Twenty one units of platelet-rich plasma(PRP) were prepared from healthy volunteer blood donors, and each unit of the PRP was divided into two aliquots by using transfer bags. Using SEPACELLTM leukocyte-removal filters, each one aliquot of the PRP was filtered immediately after preparation, and the other aliquot was filtered after a 48-hour storage at a room temperature with continuous agitation. Belbre and after filtration, platelet numbers and two platelet activation markers, CD62 and CD63, were measured using hematologic autoanalyzer and'flow cytometry, respectively. The results were as follows: 1. The platelet numbers in the PRP were reduced after filtration. 2. On the point of the preparation of PRP, the mean percentage of CD63-posititve platelets(s32.86+/- 11.3.5%) was highehr than that of CD62-positive platelets(14.63+/-11.22%). 3. When filtered immediately after preparation of PRP, the CD62-positive platelets were significantly reduced(13.23+/-10.43%), however, CD63-positive platelets were not significantly reduced(29.83+/-11.05%). 4. After 48-hour storage, both two activation markers were increased, and the markers were significantly higher in the PRPs stored after filtration than in those stored without filtration. In conclusion CD63 would be a more sensitive platelet activation marker than CD62, and the platelets expressing CD62 seemed to be removed more than those expressing CD63 during filtration.
Blood Donors ; Blood Platelets* ; Dihydroergotamine ; Filtration ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Platelet Activation* ; Platelet Count

No abstract available.
Amiloride* ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Humans*

Hospitals have been very susceptable to changes in external environment. Accordingly, they have been experiencing great financial difficulty due to low insurance rates and increasing competition. As a remedy, hospitals have attempted to use computer in a strategic manner. Such system is called strategic information system (SIS) , and order communication system (OCS) is an example of SIS in hospital setting. While OCS has known to be effective in reducing waiting time for outpatients, many hospitals are reluctant to introduce this system mainly because there are no real data or methods for justifying the cost of the system. Cost-benefit analysis has been traditionally used for such purpose, but this method deals with limited portion of benefits and therefore not very useful for analyzing the economic feasibility of SIS. In this paper, information economics tools which expand cost with value was used to analyze the economic feasibility of OCS. To assist the analysis, financial simulation model was developed using simulation package, called IFPS (Interactive Financial Planning System).
Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Humans ; Information Systems ; Insurance ; Outpatients

Although methotrexate(MTX) has been known to have many side effects, especially toxicity on the hemopoietic cells and the liver, it has been used as a potent anticancer drug and for the treatment of psoriasis or rheumatoid arthritis. The severity of hepatotoxicity varies from mild fatty change to chronic active hepatitis(CAH) and cirrhosis. We experienced two cases of MTXinduced CAH in patients with psoriasis, which prompted us to report in view of the absence of biopsy proven MTX hepatotoxicity in the Korean literature. Microscopically, the liver showed a distorted lobular architecture with portal fibrous expansion, piecemeal necrosis and bridging necrosis/fibrosis. The hepatic lobules revealed fatty changes of hepatocyte, focal hepatocytolysis, delicate collagen deposits along the space of Disse and the characteristically marked polyploid nuclear change of hepatocytes.
Biopsy

Strumal carcinoid of the ovary is a rare turkor characterized by an intimate mixture of thyroid follicles and carcinoid. Herein is reported an ovarian strumal carcinoid in a serous cystadenoma from a 27-year-old pregnant woman. The thyroid follicular epithelial cells had immunohistochemically thyroglobulin and carcinoid tumor cells contained neuron-specific enolase, chromogranin and carcinoembryonic antigen. In addition, carcinoid cells showed neuroendocrine granules ultrastructurally. Calcitonin and amyloid were not found. This tumor may be originated from pluripotent endodermal germ cells on the basis of morphologic, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies.
Pregnancy ; Female ; Humans

