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*

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

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

A Case of multifocal reticulum cell sarcoma in a 61 year old male is reported. The patient had multiple foci of sarcomatous lesion in the olecranon of the right ulna, medial candyle of the left tibia and in both ankle joints. His initial complaints on admission were pain and swelling in his both ankles and the right elbow of three months duration. Biopsy was carried out on his right ankle joint and diagnosis of reticulum cell sarcoma was made. Surgical excision of the right olecranon and below Knee amputation of the right lower extremity were performed. Following the surgical intervention, Cobalt 60 irradiation therapy was given for 20 days with total amount of 4,000 rads. The follow-up study three months after surgery revealed much improvement and no evidence of recurrence.
Amputation ; Ankle ; Ankle Joint ; Biopsy ; Cobalt ; Diagnosis ; Elbow ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee ; Lower Extremity ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Male ; Olecranon Process ; Recurrence ; Reticulum ; Tibia ; Ulna

Apgar score is most widely used evaluating indicator of newborn health, but it is very subjective. Umbilical cord blood gas analysis is more objective and effective than Apgar score in evaluation of newborn status. Cord blood gas was changed slightly by processing of time after fetal birth. This study was undertaken to observe objectiveness and effectiveness of umbilical arterial blood gas analysis and effects of time interval of cord clamping to newborn health with 122 pregnant women and their babies. We observed following results: 1. There were poor correlation between Apgar score and umbilical cord arterial blood analysis in evaluating of newborn health (P>0.05). 2. There was no clinical significance of Apgar score or umbilical arterial blood gas analysis as single indicator in evaluating of newborn health (P>0.05). 3. Gas analysis and pH of umbilical arterial blood was more helpful in evaluating of newborn health than Apgar score. 4. There were no significant effects of time interval of umbilical cord clamping to newborn health. 5. If there were no indications of early umbilical cord clamping, cord blood sampling at immediately after birth without cord clamping was more effective to evaluate newborn status.
Apgar Score* ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Constriction ; Cordocentesis ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration* ; Infant Health* ; Infant, Newborn* ; Parturition ; Pregnant Women ; Umbilical Cord

Herpes zoster is known to recur only rarely. However reports on the recurrence rates by various authors ranges from 0.l% to 8%. We have experienced 2 cases of recurrent herpes zoster in a 63-year-old female and a 62-year-old male who presented with typical clinical features and previous history of herpes zoster. They were suffering from breast cancer and Hodgkin's disease, respectively. By employing negative and positive staining methods of electron microscopy, typical herpes viral particles were demonstrated from the vesicular fluid.
Breast Neoplasms ; Female ; Herpes Zoster* ; Hodgkin Disease ; Humans ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron* ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Virion

There are several different methods of purifying Treponema pallidum(TP) from rabbit testicular tissue. Among them, we compared the use of differential centrifugation, which has been most widely used, to Percoll density gradient centrifugatian, a newly applied method, in purifying TP from rabbit testicular tissue by checking the protein concentration of the TP suspension, hemagglutination assay using sheep erythrocytes sensitized by TP, IgM-TP-enzyme-linked immunosorhent, assay(IgM-TP-ELISA) and eJect,ron microscopic observation. The protein concent,ration af TP antigen suspension (2x10(8)TP/ml) purified by Percoll density gradient centrifugation (lower band) was the lowest (129.0pg/ml) when compared to those purified by differential centrifugation (324.0pg/ml) and Percoll density gradient centrifugatian (upper band) (560.2pg/ml). Sheep erythrocytes sensitized by TP purified by Percoll density gradient centrifugation(lower band) showed the same resiilts as those using a commercii1 TPHA kit when tested with positive and negative control sera. The sensitivity and specificity of the IgM-TP-ELISA were 88.5%(23/26') and 86.4%(19/2Z) respectively using TP as an antigen purified by differential centrifugation. The rates were 96.29% (25/26) and 95.5%(2l/22) using TP purified by Percoll density gradient centrifugation. As shown by the electron microscopy, T. pizllida purified by clifferential centritugation and Percoll density gradient centrifugatiori were structurally unaltered, and Percoll-purified TP contained much less tissue debris than TP prepared by differ ential centrifugation. Therefor e, Percoll density gradient centrifugation is considered to be a better method of purifying TP from rabbit testicular tissue when compared to differential centrifugatian, as a matter of fact, Perrol1 density gradient centrifugation has been applieci successfully in the study of the physiology, recombinant DNA techniques, and antigenic structure of TP and to the preparation of the antigen for the FTA-ARS and TP-ELISA
Centrifugation ; Centrifugation, Density Gradient ; DNA, Recombinant ; Erythrocytes ; Hemagglutination ; Microscopy, Electron ; Physiology ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sheep ; Treponema pallidum* ; Treponema*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Mothers*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the findings and the role of CT in plexiform neuro-fibromatosis of the mediastinum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retropectively reviewed the CT scans of five patients with plexiform neurofibromatosis of the mediastinum. The CT scans were reviewed with attention to the distribution of the lesions, appearance and attenuation of mediastinal lesions, enhancement pattern after intravenous contrast infusion and associated findingssuch as intercostal neurofibroma. RESULTS: In all five patients CT scans demonstrated fusiform low attenuated masses which were oriented longitudinally and extended over multiple contiguous scans along the distribution of major mediastinal nerves. In four patients, mediastinal lesions appeared infiltrative, obliterating adjacent mediastinal fat plane. One patient had well defined fusiform masses along the major mediastinal nerves. Postcontrast enhanced CT scans revealed slight central enhancement in two patient and no contrast enhancement in three patients. Associated findings such as neurofibromas of intercostal nerves and sympathetic trunk, or subcutaneous neurofibromas were detected on CTscans in all five patients. CONCLUSION: Characteristic CT findings of low attenuation masses along the major mediastinal nerves are helpful to differentiate plexiform neurofibromatosis from mediastinal lymphadenopathy and to prevent from misreading as a malignant disease.
Humans ; Intercostal Nerves ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Mediastinum* ; Neurofibroma ; Neurofibromatoses* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The Parasitological investigation on the encysted metacercariae in brackish water fish, Tribolodon taczanowskii, in the downstream of Hyungsan river which is located in Kyungpook Province of Korea, were carried out serially and the following results were obtained. Metacercariae of Pseudexorchis major were found in six fishes(15.8 per cent ) out of 38 examined. Parasitic frequencies of the encysted metacercaria of Psedexorchis major in Tribolodon taczanowskii were 15.8 per cent (6 out of 38) in the scale, 10.5 per cent (4 out of 38) in the fin, 13.2 per cent (5 out of 38) in the gill, 10.5 per cent (4 out of 38) in the oral cavity and 7.9 per cent (3 out of 38) in the flesh. The worms were identified as Pseudexorchis major (Hasegawa, 1935) Yamaguti, 1938 by morphological studies on the metacercariae, excysted metacercariae, adults and eggs, and compared with prereported Pseudexorchis species.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Pseudexochis major ; Tribolodon taczanowskii ; epidemiology