Immunohistochemical study for c-erbB-2 oncoprotein was performed on paraffin sections of 76 primary breast carcinomas to determine the relationship between expression of c-erbB-2 and various clinicopathological prognostic indicators, including the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Positive reaction for c-erbB-2 oncoprotein revealed an intense red granular staining predominantly located at the tumor cell membrane, with some cells exhibiting a weak cytoplasmic staining as well. The epithelial cells of the normal lobule and duct showed a negative reaction. Positive reaction for EGFR revealed a granular staining in the cytoplasm and the cell membrane of the tumor cells. Some tumors showed a positive EGFR staining in the epithelial cells of normal duct and lobule. Twenty six of 76 cases (34.2%) of primary breast carcinomas revealed a positive reaction for c-erbB-2 oncoprotein, and 28 cases (36.8%) were positive for EGFR. Expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein and EGFR was evident in 37.7% and 40.6% of 69 classic invasive ductal carcinomas, respectively. None of the other histological types showed a positive reaction. Expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein was strongly associated with tumor size(p=0.0015), histologic grade(.p=0.0175), vascular invasion(p=0.0043), and lymph node metastasis(p=0.0024), but not with age at diagnosis(p=0.1836). No significant association was found between expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein and EGFR. Co-expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein and EGFR was also strongly associated with tumor size (p=0.0029). These results suggest that c-erbB-2 oncoprotein is biologically distinct from EGFR, and may be used as a prognostic indicator of breast carcinoma due to its strong association with various clinicopathological prognostic factors.

Saponin has been known to be a major antioxidant component in panax ginseng. Recent experimental study suggests that some antioxidant materials prevent Parkinson's disease caused by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6- tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in an animal model. The present study was performed to demonstrate the effect of ginseng saponins in the Parkinson's disease model induced by MPTP. To verify the effect of ginseng saponin on dopaminergic neurons in the mice brain, the tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive (TH-ir) neurons were observed by immunohistochemical stain and immunoelectron microscopy (preembedding method). Also, in order to estimate the immunoreactivity of dopaminergic neuropils, they were quantified by image analysis. The number of TH-ir neurons of substantia nigra was significantly increased in the high-dose (0.46 mg/kg) ginseng saponin group compared with the MPTP injected group. The immunoreactivity of TH-ir neuropils in striatum was significantly increased in both high and low-dose (0.1 mg/kg) ginseng saponin groups compared with the MPTP injected group. In immunoelectron microscopic observation, TH-ir neurons of the control and both ginseng saponin injected group showed normal nuclei and well preserved cytoplasmic organelles. In the MPTP injected group, dying dopaminergic neurons showed destroyed nuclei and cytoplasmic organelles. These results suggest that ginseng saponin has a protective effect on the Parkinson's disease model induced by MPTP.
1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine ; Animals ; Brain ; Cytoplasm ; Dopaminergic Neurons* ; Mice* ; Microscopy, Immunoelectron ; Models, Animal ; Neurons ; Neuropil ; Organelles ; Panax* ; Parkinson Disease* ; Saponins* ; Substantia Nigra ; Tyrosine ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase

This study was conducted to evaluate the temperature rise on the root surface while the root canal is being obturated using continuous wave of condensation technique. Maxillary central incisor was prepared for repeated canal obturation. Ten thermocouples (Omega Engineering Inc., Stanford, USA) were placed at 1 mm increment from the anatomical root apex. The real temperature of Buchanan plugger was recorded before insertion into the root canal. The root canal was obturated with continuous wave of condensation technique as described by Buchanan and the root surface temperature was recorded during obturation at 150degrees C, 200degrees C, 250degrees C and 300degrees C temperature settings of System B HeatSource (Model 1005, Analytic technologies, Redmond, WA, USA). After completion of the temperature recording, the dentinal-cementum thickness at each sites was measured. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Scheffe' s test and linear regression test. The results were as follows. 1. When the temperature was set at 150degrees C, 200degrees C, 250degrees C and 300degrees C on the digital display of System B HeatSource, the real temperature of the plugger at the 1mm point from the tip revealed 130.82+/-2.96degrees C, 158.00+/-5.26degrees C, 215.92+/-6.91degrees C and 249.88+/-3.65degrees C respectively. 2. The position of 8 mm from the anatomical apex showed the highest temperature increase at each temperature settings and it was significantly higher than those of other positions (p<0.01). The temperature rise was constantly increased toward coronal portion from apex of the root. 3. The maximum temperature increase on the root surface was 2.37+/-0.09degrees C at 150degrees C setting, 3.11+/-0.12degrees C at 200degrees C setting, 3.93+/-0.09degrees C at 250degrees C setting and 5.69+/-0.15degrees C at 300degrees C setting respectively. These results suggest that it be relatively kind to the supporting tissues of the root that the root canal is obturated using continuous wave of condensation technique at 150degrees C, 200degrees C, 250degrees C and 300degrees C temperature settings on digital temperature display of System B HeatSource.
Dental Pulp Cavity ; Incisor ; Linear Models

