BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus is a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by high serum glucose levels and by disturbances of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. There are many cutaneous signs of this common endocrinopathy, such as nercobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum, diabetic bullosis, shin spot, diabetic pruritus, etc. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we investigated whether extracellular matrix gene expression in cultured skin fibroblast is influenced by insulin and Insulin-like growth factor-I(IGF-I). METHOD: Total RNA was isolated from insulin or IGF-I treated human skin fibroblasts. The Northern blot and slot-blot hybridization were then conducted. RESULTS: The mRNA levels of pro α1(I) collagen, pro α1(I11) collagen, fibronectin in insulin and IGF-I treated normal skin fibroblasts increased compared with untreated normal skin fibroblasts. CONCLUSION: Our results show that insulin and IGF-I stimulate collagen formation in normal skin fibroblast at physiological concentrations. Therefore, these demonstrate that insulin can modulate the expression of extracellular matrix gene.
Blood Glucose ; Blotting, Northern ; Collagen ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Extracellular Matrix* ; Fibroblasts* ; Fibronectins ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Insulin* ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Lipid Metabolism ; Methods ; Pruritus ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin*

Cutaneous horn is a clinical term for a circumscribed concial hyperkeratotic mass amounts to at least half of its largest diameter. The number of lesion may be single or multiple. We report herein a cases of penile cutaneous horn in a 22-year-old male. He had dark brownish colored conical shaped protruded mass on the penile shaft for about 2 months. We performed excisional biopsy and curettage. Histopathologic findings showed verruca vulgaris.
Animals ; Biopsy ; Curettage ; Horns* ; Humans ; Male ; Warts ; Young Adult

A 65-year-old female patient visited our clinic complaining of multiple skin lesions since one year ago. There were yellowish to brownish colored, bean to walnut-sized nodules on both lower extremities. Dylon stain with polarizing microscopy, immunohistochemical stain to amyloid P and immunoglobuhn-kappa chain showed positive reactivities but keratin stain was negative. According to histopathologic and immunohistochemical findings, she was diagnosed as nodular amyloidosis.
Aged ; Amyloid ; Amyloidosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Microscopy ; Skin

Annular erythema associated with lupus erythematosus/ Sjogrens syndrome has recently been described in Orientals. We present a patient with recurrent annular erythema who partially demonstrated features of lupus erythematosus. A 32-year-old man was referred to us for recurrent annular erythema. Laboratory findings revealed mild leukopenia and the presence of antinuclear antibodies at a titer of 320 with a finely speckled pattern on Hep-2 substrates. Anti-Ro/La antibodies were also detected. A skin biopsy specimen revealed the findings of perivascular and periappendageal lymphocytic infiltration without prominent hydropic degeneration of the basal layer. Skin lesions subsided with hydroxychloroquine (400-200mg/day).
Adult ; Antibodies ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Biopsy ; Erythema* ; Humans ; Hydroxychloroquine ; Leukopenia ; Sjogren's Syndrome ; Skin

The toxicity and adrenostatic effect of o,p'-DDD, a derivative of the insecticidal DDT, on the adrenal cortex were well known. It known that the toxicity was based on the blocking of steroid biopsynthesis when cholesterol was converted to pregnenolone. Lysodren(R) was also known to be capable of producing a regression of adrenocortical carcinoma and its metastases, and this drug became one of useful choice for the treatment of unoperable adrenocortical carcinomas. Recently, fine structural effect of o,p'-DDD on the adrenocortical carcinoma show that the mitochondria is the primary target organelle. o,p'-DDD was dissolved in corn oil and it was orally administered for 28 days to investigate the ultrastructural effects of zona fasciculata of rat adrenal cortex. The results obtained were as follow: 1) The body weight was decreased after feeding o,p'-DDD. 2) Light microscopic examination showed no remarkable change except increased fine lipid droplets of zona fasciculata in group I (o,p'-DDD 75 mg/kg feeding). Moderately increased intracytoplasmic lipid droplets and pyknotic nuclei bearing membrane indentations were seen in group II (o,p'-DDD 150 mg/kg feeding). Large sized lipid droplet aggregates, pyknotic nuclei with severe nuclear membrane indentations and karyorrhexis in focal area were evident in group III. 3) Immunohistochemical staining for ACTH in pituitary gland showed increasing number of ACTH secretory cell and increasing intensity of staining property according to the dosage of o,p'-DDD. 4) Ultrastructural examination showed increased intracytoplasmic lipid droplets and mild increased peroxisome. There was no remarkable ultrastructural changes in mitochondria in group I. Moderately increased lipid droplets and clusters formation, compressed mitochondria, partial disappearance of mitochondrial cristae, increased peroxisome and nuclear membrane indentations were seen in group II. In group III, nuclear membrane showed prominent indentation. Numberous cytoplasmic vacuolation, double membrane ring in mitochondria, disappearance of mitochondrial cristae, myelin figure formation in mitochondrial matrix, and fatty changes in mitochondrial matrix were seen. These findings showed that the primary target organelle of attack by o,p'-DDD on zona fasciculata of adrenal gland in rat is mitochondria and it was developed from double ring formation in mitochondrial matrix.
Rats ; Animals

Succinylcholine-induced prolonged neuromuscular blockade may occur in patients with either a low level of plasma cholinesterase activity or genotypically abnormal form of that enzyme. We experienced a case of succinylcholine-induced prolonged apnea due to a low level of plasma cholinesterase activity. A 31-year-old woman, full term primigravida, underwent cesarean section for breech presentation under general anesthesia. Familial and past medical history were nonspecific and preoperative physical and laboratory findings were within normal range. After operation, delayed apnea was detected and lasted for about one hour. We performed controlled and assisted ventilation for two and half hours. Plasma cholinesterase activity measured 30.00 IU/L (colorimetric method, normal value: 1130~1960 IU/L) at the first postoperative day. She was discharged on 7th postoperative day without any sequelae. From follow-up study after six months, it measured 1.02 U/ml (EIA, normal value: 7~9 U/ml).
Adult ; Anesthesia, General ; Apnea* ; Breech Presentation ; Cesarean Section* ; Cholinesterases* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Plasma* ; Pregnancy ; Reference Values ; Ventilation

PURPOSES: To demonstrate changes in urinary biochemistry that lead to a supersaturation of some salt, which makes a higher prevalence of urinary stone in workers chronically exposed to a hot environment and massive sweating. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was performed at a metal plant and exposure to heat stress was estimated by the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature climatic index. Stone risk profile from our laboratory included volume, specific gravity, creatinine, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, uric acid, phosphorus and pH. On a randomly selected sample of 19 workers exposed and 19 workers not exposed to heat stress without any evidence of stone disease, and family history of nephrolithiasis or predisposing factors such as gout, we performed a stone risk profile by collecting the urine during the 8-hour work shift for 1 consecutive days. The independent student t-test was used to compare each parameter between the different groups. RESULTS: Among a randomly selected urine sample of 19 workers exposed and 19 workers not exposed to heat stress without any evidence of stone disease, significant differences were found in fluid intake (2816.0+/-1981.0 ml. versus 1200.0+/-4147.0), and concentration of creatinine (1481.0+/-691.0 ml./l. versus 1032.0+/-574.0), sodium (201.0+/-55.0 mg./l. versus 147.4+/-58.0), calcium (202.0+/-76.0 mg./l. versus 132.0+/-71.0), uric acid (475.0+/-138.0 mg./l. versus 359.0+/-196.0), phosphorus (638.0+/-283.0 mg./l. versus 328.0+/-196.0), pH(6.05+/-0.61 versus 6.72+/-0.92), specific gravity(1.029+/-0.005 versus 1.014+/-0.006) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the concept that heat stress represents a real lithogenic risk factors. Therefore, we recommend adequate fluid intake during hot occupations.
Biochemistry* ; Calcium ; Causality ; Creatinine ; Gout ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Magnesium ; Nephrolithiasis ; Occupations ; Phosphorus ; Plants ; Potassium ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Sodium ; Specific Gravity ; Sweat ; Sweating ; Uric Acid ; Urinary Calculi ; Urolithiasis

