No abstract available.
Arthritis* ; Osteoarthritis* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta* ; Transforming Growth Factors*

We analyzed the mRNA expression patterns of major potassium channel genes to determine the mechanism of hypokalemia in familial hypokalemic periodic paralysis. We used quantitative RT-PCR to examine the mRNA levels of both inward (KCNJ2, KCNJ6, and KCNJ14) and delayed rectifi er (KCNQ1 and KCNA2) potassium channel genes in skeletal muscle cells from both normal and patient groups, prior to and after exposure to 4 mM and 50 mM potassium buffers. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed no changes in the mRNA levels of these genes in normal and patient cells on exposure to 4 mM potassium buffer. However, after exposure to 50 mM potassium buffer, which was used to induce depolarization, normal cells showed a signifi cant decrease in KCNJ2, KCNJ6, and KCNJ14 expression, but no change in KCNQ1 and KCNA2 expression. In contrast, patient cells showed no change in KCNJ2 and KCNJ6 expression, but an increase in KCNJ14 expression. Furthermore, KCNQ1 and KCNA2 showed decreased expression. We found that the expression levels of both inward and delayed rectifi er potassium channel genes in patient cells differ from those in normal cells. Altered potassium channel gene expression in patient cells may suggest a possible mechanism for hypokalemia in familial hypokalemic periodic paralysis.

The factors influencing upon stone fragmentation by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) of ureteral stones are considered to be stone size, location, component, and impaction. ESWL was performed in 322 cases with ureteral stones using the Modulith SL 20 electromagnetic lithqtripter between December 1990 and July 1992. The factors influencing upon stone fragmentation such as stone size, location, degree of hydronephrosis, shape, pain character and presence or absence of urinary tract infaction for the first and second session of ESWL were investigated. The failure rate of ESWL according to stone size was similar for stones smaller than 2.0cm(p>0.05) but was high for stones larger than 2.0cm(p<0.05). The failure rate of ESWL for upper ureteral stones was similar to midureteral stones(p>0.05) but was low for lower ureteral stones(p>0.05). The failure rate of SSWL according to degree of hydronephrosis was similar in cases without hydronephrosis and with mild hydronephrosis(p>0.05) but was high in cases with severe hydronephrosis(p<0.05). The failure rate of ESWL according to stone shape was not significantly different(p>0.05). The failure rate of ESWL in cases without pain was not significantly different from in cases with dull or colic pain(p>0.05). Urinary tract infection did not influence on the failure rate of ESWL(p>0.05). From this study it is believed that factors affecting fragmentation of ureteral stones were stone size, location, and degree of hydronephrosis, but stone shape, presence or absence of pre-ESWL pain or urinary tract infection did not influence on stone fragmentation rate.
Colic ; Hydronephrosis ; Lithotripsy* ; Magnets ; Shock* ; Ureter* ; Urinary Tract ; Urinary Tract Infections

In situ extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy(ESWL) monotherapy was performed in 75 cases with ureteral stones using the Modulith SL 20 electromagnetic lithotriptor between December 1990 and July 1991. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The locations of stones were upper ureter in 36 (48%) cases, midureter in 4 (5.3%) and lower ureter in 35 (46.7%). 2. The average number of ESWL was 1.27 sessions. 3. The number of ESWL sessions increased in accordance with increment of stone size. 4. The success rate was 97.2% in upper ureteral. 100% in midureteral, and 97.1% in lower ureteral stones. 5. The final success rate according to stone size was not significantly different. 6. Success rate decreased relatively in cases of complete ureteral obstruction by stones. Therefore, in situ ESWL monotherapy is considered to be a convenient safe, and efficient procedure as the first applicable method for the treatment of all ureteral stones regardless of stone size and location, because the multiple repeated ESWL monotherapy increases the success rate without ureteral deterioration.
Magnets ; Shock ; Ureter* ; Ureteral Obstruction

