To investigate the inflammatory cytokine production of human epithelial cell lines stimulated with uropathogenic E. coli strains showing 3 different adherence patterns, differential expression of inflammatory cytokine (IL-1a, IL-lB, IL-8, TNFa, and TGFB) mRNA were detected by RT-PCR. IL-1a, IL-1B, IL-8, and TGFB mRNAs constitutively expressed in epithelial cell lines, but not TNFa. The expression of IL-1a and IL-1B mRNA was increased in J-82 cells stimulated with E. coli strains showing DA, LA, or AggA pattern. The expression of IL-8 mRNA was increased, whereas TGFj3 mRNA was decreased in J-82 cells stimulated with E. coli strain showing AggA.pattern. Treatment with crude bacterial adhesins (CBA) isolated from E. coli strains showing DA or LA pattern increased IL-la, IL-lB, IL-S, and TGFj3 mRNA expressions in J-82 cells and HeLa cells. IL-la, IL-lB, and TGFB mRNA expressions were decreased in epitheUal cells stimulated with CBA from E. coli strain showing AggA pattern, whereas IL-8 mRNA expression was significantly increased. The expressions of cytokine mRNAs showed little differences between epithelial ceRs used, but great differences between CBA from DA or LA and AggA strain. LPS stimulation was little changed cytokine mRNA expressions in epithelial cells. This study suggests that cytokine gene expression of epithelial cells by the bacterial stimulation mainly depends on the bacterial adhesins recognized by the respective receptors of epithelial cells.
Adhesins, Bacterial ; Epithelial Cells* ; Gene Expression ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Interleukin-8 ; RNA, Messenger ; Uropathogenic Escherichia coli*

BACKGROUND: E2/nonstructural protein 1 (E2/NSl) glycoprotein of hepatitic C virus (HCV) is most variable region of HCV and appears to cause positive selection of escape mutants, which may play a role in the mechanism of persistent viral infection. We analyzed the sequence diversity of E2/NSl of HCV from twelve Koreans. METHODS: The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the putative E2/NSl region of HCV were determined by analysis of twelve independent amplified CDNA clones obtained from Korean patients with chronic hepatitis and primary hepatocellular carcinoma, using dideoxynucleotide chain termination method. RESULTS: High level of variations in both nucleotide and amino acid sequences were observed in the hypervariable region 1 and 2 (HVR1 and HVR2). Sequences of HVR1, situated at the nucleotide positions from 1478 to 1552 (amino acid positions : from 383 to 407), showed from 27.8 to 94.4% diversity at the nucleotide level and from 25.0 to 87.5% diversity at the amino acid level. 4 few amino acid residues (amino acid positions: 384, 388, 389 405, 406) within HVR1 were highly conserved in most cases. Sequences of HVR2, situated at the nucleotide positions from 1736 to 1774 (amino acid positions from 469 to 481). Two groups of highly conserved amino acid sequences were observed in the HVR2 of twelve Korean cases, indicating that there are type specific conservation in the HVR2 region. 4 large part of the eave lope region located at the nucleotide positions from 1832 to 1892 (amino acid positions : from 501 to 521) was highly conserved, to show 100% Identity of amino acid sequences. The positions of six putative N-glycosylation sites were highly conserved. The percent diversities of nucleotide of E2/NSl was from 60.4% to 92.7% and the percent diversities of amino acid of E2/NSl was from 57.6% to 95.5% among twelve Korean HCV clones. CONCLUSION: Extensive genetic variations including two hypervariable regions were clustered and interspersed with highly conserved nucleotides sequences in E2/NSl region of HCV isolated from Koreans.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Clone Cells ; DNA, Complementary ; Genetic Variation ; Glycoproteins ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Nucleotides ; United Nations

