The purpose of this study was to determine the role of apoptosis in the contact lens-worn cornea and the pathophysiologic influence of the contact lens to the rabbit corneal tissue, We had 4 experimental groups; soft contact-worn, RGP contact-worn, mechanically scraped and ormal control groups. The corneas were prepared for routine H & E staining and apoptosis evaluation. Keratocyte and epithelia cell morphology of the cornea were examined in each group using light microscopy. Nuclear DNA fragmentation was detected with the TUNEL assay for 3`-hydroxy DNA ends. The apoptosis assay demonstrated: (a) both the normal cornea and the contact lens-worn cornea exhibited no apoptosis, (b) silight degree of apoptosis was corneal apoptosis detected n deratocytes of the soft contact lensworn cornea, and (c) the anterior stromal keratocytes were found to be frequently undergoing apoptotic change in the scraped cornea. Theses findings suggest that the possible hypoxia induced by soft contact lens-wearing may have a role in apoptosis of anterior stromal keratocytes. To be clinically significant, we need more evaluations and long term studies of apoptosis in contact lens-worn cornea.
Anoxia ; Apoptosis* ; Cornea* ; DNA ; DNA Fragmentation ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Microscopy

Malignant lymphomas arising in mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue(MALT) account for a significant proportion of extranodal lymphomas. Included among this group of tumors are lymphomas of the gastrointestinal tract, salivary gland, lung and thyroid. But their conjunctival involvements are rare, less than 1.5% of all conjunctival tumors. The authors examined the 51-year-old man who showed the primary conjunctival malignant lymphoma of MALT. It involved the inferior fornix and medial canthal area in his left eye without systemic involvement. We confirmed it by immunohistochemical studies of biopsied tissue, also including computed tomography, sonography, thyroid and bone scan. The patient was successfully treated with radiotherapy. We report this case with a recent review of the ophthalmic literature.
Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Lung ; Lymphoma* ; Middle Aged ; Radiotherapy ; Salivary Glands ; Thyroid Gland

Lynch syndrome is also called Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). It is characterized by a risk of colorectal cancer and other cancers of the endometrium, ovary, stomach, small intestine etc. The increased risk is due to inherited mutations that impaired DNA mismatch repair. Two to three percentage of colon cancer is caused by Lynch syndrome. A family history of colon cancer occurs at a young age. We experienced one case of Lynch syndrome who had had stomach cancer, endometrial cancer and colon cancer recently. Hence we report this case with a brief review of literature.
Colonic Neoplasms ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis ; DNA Mismatch Repair ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Endometrium ; Female ; Humans ; Intestine, Small ; Ovary ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The prevalence of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection has been estimated as being approximately 5% among global HBsAg carriers. The anti-delta positive rate in Koreans had been reported as being 0.85% in 1985. While the prevalence of HBV has been decreased from nearly 10% to 5% during the past twenty years, there have been no more studies on the anti-delta prevalence in Koreans. The aim of this study was to estimate the anti-delta prevalence in Koreans and to study the clinical characteristics of anti-delta positive patients in a single center. METHODS: Serum anti-delta was measured in one hundred ninety four HBsAg-positive patients who were admitted to our hospital from February 2003 to August 2003. We checked the genotypes of the HBV in the anti-delta positive patients. The clinical features of the anti-delta positive patients were compared to those clinical features of the anti-delta negative patients from the aspect of age, gender, mode of transmission, the positivity of HBeAg and serum HBV DNA. RESULTS: Serum anti-delta was positive in seven patients among the 194 subjects, giving a 3.6% positive rate. Among these seven patients, six had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the other one had cholangiocarcinoma. All of the anti-delta positive patients had the C genotype of HBV. The anti-delta positive patients showed significantly suppressed HBV DNA replication compared to the anti-delta negative patients. CONCLUSIONS: In Koreans, anti-delta was positive mainly in HCC patients with an approximate prevalence of 4%, and this rate has not changed much for the past twenty years. HBV DNA replication was suppressed by HDV infection.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/virology ; English Abstract ; Female ; Hepatitis Antibodies/analysis ; Hepatitis D/complications/*epidemiology/immunology ; Hepatitis Delta Virus/immunology ; Hepatitis delta Antigens/analysis ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Liver Neoplasms/virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence