Pemphigus erythematosus (PE) is a superficial type of pemphigus, which can be aggravated by sunlight (espicially UV light). Because of the known side effects of corticosteroids, we evaluated the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine as a corticosteroid-sparing agent and/or the effect of a single-drug regimen in two patients with PE with photosensitivity. We obtained a good therapeutic response with hydroxychloroquine in these two patients with PE. This drug could be used in selected patients with pemphigus who are prednisolone/ immunosuppressive-resistant or who have certain degrees of photosensitivity.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Humans ; Hydroxychloroquine* ; Pemphigus* ; Sunlight

PURPOSE: To investigate the morphological characteristics of keratocytes and the interconnection of keratocytes with adjacent keratocytes using the flat preparation method and scanning electron microscopy with a frontal section of the human corneal stroma. METHODS: The thin, corneal collagen lamellae were carefully dissected from the cornea (n=7), which had been stained by the flat preparation method. The remaining tissue was fixed in 3% glutaraldehyde and observed by transmission electron microscopy following the frontal section. RESULTS: The flat preparation revealed the corneal fibroblasts between the lamellae of the collagen fibers and showed that the ramifying cellular processes of the keratocytes were in contact with the cytoplasmic processes or cell bodies of neighboring fibroblasts. Two types of discrete subpopulations of keratocytes were identified: a smaller, cellular type of keratocyte with spindle-shaped nucleus with heterochromatin, and a larger, cellular type with a large indented nucleus with relatively scanty cytoplasm. Collagen fibers ran parallel to each other toward the fenestration of the cytoplasmic wall of the keratocyte. CONCLUSIONS: These flat preparation method results showed that the keratocytes within the corneal stroma are interconnected with the adjacent keratocytes, which indicates the presence of a functional communicating network through the keratocyte circuits within the stroma. A smaller, cellular type of keratocyte with spindle-shaped nucleus was morphologically differentiated from a larger, cellular type with a large, indented nucleus by flat preparation and transmission electron microscopy.
Middle Aged ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Intercellular Junctions/*ultrastructure ; Infant ; Humans ; Corneal Stroma/*cytology/pathology ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Cell Size ; Aged ; Adult ; Adolescent

We compared the visual outcome after phacoemulsification through the scleral pocket incision between non-diabetic patients and diabetic patients, and studied the factors influencing the visual outcome and postoperative complications in diabetic patients. retrospectively. The subjects operated by one of the authors were composed of 277 non-diabetic patients (277 eyes) and 90 diabetic patients (113 eyes). An average of the best corrected visual acuities at postoperative 8 weeks was lower in diabetic patients than that in non-diabetic patients, but there was no statistically significant difference between diabetic patients who had no or background diabetic retinopathy and non-diabetic patients. In diabetic patients the visual outcome was significantly related with severity of diabetic retinopathy, duration of the diabetes, and insulin dependency, but not related with the rupture of posterior capsule during surgery. Among the complications there were posterior capsule rupture (10.6%), hyphema (7.8%), posterior capsular opacity (4.9%), and posterior synechiae (4.9%).
Diabetic Retinopathy ; Humans ; Hyphema ; Insulin ; Phacoemulsification* ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Visual Acuity

Inactivation or loss of suppressor genes on a specific chromosome plays an important role in the development and progression of cancer. Recent studies have shown that p53 gene acts as a tumor suppressor gene and that its mutation appears to be related to the aggressiveness of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. To investigate the significance of p53 gene mutations in transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis (renal pelvis tumor), 28 tumors with various stages and grades were examined for p53 gene mutations in exon regions 5 to 8 using polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis. Seven (25%) of 28 pelvis tumors were found to have p53 gene mutations. Three of 12 superficial tumors including pTis, pTa, and pT1 were found to have p53 gene mutations. And only four of 16 invasive tumors with pT2, pT3, and pT4 were found to have p53 mutations. In the respect of tumor grade, p53 gene mutation was found in four of the 14 tumors with grade I and II, while three of 14 tumors with grade III, and IV were found to have p53 gene mutations. These observations suggest that, in contrast to bladder cancer, the incidence of p53 gene mutations does not related to the tumor stages and grades in transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis. These results further indicate that p53 gene mutation may not represent a genetic marker of malignant potentials in transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis.
Carcinoma, Transitional Cell* ; Exons ; Genes, p53* ; Genes, Suppressor ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Genetic Markers ; Incidence ; Kidney Pelvis* ; Pelvis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms

Recent studies suggest that alterations of the immune-inflammatory system contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Neuroinflammatory response initiated by innate immune mechanism that self-attack on neurons, known as "autotoxicity" could be an initial key mechanism of chronic neurodegenerative diseases. Numerous experimental and pathological evidences showing upregulated inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and the activation of complement cascade and accumulation of activated microglia in damaged regions support the important role of immune-inflammatory mechanism in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Epidemiological studies on the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), coupled with results from animal model of AD, PD and ALS, have prompted the studies to determine if immune-inflammatory modifying agents or molecules could be a new therapeutic paradigm of neurodegenerative diseases. Molecules inhibiting proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines released from microglia, agents that inhibit activation of microglia, COX2 and complement system are now considered as a good candidate of immune-inflammatory modulating treatment. By better understanding inflammatory and immunoregulatory processes, it should be possible to develop anti-inflammatory approach that may not completely cure AD, PD, and ALS but will likely help slow the progression or delay the onset of these devastating diseases.
Alzheimer Disease* ; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ; Chemokines ; Complement System Proteins ; Cytokines ; Microglia ; Models, Animal ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Neurons ; Parkinson Disease

