The alterations in the localization of keratinocyte membrane glycoconjugates in allergic contact dermatitis were investigated in guinea pig skin treated with topical application of 2.4-dinitro-chlorobenzene. We employed the avidin-biotin complex(ABC) method for the detection of localization of 10 commercially available lectins labelled with biotin: Con-A, SBA, WGA, DBA, UEA-1, RCA-1, PNA, HP, MPA, and ECA. Staining with WGA showed a remarkably decreased intensity in basal and spinous layers of the allergic skin in comparison to those of the control skin, suggesting loss of terminal sialic acids in cell membrane glycoconjugates. The other lectins showed no remarkable difference in the staining patterns between the normal and the allergic ski. The results suggest that epidermal cell membrane glycoconjugates undergoes selective perturbations in acute allergic contact dermatitis, and that the keratinocytes might be an active part of the cutaneous immune system.

PURPOSE: This descriptive study was conducted to identify the level of knowledge of stroke symptoms and risk factors among older adults. METHODS: A total of 200 older adults over 65 years of age were conveniently recruited from out patient departments of two hospitals and a health care center from October to November 2008. The level of knowledge was assessed using both open-ended questions and a structured questionnaire based on semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed by t-tests and ANOVA using the SPSS program. RESULTS: 52.5% of the sample had hypertension and 30% had diabetes. The mean knowledge scores for symptoms and risk factors were 8.4 +/- 3.1(out of 15) and 9.5 +/- 3.9 (out of 16), respectively. The older adults who had lower education, lower family income, and who lived in rural areas were more likely to have less knowledge of stroke symptom and risk factors(p < .05). There was no significant knowledge difference between the older adults who had at least one risk factor and those who had no risk factor for stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Educational intervention should be focused on informing older adults who are at risk for stroke about the early symptoms and management of risk factors, especially those who have low education and low social status.
Adult ; Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Risk Factors ; Stroke ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The long QT syndromes have been classified into acquired or inheritary forms, both of which are associated with a characteristic type of life-threatening polymorphic ventricular tachycardia called torsade de points. Beta-adrenergic blocker is the first cholic treatment, but in those whom cardiac events are not prevented by beta - blockade, left thoracic sympathetic ganglionectomy may be useful in selected cases. A 50-year-old woman had an recurrent syncopal attack in which she was unconscious for 1-2 min and 1-2 times a month for 10 years. The EKG revealed that QT & QTc intervals were 744 and 632 msec respectively. Treatment with Beta-adrenergic blocker and calcium channel blocker was ineffective in preventing recurrence of syncopal spell. Therefore, she underwent left thoracic sympathetic ganglionectomy with thoracoscope. During the 9 months after operation, she was free of syncopal episodes and is doing well.
Calcium Channels ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Ganglionectomy* ; Humans ; Long QT Syndrome* ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Syncope ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; Thoracoscopes*

Isolated congenital aneurysm of the left atrium with intact pericardium is a rate anomaly, which usually presents with arrhythmia, cerebral embolism or abnormalities on routine chest X-ray. Surgery is indicated in most cases to eliminate a potential source of systemic emboli and arrhythmias. A 42-year-old woman having cervical cancer, she was suspected of having a left atrial aneurysm on review of chest X-ray and confirmed by echocardiography and cardiac catheterization. Surgical resection of Left atrial aneurysm was achieved without complication using median sternotomy with cardiopulmonary bypass. The postoperative course was uneventful.
Adult ; Aneurysm* ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart Atria* ; Humans ; Intracranial Embolism ; Pericardium ; Sternotomy ; Thorax ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to construct and test a structural equation modeling on the reproductive health behavior of single women with sexual experiences. This study employed Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). METHODS: The data were collected after receipt of consent from 250 single women with sexual experiences, and analyzed using SPSS 18.0 and AMOS 18.0. RESULTS: Model fit indices for the hypothetical model were suitable for the recommended level: x²=362.407, RMR=0.065, RMSEA=0.070, GFI=0.867. TLI=0.927, CFI=0.938, IFI=0.939, and x²/dF=2.237. Intention showed direct effect with the biggest effect being on reproductive health behavior. Attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control were found to have a direct effect on intention. Among them, perceived behavioral control revealed the largest influence. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the TPB is a suitable model in explaining the reproductive health behavior of single women with sexual experience. Strategic plans for educational and intervention programs should be aimed to encourage single women to engage in reproductive health behavior.
Female ; Humans ; Intention ; Reproductive Health* ; Single Person*

A case of clear cell adenocarcinoma arising in the female urinary bladder, which is accompanied by endometriosis of the urinary bladder and the uterus, is reported. The carcinoma protruded into the vesical lumen as a fungating mass, and had a tubulocyotic pattern. The tumor cell had intracytoplasmic glycogen and electron microscopically short microvilli on their surface, resembling clear cell acenocarcinoma of the female genital tract including ovary. This is the fourth case report of clear cell adenocarcinoma complicating vesical endometriosis, and may support the view that clear cell carcinome arises from endometriosis which, in turn, from the Mullerian remnant.
Female ; Humans ; Adenocarcinoma

A case of clear cell adenocarcinoma arising in the female urinary bladder, which is accompanied by endometriosis of the urinary bladder and the uterus, is reported. The carcinoma protruded into the vesical lumen as a fungating mass, and had a tubulocyotic pattern. The tumor cell had intracytoplasmic glycogen and electron microscopically short microvilli on their surface, resembling clear cell acenocarcinoma of the female genital tract including ovary. This is the fourth case report of clear cell adenocarcinoma complicating vesical endometriosis, and may support the view that clear cell carcinome arises from endometriosis which, in turn, from the Mullerian remnant.
Female ; Humans ; Adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND: Androgenetic alopecia is considered to be a genetically determined disorder influenced by age and androgen. The proportion of patients with androgenetic alopecia among the total number of patients with alpecia seems to be gradually increasing. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to determine the family history, clinical and endocrine status of the patients with androgenetic alopectia. METHODS: 387 patients with androgenetic alopecia who had visited the Department of Dermatology, Yongsan Hospital, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University during the last 4 years (1990.1-1993.12)were examined. RESULTS: 1) Annual incidence of androgenetic alopecia among the total number of alopecia patients averaged over 4 years was 38.95 having increased recently. 2) There were 286 male and 101 female patients being most prevalent in the 3rd decade in both sexes. 3) Patients younger than 30 years old, patients with premature androgenetic alopecia, made up 687.5% of the male patients and 56.4 of the female patients with androgenetic alopecia. 4) Of the 73 male patients Hamilton's type III was most common (46, 63.0%). 5) Of the 34 female patients Ludwig's type I was most common (21, 61.2%). 6) there was a family history of baldness in 39.4% of first degree relatives in male patients and 41.25 of first degree relatives in female patients. 7) Associated diseases were observed in 152 (53.1%) of the male patients and 63(62.4%) of the female patients : seborrheic dermatitis (36.7%/35.7%), acne vulgaris (5.2%/5.95), atopic dermatitis, thyroid diseases, pulmonary tuberculosis, depression, and gastrointestinal diseases. In female patients menstrual irregularity, hypertrichosis, and polycystic ovary disease were also observed. 8) Serum testosterone levels were increased in 24 (8.8%0 of male patients and in 17 (17.45) of female patients. CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, the development of androgenetic alopecia is significantly related to the positive family history of baldness. Serum testosterone levels in most patients were within normal limit and were increased only in a small number of the patients with androgenetic alopecia. Therefore, it seems reasonable to suggest that the inhibitory effecfts of androgens on the dermal papilla cells may be mediated by an increased density and/or functional activity of androgen receptors or through an acceleration in the metabolic activity of androgen.
Acceleration ; Acne Vulgaris ; Adult ; Alopecia* ; Androgens ; Depression ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Dermatitis, Seborrheic ; Dermatology ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Humans ; Hypertrichosis ; Incidence ; Male ; Ovary ; Receptors, Androgen ; Testosterone ; Thyroid Diseases ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

The four tetrameric STRs loci(HUMvWA31, HUMTHO1, HUMF13A1, HUMFES/FPS) were studied to confirm the allele frequency distribution and to see whether these results can be used for identity and paternity testing in a population o Koreans using multiplex PCR and laser-fluorescence detection method. In the Korean population (n=227), 8 alleles with their relative frequency range of 0.002-0.249 are detected in the HUMvWA31 locus, 6 alleles with those of 0.007-0.500 in 6 alleles with those of 0.004-0.434 in the HUMFES/FPS locus. The highest observed heterozygosity is found at the locus HUMvWA31(0.8077), with those of the lociively. All loci meet Hardy-Weinberg expectations ; there are good agreements between observed and expected heterozygosity, number of observed genotypes. Pairwise comparisons between loci show allelic independence for all the 4 loci. The power of discrimination (PD) determined for the locus HUMvWA31 is 0.933, that for the HUMTHO1 is 0.836, 0.798 for HUMF13A1, and 0.844 for the HUMFES/FPS ; the combined power of discrimination for the quadruplex is 0.9997. Thus, these allelic frequency distribution can be used to construct the database of the multiplex PCR-based DNA profile in the Korean population. The calculated parameter, "combined power of discrimination(PD)" show the informativeness of these loci for the determination of identity and relatedness of individuals.
Alleles ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; DNA ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Microsatellite Repeats* ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Paternity

Infantile myofibromatosis with systemic involvement is a very rare disease and is characterized by numerous nodules composed of spindle cells of a myofibroblastic nature. There are often disseminated throughout the subcutis, muscle, skeleton and viscera. We report an autopsy case of infantile myofibromatosis in a stillborn female fetus of 32 weeks of gestation. The nodules, Imm to 2 cm, were found over the whole body and viscera. The involved viscera were the heart, tongue, esophagus, gastrointestinal tract, portal areas of the liver, spleen anc pancreas. There were also associated malformations, viz., frontal meningoencephalocele, flexion defer-mities, syndactyly, cleft palate, agenesis of corpus callosum, pachygyria, diaphragmatic hemia, renal hypoplasia, etc. Multiple basaloid follicular hamartomas of the skin were noted on the face and extremeties. There are no previous reports in the literature of infantile myofibromatosis in conjunction with the above skin lesion and congenital malformations.
Infant ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Hamartoma