Many authors asserted that the incidence of sexually transmitted disease, especially syphilis, increased recently. We examined the annual reactive rate of VDRL test in 23,886 persons who took a medical check-up for employment from March, 1978 to August, 1981 and the snnual rate of condyloma acuminatum among 91,334 dermatologic outpatients from 1976 to 1980 to estimate the recent trend in sexually transmitted disease. The overall reactive rate of VDRL test was 1.40% and the annual reactive rate is l.85% in 1978, 1.31% in 1979, 0.92% in 1980 and 4.87% in 1981. The biologic false positive rate of VDRL test was 17.5% among 126 patients in whom TPHA test was done, using TPHA test as standard. The overall rate of condyloma acuminatum patients was 0.16% and the annual rate was 0.13% in 1976, 0.21% in 1977, 0.16% in 1978, 0.15% in 1979 and 0.17% in 1980.
Employment ; Humans ; Incidence ; Outpatients ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Syphilis*

No abstract available.

We presented a case of perifolliculitis capitis abscedens et suffodiens associated with acne conglobata in 40-year-old rnale. He had a sausage-shaped plaque containing many fistular tracts on right temnporal area and cicatrizing alopecia on occiput. On the middle portion of upper back he had a adult fist-sized plaque containing many fistular tracts. Histopathologically epidermis showed mild byperkeratosis and keratotic plugging and in the dermis most hair follicles were destroyed and replacel by fibrous tissue but there were moderxte cellular infiltration composed of neutrophils, lymphocytes a.nd hist.iocytes around the remained hair follicles. On serum electrophoresis alpha,-globulin was elevated and gamna globulin was the upper liviit of nornal variation. Skin tests with murnps vaccine, dinitrochloro benzene (DNCB) and old tuberculin disclosed the evidence of de reased c "ll-mediated immunity(CMI). All th se findings suggest thzt immune rriechanisni r,-ay be concerned ivith the pathogenesis in this case. He wa.s treated with th internal administration of antibiotic and corticosteroid and with surgical opening and curettage of fistular tracts
Acne Vulgaris ; Adult ; Alopecia ; Benzene ; Curettage ; Dermis ; Electrophoresis ; Epidermis ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Neutrophils ; Skin Tests ; Tuberculin

The object of this study was to determine the difference of radiation effect in different fractional does and to establish optimal fractionation schedule on the whole-abdominal X-ray irradiation. Total 160 mice were irradiated with 150 KVP, 15 mA orthovoltage x-ray machine and two different fractionation (100 cGy/Fr. and 200 cGy/Fr.) were used. Body weight, hemoglobin and WBC count with differential count were analyzed according to the same amount of total dose, same field size and two different fractionation schedules. The results of this study were summarized s follows: There was no significant difference in body weight and hemoglobin concentration by sex or fractional dose. Leukopenic change was prominent in the 3,000 cGy irradiation group and the proportion of decrease was remarkable in the 200 cGy/Fr. Group than 100 cGy/Fr. Group. Progressive decrease of lymphocyte count and reciprocal increase of neutrophil count were noted as dose increment. The effect of the fractional does on WBC count and proportion of lymphocyte were significant. This suggests that judicious selection of fractional dose may be important in clinical radiotherapeutic practice.
Animals ; Appointments and Schedules ; Body Weight* ; Lymphocyte Count ; Lymphocytes ; Mice* ; Neutrophils ; Radiation Effects*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Low Birth Weight* ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy* ; Premature Birth*

