The nucleolus of human cell is a morphologically well recognizable nuclear organelle and the argyrophilic NORs (AgNORs) are nucleic acid-argyrophilic nonhistone protein complex in the nucleoli and the silver staining allows their identification and enumeration at the light microscopic level. The AgNOR counts are in parallel with mitotic activity and vary in different phase of cell cycle. It has been reported that human cells have one AgNOR during interphase and S-phase. However, the correlation between the number of AgNORs and S-phase markers is still controversial and they have never been studied simultaneously. In this study, AgNOR and PCNA were stained simultaneously to find out the relationship of AgNOR counts with cell cycle (S-phase) in human palatine tonsil, gastric carcinoma, liver and brain tissues. S-phase cells (PCNA-positive) were found predominantly in lymphoid follicles in palatine tonsil but gastric carcinoma showed diffuse immunoreactivity for PCNA. The AgNOR counts varied according to the type and locus of tissue. More than one AgNOR were identified in S-phase cells and some of hepatocytes and neurons in the brain which were not in S-phase contained two or more AgNORs. The above results suggest that the number of AgNOR is a characteristic feature of each type of cells and can be more than one even in S-phase.
Brain ; Cell Cycle ; Hepatocytes ; Humans* ; Interphase ; Liver ; Neurons ; Organelles ; Palatine Tonsil ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Silver Staining

Ninety-three dry mandibles in Korean adults were radiographed and fifty-two hemimandibles were sectioned in an attempt to analyze the intramandibular courses of the mandibular canal and the internal structure of the mandibles. On radiographs, the intramandibular course of the mandibular canals was most in which located in the middle portion of the mandible, the shape of the mandibular canals was almost round and the average diameter of the mandibular canals was 2.0 +/- 0.4mm, encapsulated by thin cortical plates of 0.5mm thickness on sectioned specimens. In regard of facio-lingual relation, the prevalence of pattern which the mandibular canal ran nearly to the lingual cortical plate, and turned abruptly towards the buccal side was 70% of observed specimens. According to superior-inferior relation, the prevalence in which mandibular canals ran inferiorly, anteriorly and then, had an angle superiorly in the second mandibular molar region was 39.0%. Taken all together, in most of the case, the anterior border of the mandibular canal is located around the premolar region, and the mental foramen is opened nearly the second premolar. Therefore, it may be suggested that osteotomy has to be taken at the anterior place next to the canine region, at the 2.4mm below to the mental foramen on genioplasty.
Adult ; Bicuspid ; Genioplasty ; Humans ; Mandible ; Molar ; Osteotomy ; Prevalence ; Radiography

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are defined as tumor cells circulating in the peripheral blood of patients. CTCs have long been regarded as an attractive research topic. Because of recent technological advances, it is now possible to detect CTCs in the bloodstream. Interestingly, CTCs are present in both of patients with metastatic disease and early stage localized disease in patients with breast cancer. An assay detecting CTCs seems to have significant future potential value in the clinical management of breast cancer as a prognostic marker, monitoring treatment response and selecting target therapy. This review addresses the technical overview of detection methods, possible clinical application and future direction of CTCs research.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Humans ; Neoplastic Cells, Circulating

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study is to compare the differences of fetal heart rate (FHR) variables between preterm and term pregnancies after acoustic stimulation using computerized analysis of fetal heart rate. METHODS: Eighty-two normal pre-term and term pregnancies entered to this study after conventional 20-minutes nonstress test(NST) and 10-minutes acoustic stimulation test (AST). Acoustic stimulations were performed using Fetal Acoustic Stimulator (Model 146, Corometrics, US). We analyzed the FHR response after acoustic stimulation using our on-line computerized FHR analysis system, HYFM-I & II software. The changes of loss of signal, baseline FHR, variability, number of fetal movements, and number of FHR accelerations were analyzed numerically. RESULT: The mean baseline FHR was increased in term pregnancies from 141+/-7.0bpm to 152.7+/-9.7bpm, and in preterm pregnancies from 144.6+/-6.8bpm to 156.8+/-10.2bpm, respectively. The mean baseline FHR was significantly increased in both term and preterm pregnancies (p<0.01. paired t-test). The variability of FHR was increased in term pregnancies from 18.2+/-6.4bpm to 22.6+/-5.0bpm and in preterm pregnancies from 17.8+/-5.5bpm to 22.7+/-5.9bpm, respectively. The variability of FHR was also significantly increased in both term and preterm pregnancies. (p<0.01. paired t-test) CONCLUSION: The mean baseline FHR and the variability of FHR was significantly increased both preterm and term pregnancies. But the difference of each FHR variables between preterm pregnancies and term pregnancies was not statistically significant in this study.
Acceleration ; Acoustic Stimulation* ; Acoustics* ; Female ; Fetal Heart* ; Fetal Movement ; Heart Rate, Fetal* ; Pregnancy

No abstract available.
Pregnancy* ; Purpura*

We report a case of neuroblastoma with multiple skin metastases as a chief complaint in a 2-month-old girl. the skin lesions were rnultiple, pea-sized, bluish, nontender, moable subcutaneous nodules on abdomen, back and scalp. Histopathology showed small round or poly gonal tumor cells which have deeply stained, basophilic, hyperchromatic nuclei with some mitoses. Th.se tumor cells showed clumping tendency which is one of early menifestations of rosette formation. Immunohistochemically positive reaction was demonstrated by anti-NSE(neuron specific enolase) antilody but negative reaction by anti-NFP (neurofilament proteiin ) antibody. She has been succesfully treated with combined chemotherapy for 10 months without relapse.
Abdomen ; Basophils ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Mitosis ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Neuroblastoma* ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; Recurrence ; Rosette Formation ; Scalp ; Skin*

Two cases of skull metastasis from thyroid carcinoma are presented. The one case shows multiple involvement inthe skull base with sphenoid sinus, frontal bone, and rib. The other case is solitary extensive involvement to theright parietal bone. The follicular caroinoma of the thyroid shows a strong tendency toward vascualr invasion and dissemination through blood stream to the lungs, bones, liver, brain, and other distant sites. The sternum, thevetebrae, and the pelvis are the most common sites in bone metastasis of thyroid carcinoma, followed by the femur,shoulder girdle, skull, and rib. Metastatic caroinoma to the skull base, including sphenoid sinus s extremelyrare. Authors experienced recently 2 cases of metastatic carcinoma of the thyroid to the skull and report withreview of literature.
Brain ; Frontal Bone ; Liver ; Lung ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Parietal Bone ; Pelvis ; Ribs ; Rivers ; Skull Base ; Skull ; Sphenoid Sinus ; Sternum ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms

PURPOSE: We evaluated the contributing factors and etiology of erectile dysfunction (ED) in unmarried men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March 1998 to December 2001, we examined 49 unmarried men age 21 to 44 years (mean 29 years) with ED. All patients were assessed by history, physical examination, laboratory studies, combined intracavernous injection and stimulation test (CIS test), penile duplex ultrasonography, and other indicated tests to identify the etiology of erectile dysfunction. RESULTS: The majority of patients had vasculogenic impotence (arteriogenic 26.5%; venogenic 14.3%; mixed 16.3%). Less common were psychogenic (26.5%), hormonal (6.1%), neurogenic (8.1%), and other causes (2.0%). Contributing factors were present in 71.4% of patients, such as penile blunt trauma in 22 patients (44.9%), genitourinary disease in 14 (28.6%), substance abuse in 7 (14.3%), and medical illness in 5 (10.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Erectile dysfunction in unmarried men generally is vasculogenic in origin, and penile blunt trauma is the most common contributing factor.
Erectile Dysfunction* ; Female ; Humans ; Impotence, Vasculogenic ; Male ; Physical Examination ; Single Person* ; Substance-Related Disorders ; Ultrasonography

Several observation suggest that the antimelanocyte autoantibodies could play a role in melanocyte destruction. Some experiments indicate that melanocyte antibodies from patients with vitiligo can kill melanocyte in vitro. In these experiments, we demonstrated that vitiligo patient's sera containing antimelanocyte antibodies can lyse cultured human melanocytes by complement activation. Melanocyte cytotoxicity was measured using the ethidium bromide/ acridine orange viability assay. Significant melanocyte cytotoxicity was seen in sera from patients with both active and inactive vitiligo(p<0.01). Melanocyte cytotoxicity measured with complement-mediated cytotoxicity decreased after systemic steroid treatment(p<0.05) ; however melanocyte cytotoxicity showed no significant change with systemic PUVA therapy.
Acridine Orange ; Antibodies ; Autoantibodies* ; Complement Activation ; Ethidium ; Humans ; Melanocytes ; PUVA Therapy ; Vitiligo*

No abstract available.
Dermoid Cyst*