BACKGROUND: Desmosomes are adhesive intercellular junctions that form an important component of the junction complexes of epithelial cells. They provide intercellular links between the intermediate filament cytoskeletons of adjacent cells and are thus involved in maintaining the structural integrity of tissues. OBJECTIVE: Calcium and retinoids are major regulators of epidermal differentiation and their role on keratin proteins are well known. However, their effects on desmosome moleucles are unknown. To address this question we initiated a study of the effects of these epidermal differentiation regulators on desmosomal components, i.e., desmoplakin, desmoglein, and pemphigus antigens. METHODS: We used monoclonal antibodies against desmoplakin(DP) and desmoglein(DG), and sera from patients with pemphigus vulgaris(PV), pemphigus foliaceus(PF) and paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP) to study the effects of calcium and retinoic acids, which are major regulators of epidermal differentation, on desmosomal protein formation in human cultured deratinocytes. We performed immunofluorescence, immunoblotting and immunoprecipitation study using human keratinocytes cultured in high calcium media with or without retinoic acid and in low calcium media with or without retinoic acid. RESULTS: 1. In low calcium (0.15mM) media, PV antigen and DG were produced in a small amount and it appeared that these desmosomal proteins were located in cytosol. Whereas in high calcium (1.8mM) media, production of these desmosomal proteins was increased not they were assembled at the desmosomal structures located in cell-cell contact margins. 2. PF antigen, which was identical to the DG, were not produced or expressed in cultured keratinocytes even when cultured in high calcium media. 3. PNP antigen and DP were produced in cultured keratinocytes grown in both high low calcium media but their production was increased in high calcium media and only in high calcium media they were assembled at the desmosomal structures. 4. Retinoic acids induced loosening of cell-cell contacts of cultured keratinocytes and decreased the production of desmosomal proteins. CONCLUSION: Our results suggests calcium is a major regulator of the production and assembly of desmosomal proteins including pemphigus antigens, but PF sera and monoclonal antibodies against DG show different antigen binding characteristics. It appears that retinoic acids inhibit production of desmosomal proteins.
Adhesives ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Calcium* ; Cytoskeleton ; Cytosol ; Desmogleins ; Desmoplakins ; Desmosomes* ; Epithelial Cells ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoprecipitation ; Intercellular Junctions ; Intermediate Filaments ; Keratinocytes ; Pemphigus ; Retinoids ; Tretinoin*

No abstract available.
Rupture* ; Spleen*

The physical conditions of the Korean and the Japanese young adults (aged 18-29) were analyzed for the 10 important body dimensions such as stature, body weight, sitting height, chest circumference, and etc.. The Korean data published in 1979 and 1992 were compared with the Japanese data published in 1984 and 1994, respectively. Also, the physical developments and the sex differences of the Korean in past 13 years were compared with those of Japanese. The results are as follows. 1) The stature, sitting height and perineum height of the Korean young male and female are significantly smaller than those of the Japanese. 2) In the past, the chest circumference, waist circumference, hip circumference, body weight of the Korean are larger values than those of the Japanese. But, there are no significant differences in recent surveys. 3) Most body dimensions of male show significantly larger than those of female in the two countries. 4) There is no significant difference in thigh circumference between the Korean male and female in 1992. 5) There are no significant differences in thigh circumference between the '84 Japanese male and female and in hip circumference between the '94 Japanese male and female. 6) Compared with the results of the past surveys, the relative body weight, perineum height, and chest circumference of female to male are decreased in the two countries. But, the relative hip circumference of female to male are increased in both countries.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Body Weight ; Female ; Hip ; Humans ; Male ; Perineum ; Sex Characteristics ; Thigh ; Thorax ; Waist Circumference ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Growth and Development*

The perineum refers to the anatomical area immediately below the pelvis, and is comprised of diverse anatomic and somatic innervation. Although various interventions have been proposed for the management of intractable cancer-related perineal pain, their efficacy are limited because the target of nerve blocks has focused on somatic rather than sympathetic components. Recently, blockade of the ganglion impar has been introduced as an alternative means of managing intractable neoplastic perineal pain of sympathetic origin. We successfully treated a patient who had suffered from cancer-related intractable perineal pain with ganglion impar block.
Ganglion Cysts* ; Humans ; Nerve Block ; Pelvis ; Perineum ; Rectal Neoplasms

PURPOSE: We studied the effectiveness and toxicities of 5-fluorouracil+leucovorin, combination chemotherapy in advanced or recurred colo-rectal cancer patients, who didn't have previous chemotherapy and enrolled from August 1993 to July 1998. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients were treated with leucovorin followed by 5-fluorouracil for 5 consecutive days every 4 weeks. Among 43 patients who were enrolled, 40 patients received treatment at least 2 courses, and they were evaluable. Male to female ratio was 21 to 19. In serum CEA level, 27 patients were greater than 5 ng/ml and 13 were less than 5 ng/ml. And primary site was colon in 21 patients and rectum in 19 patients. RESULTS: The complete response rate was 7,5% and the partial response rate was 25%. The median survival duration was 14.7 months, the median response duration was 16.0 months, and median time to progression was 7.3 months. In the analysis of response, survival duration, time to progression according to various characteristics of patients, serum CEA level and liver involvement were revealed significant difference in survival duration, time to progression (p=0.0122, 00350 & 0.0202, 0.0123) on univariate analysis, but no significant difference on multivariates. Hematologic and non-hematologic toxicities were mild and tolerable. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that the combination of 5-fluorouracil (370 mg/m) and leucovorin (20 mg/m) is effective and tolerable regimen in advanced or recurred colo-rectal cancer patients without previous chemotherapy.
Colon ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination* ; Female ; Fluorouracil* ; Humans ; Leucovorin* ; Liver ; Male ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Rectum

