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

No abstract available.
Peptic Ulcer*

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

PURPOSE: To evaluate the difference of retinal nerve fiber layer measurements as obtained by Nerve Fiber Analyser according to visual field defects in subjects with large Cup-to-Disc ratio (C/D ratio>or=0.6) and to determine which predictable parameters are useful in glaucoma diagnosis. METHODS: Fifty one normal subjects, 17 patients with glaucoma, 18 glaucoma suspects based on optic disc appearance and visual field defect participated. Nerve fiber layer thickness assessments using scanning laser polarimeter (Nerve Fiber Analyzer II software version 2.1.; Laser Diagnostic Technologies, Inc., San Diego, California, U.S.A.) were measured in normal subjects, patients with glaucoma, and glaucoma suspects. Measured nerve fiber layer thickness parameters were compared each other. RESULTS: Superior to inferior ratio (S/I ratio) was only statistically significant parameter to differentiate glaucoma from glaucoma suspects having glaucomatous optic nerve head. CONCLUSIONS: Superior to inferior ratio (S/I ratio) is useful parameter to predict differentiating patients with glaucoma from glaucoma suspects.
California ; Diagnosis ; Glaucoma* ; Humans ; Nerve Fibers* ; Optic Disk ; Retinaldehyde* ; Scanning Laser Polarimetry ; Visual Fields

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

Hypersensitivity myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the myocardium usually related to drug allergy. The clinical manifestation may be nonspecific, and the diagnosis is seldom suspected or established during the life. So in most of the reported patients, the diagnosis was made at autopsy. Although, retrospectively, more than 90% of the patients described have had clinically recognizable cardiac involvement before death, tole clinical suspicion of hypersensitivity myocarditis is rare. The presence of nonspecific cardiac finding in a patient receiving any drug associated with hypersensitivity should alert the clinician to the possibility of drug related myocarditis. We experienced a case of hypersensitivity myocarditis accompanying allergic skin lesion in a 58 years old man with a history of taking cefadroxil. Fortunately, the outcome was favorable, therefore we do not have histologic confirmation of the diagnosis.
Autopsy ; Cefadroxil ; Diagnosis ; Drug Hypersensitivity ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Middle Aged ; Myocarditis ; Myocardium ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin

No abstract available.
Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Immunoglobulin G* ; Meningitis, Aseptic*

Human untreated costal cartilage was compared with lyophilized human costal cartilage which was treated with defatting solution for 48 hours and freeze drying for 72 hours (-70degree C, 10??bar) on the tendency of distortion. All cartilages, which were taken from six cadavers, were carved 5x5x30mm in size on principle of the balanced cross section. Their distortions were evaluated by two methods at intervals of one week, one month, three months, six months after experiment. At first, the degree of distortion was grossly graded with four steps: grade O; no distortion / grade I; minimal distortion / grade II; moderate distortion / grade III; severe distortion. Second method is measurement and quantification of distortion in the horizontal and vertical plane of cartilage.Untreated cartilage is shown to be an unsatisfactory material, with only three(12%) of the 25 cartilages being cosmetically acceptable(grade 0 and 1) after 6 months. In lyophilized cartilage, 18(94%) of the 19 cartilages were cosmetically acceptable(grade 0 and 1) at 6 months. This figure is highly significant(p<0.01). In another method, distortion in the horizontal(h) and vertical (v) planes of cartilage were measured, and mean values of ???? were calculated. In untreated group, the mean values of ???? were 0.82 at 1 week, 0.91 at 1 month, 1.13 at 3 months, and 1.31 at 6 months. In lyophilized group, the mean values were 0.27 at 1 week, 0.29 at 1 month, 0.40 at 3 months and 0.47 at 6 months. All values were statistically significant(p<0.01).
Cadaver ; Cartilage* ; Freeze Drying ; Humans

No abstract available.
Skull Base* ; Skull*

PURPOSE: To evaluate MR characteristics of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) in children, which was confirmed by clinical findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects were six patients, who were diagnosed by clinical findings. One subject had recurrence one year after clinical improvement leading to one additional care with the total of seven. The modes of viral infections were as follows;four cases of non-specific upper respiratory tract infection, one of E-B virus, one of Japanese-B-encephalitis vaccination, and one of upper respiratory infection in Bruton's disease. The Gd-DTPA enhanced scan was performed in all cases. MR findings were evaluated in anatomic location of the lesions, presence or absence of contrast enhancement, and the temporal changes were also evaluated on follow-up MRI. RESULT: There were multifocal high signal intensity lesions on T2WI in all cases. The location of lesions were basal ganglia in five, thalamus and brain stem in four, and cerebral gray and white matter and cerebellar white matter in three. Bilaterality was 77%. There were contrast enhancement in two of three cerebral cortical lesions and one of three white matter lesions. The size of lesions decreased on the first follow-up MRI which were done after 1 month in 4 cases, but new lesions were developed in two cases. On the second follow-up MRI which were done 2 months after, all lesions were decreased in size and there was no newly developed lesion. However, in one case who had recurrent similar symptom after 1 year, several new lesions developed on follow-up MRI, and it was comidened as a recurrence. CONCLUSION: The characteristic MR findings of ADEM were multifocal bilateral white and gray matter lesions which were high signal intensities on T2WI. The majority of lesions improved on follow-up MRI, but occasionally showed multiphasic pattern.
Basal Ganglia ; Brain Stem ; Child* ; Encephalomyelitis, Acute Disseminated ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Recurrence ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Thalamus ; Vaccination