The mutation of p53 tumor suppressor gene is the most common genetic variation of primary malignant tumors. The occurrence, progression and reaction for medical management of cancers can be different according to the characteristics of p53 gene, even if they are same kinds of malignant tumors. In this study, the property of p53 gene in 4 kinds of squamous cell carcinoma cell lines were investigated by using immunocytochemistry, PCR-SSCP, sequencing and Western blot methods. As a result, p53 mutation detected in 3 kinds of squamous cell carcinoma cell lines. Namely, it is found that T in codon 176 changed to A, and G in codon 281 changed to A in KUMA3 cell lines; CC in codon 241 changed to TT in KUMA4 cell lines; G in codon 266 changed to T in KUMA6 cell lines. In single nucleotide polymorphism of codon 72 of p53 gene, the genetic variations are Arg/Pro heterozygote in KUMA3 and KUMA4 cell lines; Arg/Arg homozygote in KUMA5 cell lines; Pro/Pro homozygote in KUMA6 cell lines. These results will provide useful data for p53 gene researches of various squamous cell carcinomas.
Blotting, Western ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cell Line* ; Codon ; Genes, p53* ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Genetic Variation ; Heterozygote ; Homozygote ; Immunohistochemistry ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

The incidence of severe hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection has been increasing. However, clinicopathologic features of severe HAV infection that lead to liver transplantation (LT) have not been reported in Korea. We retrieved 16 LT cases with HAV infection during the last 3 years at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. Fifteen cases progressed to hepatic encephalopathy. Thirteen cases survived with or without complications, and three patients died of sepsis. The explanted liver showed massive or zonal necrosis with moderate to severe cholestasis. The zonal distribution of necrosis was frequently associated with endothelialitis of portal and/or central veins. Degenerative changes of hepatocytes were various in degree and distribution. Viral inclusions were suspected in two cases. Although HAV infection is usually confirmed by serological tests, significant venulitis of central and/or portal veins and viral inclusions, which are rarely observed, can suggest an HAV infection as a cause of massive hepatic necrosis of unknown mechanism.
Cholestasis ; Fluconazole ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis A ; Hepatitis A virus ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Liver ; Liver Transplantation ; Massive Hepatic Necrosis ; Necrosis ; Portal Vein ; Sepsis ; Serologic Tests ; Veins

The authors report seven cases of carotid-ophthalmic artery aneurysms who were surgically treated using the combined extradural-intradural or intradural approach from March, 1991, to December, 1993. Carotid-ophthalmic artery aneurysms are of considerably surgical interest because some of these were considered to have technical difficulties of clipping and disastrous surgical results. Removal of the anterior clinoid process and unroofing of the optic canal are the key points to exposure the operative field adequately. On the basis of these experiences, authors concluded that this approach is very useful, because of adequate surgical field and better mobilization of the internal carotid artery and optic nerve for direct clipping of carotid-ophthalmic artery aneurysm and basilar tip aneurysm.
Aneurysm* ; Arteries* ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Optic Nerve

PURPOSE:Recent studies proposed that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) of the omega6 series (linoleic acid, LA) compared to the omega 3 series (linolenic acid, LNA) may be a potent promoters of adipogenesis during the gestation/lactation period. Increased ratio of LA/LNA may stimulate adipose tissue development during gestation/lactation period and may subsequently lead to chilhood obesity. The purpose of this study is to evaluate fatty acids composition of the breast milk in Korean lactating women and to analyze the relationship between LA/LNA and the body weight gain of the infants. METHODS:Fifty eight healthy postpartum lactating women and their healthy 58 breast feeding infants were studied. At 11.3+/-3.9 days of postpartum, breast milk were taken and analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography with one-step methylation method. RESULTS:The total fat contents in breast milk were 3.2+/-1.3%. The total fat contents in breast milk were not related to maternal BMI or Kaup index of infants. The percentage of PUFA was 24.9+/-6.0%. Among these PUFA, the percentage of LA and LNA was 20.3+/-5.8% and 2.2+/-0.8%, respectively. LA/ LNA ratio was 10.2+/-2.5. There were no significant correlations between LA/LNA ratio and infant weight gain during the first 2 months of life. CONCLUSION: Short term weight gain of infant was not related to the LA/LNA ratio in the breast milk. Further studies on the long term effects on fat percent and body weight of infants would be needed.
Adipogenesis ; Adipose Tissue ; alpha-Linolenic Acid ; Body Weight* ; Breast Feeding ; Breast* ; Chromatography, Gas ; Fatty Acids* ; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated ; Female ; Humans ; Infant* ; Linoleic Acid ; Methylation ; Milk, Human* ; Obesity ; Postpartum Period ; Weight Gain

