BACKGROUND: Sun exposure and therapeutic irradiation have been shown to induce alterations in extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, including elastin, glycosaminoglycan and collagens. The integrity of the connective tissue mainly depends on balanced rates of matrix synthesis and degradation of the extracellular matrix. Therefore, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) may be involved in ultraviolet irradiation (UVR)-induced alterations in ECM proteins. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of UVA as well as UVB irradiations on ST-1 gene expression in cultured human skin fibroblasts. METHODS: After exposure of different doses of UVA and UVB on cultured human skin fibroblasts, we examined the expression of ST-1 gene by Northern blot analysis, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) assay with CAT construct containing AP-1 binding site. Additionally, we carried out the gel mobility shift assay to investigate the effects of UVR on the DNA-binding activity of AP-1. RESULTS: After UVR on fibroblasts, the steady-state levels of ST-1 mRNA were in-creased in response to UVA and UVB by 2.5-fold and 4.2-fold, respectively, as compared with controls. Similar results were obtained by CAT assay showing that CAT activity increased as the UVA and UVB doses increased. Furthermore, gel mobility shift assay demonstrated that both UVA and UVB increased AP-1 DNA binding complexes. CONCLUSION: UVB as well as UVA up-regulated ST-1 gene expression at transcriptional levels in vitro. We speculate that modulation of MMPs, including ST-1, gene expression by UVR may contribute to the connective tissue damage related to photoaging and other photocutaneous disorders.
Animals ; Binding Sites ; Blotting, Northern ; Cats ; Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase ; Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; DNA ; Elastin ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Extracellular Matrix ; Fibroblasts* ; Gene Expression ; Humans* ; In Vitro Techniques ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin ; Solar System ; Transcription Factor AP-1

No abstract available.
Adenoma, Pleomorphic* ; Neurilemmoma*

Ossification and calcification of the spinal ligaments frequently cause pressure upon the spinal cord andnerve roots. Authors reviewed 150 cases of C-spine CT, 80 cases of T-spine CT, and 725 cases of L-spine CT whichwere carried out a Pusan Natina University Hospital for 2 years from May 1983 to May 1985. We analysed 34 caseswhich showed ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) and ligamentum flavum (OLF) of these 955cases. The results are follows: 1. The male ot female ratio of spinal ligamentous ossification was 26:8. The 5thdecade group (24.41%) was the most prevalent age group. 4th decade(26.4%), 6th decade(23.52%), 7th decade(11.76),3rd decade (8.8%), and 8th decade(2.94%) in that order. 2. Of 955 cases of spine CT, the incidence of OPLL was 25cases(21.51%) and that of OLF was 10 ases(1.05%). 3. Regional incidence of spinal ligamentous ossification was asfollows. 1) In case of OPLL, cervical area was 19/150(12.67%) and lumbar area was 6/725 (0.83%). 2) In cases ofOLF, Thoracic area was 3/80(3.75%) and lumbar area was 8/725(1.10%). 4. The most frequent length of OPLL was 4body length (32%) and the most frequent locations are C4 and C5(68%). The types fo OPLL were 15 cases(60%) ofsegmental type, 8 cases(32%) of continuous type, and 2 cases(8%) of mixed type in that order. All segmental typeswere degree 1 or 2 and most continuous and mixed type (80%) were degree 2 or 3 dural sac effect. 5. The number ofinvolved interlaminar spaces in OLF was 1 to 5 interspaces and most of OLF were found at low thoracic and lumbararea. 6. There could be noted high correlation between the spinal ligamentous ossification and degenerative discdisease, The incidence of associated disc disease was 18/25(72%) in OPLL and 8/10(80%) in OLF.
Busan ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Ligaments ; Ligamentum Flavum ; Male ; Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament ; Spinal Cord ; Spine

Localized fibrous tumor is an uncommon submesothelial origin tumor found in pleura most commonly. Sixty five-year-old man with right lower quadrant pain was admitted. He was treated with resection of tumor and was diagnosed as localized fibrous tumor of pelvic cavity. He is now being followed up without any evidence of recurrence for 34 months. This case is presented with reviewing references.
Pleura ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: To report three cases of rituximab treatment in refractory orbital inflammatory disease. CASE SUMMARY: Rituximab treatment was performed in three patients (thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy, orbital myositis, and idiopathic sclerosing inflammation) unresponsive to corticosteroid and radiotherapy. One cycle consisted of intravenous infusion of 1000 mg of rituximab, twice at a two-week interval. The patient with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy exhibited clinical improvement in visual acuity, color vision, visual evoked potential, and visual field after one cycle of rituximab treatment. The patient with orbital myositis improved showed diplopia with a decrease in the size of the extraocular muscle after two cycles of treatment. The patient with idiopathic sclerosing inflammation showed improvements in visual acuity and visual field defect after one cycle of therapy. There were no severe infections or hematologic adverse effects including neutropenia, or decreased immunoglobulin during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with rituximab appears to offer another therapeutic option in patients unresponsive to corticosteroid or radiotherapy.
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived ; Color Vision ; Diplopia ; Evoked Potentials, Visual ; Follow-Up Studies ; Graves Ophthalmopathy ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Inflammation ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Muscles ; Neutropenia ; Orbit ; Orbital Myositis ; Visual Acuity ; Visual Fields ; Rituximab

