Background: Thyroperoxidase(TPO) is one of the most important autoantigens in autoimmune thyroid disorders and autoantibody to TPO is found in almost every patients with various autoimmune thyroid diseases. Human TPO was already cloned and the completed nucleotide sequences are well known. In human thyroid tissues, several variants mRNA's of TPO are found in addition to the wild type. Especially the variants lacking exon 10(TPOΔexon10) and exon 16(TPOΔ exon16) are found in very large amount in both normal and Graves thyroid tissues. The significance of these variants TPO mRNAs are largely unknown. The authors tried to investigate the autoantigenic role of these variant TPO. Methods : To produce variant TPO cDNAs, oligonucleotide directed mutagenesis was performed using cDNA for wild type human TPO as template. The produced variants cDNAs were transfected into Cos-7 cells and variants TPO proteins were tested against patients sera showing high titers of anti-TPO antibody. Results: Seven of 12 Graves sera reacted with TPOΔexon 10 and 8 Graves sera with TPOΔ exonl6. Eight of 15 Hashimoto sera reacted TPOΔexon16 and 9 with TPOΔexon16. The reactivity with variants TPO was not related to clinical findings. Conclusion: These two variant TPOs, that is TPOexon10 and TPOΔexon16, could act as an autoantigen if they were translated in vivo, and could play a role in autoimmune thyroid disease. Their exact role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid disorders are to be clarified.
Animals ; Autoantigens ; Base Sequence ; Clone Cells ; COS Cells ; DNA, Complementary ; Exons ; Humans ; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed ; RNA, Messenger ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland

In the mass outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease pandemic, the Daegu Medical Association managed to control and reduce the number of victims in Daegu successfully. More than 6,000 people were diagnosed in this city within a four-week period, and both medical system breakdown and increasing mortality were imminent. However, we minimized fatalities despite this explosive outbreak in a short time. The collaboration between the Daegu Medical Association and the local government may provide a reference model for overcoming regional outbreaks in the global pandemic era. We can prevent the shortage of medical resources by recruiting volunteer doctors and nurses early through public awareness campaigns. We can overcome the first massive outbreak using several new diagnostic and therapeutic systems such as the drive-through diagnosis system, telephonic counseling for self-quarantine patients by volunteer doctors, and therapeutic living centers. Both sharing the process of collaboration with the public system and summarizing the factors can provide useful information for building effective response systems to cope with the ongoing local outbreak of COVID-19 and any future epidemics of infectious diseases.

Anthracnose symptoms severely occurred up to 50% on leaves of English ivy growing in greenhouses in Cheongwon area of Korea during disease survey in April, 2000. The symptoms developed as concentric spots with dot-like acervuli on leaves of the plant. A total of 24 isolates of Colletotrichum sp. were obtained from the spotted lesions and identified as Colletotrichum trichellum based on the morphological and cultural characteristics. Leaf spots similar to the original anthracnose symptoms were induced on the host leaves by artificial inoculation with the isolates of the fungus. This is the first record of C. trichellum causing anthracnose of English ivy in Korea.
Colletotrichum* ; Cultural Characteristics ; Fungi ; Hedera* ; Korea* ; Plants

