OBJECTIVE: Recently, telomerase activity was found in normal physiologically regenerating cells as well as cancer cells or germ cells. Human endometrium is also physiologically regenerating tissues and undergoes regular and dynamic changes during the menstrual cycle. So the authors examined normal human endometrial tissues for telomerase activity according to menstrual cycle. METHOD: In the current study, 66 normal human endometrial tissues were analyzed for telomerase activity by a radioisotope polimerase chain reaction-based telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay. RESULTS: Of 27 proliferative phase endometrial samples, 22(81%) expressed telomerase activity, whereas 10 of 23(43%) secretory phase sample, 2 of 10(10%) postmenopausal sample, 1 of 6(17%) pregnant endometrial sample did(P<0.05). 4 of 27(15%) endometrial samples in the proliferative phase expressed high telomerase activity after 100-fold dilution of extract, whereas 1 of 23(4%) from secretory phase, none of the 10 postmenopausal and 6 pregnant endometrial samples did. The highest activity was observed in late proliferative phase. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that normal endometrium expresses telomerase, the activity of which changes dramatically and regularly during the course of the menstrual cycle.
Endometrium* ; Female ; Germ Cells ; Humans ; Menstrual Cycle* ; Telomerase*

Fractures at the lateral end of the clavicle inevitably require surgical treatment as there is high potential for delayed union or nonunion. Acromioclavicular dislocation also requires stable and solid fixation for healing, and surgical treatment is recommended for the maintenance of joint function. The hook plate maintains the biomechanics of the acromioclavicular joint, enabling early range of motion. Therefore, for the past 10 years, the hook plate has been widely used in distal clavicle fractures and acromioclavicular joint injuries. However, the hook plate is associated with several complications, such as proximal clavicle fractures, widening of the hook hole, rotator cuff tear, subacromial impingement, and often acromial fractures. We report on two unusual cases of acromion fracture after hook plate fixation in patients with distal clavicle fracture and acromioclavicular dislocation alongside a literature review.
Acromioclavicular Joint ; Acromion* ; Clavicle* ; Dislocations ; Humans ; Joints ; Osteolysis ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Rotator Cuff ; Tears

No abstract available.
Liver Diseases* ; Liver* ; Pregnancy*

BACKGROUND: The morphalogy of fibroblast in culture is important in the discrimination of normal and abnormal cells as well as in recogniring general physiologic status of the cells. There have been many reports on the morphologic clialges in various skin diseases and in response to various drugs. However, we couldnt find any report on the time-sequential morphologic changes of normal fibroblasts in early subculture using light microscopy. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to describe the time-sequential morphologic changes of normal fibroblhst in early subculture. METHODS: The fibroblaats from 4 normal donors were cultured. We observed the morphologic changes of fibrolMasts in the third passage of subculture using light microscopy at 0-, 30-, 60-, 90-, 120-minutes, 3-, 5-, 24-, 72-hours and days after trypsinization, and electron microscopic exarriioation was done at 21 day-culture. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: Just after trypsinization, the cell were small and round, which divided and increased in number as time went by. At 120-minute culture, many cells had long and thin cytoplasmic elongations and they took stellae,shape at 5-hour culture. At 24-hour culture, several spindle-shaped cells were observec with cell-cell contacts. At 72-hour culture, many spindlle-shaped cells were arranged in medirection, with the appearance of parallel or whorl patterns and showed prominent cell-cell contacts. On electron microscopic examination, there were prominent RER, residial bodies and microfilaments.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; Cytoplasm ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Fibroblasts* ; Humans ; Microscopy ; Skin Diseases ; Skin* ; Tissue Donors ; Trypsin

The dopamine D4 receptor gene has a hypervariable segment in the coding region charcterized by a varying number of 48bp repeats in exon III of the gene. Varying the numbers of repeated segments may change the length, structure, and function of the receptor, which makes this gene a possible candidate for variations in dopamine-related behaviors. such as alcoholism and drug abuse. We evaluated the dopamine D4 receptor genotype in male alcoholics and normal controls. All alcoholics and controls were unrelated and from the Korean population. Genotype and allele frequencies in 67 alcoholics were compared to 67 controls who were free of alcohol abuse. substance abuse. and major mental illness. No association was found between the dopamin D4 recepto allele and alcoholism. This result indicate that there is no association of the dopamine D4 receptor with alcoholism in Korean. Further systemized investigation to determine the role of dopamine D4 receptor gene in alcoholism with a larger sample size will be required.
Alcoholics ; Alcoholism* ; Alleles ; Clinical Coding ; Dopamine* ; Exons ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Receptors, Dopamine D4* ; Sample Size ; Substance-Related Disorders

BACKGROUND: The differentiation between basal cell carcinoma(BCC) and trichoepithelioma(TE) is sometimes difficult clinically and histologically, and their differentiation is important since their treatment and prognosis are sometimes different. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to investigate whether there was a difference in CD34 staining patterns in the stromas (immediate and distant stromas from the tumor lobules) of BCC and TE, since the histopathologic characteristics of the stromas are one of the most important features to differentiate the two tumor. METHOD: We perfomed immunoperoxidase staining(modified ABC technique) by using a monoclonal anti CD34 antibody(QBEND10, IgG1) on the formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens of 11 BCC as and 10 TEs. RESULTS: 1. In the immediate strcimas, spindle-shaped cells were stained in 4 out of ll cases of BCC and in 9 out of 10 cases of TE. However, the staining patterns observed in the 4 cases of BCC were all loosely scattered, week staining, while those of the 9 cases of TE were all densely compact, strong staining. CD34 was not expressed in one case of TE. 2. In the distant stromas, all cases of BCC and TE showed staining of loosely scattered spindle-shaped cells, and there was no difference in staining patterns of the two tumors. 3. Papillary mesenchymed bodies were observed in 8 cases of TE and in none of BCC, and they expressed CD34 focally. CONCLUSION: CD34 sta ining patterns of the immediate peritumoral stromas of BCCs and TEs were different and could differentiate the two tumors.
Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Prognosis

No abstract available.
Diploidy* ; Humans* ; Measles* ; Mumps* ; Rubella Vaccine* ; Rubella*

To evaluate the effects of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) to the iron status of fetuses, umbilical cord blood of 35 newborn borne by PIH mothers and of 37 normal term infants delivered at Yeungnam University Hospital from September 1, 1993 to September 30, 1994, were studied. The serum hemoglobin concentration of women with PIH was significantly higher than normal full-term pregnant women. There was no significant difference in serum hemoglobin concetration between women with PIH and normal full-term pregnant women and their newborn infants. There was no significant difference in serum hemoglobin concentration between infants iof women with PIH and normal full-term infants. The serum iron concentration of newborn infants of women with PIH was higher and the serum ferritin concentration of newborn infants of women with PIH was lower than normal full-term infants, but there were no significant difference between the two groups. The serum total iron-binding capactity and unsaturated iron-binding capacity of infants of women with PIH were significantly higher than normal full-term infants. The newborn infants of PIH women seemed that they might have occult depletion of iron store and need meticulous follow up during early neonatal period.
Female ; Ferritins ; Fetal Blood ; Fetus ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn* ; Iron ; Mothers* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infertility* ; Infertility, Male* ; Male ; Male*

PURPOSE:Cardiovascular morbidity has recently been demonstrated to potentially reduce life expectancy in growth hormone deficiency(GHD). The aim of this study was to evaluate cardiovascular abnormalities and atherosclerotic changes in adults with childhood-onset GHD in whom GH treatment had been stopped at the achievement of final height. METHODS:Nine patients with childhood-onset GHD(7 idiopathic and 2 organic), with an age of 24.0+/-.0 year, were studied. Clinical characteristics of subjects were determined and blood pressure, body mass index(BMI), and serum concentrations of lipids were measured. Structural and functional evaluation of cardiovascular system was performed by M-mode echocardiography and linear phase array imaging transducer. RESULTS:BMI of patients was 27.3+/-.7 mg/m2, and four patients(44%) were overweight(BMI 25-30 mg/m2), but none was obese(BMI >30 mg/m2). The percentage of patients who had total cholesterol > or = 200 mg/dL, triglyceride > or = 150 mg/dL, LDL cholesterol > or = 140 mg/dL, and HDL cholesterol < or = 40 mg/dL were 56%, 44%, 33 %, and 44%, respectively. Interventricular septum thickness(IVST), left ventricular posterior wall thickness(LVPWT), left ventricular end-diastolic internal diameter (LVID), left ventricular mass index(LVMI) of patients were 6.4+/-2.1 mm(SDS -1.5+/-1.1), 6.3+/-1.2 mm(SDS -2.1+/-0.8), 44.9+/-4.3 mm(SDS -1.0+/-0.9), and 85.4+/-94.8 g/m2 (SDS -0.5+/-6.8), respectively. The number of patients whose IVST, LVPWT, LVID, and LVMI were decreased(<-2SD) were 4(44%), 5(56%), 1(11%), and 6(67%), respectively. Carotid artery intima-media thickness(IMT) was 0.86+/-0.22 mm, and it was increased(>2SD) in 3 patients(33%). Three out of four patients with IVST lower than -2SD had increased carotid artery IMT, whereas none of five patients with IVST higher than -2SD had increased carotid artery IMT. There were no differences in echocardiographic findings between groups according to sex, age, duration of disease, duration after GH discontinuation, BMI, and severity of dyslipidemia. CONCLUSION: Decreases in IVST, LVPWT, and LVMI, and an increase in carotid artery IMT were observed in a significant number of patients with childhood-onset GHD. These findings support the need of GH replacement after completion of growth and careful evaluation of cardiovascular changes in patients with childhood-onset GHD.
Adult* ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Abnormalities* ; Cardiovascular System ; Carotid Arteries ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Dyslipidemias ; Echocardiography ; Growth Hormone* ; Humans ; Life Expectancy ; Transducers ; Triglycerides