No abstract available.
Acne Vulgaris* ; Hair Removal* ; Pigmentation Disorders*

BACKGROUND: Angina with normal coronary angiogram has been called syndrome X or microvasclar angina. Pathophysiologic mechanisms for chest pain in this group of patients are not known exactly. This study was performed to compare the insulin level of the patients with syndrome X with that of the healthy asymptomatic volunteers. METHODS: The syndrome X group was consisted of 18 patients(11 men and 7 women). All patients had typical chest pain and positive exercise test with a completely normal coronary andgiogram. Patients with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and there taking any drug known to affect the insulin secretion were excluded. The control group was consisted of 38 healthy subjects(25 men and 11 women) who were not taking any medications. We measured the plasma glucose insulin and C-peptide concentration during oral glucose tolerance test in both groups. RESULTS: Fasting plasma glucose was normal in all patients in both groups. There were no significant differences in plasma glucose level, during the oral grucose tolerance test. There were no significant differences between control and wyndrome X group in the fasting plasma insulin concentration(5.1+/-2.4 vs 5.9+/-2.7 microg/ml, p>0.05). However, the insulin levels at 60min(47.6+/-20.0 vs 84.0+/-68.0 microg/ml) and 120 min(31.4+/-18.2 vs 92.9+/-83.8 microg/ml)were significantly higher in the syndrome X group(p<0.05). THere were no significant differences in the C-peptide concentrations at fasting, 60 min and 120 min after oral glucose tolerance test between control and syndrome X group(p>0.05). CONCLUSION: As shown in above results, there were significant differences in insulin concentrations, but nor in C-peptide concentrations between control and syndrome X group. Thus it can be suggested that the increased dinsulin level in these patients is resulted from the altered insulin action to the target tissues, not from the pancreatic overproduction of insulin. We suggest that this hyperinsulinemia resulted from the insulin resistance play a possible role in the abnormality of microvascular circulation as a mechanism of Syndrome X.
Blood Glucose ; C-Peptide ; Chest Pain* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Exercise Test ; Fasting ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Humans ; Hyperinsulinism* ; Hypertension ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Plasma ; Thorax* ; Volunteers

In a subgroup of patients suffering from atopic dermatitis (AD), treatment is quite difficult even after taking oral immunosuppressants. High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment has been reported to be beneficial for them in a few uncontrolled trials. Herein we report a case of intractable AD in a 5-year-old girl who had significant clinical improvement after receiving 3 cycles of IVIG treatment (2 g/kg) without notable side effects. Since the first infusion of IVIG, the patient's skin lesions improved steadily and the improvement persisted until the 8-month follow-up. The eczema area and severity index score decreased remarkably, while immunologic parameters did not correlate with clinical improvement. This case suggests that IVIG therapy can be quite effective and safe for children with resistant AD.
Child ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Eczema ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Preschool Child ; Skin ; Stress, Psychological

No abstract available.
Aminoquinolines ; Hypopigmentation ; Paget Disease, Extramammary

OBJECTIVE: Previous classification systems for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) were based on the number of joints involved and did not categorize homogenous disease entities. Therefore, JIA patients were reclassified retrospectively by applying rheumatoid factor (RF) and antinuclear antibody (ANA), which have been proven to constitute a homogenous disease entity. METHODS: The medical records of JIA patients were investigated retrospectively and reclassified into six categories using the new provisional classification. The nomenclature was based on Dr. Martini's proposal in the 23rd European Paediatric Rheumatology Congress (2016) at Genoa, Italy. New categories included systemic JIA (sJIA), RF-positive JIA (RF-JIA), early-onset ANA-positive JIA (eoANA-JIA), enthesitis/spondylitis-related JIA (ESR-JIA), “other JIA”, and “unclassified JIA”. RESULTS: Of a total of 262 JIA patients, 71 (27.1%) were reclassified as sJIA, 31 (11.8%) as RF-JIA, 22 (8.4%) as eoANA-JIA, 63 (24.0%) as ESR-JIA, 65 (24.8%) as “other JIA”, and 10 (3.8%) as “unclassified JIA”. A comparison of RF-JIA, eoANA-JIA, and ESR-JIA revealed significant differences in the gender ratio, age of disease onset, and the cumulative number and type of joints involved among the three groups. “Other JIA” comprised a significant proportion (24.8%) and warrants the need for further classification. The characteristics of the RF-positive patients were comparable to those of the anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody-positive patients. The ANA positivity was lower (28.2%) than that in Western studies but showed similar clinical features. CONCLUSION: This is the first study applying RF and ANA to classify JIA without considering the joint counts. The six new categories include sJIA, RF-JIA, eoANA-JIA, ESR-JIA, “other JIA,” and “unclassified JIA”.
Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Arthritis, Juvenile ; Classification ; Humans ; Italy ; Joints ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Rheumatology

