No abstract available.

Breast cancer is a common cancer in women and the most common primary tumor metastatic to the skin. Cutaneous metastasis from breast cancer occurs predominently through lymphatic dissemination. Alopecia neoplastica is rare and probably caused by the hematogenous spread of the internal carcinoma. It has diagnostic importance because it may be the first sign of an undiscovered internal malignancy. We report a case of a 40-year-old female who showed alopecia neoplastia secondary to an invasive intraductal carcinoma of the breast.
Adult ; Alopecia* ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; Female ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Skin

BACKGROUND/AIMS: When stools containing altered blood are the sole evidence for acute gastrointestinal bleeding, the bleeding source is uncertain. Because the absorption of blood products via the small intestine is responsible for azotemia after gastrointestinal bleeding, patients with colorectal bleeding rarely become azotemic. Therefore the blood urea nitrogen to creatinine ratio (BUN/Cr ratio) is believed to reliably discriminate upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) from lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB). This study was conducted to evaluate the BUN/Cr ratio for distinguishing an upper versus lower source of gastrointestinal bleeding. METHODS: Charts of patients who were admitted to Maryknoll hospital with the diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding from August 1994 to August 2000, were retrospectively reviewed for source of bleeding, initial blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), BUN/Cr ratio, hemoglobin, and hematocrit. RESULTS: A total of 298 patients were eligible for inclusion, 210 (70%) of whom were male. A total of 168 (56%) patients had an UGIB. Gastric ulcer disease (42%) and esophageal varices (27%) were the most common causes of UGIB, whereas malignant neoplasm was etiologic in 29% of LGIB episodes. The mean standard deviation BUN/Cr ratio was significantly higher in UGIB than LGIB (34.1+/-12.9 vs. 12.2+/-; p<01). CONCLUSIONS: The BUN/ Cr ratio may be a useful tool in distinguishing upper from lower sources of gastrointestinal bleeding, especially in patients with an uncertain source that could be upper or lower in origin.
Absorption ; Azotemia ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; Diagnosis ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices ; Hematocrit ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Intestine, Small ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Ulcer ; Urea*

We experienced a case of a 30 year-old male with hyperlipoproteinemia associated with xanthoma tuberosum and xanthoma striatum palmare. The laboratory findings showed increased serum cholesterol and triglyceride on lipid profile, and widening of prep band on elec1rophoresis of lipoprotein. The biopsy specimens of orange yellow colored nodules on the elbow and yellow streaks on the palrnar creases showed characteristic findings of xanthoma. He had been treated with gempibrozil(lopid) for 1 month.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Cholesterol ; Citrus sinensis ; Elbow ; Humans ; Hyperlipoproteinemia Type IV* ; Hyperlipoproteinemias ; Lipoproteins ; Male ; Triglycerides ; Xanthomatosis*

No abstract available.
Pregnancy*

Recently, it is well established that nitric oxide synthase (NOS) produces nitric oxide (NO), which is known to act as an important neural mediator of smooth muscle relaxation in various organs. The present study was undertaken to investigate the role played by NO in relaxing bladder outlet by correlating its action with the existence, distribution and activity of NOS. The experiments consisted of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) diaphorase staining for the identification of NOS containing nerve fibers, NADPH diaphorase activity with spectrophotometric assay for NOS catalytic activity, Western blot analysis with polyclonal antibrain NOS antibody for the expression of neuronal NOS, and in vivo isovolumetric bladder contraction (IBC) and reflex urethral .relaxation (RUR) for the physiologic role of NO. On NADPH diaphorase histochemistry in the rat, NADPH positive staining was localized in neurons innervating the lower genitourinary tract including the urinary bladder and the proximal urethra. NADPH positive nerve fibers were mainly found in urethral area, whereas they were less common in detrusor. In assay of NADPH diaphorase activity on various organs of the rat, the NOS activity regionally predominated in the cerebellum, proximal urethra, and urinary bladder in the order of frequency, which were correlated with the RESULTS of Western blot. Subsequent investigations were focused on the physiologic role of NO in the reflex changes in bladder outlet activity during micturition in the rat. During IBC, the urethra exhibited reflex responses characterized by a decrease in RUR in conjunction with a rise in IBC. Administration of NOS inhibitor, Nw-nitro-L-arginine, reversibly decreased the magnitude and duration of RUR, and this effect was reversed by administration of L-arginine. From these RESULTS, it is suggested that the neuronal form of constitutive NOS in the bladder outlet synthesizes NO by its catalytic action, which mediates relaxation of bladder outlet during micturition.
Animals ; Arginine ; Blotting, Western ; Cerebellum ; Muscle, Smooth ; NADP ; NADPH Dehydrogenase ; Nerve Fibers ; Neurons ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Nitric Oxide* ; Rats* ; Reflex ; Relaxation* ; Urethra ; Urinary Bladder ; Urination

No abstract available.
Crohn Disease*

We report a case of nevus sebaceus associated with sebaceous epithelioma and basal cell epithelioma in a 48-year-old male patient. A 2.6 x 2.0cm orange-yellow erosive tumor and 1.5 x 1.0cm, l.0 x 0.8cm dark blue-yellow varigated nodules were intimately associated with a 4 x 3cm sized yellowish verrucous plaque on the parieto-occipital area of the scalp. Biopsy revealed sebaccous epithelioma, basal cell epithelioma and nevus sebaceus, respectively.
Biopsy ; Carcinoma* ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nevus* ; Scalp

No abstract available.
Adult ; Hidradenitis ; Humans

BACKGROUND: The effect of arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) during ischemia and reperfusion has been a controversial issue. In this study, the effect of PaCO2 during ischemia and reperfusion was evaluated by 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). METHODS: Incomplete global cerebral ischemia was induced by ligation of carotid artery under lowered mean blood pressure (mean blood pressure= 40 mmHg) for 30 minutes followed by 2 hours of reperfusion. Eighteen cats were divided into 3 groups: For group 1 (n=6) (control group), animals were subjected to normocarbia (PaCO2=28~33 mmHg) during ischemia and reperfusion, for group 2 (n=6), animals were subjected to hypocarbia (PaCO2=18~23 mmHg) during ischemia and reperfusion, and for group 3 (n=6), animals were subjected to normocarbia during ischemia and hypocarbia during reperfusion. RESULTS: For group 1, the energy metabolism measured by [PCr/Pi] was recovered about 74.7 6.4%. For group 2, the energy metabolism failed to be completely recovered by 120 minutes of reperfusion (69.3 7.3%), whereas for group 3, the energy matabolism was completely recovered by 120 minutes of reperfusion (97.6 2.4%). There were statistically significant differences between group 1 and group 3 (p<0.05). The changes in pH were not significantly different among the groups. CONCLUSION: In this study, a condition of hypocarbia during reperfusion seems better for the energy metabolism after incomplete global ischemia of cats.
Animals ; Blood Pressure ; Brain Ischemia ; Brain* ; Carbon Dioxide ; Carotid Arteries ; Cats* ; Energy Metabolism* ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Ischemia ; Ligation ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Reperfusion