No abstract available.
Rehabilitation*

Retroperitoneal tumors are relatively rare, accounting for 0.2% of all cancers; many different histologic types are present, and primitive retroperitoneal germ cell tumors constitute a small miniority of about 3%. Most primary extragonadal germ cell tumors (EGCTs) arise from the mediastinum of retroperitoneum in young males. The authors experienced a case of primary extragonadal mixed germ cell tumor with a 43-year-old woman complaining left lower abdominal pain. With the case report, a brief review was made.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Female ; Germ Cells* ; Humans ; Male ; Mediastinum ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal*

No abstract available.
Lymphoma*

BACKGROUND: It is reported that abnormal eating behavior is more frequent in the group of weight control than those of no control. Repeated and chronic binge eating behavior has associations with impaired work and social functioning, overconcerns with body shape and weight. The purpose of this study is to investigate the degree of abnormal eating behavior according to weight management, depression level and obesity. METHODS: From June 1999 to July 1999, we collected self record questionnaire including body mass index(BMI), Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), Eating Attitude Test(EAT) from 1292 students of one girl's high school in Seoul. Study subjects were divided by BMI, the set point was 25 kg/m2. EAT score associated with weight control, BMI, BDI, smoking and alcohol was assessed by multiple linear regression. Study subjects were also grouped by the existence of the history of weight management behavoir, then BMI, EAT score and BDI in each subgroups was assessed by t test. RESULTS: Obese students were 42, whereas those of BMI under 25 kg/m2 were 1191. BDI score ranging from 5 to 20 were 940, 21 to 63 were 179. The EAT score has significant relevance to the history of weight control, BMI, and BDI score in order. The EAT score and BMI were higher in the subjects who experienced various modes of weight control (48.41+/-14.47 vs 33.63+/-12.52 in EAT, 20.34+/-2.26 vs 18.72+/-1.89)(p<0.01). CONCLUSION: EAT score was associated with weight control, BMI and BDI. EAT score and BMI were higher in weight control samples.
Bulimia ; Depression* ; Eating ; Feeding and Eating Disorders ; Feeding Behavior ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Obesity ; Seoul ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Granuloma annulare is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by erythematous or flesh-colored papular eruptions of annular configuration. In a HIV positive patient, granuloma annulare could be confused with other papular diseases because it could be presented as atypical appearances due to the defect of the immune system. Moreover, without specific treatment for granuloma annulare, the lesions could be improved by systemic anti-retroviral therapy.
Granuloma ; Granuloma Annulare ; HIV ; Humans ; Immune System ; Skin Diseases

Mitochondrial dysfunction in dopaminergic neurons of patients with idiopathic and familial Parkinson's disease (PD) is well known although the underlying mechanism is not clear. We established a homogeneous population of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hAD-MSCs) from human adult patients with early-onset hereditary familial Parkin-defect PD as well as late-onset idiopathic PD by immortalizing cells with the hTERT gene to better understand the underlying mechanism of PD. The hAD-MSCs from patients with idiopathic PD were designated as "PD", from patients with Parkin-defect PD as "Parkin" and from patients with pituitary adenomas as "non-PD" in short. The pGRN145 plasmid containing hTERT was introduced to establish telomerase immortalized cells. The established hTERT-immortalized cell lines showed chromosomal aneuploidy sustained stably over two-years. The morphological study of mitochondria in the primary and immortalized hAD-MSCs showed that the mitochondria of the non-PD were normal; however, those of the PD and Parkin were gradually damaged. A striking decrease in mitochondrial complex I, II, and IV activities was observed in the hTERT-immortalized cells from the patients with idiopathic and Parkin-defect PD. Comparative Western blot analyses were performed to investigate the expressions of PD specific marker proteins in the hTERT-immortalized cell lines. This study suggests that the hTERT-immortalized hAD-MSC cell lines established from patients with idiopathic and familial Parkin-defect PD could be good cellular models to evaluate mitochondrial dysfunction to better understand the pathogenesis of PD and to develop early diagnostic markers and effective therapy targets for the treatment of PD.
Adult ; Aneuploidy ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Line ; Diagnosis ; Dopaminergic Neurons ; Humans* ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells* ; Mitochondria ; Parkinson Disease* ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Plasmids ; Strikes, Employee ; Telomerase

Successful recovery from brain ischemia is limited due to poor vascularization surrounding the ischemic zone. Cell therapy with strong angiogenic factors could be an effective strategy to rescue the ischemic brain. We investigated whether cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP)-Ang1, a soluble, stable and potent Ang1 variant, enhances the angiogenesis of human cord blood derived endothelial progenitor cells (hCB-EPCs) for rescuing brain from ischemic injury. COMP-Ang1 markedly improved the tube formation of capillaries by EPCs and incorporation of EPCs into tube formation with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) upon incubation on matrigel in vitro. COMP-Ang1 stimulated the migration of EPCs more than HUVECs in a scratch wound migration assay. The transplanted EPCs and COMP-Ang1 were incorporated into the blood vessels and decreased the infarct volume in the rat ischemic brain. Molecular studies revealed that COMP-Ang1 induced an interaction between Tie2 and FAK, but AKT was separated from the Tie2-FAK-AKT complex in the EPC plasma membrane. Tie2-FAK increased pp38, pSAPK/JNK, and pERK-mediated MAPK activation and interacted with integrins alphanubeta3, alpha4, beta1, finally leading to migration of EPCs. AKT recruited mTOR, SDF-1, and HIF-1alpha to induce angiogenesis. Taken together, it is concluded that COMP-Ang1 potentiates the angiogenesis of EPCs and enhances the vascular morphogenesis indicating that combination of EPCs with COMP-Ang1 may be a potentially effective regimen for ischemic brain injury salvage therapy.
Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; Animals ; Blood Vessels ; Brain ; Brain Injuries* ; Brain Ischemia ; Capillaries ; Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein ; Cell Membrane ; Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy ; Fetal Blood ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; Humans ; Integrins ; Ischemia ; Morphogenesis ; Rats ; Salvage Therapy ; Stem Cells ; Wounds and Injuries

