At "Keumjung-gul" site, bones of more than 153 persons are excavated in October 1995. They were interred in Autumn of 1950 during Korean War. Among them, 70 skulls were examined in morphological method and DNA test for sex determination. With PCR amplification of amelogenin, 60 skulls were proved male, 9; female, 1; not amplified. Result with Y27H39LR, SRY and alphoid repeats were not satisfactory. The morphologic determination for sex were made maily by (1) prominence of the supercilliary arch, (2) prominence of the external occipital protuberance and crest, (3) size and shape of the mastoid process. The concurrence rate between two examiner, and between two morphologic result and DNA result were low (<70%), largely because of the subjectivity of morphologic trait and the paucity of experiences.
Amelogenin ; DNA* ; Female ; Humans ; Korean War ; Male ; Mastoid ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Skull*

Partial knee ankylosis is a recognized complication following open operative procedure, trauma and disease processes about the knee. It can result from the formation of intraarticular adhesion and contracture of the capsule as well as the shortening or adhesion of the quadriceps mechanism. Physical therspy and occasionally manipulation under the anesthesia may improve the results, but performed late, these methods will be useless. This is a review of 30 patients who had severe limitation of motion in the knee joint following open operative procedures or trauma about the knee and who were treated by the percutaneous release of adhesions under the arthroscopic control. The following results were obtained; There were 17 males and 13 females, and the age of release ranged from 23 to 69 years old (av. 42.8years old). The interval between arthroscopic adhesiolysis and the last follow-up evaluation ranged from 6 months to 5 years and 7 months(av. 23 months). The interval between the last open operative procedure or trauma and arthroscopic adhesiolysis ranged from 3 months to 4 years(av. 15 months). The average preoperative knee ROM was 38.8°the postoperative ROM was 121.1°and the average final knee ROM at follow-up was 102.6°So the average loss of ROM was 18.5°The arthroscopic adhesiolysis seems to be applied to the various conditions of the partial knee ankylosis and the results are better than the other surgical procedures when it was performed early enough.
Anesthesia ; Ankylosis ; Contracture ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Knee ; Male ; Surgical Procedures, Operative

DNA profiling with sets of short tandem repeat (STR) markers is the most popular method for identifying human DNA in forensics. Identification by STR typing might fail when DNA is degraded or is present in low amounts, such as in disaster victim identification (DVI) samples. In such cases, more information might be obtained by using additional markers such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Multiplex PCR and microarray are convenient techniques to analyze SNP markers. We used an AccuID(TM) Chip, SNP-based DNA chip manufactured by DNA Link Corporation, to confirm genetic relationship between two human bone samples that had been buried for more than 50 years and blood samples from the alleged descendants of the sources of the bone fragments. The chip combines an Affymetrix resequencing array with a multiplex PCR technology and can genotype hundreds of SNP markers in a single experiment. Genotyping the two bone samples yielded 90.5 and 77 SNP markers. The commonly genotyped markers (61 and 47 SNP loci) in each bone-family pair provided high paternity indices to support the genetic relationships in both cases.
Disasters ; DNA Fingerprinting ; DNA* ; Forensic Anthropology* ; Genotype ; Humans* ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis* ; Paternity ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

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

Sex typing may become the start point in investigations that are usually performed through amelogenin typing. In cases involving genotype-phenotype discrepancy, amelogenin typing could yield misleading results. The rare XX male syndrome is characterized by a phenotypic male with a 46, XX female karyotype. In this point, this case report would help understand the importance of genotype-phenotype discrepancy.
Amelogenin ; Female ; Genes, sry ; Humans ; Karyotype ; Klinefelter Syndrome ; Male ; Y Chromosome

So called 'national criminal DNA Database (Law about The Use and Protection of DNA Identification information)' has started from July 2010 in Korea after long days of dispute. The supreme prosecutor's office has already announced that it has arrested offenders in several unsolved cases with the help of DB. The DB is just on the entrance now, and is expected to evolve. The dispute concerning ethical issues has not been ended, and new techniques would be introduced. The concerns about DB may be alleviated as DB is operated without any formerly expected problem. So we have to keep eyes open for DB and be prepared to further development. Experience of countries which are operating same system in ahead would be of great help. The number of related crime type would change, and we have to be prepared for more negotiation. Abolishment policy after DNA test for samples would have to be reconsidered. New system for the administration committee is preferable for more national advancement in the field of forensic science as a whole. Ethical issues concerning new use of DB must be settled down. As a part of forensic science and supporting tool for human right of people, not as a tool for investigative purpose only, criminal DB need more concern for more evolvement.
Crime ; Criminals ; Databases, Nucleic Acid ; Dissent and Disputes ; DNA ; Eye ; Forensic Sciences ; Human Rights ; Humans ; Korea ; Negotiating

