PURPOSE: Telomeres are specialized structures containing unique (TTAGGGG) repeats at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes that are thought to be important in the protection and replication of chro mosomes. Lagging strand DNA synthesis at the end of linear chromosomes cannot be complieted (referred to as the end-replication problem), and this results in the progressive shortening of telomeric repeats with each cell division. This shortening of telomeres has been proposed as the mitotic clock, and when telomeres are sufficiently short, may contribute to replicative cellular senescence in cells. The enzyme telomerase permits the de novo synthesis of telomeric DNA into chromosomal ends. Apoptosis is physiologic cell death and prevent cancerous transformation of cell. METHODS: We measured the telome rase activity with the use of a PCR-based telomerase assay and apoptosis, in 10 superficial gastritis and 13 gastric cancer patients. RESULTS: Telomerase activity was present in 70% of the gastric cancer patient and in 92.7% of the superficial gastritis patients (P=0.171). Apoptosis was present in 0% of the gastric cancer patients, and in 80% of the superficial gastritis patients (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: Telomerase activity was detected in and cancer and inflammatory tissue. Although there is progressive cellular division due to telomerase activity, cancerous transformations are prevented by apoptosis.
Apoptosis* ; Cell Aging ; Cell Death ; Cell Division ; DNA ; Gastritis* ; Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Telomerase* ; Telomere

PURPOSE: We wanted to evaluate the normal glenoid size of Koreans in their 7th and 8th decades by conducting Computed tomographic (CT) studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The CT images were obtained from the normal scapulae of the patients (mean age: 68.8) who had humeral fracture. A display workstation version 2.0.73.315 was used to measure the scans to determine the maximal superoinferior (SI) and anteroposterior (AP) diameters of the glenoid vault. RESULTS: The average diameters of curvature of the glenoid were 31.2 mm (range: 27 to 34 mm) in the superior-inferior direction and 26.1mm (range: 22 to 31mm) in the anterior-posterior direction. CONCLUSION: This study showed the normal glenoid size of Koreans and it is different from the size that the international literature reported. It should be an important factor for the treatment of fracture or in designing arthroplasty implants.
Arthroplasty ; Humans ; Humeral Fractures ; Scapula ; Shoulder

PURPOSE: In spite of many published reports about the primary gastrointcstinal lymphoma in Korea, the majority of them unfortunately involved a small number of patients with diverse results conceming treatment, patient survival, and prognostic factors. There also were few reports mainly focusing on primary intestinal lymphoma alone. Therefore we studied the patient-survival and prognostic factors in 52 cases of intestinal lymphomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed fifty two patients who received treatment due to primary intestinal lymphoma at Severance hospital, from January 1980 to June 1995. RESULTS: The intestinal lymphomas were located in descending order of frequency at the terminal ileum, i1eocecal region, right colon, and the jejunum. The most common histologic type was diffuse large cell type and the majority showed an intermediate grade of differentiation. The average survival time was 40.7 months with a 5 year survival rate of 41.4%. The overall and complete remission rate of the intestinal lymphoma were 76.2%, 64.3%, respectively. Additional chemotherapy or radiotherapy to surgery improved remission rate. The overall 5 year survival rates were 50.4%, 47.3%, 33.3%, and 25.0% in stage I, II1, II2 and III~IV, respectively. The 5 year survival rate after curative resection was 57.0% and 16.6% after incomplete resection. The significant prognostic factors were residual tumor, site of the lesion, multiplicity, and adjacent organ invasion. However, the site of the lesion alone (worst in the jejunum) was the sole independent variable on multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: We concluded that early diagnosis and curative resection were important to improve survival rates in the primary intestinal lymphoma. More number of such cases are needed for further comparison of various treatment methods and results.
Colon ; Drug Therapy ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Ileum ; Jejunum ; Korea ; Lymphoma* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Radiotherapy ; Survival Rate

