No abstract available.
Hazardous Substances* ; Occupations* ; Skin*

As the incidence of dermographism in our urticaria clinie is quite high comparing data in other country, we have tried to survey the incidence of ermographism in the general population of Korea using a dermographic tester designed by other author. Total 8g7 healthy persons were included in this study from March J98$ to .December 1983. The study result was summarized as follows, 1. Male to female ratio was 2. 5: 1 and the peak age of the subjects was third(47 8%), fourth and fith decades in ecreasing order, The overall incidence of dermographisrn from the pressure of 48ppg/cm was 4.4% and there were no significa.nt difference in the incidences between male(4, 2%) and female(4 7%) (p>0. 1), and between the different age groups(p>0 l)
Female ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Korea ; Male ; Urticaria

No abstract available.
Blood Donors* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Blood Donors* ; Humans

Ultrasonographic and radiographic findings in 72 cases of pelvic masses which have been provedhistopathologically were analyzed. The results were as follows; 1. Among 72 cases, 28 cases were uterine massesand 44 cases were adnexal masses. 2. Pathologic accuracies of ultrasonographic diagnosis were 64.3% in uterinemasses, 70.5% in adnexal masses, and 68.1% in all pelvic masses. 3. Plain or IVP findings were not specific indiagnosis and showed secondary mass effects or functional disturbances. 4. Because of its high accuracy ofpathologic diagnosis and safety, ultrasonography can be regared as the most valuable and preferential study. Butin cases of cystic myomas, endometrioses, cystic missed abortions and huge masses, the accurate diagnoses weredifficult.
Abortion, Missed ; Diagnosis ; Endometriosis ; Female ; Myoma ; Pregnancy ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: Closure of a low transverse cesarean incision with one layer and two layer, we compared operative time, hemostasis, blood loss and postoperative sonohysteroperitoneographic findings. Study design: At our hospital 103 women were randomized to closure of a low transverse cesarean incision with either one continuous layer of a locking No. 1 chromic suture or two continuous of No. 1 chromic suture with the first layer locked between Mar. 1, 1998 and Dec. 31, 1998. After three months later, sonhysteroperitoneography was taken and then we evaluated uterus indirectly. RESULTS: A one layer closure required less operative time, 16 versus 20.8 minutes (p<0.01), less hemoglobin change, 0.44 versus 1.3 (p<0.01) and less suture materials (p<0.01). But postoperative follow up sonohysteroperitoneography, a one layer closure shows slightly thinning of isthmic layer of myometrium, two layer closure shows more adhesional band and both are similar other findings. CONCLUSION: A one layer does not significantly affect the clinical course than traditional two layer closure. So we recommended a one layer closure when its use is anatomically feasible.
Animals ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemostasis ; Humans ; Mice ; Myometrium ; Operative Time ; Sutures ; Uterus

BACKGROUND: The Amplified Mycobacterium tuberculosis Direct Test (AMTDT) has been developed for the direct detection of M. tuberculosis complex in respiratory specimens. Traditional methods for diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis such as the acid-fast bacilli (AFB) stain have their well-known limitations. We investigated the usefulness of the AMTDT for a wide range of non-respiratory specimens to establish early diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. METHODS: 346 specimens (219 urine, 117 pleural fluid, 6 ascitic fluid, 2 lymph node, 1 gastric aspirate, and 1 pus specimens) from 340 patients referred from November 1997 to September 1998 were tested by the AMTDT. The AMTDT results were evaluated by comparing with clinical diagnosis and smear results. RESULTS: The overall sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the AMTDT were 82.9%, 93.8%, 64.2%, and 97.6%, respectively. There were no difference in sensitivity and specificity between pleural fluid and urine specimens. In 31 specimens from tuberculosis patients concurrently tested with AMTDT and stain, 15 were only AMTDT positive and 4 were only stain positive. Among the results considered to be false positive, 47.2% of cases were shown as being less than 150,000 relative light units (RLU). In 30 specimens from tuberculosis patients during or after treatment, all six of the patients with reactivation or aggravation were AMTDT positive, and one case was considered to be false positive. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates the efficacy of the AMTDT in diagnosing extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Prudent interpretation of the AMTDT's results is recommended in case of that being less than 150,000 RLU.
Ascitic Fluid ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Suppuration ; Tuberculosis

