This study was carried out to observe the ultrastructure of tongue mast cells in frog, Bombina orientalis. In the light microscopy, mast cells were round, oval, spindle-like and irregular shape and occasionally had one or more tail-like long cytoplasmic processes. Mast cells had many red granules stained with toluidine blue in the cytoplasm. In the electron microscopy, mast cells had membrane-bounded granules and poorly developed organelles. The granules were composed of two parts, low and dense electron density. In high magnification the dense part in the middle region of granule had honey comb-like crystalline structure.
Anura* ; Crystallins ; Cytoplasm ; Honey ; Mast Cells* ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron ; Organelles ; Tolonium Chloride ; Tongue*

The technique of radial artery cannulation and its complications are well documented, but serious complications are rare. This is a report of one case of amputation of wrist due to finger necrosis developed from the radial artery cannulation in patient who had craniectomy surgery. This 52-year-old 79 kg male underwent subdural hematoma removal surgery. Right radial artery cannulation was carried out percutaneously using 22 gauge Teflon extracath needle after modified Allen's test appeared to be positive. It was intermittently flushed by heparinized solution. His arterial blood pressure was maintained 100/70-110/80 mmHg and 5 units of banked whole blood and 1 unit of fresh frozen plasma were transfused during 8-hours operation. Cannula was removed on the 9th hour after operation because that was obstructed. On the 12th hour after removal of cannula, his right hand noted to be cool and cyanotic. So, warm towel and hot bag applied continuously on the right hand and the right stellate ganglion block was carried out every day for 4 times. However, on the 10th day after removal of cannula, necrotic change of all fingers of the right hand became worse and skin of fingers were shrunken. Therefore, disarticulation of the right wrist carried out on the 71th day of his hospitalization.
Amputation* ; Arterial Pressure ; Catheterization* ; Catheters ; Disarticulation ; Extremities* ; Fingers ; Hand ; Hematoma, Subdural ; Heparin ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis ; Needles ; Plasma ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Radial Artery* ; Skin ; Stellate Ganglion ; Wrist

To estimate the cancer mortality rates among Koreans, a mortality survey was carried out in the province of Kyongsangnam-do. The study population are the beneficiaries of Korea Medical Insurance Corporation (KMIC), Kydngsangnam-do area, among which the 3,867 deaths occurred from January, 1989 to December, 1990, were reviewed to confirm the cancer deaths. These were based upon the death certificates and medical utilization records before dying which were available through the computerized databases on medical care utility of KMIC. The survey was conducted along three steps. At first, the death certificates were examined, as a second step medical utilization records were reviewed, and finally direct contacts to the family members of the deceased were done. As a result, 990 deaths were found due to cancer. Using them, age and sex specific cancer(all sites and several sites) mortality rates were estimated. Overall cancer mortality rate in the area was estimated 138.7 per 100,000 person-years in males, and 65.7 in females, respectively. And the orders of site-specific cancer mortality rates were the cancers of stomach, liver, lung, esophagus, and cancers of the hematopoietic system among males, In females, followed by gastric cancer, cancers of lung and liver are the 2nd and 3rd in rank, respectively and cancers of breast and uterine cervix are the 4th and the 5th in rank.
Breast ; Cervix Uteri ; Death Certificates ; Esophagus ; Female ; Gyeongsangnam-do* ; Hematopoietic System ; Humans ; Insurance ; Korea ; Liver ; Lung ; Male ; Mortality* ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that Cortex mori ( Morus alba L, Sangbaikpi ; CM ), the root bark of mulberry tree, plays a role in inhibiting mast cell activation. Human seminal plasma ( HSP ) modulates immune systems and activates rat peritoneal mast cells ( RPMC ). However, the inhibitory agents of HSP - induced mast cell activation have not been disclosed yet. OBJECTIVE AND METHOD: This study was undertaken to determine the effects of CM on HSP-induced mast cell activation by morphologic and functional methods. Morphological changes of RPMC by HSP alone or CM plus HSP were observed with the inverted light microscope. And the amounts of histamine and calcium were measured by radioisotopic enzymatic histamine and radioisotopic calcium assays. RESULTS: By inverted microscopy, HSP-induced RPMC degranulation occurred in a dose-dependent fashion. After pretreatment of RPMC with CM, there was no HSP-induced degranulation. Degranulation index (DI) of RPMC treated with Hanks balanced salt solution (HBSS), CM or HSP was 7.0+/-4.3, 9.0+/-6.2, 56.5+/-16.9, respectively. After pretreatment of RPMC with CM, HSP-induced DI was 11.0 +/-7.1. These results indicate that CM inhibited HSP-induced degranulation of RPMC. HSP-induced RPMC histamine release (HR) was dose-dependent. HR of RPMC treated with HBSS, CM or HSP was 0.18+/-0.10, 0.30+/-0.19, 4.48+/-0.86 ug/ml, respectively. After pretreatment of RPMC with CM, HSP-induced HR was 0.52+/-0.21 ug/ml. These results indicate that CM inhibited HSP-induced HR from RPMC. Intracellular calcium level ( ICL) of RPMC was also increased according to the concentration of HSP. ICL of RPMC treated with HBSS, CM or HSP was 6.1+/-1.0, 9.0+/-2.1, 30.2+/-6.5 pmole, respectively. After pretreatment of RPMC with CM, HSP-induced ICL of RPMC was 11.6 +/- 3.3 pmole. These results indicate that CM inhibited HSP-induced calcium uptake of RPMC. CONCLUSION: From these results, it is suggested that CM contains some substances which inhi-
Animals ; Calcium ; Histamine ; Histamine Release ; Humans* ; Immune System ; Mast Cells* ; Microscopy ; Morus ; Rats* ; Semen* ; Trees

