Kawasaki disease is an acute vasculitis of infancy and early childhood characterized by high fever, rash, mucositis, lymphadenopathy and coronary artery damage. The failure to indentify a causative organism using convetional culture and serological techniques, and the lack of response to antibiotics indicate that the disorder is probably not due to any known bacterial or viral pathogens. During the acute phase of the disease, the alterations of T and B cell functions, changes of cytokine and immunoglobulin levels have been reported. This study was performed to investigate the changes of immunoglobulins levels in patients with Kawasaki disease. IgG, IgA, IgM and IgG subclasses were measured using immunoprecipitation and EIA in the sera of patients with Kawasaki disease. The results were as follows: 1) Acute phase reactants such as CRP and ESR were significantly increased in Kawasaki patients compared to those in control patients(p<0.01). 2) Serum IgG levels in Kawasaki disease were markedly increased than those in control patients, while serum IgA and IgM levels showed no significant changes (P: No Significance). 3) IgG1 and IgG4 were predominantly increased increased in the sera of Kawasaki patients, while IgG2 and IgG3 were not significantly increased (P: No Significance). With these results, unidentified infectious organism with abnormal immune response could be suggested as an etiologic factor of Kawasaki disease.
Acute-Phase Proteins ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Child* ; Coronary Vessels ; Exanthema ; Fever ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin G* ; Immunoglobulin M ; Immunoglobulins ; Immunoprecipitation ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome* ; Mucositis ; Vasculitis

Basal cell carcinoma(BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are very prevalent neoplasms of the human skin. Ultraviolet radiation in sunlight is a well-established mutagen of the p53 gene and is one of basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. The newly-formed vascular network is important for neoplasms to grow beyond a size of about 1 mm2. Recent reports have suggested the hypothesis that a mutant p53 protein is closely related with capillary density. Immumohistochemistry for p53 protein and CD34 was performed in 20 cases of BCCs and 14 SCCs to evaluated the relationship between p53 protein and capillary density. The results were as follows:1. The microvessels stained by CD34 were mainly located in the interface of tumor cells and stroma. 2. There was no difference in the microvessel density according to the histologic types and age of the patients, but a higher microvessel density was noted in male patients. 3. The aggressive BCCs and the less-differentiated SCCs showed higher p53 immunostaining. 4. The mean microvessel density of cases showing strong positive immunostaining of the p53 gene(54.73+/-17.75) was higher than that of others(39.75+/-18.30). These results suggested that p53 protein expression and microvessel density are not related to the histologic types and age of the patients, but that differentiation and biologic behavior such as the infiltrating property of tumors and the microvessel density are closely related to p53 protein expression.
Capillaries ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Genes, p53 ; Humans ; Male ; Microvessels* ; Skin* ; Sunlight

OBJECTIVE: Sural nerve conduction study is known to be one of the sensitive tests for detecting neuropathies. In peripheral neuropathy, the distal sural nerve, lateral dorsal cutaneous branch of sural nerve (LDCBSN), may be more easily affected than proximal portion of the sural nerve. To evaluate the clinical application of LDCBSN conduction study and amplitude comparison between sural nerve and LDCBSN in peripheral neuropathy. METHOD: Antidromic conduction studies were performed for sural nerve and LDCBSN and amplitude between two nerve responses were obtained in 30 controls (mean age, 46) and 30 patients with diabetic neuropathy (mean age, 54), but obtainable sural sensory response. The active recording electrodes were placed were placed over the dorsolateral surface at the midpoint of the fifth metatarsal for LDCBSN and posterior aspect of lateral malleolus for sural nerve. The stimulating electrodes were placed 12 cm proximal to the active electrodes in both nerves. RESULTS: LDCBSN response was obtainable in all controls and not obtainable in 7 diabetic patients in whom the amplitude of sural response was less than 5 uV. The amplitude of LDCBSN to sural nerve was approximately 35% in controls and 22% in diabetic patients, which was statistically significant (p=0.00). CONCLUSION: LDCBSN conduction study is sensitive test to detect peripheral neuropathies and amplitude ratio of LDCBSN to sural nerve can be used in the evaluation of peripheral neuropathies.
Diabetic Neuropathies* ; Electrodes ; Humans ; Metatarsal Bones ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Sural Nerve*

