BACKGROUND: With the increase of cigarette consumption by women and the young, the incidence of lung cancer is expected to increase during the next three or four decades in Korea. The purpose of this study was to analyze the smoking habits in patients with lung cancer and to identify the gender differences in terms of their susceptibility to cigarette related carcinogens. METHODS: This investigation was a hospital-based case control study, which included the data of 178 case subjects(72 females, 106 males) with lung cancer and 218 control subjects(97 females, 121 males) with diseases unrelated to smoking. The information was obtained through a direct personal interview and a questionnaire related to personal smoking history. RESULTS: The relative frequency of the squamous cell carcinoma was substantially higher in males than in females(61.3% in males, and 29.2% in females), while adenocarcinoma including bronchoalveolar cell carcinoma was higher in females(31.9% in females, 18.9% in males). Keryberg Ilung cancer was of relatively higher frequencies in males and smokers. while Kreyberg IIlung cancer was higher in females and never smokers. The odds ratios(ORs) at each exposure level were consistently higher in females than males. For all cell types, the risk of lung cancer was increased with the quantity of smoked cigarettes, duration of smoking, and depth of inhalation. Odds ratio was distinctly higher in Kreyberg Ilung cancer than in total lung cancer and a steeper gradient of risk with increased smoking was observed in females. CONCLUSION: The ralative risk for lung cancer was consistently higher in females than in males at every level of exposure to cigarette smoke. This is believed to be due to the higher susceptibility of females to tabacco carcinogens, such as gender associated differences of carcinogen activation and/or the elimination of smoking related metabolites.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinogens ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inhalation ; Korea ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Tobacco Products

Patients with idiopathic erythroderma have often been regarded to have a pre-Sezary syndrome because some of them have developed a cutaneous T-cell lymphoma during follow-up. Sezary syndrome is a form of leukemia-lymphoma characterized clinically by erythroderma, pruritus, adenopathy, and circulating atypical cells with cerebriform nuclei. We describe a case of Sezary syndrome in a 40-year-old man, who suffered from idiopathic erythroderma for 3 years. We suggest that close and long-term follow-up should be performed on patients with idiopathic erythroderma.
Adult ; Dermatitis, Exfoliative ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous ; Pruritus ; Sezary Syndrome*

Indeterminate cell proliferations are rarely described in dermatology literature. Indeterminate cells are characterized by positivity for S-100 protein and CD-la, but are distinguished from Langerhans cells by the absence of Birbeck granules. We present a case of congenital indeterminate cell histiocytoma in a 6-day-old male infant. A Skin examination revealed a solitary, erythematous, 6*6cm, superficially crusted, dome shaped papule on his forehead. A Histopathologic examination showed a dense cellular infiltrate in the dermis, below the atrophic epidermis. Frequently, the nucleus demonstrated a single cleft or crease like the shape of a kidney. These cells showed positivity for S-100 protein. Birbeck granules were not found on electron microscopic examination.
Dermatology ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Forehead ; Histiocytoma* ; Humans ; Infant ; Kidney ; Langerhans Cells ; Male ; S100 Proteins ; Skin

Lichenoid keratosis (LK), a lichen planus-like keratosis, is a rather frequent skin disorder that has some histological features similar to lichen planus. However, the classification system for LK has not been settled. We report two cases of LK and propose a new classification for LK correlating with clinicohistopathological findings.
Actins* ; Classification ; Keratosis* ; Lichen Planus ; Lichens ; Skin

Winkelmann granuloma is a very rare disorder characterized by histologic findings of perhaps[ic] infiltration, collagen degeneration, and granulomatous inflammation, which usually show palisading features. A number of diseases, especially systemic immunoreactive diseases, are associated with this disorder. We describe a focal neutrophilic necrosis : type of Winkelmann granuloma associated with hypothy- roidism and rheumatoid arthritis.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Collagen ; Granuloma* ; Hypothyroidism* ; Inflammation ; Necrosis ; Neutrophils

PURPOSE: This study was done to examine the awareness and management practice of operating room nurses, to prevent nosocomial infection, to identify problems and to propose solutions. METHOD: The research tools used were the hospital infection control guideline and a modified version of the measurment tools used in the study of Cho (1998). The questionnaire consisted of questions on hand washing, personal hygiene and clothes control, cleaning and environment control, sterilizing supplies and disposal of contaminated materials. The collected data were analysed with the SPSS program. RESULTS: The mean score for domain-specific awareness of nosocomial infection control was 4.81 out of a possible 5 points. The highest score was for sterilizing supplies and disposal of contaminated materials. The mean score for domain-specific practices of nosocomial infection control was 4.40, out of a possible 5 points. Sterilizing supplies and disposal of contaminated materials had the highest scores. The mean score for awareness in all domains was higher than mean score for practice. Among the general characteristics of the nurses, high awareness was found only in the provision of infection control guidelines and it had shown statistically significant difference. Examination of relation of general characteristics to practice showed that for age, career, the provision of infection control guidelines, and experience in infection control education there were statistically significant differences in the scores. For the relation between awareness of nosocomial infection control and practice, positive correlation was found in all domains, thus high awareness leads to high practice. CONCLUSION: Considering the result of this research, plans are needed that promote virtual practice of hospital infection control.
Cross Infection* ; Education ; Equipment and Supplies ; Hand Disinfection ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Infection Control ; Operating Rooms* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Allergic diseases are characterized by immediate - and late - phase reactions to various allergens by the selective activation of a subset of CD4 + T cells. In response to allergen, T cells isolated from atopic donors are biased to low levels of IFN - y and high levels of IL - 4, and vice versa by T cells from non - atopic donor. Objective : The aim of this study was to evaluate the patterns of IL - 4 and IFN - y production after Der p I stimulation and the effect on the cytokine production from T cells by budesonide, disodium cromoglycate and cyclosporin A in atopic and non - atopic individuals. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Seven Der p I specific atopic and 7 non - atopic individuals were selected. We decided the 50% inhibiting concentration of each immunomodulator by lymphocyte proliferation assay, and measured their effects on the cytokine production in vitro by intracellular IL - 4, IFN - y staining and flow cytometry. Results and CONCLUSION: There was significant difference on stimulation index ( SI ) of production of IFN - y as well as IL-4 after Der p I stimulation between atopic and non-atopic individuals ( IL - 4 ; 1.57 +/- 0.7 : 0.98 +/- 0.2, p = 0.026, IFN - r : 1.45 +/- 0.5 : 0.95 +/- 0.2, p = 0.048 ). The synthesis of IL - 4, and IFN - r were significantly inhibited after the stimulation of every immunomodulators in atopic individuals, DSCG couldnt inhibit IL - 4 and IFN - r in nonatopic individuals. There was no significant difference in the inhibiting effect of these immunomodulators in both of them.
Allergens ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Budesonide ; Cromolyn Sodium ; Cyclosporine ; Dust* ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunologic Factors ; Interferons* ; Interleukin-4 ; Lymphocytes ; Pyroglyphidae* ; T-Lymphocytes* ; Tissue Donors

A case of foreign body (a black rubber string of 60cm in length used for masturbation) in the bladder was presented in a 17 years old Korean boy and reported with review of literature.
Adolescent ; Foreign Bodies* ; Humans ; Male ; Rubber ; Urinary Bladder*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Giant Cells* ; Granuloma, Giant Cell*