Lipocortin represents a family of similar Ca++ depentent phospholipid-binding proteins capable of blocking the activity of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in vitro. Generally, these proteins are believed to inhibit the release of arachidonic acid from photopholipids and the formation of lipid mediators such as prostaglandin, leukotriene, and platelet activating factor. Lipocortin 1, initially identified as a glucocorticoid- responsive protein in macrophages and neutrophils has been implicated in transmembrane signal transduction during growth factor-mediated cell proliferation and transformation. To define the synthesis and its regulation, we investigated the expression of lipocortin 1 in both the mRNA and protein level in U937 cell line in the presence of several differentiation factors. The results were as follows. 1. The expression of lipocortin 1 and its mRNA was increased during TPA-induced differentiation of U937 cells to maximum of 2-fold and 5-fold respectively. Both the protein and mRNA levels decreased after 48 hours. 2. With the treatment with IFN-gamma, the expression of CD16 was increased. However, the protein and mRNA levels of lipocortin 1 were, not changed significantly. 3. Neither the dexamethasone or hydrocortisone have any effects on the expression of lipocortin 1 in both TPA-differentiated and undifferentiated U937 cells. The results from this study would give a light on defining the functional role of lipocortin 1 in macro-moncycle cell lineage and possibly some informative clues for the pathogenic mechanisms of the inflammatory diseases.
Annexin A1* ; Annexins* ; Arachidonic Acid ; Cell Lineage ; Cell Proliferation ; Dexamethasone ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Macrophages ; Neutrophils ; Phospholipases A2 ; Platelet Activating Factor ; RNA, Messenger ; Signal Transduction ; U937 Cells*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Urticaria*

No abstract available.
Mitral Valve*

BACKGROUND: Microdeletion syndromes not detectable by conventional cytogenetic analysis have been reported to occur in approximately 5% of patients with unexplained mental retardation (MR). Therefore, it is essential to ensure that patients with MR are screened for these microdeletion syndromes. Mental retardation syndrome multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MRS-MLPA) is a new technique for measuring sequence dosages that allows for the detection of copy number changes of several microdeletion syndromes (1p36 deletion syndrome, Williams syndrome, Smith-Magenis syndrome, Miller-Dieker syndrome, DiGeorge syndrome, Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome, Alagille syndrome, Saethre-Chotzen syndrome, and Sotos syndrome) to be processed simultaneously, thus significantly reducing the amount of laboratory work. METHODS: We assessed the performance of MLPA (MRC-Holland, The Netherlands) for the detection of microdeletion syndromes by comparing the results with those generated using FISH assays. MLPA analysis was carried out on 12 patients with microdeletion confirmed by FISH (three DiGeorge syndrome, four Williams syndrome, four Prader-Willi syndrome, and one Miller-Dieker syndrome). RESULTS: The results of MLPA analysis showed a complete concordance with FISH in 12 patients with microdeletion syndromes. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of these results, we conclude that MLPA is an accurate, reliable, and cost-effective alternative to FISH in the screening for microdeletion syndromes.
*Chromosome Deletion ; Classical Lissencephalies and Subcortical Band Heterotopias/genetics ; DiGeorge Syndrome/genetics ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence/*methods ; Laboratories, Hospital ; Mental Retardation/*diagnosis/genetics ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques/*methods ; Prader-Willi Syndrome/genetics ; Williams Syndrome/genetics

Psoriasis is a multi-factorial disease with various clinical manifestations. We present a case of unilateral psoriasis associated with ipsilateral lymphedema that developed after mastectomy for breast cancer. A 42-year-old Korean woman was referred to our clinic with a 1-month history of multiple erythematous scaly patches on the right arm, back, and breast and was diagnosed with psoriasis by a skin biopsy. Three years previously, she had been diagnosed with breast cancer (T1N2), underwent a right quadrantectomy and axillary lymph node dissection, and completed adjuvant chemotherapy followed by high-dose adjuvant radiotherapy. She had started rehabilitation therapy on the right arm for secondary lymphedema 30 months previously. Because of the long interval between radiation and psoriasis, we speculated that changes in the local milieu caused by the lymphedema might be a causative factor. We hereby report a rare case of unilateral psoriasis following post-mastectomy lymphedema.
Adult ; Arm ; Biopsy ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymphedema ; Mastectomy ; Psoriasis ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Skin