PURPOSE: Drug resistance plays an important role in the failure of chemotherapy in breast cancer. The purpose of the study was to investigate the chemosensitive and chemoresistance indices of breast carcinomas and see if the in vitro chemosensitivity test correlated with the prognostic indices. METHODS: The immunohistochemical expressions of MDR1, MRP1 and topoisomerase IIalpha(topo IIalpha) were studied and then correlated these with the in vitro chemosensitivities using the histoculture drug response assay (HDRA) and clinicopathological factors in 51 breast carcinomas. RESULTS: In the breast carcinomas examined, the immunohistochemical expressions of MDR1, MRP1 and topo II alpha were strongly observed in 26 (51.0%), 16 (32.0%), 15 (31.3%) carcinomas, respectively. The MRP1 was more frequently expressed in poorly differentiated carcinomas (P= 0.006), and those of MDR1 and topo II alpha were more frequently observed in tumor overexpressing cerbB2 (P=0.038, P=0.036). The expression of MDR1 was related to that of topo II alpha (P=0.015). Comparing these markers with the in vitro chemosensitivities to cyclophosphamide, 5-FU, adriamycin, taxol and taxotere, no correlations were found between the expression of MDR1, MRP1, and topo II alpha but from the chemosensitivity using the HDRA, the growth inhibition rate for cyclophosphamide was higher in MRP1 expressing carcinomas (P=0.009). CONCLUSION: MDR1, MRP1 and topo II alpha were all found to be associated with the poor prognostic indices, but assessment of their immunohistochemical expressions did not allow for prediction of the response to chemotherapy by the in vitro chemosensitivity test in breast carcinomas.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cyclophosphamide ; Doxorubicin ; Drug Resistance ; Drug Therapy ; Fluorouracil ; Paclitaxel

Systemic amyloidosis is an uncommon disease characterized by deposits of fibrillar aggregates of monoclonal immunoglobuloin light chains in vital organs. This amyloid deposit cause cardiac or renal dysfunction and ultimately, death. Cardiac amyloidosis may be asymptomatic or important causes of progressive heart failure and refractory arrhythmia. Cardiac involvement from AL amyloidosis is rapidly fatal. The amyloidoses are classified according to the biochemical nature of the fibril-forming protein. Cardiac amyloidosis is common in primary (AL) and heterofamilial amyloidosis and very rare in the secondary (AA) form. As we experienced a case of systemic amyloidosis affected heart, liver and kidney, which was confirmed by histology. We present a 57-year-old female case with literature review.
Amyloidosis* ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Female ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Middle Aged ; Plaque, Amyloid

OBJECTIVE: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in culture release a biologically active human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). This effect is detectable during pregnancy with a maximum between the 16th and 19th week. HCG plays an important role for the corpus luteum rescue during the early gestational age and possibly for the immunotolerance. This study was performed to investigate the relationships between the productivity of cultured PBMC of pregnant women and the ability to maintain early pregnancy, and whether 12-o-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) increases hCG sectetion by cultured PBMCs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PBMC were obtained from 20 pregnant women between 16th to 19th week of gestation , and cultured with TPA. Culture cells were harvested and hCG mRNA were extracted and RT-PCR were performed. Culture supernatants were collected and hCG concentration were determined by commercial RIA methods. RESULTS: The mean age was 31.0 years old, 19 of 20 (95%) pregnant women's PBMC secereted hCG and expressed hCG mRNA, but in control group exept male hepatitis B patient, none of them produced hCG. TPA activated expression of hCG in PBMC in linear manner. CONCLUSION: Pregnant women's cultured PBMC secreted hCG, but not in non-pregnant or male. We could confirm the mRNA of hCG in PBMC as well in the placental control. The productivity of hCG in PBMC might be closely related with maintenance of early pregnancy.
Chorionic Gonadotropin ; Corpus Luteum ; Efficiency ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Hepatitis B ; Humans ; Male ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; RNA, Messenger

