The truncated E1192-283 and E2384-649 genes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) linked to the gene for glutathione 5-transferase (GST) were constructed and their expressions were analyzed. The GST-E1192-283 fusion gene overexpressed the fusion protein in E. coli as a soluble form, while the GST-E1192-383 plasmid did not express expected fusion protein. The purified GST-E1192-283 fusion protein was efficiently cleaved by thrombin. More than 90% pure, HCV E1192-283 protein was obtained by GST-agarose chromatography. The truncated GST-E2384-649 fusion gene expressed the fusion protein mainly as an insoluble form, whereas the GST-E2384-740 did not express the fusion protein. The truncated GST-E1 182-283 and GST-E2384-649 fusion proteins reacted specifically with an HCV patient serum. In addition, mice immunized with either the purified E1192-283 or GST-E2384-649 proteins generated specific antibodies to each antigen. The results suggested that hydrophobic carboxyl portions of the E1 and E2 proteins might affect expression levels as well as the solubility of each fusion protein in bacteria. Also, the truncated E1 protein with Tyr-192 to Ser-283 contained antigenic epitope(s) which could be specifically recognized by an HCV patient serum.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Bacteria ; Chromatography ; Glutathione ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Mice ; Plasmids ; Solubility ; Thrombin

Suppurative arthritis of the hip joint in infants and children is always a serious disease. In management of suppurative arthritis of the hip joint, early diagnosis and treatment is far most important. Authors had treated 22 cases with acute suppurative arthritis of the hip joint in infants and children at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, St. Benedict Hospital during period from January 1976 to December 1982, and clinically analyzed these 22 cases. The following results were obtained: 1. The incidence of suppurative arthritis of the hip joint was higher in infants and children less than 4 years old, and male predominated by a 2.7:1 ratio. 2. Lag period to diagnosis and treatment in 3 cases was within 4 days, 6 cases within 8 days: usually lag period was long. 3. In general, leukocytosis and elevated ESR were noted, but in infants, these were not always noted. 4. Sometimes, the classic signs of fever, chills, sweats, and prostration were not seen in affected infants. 5. Causative oraganisms were isolated in diseased hip joint: positive cultures were 55%, and most ommon organism was Staphylococ'cus aureus. 6. After diagnosis, immediate arthrotomy, continuous irrigation with normal saline solution, through the irrigation tube, parenteral administration of specific antibiotics, and immobilization with Bucks extension traction were performed in all cases without serious complications. The results were acceptable. 7. Authors concluded as follows: a. Infants and young children are more likely to have poor result than older children. b. When treatment was performed beyond 4 days, more likely to have poor result. c. Associated osteomyelitis of the femoral neck increases the possibility that the patient will have a poor result.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Arthritis ; Arthritis, Infectious ; Child ; Chills ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Femur Neck ; Fever ; Hip Joint ; Hip ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Incidence ; Infant ; Leukocytosis ; Male ; Orthopedics ; Osteomyelitis ; Sodium Chloride ; Sweat ; Traction

BACKGROUND: Congenital bronchoesophageal fistula(BEF) presented in adult life is a rare disorder and has characteristic clinical findings such as paroxysmal cough after water ingestion and recurrent respiratory infections. It usually manifested recurrent pneumonia and chronic cough with purulent phlegmon which was mis-or under-diagnosed as chronic bronchitis, bronchiectesis or lung abscess so forth. METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively 13 cases of congenital BEE in adult of Paik Hospital, College of Medicine, Inje University including 22 cases of congenital BEE previously reported in literature of Korea from 1979 through 1995. RESULTS: The mean age at diagnosis was 40.2 +/- 14.3. There was no difference in sex ratio(Male: Female 18 : 17). The mast common symptom was cough(91.4%), follwed by chronic sputum(74.3), hemoptysis(25.7), and paroxysmal nocturnal cough at specific position(20%). Twenty one of 31 patients who were able to review have the most specific sign, Ono's sign presented as paroxysmal cough after liquid ingestion. By classification of Braimbridge-Keith, Fourteen(45.1%) of 31 patients were group I (associated with esophageal diverticulum), 15(48.4%) were group II (simple fistula), and group III arid IV was one case in each. The opening of fistula confined to right lower lobe in 26(76.5%), left lower lobe in 6(176%), arid left main bronchus in 2(5.9%) cases. CONCLUSION: Congenital bronchoesophageal fistula is uncommon disorder which has characteristic histories and specific symptoms such as chronic and recurrent lower respiratory infections, and paroxysmal cough after liquid ingestion. Medical attention and careful history should be done in patients who have localized recurrent lower respiratory infections in right lower lobe.
Adult* ; Bees ; Bronchi ; Bronchitis, Chronic ; Cellulitis ; Classification ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Eating ; Female ; Fistula* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Lung Abscess ; Pneumonia ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Retrospective Studies

