We compared the sensitivity and practicability for the direct examination of fungal hypae between the specimens treated with mixed Chlorazol black E solution and simple KOH(potassium hydroxide) solution in 118 cases of superficial myosis. The results were as follows: Higher positivity of fungal hypae in the specimens treated with mixed Chlorazol black E solution(99. 2%) than simple KOH solutiion(87. 3%.). 2, It was time-saving and easy to detect fungal hypae in the specimens treated with mixed Chlorazol black E solution than simple K(3H solution.
Diagnosis*

No abstract available.
Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone* ; Injections, Subcutaneous* ; Ovulation* ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome*

The HUMACTBP2 locus was investigated to collect population genetic data in the Korean population and to evaluate the applicability for the forensic field. An Automatic fluorescent-based sequencer (377 automatic DNA sequencer, ABI) was used to detect amplified fragments of the HUMACTBP2 locus electrophoresed on 4% denaturing polyacrylamide sequencing gels. ACTBP2 allelic ladder consisting of different sizes of 18 alleles was constructed and employed as an internal size standard in combination with a GS-350 size standard for precision of allele-band sizing. By utilizing different fluorescent dyes, both the allelic ladders and samples were able to be analyzed in the same lane by 99% orecision of allele-band sizing. Among the Korean population (n=224), 26 alleles in the range of 239-313 bp are determined. allele No. 6 is found 45 times (0.100) which is mostly frequent, and the rest of allele is distributed with their relative frequency of 0.002-0.100. The comparison between observed and expected numbers of homozygous and heterozygous individuals confirms that ACTBP2 locus is in the state of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium among the Korean population. The heterozygosity is 0.9389+/-0.0034(93.89%), and the power of discrimination(PD) and power of exclusion(PEX) are calculated to be 0.991(99.1%)and 0.890(89.0%), respectively, showing the high informativeness for individual identification. Thus, these results mean that the HUMACTBP2 locus can effectively be used for the forensic application.
Alleles ; DNA ; Fluorescent Dyes ; Gels ; Genetic Variation*

Adenosquamous carcinoma of stomach is a mixed glandular-epidermoid tumor where both components are neoplastic. Its incidence is extremely rare. The five theories on the origin of squamous components are 1) island of ectopic squamous epithelium in the gastric mucosa, 2) squamous metaplasia of gastric epithelium, 3) squamous differentiation in a preexisting adenocarcinoma, 4) endothelial cell differentiated toward squamous elements, and 5) totipotential undifferentiated cells of the gastric mucosa. We experienced three cases of adenosquamous carcinoma. Case 1 was a 71-year-old female patient; an ulcerative lesion was present in the pylorus, measuring 5 cm in diameter. Case 2 was a 57-year-old male patient; an ulcerative lesion is present in the pylorus, measuring 6 cm in diameter. Case 3 was a 58-year-old female patient; an ulcerative lesion was present in the body and fundus, measuring 10 cm in diameter. Microscopic examination revealed a mixed malignant squamous and adenomatous component.
Adenocarcinoma ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Adenosquamous* ; Endothelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Metaplasia ; Middle Aged ; Pylorus ; Stomach* ; Ulcer

The determination of adjustment method of urinary mercury in spot urine is one of the important issues in assessing the health risks of mercury workers. But there have been debates about whether creatinine or other forms of correction for urinary concentration are better in reducing the variation of urinary mercury. We evaluated four adjustment methods-specific gravity, creatinine, log creatinine and excretion rate-by correlation between values adjusted by the four methods and individual exposure levels which were the geometric mean of daily air mercury level for 2 or 5 days, and mercury concentrations in 24 hour urine were also investigated to compare the results of spot urine. The correlation between values of spot urine and mercury exposure level was over 0.8 in all adjustment methods for workers who worked over 1 year. All four adjustment methods for urinary mercury were found to be similar in assessing the exposure, log creatinine and excretion rate method however were not practical to use due to lack of reference values, and variable standard values of specific gravity. And the creatinine adjusted values were more sensitive in low mercury exposure level. We therefore recommend the creatinine adjustment method for adjustment of urinary mercury.
Adult ; Air Pollutants, Occupational/*urine ; Female ; Human ; Male ; Mercury/*urine ; Middle Age ; Risk Assessment ; Time Factors

We reported a case of cutaneous focal mucinosis in a 19 year-old male, which occured by multiple nodules on the both dorsa of hands, extensor surface of elbows, intergluteal folds and shins, and responded well to intralesional injection of triamcinolon acetonide. Histopathologically, most of the collagen in the dermis is replaced to homogeneous mucinous material which was confirmed as hyaluronic acid.
Collagen ; Dermis ; Elbow ; Hand ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Injections, Intralesional ; Male ; Mucinoses* ; Mucins ; Young Adult

Hailey-Hailey disease is a rare hereditary dermatosis that begins in the 2nd or 3rd decade of life. The skin lesion is characterized by a localized, recurrent eruption of small vesicles on an erythematous base. It courses remissions and exacerbations. It seldom begins in early childhood, and main treatment modalities are conservative ones. We report a case of Hailey-Hailey disease that began on a 7-month old infant and improved by surgical treatment. In according to review of the previous reports, it is probably the earliest onset age and it is may be the first case which was treated with surgery in Korea.
Age of Onset ; Humans ; Infant ; Korea ; Pemphigus, Benign Familial* ; Skin ; Skin Diseases

Nontuberculous mycobacteria usually cause systemic disease and often appear as a primary pulmonary infection. However, a cutaneous lesion may be the first or only sign of infection. The most frequent human diseases caused by Mycobacterium fortuitum are cutaneous or soft tissue infections, usually preceded by injection, trauma or surgery. We report a case of a cutaneous lesion due to Mycobacterium(M.) fortuitum occuring in a 50-year-old man with a subcutaneous flat nodule on his left anterior tibia. He had received a small injury to his left shin in a swimming pool. The culture from the skin biopsy specimen on Lowenstein-Jensen medium yielded clolnies after 5 days. The microorganism was subsequently identified as M. fortuitum by selected biochemical reactions. Therapy was instituted with minocycline for 5 months.
Biopsy ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Minocycline ; Mycobacterium fortuitum* ; Mycobacterium* ; Nontuberculous Mycobacteria ; Skin ; Soft Tissue Infections ; Swimming Pools ; Tibia

No abstract available.
Carrier State*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of ethanol on the regulation of vascular tone. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Using rat aorta ring, isometric contraction and 45Ca uptake were measured. Phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu), phenylephrine, KCl were used for the regulation of smooth muscle tone. RESULTS: Ethanol induced transient contraction in rat aorta ring by dose-dependent manner. Ethanol suppressed the dose dependent contractile responses of vascular strip by phenylephrine, KCl and PDBu. Endothelium-dependent relaxation by acetylcholine was inhibited by ethanol. Ethanol depressed 45Ca uptake by high KCl but not by phenylephrine or PDBu in rat aorta. n-butanol selectively suppressed tonic contraction by high KCl, but t-butanol did not at the same concentration of butanol in rat aorta. PDBu-induced contraction was selectively suppressed by n-butanol but not by t-butanol. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the action of ethanol on phospholipase D is involved in the decreased response of rat aorta strip by vasoconstrictors.
1-Butanol ; Acetylcholine ; Animals ; Aorta* ; Ethanol* ; Isometric Contraction ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Phenylephrine ; Phorbol 12,13-Dibutyrate ; Phospholipase D ; Protein Kinase C ; Rats* ; Relaxation ; tert-Butyl Alcohol ; Vasoconstrictor Agents