BACKGROUND: E2/nonstructural protein 1 (E2/NSl) glycoprotein of hepatitic C virus (HCV) is most variable region of HCV and appears to cause positive selection of escape mutants, which may play a role in the mechanism of persistent viral infection. We analyzed the sequence diversity of E2/NSl of HCV from twelve Koreans. METHODS: The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the putative E2/NSl region of HCV were determined by analysis of twelve independent amplified CDNA clones obtained from Korean patients with chronic hepatitis and primary hepatocellular carcinoma, using dideoxynucleotide chain termination method. RESULTS: High level of variations in both nucleotide and amino acid sequences were observed in the hypervariable region 1 and 2 (HVR1 and HVR2). Sequences of HVR1, situated at the nucleotide positions from 1478 to 1552 (amino acid positions : from 383 to 407), showed from 27.8 to 94.4% diversity at the nucleotide level and from 25.0 to 87.5% diversity at the amino acid level. 4 few amino acid residues (amino acid positions: 384, 388, 389 405, 406) within HVR1 were highly conserved in most cases. Sequences of HVR2, situated at the nucleotide positions from 1736 to 1774 (amino acid positions from 469 to 481). Two groups of highly conserved amino acid sequences were observed in the HVR2 of twelve Korean cases, indicating that there are type specific conservation in the HVR2 region. 4 large part of the eave lope region located at the nucleotide positions from 1832 to 1892 (amino acid positions : from 501 to 521) was highly conserved, to show 100% Identity of amino acid sequences. The positions of six putative N-glycosylation sites were highly conserved. The percent diversities of nucleotide of E2/NSl was from 60.4% to 92.7% and the percent diversities of amino acid of E2/NSl was from 57.6% to 95.5% among twelve Korean HCV clones. CONCLUSION: Extensive genetic variations including two hypervariable regions were clustered and interspersed with highly conserved nucleotides sequences in E2/NSl region of HCV isolated from Koreans.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Clone Cells ; DNA, Complementary ; Genetic Variation ; Glycoproteins ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Nucleotides ; United Nations

Reconstruction of soft tissue defect with exposure of the tendons and bone in the lower third of the leg and the heel represents a challenge to plastic surgeons. The sural artery flap is a fasciocutaneous flap supplied by the sural artery that accompanies the sural nerve and connects with a septocutaneous perforator of the peroneal artery via a suprafascial network of vessels. For the coverage of soft tissue defects, we operated on 10 patients using a distally-based sural artery flap. The sites of the soft tissue defect were the lower third of the leg in 7 cases and the heel in 3 cases. The size of flap varied from 3.5x4cm to 12x18cm. Nine of 10 flaps survived completely. One flap in which the sural nerve was preserved showed partial necrosis but healed spontaneously. Two flaps showed slightly venous congestion which disappeared after a few days. The advantages of the sural flap are a reliable blood supply, easy and quick elevation of the flap, preservation of the major artery and minimal donor site morbidity. The disadvantage of the flap is hypoesthesia at the lateral part of the foot. In conclusion, the distally-based sural artery flap can be used safely for soft tissues coverage in the lower third of the leg and the heel.
Arteries* ; Foot ; Heel ; Humans ; Hyperemia ; Hypesthesia ; Leg ; Necrosis ; Sural Nerve ; Tendons ; Tissue Donors

No abstract available.
Hyperplasia* ; Islets of Langerhans* ; Nesidioblastosis*

A 70-year-old woman with Parkinson disease was admitted to the emergency department with altered consciousness, fever and convulsive movements without experiencing withdrawal from antiparkinsonian medication. Six hours after the emergency department visit, the patient had a hyperpyrexia (>40℃) and a systolic blood pressure of 40 mmHg. There was no evidence of bacterial infection based on extensive workups. The patient was discharged without aggravation of Parkinson disease symptoms after treatment that included administration of dantrolene sodium, enforcement of continuous renal replacement therapy and cooling blankets. Malignant syndrome should be suspected if high fever occurs in Parkinson disease patients without evidence of a definitive infection.
Aged ; Bacterial Infections ; Blood Pressure ; Consciousness ; Dantrolene ; Dehydration ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Parkinson Disease* ; Renal Replacement Therapy