Nethertons syndrome is characterized by a triad of ichthyosiform dermatosis, multiple hair-shaft defects(including trichorrhexis invaginata), and an atopic diathesis. Intermittent amminoaciduria, mental retardation, or recurrent infection have been observed in some cases. We have seen an 8-year-old girl presenting with polycyclic, erythematous patches bordered by distintive double-edged scales as a skin manifestation and ball-and-socket deformity as a hair defect.
Child ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Disease Susceptibility ; Female ; Hair ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Skin Diseases ; Skin Manifestations ; Weights and Measures

Regular hemodialysis has been established as a way of treatment for end stage renal failure. In adults, hemodialysis 5 hours each time, three times weekly with one square meter hemodialyzer is now widely accepted as a standard, and there are many reports on long term follow up studies. Quite a large difference are present, however, in our community mainly originated from patient's poor compliance in frequent dialysis with short interdialysis interval. The author analyzed 200 cases of chronic renal failure who have received hemodialysis treatments during the 5 year period from July 1976 to June 1981 at the hemodialysis unit of the hanyang University Hospital and the following results are obtained; 1. Actual one year survival rate was much higher in thrice(87.1%) than one(35.1%) or twice(54.1%) weekly dialysis. 2. Long term(more than 6 months) complications were also more frequent in once(85.7%) or twice(70.2%) weekly treatments than in thrice(22.2%). The predominant complications were congestive heart failure, pericarditis, and infections. 3. Those who recieved three times weekly dialysis had better rehabilitation grades than the patients groups of twice or once weekly treatment. 4. Of peridialysis distressful symptoms, nausea, vomiting dizziness were less frequent in the group three times a week dialysis. In contrast, headache, hypotension, muscle cramps, and weakness were not significantly related with frequency of hemodialysis. 5. Those who voided a large amount of urine output had better survival and less frequent requirement of blood transfusions. 6. Main causes of death were due to patient poor compliance, hyperkalemia and cerebrovascular acidents. 7. Economic problems were the major cause of dialysis interruption.
Adult ; Blood Transfusion ; Cause of Death ; Compliance ; Dialysis ; Dizziness ; Follow-Up Studies ; Headache ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hyperkalemia ; Hypotension ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Kidneys, Artificial ; Muscle Cramp ; Nausea ; Pericarditis ; Rehabilitation ; Renal Dialysis* ; Renal Insufficiency ; Survival Rate ; Vomiting

Hydroxyurea is an effective treatment for a variety of myeloproliferative disodrers. A distinct cutaneous reaction to long-term administration of hydroxyurea has been characterized and designated hydroxyurea dermopathy. Epidermal dysmaturation refers to histologic changes that may be observed in the epidermis after any significant cytoreductive therapy. We report a patient with hydroxyurea-induced dermatomyositis-like eruption showing epidermal dysmaturation who developed an erythematous scaly patches on the dorsal aspects of the hands while on long-term administration of hydroxyurea for chronic myelogenous leukemia.
Dermatomyositis ; Epidermis ; Hand ; Humans ; Hydroxyurea ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive

To determine the hepatitis B virus infection rate of medical school students and appropriate time for immunization with hepatitis B vaccine, 385 students in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades of Medical School of Kyungpook National University who had not been vaccinated and volunteered to participate in this study were tested for HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc with radioimmunoassay method (Abbortt Lab. kit). A questionnaire was administered to ask the history of transfusion, acupuncture and surgery. HBsAg positive students were retested 16 months after the initial test. Overall HBsAg positive rate was 6.8% and the age adjusted rate for male (7.2%) was higher than that for female (4.9%). Anti-HBs positive rate was 35.8% (36.1% for male, 37.9% for male) and anti-HBc positive rate was 45.5% (46.5% for male, 44.7% for femaleP. Overall hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection rats was 49.1% and the infection rate for male (50.3%) was slightly higher than that for female (46.5%). HBsAg positive rate and infection rate were increased as the grade increased but it was attributed to the age distribution of the students. HBsAg positive rate for 20 years old students was 1.7%; 21 years, 6.6%; 22 years, 6.1%; 23 years, 12.2%; and 24 years and older, 6.4%. HBV infection rate showed an increasing trend as age increased; 45.8% for 20 years, 41.5% for 21 years, 49.5% for 22 years, 55.5% for 23 years and 59.6% for 24 years and older. The age differences in HBsAg positive rates and HBV infection rates did not reach the statistical significance level of 0.05. However, these findings and similar age differences in HBsAg positive rates and HBV infection rates observed in other study suggest that there is a significant age differences. Study of the same age group in other schools and different social classes is warranted to confirm the age difference. Clarification of the reason for such differences would provide a clue to identify the major route of HBV transmission in this age group. Among 26 HBsAg positive students in the initial test, only one student was active hepatitis patient. Out of 24 students who had follow-up test after 16 months 22 students were positive for HBsAg and two students became HBsAg negative and anti-HBs positive. It is obvious that nearly one-half of the medical school students were infected with HBV before 20 years of age and the HBV infection occurs in medical school. Thus, it is recommended to test all the students for HBV infection soon after the admission to the medical school and immunize all the susceptible students with hepatitis B vaccine and give booster as they start to practice at a hospital.
Acupuncture ; Age Distribution ; Animals ; Daegu* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Immunization ; Male ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Radioimmunoassay ; Rats ; Schools, Medical* ; Social Class ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Pulmonary Atelectasis*