PURPOSE: The loss of estrogen and progesterone receptors appeats to be associated with a progression to less differentiated and hormone-independent tumors. The gain of hormone independency over time even in estrogen receptor-positive tumors has become another obstacle to endocrine therapy for breast cancer. We tried to regain the hormone dependency in estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer cells by lipofecting estmgen receptor cDNA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The mutant human estrogen receptor cDNA (pSGS-HEO) was lipofected into estrogen receptor-negative human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231, in an attempt to restore their sensitivity to antiestrogen. Then the effects of 17p-estradiol and tamoxifen were studied by counting viable cell numbers after treating the lipofected cell line with either one or together. RESULTS: Culture medium cantaining phenol red, a weak estrogen, has growth advantages compared with culture medium without it. In both culture conditions, cell growth was most profoundly inhibited in 4 days after lipofection with mutant human estrogen receptor cDNA, which was overcome after that day. Tamoxifen, as an antiestrogen, showed a growth inhibitory effect slightly stronger tban combined conditions of tamoxifen and 17- estradiol compared to estrogen-treated group and to control, and the inhibitory effect was lasted 4 days. CONCLUSION: The temporary induction of estrogen receptor by lipofection with pSGS-HEO on estrogen receptor-negative human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 showed negative growth control on these cells by tamoxifen, indicating that liposome-mediated estrogen receptor transfection may be used as a novel therapeutic strategy for hormane independent human breast cancers in the near future.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cell Count ; Cell Line ; DNA, Complementary ; Estradiol ; Estrogen Receptor Modulators ; Estrogens* ; Genetic Therapy ; Humans* ; Phenolsulfonphthalein ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Tamoxifen ; Transfection

Livedo reticularis with summer ulceration was first reported by Feldaker et al in 1955, that is characterized by livedo reticularis and ulcerations of the legs or feet beginning primarily the summer or warmer months of the year, and healing the winter months. A 32-year old rnan has suffered from periodic painful ulcerations, which were occurred during the summer, on the both ankles and brown to bluish colored reticulated discoloration on the lower legs for about 10 years. Histopathological findings showed endothelial proliferation and partial occlusion of the dermal capillaries, fibrinoid material on the superficial blood vessels, and partial epidermal necrolysis. This patient. was treated with antiplatelet aggregating medications and antihypertensive drug.
Adult ; Ankle ; Blood Vessels ; Capillaries ; Foot ; Humans ; Leg ; Livedo Reticularis* ; Ulcer*

From September 1983 to August 1984, the clinical observations regarding cutaneous manifestations of 26(j cases of in-patients in the Department of Internal medicine with hepatic problems were observed at the Department of Derrnatology in Chonnam University Eiospital, The results were as follows: In the 266 patients, 201 patients(75.6%) revealed various cutaneous manifestaiions; Among them vascular spider occured in 100 (37. 6%), bleeding tendency in 67(25. 2%), pruritus in 65(24.4%), jaundice in 59 (22.2%), palmar erythema in 59(22. 2%), and melanosis in 56(21. l%). The incidences of skin changes by pattern of liver disease were as follows; In acte hepatits, prurit;us(46.8%) and acute urticarial & maculapapular eruption(36. 4%) were found in order. In chronic hepatitis, vascular spider(42. 6%) and melanosis (27. 9%) in order. In cirrhosis, vascular spider (62. 5%) and bleeding tendency (42. 0%) in order. In hepatic cancer vascular spider (24. 2%) and jaundice (21. 2%) in order. There were no statistically significant differences in sex distribution. In the incidences of skin changes by age groups, jaundice(p<0. 01) and melanosis were more frequently observed in the patients under the age of 29 and vascular spider (p<0.01 ) and melanosis in the patients are the age of 50. The longer the duration of illness were, the higher the incidences of skin changes except jaundice were.
Erythema ; Fibrosis ; Hemorrhage ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Incidence ; Internal Medicine ; Jaundice ; Jeollanam-do ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Neoplasms ; Melanosis ; Pruritus ; Sex Distribution ; Skin Manifestations* ; Skin* ; Spiders

