Certain beneficial microorganisms isolated from rhizosphere soil promote plant growth and induce resistance to a wide variety of plant pathogens. We obtained 49 fungal isolates from the rhizosphere soil of paprika plants, and selected 18 of these isolates that did not inhibit tomato seed germination for further investigation. Based on a seed germination assay, we selected four isolates for further plant tests. Treatment of seeds with isolate JF27 promoted plant growth in pot tests, and suppressed bacterial speck disease caused by Pseudomonas syringae pathovar (pv.) tomato DC3000. Furthermore, expression of the pathogenesis-related 1 (PR1) gene was higher in the leaves of tomato plants grown from seeds treated with JF27; expression remained at a consistently higher level than in the control plants for 12 h after pathogen infection. The phylogenetic analysis of a partial internal transcribed spacer sequence and the β-tubulin gene identified isolate JF27 as Aspergillus terreus. Taken together, these results suggest that A. terreus JF27 has potential as a growth promoter and could be used to control bacterial speck disease by inducing resistance in tomato plants.
Aspergillus* ; Capsicum ; Germination ; Lycopersicon esculentum* ; Plants ; Pseudomonas syringae* ; Pseudomonas* ; Rhizosphere ; Soil

Extrahepatic metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be found in various organs, but metastasis to the female genital tract is extremely rare. A 48-year-old woman who had undergone curative left lobectomy for small HCC 4 years earlier was admitted because of sequential alpha-fetoprotein elevation. Upon abdominal MRI and hepatic angiography, no evidence of HCC recurrence was found in the remnant liver. However, a positron emission tomography CT scan showed a hypermetabolic lesion in the uterine fundus, which was revealed as metastatic HCC after total hysterectomy. This is, to our knowledge, the first documented case of metastatic uterine tumor that originated from HCC without intrahepatic recurrence.
alpha-Fetoproteins ; Angiography ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Liver ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Recurrence ; Uterine Neoplasms

Extrahepatic metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be found in various organs, but metastasis to the female genital tract is extremely rare. A 48-year-old woman who had undergone curative left lobectomy for small HCC 4 years earlier was admitted because of sequential alpha-fetoprotein elevation. Upon abdominal MRI and hepatic angiography, no evidence of HCC recurrence was found in the remnant liver. However, a positron emission tomography CT scan showed a hypermetabolic lesion in the uterine fundus, which was revealed as metastatic HCC after total hysterectomy. This is, to our knowledge, the first documented case of metastatic uterine tumor that originated from HCC without intrahepatic recurrence.
alpha-Fetoproteins ; Angiography ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Liver ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Recurrence ; Uterine Neoplasms

Primary retroperitoneal mucinous cystadenomas are rare tumors that are almost always found in women. They are similar to ovarian originated mucinous cystadenoma, but there is no any other evidence of an ovarian origin for primary retroperitoneal mucinous cystadenomas. A 33-year-old woman with complaints of RLQ pain was found to have a cystic mass in the right retroperitoneal space on her abdominal CT scan. The histological diagnosis was confirmed as primary mucinous cystadenoma. We report here on a case of retroperitoneal mucinous cystadenoma, and we also talk about this tumor, including its histogenesis, through a review of the available literature.
Adult ; Cystadenoma, Mucinous ; Female ; Humans ; Mucins ; Retroperitoneal Space

PURPOSE: A mucocele of the appendix is an uncommon pathology, representing 0.2% to 0.3% of all appendix specimens. It is often diagnosed clinically as a result of its ability to cause signs and symptoms similar to those of acute appendicitis. If it is asymptomatic, it is often detected as an incidental finding during ultrasonography, computed tomography, radiographic examination of the gastrointestinal tract, or laparotomy. The purpose of this study was to identify the clinical features of mucocele of the appendix. METHODS: We describe 35 cases of mucocele of the appendix diagnosed at Uijeongbu St. Mary's hospital between January 1993 and December 2006. We analyzed demographic, clinical, and pathologic data of all the cases. RESULTS: A total of 12 males and 13 females with mean age of 54.7+/-14.9 years are described. The peak incidence occurred in the seventh decade (34.3%). Sixteen patients presented with symptoms and signs similar to those found in acute appendicitis. Ten patients complained of a palpable mass, 2 patients complained of non-specific abdominal pain, and 7 patients were asymptomatic. Fourteen cases were diagnosed preoperatively, and 3 cases were discovered incidentally. Pathologic examination revealed mucosal hyperplasia in 20% of the cases, cystadenoma in 71%, and cystadenocarcinoma in 9%. The mean age of cystadenocarcinoma patients was older than the mean age of mucosal hyperplasia patients, and the diameter of the appendix was larger in cystadenoma patients than in mucosal hyperplasia patients. CONCLUSION: The preoperative diagnosis of appendiceal mucocele is very important to make in order to facilitate treatment planning and avoid inadvertent rupture of the mucocele during operation. We recommend more diagnostic studies in cases of suspected mucocele. Mucocele of the appendix must be included in the differential diagnosis of patients with pain in the right iliac fossa, patients older than 40 years of age, patients suffering from long-term symptoms, and patient with a palpable mass in the right iliac fossa.
Abdominal Pain ; Appendicitis ; Appendix ; Cystadenocarcinoma ; Cystadenoma ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Incidence ; Incidental Findings ; Laparotomy ; Male ; Mucocele ; Rupture ; Stress, Psychological ; Tomography, X-Ray