An age-dependent cellular change of DNA contents in the testis of Sprague-Dawley rats was investigated by flow-cytometric method. Testicular cell suspensions at the age of 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 16 and 26 weeks were prepared and stained with propidium iodide. The relative proportions in the number of mature and immature haploid (1n), diploid (2n), S-phase and tetraploid (4n) cells were calculated. The proportion in the number of mature haploid cells was sharply increased to the age of 10 weeks (about 38%), thereafter increased slightly to the level of 42% at the age of 26 weeks. The proportion of immature haploid cells was dramatically increased to the age of 6 weeks, then maintained at the level of 20 to 30% thereafter. The proportion of diploid cells was 64% at the age of 4 weeks, then decreased gradually through the age of 26 weeks. The proportion of S-phase cells was increased to the age of 4 weeks, then maintained at a plateau level to the age of 26 weeks. The proportion of tetraploid cells were about 26% at the age of 4 weeks, then decreased gradually to the age of 26 weeks. These results suggest that the proportions of testicular cells may depend on the age of the rat and that the flow cytometric method may be useful in the evaluation of the spermatogenic status with regard to accuracy and sensitivity.
Animals ; DNA/*analysis/genetics ; Diploidy ; Flow Cytometry/methods/veterinary ; Haploidy ; Male ; Rats ; Spermatogenesis ; Testis/chemistry/*growth & development

Green nail syndrome is characterized by greenish discoloration of the nail. It is caused by Pseudomas aeruginosa which is an aerobic gram-negative rod found in moist environment. The most common predisposing factors are frequent exposure to water and trauma history. Herein, we report two cases of green nail syndrome who developed greenish discoloration of finger nails, which were treated by systemic levofloxacin and gentian violet application.
Causality ; Fingers ; Gentian Violet ; Levofloxacin ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Water

OBJECTIVE: Human papillomavirus (HPV) test was incorporated into the triage of lesser abnormal cervical cytologies: atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) or low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL). This study aimed to evaluate the impact of age on the efficacy of HPV testing in patients with lesser abnormal cervical cytologies. METHODS: A total of 439 patients with ASCUS or LSIL were included. The association between age groups and the diagnostic performances of HPV test for high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2+) was evaluated. RESULTS: Median age was 44 years (range, 17 to 75 years). ASCUS was more frequently observed in older patients while LSIL was more common in younger patients (P=0.002). CIN2+ was found in 11.3% (32/284) of the ASCUS patients and 12.9% (20/155) of patients with LSIL. Older patients with ASCUS showed lower HPV infection rates (P=0.025), but not LSIL (P=0.114). However, the prevalence of CIN2+ was similar between the age groups with ASCUS or LSIL. In patients with ASCUS, the false negative rate of HPV test for CIN2+ was 6.2%. The false negative rate of the HPV test became higher with increasing of the age after the age of 50 (P=0.034). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that false negative rate of the HPV test for CIN2+ in ASCUS patients older than 50 years might become higher with increasing of the age. Negative HPV results in patients of the age >50 years with ASCUS should be carefully interpreted.
Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; DNA* ; Human Papillomavirus DNA Tests ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Triage ; Uterine Cervical Dysplasia

