A case of enteric cyst in the anterior two-thirds of the tongue is reported. The patient, a 42 day-old female infant, presented with a protruding tongue mass since birth. Under the impression of ectopic thyroid gland or leiomyoma, complete resection was performed. The mass proved to be an enteric cyst, lined by small intestinal mucosa with an underlying coat of smooth muscle. Enteric cysts arising in the tongue is rare and only 8 such cases have been reported in the literature.
Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Intestinal Mucosa ; Leiomyoma ; Muscle, Smooth ; Parturition ; Thyroid Dysgenesis ; Tongue*

Angiogenesis depends on the net balance between positive and negative angiogenic factors. Tumor cells are angiogenic resulting from increased production of positive factors and decreased production of negative factors. Among these, vascular endothelial growth factor and glioma- derived angiogenesis inhibiting factor are related to glioblastoma multiforme. The p53 gene is more frequently mutated than any other known oncogene or tumor suppressor gene in human tumors including glioblastoma multiforme. Angiogenesis is reported to be controlled by p53 regulation in recent studies. To examine the effect of p53 overexpression on angiogenesis in glioblastoma multiforme, we performed immunohistochemical staining in 51 cases of glioblastoma multiforme, using monoclonal antibodies to p53 protein and factor VIII. 20 cases of low grade astrocytoma were used as control. p53 overexpression was present in 15(75%) of 20 cases of low grade astrocytoma and the mean vessel count was 37.7+/-9.9 at x200 field and 17.5+/-5.8 at x400 field. p53 overexpression was present in 35(68%) of 51 cases of glioblastoma multiforme and the mean vessel count was 91.9 45.8 at x200 field and 40.7 19.1 at x400 field. Mean vessel count in low grade astrocytoma with p53 overexpression was 39.4 10.2 at x200 field and 18.9 5.7 at x400 field, while in cases without p53 overexpression it was 32.4+/-7.6 at x200 field and 13.2 3.5 at x400 field. Mean vessel count in glioblastoma multiforme with p53 overexpression was 94.5+/-51.8 at x200 field and 42.1+/-16.8 at x400 field, while in cases without p53 overexpression it was 86.1+/-29.5 at x200 field and 37.1+/-16.8 at x400 field. The mean survival time was 12.4 months in the 39 cases of glioblastoma multiforme in which follow-up studies were possible. Significant prognostic factors were age, p53 overexpression and adjuvant therapy. These results show that p53 gene mutation is one of the many contributing factors to angiogenesis in glioblastoma multiforme. In addition, other oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, as well as growth factors may be involved. Age, p53 overexpression and adjuvant therapy proved to be significant prognostic factors, while microvessel density was not.
Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Astrocytoma ; Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Factor VIII ; Follow-Up Studies ; Genes, p53* ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Glioblastoma ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Microvessels ; Oncogenes ; Survival Rate ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

This study was undertaken to investigate mineral changes in weathered scalp hair after burial. EDX (energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) analysis was performed to measure the presence of minerals on the hair surface. Twelve scalp hairs, buried for 5-40 years, were chosen from deceased individuals buried in tombs in Soha-Ri, Kyonggi-Do, and other regions in Korea. Three normal hairs were used as the control group. EDX data showed that carbon, oxygen, and sulfur were detected in hair collected from all three burial grounds. In contrast, calcium was only detected in hair collected from tombs in Soha-ri. The amounts of calcium and sulfur were found to decrease with time for hair collected from tombs in Soha-ri. Similar results were observed with sodium for hair collected from other regions. These results show region specific mineral detection and a decrease in the concentration of minerals with time. Consequently, it is suggested that changes in minerals concentration in weathered hair could be used as basic data in the field of forensic medicine.
Burial ; Calcium ; Carbon ; Forensic Medicine ; Forensic Sciences ; Hair ; Humans ; Korea ; Minerals ; Oxygen ; Scalp ; Sodium ; Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission ; Sulfur ; Weather

Barrett's esophagus is a metaplastic process in which the squamous epithelium of the lowet esophagus is replaced by columnar epithelium. Most cases are believed to be related to prolonged gastroesophageal reflux. Detection of Barretts esophagus is important in that it results in adenocarcinoma in about 10% of patients. We report a case of adenocarcinoma arising from Barrett's esophagus in a 56 year-old man, diagnosed incidentally at a physical check-up. Grossly, the esophagogastric junction was irregular and there were two small ulcers in the lower esophagus. Microscopically, ihe squamous epithelium of the lower hagus was replaced by specialized intesinal mucosa with a small focus of adenocarcinona confined to the submucosa in one area. Many separate dysplastic foci were also present in the nearby esophageal mucosa.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Barrett Esophagus* ; Epithelium ; Esophagogastric Junction ; Esophagus* ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Intestines* ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Stomach* ; Ulcer

The schwannoma is a benign neoplasm originating from Schwann cell. Solitary nerve sheath tumors such as benign schwannomas arising in the pelvic retroperitoneum are infrequently reported. Those tumors can indeed be misdiagnosed for other more common conditions both clinically and instrumentally. We report a very rare case of a benign retroperitoneal pelvic schwannoma of the obturator fossa, which was incidentally found and misdiagnosed as adnexal mass preoperatively in fifty one-years-old postmenopausal women.
Female ; Humans ; Nerve Sheath Neoplasms ; Neurilemmoma*