OBJECTIVE: The vulvar cancer is an uncommon disease among female population. Because of its rare incidence, sufficient clinical studies have not been accomplished. However, the prevelance of vulvar cancer will continue to increase because of rapid growth of senile population. The goal of this study is to review the clinical outcome and prognosis of patients with vulvar cancer through the analysis of their clinical data. METHODS: We have performed a retrospective clinical study on 23 patients diagnosed with primary invasive vulvar cancer at Asan medical center from May, 1989 to December, 2003. We reviewed demographic data, pathologic findings, treatments, stages, complications, prognosis and survival time. RESULTS: The mean age was 58.9 years. The most common symptoms were palpable mass (69.5%) and itching sense (21.7%). Among the 23 patients, 21 patients have underwent operation, and two patients who refused to receive operation underwent radiotherapy only. 3 of 21 patients who were surgically treated underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and 5 patients, adjuvant radiotherapy. Histopathologically, squamous cell carcinoma (69.5%) was dominant, and 15 patients turned out to have stage II disease or greater (60.8%). Among the 21 patients who have underwent operation, postoperative complications occurred in 8 patients (38.0%) and 4 of them had underwent radical vulvectomy and bilateral groin lymph node dissection. The most common postoperative complication was wound breakdown (23.8%). CONCLUSION: Although surgery is the principal treatment in vulvar cancer, radical vulvectomy and bilateral groin lymph node dissection more often result in complications than other operations such as wide local excision and hemivulvectomy. Considering the mortality and morbidity, the prognosis of vulvar cancer is poor, but early diagnosis and adequate treatment according to each individual will improve the outcome and prognosis of vulvar cancer.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Drug Therapy ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Groin ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lymph Node Excision ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications ; Prognosis ; Pruritus ; Radiotherapy ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Retrospective Studies* ; Vulva ; Vulvar Neoplasms* ; Wounds and Injuries

Injuries to the gallbladder are found in about only 2% of patients with blunt abdominal trauma, and isolated gallbladder perforation is even less common. The gallbladder is less accessible to trauma because it is partially embedded in the liver, cushioned by the surrounding omentum and bowel, and shielded by the rib cage. It is usually associated with other visceral injuries, especially the liver. The leakage of bile from a ruptured gallbladder may not immediately produce symptoms of peritonitis, making an early diagnosis difficult, and causes delays to treatment. A 47-year-old man presented to our emergency department complaining of diffuse abdominal pain after a pedestrian traffic accident, but his vital signs were stable. In the laboratory tests, his hemoglobin was normal, but his blood chemistry showed mild jaundice (bilirubin 3.6 mg/dl). An abdominal computed tomogram showed pericholecystic and a right paracolic fluid collection, with a collapsed gallbladder. The patient underwent an operation under a diagnosis of hemoperitoneum, and when the peritoneal cavity was entered, the gallbladder was ruptured at the fundus, and about 500 cc of bile had accumulated in the abdominopelvic cavity. The other visceral organs were non-specific. We report a case of an isolated rupture of the gallbladder, with a review of the associated literature.
Abdominal Pain ; Accidents, Traffic ; Bile ; Chemistry ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Gallbladder* ; Hemoperitoneum ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Liver ; Middle Aged ; Omentum ; Peritoneal Cavity ; Peritonitis ; Ribs ; Rupture ; Vital Signs

