No abstract available.
Bilirubin* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn*

Alleles and genotype frequencies and its distribution pattern for the highly polymorphic D1S80 locus were determined in a Korean population sample, especially in Kwangju and Chonnam, by using PCR followed by agarose gel electrophoresis with ethidium bromide staining, a procedure called the amplified-fragment-length polymorphism(Amp-FLP) technique. And the data were compared with the alleles and genotype frequencies of Finnish population, North American Caucasian, and Korean population(Seoul) which had been reported. In 203 unrelated Korean individuals 27 alleles and 84 genotypes were observed. The highest allele frequency was in allele M24(0.128) and tne next orders were inalleles M18(0.126), M29, M30, M31, and M28 and the other alleles showed relatively low frequencies. The highest frequency of genotype was in M18/M24 and the next order frequencies were M18/M30, M19/M27 M29/M29, and M18/M29. The homozyous genotypes were in 9 alleles such as M29, M24, M31, and M18, and most of heterozygous genotypes were composed of alleles of each homozygous genotypes and /or the other alleles, its composition of genotypes was 0.881(74/84), 183(0.901) of the 203 individuals alleles, its composition of genotypes was 0.881(74/84), 183(0.901) of the 203 individuals alleles, its composition of genotypes was 0.881(74/84), 183(0.901) of the 203 individuals were included. The VNTR D1S80 locus demonstrated a heterozygosity of 0.872. From the above results, VNTR D1S80 locus may be a powerful locus to identify individuals, however, the allele frequencies was not closely related to the genotype pattern, and the alleles of homozygous genotypes influenced on the chance of the recombination of the various genotypes. It is necessary to analyze the genotype distribution and the recombination pattern of alleles as well as alleles and genotype frequencies in each populations for statistical test at most highly polymorphic loci.
Alleles* ; Electrophoresis, Agar Gel ; Ethidium ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype* ; Gwangju ; Jeollanam-do ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Recombination, Genetic

No abstract available.
Child, Preschool* ; Hodgkin Disease* ; Humans ; Male*

No abstract available.
Muscle, Smooth* ; Renin* ; Renin-Angiotensin System*

Retropsoas space below the level of kidney has been suggested as a portion of inferior extensions of perirenal and anterior and posterior pararenal spaces. With this being true, the space may play an important role in disease extension. A study was performed to verify the existence of retropsoas peritoneal recess by means of identifying the extension of bowel loops into this space. Abdominal CT scans of 146 cases evaluated retrospectively revealed extension of 5 small bowel and 7 large bowel loops (6 descending and 1 ascending colons)(n=12/8.2%) into the retropsoas space verifying its existence. Since pathologic collection within the retropsoas space might be falsely inter preted as a retroperitoneal pathology and percutaneous uroradiologic intervention could result in intraperitoneal injury or contamination without the knowledge on the existence of this space, observation of this space is essential in CT scans.
Kidney ; Pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Biofeedback is the treatment of choice for functional defecation disorders such as idiopathic chronic constipation and neurogenic fecal incontinence. The pre-existing biofeedback systems have many disadvantages. The aims of current project are, first, to develop the biofeedback system into the application software in the Windows environment, and, second, to assess the possibility of clinical usage for patients with functional defecation disorders. The hardware and software of the BASCO (Biofeedback Anal Sphincter Control) system were based on the signal measurement and signal processing of anal sphincter EMG (Electromyography). BASCO system was applied to 5 normal healthy controls and 20 patients with functional defecation disorders. Patients group was categorized as constipation group (N1=15) and incontinence group (N2=5). With use of current system, EMG-based biofeedback therapy was performed, and the outcome was analysed. Anal EMG signal data was processed by the software, and displayed in the monitor of personal computer. The software of EMG-display and database management were adequately operated. In N1 group, a paradoxical elevation or equalized activity of anal EMG pattern was shown in the simulated defecation. In N2 group, low electrical activity was shown. These findings were used for the EMG-based biofeedback therapy as a pilot study. The clinical symptoms were improved in 12 of N1 group and 3 of N2 group in the period of 3.7 (range, 1~12) months follow-up. In Conclusion, newly-developed BASCO system was adequately operated in the volunteer and patients groups. The multi-tasking and multi-processing functions were adequately shown in the real time. Current results could be used for clinical appraisal. Specifically, this system could be used for the practical application of biofeedback therapy in the patients with chronic constipation or fecal incontinence.
Anal Canal* ; Biofeedback, Psychology* ; Constipation ; Defecation* ; Fecal Incontinence ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Microcomputers ; Pilot Projects ; Volunteers

