Malignant atrophic papulosis (Degosdisease) was first described in detail by Degos and his co-worker in I942, In this rare disease of unknown etiology, porcehun-white skin lesians develop, and death usually occurs from perforation of the intestine weeks to years after onset, and also but rarely from infarction of central nervous system. Our case of Degos disease in an 18 years old man with typical skin lesions and abdominal symptoms such as pain, nausea and distension due to gastrointestinal involvement is described. He died of peritonitis 9 months after onset. The biopsy specimen of an atrophic papule showed thrombotic occlusion of an arteriole. The authors experienced a case of Degos disease diagnosed by clinical and histopathologieal findings for the first time in Korea.
Adolescent ; Arterioles ; Biopsy ; Central Nervous System ; Humans ; Infarction ; Intestines ; Korea ; Malignant Atrophic Papulosis* ; Nausea ; Peritonitis ; Rare Diseases ; Skin

No abstract available.
Keratosis, Seborrheic*

The hair growth of the scalp is influenced by many systemic and local factors. So the study of standard hair growth rate is very important for the diagnosis and treatment of some pathological conditions. That study has not been done well in Korea. The present study was to establish the standard hair growth rate of the scalp of healthy Koreans at different ages. The investigations were carried out on 509 individuals of both sexes whose ages ranged between 2 and 69 years. The subjects were grouped according to 5 age periods. The results of this study were as follows: 1. The mean value of the daily scalp hair growth rate was 0.401+ 0.037mm. 2. The daily hair growth rate of each groups were as follows: under 10 years of age; 0.367+0.032mm, in the teenagers; 0.419,+0. 032mm, in the twenties0.398+0.037mm, in the thirties and fourties; 0.394+0.034mm, above 50 years of age 0.386+029mm. 3. Sex differences of each age groups in the scalp hair growth were not statistically significant.
Adolescent ; Diagnosis ; Hair* ; Humans ; Korea ; Scalp ; Sex Characteristics

We recently observed an unusual case of visual loss after periocular injection of silicone oil. A 31-year-old woman immediately experienced total loss of vision in the left eye with ipsilateral headache and ocular pain, dyspnea, abdominal pain, general weakness, and transient coma after subcutaneous injection of silicone oil on the glabellar area to reduce the facial wrinkles. We believe that the cause of blindness was multiple embolization in the central retinal artery and posterior ciliary branches of the ophthalmic artery.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Blindness* ; Coma ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Headache ; Humans ; Injections, Intraocular ; Injections, Subcutaneous* ; Ophthalmic Artery ; Retinal Artery ; Silicone Oils*

A Case of Goldenhar's Syndrome. The authors experienced a case of Goldenhar's syndrome which is characterized by epibulbar dermoid, preauricular appendage and pretragal blind fistula. The patient was a 7-month old korean boy who had epibulbar dermoid, preauricular appendages, and hemifacial microsomia. We reviewed the available literatures regarding this syndrome.
Dermoid Cyst ; Fistula ; Goldenhar Syndrome ; Humans ; Infant ; Male

PURPOSE: Increasing evidence suggests that polymorphisms in innate immunity genes are associated with Helicobacter pylori-induced inflammation and may influence susceptibility in developing noncardia gastric cancer. Therefore, we investigate the effect of polymorphisms of innate immunity genes and interactions with environmental factors in the Korean population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We genotyped four polymorphisms of TLR2 (rs1898830), TLR4 (rs10983755 and rs10759932), and CD14 (rs2569190) in a case-control study of 487 noncardia gastric cancer patients and 487 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. Polytomous logistic regression models were used to detect the effects of genetic polymorphisms and environmental factors, which were stratified by the histological type of gastric cancer. RESULTS: TLR4 rs10983755 A carriers were found to have higher risk of intestinal-type noncarida gastric cancer than G homozygotes (odds ratio [OR], 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01 to 1.97), but other genetic variants showed no association with the risk of noncardia gastric cancer. Among H. pylori-positive participants, smokers carrying TLR4 rs10983755 A had a higher risk of intestinal-type gastric cancer than nonsmoking TLR4 rs10983755 G homozygotes (OR, 4.28; 95% CI, 2.12 to 8.64). In addition, compared with tap water, other drinking water sources during childhood were found to be associated with the elevated risk of intestinal-type gastric cancer, and these associations were slightly stronger among TLR4 rs10983755 A carriers. CONCLUSION: The genetic polymorphisms of innate immunity genes are associated with the development of intestinal-type noncardia gastric cancer and these associations may differ in accordance to an exposure to certain environmental factors.
Case-Control Studies ; Drinking Water ; Helicobacter ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate* ; Inflammation ; Logistic Models ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Smoking ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Water