This study was performed to evaluate the actual temperature rise on the surface of Buchanan plugger using thermocouple. The heat carrier system 'System B Heatsource' (Model 1005, Analytic Technologies, Redmond, WA, USA) and the Buchanan pluggers of F, FM, M and ML sizes are used for this study. The temperature was set to 200degrees C on digital display and the power level on it was set to 10. Five thermocouples were placed in direct contact with the surface of each size of Buchanan's pluggers at 1 mm increments from the tip to the 4 mm length of shank. The heat control spring was touched for 5 seconds, and the temperature rise on the surface of the pluggers were measured at 1 sec intervals for more than 5 seconds with an accuracy of 0.01 using Data Logger. The data were statistically analyzed by one-way ANOVA. The results were as follows. 1. The position at which the temperature peaked was approximately at 1~2 mm far from the tip of Buchanan plugger (p<0.01). 2. The peak temperature was 215.25+/-2.28degrees C in F plugger, 185.94+/-2.19degrees C in FM plugger, 169.51+/-9.12degrees C in M plugger, and 160.79+/-1.27degrees C in ML plugger and the peak temperature was highest in F plugger and followed by, in descending order, FM plugger, M plugger. ML plugger showed the lowest peak temperature (p<0.01). 3. The temperature on the pluggers was decreased with the increase of touching time. This results suggest that the actual temperature on the surface of the pluggers does not correlate well with the temperature set on digital display. Heat concentrates around the tip. The larger plugger reveals lower temperature rise relatively.
Hot Temperature

This study was performed to evaluate the temperature rise on various position of the Buchanan plugger, the peak temperature of plugger's type and the temperature change by its touching time of heat control spring. The heat carrier system 'System B'(Model 1005, Analytic Technologies, USA) and the Buchanan's pluggers of F, FM, M and ML sizes are used for this study. The temperature was set to 200degrees C which Dr. Buchanan's "continuous wave of condensation" technique recommended on digital display and the power level on it was set to 10. In order to apply heat on the Buchanan's pluggers, the heat control spring was touched for 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 seconds respectively. The temperature rise on the surface of the pluggers were measured at 0.5 mm intervals from tip to 20 mm length of shank using the infrared thermography (Radiation Thermometer-IR Temper, NEC San-ei Instruments, Ltd, Japan) and TH31-702 Data capture software program (NEC San-ei Instruments, Ltd, Japan). Data were analyzed using a one way ANOVA followed by Duncan's multiple range test and linear regression test. The results as follows. 1. The position at which temperature peaked was approximately at 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm far from the tip of Buchanan's pluggers (p<0.001). The temperature was constantly decreased toward the shank from the tip of it (p<0.001). 2. When the pluggers were heated over 5 seconds, the peak temperature by time of measurement revealed from 253.3+/-10.5degrees C to 192.1+/-3.3degrees C in a touch for 1 sec, from 218.6+/-5.0degrees C to 179.5+/-4.2degrees C in a touch for 2 sec, from 197.5+/-3.0degrees C to 167.6+/-3.7degrees C in a touch for 3 sec, from 183.7+/-2.5degrees C to 159.8+/-3.6degrees C in a touch for 4 sec and from 164.9+/-2.0degrees C to 158.4+/-1.8degrees C in a touch for 5 sec. A touch for 1 sec showed the highest peak temperature, followed by, in descending order, 2 sec, 3 sec, 4 sec. A touch for 5 sec showed the lowest peak temperature (p<0.001). 3. A each type of pluggers showed different peak temperatures. The peak temperature was the highest in F type and followed by, in descending order, M type, ML type. FM type revealed the lowest peak temperature (p<0.001). The results of this study indicated that pluggers are designed to concentrate heat at around its tip, its actual temperature does not correlate well with the temperature which Buchanan's "continuous wave of condensation" technique recommend, and finally a quick touch of heat control spring for 1sec reveals the highest temperature rise.
Hot Temperature ; Linear Models ; Thermography