A retrospective comparative study of MRI and CT in 24 patients with diffuse axonal injury (DIA) was undertaken. Three-quaters of the lesions were non-hemorrhagic, and the sites of involvement were lobar white matter (96%), corpus callosum (70%), and rostral brainstem (42%), in descending order. MRI was singnificantly more sensitive than CT in detecting DAI lesions. The average number of DAI lesions was higher with increasing clinical stage of the injury. MRI is more valuable than CT for staging the full magnitude of the injury and in predicting the neurologic prognosis of DAI lesions.
Axons* ; Brain Stem ; Brain* ; Corpus Callosum ; Diffuse Axonal Injury ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; White Matter

No abstract available.
Congenital Hypothyroidism*

The characterization of genetic variation at the level of DNA has generated significant advances in gene mapping and disease diagnosis, and forensic identification of individuals. It is now possible to identify individual DNA from various tissue specimens, like hair, using the PCR and oligonucleotide probes. To date, however, the number of hairs needed, the preservation conditions, and the kinds of hair suitable for DNA extraction have not been well known. We performed DNA extraction using hairs from different body sites, using different numbers of hairs, under various different preservation conditions to investigate the acquisition conditions of DNA data from hair using PCR and specific HLA-DQA probe. HLA-DQA genotyping of DNA extracted from peripheral blood was performed to compare the results of hair and blood HLA-DQA genotyping from individuals. The results are as follows: 1) The concentration of DNA extracted from a single strand of hair is 5.23+/-0.54 g/ml. It is possible to extract sufficient DNA for HLA-DQA genotyping from a single strand of hair. 2) DNA concentration is different according to body site. Concentrations are 7.01+/-0.33 g/ml in scalp hair, 6.28+/-0.29 g/ml in axillary hair, and 6.10+0.24 microgram/ml in pubic hair. 3) There is no difference between the electrophortic bands resulting from DNA extracted from the hair of an individual preserved under different conditions, such as room temperature, exposure to sunlight, exposure to low temperature (+4degrees C), or exposure to moisture. 4) There is no difference between the electrophoretic bands resulting from DNA extracted from hair of a single individual preserved for different lengths of time. 5) In an individual, the HLA-DQA genotype obtained from peripheral blood is identical to that obtained from hair. Even though the amout of DNA obtained from hair is limited, it is possible to identify the HLA-DQA genotype of an individual using a single strand of hair. This requires adequate extraction of DNA for PCR analysis using an allele specific probe. We believe that HLA-DQA genotyping using the PCR method on DNA extracted from hair is useful for disease diagnosis and forensic science.
Alleles ; Chromosome Mapping ; Diagnosis ; DNA* ; Forensic Sciences ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Hair* ; Oligonucleotide Probes ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Scalp ; Sunlight

To evaluate the relationships among the c-erbB-2 oncogene expression, DNA ploidy and other prognostic factors, an immunohistochemical study of the c-erbB-2 oncogene product and flow cytometric analysis of DNA ploidy were performed in paraffin sections of 42 cases of ovarian carcinomas. The results were as follows: 1) The positive reaction for c-erbB-2 oncogene product was observed mainly along the cytoplasmic membrane, and occasionally within the cytoplasm of the tumor cells. 2) Overall the positivity of c-erbB-2 oncogene expression was 45.2% of the ovarian carcinomas. By the histological types, the positivity was 35.7% in serous carcinoma, 80.0% in mucinous carcinoma, and 45.2% in endometrioid carcinoma; by the degree of differentiation, 57.1% in well differentiated carcinoma, 40.0% in moderately differentiated, and 27.3% in poorly differentiated; by the nuclear grading, 58.3% in grade I, 52.6% in grade II, and 18.2 % in grade III; and by the clinical staging, 57.1% in stage I, 42.8% in stage II, and 35.0% in stage III. The expression of the c-erbB-2 oncogene in the ovarian carcinomas was higher in the tumors of good differentiation, of the lower nuclear grade and of the lower clinical stage. 3) The incidence of DNA aneuploidy in the cases positive for the c-erbB-2 oncogene expression(47.3%) was higher than that in the negative cases(31.4%). From the above results, therefore, it is suggested that the c-erbB-2 oncogene may be involved in the early stage of ovarian carcinogenesis. Also suggested is that ovarian carcinomas positive for the c-erbB-2 oncogene in the early stages may have higher probability of having a DNA aneuploid cell line during the progress of the tumors.
Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; Aneuploidy ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Endometrioid ; Cell Membrane ; Cytoplasm ; DNA* ; Incidence ; Oncogene Proteins ; Oncogenes ; Paraffin ; Ploidies*