Fibro-osseous pseudotumor of the digits is a heterotopic ossification closely related to myositis ossificans and occurs in the subcutaneous tissue of the digits. This lesion is considered a reactive fibroblastic proliferation with metaplastic bone formation. We report a case of fibro-osseous pseudotumor of left index finger in a 28-year-old woman. She had had an ovoid smooth subcutaneous mass with tenderness on the left index finger for one month. In gross, the specimen consisted of a relatively circumscribed, rubbery soft mass with grayish white cut surface measuring 2.0 1.7 1.5 cm. Upon microscopic examination the lesion showed irregular multinodular growth with considerably variable cellularity. Because of the focal hypercellularity, cellular atypia, and increased mitotic activity this lesion may be confused with extraskeletal osteosarcoma or parosteal osteosarcoma. This rare lesion is curable by complete local excision.
Adult ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; Fingers ; Humans ; Myositis Ossificans ; Ossification, Heterotopic ; Osteogenesis ; Osteosarcoma ; Subcutaneous Tissue

Hormone replacement therapy combined with progestogens induces changes in effect of estrogen on serum lipid levels and it has been known that the changes depend on a type and dosage of progestogen. It is also known that progestational agent induces positive ch-ange in bone mineral density. To study the effects of progestogen on lipoprotein and bone metabolism, we administ- ered conjugated equine estrogen 0.625 mg alone to 50 postmenopausal women, in combinat- ion with medroxy- progesterone acetate 5 mg to 40 postmenopausal women. The data demonstrated a beneficial effect in lipoprotein profiles in both groups. Total cholesterol in two groups decreased from the baseline values, LDL-cholesterol decreased significantly by 4.8 % in group I and 16.2 % in group II(p < 0.05), HDL-cholesterol increa- sed significantly by 11.3 % in group I and 14.7 % in group II(p < 0.05), triglyceride incre- ased slightly in both groups. Bone mineral density of femur was maintained and BMD of vertebrae increased by 1.1 % in group I and 2.0 % in group II, but it is not statistically significant. The differences of changes between two groups were not statistically significa- nt. Our results suggest that medroxyprogesterone acetate have no adverse effect on HDL -cholesterol and have no additive effect on bone mineral density in hormone replacement therapy.
Bone Density* ; Cholesterol ; Estrogens* ; Female ; Femur ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Lipoproteins ; Medroxyprogesterone Acetate ; Metabolism ; Progesterone ; Progestins ; Spine ; Triglycerides

We described a case of diffuse biphasic cutaneous amyloidosis, a unique form of localized cutaneous amyloidosis. A 41-year-old man has gradually developed a lichenoid papular and a grouped spotted pigmented macular eruption on the trunk and upper extremities over the past 15 years. Histopathologic examination revealed that amyloid deposits were present in the papillary dermis. It was confirmed by Congo red staining, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. There was no evidence of systemic amyloidosis.
Adult ; Amyloidosis* ; Congo Red ; Dermis ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Microscopy, Electron ; Plaque, Amyloid ; Upper Extremity

The occurrence of sqamous cell carcinoma arising from epidermal cyst is unusual. A 54-year-old man with soft tissue mass on the back for 25 years presented an infiltrating squamous cell carcinoma within the wall of epidermal cyst. All tissue excised deserved to be examined to be axamined carefully in longterm epidermal cyst.
Male ; Humans ; Cysts

Inflammatory pseudotumors of the bronchus have been reported infrequently. Histologic diagnosis remains difficult because of their Polymorphic histologic characteristics and confusing terminology, which are also the problems in the diagnosis of intrapulmonary pseudotumors. We report a case of inflammatory pseudotumor in the left main bronchus which occurred in a 37-year-old man. Histologically, the main portion of the tumor was composed of pale eosinophilic spindle shaped cells covered by respiratory epithelium with squamous metaplasia. Mononuclear inflammatory cells, including plasma cells but acute inflammatory cells were also present in the superficial portion.