Recently, surmountable amounts of genes are being cloned without information about them and it has become neccessary to develop new techniques for discovering genes with more informaiion like as chromosomal location and possible functions. We have developed one such a method and applied it to search for genes that may be related with the neural development. The mRNAs were extracted from cerebral cortex of 18 week old human fetus, cDNAs were made by reverse transcription from these mRNAs and Uni-amp cDNAs having Uni-amp adapters at both ends were made for subsequent PCR. To observe the distribution of the Uni-amp cDNAs on the chromosome, fluorescent in situ hybridization was performed with biotin labeled Uni-amp cDNAs. Among the chromosome bands showing strong hybridization with the cDNAs, 7q22 was microdissected from the chromosome hybridized with unlabeled Uni-amp cDNAs and amplified by PCR with Uni-amp primers. These amplified cDNA fragment were subcloned to vectors and the nucleic acid sequences were analysed. As a result, 46 different clones were obtained. They were categorized as 12 clones of well characterized genes, 14 clones showing low homology with known genes, 13 clones of simply registered uncharacterized human cDNAs, 7 clones of unknown genes. In situ hybridization histochemistry of 34 novel genes, except 12 known genes, were performed on developing and adult rat tissue sections to see the tissue specificity and developmental expression of these genes. The expression of several novel genes were restricted to the nervous system. From these results, it may be suggested that our technique is very useful to clone the genes expressed in the developing human braine with confirmed chromosomal location. In addition, this cloning technique can be used to discover the new genes related with neural development in combination with functional screening methods.
Adult ; Animals ; Biotin ; Brain ; Cerebral Cortex ; Clone Cells ; Cloning, Organism ; DNA, Complementary* ; Fetus ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Mass Screening ; Microdissection ; Nervous System ; Organ Specificity ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rats ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA, Messenger

Renal cell carcinoma, intimately associated with a sarcomatous component, is a rare malignant renal tumor. There is disagreement whether these represent true sarcomas or are sarcomatoid metaplasia. Therefore, this sarcomatous component is at times still a troublesome problem for pathologists. In March, 1986, we experienced a case of renal cell carcinoma associated with rhabdomyosarcomatous component in 47 year-old woman who had a rapidly enlarged, palpable abdominal mass. Grossly, a spherical renal cell carcinoma, 17x14x10 cm, in upper and middle portions of the right kidney showed extension through the renal capsule into the perirenal fat. Area of myxoid change was evident in the reanl cell carcinoma, with extensive hemorrhagic necrosis. Microscopically, in the myxoid area, there was malignant spindle cell proliferation in which many rhabdomyoblasts showing distinct cross striation could be demonstrated. This rhabdomyosarcomatous component intermixed with renal cell carcinoma of clear cell type could be also identified in the focal area.
Female ; Humans

PURPOSE: To evaluate value of post-contrast 3-Dimensional fat suppressed Spoiled GRASS (FS SPGR) in detectiong subtle bony erosion and tenosynovitis of hands and wrists due to early rheumatoid arthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen MR iraagings of the hands and wrists were performed in 7 early rheu- matoid arthritis without any abnormalities in plain radiography and in 7 healthy volunteers. All subjects underwent MR sequence of coronal 3D FS SPGR with and without contrast enhancornear in 1.5T MR unit. We evaluated the number of the bony erosion and tenosynovitis respectively in pre- and post-contrast FS SPGR images. RESULTS: The abnormal enhancing areas were not demonstrated in 7 healthy volunteers. Seven patients had 25 bony erosions in pre-contrast FS SPGR and 52 bony erosions with tenosynovitis (n=10) in post-contrast FS SPGR. Enhancing joint spaces were shown in 8 cases CONCLUSION: Post-contrast FS SPGR was better than pre-contrast FS SPGR in the evaluation of early rheumaotid arthritis and is valuable as a baseline study.
Arthritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Hand ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Joints ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Poaceae ; Radiography ; Tenosynovitis ; Wrist

