This study was undertaken to investigate the response of non-immunologic contact urticaria(NICU) test before and after ingestion of cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors such as naproxene, ibuprofen and mefenamic acid. Forty patients who showed positive reaction to 5% benzoic acid (BA) in petrolatum by 20 minutes closed patch test were chosen and divided into 3 groups. Group I was consisted of 13 patients who were taken naproxene 250mg bid, group II, 14 patients, taken ibuprofen 600mg bid, and group III, 13 patients, taken mefenamic acid 500mg bid. All the patients were tested with 5%, 2.5%, 1%, 0.5% and 0.1% BA in petrolatum using Finn chamber on Scanpor tape on the right arm before medication and next day on the left arm after medication of each day. Mefenamic acid did not show any significant differences before and after ingestion of drug. Naproxene reduced reaction about half of patients. Ibuprofen reduced reaction in almost all patients and blocked reaction completely in 9 of 13 patients. This results suggested that there was no correlation between blocking effect to BA induced contact urticaria and so called anti-inflammatory potencies of naproxene and ibuprofen, and that NICU by BA is partly mediated by prostaglandins(PG) or mediated by other mediators, which were potentiated by PG, except histamin.
Arm ; Benzoic Acid ; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors ; Eating ; Humans ; Ibuprofen ; Mefenamic Acid ; Naproxen ; Patch Tests ; Petrolatum ; Urticaria*

BACKGROUND: In vitro epidermal keratinocytes(EKs) culture systems are widely used in studying skin biology and differentiation. Recently a monolayer culture method of nail matrix cells(NMCs) has been developed. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to establish a method of culture of NMCs and compared its characteristics with those of EKs. METHODS: Human NMCs were isolated and cultured in a defined medium. Phase contrast microscopic examination, growth rate and ketatin expression were evaluated. RESULTS: In in vitro monolayer culture, NMCs had a similar growth pattern and morphological features as EKs. The synthesis of hard keratins was detected. CONCLUSION: These observations suggest that the NMCs culture model may be useful for the study of nail properties and the effects of drugs.
Biology ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Methods ; Skin

BACKGROUND: Long-term oral itraconazole and terbinafine are widely used in the treatment of onychomycosis. Accelerated nail growth in patients with itraconazole has been described in several reports. However, there has been no report regarding the effect of antifungal agents on cultured nail matrix cells(NMCs). OBJECTIVE: We applied several antifungal agents on cultured human NMCs and epidermal kera- tinocytes(EKs) to compare the cytotoxicity of several antifungal agents and also to verify possible stimulating effects of itraconazole and 6-hydroxyitraconazole on nail growth. METHODS: To evaluate the effect of antifungal agents, the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazo1-2-yl) 2,5-diphenyl- tetrazolium bromide(MTT) test, tritiated thymidine incorporation test, and lactic dehydrogenase(LDH) leakage test were used. RESULTS: Dose dependent decreases in cell viability and DNA synthesis, and dose dependent increases in LDH liberation were observed in cultured human NMCs and EKs after exposure to several antifungal agents. The dose-response reaction patterns for NMCs and EKs to antifungal agents were similar. The cytotoxicity potency of several antifungal agents measured by each method were slightly different. Itraconazole and 6-hydroxyitraconazole did not show stimulating effects on cell proliferation in in vitro monolayer cell culture systems. CONCLUSION: These observations suggest that itraconazole appeared less cytotoxic but showed no stimulating effects on nail matrix cell proliferation in vitro. Cultured human EKs as well as NMCs may be useful in evaluating the effects of agents which are involved in nails.
Antifungal Agents* ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Survival ; DNA ; Humans* ; Itraconazole ; Keratinocytes* ; Onychomycosis ; Thymidine

No abstract available.
Dermatitis, Contact* ; Tigers*

Spinal instrumentation is popular nowadays. After applying the Harrington distraction rod, there might be a severe, tragic complication, paraplegia. Recently SSEP is widely used to detect the early change of the spinal cord dysfunction. The force to correct the spinal deformity is usually distraction. The distraction force will stretch the spinal dura. But the relation of neural deficit between distraction force and duration is not clearly determined yet. Also the anatomical level of neural deficit is not known. The purpose of this study is to find that the distraction force of 200gm on the spinal dura will change the SSEP by the stimulation of the posterior tibial nerve and if there is change of SSEP, what portion of nerve stimulation pathway is responsible for. Results are as followings. 1) The distraction force of 200gm makes change of SSEP wave. 2) P2 wave is most susceptible, N1 wave is less susceptible and P1 is relatively contant for one hour dural traction. 3) After release of traction, the wave is partially reversible but not completely for next one hour recovery period. 4) While the wave of SSEP is changed by the dural distraction force, the nerve conduction between the nerve root just outside of the spinal dura and calf shows constant latency. That means the anatomical level responsible for the change of SSEP wave is proximal to the spinal dura, not the peripheral nerve distal to the spinal dura.
Animals ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Dogs ; Evoked Potentials ; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory ; Neural Conduction ; Paraplegia ; Peripheral Nerves ; Spinal Cord ; Tibial Nerve ; Traction