Industrial exposure to toxic agent may produce a wide variety of respiratory damage. Acetic acid is a colorless liquid with a pungent vingar-like odor. It is a rare case that acute lung injury is caused by inhalation of acetic acid. Acetic acid is miscible with water, and may directly produce damage to mucosa of respiratory tract due to its irritant quality. The outcome of the reaction is dependent on the intensity and duration of exposure and varies from death or pulmonary edema in acute phase to resolution or bronchiolitis obliterans or bronchiectasis. We experienced a rose of acute lung injury due to accidental inhalation of acetic acid. The patient was a 31-year-old male who had developed progressive chest discomfort, chilling sense, and mild dyspnea after accidental inhalation of acetic acid. He had severe hypoxemia and chest radiograph showed diane bilateral alveolar edema. He responded to conservative treatment with oxygen inhalation and was discharged with improved condition on the 7th hospital day.
Acetic Acid* ; Acute Lung Injury* ; Adult ; Anoxia ; Bronchiectasis ; Bronchiolitis Obliterans ; Dyspnea ; Edema ; Humans ; Inhalation* ; Male ; Mucous Membrane ; Odors ; Oxygen ; Pulmonary Edema ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Respiratory System ; Thorax ; Water

This paper shows anthropometric differences among four regions of urban community using Korean anthropometric data surveyed in 1992. The anthropometric data include 84 measurements of Korean aged 12~50. The principal component analysis reduce 84 measures to five components. The discriminant analysis using these components is performed to observe the anthropometric differences among four regions : Seoul and Kyungki, Kangwon and Chungbuk, Chungnam and Ch lla, Kyungsang. The results on age groups (12~14, 15~17, 18~24, 25~50 ages) and city size (big city, medium city, small city) can be summarized as follows ; 1) In male aged 12~14 and 15~17, there are significant differences of anthropometry among four regions in all city size. But in another age groups (18~24 and 25~50 ages), these are not significant differences of anthropometry among four regions except medium city. 2) In female, there are significant differences of anthropometry in all city sloe in aged 18~24 and 25~50 and in medium city in aged 15~17. however, there are not significant differences in aged 12~14 and 15-17.
Anthropometry ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Discriminant Analysis ; Female ; Gangwon-do ; Humans ; Male ; Principal Component Analysis ; Seoul

No abstract available.
Incidence* ; Nurseries* ; Parenteral Nutrition, Total* ; Pharmacy* ; Sepsis*

BACKGROUND: Pemphigus are chronic autoimmune blistering disorcers characterized by acantholysis. In addition to pemphigus vulgaris(PV), the major clinical variarts are pemphigus foliaceus(PF), paraneoplastic pemphigus(PNP) and drug-induced pemphigus(DP). Detection of pemphigus antigen is important for differential diagnosis as well as research work. Most investigators have identified pemphigus antigens by means of immunoprecipitation using metabolically radiolabeled cultured keratinocytes. However, immunorepitation is generally more expensive, hazardous and time-consuming than immunoblotting. Therefore, establishment of the immunoblotting as a standard technique for the detection of the pemphig us antigens is desirable. OBJECTIVE: To characterized pemphigus antigens by an immunobloting analysis of human epidermal extract and by indirect itnmunofluroscence study using human of cultured keratinocytes as a substraie. METHOD: We performed imrnunoblotting analysis af sera from patieiits with PV, PF, PNP and DP with human epidermal extract as a source of antigen. Indirect immunof uorescence study was also performed using human keratinocytes cultured in high or low calcium media for detection of pemphigus antigens. RESULTS: In an immunoblotting analysis, all(9/9) PV sera showed secific reactivities with a 130-KD protein and all(5/5) FF sera showed reactivities with a 150-KK protein, which is most likely desmoglein 1. Furthermore, one of nine PV serum also reacted with a 150-KD protein, which seems to be the identical antigen detected in PF. All PNP(3/3) sera showed reactivities with two protein bands, 210KD and 190KD. In our indirect imrnunofluorescence study using culltured human keratinocytes as a substrate, when keratinocytes were grown in low calcium media, no pimphigus antigens could be detected. However, when grown in high calciurn media, pemphigus vulga ris and paraneoplastic pernphigus antigens were present t the cell-cell contact areas with a puncta;e pattern, whereas pemphigus foliaceus antigen was not, presint in keratinocytes even when cultured in high calcium media. CONCLUSION: Our results suggests (1) immunoblotting analysis is a reliable technique for defining pemphigus antigen and could be a valuable tool for the differentiation of PV, PF and PNP and(2) PF antigen rnay not be expresseden cultured keratinocytes.
Acantholysis ; Blister ; Calcium ; Desmoglein 1 ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect* ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoprecipitation ; Keratinocytes* ; Pemphigus* ; Research Personnel