Growth stimulatory/inhibitory factors and their receptors are the important mediators of control of epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation. The aim of this study was to observe the distribution of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and transforming growth factor-beta1 type II receptor (TbetaRII) during carcinogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue from 25 oral leukoplakias (OL) and 15 OSCC was immunostained by avidin-biotin complex method. In OSCC, the carcinomatous area and the adjacent dysplastic/ hyperplastic area were examined. In OL, the hyperplasia and the epithelial dysplasia were examined. Monoclonal anti-EGFR Ab and polyclonal anti-TbetaRII Ab were applied. EGFR was mainly expressed in the basal layer and was increased with epithelial dysplasia in OL. TbetaRII was not detected in the basal cell layer and dysplastic area in OL. In contrast, the dysplastic area adjacent to OSCC showed positivity in the entire layer including the dysplastic area. In all cases of OSCC, both EGFR and TbetaRII showed positive reactions. EGFR was increased with the progression to the malignancy, and the expression pattern of TbetaR II was altered to be positive in the basal cell layer with progression to malignancy. These results suggest that the expression of EGFR appeared to be an early event and TbetaR II may be related to malignant transformation during oral carcinogenesis. The expression pattern of EGFR and TbetaR II may contribute to predict the risk of the development of carcinoma in oral premalignant lesions.
Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Epithelial Cells ; Formaldehyde ; Hyperplasia ; Leukoplakia, Oral* ; Paraffin ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor*

No abstract available.
Dyskeratosis Congenita* ; Female ; Humans

OBJECTIVES: The diagnosis of ASCUS(atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance) and LSIL(low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion) was introduced in 1988 by the Bethesda system for reporting cervical/vaginal cytologies. A significant proportion of women referred for colposcopy with low grade cervical cytologic abnormalities(ASCUS and LSIL) will have high grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia(CIN II or CIN III) and therefore require adequate management. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the usefulness of high risk type HPV(human papillomavirus) DNA detection using PCR(polyerase chain reaction) in patients with low grade cervical cytologic abnormalities in the prediction of high grade CIN and invasive cancer and to determine the clinical triage in the management of low grade cervical cytologic abnormalities. METHODS: We reviewed 18,942 cases of Papanicolau smears that were performed at our hospital from Jan. 1995 to Mar. 1999. Colposcopically directed biopsy or LLETZ(large loop excision of transformation zone) or hysterectomy were performed on 318 patients with abnormal PAP smears of low degree. HPV PCR testing of high risk types(16 and 18) was also performed on 115 patients. RESULTS: Histologic outcome of ASCUS included 43 cases(38.4%) of high grade CIN and invasive cancer, and that of LSIL included 65 cases(47.5%) of high grade CIN and invasive cancer. In cases of high risk HPV type, 19 patients(73.1%) were at age over 30 years. A highly significant correlation was found between a positive test for high risk types of HPV and finding of high grade CIN and invasive cancer. Among 51 women with ASCUS, a positive test for high risk type had a sensitivity and specificity of 40.0% and 86.1%, and positive predictive value(PPV) and negative predictive value(NPV) of 54.5% and 77.5%, respectively. In 64 women with LSIL, a positive high risk type test was associated with sensitivity and specificity of 30.0% and 94.1%, and PPV and NPV of 81.8% and 60.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that high risk type HPV may be positively predictive of and may act as a surrogate marker for high grade CIN and invasive cancer in women with low grade cervical cytologic abnormalities. The management of women with a low grade cervical cytologic abnormalities should be active such as colposcopically directed biopsies.
Biomarkers ; Biopsy ; Colposcopy ; Diagnosis ; DNA* ; Female ; Humans* ; Hysterectomy ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Triage

No abstract available.
Facial Bones*

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Bronchiectasis*

Conventional high-dose antipsychotics tend to result in more side effects, negative symptoms and dysphoria, and at the same time lower the cognitive function which is already impaired in most schizophrenics. Florid psychotic symptoms, negative symptoms and cognitive impairment greatly impede psychosocial performance and eventual reintegration int society. The reduction of symptom and the improvement of cognitive funtions and social skills are therefore central to the psychiatric rehabilitation process. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dose-reduction effects of antipsychotics more than 1,500mg equivalent of chlorpromazine. Fifty-one chronic schizophrenics who maintained high-does antipsychotics for more than three months were randomly assigned to two groups : 20 patients comprised the dose-maintaining group and 31 patients made the dose-reduction group. Over a sixteen weekperiod Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS), Extrapyramidal Symptom(EPS), Nurses' Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation(NOSIE-30), Continuous Performance Test(CPT), Quality of Life(QOL), and haloperidol/reduced haloperidol blood levels were determined at the base line and after 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16 weeks to evaluate the dose reduction effects of high-dose antipsychotics. The results were as follows: 1) Dose-reduction is highly effective in reducing positive and negative symptoms, and general psychopathology. Effects were most prominent at 8, 12, 16 weeks. Among the dose reduction group, positive symptoms in positive symptom group and negative symptoms in negative symptom group were more reduced. 2) Extrapyramidal symptoms showed no significant difference between two groups. But EPS was reduced time after time within two groups. 3) Hit rates of Continuous Performance Test, which indicate attentional capacity, increased significantly after dose reduction. 4) Haloperidol and reduced haloperidol blood levels decreased until the 4th week, after which they were constant. 5) Total scores of Nurses' Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation were unchanged between the two groups. But among the indices, social interest and personal neatness were improved in the dose-reduction group and retardation was aggrevated in the dose-maintaining group. 6) Total quality of life scores were unchanged between two groups. But in the dose maintaining group, satisfaction scores of attention, autonomy, and interpersonal relationship decreased progressively. These findings suggest that the dose reduction of antipsychotics for chronic schizophrenics on programs of high-dose antipsychotics were effective. Dose reduction should therefore be implemanted to spread the rehabilitation and improve quality of life for chronic schizophrenics.
Antipsychotic Agents* ; Chlorpromazine ; Haloperidol ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Psychopathology ; Quality of Life ; Rehabilitation