Although psoriasis and bullous diseases are considered to be completely different disease entities, the literature has reported a few cases of psoriasis associated with bullous diseases, most of which are bullous pemphigoid. In limited cases, pemphigus foliaceus has also been reported in association with psoriasis. In most of them, pemphigus lesions usually developed on an untreated patient with a chronic history of psoriasis. Herein, we report a case of 53-year-old male with a chronic history of psoriasis who first developed generalized erosive lesions after 26 cycles of narrow-band ultraviolet B (NBUVB) therapy. A diagnosis of pemphigus foliaceus was made based on skin biopsy and direct immunofluorescence assay. Pemphigus lesions were well controlled with combination therapy of oral steroid and azathioprine. This is the first case where pemphigus foliaceus co-occurred with psoriasis during NBUVB therapy.
Azathioprine ; Biopsy ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pemphigoid, Bullous ; Pemphigus ; Psoriasis ; Skin

OBJECTIVES: Lysosome is the cell-organelle which is commonly used as biomonitoring tool in environmental pollution. In this study, the lysosomal proteomic of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was analyzed for utilization in the detection of toxic substances in mine water samples. METHODS: This work informs the expression of lysosomal proteomic in yeast in response with toxic chemicals, such as sodium meta-arsenite and tetracycline, for screening specific biomarkers. After that, a recombinant yeast contained this biomarker were constructed for toxic detection in pure toxic chemicals and mine water samples. RESULTS: Each chemical had an optimal dose at which the fluorescent protein intensity reached the peak. In the case of water samples, the yeast showed the response with sample 1, 3, 4, and 5; whereas there is no response with sample 2, 6, and 7. CONCLUSIONS: The recombinant yeast showed a high ability of toxic detection in response with several chemicals such as heavy metals and pharmaceuticals. In the case of mine water samples, the response varied depending on the sample content.
Environmental Monitoring ; Environmental Pollution ; Lysosomes ; Mass Screening ; Metals, Heavy ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae* ; Sodium ; Tetracycline ; Water* ; Yeasts ; Biomarkers

BACKGROUND: Home-use devices designed for cosmetic purposes have recently gained popularity. Small, low-energy, low-cost intense pulsed light (IPL) systems provide safe, convenient, and private treatment for several medical conditions. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of a home-use IPL device for hair removal, acne treatment, achieving a whitening effect for hyperpigmentation, and wrinkle reduction. METHODS: Five IPL hair removal treatment sessions were performed at 1-week intervals. A total of 10 sessions were performed in a split-face manner for other medical conditions. Four independent randomized controlled trials were performed using a blind evaluation method. All subjects were followed up twice to evaluate the maintenance of efficacy. RESULTS: A significant reduction in hair was observed via trichoscopy following two sessions of treatment (p<0.001). A mean hair reduction of 80% was observed at week 4; however this returned to the previous state upon cessation of treatment. Acne grading decreased from 2.6 to 1.1 at week 8, and IPL treatment induced a significant reduction in melanin index after 2 weeks. The average values of the difference of R2 (Cutometer(R)) between IPL-treated areas and baseline were higher than those of the difference of R2 between control area and baseline. CONCLUSION: This home-use IPL device was effective for hair removal and treatment of acne, hyperpigmentation, and wrinkles.
Acne Vulgaris* ; Hair ; Hair Removal* ; Hyperpigmentation ; Melanins ; Pigmentation ; Pigmentation Disorders* ; Withholding Treatment

