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

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*

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*

The incidence of skin diseases in the hospital practice cannot give a true picture of their prevalence in the population served. Nevertheless the hospital incidence figures usually offer the only available means of assessing prevalence, and therefore provide us with a potentially valuable source of information on the ecology of many skin disorders. (countinued..)
Ecology ; Incidence ; Prevalence ; Skin ; Skin Diseases* ; Statistics as Topic*

A 58-year-old male presented with a pruritic, erythematous hread-like eruption on the right chest, which appeared as a small papule since 6 months prior to his visit. Histopathologic examination showed a burrow containing numerous eosinophiles and a few mononuclear cells in the epidermis. There was focal spongiosis unde the burrow. In the dermis, there was a diffuse and occasionally dense perivascular and periadnx 1 inflammatory cell infiltration consisting of eosinophiles and some lymphocytes. Multiple histologic sections were made without success in deizo strating parasitic tissue in the epidermis, however, the clinical and histopathologic features we onsistent with cutaneous larva migrans.
Dermis ; Eosinophils ; Epidermis ; Humans ; Larva Migrans* ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Thorax

Adenoid cystic carcinoma is known to be a neoplasm of the major and minor salivary glands but it also occurs in the lacrimal gland, external auditory canal, easphagus, breast and skin. Adenoid cystic carcinoma of salivary gland is a slow-growin nalignant tumor. Although metastasis of this tumor clevelnps in about half the cases, its meta taes to the overlying skin is not common, moreover the skin metastasis to the remote site is raely found. Primary cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinoma is rare and histologically indistingisl able from skin metastasis of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary gland. A 53 year-old man presented a solitary, well defined, erythen at us, 1.3 x 1.3cm sized nodule on the vertex of the scalp, which revealed the typical histopatholog ndings of adenoid cystic carcinoma. One and half years ago, a tumor of the parotid gland va removed and proved to be a cribriform pattern of adenoid cystic carcinoma. The skin lesion was diaghosed as a skin metastasis of the alenoid cystic carcinoma of parotid gland rather than a primary cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinona because a similar pattern of adenoid cystic carcinorom had been discovered on the parotidg an l although it developed on the scalp, the usual site of primary cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinama.
Adenoids* ; Breast ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic* ; Ear Canal ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Parotid Gland* ; Salivary Glands ; Salivary Glands, Minor ; Scalp ; Skin*

Intravascular papillary endotholial hyperplasia is a relatively rare (istose which is characterized by the development of endothelialdined papillary projections in a vascula humen. It is commonly found to be associated with thromboticrraterial and is now considered a reative process of the endothelium rather than a neoplastic one. Although this disease usually presents petri dish or bluish nodule on the head, neck or upper extremiti it can develop anywhere on the bod, . There are many reports about lesions in unusal locations, but t.hey are almost always solitary. A 61-year-old woman complained of multiple, tender, 1 x 1 to 4 x 5 creasized nodules on both hands, antecubital fossa, chest, abdomen, left shoulder and right calf. These the nodules showed reddish to bluish colors and had long hisbiries from 1 year to 7 years. Four our 13 lesions were excised for histopathologic diagnosis intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplaian 3 lesions and cavernous hemangioma in 1 lesion.(
Abdomen ; Diagnosis ; Endothelium ; Female ; Hand ; Head ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; Humans ; Hyperplasia* ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Shoulder ; Thorax

Pityriasis rotunda is an uncommon chronic dermatosis characterized by multiple, round or oval, hyperpigmented or hypopigmented patches that have a fine scale on the trunk and extremities. Most of the cases reported predominantly occurred in Oriental and black patients in association with internal disease. However, in Caucasians it has been documented in healthy persons usually as a familial tendency. We report a case of pityriasis rotunda which showed familial occurrence and had no underlying disease.
Extremities ; Humans ; Pityriasis* ; Skin Diseases