Screening test of Human Immunodeficiency Virus(HIV) infection was introduced on Korean Blood Donor Test Program in July 1987, and the test results between July 1987 and December 1990 were reported on the Korean Journal of Blood Transfusion on May 1992. Moreover, we assessed anti-HIV ELISA screening test result of 3,905,986 blood donors donated at Korean Red Cross Blood Centers between January 1991 and December 1993. The seropositivity of anti-HIV ELISA screening test was 0.26% in 1991, 0.30% in 1992 and 0.18% in 1993.0.15% of all donors in 1991 was reactive repeatedly, and 0.15% in 1992 and 0.08% in 1993. The prevalence of HIV infected donors confirmed by Western Blot Assay was 0.0003% in 1991, 0.0015% in 1992, and 0.0009% in 1993. The sero-positivities of anti-HIV screening tests with AIDSDIA reagent and HIVIRO reagent were 0.32% and 0.17% and the difference was significantly(p<0.05). The sero-positivities of ELISA screening and Western Blot. Assay detecting anti-HIV were lower in soldier group than in non-soldier donor group (p< 0.05).
Blood Donors* ; Blood Transfusion ; Blotting, Western ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; HIV* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mass Screening ; Military Personnel ; Prevalence* ; Red Cross ; Tissue Donors

Understanding of the adhesion molecules involved in the interaction of gastric cancer cells with peritoneal mesothelial cells (PMC) might provide a useful strategy for interfering with cancer cell implantation to the peritoneum. Since CD44H is a major cell surface receptor for hyaluronate (HA), it may play an important role in mediating cancer cell adhesion to PMC through recognition of mesothelium associated HA. The purpose of the present study was to define the functional significance of CD44H in peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer cells by using quantitative assays for measuring the adhesion ability to PMC in vitro. CD44 expression in gastric cancer cell lines SNU-1, -5, and -16 were examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. CD44H was expressed in SNU-5 and -16 whereas no significant level of CD44H was expressed in SNU-1. SNU-16 expressed additional high-molecular-weight CD44 isoforms. In the adhesion assay with HA coated microtiter wells, SNU-5 and -16 demonstrated high affinity for HA, with values of 64.6+/-10.5% and 91.1+/-8.8%, respectively. SNU-1 demonstrated no significant binding affinity for HA (p<0.05). For the in vitro binding assay, we used a confluent monolayer of PMC. 2.5x10(4) and 5x10(4) gastric cancer cells labelled with 51 Cr were inoculated into microtiter wells and allowed to adhere for 2 hr. After washing of the unattached cancer cells, adherent cells were lysed with 0.1 N NaOH and the radioactivity was measured in the lysates. SNU-5 and -16 bound to PMC, to the extent of 10.0+/-1.0%, 14.6+/-1.8% and 22.9+/-2.0%, 23.7+/-3.6%, respectively. In contrast, SNU-1 demonstrated lower binding ability(6.4+/- 0.5%, 6.7+/-1.3%, respectively) to PMC. In conclusion, CD44H is at least partly involved in gastric cancer cell binding to PMC, which mediates an important first step of peritoneal implantation.
Blotting, Western ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Line ; Epithelium* ; Negotiating ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Peritoneum ; Protein Isoforms ; Radioactivity ; Stomach Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: Expression of bel-2 is associated with inhibition of apoptosis and extension of cell survival. We investigated the expression of bel-2 oncoprotein in human bladder tumor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of bel-2 oncoprotein was investigated immunohistochemically in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue specimens from 43 patients with primary transitional cell carcinoma in urinary bladder. Thirty four were superficial bladder tumors and nine were invasive bladder tumors. In histology grade according WHO grading there were 9 grade 1,21 grade II and 13 grade III. RESULTS: Strong positive staining was 5(11.62%), positive staining 13(30%) and negative staining 25(58%). Random distribution through the cancerous epithelium presented in 3 tumors but the other 15 tumors demonstrated cystoplasmic staining restricted to basal epithelial cells. Positive immunoreaction for bel-2 was found in 3 out of 9 invasive bladder tumors, while 15 of 34 superficial tumors showed positive staining. There was no significant correlation between bel-2 expression and tumor stage(p=0.56). 6 of grade I, 9 of grade II and 3 of grade III bladder tumors showed positive staining. There was no significant correlation between bcl-2 expression and tumor grade(p=0.12). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that no clear relationship was found between tumor grade, stage and bel-2 expression.
Apoptosis ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; Cell Survival ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Negative Staining ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms* ; Urinary Bladder*