Objective: The endothelial inflammatory response plays an important role in atherogenesis by inducing nuclear factor (NF)κB-dependent cell adhesion molecule expression and monocyte recruitment. Here, we screened for natural ligands and investigated the ability of shinjulactone A to inhibit interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-induced endothelial inflammatory signaling. Methods: The natural compound library included 880 single compounds isolated from medicinal plants by the Korean Medicinal Material Bank. Primary endothelial cells were pretreated with single compounds before stimulation with IL-1β to induce endothelial inflammation. Endothelial inflammation was measured by assaying NFκB activation and monocyte adhesion. The endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) was evaluated using cell type-specific marker protein expression and morphology. Results: Shinjulactone A was identified as an efficient blocker of IL-1β -induced NFκB activation, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of approximately 1 µM, and monocyte recruitment in endothelial cells. However, it did not affect lipopolysaccharideinduced NFκB activation in macrophages. Compared to Bay 11-782, a well-known NFκB inhibitor that shows considerable cytotoxicity during long-term treatment, shinjulactone A did not affect endothelial cell viability. Furthermore, it also significantly inhibited the EndMT, which is known to promote atherosclerosis and plaque instability. Conclusion We suggest that shinjulactone A may be an effective and safe drug candidate for atherosclerosis because it targets and inhibits both endothelial inflammation and the EndMT, without impairing NFκB-dependent innate immunity in macrophages.

We experienced a case of arteriovenous hemangioma showing Dariers sign on the forehead of a 43-year-old man. He presented with a single, 1 * 1.5cm sized, violaceous, asymptomatic nodule with a history of an intermittent wheal at the lesional site. This skin lesion showed Dariers sign clinically and proliferation of mast cells histopathologically with the punch biopsy specirnen suggesting urticaria pig- mentosa. Howerer, we could diagnose it as a arteriovenous hemangioma on complete excision, as the specimen showed arteriovenous proliferation with increased mast cells in a perivascular pattern. This case showed confusing clinical signs and showed the importance of complete excision for the diagnosis of a small skin tumor especially when a vascular proliferating tumor is suspected.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Forehead ; Hemangioma* ; Humans ; Mast Cells ; Skin ; Urticaria

BACKGROUND: The diseases that cause neonatal cholestasis display several overlapping clinical feature. Making the differential diagnosis using liver biopsy specimens from infants with neonatal cholestasis is important for delivering the proper treatment. METHODS: We assessed the clinical manifestations, laboratory data, and histopathologic features of the pretreatment liver biopsy specimens from patients suffering with biliary atresia (n=66), intrahepatic bile duct paucity (n=15), and neonatal hepatitis (n=21). RESULTS: The gender distribution was nearly equal for the patients with biliary atresia and intrahepatic bile duct paucity, whereas males predominated for the cases of neonatal hepatitis. Only the gamma-glutamyl transferase level differed significantly amongst the groups. The diagnostic features for making the differential diagnosis of bile duct lesions included marked bile ductular proliferation, severe fibrosis, and bile duct loss. The difference of the average percentage of portal tracts with bile duct loss was statistically significant between the patients with intrahepatic bile duct paucity (73.9%) and those patients with neonatal hepatitis (39.1%) (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Bile ductular proliferation, bile duct loss, and advanced fibrosis are useful for the differential diagnosis of neonatal cholestasis. Moreover, stricter diagnostic criteria for bile duct loss (more than 2/3 of bile ducts) should be applied for the definitive diagnosis of intrahepatic bile duct paucity, because bile duct loss also frequently occurs in infants suffering with neonatal hepatitis.
Bile ; Bile Ducts ; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; Biliary Atresia ; Biopsy ; Cholestasis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fibrosis ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Liver ; Male ; Stress, Psychological ; Transferases

PURPOSE: Mesenteric vascular disease is a rare group of diseases including dissection, embolism, atherosclerosis, and venous thrombosis. Technical advances have led to increased diagnostic rates and new treatments with improved outcomes. The purpose of this study was to analyze the characteristics, methods of diagnosis, treatments, and outcomes of patients with mesenteric vascular diseases at our institution. METHODS: Between November 2003 and April 2010, 30 patients with mesenteric vascular disease diagnosed and treated at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital were reviewed retrospectively. Demographic data, etiology, treatment modality, and outcomes, including complications and mortalities, were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 63.2 years (range, 43~91 years) and there was a male predominance (21 males vs. 9 females). The etiologies were superior mesenteric artery (SMA) dissection (n=13), SMA embolism (n=8), SMA atherosclerosis (n=5), and superior mesenteric vein thrombosis (n=4). Eleven patients underwent surgical treatment, while 11 patients underwent endovascular intervention and ten patients underwent conservative therapy with or without medication. No recurrence of symptoms or thrombosis was observed, except for one case of surgical thrombectomy, which underwent an endovascular aspiration thrombectomy with thrombolysis 9 days after the surgery. Two cases of technical endovascular treatment failure occurred, and one case of mortality after an endovascular stent insertion was observed. CONCLUSION: The incidence of mesenteric vascular diseases is increasing, and clinical manifestations and prognosis may vary from minor to life-threatening conditions. Early diagnosis is very important and the appropriate choice between endovascular intervention and a surgical approach may lead to good treatment results.
Atherosclerosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Embolism ; Humans ; Incidence ; Ischemia ; Male ; Mesenteric Arteries ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Mesenteric Veins ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents ; Thrombectomy ; Thrombosis ; Treatment Failure ; Vascular Diseases ; Venous Thrombosis

The most common severe cervical spine injury involving the posterior elements is subluxation or dislocation in which the posterior ligamentus complex is completely torn. Late instability is more common than previously realizaed, because ligamentous structures do not reconstitute normally, even with prolonged external rigid fixation. Subluxation of the cervical vertebrae in a flexion injury can be reduced by skeletal traction;however, they usually require posterior stabilization. Unilateral and bilateral facet dislocation frequently require open reduction and posterior stabilization. The authors have used interlaminar clamps for the stabilization of thirty cases of unstable cervical spine. Advantages of this method are 1) immediate and rigid stabilization without cord injury, 2) early ambulation and prevention of respiratory complication and pressure sore. And also, posterior cervical stabilization with Halifax clamps is an easier, safer and faster technology in treatment of unstable spine.
Cervical Vertebrae ; Dislocations ; Early Ambulation ; Female ; Ligaments ; Pressure Ulcer ; Spine*

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to evaluate the validity of the ‘ Enterprise Health Promotion Index’, a tool for assessing health promotion activities of worksite developed by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency. METHODS: This is designed a methodological study that evaluates the validity of the Enterprise Health Promotion Index. For this study, a questionnaire survey was conducted for the workplace health professional and safety professional, and a total of 297 data were extracted as final data. We developed the informal health promotion needs and activity measurement tools. The correlation coefficient between the score of the enterprise health promotion index and the score of the informal health promotion tool was analyzed for the criterion validity evaluation. RESULTS: The criterion validity of the Enterprise Health Promotion Index and activity index were supported by finding moderate (r=.597) and high (r=.783) correlation coefficient. However, the requirement index has low levels of criterion validity (r=.364). CONCLUSION: Based on these results, we suggest to improve the utility of the corporate health promotion index by developing user manual, active public relations, and providing briefing sessions.
Employment ; Health Occupations ; Health Promotion* ; Korea ; Methods ; Occupational Health ; Public Relations ; Workplace