BACKGROUND: Sun exposure and therapeutic irradiation have been shown to induce alterations in extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, including elastin, glycosaminoglycan and collagens. The integrity of the connective tissue mainly depends on balanced rates of matrix synthesis and degradation of the extracellular matrix. Therefore, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) may be involved in ultraviolet irradiation (UVR)-induced alterations in ECM proteins. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of UVA as well as UVB irradiations on ST-1 gene expression in cultured human skin fibroblasts. METHODS: After exposure of different doses of UVA and UVB on cultured human skin fibroblasts, we examined the expression of ST-1 gene by Northern blot analysis, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) assay with CAT construct containing AP-1 binding site. Additionally, we carried out the gel mobility shift assay to investigate the effects of UVR on the DNA-binding activity of AP-1. RESULTS: After UVR on fibroblasts, the steady-state levels of ST-1 mRNA were in-creased in response to UVA and UVB by 2.5-fold and 4.2-fold, respectively, as compared with controls. Similar results were obtained by CAT assay showing that CAT activity increased as the UVA and UVB doses increased. Furthermore, gel mobility shift assay demonstrated that both UVA and UVB increased AP-1 DNA binding complexes. CONCLUSION: UVB as well as UVA up-regulated ST-1 gene expression at transcriptional levels in vitro. We speculate that modulation of MMPs, including ST-1, gene expression by UVR may contribute to the connective tissue damage related to photoaging and other photocutaneous disorders.
Animals ; Binding Sites ; Blotting, Northern ; Cats ; Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase ; Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; DNA ; Elastin ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Extracellular Matrix ; Fibroblasts* ; Gene Expression ; Humans* ; In Vitro Techniques ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin ; Solar System ; Transcription Factor AP-1

No abstract available.
Hamartoma*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate waveform changes of compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) related to voluntary muscle contraction and alteration of muscle length and to evaluate the effect of peripheral neuropathy on temporal and spatial summations of CMAPs. METHOD: The influence of voluntary muscle contraction and alteration of muscle length on CMAP was studied in 37 median nerves of 21 patients with median neuropathy. RESULTS: In patients with no apparent axonopathy, temporal summation was partially disturbed without significant change of spatial summation. Shortening of muscle length or voluntary contraction produced a physiologic improvement of spatial and temporal summations. There was a decrease in temporal and spatial summations, more prominent in temporal summation, with lengthening of the muscle. In axonopathy, spatial summation was markedly deteriorated with partial reduction of temporal summation. Spatial summation was not affected by the change of muscle length or voluntary contraction. Temporal summation was improved by muscle shortening or voluntary contraction and was decreased by muscle lengthening. CONCLUSION: Peripheral neuropathy has an effects on physiological spatial and temporal summations of CMAPs. Temporal summation is preferentially decreased in cases without axonopathy. When axonopathy is apparent, spatial summation is profoundly disturbed with partial reduction of temporal summation.
Action Potentials* ; Humans ; Median Nerve ; Median Neuropathy ; Muscle Contraction ; Muscle, Skeletal* ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases*

PURPOSE: To investigate the levels of radiation exposure of an operator which may be influenced by the wearing an apron, type of procedure, duration of fluoroscopy and operator's skill during various interventional procedures MATERIALS AND METHODS: Radiation doses were measured both inside and outside the apron(0.5mm lead equivalent) of the operator by a film badge monitoring method and the duration of fluoroscopy was measured in 96 procedures prospectively. The procedures were 30 transcatheter arterial embolizations (TAE), 25 percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainages (PTBD), 16 stone removals (SR), 15 percutaneous needle aspirations (PCNA) and 10 percutaneous nephrostomies(PCN). To assess the difference of exposure by the operator's skill, the procedures of TAE and PTBD were done separately by groups of staffs and residents. RESULTS: Average protective effect of the apron was 72.8%. Average radiation exposure(unit:micro Sv/procedure) was 23.3 in PTBD by residents, 10.0 in PTBD by staffs, 10.0 in SR, 8.7 in TAE by residents, 7.3 in TAE by staffs, 9.0 in PCN and 6.0 in PCNA. Average radiation exposure of residents were 1.9 times greater than those of staffs. CONCLUSION: Radiation exposure was not proportionally related to the duration of fiuoroscopy, but influenced by wearing an apron, various types o[procedure and operator's skills.
Aspirations (Psychology) ; Film Dosimetry ; Fluoroscopy ; Needles ; Pregnenolone Carbonitrile ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Prospective Studies

An analytic study on 431 cases of cardiac conduction disturbance has been made by review of the clinical records and electrocardiograms taken from the adult patients registered at Kyung Hee University Hospital for 3 years from May, 1973 to April, 1976. 1. The total incidence of conduction disturbance was 6.50%, the atrioventricular block 3.14% and the intraventricular block was 3.36% of total 6,616 cases of E.C.G. reviewed. Among of these, the first degree atrioventricular block was 3.02% which was the most common occurred one, the incomplete right bundle branch block was 2.25% and the complete right bundle branch block was 0.57%. 2. The ratio of male to female was 1.6:1 for the first degree atrioventricular block, and 1.6:1 for the incomplete right bundle branch block, 2.5:1 for the complete atrioventricular block, 2:1 for the left bundle branch block, and 1.7:1 for the complete right bundle branch block. The first degree atrioventricular block was seen most frequently in the fifth and sixth decade of age group, and the third degree block was over 40 years. The incomplete right bundle branch block in order was forth decade, third decade and fifth decade. The complete right bundle branch block and left posterior hemiblock were common in the sixth decade. The left bundle block and the posterior hemiblock were common in fifty years of age group. 3. The cardinal underlying diseases of the first degree atrioventricular block among cardiac diseases group in order of frequency were: hypertensive heart disease (25.0%) arteriosclerotic heart disease (8.0%) and rheumatic valvular heart disease (5.0%). The most common etiology of those non-cardiac disease group was neuropsychiatry disorder (11.5%) and the next was infection (11.0%). 4. All of the complete atrioventricular block were associated with the cardiac disease, that is, 57.0% with arteriosclerotic heart disease, 28.5% with pericarditis and 14.3% with hypertensive heart disease, respectively. 5. The cardinal underlying disease of the incomplete right bundle branch block in order of frequency were: hypertensive heart disease (10.7%), arteriosclerotic heart disease (8.1%) among the cardiac disease group, and infections (15.4%) among the non-cardiac disease group. The incidence of healthy persons was 14.1%. 6. Those of complete right bundle branch block in order of frequency were: arteriosclerotic heart disease (13.2%), and hypertensive heart disease (10.1%) among the cardiac disease group, and infection(13.2%) and neurosis (10.1%), respectively among the non-cardiac disease group. 7. The major etiologies of the left bundle branch block was hypertensive heart disease and arteriosclerotic heart disease (33.3% each), and that of left posterior hemiblock was showed arteriosolerotic heart disease and cor-pulmonale. The most common etiological disease of the left anterior hemiblock was hypertensive heart disease in cardiac disease group, and infection and gatrointestinal disease in non-cariac disease group. 8. The abnormal electrocardiographic findings with the first degree atrioventricular block were left ventricular hypertrophy (24.8%), sinus tachycardia (11.0) and sinus bradycardia (5.8%). Those with the complete atrioventricular block were right ventricular hypertrophy (15.8%) and left bundle branch block (15.8%). In complete right bundle branch block, the majority (52.5%) showed single sign without other abnormality on E.C.G. In the left bundle branch block, there were 18.9% of left ventricular hypertrophy and 15.7% of first degree atrioventricular block. In the left anterior hemiblock, there were 28.5% of right bundle branch block, and 19.0% of right ventricular hypertrophy. In the left posterior hemiblock, there were 40.0% of atrial fibrillation and 20.0% of left atrial hypertrophy.
Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence

We report a case of tinea corporis occurring in one family caused by Trichophyton verrucosum. Father, mother and a son in a family had well defined scaly erythematous patches on the forearm, cheek and postauricular area. Histopathologically fungal hyphae were found in the horny layer of the epidermis in PAS stained sections. In mycological study, charact,eristic feature of T. verrucosum were found. The possible source of the infections was the cattle that they raised in their house. After eight weeks administration of ketoconazole, the lesions were healed leaving slight brownish discoloration.
Animals ; Cattle ; Cheek ; Epidermis ; Fathers ; Forearm ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Ketoconazole ; Mothers ; Tinea* ; Trichophyton*

No abstract available.
Nevus*

OBJECTIVES: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has the feature of excessive LH, hyperandrogenism and disturbance of folliculogenesis. Also, insulin, IGF-I and IGFBP-1 are involved in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Various surgical and medical therapies have been used and the action mechanisms are related to the endocrine effect. Laparoscopic ovarian electrocautery or laser vaporization is effective in the restoration of ovulation and normal menstrual cycle with minimal invasive procedure especially in the patients resistant to medical therapy. Clomiphen citrate (CC) is used for the ovulation induction in PCOS and the resistance is known to be related to insulin, IGF-I, IGFBP-1 levels. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of the laparoscopic laser vaporization on the levels of LH, FSH, testosterone, IGF-I and IGFBP-1 and on the ovarian response to clomiphen citrate in patients with CC-resistant PCOS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The fasting basal serum LH, FSH, testosterone, IGF-I and IGFBP-1 level were measured in 10 PCOS patients with CC-resistance and 7 normal controls with regular menstrual cycle. In PCOS, after laparoscopic CO2 laser vaporization, endocrine levels were measured in 1 week interval for 4 weeks and then compared with preoperative levels. RESULTS: In PCOS group, mean serum LH/FSH ratio, testosterone, IGF-I levels were higher and IGFBP-1 level was lower than control. LH/FSH ratio decreased from 2.51+/-0.67 to 1.7+/-0.6 (p<0.05) in 2 weeks, to 0.56+/-0.2 (p<0.01) in 3 weeks and to 1.41+/-0.3 (p<0.01) in 4 weeks after operation. Testosterone level decreased from 1.51+/-0.82 ng/ml to 0.65+/-0.34 ng/ml (p<0.05) in 2 weeks, to 0.56+/-0.67 ng/ml (p<0.01) in 3 weeks after operation. IGF-I level also decreased from 436+/-47.5 microgram/l to 187+/-38 microgram/l (p<0.01) in 1 week, to 167+/-42 microgram/l (p<0.01) in 2 weeks, 179+/-55 microgram/l (p<0.01) in 3 weeks and to 120 +/-43 microgram/l (p<0.01) in 4 weeks after operation. IGFBP-1 level showed no significant change. In 8 of 10 PCOS patients, ovulation was induced with low dose clomiphen citrate. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic CO2 laser vaporization restores normal menstrual cycle and ovulation through endocrine effect of decreasing LH/FSH ratio, testosterone and IGF-I level and increases the response to CC. Therefore it is useful for restoration of normal menstruation and induction of ovulation in CC resistant PCOS patients.
Citric Acid ; Electrocoagulation ; Fasting ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperandrogenism ; Insulin ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Laser Therapy* ; Lasers, Gas ; Menstrual Cycle ; Menstruation ; Ovulation ; Ovulation Induction ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome* ; Testosterone ; Volatilization

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma(EH) is a low-grade tumor of vascular endothelial cell origin, which most commonly occur in the lower extremities of middle-aged patients with an equal gender distribution. It may occur on internal organs such as the liver or lung or bones. A 54-year-old woman who had a history of metastatic adenocarcinoma of unknown origin on the right inguinal lymph node, was presented to us because of a 1.0 x 1.0cm-sized and 2 x 2cm-sized two subcutaneous nodule on her right shin. On H & E stain, there were nests of round nucleated, polygonal, vacuolated cells, some of which contained fragmented erythrocytes. Factor VIII related antigen, CD31 was positive. A diagnosis of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma was established based on histologic, immunohistochemical studies. Wide excision was performed. There was no recurrence nor the development of new lesions so far.
Adenocarcinoma ; Diagnosis ; Endothelial Cells ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Hemangioendothelioma, Epithelioid* ; Humans ; Liver ; Lower Extremity ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; von Willebrand Factor

BACKGROUNDs: A retrospective study was performed to define objective radiologic parameters in diagnosing epiglottitis on soft-tissue lateral neck radiographic study. METHODS: Parameters of soft-tissue structures(epiglottis width, third vertebral body width, ratio of epiglottic width to third vertebral body width) in 30 adult patients compared with those of age and sex-matched controls with foreign body in throat whose radiographic reading was normal. RESULTS: Epiglottis width of more than 11mm, ratio of epiglottis width(EW) to the third vertebral body width(C3W) of more than 0.5 were, respectively, found to be 100% sensitive and specific in differentiating between patients with and without epiglottitis. CONCLUSION: These preliminary results suggest that EW/C3W ratio of more than 0.5, EW of more than 11mm, respectively, may be useful in the diagnosis of epiglottitis in adult patients.
Adult* ; Diagnosis* ; Epiglottis ; Epiglottitis* ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Neck ; Pharynx ; Retrospective Studies