The authors did clinical analysis for 37 cases, ranging from 5 to 13 year old of age and following result obtained. 1. In group I partial involved type had brightful prognosis even in the neglected the cases. 2. Ischeal brace did not give any help to group II & III but in group I, it gave some help to the prognosis. 3. In untreated cases of old age group developed early arthritic changes. 4. The inital radiological bony changes in early L-C-P. cases was the demineralization of the subchondral area and subsequently subohondral vaccum phenomena followed.
Braces ; Humans ; Prognosis

Several measurements were performed about 105 cases of normal stress A-P arthrographic findings in adult knee including discoid without tearing or osteoarthritis, those were selected from 166 cases examined arthrographicaliy under same technical condition due to suspicious internal derangement of the knee from October 1976 to March 1980. After stastistical analysis and comparative study about chondrai thickness, chondral index, meniscal size, meniscal index, intermeniscal distance, type of meniscus, communication between knee and proximal tibiofibular joint, following results were obtained. 1. Chondral thickness of normal articular cartilage was not related to joint size, but almost same value individually. Mean chondral thickness In P and P points was 2.90±0.63mm, 2.90±0.62mm, 2.93±0.64mm, 2.92±0.65mm in lateral, medial femoral condyle and lateral, medial tibial condyle in order. Age change was not seen statistically. 2. The size of meniscus was correlated nearly proportional with that of the joint. Mean lateral meniscus size (transverse meniscal length × meniscal thickness) was 12.55±2.50mm × 6.53±0.7mm in male and 10.13±2.25mm × 6.02±0.52mm in female. That of medial meniscus was 9.79+1.54mm × 5.85+ 0.45mm in male, and 7.72±1.64mm × 5.36±0.92mm in female. Age change was not seen statistically either. 3. Mean intermeniscal distance was 60.21x2.74mm in male, 53.34±3.31mm in female and occupied 83% in male, 82% in female of joint size each other. 4. In types of meniscus, normal type was 8.10%, infantile type dlscoid 12.4%, intermediate type 2.9%, primitive type 3.7% each other. 5. Communications between knee joint and proximal tibiofibular joint were seen in 24%.
Adult ; Cartilage, Articular ; Female ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee Joint ; Knee ; Male ; Menisci, Tibial ; Osteoarthritis ; Tears

237 patients with Legg-Calve-Perthes disease were treated during past 12 years. Among them, a comparative study was done for 87 patients who were followed up over 2 years. They were analyzed according to Catteralls classification and divided into a group of conservative treatment and of surgical treatment. 74 patients were boys and 13 patients were girls and the ratio of boys to girls was 5.7 to 1. The mean age was about 6.9-year-old. Bilateral involvement was observed in 6 patients. According to Catterall classification. 1(1.1%) was classified as group I, 27(29.0%) as group II, and 36(38.7%) as group III, and 29(31.2%) as group IV. According to assessment by Harrison et al., satisfactory result was achieved in 63.2% of cases of conservative treatment and 34.3% of cases of operative treatment. The measurement of epiphyseal quotient and femoral head sphericity(by Mose) were considered meaningful methods for assessing the result of the treatment. The most frequent one of “Head-at-Risk” factors was lateral subluxation of femoral head. The result of treatment was not always coincided with the classification by Catterall. In bilateral involvement, the first affected hip had better prognosis than contralateral one.
Classification ; Female ; Head ; Hip ; Humans ; Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease ; Prognosis

Angioma serpiginosum is a rare acquired vascular lesion that usually presents in the first two decades of life with a predilection for females. A typical lesion is characterized by deeply red nonpalpable puncta that are grouped closely together in macular or netlike patterns on the lower extremities and buttocks. Histopathologically, thin-walled dilated capillaries are seen in some of the dermal papillae and the superficial reticular dermis without extravasation of red blood cells. We report a case of angioma serpiginosum developed on the left chest and left upper extremity in a 18-year-old man.
Adolescent ; Buttocks ; Capillaries ; Dermis ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Hemangioma* ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Thorax ; Upper Extremity

The skin defect with sensory impairment of volar aspect of fingers should be reconstructed for the better function of hand. The Neurovascular island graft has been used to provide sensation to volar surface the thumb and to replace pulp tissues avulsed from thumb or index finger. Authors performed neurovascular island graft for defective sensibility of finger tip loss in 14 cases since Jun. 1979 to Mar. 1985. The donor flaps were obtained from the ring finger in 9 cases and middle finger in 5 cases. Among 14 cases, the donor flaps were taken from the ulnar side of 3rd and 4th finger in 11 cases. We followed up the the patients from 7 months to 4 years and 6months and in last follow-up, recovery of protective sensation such as sharp/blunt discrimination, temperature discrimination, and touch/stroke discrimination, was good but two point discrimination and reorientation of sensa-tion were poor. Cold intolerance was developed in 11 cases, and longitudial linear scar band of donor digit was demonstrated in 12 cases.
Cicatrix ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Fingers ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Humans ; Sensation ; Skin ; Thumb ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants