BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide(NO), a multifunctional mediator, is known as a endothelium-derived relaxing factor, a neurotransmitter, and a killer molecule formed by activated immune cells and participates in tissue destruction via apoptosis. In the skin, an increase in apoptotic cells has been desribed in the epidermis in various lichenoid diseases, in response, to ultraviolet radiation, and in neoplasia. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate whether a positive correlation occurs between iNOS(inducible nitric oxide synthase) expression and apoptosis index in psoriasis vulgaris(PV), lichen planus(LP), and Bowen's disease(BD). METHODS: TUNEL staining and immunohistochemical staining with anti-iNOS antibody were done in paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 4 cases of PV, 4 cases of LP, and 2 cases of BD.
Apoptosis* ; Bowen's Disease* ; Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors ; Epidermis ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Lichen Planus* ; Lichens* ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Nitric Oxide ; Psoriasis* ; Skin

This study was conducted to investigate the safety of the umbilical venous blood for antologous transfusion in the premature newborn babies. Umbilical venous blood was collected with aseptic technique immediately after delivery from 270 healthy mothers admitted to the Yeungnam University Hospital between March 1,1992 and August 31,1992 . The volume of the blood and the time taken for collecting the blood were measured. Also the hematological and biochemical changes of the blood during storage in the refrigerator of blood band and the incidence of bacterial contamination were studied. It took 67.6+/-25.9 seconds on the average for collecting the blood from an umbilical vein and the average volume of the blood was 77.1+/-23.2ml which would be sufficient volume for one time transfusion of 10ml/kg of packed red blood cells for the neonates. The hemoglobin and hematocrit values did not change significantly during storage for three weeks. Thus significant hemolysis did not seem to occur during storage. However, platelet counts decreased significantly from 248+/-59x10E3/mm3 to 193+/-47x10E3/mm3(p<0.01). Although plasma calcium level was not changed (8.4+/-0.9mg/dL), sodium was decreased significantly from 184.3+/-11.1mEq/L to 170.9+/-13.9mEq/L(p<0.01) and potassium was incresed from 5.0+/-1.0mEq/L to 26.7+/-4.8mEp/L.(p<0.01). Plasma glucose level was decreased from 521.7+/-106.7mg/dL to 294.3+/-120.8mg/dL (p<0.01), blood pH and bicarbonate concentrations were decreased significantly from 6.825+/-0.110 to 6.378+/-.087 and from 13.5+/-1.6mEq/L to 2.1+/-1.0mEq/L respectively (p<0.01). The smear of the umbilical venous blood and peripheral blood of the neonates stained by KleihauerBetke method revealed no significant differences in the percentages of adult red blood cells. Also there were no differences in the percentages of adult ted blood calls in the umbilical venous blood samples according to time for collection. The degree of decrement of hemoglobins (1.2gm/dL) after delivery in the mothers who had sampling of the umbilical venous blood was not different from that in the mothers who didn't hava sampling. The bacterial contamination rate of the umbilical venous blood was 3.5% (95% confidence interval was from 0.7 to 6.3). It seems to be safe to use the umbilical venous blood in the neonates for autologous transfusion but confirmation of bacterial contamination by culture is necessary.
Adult ; Blood Glucose ; Calcium ; Erythrocytes ; Hematocrit ; Hemolysis ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn* ; Mothers ; Plasma ; Platelet Count ; Potassium ; Sodium ; Umbilical Veins

A Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometric method was described for the determination of quartz, mica(sericite) and feldspar(potassium feldspar) in respirable dust in Taebaek area. The results were as follows; 1) The concentration of minerals were determined from the intensity of absorption peak of quartz at 799 cm-1, sericite at 539 cm-1, and potassium feldspar at 648 cm-1 respectively. 2) The precision(C. V. %) for the quartz determination was 7.70+/-2.68 % from 10 to 200 microgram of quartz. 3) The precision for the sericite determination was 16.34+/-6.82 % from 30 to 500 microgram of serictite. 4) The precision for the potassium feldspar determination was 5.28+/-1.74 % from 30 to 500 microgram of potassium feldspar. 5) The concentration of respirable dust in Taebaek area was 4.90+/-3.29 mg/m3(0.4-93.7%), percent quartz was 1.80+/-4.14% (0.01-20.56%), percent sericite was 11.37+/-6.43% (0.00-29.69%), percent potassium feldspar was 8.15 % (n=7, 3.41-19.70%). 6) The difference of respirable coal dust, quartz, and sericite concentration in drilling, coal cutting, hauling and separating was significant respectively (p<0.05).
Absorption ; Coal ; Dust* ; Fourier Analysis* ; Minerals ; Potassium ; Quartz* ; Spectrophotometry, Infrared*