PURPOSE: Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis occurs in about 5% of patients with solid tumor and is being diagnosed with increasing frequency as patients live longer and as neuro-imaging studies improve. In general, the most commom cancers that involved the leptomeninges are breast cancer, lung cancer, and malignant melanoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We investigated 25 patients presented with multiple neurologic symptoms and signs who were diagnosed with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis at the Yonsei Cancer Center from January 1990 to December 1999. RESULTS: The primary disease of leptomeningeal carcinomatosis were stomach cancer (10 cases), breast cancer (7 cases), lung cancer (5 cases), unknown primary cancer (2 cases) and common bile duct cancer (1 case). All patients were presented with multiple neurologic symptoms and signs involving the central nervous system (CNS), cranial nerve or spinal nerves. Twenty-one of twenty- five patients were treated with intrathecal chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or combination therapy. Fourteen of them (66.7%) experienced improvement or stabilization of neurologic symptom and sign. The median survival was 122 days (10-2190). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, although early diagnosis and active treatment of leptomeningeal carcinomatosis may improve the quality of life in selected patients, the median survival was relatively short. Therefore, new diagnostic and therapeutic strategy for leptomeningeal carcinomatosis were needed.
Breast Neoplasms ; Central Nervous System ; Common Bile Duct ; Cranial Nerves ; Drug Therapy ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Melanoma ; Meningeal Carcinomatosis* ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Quality of Life ; Radiotherapy ; Spinal Nerves ; Stomach Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: At the present time, more than 100 cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) developing in neurotrophic ulcers of leprosy have been reported. But the histopathologic features and the differences between SCC in leprosy and de novo SCC was not described. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of SCC in leprosy and to investigate growth dynamics of SCC in ulcers in leprosy. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical features and the degree of histopathologic differentiation of 13 cases of SCC in ulcers of leprosy patients presenting at the KLCA from 1986 to 1998. And immunohistochemical staining with PCNA(proliferating cell nuclear antigen) and TUNEL staining were done in paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 18 sites of 13 cases of SCC in ulcers of leprosy. RESULTS: 1. The average duration of leprosy and of an ulcer prior to diagnosis of SCC was 43 years and 19 years, respectively. 2. Histopathologic grading of 13 cases was performed as follows:10 cases were well-differentiated and 3 cases were moderately-differentiated. 3. The PCNA LI(labelling index) was 47.26+/-7.38% in well-differentiated group and 48.86+/-9.39% in moderately -differentiated group. 4. The apoptotic index(AI) was 45.57+/-8.68% in well- differentiated group and 29.38+/-1.06% in moderately differentiated group. The AI in de novo SCC was 45.09+/-6.18%. CONCLUSION: (1) Malignant change in chronic ulcer in leprosy may be found more often if patients are examined with care. (2) Our leprosy case with SCC is a 63-year-old male with past history of lepromatous leprosy of 43 year duration having ulcer problems for 19 years before presenting with SCC on an average. (3) High-degrees of malignancy in SCC of leprosy patients might be caused by extended cell survival due to decreased apoptosis rather than increased cell proliferation.
Apoptosis ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Survival ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Leprosy* ; Leprosy, Lepromatous ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Ulcer*

PURPOSE: Osteosarcoma is one of the most common juvenile malignant tumors in Korea. Combined modality treatment [pre-operative chemotherapy + surgery (limb salvage or amputation) + adjuvant chemotherapy] had improved the overall survival and quality of life. To improve the local control rate, we introduced pre-operative chemotherapy combined with intra-arterial (IA) cisplatin and continuous intravenous infusion (CI) of adriamycin. We evaluated the efficacy and feasibility, such as limb salvage rate, recurrence pattern and the survival impact, based on the histologic response of pre-operative chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourty-one patients with histologically-proven high grade osteosarcoma of the extremities were enrolled from January 1990 to June 1996. Pre-operative chemotherapy, cisplatin 120 mg/m2 IA and adriamycin 75 mg/m2/72hrs CI, was administered for 3 cycles with 3 week interval, followed by surgery. Post-operative chemotherapy was applied by the tumor necrosis rate. If the tumor necrosis of the specimen was more than 90%, the same regimen af the preoperative one was administered for 3 cycles. A salvage regimen (Ifosfamide 7.5 gm/m2/5d IV + high dose MTX 10 gm/m2 IV VP-16 360 mg/m2/3d IV) was administered every 3 weeks for 6 cycles if the tumor necrosis was <90%. RESULTS: Of 41 patients, 37 were evaluable for efficacy and toxicities, because 4 refused further chemotherapy after 1 or 2 cycles. Twenty-one patients were male and 16 female, with the median age of 16 years (8-41). The tumor locations were as follows: distal femur 20, proximal tibia 8, humerus 6, distal tibia 2 and 1 in proximal femur. All but one patient, who died of neutropenic sepsis, completed the planned pre-operative therapy. Of the 36 patients who received surgery, limb salvage surgery was possible in 30 patients (83.3%) and 27 patients (75%) showed a good response (10 with grade III, 27.8%; 17 with grade IV, 47.2%). With a median follow-up of 23 months, 3-year disease-free survival rate was 54.7% and overall survival rate was 78.3%. Of the 15 patients who recurred, the major metastatic site was the lungs. No operation-related mortality was observed. Most patients experienced grade III-IV nausea, vomiting and hematologic toxicities, which were reversible with supportive care. CONCLUSION: Pre-operative chemotherapy combined with IA cisplatin and CI adriamycin induced higher good response rate without survival benefits. To improve the survival rate, the design of good salvage chemotherapy with a non-cross resistant regimen should be considered.
Cisplatin* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Doxorubicin* ; Drug Therapy ; Etoposide ; Extremities ; Female ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Humerus ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Korea ; Limb Salvage ; Lung ; Male ; Mortality ; Nausea ; Necrosis ; Osteosarcoma* ; Quality of Life ; Recurrence ; Sepsis ; Survival Rate ; Tibia ; Vomiting