During a 10-year period from Jan, 1970 to Dec. 1979, 33 cases of systemic lupus erythematosys were observed clinically at the Department of Dematology, Chonnam University Hospital. Statistieally, 13 cases were male and 20 chses firnale for a sex ratio of 1: l. 5. The most common age group at eatimated onset was 10-19 and the mean age was 27, 3. There were 5 cases under the age of 15 comprising 15. 2, of all cases. There was no seasonal variation at the onset of disease. Facial lesions were the most common initial sign or symptom and chief cornplaint. During the course of the illness, varions manifeatations were obaerved: artbralgia, 87. 9%; weakness and fatigue, 84. 8%; fever, 75. 8%; cutaneous lesions, 100. 0% gastrointestinal symptoms, 54. 5%; pulmonary symptoms, 42. 4%; cardiae abnomalities, 36. 4%; enlargement of reticuloendothelial systems, 30.3%; and neuropsychiatric symptom., 30. 3%. Upon laboratory analysis we found 14 cases of lupoid hepatitis and 8 cases of lupus nephritis. There were various associated diseases such as retinopathy, congestive heart failure, pulmonary tuberculosis, diabetes mellitus, etc.
Cardia ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Fatigue ; Fever ; Heart Failure ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Lupus Nephritis ; Male ; Mononuclear Phagocyte System ; Seasons ; Sex Ratio ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Epdemiological studies were done on 721 patients detected and confirmed as leprosy patients at the Department of Dermatology at Chonnam University Hospitai in the ten years period from l969 to 1978. Statistically, 491 cases were male and 230 cases were female, comprising 2. 1% of the total number of outpatients (34, 631) and showing a decreasing yearly tendency, The percentage of each group, or type; tuberculoid, borderline, lepromatous and indeterminate, was 53.8%, 9.6%, 31.2%, and 5.4%, respectively. The most common age at discovery for males was 30 39 and for female 20~29 with the largest group being adults aged 20~49, 482 cases (66.9%). The sex ratio was 2.1: l, male to female. However, for the tuberculoid types the ratio was 2.5: 1 which was higher than that of the lepromatous type, I. 7: 1, By disease type the most common age group was 20 29 for tubercekid type, 30 39 for lepromatous and borderline group and 10~19 for the indeterminated group. Geographically, 652 cases(90. 4%) were from Chonnam Province and 61 cases (8.5%) from Chonbuk Province. We also observed some significant sequential changes of the type of disease descovered even though 10 years is a relatively short period. There was a tendency towards decreased detection of the tuberculoid type and increased detection of the borderline an.d indeterminate group.
Adult ; Dermatology ; Female ; Humans ; Jeollabuk-do ; Jeollanam-do ; Leprosy* ; Leprosy, Paucibacillary ; Male ; Outpatients ; Sex Ratio

The subjects of the present study were 111 patients admitted to a hospital and 304 healthy people living in similar condition. A self report symptom inventory, SCL-90(symptom check list-90) was used and the two groups were analysed and compared by many factors. The results of theis study are as follows. 1. All dimensional values of the psoriasis group were much higher than the normal healthy group. In order of significance: depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, psychotism, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, and somatization(all p<0.01). This result indicates a significantly heightened incidence of psychological problems among psoriatic patients. 2. There were significant differences between each clinical type. As a whole, common and pustular types showed highter dimensional scores than guttate type. 3. In the psoriasis group, subjects over 30 years old had higher scores except in somatization and paranoid ideation dimensions. However there was no significant relationship between age and dimensional scores. 4. Female psoriatic patients showed higher values than male patients on all dimensions excopt paranoid ideation. T verification showed significance in depression and hostility (p<0.05). 5. Analysed by marital status, generally unmarried patients had higher dimensional scores than married patients, but there was no significant differences. 6. In contrast with the control group, psoriatic patients of low educational status showed higher dimensional scores than patients of high educational status. 7. Analysed by job at onset of disease, student patients showed the lowest scores. There were significant differences for somatization(p<0.01) and paranoid (p<0.05) dimensional scores. 8. Analysed by the age of onset of disease, the patients who developed psoriasis before 20 years of ages showed higher dimensional scores than the patients, after 20 years of age. 9. Compared according to duration of the disease, dimensional scores rose in patients under 1 year duration decreased in patients of 1 to 2 years' duration and rose again in parients over 3 years' duratio. 10. As the accuracy of understanding about the disease decreased, the dimensional scores tended to be higher.
Adult ; Age of Onset ; Anxiety ; Depression ; Educational Status ; Female ; Hostility ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Marital Status ; Psoriasis ; Self Report ; Single Person

