No abstract available.
Sinusitis*

PURPOSE: Testicular volume is one of the important indices that represent the reproductive ability of adult males. In previous studies, however, testicular volume was measured by manual palpation or orchidometer, resulting in inaccuracy or subjectivity. Accordingly, the need for accurate data on the size of the testes is increasing, and we conducted testicular volume measurements by using scrotal ultrasonography. We investigated the relationship between testicular volume and body weight, height, and body mass index (BMI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The testicular volumes of 1,002 young adult Korean men were measured for length, width, and thickness with ultrasonography, and data on BMI were collected conventionally. The correlation between testicular volume and BMI was analyzed with one-way ANOVA and Student's t-test. RESULTS: The mean age of the young men was 23.02+/-2.53 years. The mean testicular volume was 18.09+/-3.79 cc on the left and 18.26+/-3.21 cc on the right. Testicular volume was directly proportional to body weight, height, and body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: The testicular volume of Korean young adult men was about 18.17 cc. Testicular volume has a weak direct correlation with body weight, height, and body mass index.
Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Humans ; Male ; Palpation ; Testis ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Gestational Age* ; Intracranial Hemorrhages*

BACKGROUND: The analysis of serological markers for hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a useful tool for the prevention and diagnosis of HBV infection. In this work, we evaluated a newly improved domestic rapid assay, Kobias HBsAg and anti-HBs Window kits (Kobias, Korea) for the detection of HBsAg and anti-HBs in serum. METHODS: A total of 360 sera screened by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) (Enzygnost, DADE Behring, Germany) were included in this study. Each specimen was tested for HBsAg and anti-HBs by Kobias Window kits and Genedia Rapid device (Green Cross, Korea), conventional one step test kits. The results were compared with those of EIA. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of Kobias HBsAg were 99.2% and 96.7%, and those of Kobias Anti-HBs were 95.8% and 96.7%, respectively. The concordance rates between EIA and Kobias HBsAg and Kobias Anti-HBs were 98.3% and 96.1%, and those between Kobias kits and Genedia kits for HBsAg and anti-HBs were 97.8% and 93.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Kobias HBsAg/Anti-HBs kits are simple, rapid, and low-cost methods for detecting HBsAg and anti-HBs. With comparable results with EIA, the Kobias HBsAg/Anti-HBs kits could be suitable for screening purposes or in emergency situations.
Diagnosis ; Emergencies ; Exercise Test ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens* ; Hepatitis B virus ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Mass Screening ; Sensitivity and Specificity

No abstract available.
Plasma* ; Spectrum Analysis* ; Trace Elements*

BACKGROUND: Mac-2 binding protein (Mac-2BP) is a secreted glycoprotein from the culture fluid of several human cancer cells, especially breast, lung, and gastric cells. Mac-2BP plays a role in immune response and cell adhesion activity in patients with various cancer and infectious diseases. In this study, we attempted to identify the regulators of Mac-2BP expression at the transcriptional level. METHODS: To determine the effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) to Mac-2BP expression in gastric cancers, we constructed the different lengths of Mac-2BP promoter plasmids and measured the promoter activity and Mac-2BP expression. In addition to investigating the role of signal transducer and activator of transcription3 (STAT3) or human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) as a regulator of Mac-2BP, we transfected the small interfering RNA (siRNA) specific for STAT3 or hTERT, and Mac-2BP level was observed by a quantitative ELISA. RESULTS: EGF treatment could suppress the Mac-2BP transcription in HEK293 or gastric cancer cell lines (SNU-638 or AGS). In 5'-deleted promoter experiment, pGL3-Mac Pro-2377 transfected cells showed a decreased luciferase activity compared to pGL3-Mac Pro-2277. We also identified that (-2,366/-2,356) on Mac-2BP promoter is a putative STAT3 binding site and suppression of STAT3 with STAT3 specific siRNA increased the Mac-2BP level, suggesting the role of STAT3 as a negative regulator, in contrast to hTERT, which is known as a positive regulator. CONCLUSIONS: EGF signal is critical for the Mac-2BP expression, and more importantly, STAT3 could work as a negative regulator, while hTERT as a positive regulator in Mac-2BP transcription.
Antigens, Neoplasm/genetics/*metabolism ; Cell Line ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Down-Regulation ; Epidermal Growth Factor/metabolism ; Humans ; Membrane Glycoproteins/genetics/*metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering ; STAT3 Transcription Factor/genetics/*metabolism ; Telomerase/metabolism ; Transfection

