Estrous cycle -related histological and histochemical changes in the vaginal epithelium of mature female rats were studied with PAS (periodic acid Schiff) alcian blue pH 2.5 and biotinylated lectins (DBA, SBA, PNA, BSL -1, sWGA, UEA -1, RCA -1, Con A and LCA).The prominent characteristic changes that occured during the estrous cycle were mucinous transformation in proestrus and cornification in estrus. In proestrus, the superficial mucinous cells of the epithelium were increased in number and enlarged in size, and the amount of acid and neutral mucosubstances was more increase in proestrus than in diestrus and metestrus. About the binding pattern of all lectins examined to the superficial mucinous cells, in diestrus, the binding pattern of these cells showed a similar affinity as in metestrus with intense DBA and UEA -1 reactivity. In proestrus, however, these cells were reactive with seven lectins examined except LCA and PNA, and DBA, SBA, BSL -1, RCA -1 and UEA -1 reacted more strongly than in diestrus and metestrus. In estrus, the superficial cornified cell layers showed a weak reactivity of SBA, BSL -1 and PNA. In diestrus and metestrus, the mucinous cells in the intermediate layers of the basal portion of vaginal fold stained with eight lectins examined except LCA and showed the same binding pattern to the superficial mucinous cells. About the distribution of glycoconjugates in the intermediate layer, the upper spindle cells showed different binding pattern according to the estrous stages. In diestrus, estrus, and metestrus, these cells showed a affinity for all lectins examined. In proestrus, however, DBA and PNA staining were not observed, and stained more intensely with sWGA, SBA and UEA -1, and less intensely with BSL -1 and RCA - 1. In estrus, DBA and PNA reactivity reappeared as trace, and RCA -1 and sWGA reactivity increased. In metestrus, sWGA reactivity reduced and BSL -1 and UEA -1 increased continually. The lower rounded cells of the intermediate layers stained with all lectins examined in estrus, with six lectins examined except Con A, DBA and UEA -1 in proestrus and with five lectins examined except DBA, UEA -1, sWGA and BSL -1 in diestrus and metestrus. BSL -1 reactivity for the layers increased in proestrus, estrus and metestrus, and PNA reactivity increased in estrus and reduced in metestrus. The basal layer of the vaginal epithelium showed different binding pattern to the different portion of vagina, and showed faint staining of BSL -1, SBA and RCA -1, and moderately staining of BSL -1 in proestrus and estrus. In conclusion, alpha /-N -acetyl -D -galactosamine, alpha /-D -galactose and alpha -L -fucose participate in the mucinous transformation of the vaginal epithelium, and beta -N -acetyl -D -glucosamine participates in the cornification of the vaginal epithelium.
Alcian Blue ; Animals ; Diestrus ; Epithelium* ; Estrous Cycle* ; Estrus ; Female ; Glycoconjugates ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Lectins ; Metestrus ; Mucins ; Proestrus ; Rats* ; Vagina

We report a case of hereditary trichilemmal cyst with proliferating trichilemmal tumor in a 64-year-oid man, who has generalized 157, variable sized firm cutaneous nodules for 40 years. The cystic nodules are chiefly located on the scalp and trunk which showed characteristic histopathologieal findings of trichilemmal cyst and proliferating trichilemmal tumors. His son also has multiple trichilemmal cysts and his mother seems to have had clinically similar lesions. The patient and his son were treated with surgical excision and therapeutic trial of oral isotretinoin for 2 months. Isotretionoin was ineffective in the patient, but the lesions of his son were decreased in size.
Humans ; Isotretinoin ; Mothers ; Scalp

We report, a 1-day-old male with congenital cutaneous candidiasis who had generalized erythematous papules and pustules on the whole body including palms and soles from birth. At 5th month of pregnancy, his mother had a history of vaginal candidiasis for a month KOH mount of pus from pustules of several different sites showed budding spores and pseudohrphae and fungus culture revealed the growth of Candida albicans We believe this to he the first documented case of congenital cutaneous candidiasis in Korean literature.
Candida albicans ; Candidiasis ; Candidiasis, Cutaneous* ; Fungi ; Humans ; Male ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Spores ; Suppuration