KOH examination is a simple, rapid and diagnostic procedure to confirm dermatophytic infections. It is important to select a proper examination site of the lesion. To determinate the proper examination site of the lesion, mycologic studies were done with multiple specimens collected from the center, margin and out of margin of the ring-shaped dermatophytic skin lesion on the 58 patients. The results were as follows. Positive rate of KOH wet smear was 94.8% at the center and 100% at the margin of the lesions, 22.4% at the 1 cm and 5.2% at the 2 cm out of the lesions. The more hyphae were found in the lesion, the more hyphae were found out of the lesion. Culture was done on the Sabouraud's glucose agar from the highest KOH positive area and the positive culture was 48 strains (82.8%) of 58 patients. These findings suggested that the ring-shaped active margin was the best site to examine mycologic studies.
Agar ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Skin*

BACKGROUND: PUVA has been used effectively in the treatment of vitiligo, but the mechanism by which PUVA stimulates melanocyte proliferation in vitiligo is not known. Several mechanisms have been suggested to be involved in the process of repigmentation of vitiligo. First, UV light, with or without psoralen, directly stimulates the proliferation of melanocytes. Secondly, PUVA may act. on epidermal keratinocytes or dermal components to stimulate t,hem to release certain melanocyte growth st,inulation factors that enhance the proliferation of melanocytes in depigmented lesions. Thirdly, PUVA irnmunologically leads to the impairment of epidermal Langerhans cell function and alteration of circulating T and B cell function, which results in the suppression of the stimuli is for rnelanocyte destruction during the therapy. OBJECTIVE: To test, th hypothesis that PUVA induced repigmentation in vitiligo results from the stimulation of growth factors that induce melanocyte proliferation, and that PUVA may suppress the immune reacticin to melanocytes, especially in autoantibody synt,hesis, we examined the effects of sera on the growth of epidermal melanocytes and control cells, and the incidence of antibodies to melanocyte and melanoma cells(SK-Mel 2~3) in the sera of patients with vitiligo. We also had normal control individuals and studied the changes of the antibody titer in the sera of patients with vitiligo. METHODS: The rate of H thymidine uptake was estimat,ed in cultured melanocytes and fibroblasts t,reated by patients sera before and after PUVA treatment. SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting analysis were used to idcntify anti pigment cell autoantibodies and were compared to the titers of autoantibodies after PUVA. RESULTS: 1. Melanocyte and fibrablast proliferation was increased by PUVA treated sera. Their proliferation was in proportion to the duration of the PUVA treatment. Melanocytes proliferated more than fibroblasts. 2. Significant differences between vitiligo patients and normal controls were found in the inci dence of anti-pigment cell antibodies. The antibodies were predominantly directed to melanocyte antigens of 110 kD, 65 kD, 45 kD and melanoma cell antigens of 110 kD, 103 kD, 88kD, 70 kD, 56 kD, 41 kD. 3. The titer of anti piment cell antibodies showed a tendency to decrease after PUVA treat- ment in most patients regardless of clinical improvement. Conclusion ; PUVA treated sera induced proliferation of melanocytes and fibroblasts and the production of aut,oantibodies was suppressed against pigment cell antigens through irnmunosuppression, which might help in the repigmentation of vitiligo.
Antibodies ; Autoantibodies ; Candida* ; Classification* ; DNA* ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Fibroblasts ; Ficusin ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Incidence ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Keratinocytes ; Melanocytes ; Melanoma ; Thymidine ; Ultraviolet Rays ; Vitiligo