The endoscopic variceal ligation(EVL) has been adopted as a new treatment for acute hemorrhage from esophageal varices that ranks the highest mortality rate in upper gastrointestinal tract bleedings. This treatment method has good effects for the urgent treatment and eradication of varices from acute variceal bleeding in repeated sessions. We enrolled 34 patients with an acute or chronic variceal bleeding episode at the time of admission in this study from Apr. 8, 1992 to June. 2, 1994. Among 34 patients, there were 31 males and 3 females, at ages between 45-66(mean: 52 years). The incidence of symptoms on admission was 10 in tarry stool, 9 in hematemesis 8 in ascites, 4 in hepatic encephalopathy and 3 in nonspecific symptoms. Varices were eradicated or reduced to grade I in 30(88.2%) of the 34 patients by 4-25 bands (mean: 10.8 bands) in 1-7 EVL sessions(mean: 3.1 sessions). After EVL, there are complicated by active bleeding in 3 patients, dysphagia in 3 patienta and transient chest discomfort in 5 patients but subsided during 24 hours. These results indicated that EVL is a safe method for treatment of bleeding from esophageal varices.
Ascites ; Deglutition Disorders ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices* ; Female ; Hematemesis ; Hemorrhage* ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; Humans ; Incidence ; Ligation* ; Male ; Mortality ; Thorax ; Upper Gastrointestinal Tract ; Varicose Veins

No abstract available.
Flail Chest*

Becker's nevus has been known as a sudden onset of hyperpigmentation on shoulder or arm in the second decade of life with slow peripheral extension and later development of hypertrichosis. We observed two cases of typical Becker's nevus which was confirmed by characteristicclinical and histopathological findings. One was 45-year-old male who has a patch of hyperpigmentation and hypertrichosis on left upper arm at birth, the other was 2()-year-old male who developed on right shoulder after sunburn which is a salient feature by Becker's initial description.
Arm ; Burns ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Hypertrichosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nevus* ; Parturition ; Shoulder ; Sunburn

BACKGROUND: If the corrections of the cryptorchid testes are delayed, it may lead the patients to suffer loss of testes or fertility. So we purposed to analyze the present status of correction and the causes of delay and tried to emphasize the needs to educate and inform the ideal age for correction. METHODS: Total 363 cryptorchid patients who visited our hospital in 10 years from January 1987 to December 1996 were divided into 3 groups according to their ages at visit as under 2, 3 to 5 and over 6 years groups. We analyzed the operative findings of the 3 groups, compared the ratio of the over 6 group during the half ten years till 1991 to the same ratio after 1992 and also analyzed the causes of delay in 81 patients for whom the causes of delay could be identified in over 6 years group. RESULTS: The age distributions showed 88 patients(24.2%) of under 2 years group, 118 patients(32.5%) of 3 to 5 years group and 157 patients(43.3%) of over 6 years group. When we compare the former 5 years till 1991 to the latter 5 years after 1992, the number of the patients who underwent orchiopexy under the age of 2 were increased from 34 (19.1%) to 54(29.2%) and those over the age of 6 were decreased from 88(49.4%) to 69 (37.3%) but still in higher proportion. The intraoperative findings showed that the rate of atropic or smaller testes than normal size in over 6 years group(128 testes, 73.1%) were higher than those of under 2 years(10 testes, 9.8%) and 3 to 5 years group(28 testes, 20.2 %). The most common causes of delay in over 6 years group was recommendation by relatives or neighbors(36 patients, 48.1%) and the remainders were advices of doctors other than urologists(27 patients, 33.3%), poor economic status(8 patients, 9.9%) and unawareness of the anomaly(7 patients, 8.6%). CONCLUSIONS: To prevent the loss of testicular function or testis itself in patient with cryptorchidism, the early correction should be performed because the recommended age for the correction tends to be decreased. The public information for the recommended age should be provided and also educational programs for the primary physicians are supposed to be performed.
Age Distribution ; Cryptorchidism ; Fertility ; Humans ; Male ; Orchiopexy ; Testis