BACKGROUND: Several keratolytic agents have been used in many dirmatologic conditions such as callus, keratosis palmaris of plantaris, however the evaluation method of the effects of keratolytiic agents has not been good enough in clinical use. OBJECT: We have conducted an investigation to measure the effect of several keratolytic agents using an in vitro model. METHOD: We measured the fegraded protein of keratin by the bui iet method after adding enzymes such as trypsin, pepsin and papain, and irritants, salicylic acid and sodii m lauryl sulfate to the collected callus. RESULT: The order of the keratolytic effect of the enzymes was trypsir >pepsin>papain. It was difficult to detect the keratolytic effect of salicylic acid becaues of color hiidrance and there was an increasing tendency of keratolyti effect of sodium lauryl sulfate, however it was prominent mainly at a high concentration. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that the potency of similar types of keratolytic enzymes such as pepsin, trypsin and papain can be possible. However it was not such a sitable model to check the potency of the keratolytic effect of salicylic acid and the eoncentration tevel may be an important factor for certain kinds of chemicals such as sodium lauryl sulfate.
Bony Callus ; Irritants* ; Keratolytic Agents ; Keratosis ; Papain ; Pepsin A ; Salicylic Acid ; Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate ; Trypsin

No abstract available.
Funnel Chest*

The second case of this serial reports under the title of unusual cutaneous manifestations of connective tissue diseases is a woman with primary idiopathic dermatomyositis who developed cutaneous ulcerations on her arms and legs, which is thought to b a rare manifestation of adult dermatomyositis. These multiple ulcerations are about bean sized, polymorphous, and grouped on the poikilodermatous lesional skin. In this patient these ulcerative lesions became regressive and healed with disfiguring scars after the activity of the disease has controlled by prednisolone and methotrexate.
Adult ; Arm ; Cicatrix ; Connective Tissue Diseases* ; Connective Tissue* ; Dermatomyositis* ; Female ; Humans ; Leg ; Methotrexate ; Prednisolone ; Skin ; Ulcer*

Majocchi's disease is one of chronic vascular disorders of the skin, histologically showing capillaritis with lymphoid cell infiltration. Although the hypothesis of delayed type hypersensitivity reaction against foreign antigen is proposed as the mechanism producing this condition, there are much yet to be defined. We tried to examine the lesional skin of five patients with Majocchi's disease by the direct immunofluorescence with anti-human immunoglobulins, C 3, and fibrin. As a result we found the deposition of immunoglobulins (M, and G) in papillary blood vessels in four patients, and C 3 and fibrin were found in all five patients. C3 was also found at the dermoepidermal junction in three patients. These findings suggest the posssibility that antibody mediated immunologic processes may alsobe involved in the pathogenesis of this disorder. With this observation Majocchis disease could be considered as a chronic immune vasculitis.
Blood Vessels ; Fibrin ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulins ; Lymphocytes ; Skin ; Vasculitis

The paratertiary butylphenol formaldehyde resin (PTBP-FR) is commonly used as a shoe adhesives because it sticks rapidly, is durable and pliable, and maintains good bond strength at raised temperature. We report two cases of allergic contact dermatitis due to PTBP-FR-containing shoes. Two women visited our department because of the skin rash on their .
Adhesives ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; Exanthema ; Female ; Formaldehyde* ; Humans ; Shoes*

Vasoconstrictive effect of several topicsl corticosteroids was measured using laser Doppler flowmeter. Hydrophilic ointment base, 1% hydrocortisone cream, 0.1% clocortolone pivalate cream, and 0.25% desoxymethasone cream were applied on both forearms of 20 volunteers. To augment the vasoconstrictive effect of the corticosteroids, We had cut off the blood flow to forearms for 4 minutes by tourniquet. The reactive hyperemia was measured by laser Doppler flowmeter and the ares under the curve were calculated by digitizer aided by a computer. The mean areas of esch drugs were in the following order : hydrophilic ointment base, 0.1% clocortolone pivalate cream, 1% hydrocortisone crearn and 0.25% desoxymethasone cream. However, the standard deviations were too large for the difference to be statistically significant. We concluded that laser Doppler flowmeter is not suitable for the measurement of vasoconstrictive effect of corticosteroid.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Desoximetasone ; Flowmeters* ; Forearm ; Humans* ; Hydrocortisone ; Hyperemia ; Tourniquets ; Vasoconstriction ; Volunteers

