Genotoxic agents can induce various DNA lesions. DNA-Protein Crosslinks(DPCs) were known as the important DNA lesions which could impair gene expression because DPCs had a high probability of resisting repair and persisting through cell cycle. This repair resistance of DPCs could have biological significance but had not been evaluated clearly yet. Most of the studies that have evaluated the repair of DPCs only compared the extent of DPCs repair with other DNA lesions. We injected K2CrO4, a genotoxic agent, into Sprague-Dawley rats intraperitoneally(5mg/kg) and isolated blood lymphocytes 12 hours later. These lymphocytes were cultured in the mitogen added growth media and mitogen free media separately. The degree of the repair of DPCs was monitored for 4 days by the K-SDS assay. 4 day later, the amount of DPCs decreased by 4.6% in the mitogen added media but in creased by 10.9% in the mitogen free media. These results showed that DPCs induced by K2CrO4 were not repaired easily and the DPCs were biologically significant DNA lesions. We thought the decrease of DPCs in the mitogen added media was not due to the repair of DPCs, but from the increase of normal cell proliferation. Therefore, it is very important to consider the proliferation of normal cells when estimating the repair of DPCs.
Animals ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Proliferation ; DNA ; Gene Expression ; Lymphocytes* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Humerus*

We performed case-control studies for the 1, 138 Korean adult men. According to the results of UGIS, we classified the gastritis into the erosive gastritis, superficial gastritis, and hypertrophic gastritis. And then, we selected controls among non-gastritis group after matching. Alcohol intake and smoking history was obtained by questionnaire. And we observed the effects of alcohol intake and smoking to the each gastritis. The results obtained were as follows; 1. Smokers had a risk of getting erosive gastritis more than twice (2.6) than non-smokers and there was dose-response relationships between smoking and erosive gastritis. Alcohol intake, however, had no significant relation with the erosive gastritis. 2. Both smoking and alcohol intake had no significant relations with superficial gastritis. 3. Smoking had no significant relation with hypertrophic gastritis, but dividing between those who drank more than 100gm of alcohol a week and those who drank less, we obtained the odds ratio of 3. 4 suggesting that there existed a significant relation between moderate or excessive alcohol intake and hypertrophic gastritis. 4. Among the gastritis patients, those who had erosive gastritis smoked most heavily, and those who had hypertrophic gastritis drank most excessively.
Adult* ; Case-Control Studies* ; Gastritis* ; Gastritis, Hypertrophic ; Humans ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Smoke* ; Smoking*

No abstract available.
Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome*

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical features, microbiologic results, and the efficacy of perineal hygienic care of pediatric vulvovaginitis. METHODS: Forty-two unselected premenarcheal patients with symptoms or signs of vulvovaginitis who were attended the outpatient pediatric and adolescent gynecology clinic at Pundang CHA General Hospital from August 1997, to September 1999 were systematically interviewed and examined using a standardized format, studied microbiologically, and followed the efficacy of perineal hygienic measures prospectively. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 4.8 years (range 2.9 years to 10.9 years). Vaginal complaints of 42 patients were discharge(79%), genital pain or irritation(31%), odor(17%), pruritus(14%), and vaginal bleeding(7%). On physical examination, vaginal discharge and vulvar erythema were noted in 17(40%) and 22(52%) patients, respectively. Aerobic bacteria or yeast excluding vaginal normal flora were found in 24 of 42 patients(57%). Convincing evidence of specific pathogens was found in 9 of 42 patients(21%) including one case of pinworm infestation. Isolated pathogens were H. influenza(3), S. pyogenes(2), K. pneumonia(2) and N. gonorrhea(1). No patients were found to have chlamydial infection or trichomoniasis. In 14 patients, risk factors were identified such as swimming(14%), bubble bath(5%), sexual abuse(5%), genital trauma(5%) and foreign body(2%). After two weeks instructions of perineal hygienic care, 26(62%) of 42 patients revealed complete resolution of symptoms and signs of vaginitis without antibiotics. Efficacies of perineal hygienic care were 94%(17/18) in the patients with normal flora alone, 60%(9/15) in the patients with organisms suspected for nonspecific infection and 0%(0/9) in the patients with specific pathogens(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Majority(62%) of the pediatric patients with symptoms or signs of vulvovaginitis were cured with perineal hygienic care alone. And the efficacy of hygienic measure were higher in the patients without specific pathogens(79%, 26/33). Therefore, proper physical examination, microbiologic study and appropriate instructions of perineal hygienic care were more important than empirical antibiotic treatment in initial management of pediatric vulvovaginitis.
Adolescent ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteria, Aerobic ; Enterobius ; Erythema ; Gynecology ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Physical Examination ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Vaginal Discharge ; Vaginitis ; Vulvovaginitis* ; Yeasts

No abstract available.
Blood Donors* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Blood Donors* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Brain* ; Mood Disorders*

The clear cell variant of ependymoma is a rare, recently described, intracranial tumor which is composed of clear neoplastic ependymal cells. Clear cell ependymomas may share characteristic histologic features of oligodendrogliomas or central neurocytomas; striking nuclear uniformity, perinuclear halos, and numerous angulated capillaries. In contrast to oligodendrogliomas, however, clear cell ependymomas are noninfiltrating tumors with sharp boundaries. Perivascular pseudorosette formation is frequent. Oligodendrogliomas are usually nonreactive for GFAP compared to diffuse immunoreactivity of clear cell ependymoma. Central neurocytomas may also be differentiated by their immunoreactivity for synaptophysin. This is a case of clear cell ependymoma in a 40-year-old man. By computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans, a well circumscribed cystic tumor with mural nodule was demonstrated in the right frontal lobe. It was 6cm in diameter and well enhanced. Histologically, it was sharply demarcated from the brain parenchyma. The cystic wall was lined by atypical ependymal cells, which "transformed" to clear cells in the solid area. The cells had uniform nuclei and perinuclear halos. Mitotic figures and necrotic foci were focally present. The cells were immunoreactive for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), while synaptophysin was negative. Electron microscopy revealed densely packed polyheadral cells with scant organelles and well developed intercellular junctions.
Adult ; Brain ; Capillaries ; Ependymoma* ; Frontal Lobe ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; Humans ; Intercellular Junctions ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Microscopy, Electron ; Neurocytoma ; Oligodendroglioma ; Organelles ; Strikes, Employee ; Synaptophysin

No abstract available.
Humans ; Male* ; Smoke* ; Smoking*