No abstract available.
Hernia, Umbilical*

CD44 is a hyaluronic acid receptor that exists as a standard 90-kd form (CD44H) as well as several CD44 variants isoforms are produced through alternative splicing. Alternatively spliced variants of the CD44 molecule have been found to be associated with invasive and metastatic potential of cancer cells and poor prognosis in several types of carcinoma. The purpose of the present study is to define the expression of CD44H and CD44v6 in ovarian tumors and to investigate whether the expression of these molecules is associated with adverse prognosis. We evaluated the expression of CD44 isoforms in 58 ovarian tumors by means of immunohistochemistry, and correlated between CD44 expression and the histologic types, tumor grade, peritoneal implants, pseudomyxoma peritonei and FIGO stage. While the CD44H was commonly expressed in ovarian tumors, the CD44v6 was expressed in a minor proportion of serous tumors in comparison with frequent expression of v6 isoform in mucinous tumors. The CD44H expression was significantly higher in stage I/II than in stage III. However, there was no correlation between the expression of CD44 and the presence of peritoneal implants or pseudomyxoma peritonei. These results suggest that CD44H could play an important role in the adhesive function in the lower stage of the ovarian tumor and reduced expression in the higher stage might be related to the metastasis and widespread invasion of ovarian carcinoma cells.
Adhesives ; Alternative Splicing ; Female ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mucins ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Ovary ; Prognosis ; Protein Isoforms ; Pseudomyxoma Peritonei

No abstract available.
Humans ; Ulcer* ; Zidovudine*

No abstract available.

In this study, the feasibility of identification and genotypic differentiation of enteroviruses was investigated by using nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (nested RT-PCR), single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP), and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) techniques. Two hundred seventy-four clinical samples were assayed by both nested RT-PCR and tube culture method using MRC-5 and MK cells; 58 (86.6%) out of 67 enterovirus culture-positive samples contained enteroviral RNA. In addition, 114 (55.1%) of 207 samples from patients with suspected enteroviral CNS disease with negative viral cultures were positive by the nested RT-PCR. The nested RT-PCR products were genotyped by the SSCP method and the results were compared with serotypes. We could differentiate 6 subtypes, 3 of which are similar to coxsackievirus B3, B5, echovirus 11, plus 3 other subtypes. RFLP cleaved with Sty I, Bgl I, and Xmn I yielded characteristic patterns for each laboratory strains. This study demonstrates the usefulness of the RT-PCR for the rapid diagnosis of enterovirus infection and the potentials of the SSCP method for differentiation of enterovirus strains.
Central Nervous System Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Enterovirus B, Human ; Enterovirus Infections ; Enterovirus* ; Genotype* ; Humans ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; RNA

We describe the clinical and pathologic observation of a 50-year-old man with superficial disseminated porokeratosis who developed a squamous cell carcinoma on the dorsum of his right thumb and Bowens disease on his right upper arm. The tumors were surrounded by lesions of superficial disseminated porokeratosis and were thought to develop from the dysplastic epidermal cells located under the comoid lamellae.
Arm ; Bowen's Disease* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Epithelial Cells* ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Porokeratosis* ; Thumb

Ideal results of augmentation mammaplasty consist of symmetry, natural shape, soft feeling and inconspicuous scar. In addition, patient's preferences about size and shape should be included. Static implants could not perfectly satisfy patients' desires for size and shape, but expandable implants enable to change the volume after the operation. From September 2001 to September 2004, 76 patients(150 breasts) underwent breast augmentation using permanent expandable implant. The procedure was unilateral in 2 women and bilateral in 74 women. Age ranged from 19 to 50 years(mean, 29 years). Fifty nine patients underwent simple augmentation mammaplasty, 7 patients were corrected of their severe asymmetry, 2 patients with the congenital breast deformity underwent mammaplasty using this, and 2 patients who had undergone unilateral mastectomy were reconstructed of their breasts using expandable implant. There were no definite complications such as capsular contracture, implant rupture, asymmetry. And there reported little dissatisfaction about the size. The permanent expandable implants might be good alternatives in cases of ordinary breast augmentation as well as tissue deficient patients, asymmetry, congenital anomaly, and breast reconstruction.
Breast* ; Cicatrix ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Female ; Humans ; Implant Capsular Contracture ; Mammaplasty ; Mastectomy ; Rupture

No abstract available.
Angiography* ; Head* ; Necrosis*

OBJECTIVE: This study was done to evaluate the risk factors and prevalence of symptom-giving pelvic girdle relaxation in pregnant women. METHODS: Three hundreds thirty-two postpartum women were asked to fill out a questionnaire within one week after their parturition. The diagnostic criteria of this lesion were adopted from the Norwegian Medical Association's and Larsen's criteria. The questionnaire were included age, parity, BMI(kg/cm2), weight gain during the pregnancy, history of symptom giving pelvic girdle relaxation in previous pregnancy, level of exercise and vocational status during and before the pregnancy and baby's birth weight. The answers were evaluated to determine the risk factors. The correlation was tested by student t-test and logistic regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of symptom-giving pelvic girdle relaxation during pregnancy was 18.9%. The history of symptom-giving pelvic girdle relaxation in previous pregnancy, multiparity and the absence of regular exercise before and during pregnancy showed correlation with symptom-giving pelvic girdle relaxation in pregnancy (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: It is suggested that women who experienced symptom-giving pelvic girdle relaxation in previous pregnancy should be checked for this lesion before pregnancy. Regular exercise is required to lower the incidence and lessen the severity of this lesion in pregnancy.
Birth Weight ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Logistic Models ; Parity ; Parturition ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women* ; Prevalence* ; Surveys and Questionnaire ; Relaxation* ; Risk Factors* ; Weight Gain

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the spectrum of MR characteristics of cystic acoustic neurinomas and to correlate with pathologic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the MR findings of 12 patients with cystic acoustic neurinomas. The signal intensity and enhancement pattern of the cystic components as well as the location relative to the tumors were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 30 cysts were found in 15 acoustic neurinomas;28 were intratumoral cysts and the remaining two were extratumoral cysts. The signal intensity of all 28 intratumoral cysts was higher than that of CSF on Tl-weighted images, and isointense to CSF on T2-weighted images, while the signal intensity of the two extratumoral cysts was same as CSF on both Tl-weighted and T2-weighted images. Rim enhancement was seen in 27 of 28 intratumoral cysts but in none of the two extratumoral cysts. CONCLUSION: We concluded that intratumoral cyst was due to tumoral necrosis, hemorrhage or degenerative change and extratumoral cyst due to secondary arachnoid cyst formation.
Acoustics* ; Arachnoid ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Neuroma, Acoustic* ; Retrospective Studies