BACKGROUND: Relative changes of astroglial volume constitute the major part of brain edema, which is related to delayed neuronal damage. Several factors including glutamate may contribute to astroglial swelling. Intravenous anesthetic, ketamine was known to restore neuronal damage by inhibiting NMDA receptor activity. Therefore, we decided to investigate the effect of ketamine on the astrocyte swelling by glutamate in the present study. METHODS: To analyze cell swelling in vitro, glial cell line, U1242MG was used. The effects of glutamate (1, 2, 3 mM), and glutamate with ketamine (1 mM) on the regulation of astrocyte volume were achieved by flow cytometry system. To eliminate the dead cells from experimental cell suspension and to assess cell viability, fluorescent dye propidium iodide was used. RESULTS: Glutamate addition (1, 2, 3mM) caused astroglial swelling both in calcium present and calcium absent buffer. The difference of cellular swelling dependent on glutamate concentration was only seen in calcium free buffer (p<0.05). Ketamine per se did not affect astroglial volume. However, when it was added to glutamate perfusion, 1 mM ketamine diminished cellular swelling by glutamate during first 10 minutes (p<0.05), and cellular shrinkage by glutamate after 1 hour incubation (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ketamine (1 mM) is effective in the regulation of astroglial volume alterations induced by glutamate in both short time and long time perfusion.
Astrocytes ; Brain Edema ; Calcium ; Cell Survival ; Flow Cytometry ; Glutamic Acid* ; Ketamine* ; N-Methylaspartate ; Neuroglia ; Neurons ; Perfusion ; Propidium

We present two cases of linear lichen simplex chronicus. One is a 44-year-old male patient who had a linear licbenified patch on the left upper extremity, and the other is a 45-year-old female patient who had linear pruriginous nodules on the right lower extremity. The one is coincidental with localized lichen simplex chronicus, the other is coincidental with prurigo nodularis histopathologically.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Lichens* ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neurodermatitis* ; Prurigo ; Upper Extremity

Human sparganosis is not uncommon and over 60 cases are reported in Korea but the case infested with multiple spargana is rare. The case we are reporting here is a 33 year-old Korean male having had an abscess and several bean-sized nodules on the left thigh. The patient had the history of eating frogs as a tonic food 3 years ago. Five spargana were removed from the lesions by surgical excision. Two of them were alive and other three were degenerated or calcified.
Abscess ; Adult ; Eating ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Scabies* ; Sparganosis ; Thigh

BACKGROUND: Becker's mealanosis is not an uncommon entity, and many cases are probably not reported because the diagnosis is usually made clinically and the condition is benign with cosmetic significance only. the etiology remains obscure. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to establish the clinicopathologic characteristics of Becker's melanosis in Korean. METHODS: Thirty-six patients with Becker's melanosis were retrospectively studied. RESULTS: The clinical and histopathologic findings observed in our cases were similar to previous reports except for the following. Nine patients(25%) had abnormal findings in their hair follicles : dilatation of the infundibular portion filled with abnormal keratin, Pityrosporum orbiculare and bacteria(19.4%); formation of intrafollicular cyst(5.6%). Three patients(8.3%) had granulomatous infiltration. Twenty-two patients(61.1%) had increased smooth muscle bundles. CONCLUSION: The findings associated with dermal hair follicles may be related to the pathogenesis of Becker's melanosis.
Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Malassezia ; Melanosis* ; Muscle, Smooth ; Retrospective Studies

Carcinoma of the uterine cervix is the most common malignant tumor in Korean women. It is well known that carcinogenesis is a multi-step event involoving the inactivation of tumor supressor genes, such as p53 gene and RB gene. The inactivation of the normal functions of the tumor-suppressor proteins pRB and p53 are important steps in human cervical carcinogenesis, either by mutation or from complex formation with the HPV E6 and E7 oncoproteins. The pRB protein regulates early cell cyle progression by controlling transit through the G1 phase of the cell cyle. The p53 tumor suppressor gene product also plays a role in cell cycle control by the transcriptional regulation of cyclin-CDK inhibitor. Cervical carcinoma is an excellent model for studying the stepwise progression of cell transformation because this is reflected morphologically by the increasing dysplasia of the squamous cells before it becomes and invasive squamous cell carcinoma. The aim of this study was to examine the expression of pRB and compared that with overexpression of p53 in a series of cervical lesions including normal tissuess, dysplasias, carcinoma in situ and carcinomas by immunohistochemical staining with monoclonal antibody to elucidate the role of these tumor suppressor genes. The result were as follows: 1. In normal cervical mucosa and CIN I , a few positively stained cells for pRB were seen in basal and parabasal layer. 2. An abnormality of pRB, loss of expression was seen in 23.8% of CIN III and in 10.8% of invasive carcinoma. 3. Overexpression of p53 was demonstrated in 14.3% of CIN III and in 59.5% of invasive carcinoma. 4. The immunoreactivity of p53 was significantly increased (p<0.05) in stage II, III than stage I , whereas downregulation of pRB and tumor stage was not correlated. 5. The immunoreactivity of p53 was significantly increased (p<0.05) in squamous cell carcinoma than in adenocarcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma and CIN III. These result suggest that an alteration of pRB is more frequently implicated in CIN III than invasive carcinoma, whereas overexpression of p53 may be involevd in late progression of uterine cervical carcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma in Situ ; Carcinoma, Adenosquamous ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia* ; Cervix Uteri ; Down-Regulation ; Female ; G1 Phase ; Genes, p53 ; Genes, Retinoblastoma ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane ; Oncogene Proteins ; Retinoblastoma Protein*

A 22-year-old male has had multiple, grouped, asymptomatic, yellowish flat papules, nodules, and plaques on the knees, elbows, butteeks, hands, and feet. Yellowish nodules first appeared on the heels after birth, and gradually increased in size and number and spread to the knees, elbows, buttocks, and hands. Physical examination revealed normaI except for the skin lesions. Gross finding of the serum was clear and paper electrophoresis revealed marked increase in betalipo-protein and mild increase in prebetalipoprotein, suggesting type II hyperlipoproteinemia Serum cholesterol was 510 mg%, and serum triglyceride was 190mg%. Histopathology showed many aggregates of foam cells on H-E stain and many lipid droplets in the dermis on oil red O stain.
Buttocks ; Cholesterol ; Dermis ; Elbow ; Electrophoresis, Paper ; Foam Cells ; Foot ; Hand ; Heel ; Humans ; Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II* ; Knee ; Male ; Parturition ; Physical Examination ; Skin ; Triglycerides ; Xanthomatosis* ; Young Adult

Since the placenta is an organ composed of blood vessels, it is not surprising that its primary neoplasm would be a vascular tumor. Placental tumors, primary or secondary, have been known to interfere with placental function. Chorioangioma(primary tumor of the placenta), which is the most common of them, occurs with an incidence for clinically significant ranges from 1~2.8:10000 births. These tumors are benign and are not usually associated with clinical sequelae unless they are larger than 5cm in long diameter. About one third of the large chorioangiomas may be associated with the maternal and fetal complications. For diagnosis of these lesions, the ultrasonography was used. If the chorioangioma is suspected, color doppler study is informative to confirm the presence of the vascular channels. We reviewed ultrasonograms and clinical records of seven patients who had been diagnosed as placental chrioangioma. The appropriate diagnostic tests and treatment can then be initiated in order to prolong gestation and decrease fetal mortality and morbidity.
Blood Vessels ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Fetal Mortality ; Hemangioma* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Parturition ; Placenta* ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis* ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Delusional Parasitosis ; Delusions ; Humans ; Infarction ; Posterior Cerebral Artery

A 51-year-old female developed a distinctive perioral rash, conisting of discrete or confluent erythematous papules for one and a half years. Histopathologic examiriation revealed upper dermal granulomas admixed with lymphoytes. Pieces of hair shaft were staincd peri-dish by AFB in the center of granuloma, which might play a role in the formation of the granuloma She also had used corticosteroid ointment intermittently duririg this time. There were no associated systemic abnormalities. The lesions resolved after two month treatment with oral corticosteroid and tetrac cline.
Dermatitis, Perioral* ; Exanthema ; Female ; Granuloma ; Hair ; Humans ; Middle Aged

Although acquired ichthyosis has been associated with a number of systemic illnesses, an association with sarcoidosis has rarely been reported. We report a patient with aquired ichthyosis of the lower and upper extrimities whose diagnosis of cutaneous sarcoidosis was confirmed by histologic examination. Systemic involvement in the patient revealed occular, pulmonary and nerve disease. A diagnosis of sarcoidosis must be considered when a patient presents with acquired ichthyosis.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Ichthyosis ; Sarcoidosis*