• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.56-61
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• 1991

Curschmann's spirals morphologically similar to those seen in sputum were found in cervico-vaginal smears of six patients ranged from 28 to 40 years of age, during 18 months from January. 1985 to June 1986. The prevalence was 1 in 2147 smears in that period. All of them had gynecologic disorders without systemic effect such as chronic cervictis in three, leiomyoma in one, pelvic inflammatory disorder in one, and primary infertility in one. The Curshmann's spirals in the smear showed varying degrees of maturation from wavy incipient ones to highly celled mature ones, admixed with thick mucinous back-ground, suggesting of their production in the uterine cervix itself. Also the recent history of undergone cryocautery, electrocautery or parturition suggest its production in the endocervical gland due to mechanical obstruction and/or change in biochemical composition of mucus.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.62-66
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• 1991

Glassy cell carcinoma is an unusual neoplasm of the uterine cervix with highly aggressive clinical behavior. On cervico-vaginal smear examination, the tumor has well confused of atypical repair ceil of the endocervix. Recently, we have experienced two cases of glassy cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix, diagnosed on cervico-vaginal smears and confirmed on fellowing histologic sections. The cervico-vaginal smears revealed abundant clusters with well defined boarders. The cell clusters were composed of large tumor cells. The tumor cells had distinct granular cytoplasm and eosinophilic macronucleoli, Characteristic cytologic features of this tumor were discussed in view of differential diagnosis.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 1998

In 1988, The Bethesda System for reporting cervical and vaginal cytologic diagnoses was introduced and this was revised in 1991. The new diagnostic category "atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance(ASCUS)" introduced by The Bethesda System is an area of controversy about the diagnostic category, clinical significance and appropriate treatment. A retrospective 2 years and 9 months study(April, 1994-December, 1996) was performed to evaluate the significance of reporting ASCUS on cervical smears. Sixtyseven(1.17%) of 5,730 smears were diagnosed as ASCUS and 21 cases were followed by cervical biopsies and/or endocervical curettages in 4 cases(19%), and repeat cervical smears in 17 cases(81%). Tissue diagnoses were benign in 2 cases and squamous cell carcinoma in situ in 2 cases. Cytologic diagnosis of follow up smear were negative in 14 cases(82.4%) and persistent ASCUS in 3 cases(17.6%).

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.79-83
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• 1973

Every month of pregnancy, vaginal smears were obtained from 42 dairy cows, and an attempt was made to correlate the cell picture with the stage of pregnancy. The results obtained in this work were summerized as follows: 1. At early pregnancy, most of the cells in the smears were the cells with normal nucleus and cytoplasm, and leucocytes. After the first month of pregnancy there was a progressive decrease in the rate of appearance of the cells with normal nucleus and cytoplasm, which dropped to the lowest value at the third month of pregnancy, thereafter, showing steady state. 2. After the first month of prgnancy the rate of appearance of the cells with karyolysis began to increase gradually, and reached a maximum at the fifth month of pregnancy, returning towards initial levels. 3. The rate of appearance of the cells with karyopyknosis was much lower at early pregnancy, but at the third month of pregnancy there was a rapid increase, thereafter, showing steady state (ranging from 20 to 50 percent). 4. The non-nucleated cornified cells, the cells with vacuolized cytoplasm, and the cells with swollen nucleus and cytoplasm were appeared much fewer or not, and significant changes were not recognized during pregnancy. 5. At early pregnancy there appeared many of leucocytes but dropped intensively at the third month of pregnancy, and, thereafter, appeared much fewer or not.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.317-325
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was to examine the differences in health belief variables and HPV (Human Papillomavirus) knowledge in Pap smears according to the stages of change using Trans-theoretical Model (TTM) among married nurses. Methods: The research design was a cross sectional survey. Participants were 387 married nurses working in general hospital located metropolitan city. Measurement variables were perceived threatening, perceived severity, benefits of Pap, HPV knowledge and stages of the change in Pap smear. Results: Classified stages were pre-contemplation 3.9%, contemplation 17.8%, relapsing 29.5%, action 31.0%, and maintenance 17.8%. Accuracy rate of HPV knowledge were low ranging from 15% to 45%. Among the variables, perceived threatening (F=3.56, p=.007), perceived severity (F=9.73, p<.001) and HPV knowledge (F=7.52, p<.001) were significantly different by stages of change. Conclusion: Application of TTM to Pap smears was efficient to know the nurse's level of health behaviors, Health belief variables and HPV knowledge were main factors to identify the stages of change. The continuation of Pap smears and the education in relation to HPV knowledge should be encouraged for married nurses.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.4815-4818
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• 2013

