We have recently experienced a case of cysticercosis treated with praziquantel. The patient, 22-year-old female, with 43 cystic masses had marked clinical response to the administration of praziquantel (75 mg/kg/day) for 7 days. It seems that praziquantel, anticestodal agent, might be a safe and effective therapy for this infection.
Cysticercosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Praziquantel* ; Young Adult

A 48-year-old woman, who had had tattoo on her eyebrows, was seen with pruitic erythematous indurated plaques on the tattooing sites. The skin react ion was begun to observe about 4 weeks after getting tattoo. Skin biopsy specimens from the indurated lesions showed granulomatous reactions. Intradermal tests by means of multiple pricks and patch test were done on her low back with the same tattoo dye and also 4 others available in Korea. Serial punch biopsy specimens were obtained from the sites of intradermal test at 2nd, 7th, 28th, and 56th day after intradermal test. Granulomatous reactions were found in the spiecimens taken at the 28th and 56th day.
Biopsy ; Eyebrows ; Female ; Humans ; Intradermal Tests ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Patch Tests ; Skin ; Tattooing

The aim of the present work is to evaluate the most accurate technique for analysirig low levels of serum IgE. Following results are obtained from experiments by PRIST, Overnight PRIST, PRIST using RAST anti-IgE tracer and Overnight PRIST using RAST anti-IgE tracer methods with cord serum and maternal serum of 21 individuals respectively. 1) There was no statistical significance in maternal serum IgE titer using above 4 methods. However, the higher level of IgE titer was found in PRIST method when IgE was over 190 IU/ml(5 cases) estimated by PRIST method and in Overnight PRIST using RAST anti-IgE tracer method when Ig.E was below lgp IU/ml (16 cases) (p40.05). 2) In cord serum IgE titer, only Overnight PRIST using RAST anti-IgE tracer method showed statistical significance. 3) The most desirable correlation coefficient between maternal serum and cord serum IgE titer was estimated by Overnight PRIST using RAST anti-IgE tracer method than any other rnethods.
Immunoglobulin E*

Congenital duodenal web in adult life is an extremely rare condition, which results from an incomplete recanalization of the duodenum during early embryologic development. We report a case of congenital duodenal web in a 23-year-old man who complained of postprandial epigastric pain and fullness, as well as nausea since childhood. The plain abdomen showed a double-bubble sign. The UGI study showed a marked dilatation of the proximal duodenum and a delayed passage of barium into the third portion of the duodenum. Abdominal ultrasonography and CT revealed a marked dilatation of the proximal duodenum and a duodenal web with windsock deformity, which originated from the ampulla of Vater and extended to the third portion of the duodenum. A winsock web with a 0.9 cm eccentric aperture and a healed ulcer proximal to the ampulla of Vater were observed during a longitudinal duodenotomy. The web was excised circumferentially and the duodenum was closed transversely in a Heineke-Mikulicz fashion.
Abdomen ; Adult ; Ampulla of Vater ; Barium ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Dilatation ; Duodenum ; Humans ; Nausea ; Ulcer ; Ultrasonography ; Young Adult*

There are growing evidences suggesting a pivotal role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia. We investigated oxidative stress in the rat model of preeclampsia, and in clinical cases. Pregnant female rats were injected intraperitoneally with deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) and given 0.9% saline as drinking water during their pregnancy. We assessed plasma F2-isoprostane (8-iso-PGF2alpha) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in a rat model, and the same markers in the plasma of maternal blood and fetal cord blood in pregnant women with preclampsia. Blood samples from the umbilical arteries and veins were collected separately. The concentrations of MDA were increased in the preeclampsia groups of animal and humans, compared with the control group; it was significantly increased in the umbilical artery and vein of the preeclampsia group. The concentrations of F2-isoprostane were elevated in the preeclampsia groups of animal and humans, compared with the control group, and the increase in F2-isoprostane concentration was prominent in the umbilical vein than umbilical artery of the preeclampsia group. Therefore, it appears that the placenta has an important role in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia, and the F2-isoprostanes of the umbilical vein may serve as a relatively reliable marker for ischemic/hypoxic injury to the fetus during the perinatal period.
Animals ; Desoxycorticosterone ; Drinking Water ; F2-Isoprostanes ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; Fetus ; Humans ; Malondialdehyde ; Models, Animal* ; Oxidative Stress ; Placenta ; Plasma ; Pre-Eclampsia* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Rats* ; Umbilical Arteries ; Umbilical Veins ; Veins

