OBJECTIVE: In this study, we evaluated the expression of FAS-associated factor 1 (FAF1) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in normal ovary and ovarian cancer, and also analyzed the correlation between FAF1 and HSP70 in ovarian cancer. METHODS: The patient group consisted of 29 unrelated Korean women diagnosed as ovarian cancers and control samples were obtained from 7 patients who underwent oophorectomy for benign disease of uterus, and normal ovary was confirmed histologically from biopsy. We examined FAF1 and HSP70 expression by western blot analysis and immunohistochemical staining in normal ovary and ovarian cancer. Furthermore, we examined a correlation between FAF1 and HSP70 in ovarian cancer. RESULTS: The expression of FAF1 was lower in ovarian cancer than that in normal ovary (P=0.02), and the expression of HSP70 was increased in ovarian cancer in comparison to that in normal ovary (P=0.03). The expression of FAF1 was decreased in advanced stages (stage III or stage IV) as compared with early stages (stage I or stage II) (P=0.01). The expression of HSP70 was not significantly related with ovarian cancer histology (P=0.10), but the expression of HSP70 was most increased with papillary serous carcinomas and undifferentiated ovarian cancer. The expression of FAF1 was inversely correlated with the expression of HSP70 in ovarian cancer (Spearman correlation coefficience=-0.47). CONCLUSION: We concluded that the expression of FAF1 or HSP70 each seems to have a meaning as a biomarker for early detection of ovarian cancer. The expressions of FAF1 and HSP70 seem to be more valuable in predicting ovarian cancer when used together because of their inverse correlation. This is the first study about the expression of FAF1 in ovarian cancer and the correlation between FAF1 and HSP70 expression in ovarian cancer.
Biopsy ; Blotting, Western ; Female ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Humans ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Ovariectomy ; Ovary ; Uterus

The complexily in development of the dural sinus may result in many variations. Studies are being done on the variation of the straight sinus for clinical application of neurological diagnosis and operation. However, no data is available on Koreans, which made this study necessary. The present study was made on 50 Korean adult cadavers (average age of 67). The results were as followlng. 1. A bulbous formation of the rostral aspects of the straight sinus was present in 22 cases(44%). 2. Complete double straight sinus was present in 3 cases(6%). 3. Partial septum was observed in 8 cases (16%) with varied position and length. 4. The straight sinus terminated into both transverse sinuses(52%), the left transverse sinus(24%), the confluence of sinuses (18%), and the right transverse sinus(6%). 5. Average length and width of the straight sinus were 48.5mm and 5.9mm, respectively. 6. Nineteen cases(38%) showed no tentorial sinus drainage into the straight sinus on both sides. Number, size and terminationes.
Adult* ; Cadaver ; Diagnosis ; Drainage ; Humans

No abstract available.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Foot* ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease* ; Hand* ; Paralysis*

A 62-year-old farmer was admitted to our department because of second degree chemical burns of both buttocks ten days following accidental contact with Gramoxone, a weed killer. He was treated with oral antibiotics and cold compresses and discharged after the burned area were reepithelialized. Laboratory findings were within normal limits for three weeks. Although lung fibrosis, hepatic and renal failure can be caused by repeated absorption of paraquat (Gramoxone) through injuried skin, systemic absorption through normal skin has not been reported. During the four month follow up period there were no systemic problems nor recurrence of skin lesions. We report herein a case of chemical burns induced by Gramoxone, which is probably an occupational dermatosis of farmers handling weed killers.
Absorption ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Burns ; Burns, Chemical* ; Buttocks ; Fibrosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Paraquat ; Recurrence ; Renal Insufficiency ; Skin ; Skin Diseases

OBJECTIVE: Because endometriosis is difficult to diagnose and has a high recurrence rate after treatment, a reliable serum marker of endometriosis is necessary. Therefore, the aim of this study is to measure the serum levels of CA125 and CA19-9 in patients with endometriosis before and after treatment and during recurrence, and to assess the usefulness of these levels in the diagnosis, clinical follow up and prediction of recurrence in endometriosis. METHODS: Eighty-eight patients who visited the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Ewha Mokdong Hospital from January 1994 to December 1998 and were diagnosed as endometriosis by laparoscopy or explo-laparotomy were enrolled as subjects. A retrospective analysis of serum CA125 and CA19-9 levels at 1 month before and 3 to 6 months after initiation of treatment was done. RESULTS: The serum CA125 and CA19-9 levels of endometriosis group(81.0+/-252.5, 36.6+/-53.4 ; mean+/-2SD, U/ml) before treatment was significantly higher than control group(11.6+/-12.8, 9.4+/-8.6)(p<0.05). Overall sensitivity rate for CA125, CA19-9 levels and both was 53.4%, 42.9% and 64.3% respectively. The sensitivity rate for endometriosis, stage 3 and 4(85.4%, 55.0%) was significantly higher than that, stage 1 and 2(p<0.05). The serum CA125 level in endometriosis group showed a significant increment according to stages(p<0.05) while the serum CA19-9 level showed an increasing trend(p=0.055) and both levels decreased significantly after treatment(p<0.05). The serum CA125 level was also higher at recurrence after treatment(p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The serum CA125 and CA19-9 levels are a useful marker for diagnosing severity of disease, monitoring efficacy of treatment and predicting recurrence in endometriosis.
Biomarkers ; Diagnosis ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Obstetrics ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a very common functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort with bowel habit changes. However, its pathogenesis and pathyphysiology have been poorly understood. There were many robust functional and anatomical evidences in Korea for visceral hypersensitivity, low-grade inflammation and immunologic alterations, brain-gut interaction and genetic factors in the development of IBS. The link between pathophysiologic changes and gastrointestinal symptoms would be the strong basis for the relevance of target therapy in this condition. The ROME III criteria represent the current gold standard for the identification of characteristic and supportive symptoms of IBS and for the categorization of IBS patients into symptom-based subgroups with exclusion of organic diseases. There were some limitations in use of Rome III criteria in the clinical practice and research fields. Test of Rome III are needed, especially in Korea.
Abdominal Pain ; Aluminum Hydroxide ; Carbonates ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Inflammation ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; Korea ; Rome

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the association between E-cadherin promoter -160C>A polymorphism and the risk of cervical cancer and cervical intraepithelial neoplasm (CIN) in a Korean population. METHODS: We investigate 107 patients with histopathologically confirmed cervical cancer, 119 patients with histopathologically confirmed CIN and 112 control group women who were surgically proven to have normal cervices. The genetic distribution of E-cadherin promoter -160C>A polymorphism were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of PCR products. RESULTS: We found no overall association between each individual E-cadherin promoter -160C>A genotype and the risk of cervical cancer and CIN. In the cervical cancer group, the allele frequency of C was 83.6%, in the control group 83.5%, showing no significant difference (p=0.941). Similarly, in the CIN group, the allele frequency of C was 81.9%, in the control group 83.5%, showing no significant difference (p=0.645). A subgroup analysis of the clinical parameters in CC, CA, AA genotype also showed no significant difference suggesting the lack of an association between E-cadherin promoter -160C>A polymorphism and cervix cancer stages (p=0.413), then its polymorphism and HPV infection (p=0.634). CONCLUSION: our results show that Korean women with specific polymorphism in E-cadherin promoter -160C>A are neither more susceptible to develop the cervical cancer or CIN nor more valuable for the cancer progression.
Cadherins ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

Juvenile dermatomyositis is an uncommon autoimmune disease with classic heliotrope discoloration of eyelids, erythematous skin rash of joints and proximal muscle weakness. Quite different from adults, malignancy is rarely accompanied in juvenile dermatomyositis. However vasculitis, muscle atrophy, calcification and gastrointestinal involvement are often observed in juvenile dermatomyositis. A six year old boy was admitted with chief complaints of general weakness and skin rash. Muscle biopsy was performed which was consistent with dermatomyositis. The patient was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin, steroid, methotrexate and physiotherapy. We report a case of juvenile dermatomyositis.
Adult ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Biopsy ; Dermatomyositis* ; Exanthema ; Eyelids ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Joints ; Male ; Methotrexate ; Muscle Weakness ; Muscular Atrophy ; Vasculitis

SUMMARY: The present study was carried out to evaluate whether the coculture system of human embryos with Vero cells can improve the quality of embryo or overcome the repetitive implantation failures in order to obtain pregnancy. From January to December 1996, a total 202 cases which patients with the problems of repetitive implantation failures (group I) or those with the poor embryonic quality in their previous cycles (group II) was analysed. The quality of cocultured embryo, pregnancy, on-going and implantation rates between coculture and control groups were compared. Of 93 cases in group I, coculture was performed in 34 cases and conventional IVF for the rest. Of 109 cases in group II, 36 for coculture and 73 for conventional IVF. In group I, pregnancy, on-going and implantation rates in coculture group (14/34 (41.2%), 9/34 (26.5%), 16/81 (19.8%), respectively) were higher than those of control (11/59 (18.6%), 8/59 (13.6%), 12/152 (7.9%), respectively). There is significance in the pregnancy and implantation rates (p=0.028 and p=0.015). In group II, pregnancy, on-going and implantation rates in coculture group (8/36 (22.2%), 5/36 (13.9%), 8/87 (9.2%), respectively) were higher than those of control (5/73 (6.8%), 3/73 (4.1%), 3/158 (1.9%), respectively). Like the result of group 1, there is significance in the pregnancy and implantation rates (p=0.028 and p=0.022). Coculture system with Vero cells works well in the groups of the two indications. Although the case of 3 day-coculture was small as 15 cases in group II, 3 day-coculture improved pregnancy rate (4/15 (26.7%)). Therefore, 3 day-coculture with assisted hatching is recommended to the patients with poor embryonic quality. In conclusion, coculture system with Vero cells can be suggested as an effective method which improves pregnancy rate in those who have repetitive implantation failures or whose embryonic quality was poor in their previous cycles.
Coculture Techniques* ; Embryonic Structures ; Humans ; Humans* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Prognosis* ; Vero Cells