The truncated E1192-283 and E2384-649 genes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) linked to the gene for glutathione 5-transferase (GST) were constructed and their expressions were analyzed. The GST-E1192-283 fusion gene overexpressed the fusion protein in E. coli as a soluble form, while the GST-E1192-383 plasmid did not express expected fusion protein. The purified GST-E1192-283 fusion protein was efficiently cleaved by thrombin. More than 90% pure, HCV E1192-283 protein was obtained by GST-agarose chromatography. The truncated GST-E2384-649 fusion gene expressed the fusion protein mainly as an insoluble form, whereas the GST-E2384-740 did not express the fusion protein. The truncated GST-E1 182-283 and GST-E2384-649 fusion proteins reacted specifically with an HCV patient serum. In addition, mice immunized with either the purified E1192-283 or GST-E2384-649 proteins generated specific antibodies to each antigen. The results suggested that hydrophobic carboxyl portions of the E1 and E2 proteins might affect expression levels as well as the solubility of each fusion protein in bacteria. Also, the truncated E1 protein with Tyr-192 to Ser-283 contained antigenic epitope(s) which could be specifically recognized by an HCV patient serum.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Bacteria ; Chromatography ; Glutathione ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Mice ; Plasmids ; Solubility ; Thrombin

No abstract available.
Child* ; Fever* ; Humans

Liquid crystal thermography is a new diagnostic imaging method detecting the temperature change by the physiologic disturbance as compared with the radilogic method detecting the anatomical distortion. We have used liquid crystal thermography in 54 patients with complaining low back pain during the period form 2nd. March 1989 to 30th. April 1989. Of these 54 patients, 35 had myelography and C-T scan, 23 had EMG, and 13 were operated upon. 1. There were 35 clinically positive patients on whom concomitant myelography and C-T scan was performed; 32 patients(91%) had a positive myelography and C-T scan, and 30 patients (86%) had a positive thermography. Of these 35 patients, 23 had EMG concomitantly; 17 patients(74%) had a positive EMG and 18 patients(78%) had a positive thermography. 2. Liquid crystal thermography correlated with myelography and C-T scan in 31 patients(89%), EMG in 18 patients(78%). 3. Concomitant thermography, myelography and C-T scan, and surgery were performed on 13 patients among them EMG was added on 5 patients; Myelography and C-T scan had 100% accuracy, thermography had 92% accuracy, and EMG had 80 % accuracy. 4. Liquid crystal thermography is non-invasive method, dose not involve the use of ionizing radiation, and correlates well with clinical and surgical findings and other diagnostic methods, and costs relatively low. So, liquid crystal thermography is useful and reliable diagnostic method in patients with low back pain.
Diagnostic Imaging ; Humans ; Liquid Crystals ; Low Back Pain ; Methods ; Myelography ; Radiation, Ionizing ; Thermography

The treatment of acutely torn anterior cruciate ligament(A.C.L) remains a controversial subject. The purpose of this paper is to show the arthroscopic technique of A.C.L. primary repair with or without augmentation with semitendinosus tendon. Twenty-one patients with acute A.C.L. tear were treated with repair or augmented repair under arthroscopic control from April 1989 to August 1993. Five A.C.L. torn at femoral attachment with intact distal stump were treated with arthoscopic repair alone & 16 A.C.L. torn at substance near the femoral attachment with arthroscopic repair & augmentation with semitendinosus tendon. The patient population included of 16 males and 5 females with an average age 28.3 years. Fifteen patients injuried during sports activity. Postoperative results were evaluated by Lysholm knee score & Hospital for Special Surgery knee scale in average 26 months (range from 12 months to 64 months). All patients were rated as good or excellent result except one patient who had fair result. At follow-up study, testing with KT1000 arthrometer revealed 17 patients had less than 3mm of side to side difference. Second look arthroscopy was performed in 15 patients from 4 to 29 months after repair or augmented repair. Eleven out of these 15 A.C.L. were well healed with good tension 8r. revascularization of graft. Remaining 4 A.C.L. were healed with scar tissue. On the based of this study, arthroscopic repair or augmented repair is very effective treatment for acutely torn A.C.L. near the femoral attachment.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Arthroscopy ; Cicatrix ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee ; Lysholm Knee Score ; Male ; Sports ; Tears ; Tendons ; Transplants

We reviewed 24 patients who had performed arthroscopic meniscal repair for the treatment off discoid lateral meniscal tear between january 1989 and December 1992. The follow up ranged from 1 year 6 month to 4 year 6 month(average 32month). The mean age was 17.9(range,8-50)years, the patients under 20 years old were 17(cases,71%).Common preoperative clinical symptom was pain on the knee joint(21 cases,87.5%) and click(19 cases,79%).Positive McMurry test was the most common physical examination finding(19 cases, 79%). All the lateral discoid meniscal tears were confirmed by arthroscopy. The mean interval between symptom onset and operation was 18.7 months(range 1 month to 10 year). The types of tear were peripheral (14cases, 58%), complex tear(4cases), longitudinal tear(2cases), transverse tear(2cases), horizontal tear(2cases)and the most common location of tear was posterior horn(1 1cases, 45%). The mean number of suture was four. In operative method, Scases(33%) were performed only meniscorrhaphy and meniscorrhaphy combined with partial meniscectomy was done in 16 cases(67%). According to Ikeuchi's grading system, the result was satisfactory in 21cases, fair in three cases. Second look arthroscopy was done in eleven cases(46%) between post operative 4 months to 2 years(mean, 8.3 months). The arthroscopic examination revealed complete healing of repaired meniscus in eight cases(73%). The remained three cases which were not completely healed was fair result.
Arthroscopy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee ; Methods ; Physical Examination ; Sutures ; Tears

Posterior segment injuries due to non-penetrating ocular trauma have protean ocular manifestations. Vision may be unaffected or completely lost according to the injured area. Although most cases require no specific treatment, early accurate diagnosis and appropriate prophylactic treatment will prevent some patients from late visual loss. We analyzed retrospectively 36 eyes of 36 patients with non-penetrating posterior segment trauma who had visited our clinic from August, 1994 to February, 1997. Thirty two of the patients(88.8%) were male and the peak age group was in the third decade. Thirteen of the patients(21%) had Berlin`s edema, which was one of the most common findings seen in the posterior segment. The most common anterior segment finding associated with non-penetrating ocular trauma was hyphema(20%). The most common cause of non-penetrating trauma was violence(first, foot)(38.8%). Final visual acuity was better in eyes without the lesion involving the macula.
Diagnosis ; Edema ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity

No abstract available.
Penicillamine*

Femoral fractures in adults frequently need an extensive dissection for attainment of adequate internal fixation, frequently leading to nonunion, infection and derangement of joint motion. Retrograde IM nailing, compared to the conventional methods, has advantages of reducing periarticular soft tissue dissection and establishing a load sharing construct reducing hardware failure. The purpose of this study is to verify the advantages of retrograde IM nailing by retrospective evaluation of the results of adult femoral fractures treated by this technique. The matrials were 17 femoral fractures in 15 patients treated by retrograde IM nailing and followed up for more than 1 year. The fracture was located in the middle third of the shaft in 5 and distal third in 12. The latter consisted nf 6 cases of type Al, 4 cases of type A2 and 2 cases of type A3 by Miiller's classification. The results were as follows; 1) Fracture union was achieved at an average of 17.5 weeks. 2) Full range of knee motion was gained in 15/17 knees (88%). 3) Complication occurred in 2 knees. One nonunion and one angulatory malunion. 4) There was no infection, no femoral shortening or implant failure. In conclusion, retrograde IM nailing of adult femoral fracture is an effective method in selected cases such as far distal femoral fracture, ipsilateral femur neck and shaft fractures, floating knee, post-TKR femoral fracture and so on. The merits of this technique are rigid fixation which is difficult to obtain with others, no need of fracture table, short operative time and mimium blood loss. However, It has potential problems such as difficulty in insertion of proximal locking screw and need for an arthrotomy to remove hardware.
Adult* ; Classification ; Femoral Fractures ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary* ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee ; Operative Time ; Retrospective Studies

The appendiceal mucocele is very rare disease of 0.2% incidence. About 24% of patients are asymptomatic and symptomatic patients present with pain in the right lower quadrant of abdomen in 64%, plapable maas in the right lower quadrant of abdomen in 50%, and rarely, melena, hematochezia, anemia, diarrhea, malaise, and abdominal distension. The gastrointestinal bleeding may be presented in the patient with intussusception, but the massive bleeding is generally absent. We report a case of appendiceal mucocele accompanying with gastrointestinal bleeding and review of literature.
Abdomen ; Anemia ; Diarrhea ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intussusception ; Melena ; Mucocele* ; Rare Diseases

Studies on epidemiological aspects of contact dermatitis have been published in recent years since the introduction of standardized method of patch test.However, most previous epidemiologic reports studied patients with allergic contact dermatitis in hospitals with patcb testing. Such data are not directly applicable to the population at large. Very recentiy there are a few reports ahout rates of exposure and patch test reactivity to certain antigens in a general population. which is difficult to be applicable in a developing country at present. With regard to this, we have tried to analyze the contact dermatitis questionaire containing various items of common causative agents producting contact dermatitis (for example, metals, cosmetics, plants, medicaments and rubber etc.) for the detection of past contact dermatitis histories in a total new dermatologic outpatients. A11 2258 dermatologic outpatients entered this study including 303 contact dermatitis patients (allergic contact dermatitis, primary irritant dermatitis and housewife eczema). We also analyzed the patch test results of 107 patients with suggesting contact dermatitis who visited our hospital at the same period of collecting questionaires. The study results were as follows. 1. Positive rate of each item of the questionaire (No. of said Yes/ No. of responders) was metals, 10.4% cosmetics, 31.8%, plants, 18.2%; medicaments, 12.4%; rubber, 5.8%; and others, 11.7%. 2. The most common all regens of the patch test positive reactions were nickel sulfate (9.3%), fragrance mix(9.3%), formaldehyde(6.5%), potassium dichromate (5.6%), neomycin sulfate (5.6%), balsam of Peru (4.7%), cobalt chloride(3.7%), wood tar(3.7%) and paraphenylene diamine (2.8%) in order of frequency. And the patch test positive rate of commercial cosmetic products was 10.3%. In conclusion, cosmetics, medicaments, metals, plants and rarely rubber are found the most common etiologic agents of contact dermatitis in this study. The reasons and back-ground of the results were also discussed in various aspects.
Cobalt ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Dermatitis, Contact* ; Dermatitis, Irritant ; Developing Countries ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Humans ; Metals ; Neomycin ; Nickel ; Outpatients ; Patch Tests ; Peru ; Potassium Dichromate ; Rubber ; Wood