BACKGROUND: Previous studies indicated that a recently approved synthetic HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, atorvastatin, reduces LDL cholesterol and triglyceride. To assess the efficacy on the level of serum LDL cholesterol and other lipoprotein fractions and its safety, we investigated 59 patients for lipid and side effect profile. METHOD: In patients with hypercholesterolemia, who showed 12-hours fasting serum LDL cholesterol>145 mg/dl and <250 mg/dl and triglyceride levels<400 mg/dl were enrolled to diet therapy for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks of diet therapy, serum lipid profile were reevaluated and patients with LDL cholesterol > or =130 mg/dl were assigned to receive 10 mg dose of atorvastatin once daily for 4weeks. After 4 weeks of drug therapy, serum lipid profile were rechecked, if showed LDL cholesterol level> or =130 mg/dl, assigned to receive 20 mg dose of atorvastatin once daily until 8 weeks. RESULTS: Of the 59 patients were assigned to receive atorvastatin therapy, 52 patients completed the study. Among lipid profiles, total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol and apolipoprotein B levels showed significant reduction with mean reduction rate of 28%, 13%, 38%, 32% respectively after 4 weeks and 31%, 13%, 41% and 34% respectively after 8 weeks. HDL-Cholesterol and lipoprotein (a) level did not show significant change after 8 weeks of therapy. Nine patients had mild adverse events, such as elevated ALT, epigastric pain, insomnia, thumb pain. postural hypotension, palpitation and constipation. Only three patients of fifty-nine withdrew from the study due to adverse events related to drug treatment. CONCLUSION: The atorvastatin was highly effective and generally well tolerated with an acceptable safety profile in patients with primary hypercholestelemia.
Apolipoproteins ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Constipation ; Diet Therapy ; Drug Therapy ; Fasting ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia* ; Hypotension, Orthostatic ; Lipoprotein(a) ; Lipoproteins ; Oxidoreductases ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Thumb ; Triglycerides ; Atorvastatin Calcium

BACKGROUND: The nature of depressed left ventricular ejection performance in chronic pressure-overload hypertrophy due to aortic stenosis is controversial. Patients with aortic stenosis and congestive heart failure who responded well and those who responded poorly to aortic valve replacement may represent two distinct groups, rather than opposite ends of a spectrum. Whereas excess afterload accompanied by inadequate hypertrophy of functioning cardiac muscle was been suggested as the cause of impaired left ventricular shortening, intrinsic depression of contractility of the hypertrophied myocardium was also been considered, at least in part, to be the cause of altered ejection performance. METHOD: We studied 20 patient with non-rheumatic aortic stenosis using echocardiogram and cineangiocardiography. The patients were divided into two groups according to the level of LVEF and New York Heart association [NYHA] functional class. In group 1, 7 patients had an echocardiographically determined LVEF less than 40% and clinical presentation of severe congestive heart failure(NYHA functional class III or IV). In group 2, 13 patients had LVEF more than 40% and NYHA functional class I or II. Left ventricular volumes and ejection fraction were determined from the echocardiogram obtained in short axis view. As a measure of left vertricular afterload, meridional end-systolic wall stress was calculated. This method is based on the determination of end-systolic left ventricular dimension, wall thickness and peak systolic pressure. RESULTS: 1) End-systolic meridional wall stress was significantly elevated in the patient with aortic stenosis & severe congestive heart failure(group 1) compared with the patient with aortic stenosis and mild congestive heart failure(group 2)(320.09+/-72.09 vs 177.52+/-76.43 dyne x 10(3)/cm2, p<0.005). With group 1 and group 2, there was a significant inverse linear relationship between LVEF and end systolic meridional wall stress(r=-0.907, p<0.001). 2) There was significantly more decreased ratio of end-systolic meridional wall stress to end-systolic volume index(ESWS/LVESVI) of group 1 than that of group 2(5.64+/-2.65 vs 15.30+/-7.77 dyne x 10(3)cm2/ml/m2, p<0.05). And there was a significant linear relationship between LVEF and end-systolic meridional wall stress to end-systolic volume index(ESWS/LVESVI)(r=0.86, p<0.001). 3) Twenty of 20(100%) survived after surgery : 19 of these 20 showed clinical improvement. There was significant improvement of ejection performance(LVEF, % FS) in group 1 except from 1 patient(LVEF 35.43+/-6.90 VS 47.29+/-3.45%, % FS 18.76+/-4.87 vs 28.20+/-3.40, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Thus, both altered contractility and increased afterload are operative in depressed left vertricular ejection performance in patients wth aortic stenosis ; which one predominates may have major prognostic importance. We found encouraging results for aortic valve replacement in patient with depressed preoperative left ventricular function. The majorty of patients in this series had left ventricular failure because of excessive afterload predominantly.
Aortic Valve Stenosis* ; Aortic Valve* ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Blood Pressure ; Depression ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Myocardium ; Ventricular Function, Left