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to verify the status and the clinical significance of BRAF and NRAS mutations in patients of one of the university hospitals in Korea. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and direct sequencing were performed for the analysis of melanoma samples (n=22) for the detection of mutations in exon 15 of the BRAF gene, and exons 2 and 3 of the NRAS gene in genomic DNA. Mutations of the BRAF gene were correlated with the clinicopathologic features of patients and the BRAF mutation status was compared in 18 paired primary and metastatic tumors. RESULTS: Incidence of somatic mutations within the BRAF and NRAS genes was 27.3% (6/22) and 0% (0/22), respectively. Age, gender, Breslow thickness, and ulceration did not show correlation with BRAF mutations. Among 18 patients with metastasis, BRAF mutation was detected in 22.2% of cases (4/18), and all four cases with BRAF mutations were identified in metastatic lymph node tissues. BRAF mutations were only found in lymph node metastases, which was statistically significant (28.6% vs 0%, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The incidence of BRAF mutation is as low as in other Asian reports and the NRAS mutation was not found in patients of our institute.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; DNA ; Exons ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lymph Nodes ; Melanoma* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence* ; Ulcer

Mammography is the only examination capable of depicting malignant calcifications in breast. In some instances calcifications evident in mammogram and specimen mammograms are not observed in the histologic specimen. Therefore, wer retrospectively analyzed 27 cases in which hook-guided wire localization and biopsy had been performed to determine if microcalcifications were lost during histopathologic processing. Calcium was apparently lost during preparation of the block in about 7% of the cases and after slide preparation in about 11%, for a total possible loss of 18%. The authors recommend a protocol for avoiding these loss that involves performance of a more comprehensive examination of histologic sections by the pathologist and radiographic reexamination of paraffin-embedded tissue blocks with subsequent step sectioning by the pathologist.
Biopsy ; Breast ; Calcium ; Mammography ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: To reduce the risk of Mendelson's syndrome, it is customary to fast patients for 8 hours before anesthesia. However preoperative fast is unpleasant for patients, who complain frequently of thirst and dry mouth, and this conventional fast may be over-cautious. We have studied the effect of ingestion of barley tea, a Korean popular beverage, 3 hours before anesthesia on gastric contents (volume and pH), blood sugar level, thirst, and anxiety. METHODS: We studied prospectively 284 adult patients undergoing elective surgery. The patients in the control group (n=142) fasted for at least 8 hours, and those in the experimental group (n=142) received 250 ml of barley tea 3 hours before anesthesia. On arrival in the operating room, subjects were asked to assess thirst and anxiety. After induction of anesthesia, gastric contents were aspirated via 18 French Salem sump tube and gastric volume, pH and blood sugar level were measured. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in gastric fluid volume and pH and blood sugar level between control and experimental groups. However, patients in experimental group complained of less thirst than those in control group. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that in adult patients undergoing elective surgery, allowing patients to drink 250 ml of barley tea until 3 hours before anesthesia may relieve patients from thirst without compromising safety.
Adult ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Anxiety ; Beverages ; Blood Glucose ; Eating ; Hordeum ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration* ; Mouth ; Operating Rooms ; Pneumonia, Aspiration ; Prospective Studies ; Tea ; Thirst

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we examined the relationship between attachment style, alexithymia, marital satisfaction, and depressive symptoms in married couples. METHODS: We administered the Korean version of Experiences in Close Relationships questionnaire-Revised (K-ECR-R), Korean version of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20K), Revised-Dyadic Adjustment Scale (R-DAS), Korean version of the Beck Depression Inventory (K-BDI), and to 105 men and 115 women in the community. The data was analyzed with correlation analysis between related variables, and the regression analysis method of Baron and Kenny (1986) was used. RESULTS: The current study assumes that alexithymia mediates between attachment style and marital satisfaction, and these factors influence depressive symptoms. The results were as follows : 1) alexithymia mediated perfectly between attachment anxiety style and marital satisfaction and 2) alexithymia, and marital satisfaction had significant influences on depressive symptoms. Attachment avoidance style was excluded for dissatisfaction with the assumption of the regression analysis method of Baron and Kenny (1986). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that attachment style, alexithymia, and marital satisfaction seem to be important factors in depressive symptoms among married people. These results suggest that different interventions according to attachment style may helpful for the enhancement of marital satisfaction and the reduction of the depressive symptoms of married couples.
Affective Symptoms ; Anxiety ; Depression ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Humans ; Male