A clinical investigation and hormonal study was on 36 patients of male hypogonadism who visited the Department of Urology, Dong San hospital, Keimyung university, School of Medicine from March, 1986 to August, 1990, retrospectively. The results were as follows; 1. The cause of primary hypogonadism was Klinefelter's syndrome in all 27 cases. In patients with secondary hypogonadism, there were 7 cases of Kallmann's syndrome, a case of delayed puberty and a case of pituitary tumor. 2. The major physical feature was delay in sexual maturation. In addition, anosmia was found in 4. cases, gynecomastia in 3 cases, family history in 2 cases, cryptorchidism in 2 cases, color blindness in 1 case, obesity in 1 case and associated renal agenesis in 1 case. 3. In hormonal study of primary hypogonadism patients, serum LH was 30.8 mIU/ml, serum FSH 40.3 mIU/ml and serum testosterone 3.9 ng/ml. The results of hormonal study in secondary hypogonadism were serum LH 1.4 mIU/ml, serum FSH 1.9 mIU/ml, serum testosterone 0.3ng/ ml and serum prolactin 4.2 mIU/ml. 4. LHRH stimulation test was performed in secondary hypogonadism to differentiate hypothalamic and pituitary lesion. In 4 cases of Kallmann's syndrome and a case of delayed puberty, 597.6+/-191.4% increase in circulating LH and 365.0+/-218.8% increase in circulating FSH were seen. In 3 cases of Kallmann's syndrome, 200% increase in circulating LH and 153% in crease in circulating FSH were found. A case of pituitary tumor shows 163% increase in circulating LH and 325% in circulating FSH. 5. The treatments of patients with secondary hypogonadism were composed of HCG and HMG administration. Dosage of HCG was 3000 IU, two times a week and HMG administration was combined to restore fertility. 6. To differentiate the hypothalamic from pituitary lesion, a single LHRH test was not always possible, because the limited or absent response to LHRH might indicate either pituitary lesion or pituitary hyporeponsiveness due to chronic deprivation of endogenous LHRH. In this respect, a prolonged LHRH stimulation test and triple stimulation test may help to differentiate hypothalamic from pituitary lesions.
Color Vision Defects ; Cryptorchidism ; Fertility ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Gynecomastia ; Humans ; Hypogonadism* ; Kallmann Syndrome* ; Klinefelter Syndrome ; Male* ; Obesity ; Olfaction Disorders ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Prolactin ; Puberty, Delayed ; Retrospective Studies ; Sexual Maturation ; Testosterone ; Urology

Two factors of the ventricular function, systolic contractile and diastolic relaxing functions, cooporate in pumping the adequate blood volumes to suffice bodily demands. In some hypertensive patients with marked left ventricular hypertrophy, the intact systolic function of the ventricle associated with clinical symptom of congestive heart failure(CHF), which is considered to be a consequence of diastolic dysfunction. In this study 10 hypertensive patients(group A) complaining of exertional dyspnea or chest pain with increased left ventricular mass index and normal systolic function and 6 normotensive controls(group B) were examined by cardiac catheterization and echocardiography to assess the left ventricular systolic and diastolic function and ventricular responses to constant infusion of nitroprusside. Various systolic and diastolic function indices were measured by cardiac catheterization and echocardiography. 1) The ejection fraction(EF), fractional fiber shortening, mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening, left ventricular(LV) peak+dp/dt, change of slope of LV peak systolic pressure-volume and pressure-dimension relations in group A were not different from those of group B in the resting states. 2) Diastolic dysfunction was evidenced by prolonged A2D time, decreased OR slope, decreased peak negative dp/dt and increased diastolic time constant 'T' in group A. 3) Cardiac index by thermodilution method was negatively related to left ventricular mass index(LVMI) measured by echocardiography, whereas time constant T was positively related to LVMI. 4) With constant infusion of nitroprusside, LV systolic pressure, LV end-diastolic pressure and pulmonary arterial pressure were decreased, and left ventricular end-systolic stress and stroke work index(SWI) derived from left ventricular pressure-volume loop area were decreased, EF was increased, but time constant T was prolonged and cardiac output(CO) by thermodilution method was decreased in group A. 5) In group B, with constant infusion of nitroprusside, EF, SWI and CO were pratically unaffected and time constant T was not prolonged significantly. These reults suggest that patients with hypertensive hypertrophic left ventricle is associated with diastolic dysfunction, which could further be exacerbated by a vasodilator such as nitroprusside.
Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Blood Volume ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Chest Pain ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Heart Diseases* ; Heart Ventricles* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Nitroprusside* ; Stroke ; Theophylline ; Thermodilution ; Ventricular Function

No abstract available.
Animals ; Cell Line* ; Guinea Pigs* ; Guinea* ; Hantaan virus* ; Humans*