No abstract available.
9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene* ; Animals ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Estrogens* ; Rats*

The eye is a common target organ of the allergy, and allergic conjunctivitis is the most common of eye diseases. Clinical manifestations of allergic conjunctivitis are acute bilateral red, itchy, and watery eyes. The presence of conjuncitival eosinophilia may be consided to be a diagnostic indicator of allergic conjunctivitis. ECP is a quantifiable toxic product secreted by activated cosinc phils. VCAM-1 promotes adhesion of leukocytes to endothelium in vitro and may promote imflammation in vivo. The objective of this study is to measure eosinophil count, ECP and sVCAM-1 levels of tears and sera in patients with acute allergic conjunctivitis and normal subjects and to assess the correlation of these mediators with the severity of the disease and the clinical usefulness. Seventeen subjects were selected on the basis of clinical manifestations, history, skin prick test, total IgE. A microcapillary tube was used to collect the tears from the inner canthus, conjunctival epithelia were obtained for eosinophil count by scraping the upper tarsal conjunctiva. The level of ECP was measured by CAP system (Kabi-Pharmacia, Sweden), sVCAM-1 was measured by ELISA (R&D, USA). Serum IgE and eosinophil count were in creased in 10 patients, allergic skin prick test were positive in 11 subjects (D.p: 9, D.f: 8), eosinophilia in conjunctival epithelium were present in 11 subjects (4 patients: > 3/HPF, 7 patients: 1-3/HPF). ECP in tears were increased in patients significantly (12.0+8.0 vs 3.9+3.8 ng/ml, p=0.01), but not in serum (52.5+43.1 vs 28.3+25.9 ng/ml). There is no significant correlation between eosinophil count and ECP in serum and tears (p>0.05, r-=0.19). Serum sVCA-M-1 level is significant different between patients and controls (1916.5+756.0 vs 1147.2+146.1 micro gram/ml, p=0.01), sVCAM-1 is significantly correlated to eosinophil count (p=0.01, r=0.56) and ECP (p<0.05, r=0.65). In conclusion, eosinophil and ECP in tears may be very important role in allergic conjunctivitis and are useful indicators of the disease. The elevation of sVCAM-1 in serum may be interpreted simply as marker of the presence of non-specific inflammation.
Cell Adhesion* ; Child* ; Conjunctiva ; Conjunctivitis, Allergic* ; Endothelium ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils* ; Epithelium ; Eye Diseases ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Inflammation ; Leukocytes ; Skin ; Tears* ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1

No abstract available.
Apoptosis* ; Cell Line* ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Etoposide*

No abstract available.

Isolated congenital left ventricular diverticulum is a rare cardiac malformation. Here, we report the case of a 33-year-old woman who had suffered from recurrent transient ischemic attacks for 6 years. Preoperative cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography angiography revealed a diverticulum near the apex. The diverticulum was successfully obliterated by cardiopulmonary bypass. We suggest that isolated congenital left ventricular diverticulum can be easily corrected with a low surgical risk by patch repair and plication techniques.
Adult* ; Angiography ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Cerebral Infarction ; Diverticulum* ; Female ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Sporotrichosis is a chronic infection that follows accidental implantation of the fungus Sporothrix schenckii into the skin. The infection begins with skin trauma under conditions when conidia may be present. A 48-year-old woman presented with a 5-year history of an 8X 12 cm sized, centrally depressed, erythematous plaque on the left wrist. She had been treated with antifungal agents at an other hospital for about 6 months but there was no improvement. The histopathological findings showed an infiltration of mononuclear cells and tuberculoid structures on the whole dermis and subcutis. According to the histopathological findings and clinical manifestations, she was diagnosed as having lupus vulgaris. There was much improvement of the lesion after antituberculous therapy. However, 2 months later she developed asymptomatic multiple erythematous papules around the lesion of lupus vulgaris and along the lymphatic drainage of the left arm. The histopathological findings of the newly developed lesion showed a granulomatous reaction and an infiltrate of acute and chronic inflammatory cells. Moist and creamy colonies were changed into brown-to-black ones with a leathery appearance with age. This appearance and clinical manifestations confirmed the diagnosis of lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis. This clinical appearance reflects that the sporotrichosis developed on the ulcerative lesion or biopsy site of lupus vulgaris.
Antifungal Agents ; Arm ; Biopsy ; Dermis ; Diagnosis ; Drainage ; Female ; Fungi ; Humans ; Lupus Vulgaris* ; Middle Aged ; Skin ; Spores, Fungal ; Sporothrix ; Sporotrichosis* ; Ulcer ; Wrist