BACKGROUND: PUVA has been used effectively in the treatment of vitiligo, but the mechanism by which PUVA stimulates melanocyte proliferation in vitiligo is not known. Several mechanisms have been suggested to be involved in the process of repigmentation of vitiligo. First, UV light, with or without psoralen, directly stimulates the proliferation of melanocytes. Secondly, PUVA may act. on epidermal keratinocytes or dermal components to stimulate t,hem to release certain melanocyte growth st,inulation factors that enhance the proliferation of melanocytes in depigmented lesions. Thirdly, PUVA irnmunologically leads to the impairment of epidermal Langerhans cell function and alteration of circulating T and B cell function, which results in the suppression of the stimuli is for rnelanocyte destruction during the therapy. OBJECTIVE: To test, th hypothesis that PUVA induced repigmentation in vitiligo results from the stimulation of growth factors that induce melanocyte proliferation, and that PUVA may suppress the immune reacticin to melanocytes, especially in autoantibody synt,hesis, we examined the effects of sera on the growth of epidermal melanocytes and control cells, and the incidence of antibodies to melanocyte and melanoma cells(SK-Mel 2~3) in the sera of patients with vitiligo. We also had normal control individuals and studied the changes of the antibody titer in the sera of patients with vitiligo. METHODS: The rate of H thymidine uptake was estimat,ed in cultured melanocytes and fibroblasts t,reated by patients sera before and after PUVA treatment. SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting analysis were used to idcntify anti pigment cell autoantibodies and were compared to the titers of autoantibodies after PUVA. RESULTS: 1. Melanocyte and fibrablast proliferation was increased by PUVA treated sera. Their proliferation was in proportion to the duration of the PUVA treatment. Melanocytes proliferated more than fibroblasts. 2. Significant differences between vitiligo patients and normal controls were found in the inci dence of anti-pigment cell antibodies. The antibodies were predominantly directed to melanocyte antigens of 110 kD, 65 kD, 45 kD and melanoma cell antigens of 110 kD, 103 kD, 88kD, 70 kD, 56 kD, 41 kD. 3. The titer of anti piment cell antibodies showed a tendency to decrease after PUVA treat- ment in most patients regardless of clinical improvement. Conclusion ; PUVA treated sera induced proliferation of melanocytes and fibroblasts and the production of aut,oantibodies was suppressed against pigment cell antigens through irnmunosuppression, which might help in the repigmentation of vitiligo.
Antibodies ; Autoantibodies ; Candida* ; Classification* ; DNA* ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Fibroblasts ; Ficusin ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Incidence ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Keratinocytes ; Melanocytes ; Melanoma ; Thymidine ; Ultraviolet Rays ; Vitiligo

PURPOSE: Occupational stress is a determinant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and work disability. This study aims to describe occupational stress and identify its related factors among aged security guards. METHODS: A random sample of 76 aged security guards were interviewed by three research assistants. The criteria of the subjects were as follows : 50 or older male with 40 or more working hours a week working with colleagues ranged from 3 to 50. The data were collected in September, 2007 and analyzed by multiple regression using SAS Version 9.1. RESULTS: The mean score of occupational stress among aged security guards was 47.2. The mean scores of its sub-scales were 31.3(physical environment), 33.8(occupational demand), 80.8occupational control), 44.6(interpersonal conflict), 51.3 (occupational insecurity), 53.6(occupational system), 57.5(lack of reward), and 30.3(work environment). The scores of occupational control, interpersonal conflict, and occupational insecurity were higher than the scores of Korean average occupational stress sub-scales. Significant variables affecting occupational stress and its sub-scales were work place, work type, and employment type. CONCLUSION: In order to reduce occupational stress among security guards, sufficient occupational control and interpersonal conflict control, appropriate reward, and employment stability should be considered. Also long working hours and work shift should be improved.
Aged ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Employment ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Male ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Phenothiazines ; Reward ; Risk Factors ; Workplace

PURPOSE: Occupational stress is a determinant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and work disability. This study aims to describe occupational stress and identify its related factors among aged security guards. METHODS: A random sample of 76 aged security guards were interviewed by three research assistants. The criteria of the subjects were as follows : 50 or older male with 40 or more working hours a week working with colleagues ranged from 3 to 50. The data were collected in September, 2007 and analyzed by multiple regression using SAS Version 9.1. RESULTS: The mean score of occupational stress among aged security guards was 47.2. The mean scores of its sub-scales were 31.3(physical environment), 33.8(occupational demand), 80.8occupational control), 44.6(interpersonal conflict), 51.3 (occupational insecurity), 53.6(occupational system), 57.5(lack of reward), and 30.3(work environment). The scores of occupational control, interpersonal conflict, and occupational insecurity were higher than the scores of Korean average occupational stress sub-scales. Significant variables affecting occupational stress and its sub-scales were work place, work type, and employment type. CONCLUSION: In order to reduce occupational stress among security guards, sufficient occupational control and interpersonal conflict control, appropriate reward, and employment stability should be considered. Also long working hours and work shift should be improved.
Aged ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Employment ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Male ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Phenothiazines ; Reward ; Risk Factors ; Workplace

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Antifungal Agents* ; Trichophyton*