No abstract available.
Fires*

Serum is free of cellular components. Because DNA is located in the nuclei or mitochondria of cells, serum could be assumed DNA free. Few previously published case reports to date have used serum for DNA typing. Here, we report on human genotyping via short tandem repeat (STR) analysis using serum as a sample, and discuss problems involved in the process.
DNA Fingerprinting* ; DNA* ; Humans ; Microsatellite Repeats* ; Mitochondria

Recently, studies on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have increased rapidly. Conventional parameters, such as diversity index, pairwise comparison, are used to interpret and validate data on autosomal DNA; however, the use of these parameters to validate data from mitochondrial DNA databases (mtDNA DBs) needs to be verified because of the different transmission patterns of mtDNA. This study was done to verify the use of these conventional parameters and to test the "coverage concept" for a new parameter. The mtDNA DB is not very big; however, it is necessary to check how the change in parameters corresponds to the DB size. For this, we artificially rearranged a Korean DB into several small sub-DBs of variable sizes. The results show that the diversity in nucleotide variations and the different haplotype numbers do not vary as the size of DB increases. However, the "coverage" changed a lot. The coverage increased from 0.113 in a DB of 100 people to 0.260 in a DB of 653 people. Additionally, using the "coverage concept", we predicted how the total number of haplotypes changed with variations in the sub-DB size and compared the predicted result with final result. In conclusion, "coverage", in addition to conventional statistical parameters, can be used to check the usability of an mtDNA DB. Finally, we tried to predict the size of the whole mtDNA number in Korea using "saturation concept".
DNA ; DNA, Mitochondrial* ; Haplotypes ; Korea ; Phylogeny

We report a case of ciliated hepatic foregut cyst which was incidentally found in a 64 year-old man. The cyst, 6 cm in diameter, was unilocular, solitary and was located in the medial segment of left lobe, just below the Glisson's capsule. Microscopically, the cyst wall consisted of 4 layers; pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium, subepithelial loose connective tissue, smooth muscle bundles and an outermost fibrous capsule. Although cartilage or subepithelial sero-mucous glands were absent, the morphologic features of the cyst correspond with those of an incomplete form of brochogenic cyst.
Cysts

The Y-chromosome, as with other chromosomes in the cell, is subject to mutations. However, unlike autosomal genes, the Y chromosome does not undergo recombination, and therefore individuals from different geographical regions may have differing distribution patterns with respect to Y-chromosome mutations. More detailed knowledge and information regarding Y-chromosome mutations might therefore provide insights into phylogenetic history and personal identification. Here, we describe a case study involving genotype-phenotype discrepancy in an Indian male individual. We found that the mistyping in sex determination was caused by a deletion in the amelogenin Y (AMEL Y) gene. Furthermore, on examining the short tandem repeat (Y-STR) loci using the PowerPlex(R) Y23 System, we found four more deleted loci on Yp11.2 (DYS576, DYS481, DYS570, and DYS458) in this sample. We performed deletion mapping for this sample, and we propose that the microdeletion on the Yp11.2 locus occurred approximately in the 6.44 Mb to 9.75 Mb region. Previous studies have reported that the AMEL Y deletion is a common mutation in the Indian population. Taking into account regional differences, we also analyzed several area-specific Y-chromosome mutations.
Amelogenin ; DNA* ; Humans ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Recombination, Genetic ; Y Chromosome*

Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma of intercalated duct(origin) is a recently described tumor characterized by its typical biphasic pattern of central duct like cell and peripheral clear cell. We described a case of epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma in a 10-year-old boy. Microscopically, the tumor showed typical biphasic pattern, diffuse proliferation of clear cells and linining epithelial cells of tubular structures. Immunohistochemically, the clear cell showed positive reaction to S-100 protein, and the epithelial cells expressed cytokeratin indicating myoepithelial and epithelial differentiation respectively. Biphasic differentiation of the tumor cells could be also proved by electronmicroscopic study.

