Capsaicin, the pungent principle of hot peppers, is a neurotoxin that depletes unmyelinated primary sensory neurons (polymodal nociceptors) of neuropeptides like tachykinins. However, the role of capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerve in the production of cytokines, penicillin V (PEV)-induced active fatal anaphylaxis and other immune responses is not yet fully established. Neonatal mice were pretreated s.c. with a single injection of 10 ug of capsaicin per mouse in volume of 20 ul within 5 days of age. Using 5-8 week old mice pretreated as neonates with capsaicin, the capsaicin- pretreated and vehicle-treated control mice were examined for various parameters of immune responses described above. For the induction of active fatal anaphylaxis with PEV, 8 week old mice pretreated as neonates and age-matched capsaicin- untreated control mice were sensitized i.p. with 500 ug of PEV-ovalbumin conjugate plus 2*10(9) B. pertussis and 1.0 mg alum and challenged i.v. with PEV-bovine serum albumin conjugate 14 days later. It was found that neonatal capsaicin-pretreatment significantly enhanced contact hypersensitivity to TNCB and hemagglutination response to SRBC, but significantly inhibited the proliferation response of rnurine splenocyte to Con A and LPS. Interestingly, neonatal capsaicin pretreatment significantly inhibited the intensity of PEV-induced active fatal anaphylaxis and decreased the mortality due to anaphylactic shock. It also significantly inhibited LPS- induced production of cytokines such as TNF-a, IL-1B, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-12. The capsaicin-pretreatment also resulted in an inhibition of the activation of NF-kB. Taken together, these data showed for the first time that neonatal capsaicin-pretreatment significantly inhibited an antibiotic (PEV)-induced anaphylaxis and production of various cytokines, and suggest that capsaicin-sensitive primary sensory nerve may play an important regulatory role in active fatal anaphylaxis and cytokine production, thus potentially presenting tools for immune intervention. In particular, the data presented also indicated the possibility to selectively down-modulate cytokine production and NF-kB activation may offer a broad application for therapeutic intervention in neuroimmunological diseases and other pathological situations.
Anaphylaxis ; Animals ; Capsaicin* ; Cytokines ; Denervation* ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Hemagglutination ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-12 ; Interleukin-6 ; Mice ; Mortality ; Neuropeptides ; NF-kappa B ; Penicillin V ; Sensory Receptor Cells ; Serum Albumin ; Tachykinins ; Whooping Cough

The ideal breast reduction should create beautiful breasts with limited scars. Unfortunately, no surgeon has ever been able to produce such a result. Most recent breast reduction techniques tend to produce minimal breast scars and avoid the classic inverted-T incision. The vertical mammaplasty can be used in mild to moderate cases of breast reduction, producing consistently good, stable results with limited scars. This technique uses adjustable preoperative markings, an upper pedicle for the areola, and a central breast reduction with limited skin undermining. The shape of the breast is created by suturing of the gland and does not rely on the skin. The adjunctive use of liposuction in fatty breasts can be considered safe and efficient. We have performed reduction mammaplasty using the vertical mammaplasty technique in 12 patients. Overall number and extent of complications were small, and patient satisfaction was high for this procedures. The advantages of vertical mammaplasty technique compared with other methods are as follows ; 1. The markings are adjustable to nearly all patients. 2. Stable contours are produced because the gland is strongly sutured. 3. Few postoperative complications occur. 4. Limited scars(only vertical scars) are created 5. The procedure is easy to learn and perform.
Breast ; Cicatrix ; Female ; Humans ; Lipectomy ; Mammaplasty* ; Patient Satisfaction ; Postoperative Complications ; Skin

PURPOSE: It is not clear that the development of glomerular injury and aggravation by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is related to intrarenal or serum concentration of TNF-alpha. So, we studied the relationship between the concentration of TNF-alpha and aggravation of glomerular damage in the Henoch-Schonlein nephritis(HSN) and idiopathic nephrotic syndrome(INS). METHODS: We collected the sera and urines of 21 patients with Henoch-Schonlein purpura(HSP) and 22 patients with INS visited Chungbuk National University hospital from March 1998 to March 2001. The concentration of TNF-alpha in the sera and urines were measured by sandwich ELISA. RESULTS: Serum TNF-alpha levels in the HSP patients with renal involvement were significantly higher than those without renal involvement(P=0.009). But urine TNF-alpha levels have no correlation with renal involvement(P=0.088). In the HSN patients, proteinuria have a significant correlation with serum TNF-alpha levels(P=0.004) but less correlation with urine TNF-alpha levels(P=0.053). Otherwise, proteinuria have no correlation with serum TNF-alpha levels(P=0.763) but have a significant correlation with urine TNF-alpha levels(P=0.007) in INS. CONCLUSION: These result suggest that the serum concentration of TNF-alpha would be important to glomerular involvement in HSP. And, it is interesting that proteinuria shows a significant relation with serum TNF-alpha levels in the HSN, but with urine TNF-alpha levels in the INS. This means the major production of TNF-alpha may be originated by extrarenal inflammation in the HSN and by intrarenal tubulo-interstitial damage due to proteinuria in the INS.
Chungcheongbuk-do ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Nephritis* ; Nephrotic Syndrome* ; Proteinuria* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

