It has been well known that human sera exert an inhibitory effect on the growth of dermatophytes and candida. Several different inhibitory serum factors have been isolated and investigated by some workers. In clinical aspects, the patients with diabetes are prone to derrnatophyte and candida infections. The authors attempted to investigate whether diabetic sera would have any difference in inhibitory effect on in vitro candidial growth compared with norma1 sera, Fifty and 30 serum samples were obtained from patients with diabetes and bealtby adults respectively, Aliquots of candida albicans were mcubated in the test tubes containing nutrient kiroth with addition of eacb serum. Iron was also added to saturate transferrin in the serum. The degree of candidial growth was determined by the change of percent transmission on spectrophotometry of the candida-inoculated nutrient broth in the test tubes during 24-hour incubation. The results were as followings: 1. The sera from both patients with diabetes and healthy adults were found to retain the inhibitory effect on in vitro candidial growth, though the transferrin, a known serum inhibitor, was removed by saturation with iron. 2. The inhibitory effect of diabetic sera was weaker than that of normal sera. 3. The degree of the inhibitory effect of each diabetic serum was not correlated with corresponding serum glucose level.
Adult ; Arthrodermataceae ; Blood Glucose ; Candida albicans* ; Candida* ; Humans ; Iron ; Spectrophotometry ; Transferrin

PURPOSE: To analyze the morphologic changes of the eyelids among different age groups in Korean, and also th find out factors that influence there changes. METHODS: Tow hundred thirty six subjects without any ocular diseases were selected, and sorted by the age (ranging from teenage to the sixties and above), the gender, and according to the existence of the double fold. The pictures of frontal and lateral side of the subjects were taken. After scanning the pictures, MRD1 (marginal reflex distance 1), MRD2 (marginal reflex distance 2), the vertical distance from upper eyelid to eyebrow, the vertical and horizontal distance from medial to lateral canthus, and the horizontal distance between lateral canthus and corneal center were measured using computer-based AutoCAD R14. The measured distances were compared in each subjects. RESULTS: MRD1, MRD2, the vertical distance between medial and lateral canthus, and the horizontal distance between lateral canthus and corneal center were longest in people of the 3rd and 4th decade, and decreased. The horizontal distance between medial and lateral canthus was longest in people of the 5th decade, and decreased thereafter. The vertical distance between upper eyelid and eyebrow was shortest in people of the 4th decade and increased with aging. CONCLUSIONS: It is essential to acknowledge and understand the morphologic changes of the eyelids according to aging so that more satisfactory surgical outcomes may be achieved in cosmetic eyelid operation.
Aging ; Eyebrows ; Eyelids* ; Humans ; Reflex

Recent immunological investigations have demonstrated that the patients with psoriasis have various humoral and cellular immune abnormalities, such as increased serum IgG, IgE and secretory IgA, anti-IgC factor in psoriatic lesions, in peripheral blood lymphocytes and in serum, rhumatoid-like factors in IgA and IgG classes of immunoglobulins, antinuclear antibodies (ANA; reacting with the basal cell nuclei of uninvolved skin., anti-stratum corneum antibody and complements in psoriatic scales, immuoglobulin and complement bearing polymorphonuclear leucocytes in the Muro microabscess. These abnormal findings are enough to suggest an autoimmune mechanism in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Several investigators have also reported the results of T cell enumeration in the peripheral blood in psoriatic patients. However, the results are not in general agreement,. Thee present study was undertaken to clarify any abnormality in the proportion of T cells in the peripheral blood in psoriatic patients. Forty-one patients with active psoriasis registered at the Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University Hospital entered this study from May, 1979 through April, 1980. Twelve healthy medical and paramedical personel the comprised the control group. Active and total T cells were enumerated by the method of E-rosetting technique, and the results were as follows. 1, in normal controls, the active and total T celIs identified as E rosetteforming cells accounted for 61.6+7.4% and 68.1+8.9% of the total lymphocyte population, respectively. 2. In patients with psoriasis, significant decrease of active T cells (54. 2,+11.0%,p<0.005) and total T cells (62.2+11.2%, p<0.05) was observed. More profound reduction of T cells was noted in patients with wide spread psoriasis than those with limited extent.
Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Cell Nucleus ; Complement System Proteins ; Dermatology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin A, Secretory ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulins ; Lymphocytes ; Psoriasis* ; Research Personnel ; Seoul ; Skin ; T-Lymphocytes* ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: This study analyzes the factors influencing anatomical failure of the primary operation for simple rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. METHODS: The patients in this study were diagnosed with simple rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and operated on by a single physician. The success group comprised 251 eyes and the failure group comprised 29 eyes. The factors analyzed between the two groups were the type of primary procedure, the type of retinal defect; the numbers of retinal defects; the extent of retinal detachment; the duration of retinal detachment; the existence of peripheral degeneration; carrying out of subretinal fluid drainage; the type of tamponade material used and the position of retinal defects. RESULTS: The anatomical success rate of the primary operation for simple rhegmatogenous retinal detachment was 89.64%. Patient sex, the type of tamponade material used and the position of the retinal defect showed significant differences between the success and failure groups. There was a higher percentage of male patients in the failure group than in success group (p=0.034). Silicone oil used as the tamponade material resulted in a greater chance of failure than success (p=0.017). Analysis of the position of the retinal defect showed that, defects distributed in the inferior retina or through multiple area led to a greater likelihood of anatomical failure (p=0.036). CONCLUSIONS: Due ti the greater possibility of anatomical failure of the primary operation when retinal defects are distributed in the inferior retina or through multiple area, clinicians should consider intensive treatment for such cases.
Drainage ; Humans ; Male ; Retina ; Retinal Detachment* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Silicone Oils ; Subretinal Fluid