BACKGROUND: Impairment of relaxing response and augmentation of contractile response to vasoactive substances have been reported in atherosclerotic arteries. These alterations in vascular reactivity are considered as an underlying mechanism for the development of acute vasospasm in atherosclerotic coronary artery. Recently, it has been reported that lysophophatidylcholine (LPC), an oxidative metabolite of low density lipoprotein causes this functional abnormality. However, the precise mechanism of LPC induced change of vascular reactivity is still uncertain. METHOD: In this study, to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of abnormal vascular reactivity in atherosclerotic coronary artery, we examined the effect of LPC on whole cell K+current using patch clamping technique in rabbit coronary smooth muscle cells. RESULTS: Application of LPC(1microM) showed dual effect on whole cell outward current which depends on the magnitude of test potentials. At relatively high depolarizing test potentials (> 10 mV), LPC increased amplitude of outward current which was blocked by Gd3+ not by iberiotoxin (100 nM) and TEA (1 mM). Reversal potential of this Gd3+sensitive, LPC-induced current was -9.7 +/- 0.6 mV. At less depolarizing test potentials (< 10 mV), LPC decreased whole cell K+currents in a dose dependent manner (from 0.01 to 10 microM) in the range of -30 mV to +0 mV. Half maximal inhibition of K+current was 1.509 microM at 0 mV test potential (n =5). Depolarizing holding potential (0 mV) prevented this LPC-induced inhibition of K+current. Steady state activation and inactivation parameters of K+current were significantly shifted to the positive direction by application of LPC (p < 0.01, n =8). Pretreatment of staurosporine (100 nM), a blocker of protein kinase C partially blocked LPC-induced decrease of K+currents. CONCLUSION: LPC-induced inhibition of voltage dependent K+current may explain abnormal vascular reactivity in atherosclerotic coronary artery.
Arteries ; Constriction ; Coronary Vessels ; Lipoproteins ; Lysophosphatidylcholines* ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle* ; Protein Kinase C ; Staurosporine ; Tea

To identify strategies to prevent sexual problems in teenage girls, respondents in this study answered two open-ended questions: "What are strategies for teenage school girls to prevent unwanted coitus?" and "What are strategies for teenage girls to prevent pregnancy?" The respondents were 12,733 girls from an accessible population of 19,000, a multi-stage cluster sample from a population of 1,988,902 girls attending 4,684 schools in the seven largest cities and nine provinces in Korea. Data were collected by mail between October 2 and October 28, 2000. The response rate was 68.9%. The total number of responses for the first question was 10,345, and for the second, 9,624. Data were analyzed by content analysis. The results of this study are: 1. According to priority, frequent strategies to prevent unwanted coitus were, self assertiveness (35.7%), heterosexual interaction training (24.6%), sex education (21.2%), and innovations in the system of social culture (4.7%). The order of priority was the same whether the respondents had experienced coitus or not. 2. According to priority, frequent strategies to prevent pregnancy were, heterosexual interaction training (27.4%), sex education (26.2%), contraceptive use and induced abortion (21.4%), and innovations in the system of social culture (3.2%). The first priority for the respondents who had not experienced coitus was heterosexual interaction training (27.7%) but contraceptive use (35.5%) was the first priority for the group who had experienced coitus. In sex education, a focus on contraceptive use for teenage girls who have experienced coitus and on heterosexual interaction training for those who have not, would strengthen preventive strategies for these two sexual problems. Assertiveness training as part of sex education would further strengthen prevention strategies.
Abortion, Induced ; Assertiveness ; Coitus ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Female* ; Heterosexuality ; Humans ; Korea* ; Postal Service ; Pregnancy ; Sex Education

BACKGROUND: A hand hygiene policy has been introduced by the Joint Commission International Accreditation Standards for Hospitals (JCI); the purpose of this policy is to ensure that systematic standards are continuously practiced at hospitals in order to improve the quality of medical care and the safety of patients and health care workers. This policy requires that phlebotomists wear new gloves and disinfect their hands before attending a patient to prevent nosocomial infections and to protect the phlebotomists. This study aimed to assess the responses of patients and guardians regarding the hand hygiene procedures. METHODS: Between January and February 2010, a questionnaire survey was performed at our hospital for 310 outpatients, 93 inpatients, and 189 guardians. RESULTS: In all, 70.8% of respondents answered that phlebotomists did not require considerable time to remove and wear gloves, and 69.9% responded that phlebotomists could readily detect veins even with their gloves on. Besides, 81.9% respondents thought that it was sanitarily important for phlebotomists to remove their gloves and disinfect their hands after a venipuncture, whereas only 2.8% thought that this practice caused discomfort. CONCLUSION: The patients and guardians recognized that the hand hygiene procedures were important for their own safety and encouraged their application rather than considering them uncomfortable or inappropriate. Introduction and maintenance of the hand hygiene policy of JCI would not be difficult because patients or guardians recognized its importance.
Accreditation ; Cross Infection ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Delivery of Health Care ; Dietary Sucrose ; Gloves, Protective ; Hand ; Hand Disinfection ; Hand Hygiene ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Joints ; Outpatients ; Phlebotomy ; Veins

No abstract available.
Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome* ; Pregnancy*

Endothelial to mesenchymal transition(EndMT) plays a major role during organism development, and also contributes to several adult cardiovascular diseases.EndMT-derived fibroblast-like cells are common in atherosclerotic lesions.Pro-atherosclerosis factors, such as oxidative stress, hypoxia, inflammatory cytokines and oscillatory fluid shear stress can promote EndMT.EndMT is closely associated with plaque calcification, and unstable and ruptured plaque phenotype that may prone to cause clinical events.EndMT may be another key step in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.Here, we reviewed the role played by endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition(EndMT) and its key regulators in atherosclerosis.

No abstract available.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Carcinoma, Papillary* ; Giant Cells* ; Thyroid Gland*