BACKGOUND: Because heterogeneity of the human tyrosinase gene has been reported, it is of vital significance to know the correct nucleotide sequence of tyrosinase in Koreans in order to study the molecular basis of oculocutaneous albinism. OBJECTIVE: This study was done to analyze the nucleotide sequence of tyrosinase gene in Koreans. METHODS: All exons were amplified from genomic DNAs and sequenced directly from three healthy Koreans. RESULTS: The nucleotide sequence of the tyrosinase gene in Koreans encode 511 amino acids with a molecular weight of 58,000. CONCLUSION: The nucleotide sequence of coding region is the same with that of pHTrl(Shibahara et al. Tohoku J Exp Med 156: 403-414, 1988). As we couldn't observe any polymorphisms in Koreans these results suggested the homogeneity of Korean people.
Albinism, Oculocutaneous ; Amino Acids ; Base Sequence ; Clinical Coding ; DNA ; Exons ; Humans* ; Molecular Weight ; Monophenol Monooxygenase* ; Population Characteristics ; Sequence Analysis*

PURPOSE: We designed this study to determine the potentiality of the conventional CT in the diagnosis of submandibular gland lesions, especially in solving the diagnostic difficulty between neoplasm and inflammation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed retrospective study of 35 patients and 2 of them had bilateral lesion of chronic inflammation, hence we analysed 37 cases of submandibular gland lesions. There were 9 cases of tumor (including 1 basal cell carcinoma, and 8 pleomorphic adenomas), 22 cases of chronic inflammation, and 6 cases of acute inflammation. CT scans were evaluated for the degree of enlargement (graded as iso, mild or marked enlargement), pattern of contrast enhancement, contour deformity of the gland, and several other items. RESULTS: Neoplastic masses showed more marked enlargement of the gland (77%) than chronic inflammation (22%). Degree of enhancement showed no difference among the lesions. Enhancement pattern was more inhomogeneous in neoplasm (80%) than in chronic inflammation (5%). Deformity of the natural contour of the gland was more frequent in neoplasm (all of 9 cases) than in chronic inflammation (32%). Acute inflammation showed internal low attenuation probably by abscess formation (3/6 cases) and overlying soft tissue swelling (all of 6 cases), and the age of patients was characteristically younger than other diseases (mean, 9 years). Several findings were more specific to diseases, such as dystrophic calcifications to pleomorphic adenoma (37%) and calculi with or without ductal dilatation to chronic inflammation (45%). CONCLUSION: Pre and postcontrast enhanced CT scan can serve as a predictor of pathologic nature of the submandibular gland lesions.
Abscess ; Adenoma, Pleomorphic ; Calculi ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Dilatation ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Retrospective Studies ; Submandibular Gland* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: Clinical features of atopic dermatitis(AD) have been well described according to age in the English literature. In Korea there have been some reports about clinical analyses of AD. However, there is no report about the clinical characteristics of adult AD. OBJECTIVE: We tried to characterize the clinical features of adult AD by comparing them with the childhood/infantile type. In addition we aimed to study the prognostic factors that may be related to the persistence of dermatitis into adult life. METHODS: Patients with AD were divided into the adult and childhood/infantile types according to the patient's age. Sixty three adult patients were compared with 107 childhood/infantile patients. Various clinical characteristics of AD were compared between these groups. RESULTS: Orbital darkening, foot eczema, and extensor involvement were more frequently observed in the childhood/infantile type, whereas flexural lichenification, especially in the antecubital fossa, prurigo papules in the extensor part of the extremities, cheilitis, forehead lichenification, Hertoghe's sign, nipple eczema, and anterior neck fold involvement were more frequent in the adult type. Light sensitivity was more prominent in the adult type. Later age at onset of AD was observed in adult patients. The incidence of respiratory atopy (asthma and allergic rhinitis) was higher in the adult group. CONCLUSION: In the adult type flexural involvement with lichenification became more prominent and prurigo papules were more frequently observed in the extensor part of the extremities. Later onset of AD and association with respiratory atopy were considered to be bad prognostic factors.
Adult* ; Age of Onset ; Cheilitis ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Eczema ; Extremities ; Foot ; Forehead ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Neck ; Nipples ; Orbit ; Photophobia ; Prurigo

BACKGROUND: Recently the sensitive measurement of radiation damage to DNA using flowcytometric analysis of nucleoid preparations was reported which allows an analysis of damage within the DNA of single cells. We applied flowcytometric analysis of the nucleoids for the detection of DNA damage by UVB. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to establish the method of detecting UVB-induced damage of DNA by flowcytometry and to elucidate the usefulness of this method to detect cell damage. METHODS: Human melanoma cells were cultured and were irradiated with various of UVB. Immediately after UVB irradiation nucleoid suspensions were prepared and flowcytometric analysis was done. RESULTS: The changes in fluorescence, forward scatter, and side scatter reflected damage of DNA induced by UVB quite well especially at lower UVB doses. CONCLUSION: Flowcytometric analysis of nucleoid will be a useful methosd to detect DNA damage by UVB.
DNA ; DNA Damage ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Melanoma ; Methods ; Suspensions ; Ultraviolet Rays*