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Colorectal adenomas that are > or =10 mm have villous histology or high-grade dysplasia, or that are associated with > or =3 adenomas are considered high-risk for metachronous advanced neoplasia. We evaluated the cumulative incidence of metachronous advanced neoplasia according to the total number of high-risk findings detected on baseline colonoscopy. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study performed in 862 patients who underwent removal of colorectal adenomas between 2005 and 2009. At least one surveillance colonoscopy had been conducted at Konkuk University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. RESULTS: The cumulative incidence of metachronous advanced neoplasia in patients with 0, 1, 2, and 3-4 high-risk findings at 1 year were 0.7%, 1.3%, 2.8%, and 8.0%; at 3 years, those were 5.9%, 11.9%, 15.5%, and 24.7%; and at 5 years, those were 8.5%, 18.7%, 26.3%, and 37.2%, respectively. In a multivariate model, the risk of metachronous advanced neoplasia was significantly higher for the multiple high-risk findings group when compared with the 0 high-risk findings group (1 high-risk (+): hazard ratio, 1.86 [95% confidence interval, 1.00-3.44]; 2 high-risk (+): 1.84 [0.88-3.84]; and 3-4 high-risk (+): 3.29 [1.54-7.01]; ptrend=0.020). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of overlapping multiple high-risk findings was associated with an increased risk of advanced neoplasia during surveillance.
Adenoma/epidemiology/*etiology/pathology ; Aged ; Colonic Polyps/complications/surgery ; *Colonoscopy ; Colorectal Neoplasms/epidemiology/*etiology/pathology ; Early Detection of Cancer/methods ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Grading ; Neoplasms, Second Primary/epidemiology/*etiology/pathology ; Population Surveillance/methods ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Time Factors ; Tumor Burden

To assess the change of nitric oxide(NO) concentration according to photorefractive keratectomy(PRK) depth and the role of NO in cataractohenesis after excimer laser PRK. The treated 36 rabbits were divided into 12 groups according to PRK depth(-3.0, -7.0, -11.0 diopter [0]), the dates of sampling(the 1st day and the 7th day after PRK), and reatment of NOS inhibitor (NG-nitro-L-arginine methylester, L-NAME). NO concentration and superoxide dismutase(SOD) activity in the aqueous humor and malondialdehyde(MDA) concentration in the lens were measured. Changes of lens epithelium were examined by eletron microscopy on the 3rd day and the 6th day after -11.0D of PRK. The NO and MDA concentration in the group without L-NAME treatment on the 1st day after -11.0D of PRK were significantly higher than those in the L-NAME treated group and control group. The activity of SOD increased in all of the PRK treated group on the 1st day and was even higher on the 7th day. The histopathological changes of lens epithelium on the 3rd day after PRK were compatible with cellular necrosis and those of the 6th day after PRK were compatible with cellular reparing. The results suggested that the toxicity of NO after PRK correcting over -11.0D may a role in cataractogenesis, but the progress could be suppressed by treatment of NOS inhibitor.
Aqueous Humor ; Epithelium ; Lasers, Excimer ; Malondialdehyde ; Microscopy ; Necrosis ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Nitric Oxide* ; Photorefractive Keratectomy* ; Rabbits ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Superoxides

Macrodystrophia lipomatosa is a congenital macrodactyly characterized by progressive overgrowth of all the mesenchymal elements of a digit or digits with a disproportionate increase in the fibroadipose tissue. We reported a case of macrodystrophia lipomatosa of the foot, which is a rare case, and reviewed the literatures.
Fingers ; Foot ; Limb Deformities, Congenital

PURPOSE: The clinical benefits of intravesical electrical stimulation (IVES), in patients with increased residual urine or reduced bladder capacity, have been reported. However, studies on the underlying mechanism of IVES have been limited to the Adelta afferent in healthy rats. This study investigated the changes in the calcitonin gene- related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) expressions, in the lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and the bladder of spinalized rats, to determine the effect of IVES on the C fiber afferent nerve. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into normal controls (n=10); IVES treated normal rats (n=10); spinalized rats (n=10) and IVES treated spinalized rats (n=10). The IVES was performed for 2 weeks (5 days a week), 3 weeks after the spinalization in the spinalized animals. All animals had their DRG removed at the lumbosacral (L5-S1) level. Changes in the CGRP and SP, at the DRG and bladder, were measured by western-blot analysis. RESULTS: The relative density of the CGRP and SP following spinalization was significantly higher than those in the controls in both the DRG and the bladder. However, IVES in the spinalized rat significantly decreased the relative density of the SP, in both the DRG and the bladder, compared to the rats with spinalization alone. IVES in the spinalized rats significantly decreased the relative density of the CGRP, in the DRG only, compared to the rats with spinalization. CONCLUSIONS: IVES significantly reduced the CGRP and SP levels in the DRG of spinalized rats, but only the SP levels in the bladder. CGRP and SP are the main factors contributing to the hyper-excitability of the micturition reflex following spinal cord injury. These results suggest that the bladder C fiber afferents are also involved in modulating the micturition reflex with IVES.
Animals ; Calcitonin ; Diagnosis-Related Groups ; Electric Stimulation* ; Ganglia, Spinal ; Humans ; Nerve Fibers, Unmyelinated ; Neuropeptides* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reflex ; Specific Gravity ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Substance P ; Urinary Bladder* ; Urination ; Visceral Afferents

