Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the uterine cervix is a rare tumor accounting for less than 1% of all cervical adenocarcinoma. This tumor is characterized by aggressive biological behavior with frequent local recurrence or metastatic spread, postmenopausal onset, and occasional association with conventional squamous cell carcinoma. The cytologic diagnosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma in the uterine cervix is often difficult because of negative smear due to intact overlying mucosa, cytologic findings mimicking endometrial cells, and masquerade as squamous cell carcinoma. Recently we have experienced a case of adenoid cystic carcinoma arising in the uterine cervix, which was identified on the routine Papanicolaou smear and was histologically confirmed by the consequent biopsy. The smear showed abundant cellularity composed of relatively uniform cells. The tumor cells were arranged in small clusters, acini, naked cells, and loose sheets with abortive cribriform pattern. There were scattered globoid basement membrane-like materials and tumor diathesis. The nuclei were pleomorphic and showed hyperchromatic and coarsely granular choromatin with inconspicuous nucleoli. The punch biopsy of the uterine cervix showed typical histologic findings of adenoid cystic carcinoma characterized by tumor nests composed of hyperchromatic uniform basaloid cells, cribriform pattern, and cylindrical hyaline bodies.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoids* ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cervix Uteri* ; Diagnosis ; Disease Susceptibility ; Female ; Hyalin ; Mucous Membrane ; Papanicolaou Test ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: Zinc ion is critical for the functional and structural integrity of eukaryotic cells and participate in the regulation of apoptosis. In general, zinc inhibits a nuclear endonuclease, thereby causing inhibition of apoptosis. Recent studies have pointed to a role for a family of caspase proteases that act upstream of endonuclease. The widely used chemotherapeutic agents exert effects by inducing of apoptosis in sensitive tumor cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of zinc ion and other divalent cation on the idarubicin (IDA)-induced apoptosis of HL-60 cells. In addition, to determine whether Zn inhibits an event upstream of endonuclease activation, we analysed the activity of caspase-3, 9 and proteolytic cleavage of procaspase-3 and PARP [poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase]. METHODS: HL-60 cells were cultured in RPMI 1640 and treated with various doses and time periods of IDA with or without pretreatment of ZnCl2, CaCl2 and MgCl2. Cell viability was measured by trypan blue staining. For detection of apoptotic death, cells were stained with Hoechst dye and observed under fluorescence microscopy. The activities of caspase-3 and caspase-9 were measured by the proteolytic cleavages of Ac- DEVD-AMC and Ac-LEHD-AFC as flurogenic substrates, respectively. The proteolytic cleavages of procaspase-3 and PARP were analyzed by Western blotting using anti- caspase-3 and anti-PARP antibody, respectively. RESULTS: IDA induced the apoptotic death of HL-60 cells in a dose and time dependent manner, which was characterized by increasing chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation. Pretreatment of HL-60 cells with ZnCl2 caused potent inhibition of IDA-induced apoptosis. Consistent with apoptotic death of HL-60 cells, IDA induced the catalytic activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9. After pretreatment of ZnCl2, the activation of caspase- 3 and the proteolysis of PARP induced by IDA were potently inhibited. But, after pretreatment of CaCl2 and MgCl2, there were no significant changes of IDA-induced apoptosis and proteases activity. CONCLUSION: Zinc ion suppressed the IDA-induced apoptosis via the inhibitions of caspase-9 and caspase-3. But calcium and magnesium ions didn't affect the IDA-induced apoptosis.
Apoptosis* ; Blotting, Western ; Calcium ; Caspase 3 ; Caspase 9 ; Cell Survival ; Chromatin ; DNA Fragmentation ; Eukaryotic Cells ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Idarubicin ; Ions ; Magnesium ; Magnesium Chloride ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Peptide Hydrolases ; Proteolysis ; Trypan Blue ; Zinc

Sturge-Weber syndrome can be associated with facial port-wine stains and intracranial calcification, and concurrent Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome has been reported. Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome is a rare congenital mesodermal phakomatosis characterized by cutaneous hemangiomas, venous varicosities and soft tissue or bone hypertrophy of the affected extremities. This report is presented a rare case of the Sturge-Weber syndrome in combination with the Klippel-Trennaunay syndrome and phakomatosis pigmentovascularis in a 4-month-old infant. He showed nevus flameus on the right leg and both part of the face and back, leptomeningeal angiomatosis on right hemisphere, hypertrophy of the right leg, hemiconvulsion on the left and also evidences of congenital glaucoma and nevus of Ota. Very rare case combined with these three kinds of phakomatosis has been reported.
Humans ; Infant ; Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber Syndrome/*complications/diagnosis ; Male ; Neurocutaneous Syndromes/*complications/diagnosis ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Sturge-Weber Syndrome/*complications/diagnosis

No abstract available.
Hodgkin Disease*

PURPOSE: To assess the clinical features and laboratory findings in Kawasaki patients with nonresponsibility to the acute antiinflammatory treatment, and identify the risk factors for the nonresponsibility, we reviewed the medical records of patients with Kawasaki disease. METHODS: A retrospective study of 177 patients with Kawasaki disease at Wonkwang University Medical Center from June, 1997 to June, 2002, was performed. High dose intravenous immune globulin(IVIG) and aspirin were all used for the initial acute antiinflammatory treatment. Two groups, group A(n=19) of initial nonresponders and group B(n=158) of initial responders were compared clinically and laboratorically. RESULTS: Nineteen(10.7%) of 177 patients hardly responded to the initial antiinflammatory treatment. Patients with failure to respond to initial treatment(group A) did not differ from the control group in terms of age, sex, WBC count, coronary abnormalities, and evidence of pyuria. Compared with initial responders(group B), the patients who were retreated(group A) had a significantly shorter fever- admission interval(P=0.041), and a higher level of both AST/ALT(P=0.011) and ASO titier(P=0.000). CONCLUSION: Among Kawasaki disease patients studied, retreatment group with initial nonresponders had significantly shorter fever-admission interval, and higher both AST/ALT level and ASO titer, than the initial response group.
Academic Medical Centers ; Aspirin ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome* ; Pyuria ; Retreatment ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

