To evaluate the ultrastructural changes and the mechanism causing liver injury by lead, light and electron microscopic(LM and EM) examination using Timm sulphide silver method(TSM) was done. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a control and 3 experimental groups. The experimental groups were orally administered 0.5% lead acetate(LA). Group 1 received a one time dose of 10 ml of LA by gastric intubation. Groups 2 and 3 continuously received LA instead of drinking water. The control group was composed of 3 rats in each group which did not receive any treatment. Rats of group 1, 2 and 3 and control were sacrificed at 1/2, 1, 1 1/2 hours, 2 days, and at 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks later, except group 3. Before sacrifice, they were perfused with 0.1% sodium sulphide and 2.5% glutaraldehyde through the abdominal aorta for TSM. The liver was taken for LM and EM examinations. Blood lead concentration began to increase from the 2nd day up to 3.29 microgram/ml at 2nd week, and the urinary delta-ALA level showed a steady increase from the 2nd day. LM and EM examination of liver revealed that absorbed lead granules in group 1 were transported into sinusoidal spaces, Kupffer cells, and the hepatocytes within 1 hour and then disappeared 1/2 hour thereafter. In group 2 deposited lead was found in the hepatocytic cytosol bound to mitochondria. That in turn inhibited mitochondrial respiration with resultant mitochondrial swelling at the 1st week and thereafter at 6th week myelin figure formation and condensation of mitochondria, and peroxisomes were increased at 8th week. Based on these results it can be concluded that a transient intake of subletal dose of LA is biotransformed completely by periportal hepatocytes within 1 1/2 hours, but excessively accumulated lead can induce liver cell injury due to lipid peroxidation of membrane by direct toxic effect of lead and by products of lipid peroxidation. We postulate that lead acetate triggers presumably primarily mitochondrial membrane injury and then other organellar changes may play a role in disturbance of a network of interacting of key events capable of causing cell death.
Rats ; Animals

The p53 gene is believed to play an important role through the mutation and overexpression in the progression of various human malignant tumors. The type IV collagenase (matrix metalloproteinase: MMP-2) initiates the degradation of the extracellular matrix, and consequently may play a role in the tumor invasion and metastasis. To investigate the correlation between clinicopathologic features of the colorectal adenocarcinomas and benign tumors and expression of p53 and MMP-2 proteins, we performed an immunohistochemical study on 40 colorectal adenocarcinomas, 20 adenomas and 20 hyperplastic polyps by using the antibodies to p53 and MMP-2 proteins. The positive expression rate of the p53 protein in adenocarcinomas was 62.5% and significantly higher than in benign tumors. The positive expression rate of the MMP-2 protein was 47.5% in adenocarcinomas, but there was no expression of MMP-2 protein in benign tumors. The difference in p53 and MMP-2 expression rates between malignant and non-malignant tumors was statistically significant. The positive expression rate of p53 protein in the non-metastatic and metastatic adenocarcinomas was 59.1 and 66.7%, respectively. The positive expression rate of MMP-2 protein in the non-metastatic and metastatic adencarcinomas was 45.5 and 50.0%, respectively. The correlation between several clinicopathologic features and expression of p53 and MMP-2 protein was not statistically significant, but the rate of positive MMP-2 immunoreactivity showed a statistically significant difference between Astler-Coller stage B1 C1 group and B2 C2 group of adenocarcinoma (p=0.0431). We concluded that the expression of p53 and MMP-2 protein contributes to the cancer development and MMP-2 may play a certain role in the invasiveness of the colorectal tumor. p53 and MMP-2 protein expression is not correlated with lymph node metastasis.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Adenoma ; Antibodies ; Collagenases ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Extracellular Matrix ; Genes, p53 ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Polyps

No abstract available.
Foreign Bodies* ; Granuloma, Foreign-Body* ; Lipectomy*

The intra-articular tibial plateau fracture can induce many complications of the knee joint after conservative treatment or operative treatment. Recent experience could decrease the complications with accurate anatomical reduction, stable internal fixation and early knee ROM exercise, but still unsatisfactory results were reported from 20% to 40%. The authors analyzed the 30 cases that could be follow-up from 1 year to 6 years and were treated with operative methods, and the following results were obtained. 1. The most common cause of injury was traffic accident (14 cases-46.4%). 2. The most common fracture type by Hohls classification was type VI (13 cases-43.1%). 3. According to Blokker's criteria, 26 cases (86.7%) among 30 cases had satisfactory results. 4. The one of the most important factor influencing end results was thught to be the anatomical reduction of the articular margin.
Accidents, Traffic ; Classification ; Follow-Up Studies ; Knee ; Knee Joint