Acral lentiginous melanoma is a rare variant of malignant melanoma and is characterized by a lentiginous (radial) growth phase that evolves over months or years to a dermal (vertical) invasive stage. Clinical and pathological features were reviewed in 3 cases of acral lentiginous melanoma of the soles. The first case was a 59-year-old female. On gross examination, there was a black, nodular, round, and ulcerated mass, 1.5 x 1.5 cm, on the posterior portion of the left sole. This mass was accompanied by peripheral pigmented macules. Histologically, the macular lesion revealed the pattern of a lentiginous growth phase, with a diffuse hyperplasia of atypical melamocytes in the basal layer of the epidermis. In the vertical growth component, atypical melanocytes (predominantly spindle cell) infiltrated the dermis, showing level 3 invasion. The second case was a 47-year-old male. On gross examination, there was a dark brown to black, nodular, hemorrhagic and ulcerated mass, 7x7 cm, on the middle portion of the right sole. This mass grew radially into neighboring tissue. Histologically, the radial growth component revealed atypical melanocytes which were distributed in the basal portion of epidermis. In the vertical growth component, atypical melanocytes (spindle, round, or polygonal cells) infiltrated the dermis, showing level 4 invasion. The third case was a 87-year-old female. There was a formation of satellite pigmented macules, up to 2x0.5 cm, on the right sole. The color of macules was usually not uniform but was likely to be scattered radially, being grayish brown, bluish black, or black. Histologically, the peripheral, macular, hyperpigmented lesion revaled the pattern of a lentiginous growth phase. In the vertical growth component, atypical melanocytes (predominently polygonal cells) infiltrated the dermis, showing level 13 invasion.
Female ; Humans

Burkitt's lymphoma with a frankly leukemic picture is an extremely rare condition, and usually has a very acute course with a poor prognosis. The authors experienced two cases of Burkitt's lymphoma developed acute leukemia. The first case was 8 years-old boy who had rapidly growing large abdominal mass, which revealed typical Burkitt's lymphoma with characteristic "starrysky" pattern. The second case was 20 year old male who had not definite tumor mass. Their peripheral blood and bone marrow aspiration revealed acute leukemia with multiple vacuolated lymphoblast of Burkitt's type. We report these cases with brief review of literatures.
Male ; Humans

No abstract available.
Esophageal Atresia* ; Tracheoesophageal Fistula*

In present study, the mechanism for oxygen-glucose deprivation -induced [3H]gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) from cerebral cortex slices of the rat was examined. Deprivation of oxygen and glucose(OGD) from Mg2+-free artificial cerebrospinal fluid, induced significant release of [3H]GABA (7.4+/-0.6% of total tissue content) from cerebral cortex slices. OGD-induced release of [3H]GABA was significantly attenuated by tetrodotoxin(TTX)(1 micrometer), Mg2+(1.2 mM), MK-801(10 micrometer), ketamine(10 micrometer), N-methyl-D-aspartate(NMDA) receptor antagonists, (DNQX)(30 micrometer), and 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione(CNQX)(30 micrometer), kainate/AMPA receptor antagonists, or 6-nitro-7-sulphamoyl-benzo[f]quinoxaline-2, 3-dione(NBQX)(10 micrometer), a selective AMPA receptor blocker. OGD-evoked [3H]GABA release was attenuated by (NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester(L-NAME) and 7-nitronidazole, nitric oxide synthase inhibitors, and methylene blue, potentiated by zaprinast, a cGMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor. OGD-induced release of [3H]GABA was inhibited by nipecotic acid, a selective neuronal GABA transporter blocker, and potentiated by DL-2.4-diamino-n-butyric acid(DABA), a neuronal and glial GABA transporter blocker. Dantrolene (30 micrometer) and 1,2-bis (2-aminophenoxy)-ethane-N, N, N', N'-tetraacetic acid tetrakis (acetoxymethyl) ester(BAPTA-AM)(30 micrometer), inhibitors of intracellular Ca2+ release, verapamil(5 micrometer), omega-conotoxinGVIA(100 nM) and omega-agatoxinIVA(100 nM), inhibitors of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, significantly attenuated the OGD-induced release of [3H]GABA. These results suggest that glutamate is involved in OGD-evoked [3H]GABA release, and this release is achieved by Ca2+-dependent exocytosis and reversal of transporters, and can be modulated by various neuronal mechanisms.
Animals ; Cerebral Cortex* ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Dantrolene ; Exocytosis ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Glutamic Acid ; Methylene Blue ; Neurons ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Oxygen ; Rats* ; Receptors, AMPA

No abstract available.
Female ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic*

No abstract available.
Abruptio Placentae* ; Female ; Pregnancy

No abstract available.
Body Weight* ; Humans ; Infant, Low Birth Weight* ; Infant, Newborn