PURPOSE: Surgical sponges retained after laparotomy can cause serious problem if they were not be identified in early state. In these circumstances, abdominal CT yields the accurate diagnostic images. The purpose of this report is to present highly indicative findings permitting correct preoperative diagnosis of the gossypiboma. we experienced three cases in which CT showed the images sufficiently characteristic to suggest the correct preoperative diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated retrospectively the radiological images of gossypiboma confirmed by operation. Three patients were admitted due to palpable masses. Two female patients had mdical histories of cesarean sections and a male patient had been operated due to malignant fibrous histiocytoma, previously. RESULTS: Abdominal CT scan of one case revealed huge ovoid hypodense mass with enhanced peripheral rim. Calcific spots and whirl-like stripes were noted within the lesion. Towel was found in pathologic specimen. CT images of two patients showed well-encapsulated, mixed fluid and soft tissue density mass with several gas bubbles. Surgical sponges were found within abscesses. CONCLUSION: The authors conclude that these characteristic CT findings and careful histories of surgery are very useful for correct pre-operative diagnosis and permit the guideline for the optimal plan of the surgical treatment.
Abscess ; Cesarean Section ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous ; Humans ; Laparotomy ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Sponges ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
Pregnancy* ; Pyelonephritis*

Eccrine nevus is a rare benign cutaneous lesion, frequently present at birth or at an early age. Herein we report on a 1-year-old girl with erythematous papules in a zosteriform arrangement associated with hyperhidrosis on the left side of her trunk.
Female ; Humans ; Hyperhidrosis ; Nevus* ; Parturition

We experienced a case of adenocarcinoma arising in sacrococcygeal teratoma. The patient was a 52-year-old woman. She was admitted due to one month of sacral pain. She had a sacral mass since birth. On physical examination, anal fistula was present at the perianal area and pus drainage was noted. MR image showed multiple variable-sized cysts with inhomogeneous density. Resected specimen, mesuring 12.5 7.0 cm in diameter, showed multiple variable-sized cystic lesions admixed with grayish solid portion. The cysts contained mucoid material. The microscopic examination showed mature teratoma composed of cysts lined by pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium, intestinal mucosa, mature cartilage, bone, and fat tissue. A moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma developed from the cystic area in the mass.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Adult ; Cartilage ; Drainage ; Female ; Humans ; Intestinal Mucosa ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Parturition ; Physical Examination ; Rectal Fistula ; Suppuration ; Teratoma*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Nephrotic Syndrome* ; Peritonitis*

In order to investigate working conditions of underground coal mines, this work was undertaken to evaluate the respirable dust and the concentration of quartz in Taeback and Kangneung areas. The concentration of quartz was determined by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometry. The results were as follows; 1) The concentration of respirable dust of drilling and coal face in Taeback and Kangneung areas were as followed. 2) Distribution of respirable dust was well fitted to the long-normal distribution and geometric mean value was log(-1) 0.37+/-log(-1) 0.47 (2.34+/-2.95) mg/m3. 3) The difference of respirable dust concentrations in Taeback and Kangneung areas was not significant statistically (p>0.05). 4) The concentration of quartz of drilling and coal face in Taeback and Kangneung areas were as followed. 5) Distribution of quartz concentrations was well fitted to the log-normal distribution and geometric mean value was log(-1) 0.33+/-log(-1) 0.45 (2.14+/-2.82)%. 6) The difference of quartz concentrations in Taeback and Kangneung areas was not significant (p>0.05), but significant at drilling sites and coal faces (p<0.05).
Coal* ; Dust* ; Fourier Analysis ; Gangwon-do* ; Quartz* ; Spectrophotometry, Infrared

Williams syndrome is a congenital disorder characterized by mental retardation, loquacious personalities, dysmorphic face, and vascular and valvular abnormalities. The etiology of this syndrome was one allelic loss of elastin gene, exhibiting a submicroscopic deletion, at 7q11.23. Sudden death is an infrequently recognized complication. The mechanism of sudden death is explained by myocardial ischemia, decreased cardiac output, and arrhythmia by anatomical abnormality of coronary artery stenosis and severe biventricular outflow tract obstruction. We report an autopsy case of a 80 day-old male with Williams syndrome. Five days before admission, cardiac murmur was detected incidentally on ascultation at a local clinic during a visit for vaccination. He was transferred to our hospital and cardiac catheterization was done. He died suddenly next day. Postmortem examination revealed a dysmorphic face and multiple cardiovascular abnormalities including supravalvular aortic stenosis with narrowed coronary artery ostia, supravalvular pulmonic stenosis, secundum type of atrial septal defect, right ventricular hypertrophy, and renal artery stenosis. Histologically, aorta and pulmonary, bronchial, and renal arteries showed markedly hyperplastic medial elastic laminae approximately three times thick compared to those of age-matched normal artery. The elastic fibers of the innermost two thirds of media were disposed in a normal orderly parallel fashion. In outer third of the media, the elastic fibers had lost the normal orderly arrangement.
Aorta ; Aortic Stenosis, Supravalvular ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Arteries ; Autopsy* ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Cardiac Output ; Cardiovascular Abnormalities ; Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities ; Coronary Stenosis ; Coronary Vessels ; Death, Sudden ; Elastic Tissue ; Elastin ; Heart Murmurs ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular ; Infant* ; Intellectual Disability ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis ; Renal Artery ; Renal Artery Obstruction ; Vaccination ; Williams Syndrome*