Mullerian Mucinous papillary Cyatadenernas of Borderline tumor(MMBT) is lined by mucinous epithelium of endocervical type and is characterized by papillae architecturally similer to those of serous horderline tumors, It has been described rarely in the literature, Thia case was reported with a brief review of the concerened literatures. It has important clinical and pathological diBerences from mucinous birderline tumors with intestinal differentiation, but has many similatities to mixed epithelial borderline tumora of Mulierian type. Recently, a case of MMBT in a 22 years old woman was experienced at our department. We presented this case with a brief review of literature.
Cystadenoma, Papillary* ; Epithelium ; Female ; Humans ; Mucins* ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Humans ; Scleroderma, Localized*

The accessory ovary can be defined as an extraovarian tissue that is located near the normal ovaries and is connected to the broad ligament, infundibulopelvic ligament or utero-ovarian ligament. It has very rarely been reported. The majority was found during abdominopelvic surgeries for any other purposes, because they were usually small and less than 1 cm in diameter adn gave no particular symptoms related simply to their presence. We reported a case of accessory ovary in which developed a simple cyst of a largest diameter of 12 cm, and discussed the significance of the accessory ovary in clinical and pathological aspects.
Cysts

BACKGROUND: Gamma linoleic acid (GLA, Epogam) is considered a safe and effective modality in the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) in which impaired function of the enzyme, delta-6-desaturase, has been reported to result in reduced levels of GLA, desaturated fatty acids. OBJECTIVE: We performed this study to observe the changes of skin surface conditions measured objectively by bioengineering methods in relation to clinical improvement after treatment with GLA (Epogam®) in children with AD. METHODS: Thirty-four children with AD were treated with GLA (Epogam®) and evaluated with clinical parameters.The changes of skin surface conditions were monitored by non-invasive experimental instruments. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and gradual improvements in clinical severity after 12 weeks of GLA (Epogam®) treatment. The change of skin surface pH was statistically significant on the antecubital fossa and abdomen except the popliteal fossa. The other parameters including skin surface hydration and skin surface lipid did not show consistent changes. CONCLUSION: Clinical improvement of AD with GLA (Epogam) seemed to be achieved by the reduction of TEWL.
Abdomen ; Bioengineering ; Child ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Fatty Acids ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Linoleic Acid* ; Linoleoyl-CoA Desaturase ; Skin* ; Water

The concurrence of typical carcinoid admixed with adenocarcinoma of the gastrointestinal tract is a well known but unusual phenomenom that has been reported in the esophagus, stomach, gall bladder, colon and appendix. The amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation (APUD) concept included the idea that neuroendocrine cells of the gastrointestinal tract were dervied from the neural crest by a process of migration during embryogenesis. However the intimate admixture of cells which have morphologic and immunocytochemical properties of both carcinoid tumors and adenocarcinoma suggests that these tumors are derived from a multipotential stem cell showing bidirectional differentiation rather than from unrelated cell lines. The term composite carcinoma-carcinoid tumor is therefore an appropriate designation for these neoplasms. We report a case of composite carcinoma-carcinoid tumor of the stomach in a 38 year-old female with brief review of literature.
Female ; Humans ; Adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND: The wound healing process is impaired or delayed in aged patients. The development of a new wound healing model is needed. Nerve growth factor (NGF) plays a special role in wound healing because NGF is expressed only in proliferating tissues such as wounds. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to develop a wound healing model using a 3-dimensional culture system, raft culture, by comparing the level of NGF expression according to the wound stage after an artificial wound was made to the raft samples. We tried to specifically localize the site of NGF expression both in mRNA and protein level. METHODS: Raft culture using normal human keratinocytes was done and a 2 mm slit wound was made in the center of the raft samples. Raft samples of no wound, 4 d, 7 d, and 9 d after wounding were prepared. In situ RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were performed to detect and localize NGF expression after making wounds and the addition of substance P (SP). RESULTS: We failed to localize NGF mRNA expression in raft samples by in situ RT-PCR. Immunohistochemistry showed NGF staining throughout the epidermis although a little more dense staining was found in the basal layer. NGF(+) cells tended to increase until 7 d after wounding, but there were no significant differences according to the wounding days. There was `a tendency that the SP(+) group showed more NGF(+) cells than the SP(-) group, but there were no statistical differences. CONCLUSION: We think that our in vitro raft wound model using NGF expression could be used, at least in part, as an objective indicator for wound healing. In our raft model lacking nerve, NGF may not be suitable for representing wound healing process because this model can not reflect the interaction between the skin and the nervous system. Expression of growth factors or cytokines other than NGF need to be applied to our raft culture system.
Cytokines ; Epidermis ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Keratinocytes ; Nerve Growth Factor ; Nervous System ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin ; Substance P ; Wound Healing* ; Wounds and Injuries*