Late-onset focal dermal elastosis is a recently described disorder afflicting elderly patients with yellow papules on the neck and flexural areas. Although there are similar clinical findings to pseudoxanthoma elasticum, no stigmata of pseudoxanthoma elastimum are not evident. Histologically the papules are characterized by increased elastic fibers of normal appearance in the mid and deep dermis and no evidence of solar elastosis. Late-onset focal dermal elastosis may be caused by focal accumulation of normal appearing elastic tissue due to loss of age related homeostatic growth regulating gene control mechanism. We report a case of pseudoxanthoma elasticum-like late-onset focal dermal elastosis and suggest that this condition may be more common than has been reported.
Aged ; Christianity ; Dermis ; Elastic Tissue ; Humans ; Neck ; Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum

Digital mucous cysts are observed frequently on the lateral or dorsal aspect of the digital fingers. Digital mucous cysts are prone to recur after simple excision, electrocoagulation, intralesional injection of corticosteroid and a variety of other therapeutic maneuvers. In this report, we describe one patient with digital mucous cyst who was successfully treated with intralesional injection of 1 mg/ml of minocycline hydrochloride without any sequelae.
Electrocoagulation ; Fingers ; Humans ; Injections, Intralesional ; Minocycline ; Sclerotherapy

Leiomyosarcoma(LMS) is a malignant tumor from smooth muscle origin that arises most commonly in the gastrointestinal tract and uterus, but rarely in the oral and maxillofacial area which lacks smooth muscles. 63 cases of oral LMS have been reported, especially LMS that occurred in the mandibular gingiva is only 2 cases. Major symptom of oral LMS is painful or painless swelling. Besides it, oral LMS has no specific characteristics. So it is difficult to diagnose the case as LMS of the oral cavity. Certain cases report that LMS of the oral cavity was misdiagnosed as periodontitis and the patients were treated with unnecessary procedures. Conventional treatment of LMS is the radical surgical excision. LMS that is infiltrative and very malignant has poor prognosis despite of well-circumscribed boundary. LMS of the oral cavity is often recurred, has high rate of distant metastasis and 5-year-survival rate is as low as 23%. This article reports LMS of the mandibular gingiva that treated with surgical intervention, had local recurrence and metastasis to the lymph node after 16-month's follow-up examination.
Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Gingiva* ; Humans ; Leiomyosarcoma* ; Lymph Nodes ; Mouth ; Muscle, Smooth ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Periodontitis ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Unnecessary Procedures ; Uterus

PURPOSE: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory relapsing skin disorder. Vitamin D plays a pivotal role in the development of AD, and interleukin (IL) 31 is known to be related to pruritus in AD. The aim of our study was to determine whether 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels are related to IL-31 levels or to the severity of AD. METHODS: We enrolled 91 children with AD and 32 control subjects without history or symptoms of allergic diseases. Blood was drawn to evaluate complete blood cell count, total eosinophil count (TEC), and total IgE, specific IgE to common allergens, 25(OH)D, and IL-31 levels. Serum 25(OH)D and IL-31 levels were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) index was used to evaluate the severity of AD. RESULTS: The mean 25(OH)D level was significantly lower in the AD group than in the control group; 25(OH)D decreased greatly in the moderate and severe AD groups compared with the mild AD group. Children with atopic sensitization showed significantly lower 25(OH)D levels than nonatopic children. However, serum IL-31 levels were not related to AD group, SCORAD index, or 25(OH)D levels. The SCORAD index was inversely correlated with serum 25(OH)D level and positively correlated with TECs and total IgE levels. Children with moderate and severe AD had significantly higher TECs than children with mild AD. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D is related to the severity of AD independently of IL-31.
Allergens ; Blood Cell Count ; Child* ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Interleukins ; Pruritus ; Skin ; Vitamin D

BACKGROUND: Pneumoperitoneum for a gynecologic laparoscopic surgery induces hemodynamic changes. We evaluated the effects of nicardipine on induction, maintenance, and recovery. METHODS: Thirty patients scheduled for gynecologic laparoscopic surgery were randomly allocated to two groups: control group (placebo group, n = 15), group N (nicardipine group, 10 microgram/kg followed by 0.5-2.0 microgram/kg/min). The systolic arterial pressure, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate were measured at preinduction, induction, intubation and 5, 10, 15, 20 min after insufflation. Loss of consciousness, induction dose, effective site concentration, propofol maintenance dose (the maintenance dose of propofol from intubation to end of anesthesia, PMD) were also measured. Propofol was titrated to maintain a bispectal index value of 40-60. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in PMD between two groups. The PMD of group N was significantaly less than group C. Nicardipine adminstration attenuated increase in the blood pressure, but did not affect on heart rates during CO2 insufflation. CONCLUSIONS: Co-administration of nicardipine was effective in attenuating the hemodynamic changes after pneumoperitoneum during gynecologic laparoscopic surgery, without changes of induction and recovery.
Anesthesia ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Insufflation ; Intubation ; Laparoscopy* ; Nicardipine* ; Pneumoperitoneum ; Propofol ; Unconsciousness