BACKGROUND: Careful manipulation of hair grafts is essential for a good yield of transplanted hair. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate some of the factors responsible for poor graft yield, such as dehydration of the graft and the temperature and duration of preservation. METHODS: First, for the dehydration study, isolated single hair follicles were left on dry gauze for 0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 minutes at room temperature. Secondly, to evaluate the effect of preservation temperature and time on the hair graft, follicles were preserved in saline for 5 minutes as a control, then for 6, 24, and 48 hours both at room temperature and at 4℃, respectively. Viability of preserved follicles was judged based on organ culture. RESULTS: Elongation of hair folliciles was seen in 96%, 94%, 94%, 83%, and 68% for 0-, 5-, 10-, 20-, and 30-minute air-exposed groups, respectively. Survival was seen in 95%, 92%, 40% and 34% at room temperature and 96%, 94%, 76% and 50% at 4℃ for follicles preserved in saline for 5 min (control), then for 6, 24, and 48 hours, respectively. CONCLUSION: We suggest that, alone with careful manipulation of hair units, high survival can be achieved with the avoidance of graft dehydration and preservation of the grafts at low temperatures if the operation time extends for more than 6 hours.
Dehydration* ; Hair Follicle ; Hair* ; Organ Culture Techniques ; Transplants*

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is a rare, but potentially life-threatening adverse event associated with the use of neuroleptic agents. We describe the case of a 47-year-old schizophrenic woman who was treated with clozapine for years. The patient developed acute renal failure with pulmonary edema, and underwent mechanical ventilation and hemodialysis.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Antipsychotic Agents ; Clozapine* ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome* ; Pulmonary Edema ; Renal Dialysis ; Respiration, Artificial ; Rhabdomyolysis

PURPOSE: To evaluate the relationship between the hormonal receptor status and the mammographic finding in breast cancer, thus to disclose whether the mammorgraphic findings would be the prognostic predictor or not. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty breast cancer patients with hormonal receptor assay were included in this study. Hormonal status and mammographic findings were evaluated to disclose the relationship between the two variables. RESULTS: Among 26 positive estrogen receptor(ER) patients, 23 cases showed spioulations, 4 cases with increased parenchymal densities, 15 cases with calcifications, and 18 with mass-like lesions. Among 25 positive progesterone receptor(PR) patients, 22 cases showed spiculations, 6 with increased parenchymal densities, 12 with calcifications, 17 with mass-like lesions. Among 24 negative ER patients, 10 showed spiculations, 9 increased parenchymal densities, 12 calcifications, and 13 mass lesions. Among 25 negative PR patients, 17 showed spiculations, 8 increased parenchymal densities, 15 calcifications, and 13 mass lesions. CONCLUSION: Spiculation in mammography could related to the high incidence of positive estrogen receptor.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Estrogens ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mammography ; Progesterone

Screening test of Human Immunodeficiency Virus(HIV) infection was introduced on Korean Blood Donor Test Program in July 1987, and the test results between July 1987 and December 1990 were reported on the Korean Journal of Blood Transfusion on May 1992. Moreover, we assessed anti-HIV ELISA screening test result of 3,905,986 blood donors donated at Korean Red Cross Blood Centers between January 1991 and December 1993. The seropositivity of anti-HIV ELISA screening test was 0.26% in 1991, 0.30% in 1992 and 0.18% in 1993.0.15% of all donors in 1991 was reactive repeatedly, and 0.15% in 1992 and 0.08% in 1993. The prevalence of HIV infected donors confirmed by Western Blot Assay was 0.0003% in 1991, 0.0015% in 1992, and 0.0009% in 1993. The sero-positivities of anti-HIV screening tests with AIDSDIA reagent and HIVIRO reagent were 0.32% and 0.17% and the difference was significantly(p<0.05). The sero-positivities of ELISA screening and Western Blot. Assay detecting anti-HIV were lower in soldier group than in non-soldier donor group (p< 0.05).
Blood Donors* ; Blood Transfusion ; Blotting, Western ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; HIV* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mass Screening ; Military Personnel ; Prevalence* ; Red Cross ; Tissue Donors