Mesoblastic nephroma is a benign neoplasm of the kidney, which is usually diagnosed during the first six months of life. Incidence in adults is exceedingly rare. We report herein a case of mesoblastic nephroma that occurred in the upper pole of the right kidney of a 39-year-old woman. It was a round mass measuring 3X3X2 cm in dimension. Microscopically, it consisted of uniform spindle cells with foci of hyalinization and dystrophic calcification. Tubular structures were entrapped in the tumor. Upon immunohistochemical staining, the spindle cells were found to be positive for smooth muscle actin, desmin, and vimentin. The epithelial cells of the entrapped tubules were positive for cytokeratin. On electron microscopic examination, the spindle cells demonstrated smooth muscle differentiation identified by indented nuclei, microfilaments beneath the cell membrane, dense bodies, and basal lamina-like materials.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; Actins ; Adult ; Cell Membrane ; Desmin ; Epithelial Cells ; Female ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Incidence ; Keratins ; Kidney ; Muscle, Smooth ; Nephroma, Mesoblastic* ; Vimentin

Malignant pleural effusion in multiple myeloma (MM) is extremely rare and is associated with poor prognosis. We experienced two cases of MM IgA type with malignant pleural effusion. The diagnoses were based on characteristic cytology and CD138 immunocytochemistry. The patients received several cycles of combination chemotherapy, since symptoms were more aggressive with an uncontrolled pleural effusion. We review the clinical features of these cases and literature concerning myelomatous pleural effusion.
Drug Therapy, Combination ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunohistochemistry ; Multiple Myeloma ; Pleural Effusion ; Pleural Effusion, Malignant ; Prognosis

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Esophagus ; pathology ; virology ; Herpes Simplex ; diagnosis ; genetics ; pathology ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Simplexvirus ; genetics

Splenic metastasis from gynecologic tumors is extremely rare, especially in the absence of apparent disease at other sites. We report two patients that underwent splenectomy for a solitary splenic metastasis from uterine cervical carcinoma. In case 1, a 54-year-old woman with FIGO Stage IIb squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy developed a solitary splenic metastasis 10 months after initial treatment. In case 2, a 46-year-old woman with FIGO Stage IIb adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy was found to have a solitary splenic metastasis 11 months after treatment. Thus all abdominal organs including the spleen must be evaluated for metastases during follow-up of gynecologic tumors.
Female ; Humans ; Adenocarcinoma ; Neoplasm Metastasis

BACKGROUND: Elevated levels of microsatellite alterations at selected tetranucleotide repeat regions (EMAST) have been recently described, and they are a distinct type of microsatellite instability (MSI). We investigated the prevalence of EMAST in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the uterine cervix and we determined the correlation between EMAST and the clinicopathologic parameters, HPV infection and the p53 mutation. METHODS: We examined the 3 mono-, 3 di-, and 5 tetranucleotide repeat markers in 47 cases of SCC, and we performed immunohistochemical staining for p53. HPV detection and genotyping was performed using a commercially available HPV DNA chip. RESULTS: Thirteen out of 47 cases (27.7%) were EMAST(+) with at least one of five tetranucleotide repeat markers. However, MSI at mono- and dinucleo- tide markers was noted in only one case (2.1%). EMAST was not related with stage, size, lymph node metastasis, vascular/lymphatic invasion or the depth of invasion. Positive immunostaining for p53 was significantly more common in EMAST(+) tumors than in the EMAST(-) tumors (p=0.04). HPV-infection was positive in 32 cases. EMAST was not correlated with the state of HPV infection state or the HPV genotype. CONCLUSIONS: 27.7% of the invasive SCCs of the uterine cervix exhibited EMAST, and EMAST in the SCC of the uterine cervix was significantly associated with the p53 mutation.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cervix Uteri ; Female ; Genotype ; Lymph Nodes ; Microsatellite Instability* ; Microsatellite Repeats* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Prevalence