No abstract available.
Neurofibroma, Plexiform* ; Urinary Bladder*

No abstract available.

Myasthenia gravis(MG) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by the presence of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody and weakness of voluntary muscles. The pathogenesis of MG is decreased numbers of acetylcholine receptors at postsynaptic membranes of neuromuscular junctions. It has been reported that MG often coexists with other autoimmune disorders. This is a case report of systemic lupus erythematosus coexisting with MG in a 23 year old female patient presenting with dysarthria, dysphagia, and limb weakness. We report the case with relevant literature review.
Deglutition Disorders ; Dysarthria ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Membranes ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Myasthenia Gravis* ; Neuromuscular Junction ; Receptors, Cholinergic ; Young Adult

We report a case of trichoblastic fibroma involving the scrotum in a 60-year-old man. Trichoblastic fibroma is very rare and benign trichogenic tumor that has both epithelial and mesenchymal components and histologically recount the embryologic development of the hair follicle. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathologic examination.
Diagnosis ; Fibroma* ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Scrotum*

Although scaling is the primary method for improving oral health, it is also associated with dental fear. The objective of this study was to empirically verify whether the use of gel anesthetic within the gingival sulcus during scaling relieves pain and improves other factors. A total of 128 patients scheduled to undergo scaling at a dental clinic of a general hospital located in the Gyeonggi Province, between July 2014 and July 2015, were enrolled in the study. The participants underwent scaling following the application of 20% benzocaine gel or placebo gel anesthetic within the gingival sulcus, and the data was collected using a questionnaire. There was a significant difference in the severity of pain, participant satisfaction, perceived sensitivity, overall discomfort, and fear of scaling between the two groups. The two groups were compared in terms of perceived need for gel anesthesia, willingness to pay for anesthesia costs, and willingness to receive scaling in the future. There were significant differences in all the three parameters depending on whether gel anesthesia was used or not. There were significant differences between the two groups in perceived sensitivity immediately after scaling and one day after scaling, with no difference seen one week after scaling. With regards to overall discomfort over time, there were significant differences between the two groups immediately after scaling. Based on these findings, we expect that application of gel anesthetic within the gingival sulcus during scaling will reduce pain, perceived sensitivity, overall discomfort, and fear of scaling with increased satisfaction.
Anesthesia* ; Benzocaine ; Dental Anxiety ; Dental Clinics ; Dental Scaling ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Methods ; Oral Health

PURPOSE: Gastric adenocarcinoma is the most common malignant tumor in Korea and immunochemotherapy can be alternative method of the treatment for it. So we evaluated several immunologic markers, Major Histocomatibility (MHC) Antigen and Intercellular Adhesion Molecule (ICAM)-1 which play an important roles in cellular immune response of the host to the tumar cells, HLA-DR/DP antigens, one of the MHC class II which is expressed in various conditions, CD 68 antigen which are also important factor in immune response to the tumor cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared the expression of MHC class II (HLA-DR/DP) antigens, ICAM-1 and the number of tumor-infiltrating macrophages presenting CD68 antigen in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 95 gastric adenocarcinomas using immunohistochemistry. In addition to analyze the relationship between expression of these antigens in gastric adenocarcinoma, histolopathologic findings such as tumor invasion, regional lymph node metastasis and histologic differentiation are evaluated. RESULTS: The rate of HLA-DR/DP expression was 60% and strongly associated with tumor differentiation, invasion and regional lymph node metastasis. ICAM-1 was expressed in 15% and slightly increased in well-differentiated carcinoma. The lack of expression of ICAM-1 was observed in high invasive tumor (T 4). CD 68(+) macrophages counts were significantly increased in around the tumor cells, compared to normal epithelia. HLA-DR/DP expression and infiltrating CD 68(+) macrophage numbers were significantly associated (p<0.05), but there was no correlationship between ICAM-1 and CD 68(+) macrophage numbers. CONCLUSION: It was considered that enhanced expression of HLA-DR/DP antigens, ICAM-1 and CD68(+) macrophages in gastric adenocarcinomas may be an immunophenotypic deviation. HLA-DR/DP and CD68(+) macrophages infiltration showed correlationship with tumor invasion and regional lymph node metastasis, that they may be used as a prognostic factor of the tumor growth.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Biomarkers ; Immunity, Cellular ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1* ; Korea ; Lymph Nodes ; Macrophages* ; Neoplasm Metastasis

