No effective therapy has yet developed for liver fibrosis/cirrhosis by directly inhibiting the accumulation of extracellular matrix. This study was undertaken to determine the effect of tetrandrine in rat model of liver fibrosis induced by carborn tetrachloride (CCl4) administration intraorally. Tetrandrine, a calcium channel blocker, is anti-inflammatory constituent of the families Menispermaceae and Ranunculaceae, which have been used as folk remedies in China. Repeated administration of CCl4 for 14 weeks to rats induced liver fibrosis with steatosis. Rats were killed after 4, 8 or 14 weeks of treatment with CCl4, CCl4 tetrandrine (30 mg/kg) or CCl4 tetrandrine (50 mg/kg). The histopathological findings of liver were observed semi-quantitatively by light microscopy and volume percentage of the collagen deposition was determined by image analyzer. Tetrandrine inhibited collagen deposition induced by CCl4 administration, as shown by less severe steatosis and fibrosis and significantly decreased volume percentage of collagen fibers in CCl4 tetrandrine treated animals compared with CCl4 only group. Thus, the administration of tetrandrine holds great promise for treating subjects with liver fibrosis/cirrhosis as a result of chronic hepatic injury.
Animals ; Calcium Channels ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; China ; Collagen ; Extracellular Matrix* ; Fibrosis* ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Medicine, Traditional ; Menispermaceae ; Microscopy ; Models, Animal ; Ranunculaceae ; Rats*

The fracture of the tibial condyle involving the articular surface can produce some disability of the knee joint because it is frequently accompanied by soft tissue injury to the ligaments and menisci. Accurate anatomical reduction and rigid internal fixation with early mobilization is known to provide good results. The authors analysed 50 cases of the fracture of the tibial condyle which were treated with recent method(anatomical reduction, rigid fixation and early joint motion) at the Dae Han Hospital from January, 1988 to May, 1993. The results were summerized as follows: 1. The associated injuries were ligamentous injury in 24 cases(48%), fibular fracture in 21 cases(42%), femur fracture in 7 cases(14%) and meniscal injury in 7 cases(14%). 2. According to Hohl's classification, the split compression type was most common in 17 cases(34%), and there were 14 comminuted type(28%), 8 local compression type(16%), 7 total condylar compression type(14%) and 4 split type(8%). 3. Method of internal fixation were plate & screw in 32 cases(64%), tibial bolt & screw in 18 cases(36%), bone graft in 31 cases(62%), ligament repair in 24 cases(48%) and menisectomy in 4 cases(8%). 4. The clinical result by Insall's criteria were excellent in 37 cases(74%), good in 8(16%), fair in 3(6%), poor in 2(4%) among 50 cases.
Classification ; Early Ambulation ; Femur ; Joints ; Knee Joint ; Ligaments ; Methods ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; Transplants

Colles' fracture is a common injury encountered in emergency departments. Despite the frequent experience of every orthopedic surgeon with Colles' fracture, considerable variation remains in the treatment of fracture of the distal radius. Everyone nearly agress that reduction of the fracture is not difficult, but maintenance of reduction is the problem. Eighty patients with Colles' fracture were treated with closed reduction and percutaneous pinning under the C-arm fields and followed up more than 1 year, from January 1990 to May 1993 at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Dae Han Hospital. The results of this study were as follows: 1. The fractures were classified according to the system of Gartland and Werley. Of the 80 cases, 12(5%) were type 1; 25(31%) type 2; and 43(54%) type 3. 2. Complications were such as; temporary neuropathy of median nerve 2 cases, redisplacement 2 cases, radiocarpal arthritis 1 cases, stiff hand 1 case and shoulder hand syndrome 1 case. 3. The overall assessment showed exellent in 29 patients(36.2%), good in 44 patients(55,0%) and poor in 7 patients(8.8%) under the subjective and objective criteria of Gartland and Werley and the objective criteia of Scheck. 4. The results were mainly correlated with maintenance of an anatomical reduction. 5. The percutaneous pinning was suitable for anatomical restoration and maintence, had less com plication and more advantage such as the early range of joint and simple technique. Conclusively, it was considered to be one of ideal method for the treatment of Colles' fracture in selected cases.
Arthritis ; Colles' Fracture ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Hand ; Humans ; Joints ; Median Nerve ; Methods ; Orthopedics ; Radius ; Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy

The diagnosis of a Battered Child Syndrome is made by the pediatrician, surgeon and the radiologist because almost parents deny the diagnosis or refuse to answer the doctor's questions. The imaging modalities play a key role in the investigation and documentation of the battered child syndrome, because of the high frequency of the typical skeletal lesion. Although physical abuse is denied by parents, the recognition of this entity is possible by the primary diagnostic imaging study in the suspected child abuse. The imaging studies are either a bone scan and x-ray series or a complete radiolographic skeletal survey by X-ray series. In an expected intracranial injury, a CT scan of the head is mandatory We experienced a case of Battered Child Syndrome in a 6 month-old male infant who had subdural hemorrhage and fractures of skull and ribs in different stages of healing and repair. The brief review of the literature was made.
Battered Child Syndrome* ; Child ; Child Abuse ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Head ; Hematoma, Subdural* ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Parents ; Ribs ; Skull ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Juvenile spring eruption(JSE) of the ears is an unusual type of photodermatosis, which develops on the light exposed areas of the ears of boys and young male adults in the early spring months. JSE has received little attention in the literature, and to our knowledge no cases have been reported in Korea until now. Herein we report a case of JSE occurring in a 17-year-old man who has suffered from a recurrent pruritic erythematous papulovesicular eruption of both helix, followed by crusting and healing without scarring within one to two months early each spring for six years.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Cicatrix ; Ear* ; Humans ; Korea ; Male

Synthetic genes encoding the gag p24 and the part of the envelope protein gp41 of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) were cloned and overexpressed as fusion proteins in Escherichia coli, using an expression vector carrying 77 promoter and the poly-histidine leader sequence. The overexpressed p24 fusion protein was purified by centrifugation, Ni-affinity chromatography and CM-sepharose chromatography The overexpressed gp41 fusion protein was purified by centrifugation, C4 chromatography and DEAE-sepharose chromatography. The purified fusion proteins showed a high level of purity and immunoreactivity in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and western blot analysis. These results suggest that this prokaryotic expression-purification method is suitable for obtaining a large amount of the viral antigen which may be useful for screening of antibodies to HIV-1 in human blood samples.
Antibodies ; Blotting, Western ; Centrifugation ; Chromatography ; Clone Cells ; Electrophoresis ; Escherichia coli ; Genes, Synthetic ; HIV* ; HIV-1* ; Humans* ; Mass Screening

BACKGROUND: Workers who are related with paint stripping process of aircraft parts can be exposed methylene chloride, phenol, chromium hexavalent in using paint remover. Especially, methylene chloride is more important hazard because of chemical asphyxia. METHOD: NIOSH(National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) Manual of Analytical Methods(NMAM) #1005 was used in sampling and analysis of methylene chloride. 4 air bases were surveyed. RESULT: Airborne concentrations of methylene chloride distributed lognomally. In aircraft paint stripping operation of 4 air bases, geometric mean(GM) of methylene chloride concentrations was 30.40+/-3.39 ppm (n=14) in personal samples and GM of area samples was 2.24 ppm (n=2). 5 of 8 samples showed breakthrough phenomenon. Breakthrough rate([back section]/[front section]) significantly correlated with airborne concentrations (p<0.01) and with detected amounts of methylene chloride(p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Airborne concentrations of methylene chloride in paint stripping process exceed the criteria level in many case(43%). Seriesed charcoal tubes must be used in methylene chloride sampling in compliance with NMAM.
Aircraft* ; Asphyxia ; Charcoal ; Chromium ; Compliance ; Humans ; Methylene Chloride* ; Occupational Health ; Paint* ; Phenol

Ectopic pregnancy refers to gestation in which the fertilized ovum implants on any other tissure than tbe mucus membrane lining the uterine cavity. Cornual (intertitial) pegnancy is a relatively uncommon but potentially catastrophic form of ectopic pregnancy, defined as implantation in the intramural portion of a fallopian tube. A hydatidiform mole usually occupies the uterine cavity but it's occurrence in the uterine tube is extremely rare. Only a few cases of primary hydatidifm mole of the tube have been reported. We experienced a case of ectopic hydatidiform mole in the uterine cornua and so present it with brief review of literatures.
Fallopian Tubes ; Female ; Hydatidiform Mole* ; Membranes ; Mucus ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic ; Zygote

No abstract available.
Bowen's Disease*

BACKGROUND: The product of oxygen-free radicals inf1ict oxidative injuries on healthy cells. Antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase(SOD), glutathione peroxidase, and reduced glutathione(GSH) are present in almost all cells and play important roles in metabolism, transport, and cellular protection. We measured blood GSH levels in healthy controls and patients with non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus(NIDDM) for evaluation of the clinical usefulness of GSH. METHODS: Erythrocyte GSH levels were measured in fifty healthy controls and thirty NIDDM patients with diabetic retinopathies by Beutler's method. We also tested within-run precision, between-run precision, linearity and recovery rate to evaluate this method measuring erythrocyte GSH levels. RESULTS: The GSH levels (mean +/-SD) of NIDDM patients (5.03+/-0.67mumo1/Hb) were significantly lower than those of healthy control group (6.46+/-0.85mumo1/Hb)(P<0.001). The results of within-run precision and between-run precision when stored at 4degrees Cwere excellent (coefficient of variation were 2.79% and 2.42%, respectively), however, when stored at the room temperature the GSH levels were sharply declined. The linearity and recovery rate were acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: The prescision, linearity, and recovery rate of GSH measurement were excellent. The GSH levels in NIDDM patient group were reduced, and this probably contributes to the defective defense mechanism against increased oxidative stress. Additional measurement of other antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione Peroxidase may be required to clarify the pathologic significance of glutathione metabolism in various diseases.
Antioxidants ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Erythrocytes* ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; Glutathione* ; Humans ; Insulin ; Metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Superoxides