were classified into 3 types: type 1 with thin filamentous type, type 2 with a thick filamentous type, and type 3 with a tendinous type subdivided to r shaped 3r type and y shaped 3y type. The most common patterns were type 1 in the 2nd intermetacarpal space, type 2 in the 3rd intermetacarpal space, and type 3r in the 4th intermetacarpal space. And in the present study, we observed one case of the extensor digitorum brevis manus(EDBM) on the boht side. CONCLUSION: A knowledge of both the usual and possible variations of the extensor tendon and the intertendinous connection is useful in the identification and repair of these structures.
Cadaver ; Fingers ; Hand ; Human Body ; Humans ; Motor Skills ; Nerve Endings ; Tendon Transfer ; Tendons ; Wrist

A case of thoracolumbar intrameduallary neurilemmoma diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging and treated surgically is presented. Published reports of these rare lesions and possible mechanisms of their origin are reviewed. Magnetic resonance imaging is better than myelography and computed tomography at delineating the intramedullary extent of the tumor. We belive that complete resection is the treatment of choice.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myelography ; Neurilemmoma*

A case of thoracolumbar intrameduallary neurilemmoma diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging and treated surgically is presented. Published reports of these rare lesions and possible mechanisms of their origin are reviewed. Magnetic resonance imaging is better than myelography and computed tomography at delineating the intramedullary extent of the tumor. We belive that complete resection is the treatment of choice.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myelography ; Neurilemmoma*

The mainstay of diagnosing scrub typhus is through serologic testing. However, because of the delay of several days from the onset of the illness to the increase in the antibody titer, diagnosis can be difficult in the early stage of the illness. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical usefulness of adenosine deaminase activity (ADA) in diagnosing scrub typhus. A total of 104 patients were enrolled during the study period. Of these patients, 59 patients were diagnosed with scrub typhus and the mean serum ADA level was 46.7+/-11.6 U/L. High serum ADA levels strongly supported the diagnosis of scrub typhus, especially in patient without eschar. The remaining 44 patients did not have scrub typhus and 95% (42/44) of them had normal serum ADA levels. Therefore, evaluating serum ADA level could help diagnose patients with acute febrile disease such as scrub typhus, especially in its early stage of disease progression.
Adenosine ; Adenosine Deaminase ; Disease Progression ; Humans ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; Scrub Typhus ; Serologic Tests

Amyloid goiter is a rare disease entity that is defined as a symptomatic mass or clinically detectable thyroid enlargement because of amyloid deposition. We present a case of amyloid goiter diagnosed in the fine needle aspiration cytology(FNAC) in a 73-year-old Korean woman presented with nephrotic syndrome and thyroid enlargement. The thyroid function was in normal range. Thyroid scan showed a nodule, 4x2 cm in the right lobe with underlying diffuse goiter. Aspirates revealed benign looking follicular cells and scattered eosinophilic material. The sections of the cell block showed nodular deposit of eosinophilic hyalinized material in the interfollicular area. It showed apple-green birefringence under polarization with Congo red stain. The renal biopsy also exhibited deposition of eosinophilic materials in the glomeruli and interstitial vascular wall, which were confirmed as amyloidosis. This material was morphologically distinct from the colloid.
Aged ; Amyloid* ; Amyloidosis ; Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Birefringence ; Colloids ; Congo Red ; Eosinophils ; Female ; Goiter* ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Plaque, Amyloid ; Rare Diseases ; Reference Values ; Thyroid Gland

The mainstay of diagnosing scrub typhus is through serologic testing. However, because of the delay of several days from the onset of the illness to the increase in the antibody titer, diagnosis can be difficult in the early stage of the illness. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical usefulness of adenosine deaminase activity (ADA) in diagnosing scrub typhus. A total of 104 patients were enrolled during the study period. Of these patients, 59 patients were diagnosed with scrub typhus and the mean serum ADA level was 46.7+/-11.6 U/L. High serum ADA levels strongly supported the diagnosis of scrub typhus, especially in patient without eschar. The remaining 44 patients did not have scrub typhus and 95% (42/44) of them had normal serum ADA levels. Therefore, evaluating serum ADA level could help diagnose patients with acute febrile disease such as scrub typhus, especially in its early stage of disease progression.
Adenosine ; Adenosine Deaminase ; Disease Progression ; Humans ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; Scrub Typhus ; Serologic Tests

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also called stress-induced cardiomyopathy, usually occurs in patients with severe emotional or physiologic stress. The prognosis is favorable, and the wall motion abnormlities normalize within weeks. However, stress-induced cardiomyopathy is rarely assosicated with left ventricular thrombus and thromboembolic complications. Here, we report a case of stress-induced cardiomyopathy with left ventricular thrombus that embolized to cause cerebral infarction.
Cardiomyopathies ; Cerebral Infarction ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy ; Thrombosis

Pseudoaneurysm due to cancer is uncommon generally and is extremely rare in lung cancer. We report two cases of false aneurysms due to lung cancer that spontaneously regressed upon chemotherapy without intervention. Both patients had squamous cell carcinoma of the lung and the diagnosis of a pseudoaneurysm was made using computed tomography. There was no evidence of severe bronchial hemorrhage and the psuedoaneurysms were small and well-encased. Chemotherapy was performed and the pseudoaneurysms resolved.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, False ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms

The present research was conducted through the research fund of Dankook University in 2006. Rectal recurrence of gastric cancer is uncommon. A few cases have been reported, with the majority of them associated with peritoneal recurrence. A 71-year-old man visited our hospital complaining of bowel habit changes and fecal incontinence. He had undergone radical subtotal gastrectomy and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer 9 years earlier. Colonoscopy showed a rigidly constricted and erythematous rectum. Abdominopelvic CT showed diffuse rectal wall thickening with enhancement. PET-CT showed a hot uptake in the corresponding area on abdominopelvic CT scan, with no evidence of distant metastasis. We performed transanal full thickness biopsy and confirmed a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma pathologically similar to the former gastric cancer. The patient was diagnosed with solitary rectal recurrence simulating linitis plastica, without gastric remnant recurrence. We report this case with a review of the literature.
Adenocarcinoma ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Colonoscopy ; Fecal Incontinence ; Financial Management ; Gastrectomy ; Gastric Stump ; Humans ; Linitis Plastica ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Rectum ; Recurrence ; Stomach Neoplasms