A central question to the pathogenesis of leprosy is how Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy, survives and replicates within macrophages. 18-kDa protein of M. leprae, a major antigen, is found in solely M.leprae and contains T-cell antigenic epitopes and has been implicated in survival of M. leprae within macrophages and ultimately in pathogenesis. The latter is supported further by a recent finding that 18-kDa gene is activated during intracellular growth. To further understand M. leprae-specific 18-kDa gene expression regulation mechanism during intracellular growth, the present studies have been undertaken. To examine the presence of a regulatory sequence(s) in the promoter of 18-kDa gene and its binding factor(s) in M. leprae cell lysate, a gel mobility shift assay was performed. A 350-bp sequence containing the promoter of 18-kDa gene resulted in a protein-DNA complex formation with increasing amounts of M. leprae crude lysate. However, the protein-DNA complex formation was not detected in the presence of a nonspecific carrier, salmon sperm DNA.
DNA ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Epitopes ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Leprosy ; Macrophages ; Mycobacterium leprae ; Salmon ; Spermatozoa ; T-Lymphocytes

A central question to the pathogenesis of leprosy is how Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy, survives and replicates within macrophages. 18-kDa protein of M. leprae, a major antigen, is found in solely M.leprae and contains T-cell antigenic epitopes and has been implicated in survival of M. leprae within macrophages and ultimately in pathogenesis. The latter is supported further by a recent finding that 18-kDa gene is activated during intracellular growth. To further understand M. leprae-specific 18-kDa gene expression regulation mechanism during intracellular growth, the present studies have been undertaken. To examine the presence of a regulatory sequence(s) in the promoter of 18-kDa gene and its binding factor(s) in M. leprae cell lysate, a gel mobility shift assay was performed. A 350-bp sequence containing the promoter of 18-kDa gene resulted in a protein-DNA complex formation with increasing amounts of M. leprae crude lysate. However, the protein-DNA complex formation was not detected in the presence of a nonspecific carrier, salmon sperm DNA.
DNA ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Epitopes ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Leprosy ; Macrophages ; Mycobacterium leprae ; Salmon ; Spermatozoa ; T-Lymphocytes

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the follicle stimulating hormone(FSH) receptor gene mutation (C566T point mutation) is present in Korean women with premature ovarian failure and normal karyotype. METHODS: Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA) obtained from 40 patients with chromosomally competent premature ovarian failure and from 30 normal fertile women(control group) was amplified by polymerase chain reaction(PCR). PCR products were digested by the enzyme BsmI and polyacrylamide gel(PAG) elctrophoretic patterns of these enzyme-digested products were analyzed. The direct sequencing of PCR products was also performed. RESULTS: All patients with premature ovarian failure and 30 normal control women demonstrated homozygous, normal alleles with 51- and 27- base pairs fragments in PAG elctrophoresis. The absence of C566T point mutation in both group was confirmed by direct DNA sequencing. CONCLUSIONS: A C566T mutation in FSH receptor gene is rare in Korean women with premature ovarian failure and normal karyotype.
Alleles ; Base Pairing ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone* ; Humans ; Karyotype* ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency* ; Receptors, FSH* ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

BACKGROUND: Aurora kinase A (Aurora-A) plays an important role in the regulation of mitosis and cytokinesis. Dysregulated Aurora-A leads to mitotic faults and results in pathological conditions. No studies on Aurora-A expression in human diabetic skin tissue have been reported. In light of this, we explored the expression of Aurora-A in human diabetic skin tissue. METHODS: Aurora-A protein was evaluated by western blotting in 6 human diabetic skin tissue and 6 normal skin specimens. RESULTS: Increased expression of Aurora-A protein was detected in all diabetic skin tissue samples in both western blot analysis and immunohistochemical staining. However, in the case of the normal skin tissue, no bands of Aurora-A protein were detected in either the western blotting analysis or the immunohistochemical staining. CONCLUSIONS: Thus far, there have been no studies on the expression of Aurora-A in diabetic skin tissue. However, we believe that oxidative DNA damage related to the expression of Aurora-A protein and Aurora-A could be involved inhuman diabetic skin tissue.
Aurora Kinase A* ; Blotting, Western ; Cytokinesis ; Diabetes Mellitus ; DNA Damage ; Humans ; Mitosis ; Skin*

No abstract available.
Hyoid Bone* ; Mandibular Fractures* ; Masks*

PURPOSE: Arteriovenous fistula at the wrist has remained the procedure of choice for long-term chronic hemod ialysis since its development by Brecia and Cimino in 1966. Thrombosis is the most common cause of early failure after arteriovenous fistula procedure, should be reconized preoperatively or intraoperatively, but no consensus exits regarding the ideal preoperative or intraoperative screening method for access surgery. We describe a simple intraoperative maneuver that can be used to detect proximal stenotic vein segments. METHODS: From September 1998 to September 1999, a total of 117 arteriovenous fistulas were performed for permanent hemodialysis in patients with chronic renal failure. Of them, a intraoperative evoked thrill test was performed in 61 patients (A group), in 56 patients (B group or control group) was not. RESULTS: Early failure rate (<30 days) was 12.5% in A group, 9.8% in B group or control group. In this study, the specificity and positive predictive value of the evoked thrill test was 100%, indicating that this maneuver is highly accurate in predicting early failure. CONCLUSION: Evoked thrill test is a simple and useful intraoperative method for improving the patency rate of autologous arteroiovenous fistula.
Arteriovenous Fistula* ; Consensus ; Fistula ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Mass Screening ; Renal Dialysis ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thrombosis ; Veins ; Wrist

PURPOSE: Retronychia is the embedding of the nail into proximal nail fold. Retronychia starts with disruption of the longitudinal growth of the nail. With the growth of a new nail, the old one is pushed upwards and backwards. This leads to embedding of the top nail into the ventral aspect of the proximal nail fold and results with chronic paronychia. We present a case of retronychia that was rarely reported in the literature. METHODS: A 46-year old female presented with a 3-month history of painful right first, 2nd, 3rd toenail changes. Although she was initially treated with broad spectrum antibiotics, she did not response to therapy. Later, she presented to our department because of progressively worsening pain that impaired her walking. Physical examination revealed with proximal nail fold erythema, painful swelling, yellowish nail discoloration, and distal onycholysis. Bacterial and fungus culture showed no organism. Treatment was surgical nail avulsion under local anesthesia. RESULTS: The postoperative course was uneventful. 10 months later, the patient had a normal growing nail and was free of symptoms. CONCLUSION: We report a case of retronychia on toenail. Retronychia is a proximal nail plate ingrowth into the proximal nail fold which is associated with multiple generations of nail plate misaligned beneath the proximal nail. Management consisted of simple avulsion of superimposed nail. Retronychia is suspected with a persistent paronychia, particularly in the setting of trauma. Avulsion of the top nail confirms the diagnosis and may be curative if the underlying nail appears healthy.
Anesthesia, Local ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Erythema ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Fungi ; Humans ; Nails ; Onycholysis ; Paronychia ; Physical Examination ; Walking

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to determine whether levels of circulating free DNA (cfDNA) increase according to cancer progression, whether they are restored after surgical resection, and to evaluate cfDNA in gastric cancer patients as a useful biomarker. METHODS: A case-control study design was used. Thirty gastric cancer patients and 34 healthy subjects were enrolled from two hospitals in South Korea. The plasma cfDNA of patients with gastric cancer were obtained before surgery and 24 hours after surgery, and then analyzed by a quantitative, real-time polymerase chain reaction. Plasma samples were also obtained from the control group. RESULTS: The mean levels of cfDNA in the healthy control group, patients with early gastric cancer, and with advanced gastric cancer were 79.78 +/- 8.12 ng/mL, 106.88 +/- 12.40 ng/mL, and 120.23 +/- 10.08 ng/mL, respectively (P < 0.01). Sensitivity was 96.67% and specificity was 94.11% when the cutoff value was 90 ng/mL. Variables representing the tumor burden such as tumor size, T stage, TNM stage, and curative resection are also associated with the levels of cfDNA. The levels of cfDNA in the 24-hour-after-surgery group decreased significantly (112.17 +/- 13.42 ng/mL vs. 77.93 +/- 5.94 ng/mL, P < 0.001) compared to the levels of cfDNA in the preoperation group. CONCLUSION: The changes in the levels of cfDNA can act as reliable biomarkers to detect cancer early, to predict tumor burden, estimate curative resection and even prognosis.
Biomarkers ; Case-Control Studies ; DNA* ; Humans ; Plasma ; Prognosis ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Republic of Korea ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Tumor Burden

A clinical observation was done on random 42 cases of acute and uncomplicated bacterial pyelonephritis. The following results were obtained: 1. All cases were female. 2. The most common age group was 2nd decade (47.6%). 3. All isolated organisms were Gram negative bacteria and E. coli was most common (90%). 4. On excretory urogram, 3 cases (7%)were abnormal and one of them showed acute segmental pyelonephritis. 5. The right side was affected 3 times more than left and 8 cases were bilateral.
Female ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; Humans ; Pyelonephritis*

Hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) is an infectious viral disease that is common among children. It is clinically characterized by vesicular eruptions on the palms and soles and a maculopapular rash. Onychomadesis is a periodic idiopathic shedding of the nails at their proximal ends and results from arrest of the proliferative function of the nail matrix. Recently, a few reports described onychomadesis following HFMD, although the mechanism remains unclear. To our knowledge, this association has not been reported in Korea. Herein, we report two cases of onychomadesis following HFMD and review the published data.
Child ; Exanthema ; Humans ; Korea ; Virus Diseases