Thymectomy is considered as one of the important therapy for patients with myasthenia gravis(MG) for reducing the symptoms and hasting the time of remission. However, the efficacy of thymectomy in previous studies were not in concordant with each others. This study was designed to assess the effects of thymectomy in 84 MG patients. The patients were divided into two groups according to their medications before thymectomy : the patients who had been treated with anticholinesterase(ACE group) and the others who had been treated with both anticholinesterase and steroid(steroid group). The outcomes of thymectomy were divided into two group : ""success"" and ""failure"". The ""success"" outcomes included the patients with remission or improvements and the ""failure"" outcomes included the patients with improvement by immunosuppressive agents, unimprovement, and death. To find factors which might influence on the prognosis after thymectomy, the following variables were considered for statistics; The onset age of MG, gender, myasthenic crisis before operation, the clinical symptoms at the time of operation, and the pathologic findings of thymus. The results were as follows. Sixty-six patients were included in ACE group and 18 in steroid group. The success were occurred in 37 patients among ACE group(56%) and in 8 patients among steroid group(44.4%). In ACE group, the success more frequently occurred in the patients with thymic follicular hyperplasia(79.3%) than in those with thymoma(36%), and normal or atrophic thymus(41.7%). The Patients who had mild clinical symptoms at the operation also showed higher success rate. However, gender, the age of onset, and the presence of myasthenic cirsis before the operation did not influences on the results of the operation. In steroid group, the success rate was higher in the patients with shorter duration of steroid treatment before thymectomy(< 6 month) and follicular hyperplasia. In addition, the immunosuppressive treatments also gave symptomatic improvements in most patients with failure outcomes after thymectomy. In conclusion, thymectomy demonstrated beneficial effects in about half of MG patients. Follicular hyperplasia and mild symptoms at the operation were considered to be factors for predicting better results after thymectomy. Our findings also suggest that the longstanding steroid treatment before thymectomy may negatively affect on the successful thymectomy, especially on remission.
Age of Onset ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Myasthenia Gravis* ; Prognosis ; Thymectomy* ; Thymus Gland

We report an autopsy case of the brain stem glioma that extended extensively in the brain stem itself and cephalad. This 18-year-old boy first presented with dizziness, vomiting and left side weakness with left facial palsy. Brain MRI revealed a diffusely infiltrative tumor involving whole medulla, pons and lower midbrain. A total of 4000 R was given with some alleviation of respiratory difficulty. He died one year after the onset. Autopsy revealed the tumor involving pons, a portion of medulla oblongata, and cerebellum. The tumor showed diffusely infiltrative pattern and extended along the periventricular area to the thalamus and corpus callosum. The cut surface was grayish white and solid. It also showed areas of myxoid degeneration and necrosis probably related to radiation therapy. Microscopically the tumor was a cellular and pleomorphic glioma that showed some astrocytic differentiation. It was diffuse without geographic necrosis.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the applicability of the Korean version of Fall Efficacy scale(FES) and Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale(ABC) to Korean older adult through an examination of instrument`s internal consistency and validity METHOD: A sample of 90 Korean older adults who lived in a community completed a survey instrument which included Korean version of FES and ABC. Because of comparable data derived from each scale, fear of falling and quality of life, activity daily living were included. Concurrent validity, criterion validity and correlational validity were tested. Reliability was tested by internal consistency, test-retest method. RESULTS: Cronbach`s alpha was 0.9043 in FES, and 0.99623 in ABC. Test-retest correlations in all scales were higher than 7.0. Statistically significant association was found between fear of falling and both scales. Correlation coefficient between Quality of life(SF-8) and ABC was -0.142(p=0.049). Both FES and ABC are correlated significantly each other. CONCLUSION: The Korean version of FES and ABC appears to be a reliable and valid method for meas- uring fear of falling. These instruments may be useful in assessing the independent contribution of fear of falling. ABC scale may be more useful to detect loss of balance confidence in more highly functioning seniors.
Adult ; Humans ; Quality of Life ; Reproducibility of Results* ; Weights and Measures

Anatomy of the pancreaticobiliary ductal system is so variable that one should think of its normal anatomy as nonexistent. But exact location of the termination of the common bile duct in important to the biliary surgeon when performing transduodenal exploration of the common bile duct, to the physician and radiologist when diagnosing pancreaticobilijary disease by ERCP. We report a case of Lnomalous termination of the common bile duct into thii. duadenal bulb diagnosed by ERCP and operative cholangiogram.
Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Common Bile Duct*