No abstract available.
Bronchogenic Cyst*

No abstract available.
Tuberculosis, Laryngeal*

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A histological finding that is the most characteristic of cholesteatoma is the proliferation of the squamous cell. Signal transduction through phospholipase C(PLC) participates in the regulation of epidermal cell growth and differentiation. EGF, PDGF, and TGF-alpha bind to their receptors and thereby induce tyrosine phosphorylation of the phospholipase C-gamma1 (PLC-gamma1). PLC-gamma1 is a substrate for several receptor tyrosine kinases and its catalytic activity is increased by tyrosine phosphorylation. Tyrosine kinase phosphorylation of PLC-gamma1 stimulates PLC activation and cell proliferation. The G-protein has been shown to specifically activate PLC-beta1. However, the signal transduction pathway and the significance of PLC in cholesteatoma is unknown. This study attempted to provide some evidence that PLC plays a role in cholesteatoma by investigating the distribution and quantity of PLC-beta1 and PLC-gamma1 in the posterior auricular skin and cholestsatoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Western blotting and immunohistochemical study were performed for 20 cholesteatoma specimens obtained from patients who underwent operation. RESULTS: Western blot analyses revealed that PLC-beta1 protein and PLC-gamma1 protein were detectable in cholesteatoma and that these proteins were in higher levels compared with the control. In the imm-unohistochemical study, PLC-gamma1 was detected in the horny cell layer of posterior auricular skin but not in the suprabasal layer and the horny cell layer of cholesteatoma. PLC-beta1 was detected in the primary basal layer and a minor reaction was also noted in the spinous layer of posterior auricular skin. However, there were detactable reactions in both the basal and the suprabasal layers of cholesteatoma. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that there are signal transduction pathways through PLC, over-expression of PLC, the different signaling mechanism by PLC in the basal and the suprabasal layer of cholesteatoma.
Blotting, Western ; Cell Proliferation ; Cholesteatoma* ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; GTP-Binding Proteins ; Humans ; Phospholipase C beta* ; Phospholipases* ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Signal Transduction ; Skin ; Transforming Growth Factor alpha ; Tyrosine

BACKGROUND: Extraspinal percutaneous osteoplasties (POPs) are novel techniques for the treatment of painful bony metastasis, which is often the cause of both persistent and incidental breakthrough pain. This retrospective study explored the efficacy and complications of extraspinal POPs. METHODS: The origin of the cancer metastasis, performed POP sites, necessity of adjacent joint injections, pain and Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) scores, complications related to the POPs, and life expectancy were evaluated from the medical records from 2009 to 2016. RESULTS: A total of 47 (M/F = 28/19) patients had received 54 POPs, including costoplasty, scapuloplasty, ilioplasty, humeroplasty, ischioplasty, femoroplasty, sternoplasty, and puboplasty, in order of frequency. The most common sites for the origin of the cancer, in order of frequency, were the lung, liver, breast, colon, and kidney. All patients receiving POPs including scapuloplasty, ilioplasty, humeroplasty, and femoroplasty needed adjacent joint injections before or after the POPs. Pain due to metastatic lesions was reduced significantly immediately after the POPs and the reduction was sustained until the end of their lives. The median KPS was increased from 35.4% to 67.7% immediately after the POPs. There were no complications related to the procedures. The mean life expectancy after performing the POPs, for 35 patients which died afterwards, was 99.3 days, ranging from 1 to 767 days. CONCLUSION: Even though pain in the isolated POP sites may be difficult to measure due to overlapping systemic pain, the POPs provided immediate local pain relief, and the patients showed better physical performance without procedure-related complications.
Breakthrough Pain ; Breast ; Cementoplasty ; Colon ; Early Ambulation ; Humans ; Joints ; Karnofsky Performance Status ; Kidney ; Life Expectancy ; Liver ; Lung ; Medical Records ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Some components of ground substances are known to be involved in developing nasal polyp. The fibroblasts are a major component of the ground substances in nasal polyp and have many immunologic roles. Heterogeneity of fibroblasts has been observed in other anatomical sites including the nasal mucosa. The aim of this study was to investigate the heterogeneity of fibroblasts of nasal polyps in non-allergic rhinitis and allergic rhinitis. MATERIALS & METHODS: Using the third passage of the fibroblasts taken from polyps of allergic and non-allergic patients, we measured the proliferating potential by comparing the cell growth in the culture system of fibroblasts and calculated the doubling time of the cell growth. We also compared the proliferating potentials between the two groups after stimulation with histamine or IL-4. RESULTS: Morphologic differences were examined by transmission electron microscopy. In the non-stimulated experiment, proliferation of fibroblasts was increased in the non-allergic polyp group (NAPG). When the fibroblasts were stimulated with histamine, the proliferation was not significantly changed on day 6 in both groups. When the fibroblasts were stimulated with IL-4, the proliferation was significantly increased in NAPG. Morphologic differences were demonstrated between the NAPG and the APG. CONCLUSION: The differences in cell proliferation potentials and morphological changes between both groups suggest that there is a heterogeneity of fibroblasts between them.
Cell Proliferation ; Fibroblasts* ; Histamine ; Humans ; Interleukin-4 ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Nasal Mucosa ; Nasal Polyps* ; Polyps ; Population Characteristics* ; Rhinitis*

BACKGROUND: Modified Blalock-Taussig shunt using 3mm or 3.5mm PTFE graft has been performed in patients with small body weight or in candidates for single ventricle palliation. However, there are few reports concerning clinical outcomes in terms of pulmonary artery growth and shunt patency rate after shunt operations using such a small graft. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Twenty-five patients rate after shunt operations using 3 or 3.5 mm sized grafts from September 1996 to August 1999. We retrospectively assessed the pulmonary artery growth and the shunt patency rate by reviewing the pre-and post-operative pulmonary angiograms. The risk factors for late death and second shunt operations were also analyzed. To assess the presence of any correlation between body weight and selection of the graft size, regression analysis was done in 81 cases of shunt operations performed during the same period. RESULT: There were 1 (4%) early death and 5 (20%) late deaths. The survivors were followed up for an average of 7.34 months. The pulmonary artery index increased significantly from 129+/-66 mm2/m2 to 213+/-114 mm2/m2 (p=0.002). The shunt patency rate assessed at postoperative 2, 4, 6 and 8 months were 82.5%, 77%, 73% and 42% respectively with a marked decline between 6 and 8 months. Asplenia was a frequent finding for the patients with late death although the incidence failed to reach statistical significance (p=0.078). Pre-operative diagnosis of PA with VSD was found to be a statistically significant risk factor for a second shunt operation (p=0.01). Body weight(a) at operation and graft size (b) used in the shunt operations revealed strong correlation and could be expressed by the following formula; b=0.128a + 3.233. CONCLUSION: Adequate growth of pulmonary artery and satisfactory early patency rate could be obtained by modified Blalock-Taussing shunt using 3mm or 3.5mm graft. However, during 6 to 8 months after shunt operations, the patency rate fell sharply, which implicates that close observation and early intervention are mandatory in this period.
Blalock-Taussig Procedure ; Body Weight ; Diagnosis ; Early Intervention (Education) ; Humans ; Incidence ; Polytetrafluoroethylene* ; Pulmonary Artery ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Survivors ; Transplants*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Mutations or overexpression of the p53 gene is believed to play an important role in the progression of various human malignant tumors. The type IV collagenase (matrix metalloproteinase: MMP) initiates the degradation of the extracellular matrix and consequently may play a role in the process of tumor invasion and metastasis. Although MMPs are known to be expressed in a variety of tissues and molecular studies in malignant tumor have shown the high frequency of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in some specific regions, the study on the MMPs expression along with LOH on p53 gene related to clinicopathological parameters in thyroid tumors is very rare. MATERIALS AND METHOD: In this study, we examined the MMP-2, MMP-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) -2 expression in association with p53 gene LOH using immunohistochemical method and molecular polymorphic analysis in 100 cases of thyroid tumors (50 papillary carcinomas, 10 follicular carcinomas, 20 follicular adenomas, 20 nodular hyperplasias). LOH was examined at four p53 gene related microsatellite loci including TP53, D17S796, D17S5, D17S513. RESULTS: By immunohistochemistry, MMP-2 expression was detected in 37 (74%) papillary carcinomas, 4 (40%) follicular carcinomas, 5 (25%) follicular adenomas and 2 (10%) nodular hyperplasia cases. MMP-9 expression was detected in 35 (70%) papillary carcinomas, 4 (40%) follicular carcinomas, 4 (20%) follicular adenomas and 2 (10%) nodular