PURPOSE: The subperiosteal abscess in the orbit, caused mostly by sinusitis, has the major clinical finidings such as lid swelling, proptosis, limitation of the eye movement, and so on. The combined systemic administration of antibiotics and surgical drainage are the cornerstone of the treatment for the subperiosteal abscess. However, recent studies have shown that the systemic antibiotic therapy without any surgical intervention can effectively treat the disease. Therefore, this paper presents the case studies based on the treatment results of subperiosteal abscess. METHODS: The medical files of six patients are reviewed in detail, focused on the clinical findings and treatment results. The subjects had the subperiosteal abscess in the orbit and treated from June 1, 1996 to July 31, 2001. RESULTS: Five out of six patients were under the age of fifteen; 2 in the nasal side, 2 in the inferior side, and 1 in the superior side of the orbit. All of the five patients were treated effectively by the intravenous antibiotic therapy only. CONCLUSIONS: The subperiosteal abscess of the orbit in pediatric patients was treated by the intravenous antibiotic therapy only, including the one in the superior side. It is suggested that the intravenous antibiotic therapy can be enough to treat the subperiosteal abscess. However, we also recommend close monitoring of the patients to see whether the surgical intervention might be needed or not.
Abscess* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Child* ; Drainage ; Exophthalmos ; Eye Movements ; Humans ; Orbit* ; Sinusitis

In the treatment of spasmodic dysphonia, local injection of botulinum toxin A has been reported to be successful. The treatment of adductor type spasmodic dysphonia using botulinum toxin type A was conducted in 31 patients. These patients were given toxins in the vocal fold(s), unilaterally or bilaterally, under telelaryngoscopic guidance with 23 gauge scalp needle attached by laryngeal forceps. Before the above procedure, laryngeal anesthesia was done with 2% pontocain instillation. Among the 31 patients, 30 patients were given the toxin successfully. Telephone interview were made at 2 weeks and then at 4 weeks post injection. Among the above 30 patients, 90% reported that the injection was of significant benefit. The functional status of the patient's disorder was classified into four grades. The mean pre-injection grade for the patients in this study was 2.10 and it was significantly lowered to 1.13 after the injection(p<0.01). As a self assessment method, the patients were asked to rate their voice on a scale of 100. In this study, the mean pre-injection score was 40 and it was significantly improved to 69.8 after the injection(p<0.01). In conclusion, botulinum toxin injection using telelaryngoscope is a safe and effective method for the treatment of adductor type spasmodic dysphonia.
Anesthesia ; Botulinum Toxins* ; Botulinum Toxins, Type A ; Dysphonia* ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Needles ; Scalp ; Self-Assessment ; Surgical Instruments ; Voice