Extracolonic manifestations which occur in approximately 10-20% of patients with ulcerative colitis most commonly affect joints, skin, liver and eyes. In contrast, pulmonary involvement in ulcerative colitis is very rare. However, a variety of respiratory disorders has been associated with ulcerative colitis, including pulmonary vasculitis, bronchiectasis, chronic bronchitis, interstitial fibrosis, pleural effusion. Since the first observation of pulmonary involvement in ulcerative colitis by Kraft in 1976, a few cases have been reported, and probably no such case have been reported in Korea yet. Here we report an experience concerning 56 year-old man interstitial lung disease in ulcerative colitis, who was diagnosed by clinical, radiographic, endoscopic, histologic findings.
Bronchiectasis ; Bronchitis, Chronic ; Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Joints ; Korea ; Liver ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial* ; Middle Aged ; Pleural Effusion ; Skin ; Ulcer* ; Vasculitis

Cockayne syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of childhood characterized by cachectic dwarfism with senile-like appearance, mental retardation, photosensitive dermatitis, loss of adipose tissue, pigmentary degeneration of retina, microcephaly, deafness, skeletal and neurologic abnormalities. We describe here an 18 year old boy with Cockayne syndrome who had, in addition to the typical features of the disorder, fasting hyperinsulinemia and growth hormone deficiency.
Adolescent ; C-Peptide/blood ; Cockayne Syndrome/*complications/pathology ; Growth Disorders/*complications/pathology ; Growth Hormone/*deficiency ; Humans ; Hyperinsulinism/*complications/pathology ; Insulin/blood ; Male ; Optic Atrophy/pathology ; Retinal Degeneration/pathology

The effects of ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (EGEE) on testicular cell populations in pubertal (5 weeks old) and adult (9 weeks old) male rats were investigated by a flow cytometric method. A total of 50 rats (in number, 25 pubertal and 25 adult rats) was divided into 5 experimental groups including 0 (control), 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg EGEE/kg of body weight. The animals were administered by gavage for 4 weeks. In adult rats, the treatment of EGEE at the dose of 400 mg/kg of body weight decreased significantly the populations of haploid, while it increased those of diploid and tetraploid cells. In pubertal rats, the treatment of EGEE at the dose of 400 mg/kg of body weight caused only minimal changes in the relative percent of testicular cell types. These results suggest that the effects of EGEE on testicular function in pubertal rats appear to be less pronounced than in adult rats.
Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Ethylene Glycols/*toxicity ; Male ; Organ Size/drug effects ; Rats ; Sexual Maturation/*drug effects ; Solvents/*toxicity ; Spermatogenesis/*drug effects ; Testis/drug effects/*pathology ; Time Factors

BACKGROUND: In recent years, a combination of two demographic phenomena, an increased number of older people in the population and an increase in the incidence of lung cancer with age, has made it mandatory to develop therapeutic modalities with less toxicity for the treatment of inoperable elderly patients with lung cancer. Therefore, we investigated the correlation between COX-2 expression and cytotoxicity of Nimesulide, a specific COX-2 inhibitor. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Immunohistochemical staining of COX-2 was performed. After exposure of Nimesulide, XTT analysis, FACS analysis and Hoechst staining were carried out. RESULT: COX-2 protein was expressed in non- treated A549 cells strongly, but not in H1299. Cytotoxicity of Nimesulide against A549 cell and H1299 cell were similar and IC50 of Nimesulide in both cell lines were 70.9 microM in A549 cell line and 56.5 microM in H1299 cell line respectively. FACS analysis showed G0/G1 arrest in both cell lines and the S phase cell fraction was decreased. Morphologic assessment of apoptosis by Hoechst 33258 staining, many apoptotic cells were detected in both cell lines. CONCLUSION: Selective COX-2 inhibitor, Nimesulide, can inhibit the proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer cell lines in vitro. Inhibitory effect of Nimesulide are induction of apoptosis and G0/G1 arrest. There is no correlation between COX-2 expression and cytotoxicity of Nimesulide, a specific COX-2 inhibitor. Therefore, highly selective COX-2 inhibitors such as Nimesulide can be expected to lead to even greater efficacy of their use as adjuncts to various anticancer angents and radiation therapy for the treatment of high-risk patients.
Aged ; Apoptosis ; Bisbenzimidazole ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Cell Line* ; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Lung Neoplasms ; S Phase