BACKGROUND: The decision to institute mechanical ventilation for patients with COPD is very difficult. The accurate informaiton regarding weaning success and long-term survival will improve communication with patients and family and enhance informed consent. The aims of this study are to describe outcomes and identify variables associated with survival for patients experiencing mechanical ventilation with an acute respiratory failure of COPD. METHODS: The 53 cases of mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit in the National Medical Center from 1989 to 1998 were included. Data were collected retrospectively from medical records. Weaning success rate and 3 month and 1 year survival rates were estimated. Factors associated with weaning success and survival were determined. RESULTS: Weaning success was 55%. For success group with 29 cases, 3 months survival rate was 61% and 1 year survival rate 37%. APACHE II scores in weaning success group were significantly lower than those in the failure group. Factors such as age, sex, comorbid-illnes, previous steroid use, causes of respiratory failure, RVH or arrhythmia on EKG, serum albumin level, arterial blood pH, PaO2, PaCO2, FEV1, duration of mechanical ventilation and steroid use during mechanical ventilation were not associated with weaning success. Only age and serum albumin level were associated with 3 month and 1 year survival. No COPD patients of age more than 75 years and serum albumin level less than 3g/dl had survived at 1 year after weaning success. CONCLUSION: While seaning success from mechanical ventilation can be predicted by APACHE IIscore in COPD patients, long-term outcomes of survivors may be influenced by nutritional status and age.
APACHE ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Informed Consent ; Intensive Care Units ; Medical Records ; Nutritional Status ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* ; Respiration, Artificial* ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Retrospective Studies ; Serum Albumin ; Survival Rate ; Survivors ; Weaning

BACKGROUND: Joint symptoms frequently occur in the course of antituberculous chemotherapy and tend to be ignored and overlooked, but in some cases, they are often very troublesome in obstructing ordinary life. Joint symptoms that develop during antituberculous chemotherapy need to be understood, but there are few materials describing them systematically. METHOD: This study enrolled 33 patients with tuberculosis treated with first line antituberculous agents for more than 6months. In the course of treatment, joint symptoms not associated with specific cause, such as pre-existing joint disease or trauma, were investigated and compared with those of the asymptomatic group, We confirmed the incidence of joint symptoms and factors associated with them. RESULTS: Nineteen of 33 patients (58%) had joint symptoms. Joint symptoms developed 1.9±1.4 months after the beginning of chemotherapy and lasted for 3.6±2.5 months. IN 18 of 19 symptomatic patients, multiple joints were involved : shoulder(10 patients, 53%), knee(10,53%), finger(6,32%). Joint symptoms were expressed as pain(19 patients, 100%), stiffness(7,37%) and/or swelling (3,16%). Fourteen patients (74%) took analgesics to relieve their symptoms and in 2 patients, antituberculous agents were discontinued because of the severity of their symptoms. The symptoms seem to be caused by agents other than pyrazinamide, but it was very difficult to identify the definite causative agent. In age, sex, underlying disease and serum uric acid level, no significant differences were noted between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although joint symptoms are common during antituberculous chemotherapy, their development is difficult to predict. Because some joint symptoms can become very bothersome, the physician should pay close attention to these symptoms.
Analgesics ; Arthralgia ; Drug Therapy* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Joint Diseases ; Joints* ; Pyrazinamide ; Tuberculosis ; Uric Acid

BACKGROUND: Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is associated with a insignificant skin lesion, keratitis, encephalitis, congenital infection, sexually transmitted disease, or cervix cancer. There are two types of serogroup, HSV-1 and HSV-2. HSV-1 makes the lesion mainly on the above-waist area and HSV-2 makes the lesion mainly on the below-waist area. To diagnose the HSV infection, immunological or cultural methods usually have been used until now. But they are not satisfactory in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and ease of application. Recently the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was developed. Because of the exponential nature of the amplification, this method can detect extremely small amount of DNA. We compared nested PCR with cultural method for HSV detection. METHODS: We obtained 61 specimens from the lesions of oral mucosa, face, and genital area. Samples were inoculated into the monolayer from the African green monkey kidney cell(Vero). When the slide showed cytopathic effect(CPE), HSV infection was confirmed, After extracting DNA from 61 samples, we amplified HSV DNA using nested PCR with the primers against the gene encoding glycoprotein (gD) of HSV-1 and HSV-2. RESULTS: We found 632 bp band after the 1st PCR round and 271 bp band after the 2nd PCR round with HSV-1 specific primers. HSV-2 revealed 428 bp band after the 1st PCR round and 231 bp band after the 2nd PCR round. Nested PCR showed analytical sensitivity at 10(-9) g of DNA in HSV-1 and 10(-10) g of DNA in HSV-2. Viral culture was positive in 36%, nested PCR detected HSV DNA sequence in 54% of samples. Nested PCR typed HSV, HSV-1 in 67%, HSV-2 in 39%, and mixed type in 6% of PCR-positive samples. All isolates from above-waist area were HSV-1. Seventy seven percent of 13 isolates from below-waist area were HSV-2 and 38% were HSV-1. CONCLUSIONS: Nested PCR offers a rapid, simple, and sensitive test for HSV infections of skin and mucosa.
Base Sequence ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; DNA ; Encephalitis ; Glycoproteins ; Herpes Simplex* ; Herpesvirus 1, Human ; Herpesvirus 2, Human ; Keratitis ; Kidney ; Mouth Mucosa ; Mucous Membrane ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Simplexvirus* ; Skin ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms