BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma is the second most common cause of death among cancers in Korea. Epidemiological studies have revealed the carrier state of the hepatitis B virus and the dietary intake of aflatoxin B1 as possible causative agents of this neoplasm, but the precise molecular bases are still unknown. METHODS: We examined 24 cases of human hepatocellular carcinomas in Koreans for the presence of p53 aberrations in exons 4 to 9 of the gene by using single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products. RESULTS: Four (17%) of the tumors demonstrated a SSCP band shift, 1 in exon 6 and 3 in exon 7. All of the abnormal DNA fragments were further characterized by direct DNA sequencing. All the mutations were missense mutations. One was an A to G transition at the second nucleotide of codon 214; 2 were G to T transversions at the second nucleotide of codon 245; and one was a G to T transversion at the third nucleotide of codon 249, a mutational 'hot spot' at which mutations have been frequently found, especially when aflatoxin B1 plays an important role in the hepatocarcinogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the possibility of aflatoxin B1 being a causative agent of hepatocarcinogenesis in Korea can not be excluded.
Aflatoxin B1 ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Carrier State ; Cause of Death ; Codon ; DNA ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Exons ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor* ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Korea ; Mutation, Missense ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

Spondylolisthesis, named by Kilian in 1854, is a major cause of low back pain and numerous methods were designed for its treatment. The 80 cases out of 132 spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis were analysed and evaluated the result cf their treatment. The results are summerized as follows. 1. The most common type of spondylolisthesis was isthmic type (58 cases, 72.5%). 2. The most common site of incidence was L5 and L4, L3 were next to it. 3. All of the dysplastic type were in L5, isthmic type were in L3, L4 and the degenerative type were most common in L4, and followed L5,L3 consecutively. 4. The 67 cases out of 80 were treated conservatively and rest of cases had operative care with six cases of anterior fusion and seven cases of posterior fusion. 5. The results of tretment was evaluated and graded more than good in all cases of operative care and 51 cases (76.2%) in conservative management.
Incidence ; Low Back Pain ; Spondylolisthesis ; Spondylolysis

The mechanism of back pain arising from change in intervertebral disc has not been clearly defined. So that the diagnosis and treatment were variable. The 26 cases of herniated intervertebral discs, treated by surgically, were analysed and evaluated as follows. 1 In 26 cases of herniated intervertebral discs, 18 cases (69%) were male and 8 cases (31%) was female. 2. The most common age group was 30 to 40 years old. 3. The most common site of incidence was L4-5 with 15 cases (57%) and L5-S1 10 cases (38%). 4. The over all followup result to surgical treatment was evaluated as 80% (21 cases) in excellent & good. 5. The end results correlated with myelographic findings was that the lateral indentation and asymmetry of nerve sleeve sleeve groups were better than the hour-glass appearance group.
Back Pain ; Clinical Study ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intervertebral Disc ; Male

Primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis comprises macular, papular and rare nodular amyloidosis. Macular and papular amyloidosis are considered as different manifestations of the same disease process and can occur in the same patient, which is known as biphasic amyloidosis. Although most cases of primary cutaneous amyloidosis occur sporadically, some cases have been reported to have familial incidence with papular, biphasic or rarely macular amyloidosis. We report a case of a family in which a mother and her son have brown hyperkeratotic pruritic papules on both upper and lower extremities. The skin lesions initially began as macules on the shins in the second or third decade, but gradually spread with increasing papules and pigmentation. They had no kind of manifestation suggesting systemic amyloidosis. A skin biopsy specimen disclosed amyloid deposition in papillary dermis.
Amyloidosis* ; Biopsy ; Dermis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lower Extremity ; Mothers ; Pigmentation ; Plaque, Amyloid ; Skin

Primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis comprises macular, papular and rare nodular amyloidosis. Macular and papular amyloidosis are considered as different manifestations of the same disease process and can occur in the same patient, which is known as biphasic amyloidosis. Although most cases of primary cutaneous amyloidosis occur sporadically, some cases have been reported to have familial incidence with papular, biphasic or rarely macular amyloidosis. We report a case of a family in which a mother and her son have brown hyperkeratotic pruritic papules on both upper and lower extremities. The skin lesions initially began as macules on the shins in the second or third decade, but gradually spread with increasing papules and pigmentation. They had no kind of manifestation suggesting systemic amyloidosis. A skin biopsy specimen disclosed amyloid deposition in papillary dermis.
Amyloidosis* ; Biopsy ; Dermis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lower Extremity ; Mothers ; Pigmentation ; Plaque, Amyloid ; Skin

Squamous cell carcinoma of the nail bed is a low grade, slowly progressive, malignant neoplasm. A 66-year-old man had nail lesion on his right thumbnail for two years. After partial nail avulsion, an incisional biopsy was done. The histologic diagnosis was a squamous cell carcinoma. A radiological examination of digit was normal and no lymphadenopathy was palpable. The lesion was totally excised and surgical defect of nail bed was reconstructed by dermal graft. There was no recurrence of tumor till one year after surgery and out-look of nail recovered almost normal. When the underlying malignancy is suspected, it is necessary to examine the nail bed after partial nail avulsion. And application of dermal graft may be useful procedure for regeneration of nail plate when there is a large nail bed defect after excision.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Recurrence ; Regeneration ; Transplants*

Squamous cell carcinoma of the nail bed is a low grade, slowly progressive, malignant neoplasm. A 66-year-old man had nail lesion on his right thumbnail for two years. After partial nail avulsion, an incisional biopsy was done. The histologic diagnosis was a squamous cell carcinoma. A radiological examination of digit was normal and no lymphadenopathy was palpable. The lesion was totally excised and surgical defect of nail bed was reconstructed by dermal graft. There was no recurrence of tumor till one year after surgery and out-look of nail recovered almost normal. When the underlying malignancy is suspected, it is necessary to examine the nail bed after partial nail avulsion. And application of dermal graft may be useful procedure for regeneration of nail plate when there is a large nail bed defect after excision.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Recurrence ; Regeneration ; Transplants*

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of the femoral attachment points of the graft and knee flexion angles at the time of graft fixation on stability of posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. We analyzed the posterior stability of the knee on 23 patients(24 knees) with posterior cruciate ligament injury whose posterior cruciate ligament had been reconstructed arthroscopically and followed for minimum 1 year period at Asan Medical Center from May 1992 to June 1994. The patients were divided into the two groups according to femoral attachment points of the graft and knee flexion angles at the time of graft fixation. The distance from the junction of the intercondylar notch with trochlear groove of the femoral attachment points and knee flexion angles were 11mm and 0°-30° in group A and 7mm and 70°-90° in group B, respectively. 11 knees were included in group A and 13 knees in group B. Posterior stability was determined by difference in posterior tibial translation between the injured and the opposite knee with Telos device. In group A, 5 cases were at the range of 0-2mm, 3 cases 3-5 mm, 3 cases 6-10mm. In group B, 10 cases were at the range of 0-2mm and 3 cases 3-5mm, respectively. Differences in posterior tibial translation on average were 3.6mm and 1.7mm in group A and B, respectively. Conclusively, arthroscopic postrior cruciate ligament reconstruction with femoral attachment point at 7mm from the junction of interconlylar notch with trochlear groove and 70°
Chungcheongnam-do ; Humans ; Knee ; Ligaments ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament ; Transplants

Blood pressures and heart rates were recorded with Twin-Viso (Sanborn, USA) for comparative estimations of cardiovascular responses by injection of intravenous anesthetic agents-2.5% solution of Pentothal Sodium (Abbott Laboratory, USA) and Thiotal (Samsung Pharmaceutical Co., ROK) mongrel dogs. Dogs were evaluated the hepatic function by biochemical studies of blood such as total protein, albumin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, thymol turbidity test, alkaline phosphatase, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGOT). Liver biopsies were performed in dogs for identifications of hepatic darnages by injection of the above barbiturates, The following results were observed: 1) It was observed the remarkable negative inotropic effect in myocardium of the mongrel dogs intravenously injected with 20 mg/kg of the above barbiturates for three minutes (Table 7, Fig. 8) 2) It was noted slight negative inotropic effect in mongrel dogs intravenously injected with 10 mg/ kg of the above barbiturates for thirty seconds (Table 8, Fig. 8). 3) It was more shorter recovery time from negative inotropic effects in mongrel dogs injected with Thiotal than in the dogs injected with Pentothal Sodium. 4) It was noted no significant changes in pathological studies of Hematoxylin-Eosin stained liver specimen and liver function studies of the blood by biochemical analysis in mongrel dogs intravenously injected everyday with 10 mg/kg of the above barbiturates. 5) It was noted slight changes in mongrel dogs injected with 20 mg/kg of the above barbiturates on TTT, Alkaline Phosphatase, SGOT and SGPT as biochemical analysis in comparing with controI values. These values, however, were not concided with the pathological findings of HematoxyIin-Eosin stained liver biopsy specimen. The facts explain to be inquired into further investigations in the pathological and biochemical aspect.
Alanine Transaminase ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Barbiturates ; Bilirubin ; Biopsy ; Dogs ; Heart Rate ; Liver ; Myocardium ; Sodium ; Thiopental* ; Thymol

Pneumothorax associated with thoracic endometriosis is a rare clinical entity and it is called catamenial pneumothorax if the recurrence of pneumothorax is related to the period of menstruation. Several hypotheses about its pathogenesis are suggested including spontaneous rupture of the bulla, endometrial implants of the visceral pleura, and passage of air from the genital tract through endometrial fenestration of the diaphragm. Pneumothorax is associated with chest pain and dyspnea within 72 hours of the onset of menses in young women and developed usually at right side. We report a case of 32-year-old woman who had bilateral pneumothorax and thoracic endometriosis confirmed histopathologically in the visceral pleura by thoracotomy.
Adult ; Chest Pain ; Diaphragm ; Dyspnea ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Menstruation ; Pleura ; Pneumothorax* ; Recurrence ; Rupture, Spontaneous ; Thoracotomy