The aim of our study was to investigate the correlation of the proliferative activity of pituitary neoplasms with clinical characteristics and recurrences. Tumor specimens were obtained from 44 consecutive patients with pituitary macroadenomas who underwent surgery between July 1998 and August 2003. Specimens were immediately fixed in 10% buffered formalin and then embedded in paraffin. The Ki-67 antigen was assessed by immumohistochemical analysis using the monoclonal antibody. We investigated the correlation of the Ki-67 labeling index with the following clinical and radiological characteristics: sex, age, presence or absence visual field defect, tumor classification, maximal tumor diameter, Hardy's classification, type of tumor, invasiveness, and recurrence. Our study suggests that the clinical characteristics such as visual field defect and recurrence are correlated with the high Ki-67 labeling index. No statistical differences were observed in the Ki-67 labeling index in relation to the following characteristics: sex, age, tumor classification, maximal tumor diameter, Hardy's classification, type of tumor, and invasiveness into the sphenoid sinus or cavernous sinus.
Adenoma/metabolism/*pathology/radiography ; Adult ; Aged ; Comparative Study ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Ki-67 Antigen/*analysis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Pituitary Neoplasms/metabolism/*pathology/radiography

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common type of primary glomerulonephritis worldwide. Although several studies have identified IgAN prognostic factors in Korea, the follow-up period was insufficient to evaluate the natural history of IgAN. METHODS: A total of 471 patients were diagnosed with IgAN after percutaneous renal biopsy between April 1985 and March 2003. Patients with secondary IgAN and patients with a follow-up < 10 years since their diagnosis were excluded. Thus, 184 patients were enrolled. RESULTS: Among the 184 patients, 97 were males (52.7%) and 87 were females (47.3%). The mean age was 33.7 +/- 11.5 years, and the mean follow-up period was 181.3 +/- 46.3 months. During the follow up, 73 patients (36.9%) had progressed to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The mean duration to ESRD was 98.1 +/- 55.9 months. The overall renal survival rate was 60.3%, the 10-years renal survival rate was 74.3%, and the 20-years renal survival rate was 49.3%. Univariate analyses indicated that hypertension, serum creatinine > 1.3 mg/dL, estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, serum albumin < 3.5 g/dL, proteinuria > or = 1 g/day, and severe renal pathology by the Haas sub-classification were significantly associated with ESRD. When these factors were included in multivariate Cox regression analyses, only severe renal pathology by the Haas sub-classification was an independent prognostic factor for IgAN. CONCLUSIONS: Careful follow-up and treatment is recommended, particularly in patients with IgAN and severe renal pathology by the Haas sub-classification.
Biopsy ; Creatinine ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Glomerulonephritis ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Korea ; Male ; Natural History ; Pathology ; Prognosis ; Proteinuria ; Serum Albumin ; Survival Rate

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a life-threatening complication from organ transplantation. PTLD usually manifests as a mass in the lymph node or an extranodal mass in solid organs, such as the liver, transplanted kidney, tonsil, bone marrow, or spleen. PTLD rarely involves the central nervous system (CNS); however, here we report a case of PTLD that manifested as a brain tumor after kidney transplantation. A 52-year-old man who started peritoneal dialysis due to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, underwent kidney transplantation 4 years ago. After kidney transplantation, he took tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroids. He was admitted to our hospital, complaining of a severe headache. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed a multifocal, irregular, and round enhancing mass in the left basal ganglia. He underwent a needle biopsy for the enhancing mass and the pathological diagnosis was diffuse large B cell lymphoma. After this mass was confirmed as PTLD by histologic diagnosis, the patient had a reduction in his immunosuppression regimen (including a change from tacrolimus to sirolimus) and was treated with chemotherapy for PTLD. After 20 days, the patient expired from sepsis. PTLD involving the CNS is a rare and serious complication associated with solid organ transplantation. PTLD should be included in the differential diagnosis of brain tumors in recipients of solid organ transplants.
Basal Ganglia ; Biopsy, Needle ; Bone Marrow ; Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Central Nervous System ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Headache ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Kidney ; Kidney Transplantation ; Liver ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mycophenolic Acid ; Organ Transplantation ; Palatine Tonsil ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Polycystic Kidney, Autosomal Dominant ; Sepsis ; Spleen ; Steroids ; Tacrolimus ; Transplants