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility and safety of laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) with lymph node dissection for gastric cancer according to the analysis of postoperative complications. METHODS: The authors attempted LAG with lymph node dissection in 117 consecutive patients with gastric cancer. The clinicopathologic characteristics of the patients, operative outcomes, preoperative comorbidities and postoperative morbidities and mortalities were evaluated using the stomach cancer database of Dong-A university hospital and medical charts. RESULTS: Among the 114 successful patients, 100 had early gastric cancer and 14 had advanced gastric cancer. The mean operation time was 259.2 minutes (range 150~415). The mean number of retrieved lymph nodes was 23.4 (range 6~66). The mean time to the first flatus and postoperative hospital stay were 3.7 and 10.0 days, respectively. The overall operative mortality rate, hospital death rate and the overall rate of postoperative complications were 0, 1.7 and 14.7%, respectively. The major and minor complication rate were 4.3 and 10.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION: LAG with lymph node dissection is technically feasible and receptive as surgical treatment for patients with gastric cancer, although various postoperative complications can arise in LAG as they do in open gastrectomy.
Comorbidity ; Flatulence ; Gastrectomy* ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Lymph Node Excision* ; Lymph Nodes* ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications ; Stomach Neoplasms*

BACKGROUND: There had been some reports of resistant white hair remaining in the alopecic patch area or regenerating white hair prior to emergence of black hair on the patients with alopecia areata. But relatively few studies pointed out this subject yet. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the histopathologic property of white and marginal hair follicles in alopecia areata patients using immunohistochemical markers. METHODS: Eight patients with alopecia areata who had white hair on his scalp were selected, then obtained biopsy samples from white hair follicles, and marginal black hair follicles respectively. Immunohistochemical staining had been done with CD4, CD8, Mel-5, c-kit antibodies on both groups. Then, two different observers counted perifollicular infiltrated cells and the data scored with SAS program for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The results were as follows 1. Decreased ratio of CD4 lymphocyte to CDS lymphocytes were observed on the white hair area (CD4: CD8=1.85: 1, 53.85%) (CD4: CD8=1.16: 1, 85.71%) but statistically not significant differences were seen and the ratio between them proved to be in the regeneration stage alopecia areata. 2. Significantly lower levels(P<0.05) of Mel-5/c-kit positive ratio of melanocyte observed on white hair area(c-kit: Mel-5 = 3.84: 1, 26.01%) compared with marginal hair area(c-kit: Mel-5 = 1.74: 1, 57.33%), furthermore decreased ratio of Mel-5(+) cells(black: white = 2.17: 1, 46.14%), but increased ratio of c-kit (+) cells(black: white = 1: 1, 99.16%) were observed on the white hair area: more Mel-5(-), c-kit(+) cells(precursor melanocyte) were observed on the outer root sheath of white hair area. CONCLUSION: Consequently, we propose that the regenerating white hair area contained much more precursor type melanocytes and it is related to the whitish nature of regenerating hair.
Alopecia Areata* ; Alopecia* ; Antibodies ; Biopsy ; Hair Follicle ; Hair* ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Melanocytes ; Regeneration ; Scalp