Background: Atrophic epithelium of cervix sampled from postmenopausal women may mimic high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in Papanicolaou-stained (Pap) smears. Ki-67 (MIB-1) protein presents on proliferating cells, and percentage of cells with positive nuclei provides a reliable tool for rapid evaluation of the growth fraction. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of protein Ki67 staining in atypical pap smears of postmenopausal women. Methods: In a case-control setting, pap smears of 75 women with an atypical pap smear (case group) and 75 with normal pap smears (controls) were obtained before and after estrogen treatment. Afterward, samples were exposed to the monoclonal antibody Ki-67 (MIB-1) and the immunohistochemically demonstrated Ki-67+ cells were compared. Results: Mean ages of cases and controls were $60.4{\pm}4.5$ and $59.9{\pm}4.3$ years respectively (P=0.50). There was one (2.7%) positive Ki-67 specimen in the case group, without any positive Ki-67 specimen in the control group (P=0.50). Conclusions: Measurement of proliferative activity index in Pap smears restrained with MIB1 is a simple, reliable, and cost-effective method for excluding negatives. This would imply that it might allow a substantial reduction of diagnostic estrogen courses and subsequent Pap smears in postmenopausal women with atypical findings.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.398-402
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• 2007

Abstract Female mice post weaning were exposed to 20 kHz sawtooth electric and magnetic fields (EMF) with $6.25{\mu}T$ peak intensity for 6 weeks. Estrous cycles were checked using vaginal smears over the last 10 days of the experimental period. The vaginal smears from EMF-exposed mice revealed an increase in the frequency of one or two phases persisting. The number of estrous cycles less than 1 was more in the EMF-exposed group than in the sham control group. Furthermore, in the EMF-exposed group, the duration of proestrous and metestrous stages of the estrous cycle was significantly increased compared with the control group. In conclusion, our results suggest that exposure to 20 kHz sawtooth EMF may affect normal cycling of the estrous cycle by disrupting the female reproductive endocrine physiology. We should not disregard the possible adverse reproductive effect of the 20 kHz sawtooth EMF generated under the occupational exposure situation in females.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.129-137
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• 1998

Although the success of the Papanicolaou test as a screening tool of cervical cancer is evident, there still exists $2{\sim}5%$ of discrepancy rate by both human and machine. To improve the qualilty of cervico-vaginal cytology, the authors compared cervicovaginal smear with cervical biopsy diagnoses, and analysed the causes of discrepancies. Among 30,922 cervicovaginal smears from June 1996 to April 1997 at our hospital, there were 271 cases of cervicovaginal smear with subsequent cervical punch or LEEP cone biopsies within several months. The biopsies and smears from a total of 98 discordant cases were reviewed. The discrepancy was attributed to sampling errors in 43 cases(43.9%), and to cytologic diagnosis in 49 cases(50.0%). Among these, 43 cases were interpretative errors(categories A;19, B;16 and C;8) whereas six cases were screening errors(categories B:2 and C:4). Among cervical biopsy cases, errors were present in four. As for 10% random rescreening, cytotechnologists reviewed 3,196 of 30,922 smears during the same period, There were 43 cases of screening error(categories A;27, B;16). Cytologic/histologic correlation was superior to 10% random rescreening of negative cases. The most effective method for quality improvement in cervicovaginal cytology was to implement both quality control(rescreening) and qualify assurance(cytologic/histologic correlation) programs.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.41-44
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• 1993

A case of primary amelanotic melanoma of the vagina diagnosed in scraping smear is described. A 64-year-old woman complained of vaginal bleeding with a $2.5\times2cm$ sized, fungating mass on the right lateral vaginal wall near the introitus for 2 months. Scraping smears from the mass showed scattered individual tumor cells with single, bi- or multi-nucleated eccentric nuclei having prominent macrouucleoli and occasional intranuclear inclusions. The cytoplasm was plump and cyanophilic with a indistinct rim. No melanin pigment was identified. Characteristic cytologic features of this case were very helpful to exclude more common squamous cell carcinoma in the vagina, which was strongly suggested in biopsy specimen.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 1990

Endometrial papillary serous carcinoma (EPSC) is a distinct variant of endometrial adenocarcinoma that histologically resembles ovarian serous papillary adenocarcinoma and has an aggressive clinical course. Usually, the tumor is diagnosed at the advanced stage. The tumor has well confused with metastatic ovarian tumor of identical histology. Dignosis of EPSC should be considered when the cervico-vaginal smear reveals nomerous papillary clusters of tumor cells with macronucleoli and psammoma bodies. Recently, we have experienced two cases of EPSC diagnosed on cervico-vaginal smears, which revealed characteristic cytologic features including numerous papillary clusters of tumor cells with macronucleoli. The cytologic diagnoses were confirmed on histologic sections.