PURPOSE: To evaluate protective mechanism of melatonin against radiation damage and its relationship with apoptosis in mouse jejunum. MATERIALS AND METHODS:' 168 mice were divided into 28 groups according to radiation dose and melatonin treatment. To analysis crypt survival, microcolony survival assay was done according to Withers an (l Elkind's method. To analysis apoptosis, TUNEL assay was done according to Labet-Moleur's method. RESULTS: Radiation protection effect of melatonin was demonstrated by crypt survival assay and its effect was stronger in high radiation dose area. Apoptosis index with 8 Gy irradiation was 18.4% in control group and 16.5% in melatonin treated group. After 18 Gy, apoptosis index was 17.2% in control group and 15.4% in melatonin treated group. Apoptosis index did not show statistically significant difference between melatonin treated group and control group. CONCLUSION: Melatonin shows clear protective effect in mouse jejunum against radiation damage but it.', protective effect seems not to be related with apoptosis protection effect.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Cell Survival* ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Jejunum ; Melatonin* ; Mice* ; Radiation Protection

No abstract available.
Asthma* ; Asthma, Exercise-Induced ; Bronchoconstriction* ; Child* ; Humans

Inflammatory pseudotumor, originally described in the lung, is a relatively rare tumor-like lesion that occurs in various organs and tissues. It is usually well demarcated from the surrounding tissue, however it can be unfortunately resected as a malignant tumor. A few inflammtory pseudotumor in the kidney have been reported in English literature, but there have been no reports in Korea. We report a case with inflammatory pseudotumor of the kidney. A 48 year old woman had an intermittent flank pain on the right side. An ultrasonographic study suggested a renal cell carcinoma and a nephrectomy was done. Grossly, there were two separate masses with a well demarcated yellowish appearance, measuring 2.3 cm and 1.3 cm in diameter, respectively. Histologically, they were composed of smooth muscle actin positive spindle cells and a large number of foamy histiocytes, lymphocytes, and plasma cells in the fibrotic backgound.
Actins ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Female ; Flank Pain ; Granuloma, Plasma Cell* ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Kidney* ; Korea ; Lung ; Lymphocytes ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Smooth ; Nephrectomy ; Plasma Cells

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of immunosuppressants on in-hospital mortality from sepsis. METHODS: Using data of the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service, we collected data from patients who were admitted to the hospital due to sepsis from 2009 to 2013. Based on drugs commonly used for immunosuppression caused by various diseases, patients were divided into three groups; immunosuppressant group, steroid-only group, and control group. Patients with no history of immunosuppressants or steroids were assigned to the control group. To identify risk factors of in-hospital mortality in sepsis, we compared differences in patient characteristics, comorbidities, intensive care unit (ICU) care requirements, and immunodeficiency profiles. Subgroup analysis according to age was also performed. RESULTS: Of the 185,671 included patients, 13,935 (7.5%) were in the steroid-only group and 2,771 patients (1.5%) were in the immunosuppressant group. The overall in-hospital mortality was 38.9% and showed an increasing trend with age. The steroid-only group showed the lowest in-hospital mortality among the three groups except the patients younger than 30 years. The steroid-only group and immunosuppressant group received ICU treatment more frequently (p < 0.001), stayed longer in the hospital (p < 0.001), and showed higher medical expenditure (p < 0.001) compared to the normal group. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that age, male gender, comorbidities (especially malignancy), and ICU treatment had a significant effect on in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Despite longer hospital length of stay and more frequent need for ICU care, the in-hospital mortality was lower in patients taking immunosuppressive drugs than in patients not taking immunosuppressive drugs.
Comorbidity ; Health Expenditures ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Insurance* ; Insurance, Health ; Intensive Care Units ; Korea* ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Sepsis* ; Steroids

Raynaud's phenomenon manifests as triphasic color change episodes of blanching, cyanosis, and reddening of the digits, induced by exposure to low temperature or emotional stress. It is a relatively common disorder, estimated to affect 5-10% of the general population and 20-30% of otherwise healthy women. Most cases of primary Raynaud's phenomenon also called Raynaud's disease, are mild and self-limited. Secondary Raynaud's phenomenon presents as a secondary manifestation of an underlying disease and are complicated by ulcerations and tissue necrosis. From March 1996 to August 1998, we experienced 4 patients with Raynaud's phenomenon. Two patients were diagnosed Raynaud's disease and the other two were secondary. Raynaud's disease responded to drug therapy and sympatetic ganglion block. Secondary Raynaud's syndrome was treated with vein graft and free tissue transfer. During postoperative follow-up of 33-49 months, both severity and symptomatic intervals were improved.
Cyanosis ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Ganglion Cysts ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Raynaud Disease ; Stress, Psychological ; Transplants ; Ulcer ; Veins

BACKGROUND: Chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus(CCLE) is a well-known disease entity. But there has been no data about its clinical behavior and histopathologic features in Korea. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to elucidate the clinical, laboratory, and histopathologic features of CCLE, and the relationship between CCLE and SLE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We investigated 48 cases of CCLE that visited the department of dermatology at the Seoul National University Hospital from January 1990 to June 1997. Medical records and biopsy slides were reviewed.
Biopsy ; Dermatology ; Korea ; Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous* ; Medical Records ; Seoul