BACKGROUND: Vimentin is the major intermediate-size filament in the cytoplasm of cells from mesenchymal origin. The HL-60 cell is a unique human leukemic cell line capable of terminal differentiation with several chemical inducers, and then the cell line becomes a fre#quently described model system for cell differentiation in vitro. Vimentin mRNA is reduced during all-trans retinoic acid (retinoic acid) -dependent differentication but increased by 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). In this paper, we have investigated on the mechanism of transcriptional repression of vimentin gene during retinoic acid-dependent differentication of HL-60 cell. METHODS: HL-60 cells were grown in RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum and antibiotics in a humidified 5% CO at 37C. Total RNA was prepared by a modification of the method of Karlinsey et al. Northern blot hybridization was performed by the method of Virca et al. EcoRI fragment of pVIM-GEM was used as probe for vimentin mRNA. DNA mobility shift assay was performed by the method of Lim et al. End labeled DNA probe (Upper strand, 5-CGCITGATGAGTCAGCCG-3) for AP-1 binding activity was mixed with nuclear extracts in a 20 pL reaction volume containing 300 mM KCI, 60 mM HEPES, pH 7.9, 25mM MgC1, 1mM EDTA, 1mM DTT, 60% glycerol, and 2 pg of poly[dI-dC]. RESULTS: The level of vimentin mRNA was decreased at 12 hours after retinoic acid treatment, and not detected at 48 hours. The level of vimentin mRNA was reduced in proportion to concentration of retinoic acid, Retinoic acid-reduced vimentin mRNA was no change in cells treated with cycloheximide. Retinoic acid-dependent decrease of vimentin mRNA was partially recovered by staurosporin pretreatment. In DNA mobility shift assay, AP-1 binding activity was reduced at 48 hr during retinoic acid-induced differentiation. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the transcriptional repression of vimentin gene during retinoic acid-induced differentiation in HL-60 cells is correlated with reduction of DNA binding activity of AP-1.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Blotting, Northern ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Line ; Cycloheximide ; Cytoplasm ; DNA ; Edetic Acid ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Glycerol ; HEPES ; HL-60 Cells* ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Repression, Psychology* ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger ; Transcription Factor AP-1 ; Tretinoin ; Vimentin*

Segmental testicular infarction is a rare cause of acute scrotum. Its etiology is not well defined and it can be clinically confused with a testicular tumor. Imaging studies play an important role in the preoperative diagnosis, with a Color doppler ultrasonography as the investigation of choice although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be useful in doubtful cases. We report a case of segmental testicular infarction treated with partial orchiectomy seen in a 58-year-old man with right scrotal pain.
Humans ; Infarction ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Orchiectomy ; Scrotum ; Testis ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color

PURPOSE: Nocodazole, a microtubule disrupting reagent, is known to arrest cells in the M phase, To gain insight on the regulatory mechanism of H2B histone gene expression by nocodazole in HL-60 cell, the binding pattern of nuclear proteins to cis element in the human H2B histone gene promoter has been investigated with DNase I footprinting and DNA mobility shift assay. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Northern blot hybridization was performed by the method of Virca et al. A Hinc II-Sac I fragment of pSPH28 was used as probe for Northern blot analysis of H2B histone mRNA. DNase I footprinting and DNA mobility shift assay were performed by the method of Lim et al. End labeled DNA oligomer (upper strand, 5'-CTTCACCTTATTTGCATAA GCGATTC-3') for octamer binding activity was mixed with nuclear extracts in a 20 ul reaction volume containing 60 mM KC1, 12 mM HEPES, pH 7.9, 5 mM MgCl2, 0.2 mM EDTA, 0.2 mM DTT, 12% glycerol, and 2 ug of poly [dI-dC]. RESULTS: The level of H2B histone mRNA rapidly was reduced at 24 hours in nocodazole-treated HL-60 cells and the mRNA was repressed in proportion to the concentration of nocodazole. Nocodazole-dependent repression of H2B histone gene was restored by replacement with nocodazole-free media. In DNase I footprinting analysis, one nuclear factor bound at 42 bp site (octamer motif) in the absence of nocodazole. In the presence of nocodazole, the binding of nuclear factor on octamer motif partially vanished. In DNA mobility shift assay, one DNA-protein complex (Octl) was formed when octamer motif was incubated with nuclear extract of HL-60 cell. After nocodazole treatment, Octl binding activity was reduced by time dependent manner. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that nocodazole-dependent repression of H2B histone gene is correlated with reduction of Octl binding activity in HL-60 cell.
Blotting, Northern ; Cell Division ; Deoxyribonuclease I ; DNA ; Edetic Acid ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Gene Expression* ; Glycerol ; HEPES ; Histones* ; HL-60 Cells* ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Magnesium Chloride ; Microtubules ; Nocodazole* ; Nuclear Proteins ; Repression, Psychology ; RNA, Messenger

An acute pulmonary embolism (PE) and the apical ballooning syndrome (ABS) are both critical and need proper management during the acute stage. We experienced a case of recurrent severe dyspnea because serious right ventricular dysfunction due to PE and left ventricular dysfunction due to ABS occurred consecutively in the short-term and bedside echocardiography has an important role in management in acute settings.
Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Hemorrhage ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Right