Duodenal varix is a rare site of hemorrhage in patients with portal hypertension, but its rupture is a serious and often fatal event. They can be diagnosed by means of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, selective superior mesenteric artery angiography, slenoportogram. Especially, upper gastroduodenal endoscopy is the diagnostic procedure of choice in diagnosing duodenal varices. Treatment modalities for bleeding duodenal varices are sclerotherapy, varix ligation, portocaval shunt, and duodenal resection. Endoscopic sclerotherapy has limited success in controlling active duodenal varix. Endoscopic ligation with a detachable snare is a useful therapeutic measure in the treatment of bleeding duodenal varices. Wc report a patient with bleeding duodenal varix, successfully treated by means of endoscopic ligation with a detachable snare. The endoscopic examination showed spurting bleeding from dilated vessel at the third portion of the duodenum. We successfully controlled the bleeding duodenal varix by means of endoscopic ligation with a detachable snare.
Angiography ; Duodenum ; Endoscopy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; Ligation* ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Rupture ; Sclerotherapy ; SNARE Proteins* ; Varicose Veins*

Leiomyoblastoma is uncommon and has been known as a neoplasm of smooth muscle origin. However, with recent pragress in immunohistochemical staining techniques, many clinicopathological discrepancies have been pointed out about the origin of leiomyoblastoma. We present here a case of gastric leiomyoblastoma did not expressed desmin and neuron specific enolase, and was thought to be of unknown derivation.
Desmin ; Leiomyoma, Epithelioid* ; Muscle, Smooth ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase

Leiomyoblastoma is uncommon and has been known as a neoplasm of smooth muscle origin. However, with recent pragress in immunohistochemical staining techniques, many clinicopathological discrepancies have been pointed out about the origin of leiomyoblastoma. We present here a case of gastric leiomyoblastoma did not expressed desmin and neuron specific enolase, and was thought to be of unknown derivation.
Desmin ; Leiomyoma, Epithelioid* ; Muscle, Smooth ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase

158 cases of pulmonary metastasis having satisfactory histological proof of the primary malignant tumor, the frequency and pattern of which were analysed by conventional radiologically. The results are as follows: 1. The frequency of pulomonary metastasis according to the primary sites was 24%(38/158) hepatobiliary system,19.6%(31/158) gastrointestinal tract, 18.9%(30/158) uterine cervix and 12%(13/158) head and neck. 2. Pulmonary metastatic pattern showed nodular type 74% (117/158), granular type 10.1%(16/158), streaky type 9.5%(15/158),hilar enlargement 3.8%(6/158), patchy type 1.9% (3/158) and others 0.6%(1/158). Of all these type, nodular type was predominant. 3. The nodular type of pulmonary metastasis was classified into less than 10 nodules56.4%(66/17), 10-50 nodules 25.6%(30/117), more than 50, 17.9%(21/117), less than 1cm 12.8%(15/117) and more than5cm in 5.2%(1/117) of the cases. 4. The size of nodule was 1-3cm 36.6%(43/117), 2-3cm 20.5%(24/117), less than 1cm12.8%(15/117) and more than 5cm in 5.2%(1/117) of the cases. 5. Most cases of pulmonary metastasis involved bothlung fields 69.2%(110/58). Others were right lung field only 17.7% (28/158), left lung only 12.7%(20/158). 6. Theages between 40 and 70 represented 79.8%(126/158) of the cases and the raio of male and female was about 1.5:1.
Cervix Uteri ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Head ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Neck ; Neoplasm Metastasis

PURPOSE: This study attempted to identify influential variables on types of smoking in adult smokers, which have been derived from Q-study. METHODS: A survey was conducted with 328 adult smokers at community settings in Seoul, South Korea from April 2006 to July 2006. To identify the influential variables related to smoking, variables from the Trans-theoretical model(i.e., self-efficacy for smoking abstinence, smoking temptation, process of change, decisional balance(pros and cons)) and nicotine dependency were analysed by ANOVA. Post-comparison tests were also done. RESULTS: The scores of nicotine dependency and smoking temptation were higher in habitual craving types than any other types, while the scores of self-liberation and self-efficacy for smoking abstinence were higher in self control types than any other types. CONCLUSION: Specific smoking intervention methods for each of the smoking types needs to be developed, based on how different groups of individuals gets into a decisions to quit smoking within their contexts.
Adult ; Dependency (Psychology) ; Humans ; Nicotine ; Republic of Korea ; Smoke ; Smoking

Acral persistent papular mucinosis is a subtype of the localized papular mucinosis. Clinically, ivory to flesh-colored papules develop exclusively on the back of the hands, the extensor surface of the wrists, and occasionally the distal forearms. Histologically, mucin accumulates in the upper reticular dermis, typically sparing a subepidermal zone and fibroblasts are not increased in number. On experiencing a case of numerous papules on both hands and forearms of a fifty year-old woman, we present it as acral persistent papular mucinosis.
Dermis ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; Forearm ; Hand ; Humans ; Mucins ; Scleromyxedema* ; Wrist