PURPOSE: The prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent disease in the Western world. Recently, with the increase of old-aged population and the westernized diet, prostate cancer patients have increased in Korea. We have studied the prevalence of prostate cancer in Kangseo-Gu, Pusan. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From September to November 1996, a representative sample of 433 volunteers were chosen randomly and were monitored. Of these, 393 participants were older than 50 years and were not within the urological practice. Screening programs used here are international prostatic symptom score(1-PSS), digital rectal examination(DRE) and serum prostate specific antigen(PSA) with an immunoenzymatic assay(Tandem-E). The transrectal ultrasonography(TRUS) is reserved for the cases with an abnormal finding on the rectal examination or the elevated PSA value. Transrectal biopsy of prostate was recommended in the cases of PSA greater than 4ng/ml, suspicious nodules on DRE or TRUS, or when more than two of these findings were discovered. RESULTS: The detection rates and the positive predictive values for the DRE were 1.02% and 7.7%, TRUS were 1.27% and 15.2%, and PSA were 1.02% and 16.7% respectively. When the TRUS and PSA tests were combined, the positive predictive value was increased to 33.3% and when all three tests were combined, the predictive value increased further to 57.1%. However, the detection rate did not change with combinations of these tests. When the PSA cut-off value was increased from 4.0ng/ml to 10.0ng/ml, the positive predictive value increased from 11.1% to 33.3%. CONCLUSIONS: From the above examinations, 5 of the 393 samples had prostate cancer, yielding detection rate of 1.27%. The results of our community-based study suggest that there are about 4,5000 people suffering from the prostate cancer, with the prevalence of 1.27%. This value of prevalence of prostate cancer in Korean population is much lower than the western world.
Biopsy ; Busan* ; Diet ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mass Screening ; Prevalence* ; Prostate ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Volunteers ; Western World

BACKGROUND: As the average lifespan of human increases, osteoporosis and osteoporosis-related fractures have become major health care problems. Despite recent advances in medical treatment, few studies have assessed the recognition of osteoporosis in general adults. This study examined the recognition of osteoporosis and analysed the relating factors. METHODS: We made a survey in a rural area called Chunjunlee in Chunchon city. The questionnaire contained general characteristics of people, sociocultural factors, questions constructed to know the recognition of osteoporosis and factors that were presumed to influence people's recognition of osteoporosis. DEXA was performed on those who visited our medical office free of charge. RESULTS: The total number of people who responded to the questionnaire was 204. They were composed of 81 men and 123 women. Among the total, 83% of women and 72.8% of men said that they had heard about osteoporosis. There was no significant recognition score difference between men and women. In the items of recognition, wrong answer rate concerning the association between osteoporosis and musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis and low back pain was above 90%. The significant factors that influenced its recognition were age, education level, menopause state and newspaper/ magazine subscription. All men who were diagnosed with osteoporosis on DEXA initially said that they did not have osteoporosis. CONCLUSION: Many people had a conceptual confusion between osteoporosis and other muscular skeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis and low back pain. Physicians played no significant role in improvement of people's recognition of osteoporosis. Generally, men thought that osteoporosis was a problem in women only.
Adult ; Delivery of Health Care ; Education ; Female ; Gangwon-do ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; Male ; Menopause ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteoporosis* ; Periodicals as Topic ; Periodicals

PURPOSE: Many of the enzymes handling environmental factors are polymorphic and may confer variable susceptibility to renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Among those, the author studied genetic polymorphisms of CYP2D6 (B & T) and CYP1A1 in RCCs and controls in Korean. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using 132 RCCs and 94 controls, first PCR products were obtained in 104 RCCs and 94 controls with CYP2D6, and 74 RCCs and 56 controls with CYP1A1. Res triction enzyme - BstN I/EcoN I for CYP2D6 (B & T), and NCo I for CYP1A1-digestion was followed to analyze constitutive DNA. RESULTS: In both RCCs and controls, no mutant allele of CYP2D6 (B & T) was detected and the susceptibility for occurrence of RCC was unable to evaluate. With CYP1A1 RFLP, homozy gous wild type (WW) was seen in 68 (52.3%; 37 RCCs, 31 controls), heterozygous mutant type (WM) in 54 (41.5%; 32 RCCs, 22 controls) and homozygous mutant type (MM) in 8 (6.2%; 5 RCCs, 3 controls). The odds ratios (95% CI) of RCC susceptibility for CYP1A1 genotype were 1.15 for WM and 1.36 for MM. Even though not significant statistically, higher tendency in MM presented. CONCLUSION: There is no association between susceptibility for the occurrence of RCC and genetic polymorphism of CYP2D6 (B & T) and CYP1A1.
Alleles ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1* ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2D6* ; DNA ; Genotype ; Odds Ratio ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic* ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length