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to construct and test a structural equation model to investigate the risk factors of metabolic syndrome in rural women. METHODS: The raw data in this study was collected from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study supervised by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2005 to 2010. The data included physical examinations and surveys of 1,125 women, who resided in three rural areas of South Korea. The structural model in this study was composed of five latent variables: depression, stress, social support, health behavior, and metabolic syndrome. The structural equation model was used to assess the relationships among the variables. RESULTS: The results of the study showed that depression and stress had direct effects on metabolic syndrome. Social support had a direct effect on health behavior and metabolic syndrome. Also, health behavior had a direct effect on metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSION: This study may serve as a guideline for interventions and strategies used to reduce metabolic syndrome in rural women.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Depression ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Genome ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Korea ; Models, Structural ; Physical Examination ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Spontaneous progression of severe congestive heart failure is structurally characterized by cellular degeneration and multiple foci of myocardial cell death. The cardiac troponin I (cTnI), one of the subunits of the troponin regulatory complex, binds to actin and inhibits interaction between actin and myosin. cTnI is uniquely expressed in the adult human myocardium, and an increase in its circulating levels is highly indicative of myocardial injury. In this study, we addressed the usefulness of cTnI as a sensitive and specific molecular marker for severity in patients with congestive heart failure. MethodscTnI, creatinin kinase-MB (CK-MB), and myoglobin were assessed in 59 patients with severe congestive heart failure diagnosed by the echo-cardiography and gated equilibrium blood pool heart scan. Also we assesed cTnI, creatinin kinase-MB (CK-MB), and myoglobin in 25 persons without cardiac disease in echocardiography. RESULTS: 1) The cTnI con-centration was 89.6+/-69.3 pg/mL in patients with congestive heart failure and its level was greater than that of the control group (22.4+/-17.1, p=0.001). 2) The cTnI level differed significantly according to left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), 117.3+/-73.8 pg/mL in patients with EF\<40% (28 patients), 66.3+/-44.5 pg/mL in patients with EF> or =40% (31 patients), 22.4+/-17.1 pg/mL in the control group (25 persons) (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: cTnI was useful as a specific and sensitive serum molecular marker in patients of congestive heart failure. And its level reflected the severity of congestive heart failure.
Actins ; Adult ; Cell Death ; Echocardiography ; Equidae ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)* ; Heart ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Failure* ; Humans ; Myocardium ; Myoglobin ; Myosins ; Stroke Volume ; Troponin I* ; Troponin*

No abstract available.
Diagnosis*

No abstract available.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Humans

PURPOSE: Paraquat (PQ) increases the level of toxic reactive oxygen species in humans. Various endogenous antioxidant mechanisms against PQ exist in humans. The aim of the present study was to assess lipid peroxidation and antioxidative defenses of humans exposed to acute PQ poisoning over time. METHODS: The medical records of patients who presented to the emergency department (ED) within 6 hours after PQ poisoning were reviewed. Patients were classified into three groups based on the severity index of paraquat poisoning (SIPP) using the serum level of PQ and time interval from exposure to ED arrival. The serum level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activities of antioxidative enzymes were compared between groups at baseline, 12 hours, 24 hours and 48 hours after presentation. RESULTS: The mean age of enrolled patients was 51.0+/-15.9 years and they ingested 143.3+/-144.4 ml of 24.5% liquid PQ accidently or as an attempted suicide. The baseline MDA level, and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the three groups were similar. In the SIPP >50 group, the serum MDA level and the SOD activity significantly increased from baseline, peaking at 24 hours. In the 10< or =SIPP< or =50 group, serum MDA level and SOD activity displayed a smooth and steady increase. In the SIPP <10 group, serum MDA level steadily decreased but SOD activity increased. GPx activity did not show any changes. CONCLUSION: PQ changes serum levels of MDA and SOD activity depending on the severity of PQ intoxication, but serum GPx activity does not significantly change.
Emergencies ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; Humans ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Malondialdehyde ; Medical Records ; Paraquat ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Suicide, Attempted ; Superoxide Dismutase

PURPOSE: Seizures can be detrimental to recovering brain in patients that are resuscitated after cardiac arrest. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of seizures may be important to improve prognosis. Therefore, we tried to determine factors that predict seizures and their characteristics in patients after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). METHODS: Sixty eight patients who were over 18 years of age and who presented at Chonnam National University hospital in a post-resuscitative state after cardiac arrest between April 2007 and April 2010 were enrolled. These patients were divided into two groups according to the development of seizure during hospitalization. Baselines characteristics, information related to cardiac arrest and CPR, results of laboratory tests, the method of treatment, and the neurologic state at discharge were collected. RESULTS: Twenty six patients experienced a seizure during hospitalization and it progressed to status epilepticus in 16 of them. The results of initial laboratory tests, baseline characteristics, and time variables related to CPR were not associated with the development of seizure. Half of seizures, with or without progression to status epilepticus, developed within 12 hours after return of spontaneous circulation. There was no significant difference in the two groups according to progression to status epilepticus. CONCLUSION: There are no predictable variables for development of seizures and progression to status epilepticus in patients after cardiac arrest. However, seizure usually occurs within 12 hours after the return of spontaneous circulation. The physician should consider these characteristics of seizures when he decides to use EEG monitoring to patients in a post-resuscitative state.
Brain ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Early Diagnosis ; Electroencephalography ; Heart Arrest ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus

No abstract available.
Endocarditis* ; Endocarditis, Bacterial ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Renal Dialysis