This study was performed to investigate the amount of IL-1beta & NO in tear film after Excimer laser PRK and to determine whether NO induces cytotoxicity associated with apoptosis of keratocytes. Twelve myopes underwent PRK and were divided into 3 groups according to spherical equivalent. IL-1beta and NO production were measured at preop and postop 1, 4, 7 days, and expression of NOS and apoptosis of keratocytes were evaluated in the corneas of rats at 2 days after PRK. IL-1beta and NO production were significantly increased at postop 1 day(p<0.01) and then gradually decreased to preop levels at postop 7 days. The corneas of rats at 2 days after PTK revealed increased expression of NOS(iNOS, bNOS) and increased apoptosis of keratocytes in stroma of cornea. The degree of corneal opacity and NO production at postop 1 days were increased, positively correlated to ablation depth. It is suggested that NO production induced by IL-1beta may be related with apoptosis of keratocyte, which can influence on the corneal opacity after PRK.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cornea ; Corneal Opacity ; Interleukin-1beta* ; Lasers, Excimer* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Photorefractive Keratectomy* ; Rats ; Tears*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The change of pH in the external auditory canal (EAC) is an important factor in the pathogenesis of otitis externa. However, there is a lack of study focused in this area. Thus, we investigated the differences in the pH in the EAC between several different patient groups of otitis externa and the control group. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: There were 100 patients with otitis externa and 150 normal controls participated in this study. Patients with otitis externa were divided into 3 groups; acute or subacute infective otitis externa, chronic infective otitis externa and chronic allergic otitis externa. The pH of the EAC was measured in otitis externa patients and control subjects on their first visit. RESULTS: The mean EAC pH of the normal control subjects was significantly higher than that of the skin of other parts of the body. The pH difference among the 3 patient groups was statistically significant (the pH of acute or subacute infective otitis externa=6.83+/-0.64; the pH of chronic infective otitis externa=6.16+/-0.67 and the pH of chronic allergic otitis externa=5.78+/-0.59). CONCLUSION: The change in the pH of EAC can be considered as a predisposing factor of otitis externa. We quantified the level of pH at the EAC among three groups of otitis externa patients, and the results showed that the pH difference among the three patient groups was statistically significant. This study warrants a further investigation focusing on the proper choice of eardrops for otitis externa patients according to their pH at the EAC.
Aminocaproic Acids ; Ear Canal ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Otitis ; Otitis Externa ; Skin

PURPOSE: To investigate the improvement in balance after TKA and the difference of balance between posterior cruciate ligament retaining & posterior cruciate ligament substituting prostheses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-six patients scheduled to undergo TKA were randomly assigned to receive either PCL-retaining or PCL-substituting prosthesis. The balance of the subjects were checked prior to and at least six months after the operation by computerized dynamic posturography. We investigated whether the balance improve and the difference of change between the implants. RESULTS: Patients showed significantly the improvement of balance by the knee proprioception after TKA (p<0.05) during intercepting visual compensation and the more HSS Knee score improve, the more its balance improve (p<0.05, r=0.667). But the difference of balance between the implants was not detected significantly (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The balance by the proprioception improves as the HSS Knee Score increases after TKA, and does not show the difference between the implants.
Compensation and Redress ; Humans ; Knee ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament ; Proprioception ; Prostheses and Implants