Esophageal carcinoma is a rare malignant neoplasm consisting of about 1.5% of the whole gastrointestinal tract neoplasm and has poor prognosis of which survival rate is below 5%. The squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus could be multicentric in character and may have occured in 9.5-27% of incidence. The most common site is head and neck region. The metastasis of esophageal carcinoma occur through hematogenous, lymphatic spread, direct invasion and rarely intramural metastasis. Of theses, intramural metastasis has been occured in 7-14.3% of incidence and its presence has been regared to poor prognostic factor due to early regional or distant metastasis. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy alone or combination of these has been used as treatment modalities of esophageal cancer, but combination chemoradiotherapy with or without operation is prefered method than other at present. Authors report a case of esophageal carcinoma showing intramural metastasis to the gastric wall, which had the complete remission with preoperative chemoradiotherapy.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Chemoradiotherapy* ; Drug Therapy ; Esophageal Neoplasms* ; Esophagus ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Head ; Incidence ; Neck ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy ; Stomach* ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: We characterized the signals obtained from the components of a small gamma camera using NaI(Tl)-position sensitive photomultiplier tube (PSPMT) and optimized the parameters employed in the modules of the system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The small gamma camera system consists of a NaI(Tl) crystal (60x60x6 mm3) coupled with a Hamamatsu R3941 PSPMT, a resister chain circuit, preamplifiers, nuclear instrument modules (NIMs), an analog to digital converter and a personal computer for control and display. The PSPMT was read out using a resistive charge division circuit which multiplexes the 34 cross wire anode channels into 4 signals (X+, X-, Y+, Y-). Those signals were individually amplified by four preamplifiers and then, shaped and amplified by amplifiers. The signals were discriminated and digitized via triggering signal and used to localize the position of an event by applying the Anger logic. The gamma camera control and image display was performed by a program implemented using a graphic software. RESULTS: The characteristics of signal and the parameters employed in each module of the system were presented. The intrinsic sensitivity of the system was approximately 8x103 counts/sec/microcurie. The intrinsic energy resolution of the system was 18% FWHM at 140 keV. The spatial resolution obtained using a line-slit mask and 99mTc point source were, respectively, 2.2 and 2.3 mm FWHM in X and Y directions. Breast phantom containing 2~7 mm diameter spheres was successfully imaged with a parallel hole collimator. The image displayed accurate size and activity distribution over the imaging field of view. CONCLUSION: We proposed a simple method for development of a small gamma camera and presented the characteristics of the signals from the system and the optimized parameters used in the modules of the small gamma camera.
Anger ; Breast ; Electrodes ; Gamma Cameras* ; Logic ; Masks ; Microcomputers

PURPOSE: We evaluated the feasibility of extracting pure left ventricular blood pool and myocardial time-activity curves (TACs) and of generating factor images from human dynamic N-13 ammonia PET using factor analysis. The myocardial blood flow (MBF) estimates obtained with factor analysis were compared with those obtained with the user drawn region-of-interest (ROI) method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Stress and rest N-13 ammonia cardiac PET imaging was acquired for 23 min in 5 patients with coronary artery disease using GE Advance tomograph. Factor analysis generated physiological TACs and factor images using the normalized TACs from each dixel. Four steps were involved in this algorithm: (a) data preprocessing; (b) principal component analysis; (c) oblique rotation with positivity constraints; (d) factor image computation. Area under curves and MBF estimated using the two compartment N-13 ammonia model were used to validate the accuracy of the factor analysis generated physiological TACs. The MBF estimated by factor analysis was compared to the values estimated by using the ROI method. RESULTS: MBF values obtained by factor analysis were linearly correlated with MBF obtained by the ROI method (slope=0.84, r=0.91). Left ventricular blood pool TACs obtained by the two methods agreed well (Area under curve ratio: 1.02 (0~1 min), 0.98 (0~2 min), 0.86 (1~2 min)). CONCLUSION:: The RESULTS of this study demonstrates that MBF can be measured accurately and noninvasively with dynamic N-13 ammonia PET imaging and factor analysis. This method is simple and accurate, and can measure MBF without blood sampling, ROI definition or spillover correction. KW: N-13 ammonia, PET, Myocardial blood flow, Factor analysis
Ammonia* ; Area Under Curve ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Factor Analysis, Statistical* ; Humans ; Principal Component Analysis

In the article cited above, upper part page in title page has an error. Ending page of the article should be 268, not 269.