No abstract available.
Adrenal Rest Tumor* ; Liver*

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of plasma arc light which can reduce the curing time dramatically compared by shear bond strengths and failure patterns of the brackets bonded with visible light in direct bracket bonding. Some kinds of brackets were bonded with the Transbond(R) to the human premolars which were embedded in the resin blocks according to the various conditions. After bonding, the shear bond strength was tested by Instron universal testing machine and in addition , the amount of residual adhesive remaining on the tooth after debonding was measured by the stereoscope and assessed with adhesive remnant index(ARI). The results were as follows : 1. When plasma arc light was used for bonding the brackets, the shear bond strength was clinically sufficient in both metal and ceramic brackets, but resin brackets showed significantly lower bond strength but which was clinically useful. 2. When metal brackets were bonded using visible light, there was no significant difference in shear bond strength due to the light-curing time and the bond strength was clinically sufficient. 3. When the adhesive failure patterns of brackets bonded with plasma arc light were observed by using the adhesive remnant index, the bond failure of the metal and resin bracket occurred more frequently at bracket-adhesive interface but the failure of the ceramic bracket occurred more frequently at enamel-adhesive interface. 4. There was no statistically significant difference of the shear bond strength and adhesive failure pattern between metal bracket bonded for 2 seconds by curing with plasma arc light and 10 seconds by curing with visible light. 6. When metal brackets were bonded using plasma arc light, the shear bond strength decreased as the distance from the light source increased. The above results suggest that plasma arc light can be clinically useful for bonding the brackets without fear of the decrease of the shear bond strength.
Adhesives* ; Bicuspid ; Ceramics ; Humans ; Light ; Plasma* ; Tooth

It is well known that obesity central obesity is associated with insulin resistance and some studies reported that sex hormones were associated with insulin resistance. Recently, low levels of sex-hormone binding globulin(SHBG), an indirect index of androgenicity, have been observed to predict the development of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus(NIDDM) in women and SHBG has been proposed as a marker for insulin resistance. In contrast to findings in women, decreased SHBG did not predict the occurrence of NIDDM in men, so it is suggested that sex hormones may have a different role for insulin resistance between men and women. To investigate the difference of the associations among the body fat distribution, sex hormone and insulin sensitivity index in men and women, we measured body-mass index(BMI) and waist to hip circumference ratio(WHR) and concentrations serum SHBG, total testosterone, free testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate(DHEA-S) concentrations in 29 healthy adults(men:19, women:10) who showed normal glucose tolerance. Insulin sensitivity index(M/I) was measured by euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp. There were no differences in age, BMI, fasting plasma glucose, insulin and free fatty acid levels between men and women. WHR of men is higher than that of women(0.82+-0.01 vs. 0.73+-0.01, p=0.002). Insulin sensitivity index(M/I) is similar in men and women(7.80+-0.71 mg/kg/min/uU/ml X 100 vs. 9.74+-0.89 mg/kg/min/uU/ml X 100, p=0.196).In Pearson's correlation, M/I was significantly correlated with BMI(r=-0.69, p<0.01) and WHR(r=-0.68, p<0.01) in men and DHEA-S(r=-0.68, p<0.05) and SHBG(r=0.61, p=0.056) concentrations in women.In multiple regression analysis, M/I had the most significant association with BMI(R^2=0.484, beta=-0.696, p<0.001) in men and DHEA-S(R^2=0.471, beta=-0.686, p<0.05) concentration in women.Conclusively, we found that sex hormones were significantly associated with insulin resistance and the effects of sex hormones on insulin resistance may be different in men and women.
Adipose Tissue ; Blood Glucose ; Body Fat Distribution ; Body Mass Index ; Dehydroepiandrosterone ; Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Fasting ; Female ; Glucose ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; Hip ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Insulin ; Male ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Testosterone

Objective: If empirical antibiotics must be administered, the pharmacy needs to deliver the drug to emergency patients as soon as possible. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the installation of an automated dispensing cabinet system in an emergency center. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted through the analysis of medical records in an emergency medical center for 12 months before and after the installation of the system. The order-to-antibiotic time and door-to-antibiotic time were collected retrospectively through a system log analysis. For the satisfaction survey, nursing providers who use the dispensing system were administered a survey questionnaire related to the system. Results: This study covered 1,292 prescriptions before and 1,377 after the introduction of the system in the emergency center. It was observed that the average time from the order-to-drug administration decreased (48.7±57.9 vs. 41.1±52.3, P=0.001) after the introduction of the system. The door-to-drug administration time also showed a decrease (293.6±260.2 vs. 267.4±221.1, P=0.006). A satisfaction survey was conducted on 38 users of the system who agreed to participate and respond. The score of the satisfaction survey was 3.63±0.44. The user response showed that they were most satisfied with the prevention of medication errors (4.00±0.62) and system control (4.00±0.57). Conclusion The automated dispensing cabinet system in an emergency center can shorten the order-to-drug time and door-to-drug time. In addition, it helps to improve the satisfaction and work efficiency of emergency medical workers related to medication dispensation.