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hypercholesterolemia is a key factor in the development of atherosclerosis. We sought to evaluate the relation between hypercholesterolemia and plaque composition in patients with coronary artery disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Study subjects consisted of 323 patients (mean 61.5 years, 226 males) who underwent coronary angiography and virtual histology-intravascular ultrasound examination. Patients were divided into two groups according to total cholesterol level: hypercholesterolemic group (> or =200 mg/dL, n=114) and normocholesterolemic group (<200 mg/dL, n=209). RESULTS: Hypercholesterolemic patients were younger (59.7+/-13.3 years vs. 62.6+/-11.5 years, p=0.036), than normocholesterolemic patients, whereas there were no significant differences in other demographics. Hypercholesterolemic patients had higher corrected necrotic core volume (1.23+/-0.85 mm3/mm vs. 1.02+/-0.80 mm3/mm, p=0.029) as well as percent necrotic core volume (20.5+/-8.5% vs. 18.0+/-9.2%, p=0.016) than normocholesterolemic patients. At the minimal lumen area site, percent necrotic core area (21.4+/-10.5% vs. 18.4+/-11.3%, p=0.019) and necrotic core area (1.63+/-1.09 mm2 vs. 1.40+/-1.20 mm2, p=0.088) were also higher than normocholesterolemic patients. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that total cholesterol level was an independent factor of percent necrotic core volume in the culprit lesion after being adjusted with age, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol , hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking and acute coronary syndrome (beta 0.027, 95% confidence interval 0.02-0.053, p=0.037). CONCLUSION: Hypercholesterolemia was associated with increased necrotic core volume in coronary artery plaque. This study suggests that hypercholesterolemia plays a role in making plaque more complex, which is characterized by a large necrotic core, in coronary artery disease.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Atherosclerosis ; Cholesterol ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Demography ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hypertension ; Linear Models ; Smoking

3-Deoxysappanchalcone (3-DSC) has been reported to possess anti-allergic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. In the present study, we investigated the effects of 3-DSC on the proliferation of human hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HDPCs) and mouse hair growth in vivo. A real-time cell analyzer system, luciferase assay, Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were employed to measure the biochemical changes occurring in HDPCs in response to 3-DSC treatment. The effect of 3-DSC on hair growth in C57BL/6 mice was also examined. 3-DSC promoted the proliferation of HDPCs, similar to Tofacitinib, an inhibitor of janus-activated kinase (JAK). 3-DSC promoted phosphorylation of β-catenin and transcriptional activation of the T-cell factor. In addition, 3-DSC potentiated interleukin-6 (IL-6)-induced phosphorylation and subsequent transactivation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3), thereby increasing the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase-4 (Cdk4), fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). On the contrary, 3-DSC attenuated STAT6 mRNA expression and IL4-induced STAT6 phosphorylation in HDPCs. Finally, we observed that topical application of 3-DSC promoted the anagen phase of hair growth in C57BL/6 mice. 3-DSC stimulates hair growth possibly by inducing proliferation of follicular dermal papilla cells via modulation of WNT/β-catenin and STAT signaling.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Fibroblast Growth Factors ; Hair Follicle* ; Hair* ; Humans* ; Interleukin-6 ; Luciferases ; Mice* ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; T-Lymphocytes ; Transcriptional Activation ; Transducers ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The majority of nasal bone fractures have been managed by using closed reduction and intranasal packing, leaving rooms for many complaints from patients. But the intranasal Kirschner wire (K-wire) splinting described by Chang in 1994 provided rigid intranasal support and increased less complaints from patients. Although the Kirschner wire splinting can be an alternative method for nasal bone packing that accompanies little complaints from patients, literature regarding the efficiency of Kirshcner wire splinting is rare. We studied the efficiency and clinical outcomes between the K-wire splinting and intranasal packing. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Prospectively, we studied 51 patients with nasal bone fracture who have undergone closed reduction. Of these, 30 patients were immobilized with the Kirschner wire splinting and 21 patients were immobilized with intranasal vaseline packing. On the first prospective day, patients were routinely examined by a visual analogue scale. The degree of satisfaction by both doctors and patients was investigated after a minimum 6 months. Complications were studied. All results were statistically confirmed. RESULTS: Complaints from patients were significantly less when the K-wire was used. There was no statistical difference between satisfaction expressed by doctors and patients, and there were no serious complications in using the K-wire. CONCLUSION: The K-wire is a reliable and useful immobilization method for nasal bone fracture.
Bone Wires ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Nasal Bone* ; Petrolatum ; Prospective Studies ; Splints