We studied skin thickness of the twelve body sites in 25 post-mortem subjects. The most thinnest and thickest sites of the skin layers are as follows(unit: um) l. In the horny layer, eyelid(13.16+/-5.44) and sole(420.83+182. 25), respectively 2. In the granular, eyelid, posterior ear, abdomen, back, thigh, forearrn(1 layer)and sole(3.4+/-0.59 layers), respectively 3. In the prickle cell layer(to rete ridge), forearm(50. 21+/-15. 36) and sole (174.72+/-84.41), respectively 4. In the prickle cell layer(to papillary dermis), abdomen (33. 05+/-10. 28) and sole (106.13+/-73.62), respectively 5. In the epidermis, eyelid (61.60+/-16.53) and sole (972.00+/-228. 16), rpspectively 6. In the dermis, eyelid(878.08+283. 56) and back(3596.05+/-1306.80), respectively.
Abdomen ; Dermis ; Ear ; Epidermis ; Eyelids ; Skin* ; Thigh

Painful stiff shoulder after trauma may be one of the difficult situation. Incomplete brachial plexus palsy may cause painful stiff shoulder. Symptoms and signs of this entity are vague. It is not rare to miss detecting subtle damage of the brachial plexus. We analysed these cases to identify specific clues on history and physical examination that help making the diagnosis of this entity. We have experienced 14 cases of incomplete brachial plexus palsy that showed painful stiff shoulder in Asan Medical Center from March 1995 to February 1996. All the charts and letters from primary care hospitals were reviewed. Initial diagnosis of the primary hospital, duration of delay of diagnosis after initial trauma, clues for the diagnosis in history and physical findings, patterns of the nerve injuries were analyzed. Average age was 48 years (from 25 to 84). Nine cases were male, and five cases were female. The most common primary diagnosis was proximal humerus fracture. Delayed diagnosis was the most remarkable feature. Average duration of delayed diagnosis was about three months (from one to thirteen months). Tentative diagnosis was made on the base of history and physical examination. The most frequent clue on the history was long standing painful stiff shoulder inappropriate to the initial diagnosis. The most common physical finding was tenderness at the brachial plexus area. Definite diagnosis was confirmed with electromyography. Careful history taking and thorough physical examination are essential for every shoulder injury. Incomplete brachial plexus palsy is one of the cause of painful stiff shoulder. It is important to keep in mind this entity to arrive correct diagnosis. Eletromyography should be done for the suspected cases.
Brachial Plexus ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Diagnosis ; Electromyography ; Female ; Humans ; Humerus ; Male ; Paralysis* ; Physical Examination ; Primary Health Care ; Shoulder*

Restoration of the M-P joint of a damaged or lost joint by trauma, tumor and others is necessary for adequate function of the hand. Several procedure have been described for restoration of the M-P joint. We experienced a case of vascularized joint transter for a lost joint by trauma. After 1 year and 2 months follow-up, there have been no degenerative change and no pain.
Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Joints

Members of the genus Acinetobacter are recognized as newer pathogens of the nosocomial infection with an increasing frequency in recent years. Strains that belonged to A. calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex (genomic species 1, 2, 3, and 13TU) were major groups associated with nosocomial infection. Phenotypic identification was unreliable and laborious method to classify Acinetobacter strains into 19 genomic species. Rapid and reliable identification of clinical isolates is essential to diagnosis and epidemiology of Acinetobacter. We investigated the suitability of amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) to identify genomic species of 131 Acinetobacter isolates. The 16S rRNA genes (ribosomal DNA) were enzymatically amplified and the amplified PCR products were restricted independently with the enzymes, AluI, CfoI, and MboI. Genomic species of Acinetobacter was classified by the combinations of restriction patterns. The analysis was showed that restriction profiles were characteristic for each genomic species. One hundred fourteen isolates were identified as A. baumannii, twelve were identified as genomic species 13TU, and one was identified as genomic species 3. Four isolates were found to be unknown organisms. All of the isolates which were identified to A. baumannii by phenotypic tests were completely discriminated into A. baumannii and genomic species 13TU by ARDRA. This study demonstrates that ARDRA is a rapid and simple techniques for the identification of Acinetobacter species according to the genomic species.
Acinetobacter baumannii* ; Acinetobacter calcoaceticus* ; Acinetobacter* ; Cross Infection ; Diagnosis ; DNA, Ribosomal* ; Epidemiology ; Genes, rRNA ; Polymerase Chain Reaction