Primary irritant dermatitis is one of the most common skin disease caused by various hazardous chemicals produced from the environment. For the detection of skin irritant potency, in vivo models such as human and animal patch test have been used, Keratinocyte culture method which has been set up very recently is another alternative in vivo method of detecting skin irritarlcy. LVe have investigated the effects of three skin irritants, phenol, benzoyl peroxide (BP), and sodium lauryl sulfate(SLS) on the keratinocyte culture system. Prostaglandin E(PGE) measurement, cell count and electron microscopic observation were performed after adding three irritants of different concentrations to the cultured keranocyte cells. The main results of this study were as follows : 1. There were statistically significant decreased cell number in concentration of 10 M phenol, 10 4M BP and SLS. The order of cytotoxic potency was SLS>BP >phenol. 2. In case of PGE production, decreased PGE production was observed 6 hours after addition of the irritants, except 10 M phenol and 10M BP groups. Decrea sing tendency sustained until 24 hours, however all were statistically nonsignificant comparing with control group. 3. Electron microscopic finding showed that dilatation of endoplasmic reticulums in 10 M phenol group, condensation and dilatation of mitochondrias in 10 4M BP group, and most of the cells were swollen in 10 4M SLS group. These results suggest that cell count is a useful model for performing cytotoxi city test in keratinocyte culture decreased PGE production represents cytotoxic effect in high concentration of primary irritants and ultrastructural changes may reflect the different pathomechanisms in cytotoxicity.
Animals ; Benzoyl Peroxide ; Cell Count ; Dermatitis, Irritant ; Dilatation ; Dinoprostone ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; Hazardous Substances ; Humans* ; Irritants* ; Keratinocytes* ; Mitochondria ; Patch Tests ; Phenol ; Prostaglandins E ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Sodium

No abstract available.
Depression*

No abstract available.
Ciprofloxacin* ; Methicillin Resistance* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus*

BACKGROUND: Recently authentic human growth hormone(hGH) has produced in the E coli K-12, W3110 by recombinant DNA tecbnology in Korea In this paper, the clinical efficacy and immunogenicity of this GH was shdied in 38 children with growth hormone deficiency during therapy of 1 year. METHODS: The subjects of this study were aged 4.9-13.9 years, diagnosed by failure of plasma GH to respond to insulin-induced hypoglycemia, arginine and/or L-dopa loading and height below -2 standard deviation of mean for their chronological age. Each patient received GH 0.5-0.7IU/kg/week subcutaneously in 6-7 divided doses. During treatment, vital signs, height, body weight and bone age were checked every 3 months. Complete blood count, urinalysis, blood chemistry and thyroid hormone were checked before and every 6 months. The measurement of serum IGF-1 level and antibody against hGH were performed before and every 6 months during therapy of I year. RESULT: The height velocities significantly increased from 3.3 +/- 1.5cm/year to 10.1 +/- 2.5 and 9.0 +/- 1.8cm/year at 6 and 12 months of therapy, respectively. The height standard deviation score for chronological age were significantly improved from -2.141.50 to -1.74 +/- 1.43 and -1.54 +/- 1.38 at 6 and 12 months of therapy with increasing ratio of bone age to chronological age from 0.72 +/- 0.15 at pretreatment to 0.76 +/- 0.15 at 6 month, 0.79 +/- 0.16 at 12 month of therapy. The plasma IGF-1 level significantly increased during treatment. One of 36 patients(2.8%) showed positive antibody against hGH after 1 year of treatment. During therapy of 1 year, unwanted and remarkable clinical side effect were not observed in all subjects. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that this E. coli derived authentic recombinant growth hormone is very effective in stimulating linear growth in children with growth hormone deficiency.
Arginine ; Blood Cell Count ; Body Height ; Chemistry ; Child* ; DNA, Recombinant ; Escherichia coli ; Growth Hormone* ; Human Growth Hormone ; Humans* ; Hypoglycemia ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Korea ; Levodopa ; Plasma ; Thyroid Gland ; Urinalysis ; Vital Signs