Lanolin is a complex material consisting of a mixture of numerous esters and polyesters of high-moleculer-weight alcohols and fatty acids, Lanolin allergy is important because lanolin is widely used as an emulsifier in topical medicaments and in numerous cosmetic preparations. We report a case of allergic contact dermatitis in a 27-year-old female. An erythematous pruritic rash develgood around the eyelid developed after applying a new eye cream and was aggravated after applying Cambison ophthalmic ointment. Patch testing showed positive reactions to Cambison ophthalmic ointment, 30% wool alcohol, Amerchol L101 and Nivea cream. A use test with 100% Cambison ophthalmic ointment base was positive
Adult ; Alcohols ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; Esters ; Exanthema ; Eyelids ; Fatty Acids ; Female ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Lanolin* ; Patch Tests ; Polyesters ; Wool

PURPOSE: To compare the corneal first surface higher-order aberrations (HOAs) of normal subjects and patients with dry eye using KR-1W(R) (Topcon Corp., Tokyo, Japan) and Pentacam(R) HR (Oculus Inc., Dutenhofen, Germany). We analyzed the relationship between the aberrations and the diagnostic parameters of dry eye. METHODS: We evaluated anterior corneal HOAs in 71 normal eyes and 71 dry eyes using KR-1W(R) and Pentacam(R). Dry eye patients were examined for fluorescein staining, tear break-up time (TBUT), and Schirmer I test. Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) was used for assessment of subjective symptoms in dry eye patients. RESULTS: HOAs measured by both instruments were greater in the dry eye group than in the control group, although HOAs using KR-1W(R) only achieved statistical significance. The anterior corneal HOAs measured by the 2 instruments were significantly correlated with superficial punctate keratitis. Moreover, TBUT and the Shirmer I test negatively correlated, and OSDI positively correlated, with anterior corneal HOAs. CONCLUSIONS: The HOAs in patients with dry eye were significantly different from controls and tended to increase with disease severity. KR-1W(R) might be more useful than Pentacam(R) to detect tear film instabilities.
Fluorescein ; Humans ; Keratitis ; Tears

Papuloerythroderma of Ofuji (PEO) is an uncommon entity of unknown etiology, characterized by coalescing erythematous papules sparing skin folds. A number of cases have described the association of this disorder with malignant with pathology, mainly with cutaneous T cell lymphoma. Such reports give rise to the suggestion that PEO may be a precursor of lymphoma or a form of cutaneous T cell lymphoma. We report a case of PEO, which was diagnosed as cutaneous T-cell lymphoma only 2 months after the development of skin lesions, and rapidly progressed. This case suggests the presence of a variant of cutaneous T cell lymphoma with clinical feature of PEO, which is different from mycosis fungoides or S zary syndrome.
Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous* ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral ; Mycosis Fungoides ; Pathology ; Skin

OBJECTS: This study was performed to investigate neuroanatomical change in the temporal lobe in the patients with mood disorder. METHODS: The study groups were consisted of 13 patients with major depressive disorder with psychotic feature,23 patients with major depressive disorder without psychotic feature, 13 patients with bipolar disorder and 50 age-matched control group. We used DSM-III-R criteria far classifying our patients. We estimated the area and volume of the left, right and total temporal lobe In selected 6-8 coronal MR images including the boundary of the temporal lobe. We compared the results of both patients with mood disorder and control group. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the volume of total and right temporal lobe between the patients with mood disorder and control group. But the average volume of the left temporal lobe was significantly smaller than that of the control group. After patients were divided according to subtype, the patient group was compared with control group. The average volume of the left temporal lobe in the patients with depressive disorder was smaller than that of control group, however there were no significant difference In between the patients with bipolar and control group. Among the subtype of depressive diseases, the patients with psychotic feature was significantly smaller than control subjects in the volume of left temporal lobe. CONCLUSION: Finally, we could find that there was significantly smaller volume in left temporal lobe only in the patients with major depressive disorder with psychotic feature. This findings support the previous hypothesis that in contrast to other subtype of mood disorder, major depressive disorder with psychotic feature should be classified to be the spectrum disease lying between schizophrenia and mood disorder.
Bipolar Disorder ; Deception ; Depressive Disorder ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Mood Disorders* ; Schizophrenia ; Temporal Lobe*