PURPOSE: To quantify the cardiac dose reduction during breathing adapted radiotherapy using Real-time Position Management (RPM) system in the treatment of left-sided breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two patients with left-sided breast cancer underwent CT scans during breathing maneuvers including free breathing (FB), deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH), and end inspiration breath-hold (EIBH). The RPM system was used to monitor respiratory motion, and the in-house self respiration monitoring (SRM) system was used for visual feedback. For each scan, treatment plans were generated and dosimetric parameters from DIBH and EIBH plans were compared to those of FB plans. RESULTS: All patients completed CT scans with different breathing maneuvers. When compared with FB plans, DIBH plans demonstrated significant reductions in irradiated heart volume and the heart V25, with the relative reduction of 71% and 70%, respectively (p < 0.001). EIBH plans also resulted in significantly smaller irradiated heart volume and lower heart V25 than FB plans, with the relative reduction of 39% and 37%, respectively (p = 0.002). Despite of significant expansion of lung volume using inspiration breath-hold, there were no significant differences in left lung V25 among the three plans. CONCLUSION: In comparison with FB, both DIBH and EIBH plans demonstrated a significant reduction of radiation dose to the heart. In the training course, SRM system was useful and effective in terms of positional reproducibility and patient compliance.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Cardiac Volume ; Feedback, Sensory ; Heart ; Humans ; Lung ; Patient Compliance ; Radiotherapy* ; Respiration* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Myelopathy or dysfunction of the spinal cord, can be caused by degenerative processes of the cervical vertebrae. Cervical spondylotic myelopathy can be divided into five distinct syndromes on the basis of clinical presentation by Ferguson. Absolute indication for surgery is the progression of neurologic deficit. Decompression may be achieved using an anterior, posterior, or a combined approach, but each patient has unique clinical conditions that require individualized treatment. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the operative results by the clinical manifestation. In evaluating the results, the evaluation system established by the Japanese Orthopedic Association was employed. The average preoperative score in the 14 patient was 8.7 points and the average postoperative score was 12.7 points. The better results have been obtained for those who were managed with decompression within 1 year after onset of symptoms and those who had lateral type. In conclusion, the prognosis for the recovery of the spinal cord function is related with the onset of clinical symptoms and degree of neurological deterioration, so early detection and operative decompression for cervical spondylotic myelopathy may be the best method for the prevention of those unwanted and potentially devastating neurological deteriorations.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cervical Vertebrae ; Decompression ; Female ; Humans ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Orthopedics ; Prognosis ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Diseases*

Recent investigations have revealed that autocrine growth factors and their receptors are closely related and play an important role in controlling cancer cell growth. We performed an immunohistochemical study on the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R), c-erbB-2, and PCNA labelling index in 60 cases of human gastric carcinomas. TGF-alpha was detected in 38 cases (63.3%), EGF in 26 cases (43.3%), EGF-R in 44 cases (73.3%), and c-erbB-2 in 18 cases (30%). These growth factors, EGF-R and c-erbB-2, were found more often in advanced gastric cancers. The PCNA labeling index was significantly higher in tumors with the expression of EGF-R or c-erbB-2. Tumors with simultaneous expression of EGF, TGF-alpha, EGF-R and c-erbB-2 was associated with a high PCNA labeling index. A correlation was observed between the synchronous expression of growth factors and its receptors and histological differentiation. The results suggest that the expression of EGF, TGF-alpha, EGF-R and c-erbB-2 are closely related and plays an important role in the growth and progression of human gastric carcinoma.
Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Peptides* ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Transforming Growth Factor alpha

Meigs' syndrome consists of an ovarian fibroma, or fibroma-like benign tumor, associated with fluid in both abdomen and chest. Characteristically, the ascites and hydrothorax disappeared and do not recurred following removal of the ovarian tumor. The authors presented a case of Meigs' syndrome that was cured by surgical removal of ovarian tumor and resulted in normal pregnancy outcome in 27-year-old pregnant woman with a brief review of literatures.
Abdomen ; Adult ; Ascites ; Female ; Fibroma ; Humans ; Hydrothorax ; Meigs Syndrome* ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic scars and keloids have been regarded as representative of the proliferative change of the connective tissue of the dermis. Clinically, postburn and surgical scars show a smooth, shiny, erythematous appearance at an early stage. It is readily conceivable that, in such scars, changes may take place not only in the dermis but also in the epidermis and, possibly in the stratum corneum (SC). However, in contrast to the tremendous number of studies of scars on the dermis, those studies focusing on the epidermis and the SC have been scarce. OBJECTIVE: We have focused on the function of the SC covering the post-burn scar tissue and keloids. METHODS: Using noninvasive bioengineering measurements of functional properties of the SC, such as transepidermal water loss(TEWL), we evaluated the SC barrier function in various types of healing wounds, such as early erythematous lesion, hypertrophic scar, keloid, healed atrophic scar, scar occurring at the recipient site of the skin grafts and the adjacent normal appearing skin for control. RESULTS: 1. The TEWL values were 14.9+/-7.3 in early erythematous lesions, 13.2+/-7.5 in hypertrophic scars, 10.2+/-5.8 in keloids, 5.6+/-1.3 in healed atrophic scars, 6.9+/-4.3 in scars occurring at the recipient site of the skin grafts. Significantly increased TEWL values were found in all individual lesions(p>0.01) except for the scars occurring at the recipient site of the skin grafts(p<0.05) compared with the corresponding normal control skin. 2. When we randomly compared early erythematous lesions, hypertrophic scars, kelids, atrophic
Bioengineering ; Cicatrix ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic* ; Connective Tissue ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Keloid* ; Skin* ; Transplants ; Wounds and Injuries