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

A 24-year-old Korean soldier was found to have horseshoe kidney with left ureter stone. The diagnosis was made radiographically. Considering the rarity of this disorder, we decided to report this case. According to the literature. horseshoe kidney was described by Berengeri da Carpi for the first time in 1552. After Allen, the ratio of incidence of the horseshoe kidney is approximately 0.25% of the general population. Its etiology, incidence, complication, diagnosis and treatment was discussed. Recent related literatures were reviewed.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kidney* ; Military Personnel ; Ureter* ; Young Adult

Facial nerve schwannomas are uncommon tumors that involve the facial nerve. They are frequently misdiagnosed due to subtle and variable clinical presentations. The aim of management of facial nerve schwannoma is the complete removal of tumor, combined with preservation or restoration of facial nerve continuity. The site, size of the tumor, age, preoperative hearing level and facial nerve function are consider as decision making factors. But, it is management dilemma to decompress or resect the tumor. The purpose of this paper is to discuss to surgical management of complete removal of tumor and successful facial nerve reconstruction. Recently, we experienced three patients with facial nerve schwannoma with relatively good surgical result.
Decision Making ; Facial Nerve* ; Hearing ; Humans ; Neurilemmoma*

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

Chlamydia trachomatis is known as a major causative microorganism in non-gonococcal urethritis(NGU) in men. We examined two kinds of specimens simultaneously, endourethral swab and urine, in each patient to determine the reliability of these two different specimens for the detection of the Chlamydia trachomatis antigen in male NGU patients using ELISA method. Tota1 273 patients entered this study were divided into two groups according to sampling order of urine and endourethral swab. In group A(141 patients), we took endourethral swab first, then first portion of voided urine was caught. In group B(132 patients), endourethral swab was performed after urine sampling. Twenty five out of 273 patients(9.2%) showed Chlamydia trachomatis antigen positive in endourethral swab sample and 1 out of 273 patients(0.4%) was positive in urine sample. There was no significant difference of antigen positive rate of endourethral swab examination between group A and group B. Our data suggest that examination of endourethral swab is more reliable method for the detection of the Chlamydia trachomatis antigen than urine examination in male NGU patient.
Chlamydia trachomatis* ; Chlamydia* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Male

No abstract available.
Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second*

We experiened a case of electrical retinopathy, following industrial electrocution. The patient complained of acute visual loss due to corneal edema, anterior chamber reaction, lens opacities, vitrons reaction, retinopathy and secondary glaucoma. The visual acuity was improved during hospital day and short term after discharge period, but worsened,eventually by progressive anterior chamber and posterior segment pathologies, that is lens opacities and optic atrophy etc, We Performed several ocular examinations, including visual field, fundus phetography and fluorescein angiography during admission and follow-up pericd. A brief review of the literature is described.
Anterior Chamber ; Cataract ; Corneal Edema ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Optic Atrophy* ; Pathology ; Visual Acuity ; Visual Fields

PURPOSE: Although the 'No-touch' isolation technique was introduced by Turnbull et al. in 1967, the controversy over whether or not it reduces the risk of metastasis during surgery exists even today. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the 'No-touch' isolation technique in primary colorectal cancer surgery. METHODS: The evaluation was done by comparing the levels of CEA and CEA m-RNA expression from the same draining vein before and after tumor mobilization. Blood samples from 25 patients with primary colorectal cancer were collected for analysis. At the time of surgery, the main draining vein from the tumor was isolated and ligated at the proximal end. The 1st blood samples were collected just prior to tumor mobilization, and the 2nd samples right after. Both samples were analyzed for serum CEA level and CEA mRNA expression by using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: The mean CEA value from draining veins after tumor mobilization (8.08+/-8.98 ng/ml) was significantly higher than it was before mobilization (4.17+/-4.98 ng/ml). CEA mRNA was detected in 16% (4/25) of the blood specimens post-mobilization, whereas it was detected in only 4% (1/25) of the pre-mobilization samples. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest the validity of using the 'No-touch' isolation technique to reduce the risk of metastasis into the draining vein during mobilization.
Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; Veins

Experinece in the management of 74 patients with delayed traumatic intracranial hemorrhage(DTICH) of 474 head injury from January 1996 to December 1996 is poresented with emphasis on the incidence, occurring time, risk factors and outcome. The incidence of DTICH was 15.6% of all hospitalized head-injury patients. After an injury, every patient had an immediate computerized tomography(CT) scan to diagnose intracranial pathology and then CT follow-up was carried out according to intial CT finding and reurological deficit. The lesion was almost occurred in patients with initial abnormal CT finding(85.1%). 82.4% of DTICH were noted within 72 hours after injury. The delayed epidural hematoma and intracerebral hemorrhage were almost noted in first 72 hours(>90%), but the delayed subdural hemorrhage was found after a time interval varying from 6 hours to 10 days. So we strongly recommend CT follow-up in 4-8hour, 24-72hour, and then 7th day after head injury, especially in patients with initial abnormal CT findings. The risk factor of the delayed lesion was not hypotension, hypoxia, and consciousness level, but age of patients and the initial CT finding. The development of DTICH was not heralded by neurological deterioration. The prognosis of DTICH was not worse than non-DTICH. The patient with delayed subdural hemorrhage was better than the patient with non-delayed lesion(including hemorrhage and normal CT finding).
Anoxia ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Consciousness ; Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head* ; Hematoma ; Hematoma, Subdural ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Incidence ; Intracranial Hemorrhages* ; Pathology ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE:Tumor cells can be shed into a venous blood stream by manipulation of tumor during surgery, resulting metastasis to distant organs from the primary tumor. In order to elucidate the effect of early lymphovascular dissection prior to tumor mobilization, we studied the difference in carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) values of tumor draining veins before and after tumor mobilization. METHODS:Blood samples were taken from the tumor draining veins of sixteen patients during operations. The lymphovascular dissection was performed before the tumor mobilization, and the main draining vein from the tumor was isolated and the proximal end was ligated and blood samples were taken, then the tumor mobilization was made. Just before the removal of the tumor, we took the second sets of blood samples from the same sites. RESULTS:There were no significant differences in CEA values between peripheral blood (1.8+/-1.2 ng/mL) and tumor draining veins before the tumor mobilization. The mean CEA value of draining veins after the tumor mobilization (14.3+/-11.9 ng/mL) was significantly higher than that of draining veins before the mobilization (2.2+/-2.1 ng/mL)(P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS:Theses results suggest that early lymphovascular dissection procedures before tumor mobilization can reduce the opportunity of tumor cell dissemination into draining vein.
Carcinoembryonic Antigen* ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Rivers ; Veins