Traffic accident leaves various traces on vehicle, road or pedestrians and these can be viewed as the failure mechanism of relatively moving obstacles. This paper introduces tribology and fractography, which are the parts of failure mechanics, as a means of theoretical analysis and approaching methods on the traffic accident. Actual specific traces are introduced as illustrations of tribology and fractogrphy. A verified traffic accident is also introduced as a case report.
Accidents, Traffic ; Mechanics

BACKGROUND: Recent research demonstrates a strong association between smoking-related behaviors and genetic variation. We investigated the clinical features and genetic effects of dopamine receptors and a serotonin transporter on smoking cessation in Koreans. METHODS: Smokers (n=51) wanting to quit smoking were included as the study population. They were genotyped for polymorphisms in dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) (TaqI and -141C), dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4), and a serotonin transporter (5-HTT). We defined abstinence as stopping smoking at six months after enrollment. RESULTS: Eighteen patients (35.3%) stopped smoking at six months. The abstinence group had a higher rate of alcohol use whereas the non-abstinence group had more coughing. However, there were no significant differences in average smoking rate, starting age of smoking, gender, nicotine dependence, and forced expiratory volume in one second between the two groups. As for the genes in the dopamine pathway, the polymorphisms of DRD2 TaqI (A1 allele) and DRD2 -141C (Ins C allele) were not genotypically different between the two groups (P=0.245 and 0.409, respectively). The genetic variation in the DRD4 variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) also showed a similar distribution in the two groups. Regarding the polymorphisms of 5-HTT, there was no difference in the long allele between the two groups (P=0.852). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the genetic variations of DRD2 TaqI, DRD2 -141C, DRD4 VNTR, and 5-HTT might have little influence on smoking cessation in Korean smokers.
Alleles ; Cough ; DNA ; Dopamine ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Genetic Variation ; Humans ; Minisatellite Repeats ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Receptors, Dopamine ; Receptors, Dopamine D2 ; Receptors, Dopamine D4 ; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Smoking Cessation ; Tobacco Use Disorder

PURPOSE: There is still much controversy about the prognosis of breast cancer developed in young women compared with old women. We performed this study to evaluate the pragnosis of the breast cancer in young women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1985 to 1994, 1189 women received opetaticms for breast cancers at Severance Hospital. The study group included patients less than 36 years old who had unilateral, invasive and primary operable breast eancers (N=158). The control groups included patients between 36 and 50 years old (N=518) and those between 51 and 65 years old (N=269) who had the same conditions as the study group. The 5-year survival and 5-year disease-free survival rate for three groups were compared using Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank method. To evaluate the age as an independent prognostic factor in premenopausal women Coxs proportional hazard model was used. RESULT: The overall 5-year survival rate and 5-year disease-free survival rate ot the study group were significantly lower than those of control groups (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in 5-year survival and S-year disease free survival between the two control groups. The Coxs propotional hazard model analysis revealed that the stage is the most important prognostic factor and the age was also an independent prognostic factor. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of breast cancer less than 36 year old was poorer than that of 36-51 year old and 51-65 year old, suggesting that the age may be an independent prognostic factor in premenopausal women. More aggessive adjuvant treatment is required for breast cancer patients less than 36 year old of age.
Adult ; Aged ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: To study the characteristics of the accompanying amblyopia and strabismus in patients with anisometropia. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 193 patients, who had either spherical or cylindrical anisometropia of more than 1.00D. Patients were divided into four groups: spherical hyperopic anisometropia, spherical myopic anisometropia, cylindrical hyperopic anisometropia, and cylindrical myopic anisometropia. We investigated the accompanying amblyopia and strabismus. Amblyopia was treated with lens correction and patch therapy and we analyzed the results for 78 patients who fulfilled six-month follow-up examinations. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the frequency of amblyopia between spherical and cylindrical anisometropia. Spherical myopic anisometropia of more than 3.00D showed a significant increase in the incidence of amblyopia (p=0.001). Spherical hyperopic anisometropia of more than 1.00D, cylindrical hyperopic anisometropia of more than 2.00D, and cylindrical myopic anisometropia of more than 2.00D showed an increased tendency for amblyopia. Between spherical and cylindrical anisometropia, there were no significant differences in the results and duration of amblyopia treatment, and type and frequency of strabismus. CONCLUSIONS: In spherical anisometropia, hyperopic anisometropia has a higher risk for developing amblyopia. We could find the threshold for the development of amblyopia.
Amblyopia* ; Anisometropia* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Strabismus*