hyperplasia cases. TIMP-2 expression was detected in 32 (64%) papillary carcinomas, 4 (40%) follicular carcinomas, 4 (20%) follicular adenomas and 1 (5%) nodular hyperplasia cases. By PCR-polymorphism study, p53 LOH was detected in 31 (62%) papillary carcinomas, 8 (80%) follicular carcinomas, 6 (30%) follicular adenomas and 0 (0%) nodular hyperplasia cases. The differences in MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-2 expression rates and p53 LOH between malignant and benign tumors were statistically significant. Also, MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-2 expression and p53 LOH correlated well with higher tumor histologic grade. Also statistically significant correlation was found between p53 LOH and lymph node metastasis. The MMP-2 expression showed increased tendency of lymphatic emboli formation and lymph node metastasis, but there was not statistically significant. MMP-2 expression was well correlated with MMP-9 expression and p53 LOH, but there is no remarkable correlation of expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 comparable to TIMP-2 expression. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-2 with p53 LOH may contribute to the malignant transformation and poorly differentiated grade in thyroid tumors. Also, MMP-2 expression may be regulated by p53 gene.
Adenoma ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Collagenases ; Extracellular Matrix ; Genes, p53* ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Immunohistochemistry ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; Lymph Nodes ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Circulatory disturbance to vestibular organ has been regarded as one of the causes that bring about vertigo, and alteration of the platelet function is known to be an important factor inducing circulatory deficit. This study was designed to evaluate platelet aggregability in the patients with peripheral vestibulopathy, and to evaluate difference according to duration of illness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Platelet aggregation tests to adenosine diphosphate (ADP), ristocetin, epinephrine and collagen were performed in 10 normal subjects and 15 patients with peripheral vestibulopathy. Maximum aggregation rates from aggregation curves were compared between the two groups, and also between the two groups of patients who had different duration of illness. RESULTS: In the patient group, platelet aggregations to ADP, ristocetin and collagen were increased compared to normal subjects and significant differences were found in aggregations to ADP and ristocetin. However, there was no significant difference according to different duration of illness in the patient group. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that platelet aggregability is increased in the patients with peripheral vestibulopathy, and duration of illness does not affect platelet aggregability.
Adenosine Diphosphate ; Blood Platelets* ; Collagen ; Epinephrine ; Humans ; Platelet Aggregation ; Ristocetin ; Vertigo

Relapsing polychondritis is a rare disease of unknown etiology. The disease is an immune disorder probably caused by autoimmunity. The characteristics are episodic with progressive inflammation of the cartilages of the body, most often of the ears, nose, costochondral junctions, joints, airway and cardiovascular system. Authors have recently experienced a case of relapsing polychondritis in a 28 year old man who had recurrent chondritis of both auricles. He did not have other involvement. The pathologic finding to the diagnosis was presented. We report this case with a review of the literature.
Adult ; Autoimmunity ; Cardiovascular System ; Cartilage ; Diagnosis ; Ear ; Humans ; Immune System Diseases ; Inflammation ; Joints ; Nose ; Polychondritis, Relapsing* ; Rare Diseases