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

Fungi have been recognized as a significant cause of external otitis and it may be the primary pathogen or be part of a mixed infection. In the immunocompromised host, fungus is capable of producing infection in inner ear or middle ear. Otomycoses are most frequently caused by Aspergillus spp. and Candida sap. There are few reports that Aspergillus species other than A. fumigatus, A. niger and f. flavus have caused chronic otitis media. We report two cases of chronic otitis media caused by Aspergillus ferrous in Korea. One case is a 7-year-old girl who had recurrent serous otorrhea and otalgia for 4 years, was reattended otolaryngology clinics with otorrhea of 3 days durations and another is a 6-year-old girl who had serous otorrhea for 2 months and 3 day fever, was attended otolaryngology clinics with them. Microscopic appearance and colony morphology from ear discharge cultures revealed A. ferrous. The infection responded well to topical ketoconazole therapy. This report should help to raise medical personnel's awareness of such human opportunistic fungal ear infections.
Aspergillus* ; Candida ; Child ; Coinfection ; Ear ; Ear, Inner ; Ear, Middle ; Earache ; Female ; Fever ; Fungi ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Ketoconazole ; Korea ; Niger ; Otitis Externa ; Otitis Media* ; Otitis* ; Otolaryngology ; Otomycosis

OBJECTIVEs: Cytogenetic investigations were carried out on 770 women with primary (n=560) and secondary amenorrhea (n=210) to determine the frequency of chromosomal or genetic causes of amenorrhea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 770 women with primary amenorrhea (n=560) and secondary amenorrhea (n=210), chromosomal analysis were performed. RESULTS: 1) The most prevalent age group is 16-20 years of age group with primary amenorrhea and 26-30 years of age group with secondary amenorrhea. 2) Out of 560 cases of primary amenorrhea, 343 cases (61.3%) had the normal chromosome constitution and 217 cases (38.7%) had the abnormal chromosome constitution including 46,XY. 3) In 217 cases of abnormal chromosome of primary amenorrhea, 57 cases (26.3%) had 45,X and 34 cases (15.8%) had the 46,XY, 24 cases (11.0%) had 45,X/46,X,i (Xq), 23 cases (10.6%) had 45,X/46,X,+mar and 14 cases (6.6%) had 45,X/46,XY. 4) Out of 210 cases of secondary amenorrhea, 181 cases (86.2%) had the normal chromosome constitution and 29 cases (13.8%) had 45,X/46,XX. CONCLUSION: High percentage of chromosomal abnormalities was diagnosed in primary amenorrhea and most of them were sex chromosome anomalies. In secondary amenorrhea, the prevalence was lower than primary amenorrhea, so a preselection of patients with secondary amenorrhea for cytogenetic investigations seems to be necessary.
Amenorrhea* ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Constitution and Bylaws ; Cytogenetics* ; Female ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Sex Chromosomes

Discoid semilunar cartilage is an abnormality in which the meniscus is discoid rather than semilunar, and first reported by Young of Glasgow in 1889. 13 cases of discoid semilunar cartilages which were experienced at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, College of medicine, Seoul National University from Jan. 1956 till Aug. 1972 are reported with review of literature. 1) The incidence was remarkable higher in the male than in the female as 11 versus 2, and higher in the age group of second decade (Average 16.4 year old). 2) Most common site was lateral meniscus, and bilateral discoid meniscus were 3 cases. 3) 3 cases out of 13 cases had complicated rupture of semilunar cartilage, and one case had cyst of the meniscus. 4) Meniscectomy were performed in all cases with successful outcome.
Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Menisci, Tibial ; Orthopedics ; Rupture ; Seoul

The authors studied 126 cases (90 patients) of proven avascuar necrosis of femoral head inadult during theperiod from Jan. 1975 to May 1982 at Kyung Hee University Hospital. The results were as follows; 1. The sex ratiowas 63 males to 27 females and the peak incidence of age was in the fifth decade. 2.Among the 90 patients, thecause and conditions associated with avascular necrosis were idiopathic in 33 cases, femoral neck fracture in 32cases, chronic alcholism in 9 cases, anti-inflammatory drugs abuse in 6 cases, corticosteroid therapy in 5 cases,caisson's disease in 2 cases, hip dislocation in 2 cases and macromolecular storage disease in 1 case, in theorder of frequency. 3. Excluding 34 patients of avascular necrosis associaited with trauma, bilateral lesion was36 patients(64.3%) among the 56 patients. 4. The radiographic features in femoral head were variable, such as 118cases of central increased density surrounded by lucent zone, encompassed by dense rim, 110 cases of collapsedarticular cortex and 16 cases of intact articular cortex, 91 cases of flattening of femoral head, 79 cases ofcrescent sign, 51 cases of fragmentation of osteonecrotic segment, 47 cases of superimposed degenerativearthritis, 5 cases of patchy increased density, and 3 cases of no radiographic change. 5. The bone scintigraphywith Tc-99m-MDP was performed in 11 patients (15 cases) and its finding in femoral head were 8 cases of increasedradioactivity, 4 cases of mixed increased and decreased radioactivity, and 3 cases of absent radioactivity. 6. Itwas our belief that comparative study of plain radiographs and bone scintigraphy would be useful in earlydiagnosis and tratment planning of avascular necrosis of femoral head.
Adult ; Female ; Femoral Neck Fractures ; Head ; Hip Dislocation ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Necrosis ; Radioactivity ; Radionuclide Imaging

No abstract available.
Compliance* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Compliance* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Humans ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets*

Santonin-kainic acid complex was evaluated as a chemotherapeutic of the mass treatment of the Ascaris lumbricoides infection in Korea. The results could be summarized as follows: The negative conversion rate was 82.9% in average in 4 treated groups. Some variations of negative conversion rate among the treated groups were noticed. The egg reduciton rate was 97.7% in average and the results were rather uniform among the three evaluated groups. By the analysis of egg reduction, it seems that the lightly infected cases whose E.P.G. were under 5,000 were resistant to treatment with the less reduced egg output. After the treatment with this complex, the number of egg discharged cases were reduced to 1.84% and the average number of discharge eggs per incompletely treated or untreated cases were reduced to 12.5% compared with the level of before-treatment egg output. The successive observations of the pattern of worm expulsion after drug intake was made. The worms were mostly expelled in the stool within 3 days, and 58.9% of total expelled worms were collected within 24-hour stool. The minimum length of the immature worms expelled was 7.6cm. Among the 659 Ascaris collected in the first-day stool from 91 rural people, 8.5% were in the range of 7.6-12.2 cm-long, immature worms. The sex ratio, male: female= 0.69: 1.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Ascaris lumbricoides ; chemotherapy ; Santonin ; kainic acid