Trichilemmal horn(trichilemmal keratosis) is a rare keratinizing tumor that resembles a cutaneous horn. Histologically, it is characterized by an abrupt maturation of keratinocytes into lamellar keratin without the formation of a granular layer. We describe a case of a trichilemmal horn on the right cheek of a 78-year-old woman.
Aged ; Animals ; Cheek ; Female ; Horns* ; Humans ; Keratinocytes

The mandibular contour determines the shape of the lower part of face and thus influences the appearance of head and neck. A prominent mandibular angle produce characteristic quadriangular, coarse and muscular appearance. To correct this facial contour to oval shape, the prominent angle can be contoured. the cutaneous approach has been used, but it leaves noticeble scar and has risk of facial nerve injury. Thus the intraoral approach has been used commonly. But because of restricition of operation field, the intraoral approach disadvantages of long operation time, high risk of complications. So, we have performed mandibular contouring procedure by new approach which uses reciprocating saw through stab incision under the mandibular body to correct the 9 patients of mandibular angle protrusion who visited our clinics recently. And we found that mandibular angle contouring by this new approach is easy, and makes the operation and recovery time shorter. There were no complications and cosmetic results were quite satisfactory.
Cicatrix ; Facial Nerve Injuries ; Head ; Humans ; Neck

Plexiform neurofibroma is considered to be pathognomic of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Herein we report a solitary plexiform neurofibroma which is not associated with NF1. A 61-year-old man presented with asymptomatic skin colored nodules on the medial side of his left great toe. No other abnormalities were found in his personal or family history. Clinically, the tumor was simulating the appearance of mucous cysts. Microscopically,it was a plexiform neurofibroma located in the dermis which seemed to originate from small superficial nerves. This case would seem to confirm that the superficial form of plexiform neurofibroma involving small nerves in the dermis or subcutis is not necessarily pathognomic for NF1.
Dermis ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neurofibroma, Plexiform* ; Neurofibromatosis 1 ; Skin ; Toes

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate job satisfaction, organizational commitment and turnover intention among male nurses in South Korea. METHODS: Data were collected in May, 2013 and a total of 150 male hospital nurses participated in this study. Job satisfaction, organizational commitment and turnover intention were measured using a structured questionnaire. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 20.0 for windows. RESULTS: There were statistically significant correlations between job satisfaction and organizational commitment (r=.74, p<.001), job satisfaction and turnover intention (r=-.56, p<.001), and organizational commitment and turnover intention (r=-.69, p< .001). There was a statistically significant difference in job satisfaction of participants according to education, work unit, and salary. Organizational commitment showed significant difference according to age, education, work unit, and salary. Turnover intention was significantly different according to duration of employment in the hospital, and salary. The most influential factor for turnover intention was organizational commitment (beta=-.69, p<.001). This factor accounted for 47.8% of the variance in turnover intention. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that to reduce turnover intention for men in nursing, it is necessary to increase job satisfaction, and organizational commitment.
Education ; Employment ; Humans ; Intention* ; Job Satisfaction* ; Korea ; Male ; Nurses, Male* ; Nursing ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Salaries and Fringe Benefits

OBJECTIVE: To examine the synergistic effects of both computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation (CACR) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on cognitive function in patients with stroke. METHODS: The current double-blind, sham-controlled study enrolled a total of 11 patients who were newly diagnosed with stroke. The patients of the tDCS group (n=6) completed sessions of the Korean computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation program five times a week for 30 minutes a session during a mean period of 18.5 days concomitantly with the anodal tDCS over the bilateral prefrontal cortex combined with the CACR. The patients of the control group (n=5) also completed sessions of the sham stimulation during a mean period of 17.8 days. Anodal tDCS over bilateral prefrontal cortex (F3 and F4 in 10-20 EEG system) was delivered for 30 minutes at an intensity of 2 mA. Cathode electrodes were applied to the non-dominant arm. All the patients were evaluated using the Seoul Computerized Neuropsychological Test (SCNT) and the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination. RESULTS: Mann-Whitney U test revealed a significant difference between the two groups. The patients of the tDCS group achieved a significant improvement in the post/pre ratio of auditory continuous performance test and visual continuous performance test on the SCNT items. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the concomitant use of the tDCS with CACR to the prefrontal cortex may provide additional beneficial effects in improving the cognitive dysfunction for patients with stroke.
Arm ; Electrodes ; Electroencephalography ; Humans ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Pilot Projects* ; Prefrontal Cortex* ; Rehabilitation* ; Seoul ; Stroke*

Tubular apocrine adenoma is a well-circumscribed intradermal benign tumor with tubular structures showing apocrine differentiation. Most of those cases occur on the scalp in middle aged women. Histologically, tubular structure with apparent apocrine decapitation secretion, cystic dilatation of tubule, and connection with epidermis are the characteristic features of tubular apocrine adenoma. We presented a case of tubular apocrine adenoma that had recurred after incomplete excision. It showed apocrine decapitation secretion histologically and both eccrine and apocrine differentiation on immunohistochemical study.
Adenoma* ; Decapitation ; Dilatation ; Epidermis ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Scalp

Ota nevus is a dermal melanocytic harmatoma derived from neural crest melanoblast and involves skin innervated by the trigeminal nerve. Although most cases are clinically apparent at birth or around puberty, acquired lesions in adults have been rarely reported. We reported a 73 year-old Korean man with Ota nevus of the face and scalp that onset in his eighth decade and accompanied multiple solar comedo of the face.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Humans ; Neural Crest ; Nevus of Ota* ; Parturition ; Puberty ; Scalp ; Skin ; Trigeminal Nerve