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques allow the enumeration of chromosome abnormalities and from a great potential for many clinical applications. In order to produce quantitative and reproducible results, expensive tools such as a cooled CCD camera and a computer software are required. We have developed a Chromosome Image Processing System (Chips) using FISH that allows the detection and mapping of the genetic aberrations. The aim of our study, therefore, is to evaluate the capabilities of our original system using a black-and-white video camera. As a model system, three repetitive DNA probes (D18Zl, DXZI, and DYZ3) were hybridized to variety different clinical samples such as human metaphase spreads and interphase nuclei obtained from uncultured peripheral blood lymphocytes, uncultured amniocytes, and germ cells. The visualization of the FISH signals was performed using our system for image acquisition and pseudocoloring. FISH images were obtained by combining images from each of probes and DAPI counterstain captured separately. Using our original system, the aberrations of single or multiple chromosomes in a single hybridization experiment using chromosomes and interphase nuclei from a variety of cell types, including lymphocytes, amniocytes, sperm, and biopsied blastomeres, were enabled to evaluate. There were no differences in the image quality in accordance with FISH method, fluorochrome types, or different clinical samples. Always bright signals were detected using our system. Our system also yielded constant results. Our Chips would permit a level of performance of FISH analysis on metaphase chromosomes and interphase nuclei with unparalleled capabilities. Thus, it would be useful for clinical purposes.
Blastomeres ; Chromosome Aberrations ; DNA Probes ; Fluorescence* ; Germ Cells ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization* ; Interphase ; Lymphocytes ; Metaphase ; Spermatozoa

Gastric cancer is a very serious disease and is naturally resistant to many anticancer drugs. To reduce the mortality and improve the effectiveness of therapy, many studies have tried to find key biomarkers. Proteomic technologies are providing the tools needed to discover and identify disease-associating biomarkers. The proteomic study of gastric cancer establishes any specific events that lead to cancer, and it provides a direct way to define the true function of genes. Using two dimensional (2-D) electrophoresis of the stomach cancer tissue, we have gained about 1,500 spots in each gel, and 140 protein spots also were identified. Among the identified proteins, there were seven over-expressed proteins in stomach cancer tissue: NSP3, transgelin, prohibitin, heat shock protein (hsp) 27 and variant, protein disulfide isomerase A3, unnamed protein product and glucose regulated protein. There were also seven under-expressed proteins in stomach cancer: Apolipoprotein A-1, p20, nucleoside diphosphate isomerase A, alpha 1 antitrypsin, desmin, serum albumin and sero-transferrin.
Aged ; Carrier Proteins/biosynthesis ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Female ; Human ; Male ; Microfilament Proteins/biosynthesis ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Proteins/biosynthesis ; Neoplasm Proteins/biosynthesis ; Proteins/biosynthesis ; *Proteome ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization ; Stomach Neoplasms/*metabolism ; *Tumor Markers, Biological

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma of the stomach is an uncommon disease. Bone marrow involvement is reported even in patients with only a mucosal lesion. We evaluated the prevalence and risk factors of marrow involvement and its implications for diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: In total, 132 patients who were diagnosed with gastric MALT lymphoma at the National Cancer Center in Korea between January 2001 and December 2016 were enrolled in the study. The patient data were collected and analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Of the 132 patients, 47 (35.6%) were male, with a median age of 52 years (range, 17 to 81 years). The median follow-up duration was 48.8 months (range, 0.5 to 169.9 months). Helicobacter pylori infection was detected in 82 patients (62.1%). Most patients (80.3%) had stage IE1 according to the modified Ann Arbor staging system. Ninety-two patients underwent bone marrow evaluation, and four patients (4.3%) had marrow involvement. Of these patients, one presented with abdominal lymph node involvement, while the other three had stage IE1 disease if marrow involvement was disregarded. All three patients had no significant symptoms and were monitored after local treatment without evidence of disease aggravation. CONCLUSIONS: Bone marrow involvement was found in 4.3% of the patients with gastric MALT lymphoma. Bone marrow examination may be deferred because marrow involvement does not change the treatment options or outcome in gastric MALT lymphoma confined to the stomach wall.
Bone Marrow Examination ; Bone Marrow* ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Korea ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoid Tissue ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone* ; Male ; Prevalence* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Stomach

Proliferation activity has already been established as a prognostic marker or as a marker for anticancer drug sensitivity. In gastric cancer, however, the prognostic significance of proliferation activity is still being debated. Several studies evaluating proliferation activity using Ki-67 have shown controversial results in terms of the relationship between proliferation activity and overall survival (OS) or drug sensitivity in gastric cancer patients. Because cytoskeleton-associated protein 2 (CKAP2) staining has recently been introduced as a marker of proliferation activity, we analyzed 437 gastric cancer tissues through CKAP2 immunohistochemistry, and we evaluated the chromatin CKAP2-positive cell count (CPCC) for proliferation activity. Although the CPCC did not show any significant correlation with OS in the male, female or total number of cases, it did show a significant correlation in the T1 or T2 male patient subgroup, according to log-rank tests (P=0.001) and univariate analysis (P=0.045). Additionally, multivariate analysis with the Cox proportional hazard regression model showed a significant correlation between the CPCC and OS (P=0.039) for the co-variables of age, gender, T stage, N stage, histology, tumor location, tumor size and adjuvant chemotherapy. In male gastric cancer cell lines, faster-growing cancer cells showed higher sensitivity to cisplatin than slow-growing cells. Thus our study indicates that CPCC-measured proliferation activity demonstrates a significantly worse prognosis in T1 or T2 male gastric cancer patients. The CPCC will help to more precisely classify gastric cancer patients and to select excellent candidates for adjuvant chemotherapy, which in turn will facilitate further clinical chemotherapeutic trials.
Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use ; Biomarkers, Tumor/analysis ; Cell Proliferation ; Cisplatin/therapeutic use ; Cytoskeletal Proteins/*analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Stomach/drug effects/*pathology ; Stomach Neoplasms/diagnosis/drug therapy/*pathology ; Survival Analysis