Endometrial papillary serous carcinoma (EPSC) is a distinct variant of endometrial adenocarcinoma that histologically resembles ovarian serous papillary adenocarcinoma and has an aggressive clinical course. Usually, the tumor is diagnosed at the advanced stage. The tumor has well confused with metastatic ovarian tumor of identical histology. Diagnosis of EPSC should be considered when the cervico-vaginal smear reveals numerous papillary clusters of tumor cells with macronucleoli and psammoma bodies. Recently, we have experienced two cases of EPSC diagnosed on cervico-vaginal smears, which revealed characteristic cytologic features including numerous papillary clusters of tumor cells with macronucleoli. The cytologic diagnoses were confirmed on histologic sections.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenocarcinoma, Papillary ; Diagnosis

The fluoroscopy-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy has been gaining widespread acceptance as a rapid and effective method to make a pre-operative diagnosis of mediastinal tumors including thymoma, malignant lymphoma, and metastatic carcinoma. Although thymoma is a most common tumor of the superior mediastinum, most cytopathologists are not experted in cytologic diagnosis of this tumor because of limited experience. In order to define the diagnostic cytologic features of thymoma, we have retrospectively reviewed imprinting smears and corresponding tissue sections from four cases of this tumor. All cases revealed an apparent biphasic pattern of epithelial cell clusters and lymphocytes with occasional branching capillary fronds extending from three dimensional epithelial cell clusters. Epithelial cell clusters predominated in one case and lymphocytes in two cases. Mixed epithelial cell and lymphocyte type represented in one of four cases. In the lymphocyte predominant type, the presence of epithelial cell clusters and small mature lymphocytes are helpful features to differentiate from a malignent lymphoma.
Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Capillaries ; Diagnosis ; Epithelial Cells ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphoma ; Mediastinum ; Retrospective Studies ; Thymoma*

Fibronectin (FN) is a major extracellular matrix glycoprotein, highly expressed in developing rat lungs. Several observations suggest that it play an important role in many developmental processes of animals. In vitro, FN can affect the adhesion, migration, proliferation, differentiation, and even apoptosis of various cell types. This study was undertaken to describe the distribution and localizations of fibronectin in the alveolar septum of lungs and liver lobules after CS gas exposure to experimental rats. The experimental rats (Sprague-Dawley strain), weighing 150~200 gm were sacrificed at 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours after CS gas exposure. The specimens of lung and liver were prepared for fibronectin immunoreactions of alveolar septa and liver lobules on experimental group, and for fibronectin reactions on the cytoplasm of type I alveolar cells, type II alveolar cells, fibroblasts, alveolar macrophages and interstitium in alveolar septa of lungs. All of specimens for immune reactions were observed with light and electron microscopes. The results obtained were as follows. 1. The liver lobules showed mild fibronectin reactions at the 6 hours and 12 hours after CS gas exposure. 2. The alveolar macrophages revealed strong fibronectin reactions. But alveolar septa showed weak FN reactions at 6 hours after CS gas exposure. 3. At 12 hours and 24 hours after CS gas exposure, the interstitial pneumonitis were seen in the lung alveoli. The gold particles were increased in the cells of alveolar septa, weak fibronectin reactions were revealed in the alveolar septum. 4. At 48 hours and 72 hours after CS gas exposure, FN reactions of alveolar septa were moderate, and the gold particles in the alveolar cells were markedly decreased. These results suggest that CS gas exposure to rats induces the increase of the fibronectin in lung and liver.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cytoplasm ; Extracellular Matrix ; Fibroblasts ; Fibronectins* ; Glycoproteins ; Liver* ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Lung* ; Macrophages, Alveolar ; Rats*

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to categorize nursing students' subjectivity in their attitude toward their jobs, and thereby understand the differences among these attitude types. METHODS: The study used a Q-method to measure nursing students' attitude toward jobs identity types. In-depth and objective interviews and literature review formed Q sample. The P sample consisted of 25 nursing students. RESULTS: The results of the study show that nursing students can be categorized into three types, depending on their attitudes toward their jobs. The firs type, "interest-oriented" students, strongly disagree to the following: giving priority to job over marriage, standing unfair treatment in the workplace, the importance of promotion opportunity, irresponsibility, and uncertainty. The "reward-oriented" students, on the other hand, strongly disagree to the following: indifference to career prospects, employment-related relocation of residence, irresponsibility, standing difficulties, and compromises with others. The third type of nursing students is the possession-oriented students, who strongly disapprove of irresponsibility, refusal to compromise with reality, standing unfair job allocation or promotion and career uncertainty. CONCLUSIONS: The study on nursing college students' attitude toward their jobs is meaningful in the following aspects: First, the study clarifies nursing college students' attitudes toward their job by categorizing it. Second, the study confirms the changing attitudes of nursing students toward jobs with the change of times and calls for proper educational programs to foster healthy career attitudes. Third, proper decision-making as regards jobs and job allocation for nurses, or their career attitudes, is beneficial to individuals, the medical industry, and society.
Students, Nursing/*psychology ; Q-Sort ; Korea ; Job Satisfaction ; Humans ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; *Career Choice ; *Attitude