BACKGROUND: Long-term oral itraconazole and terbinafine are widely used in the treatment of onychomycosis. Accelerated nail growth in patients with itraconazole has been described in several reports. However, there has been no report regarding the effect of antifungal agents on cultured nail matrix cells(NMCs). OBJECTIVE: We applied several antifungal agents on cultured human NMCs and epidermal kera- tinocytes(EKs) to compare the cytotoxicity of several antifungal agents and also to verify possible stimulating effects of itraconazole and 6-hydroxyitraconazole on nail growth. METHODS: To evaluate the effect of antifungal agents, the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazo1-2-yl) 2,5-diphenyl- tetrazolium bromide(MTT) test, tritiated thymidine incorporation test, and lactic dehydrogenase(LDH) leakage test were used. RESULTS: Dose dependent decreases in cell viability and DNA synthesis, and dose dependent increases in LDH liberation were observed in cultured human NMCs and EKs after exposure to several antifungal agents. The dose-response reaction patterns for NMCs and EKs to antifungal agents were similar. The cytotoxicity potency of several antifungal agents measured by each method were slightly different. Itraconazole and 6-hydroxyitraconazole did not show stimulating effects on cell proliferation in in vitro monolayer cell culture systems. CONCLUSION: These observations suggest that itraconazole appeared less cytotoxic but showed no stimulating effects on nail matrix cell proliferation in vitro. Cultured human EKs as well as NMCs may be useful in evaluating the effects of agents which are involved in nails.
Antifungal Agents* ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Survival ; DNA ; Humans* ; Itraconazole ; Keratinocytes* ; Onychomycosis ; Thymidine

BACKGROUND: In vitro epidermal keratinocytes(EKs) culture systems are widely used in studying skin biology and differentiation. Recently a monolayer culture method of nail matrix cells(NMCs) has been developed. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to establish a method of culture of NMCs and compared its characteristics with those of EKs. METHODS: Human NMCs were isolated and cultured in a defined medium. Phase contrast microscopic examination, growth rate and ketatin expression were evaluated. RESULTS: In in vitro monolayer culture, NMCs had a similar growth pattern and morphological features as EKs. The synthesis of hard keratins was detected. CONCLUSION: These observations suggest that the NMCs culture model may be useful for the study of nail properties and the effects of drugs.
Biology ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Methods ; Skin

BACKGROUND: Androgenetic alopecia is a common problem, affecting approximately 50 percent of men and perhaps many women, over the age of 40 in Caucasians. There have been several reports about the prevalence and types of androgenet clopecia in the general population of Caucasians however the prevalence and types of and renetic alopecia has not been reported in the general population of Korea. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to ascertain the prevalence ar d ypes of androgenetic alopecia in Koreans and to compare it with that of the Caueasian. METHODS: A survey on the prevalence and clinical types of aidrogenetic alopecia was conducted by one dermatologet from July to September, 1993. The total number of subjects was 1224 males and 1094 females. RESULTS: The following esults were obtained from this sudy l. In men, the prevalence rate of androgenetic alopecia increased steadily with advancing age and the prevalence rate of more advanced degrees of alepcia(types V, VI and VII) remained relatively low until the seventh decade of life. The preralence rates until the age of sixties in Korean men were lower than that of the white and is pattern became closer with that of the white after the seventies. 2. In Korean women, the prevalence rate of androgenetic was lower than that of the white until fifties and it increased markedly after sixties. CONCLUSION: The prevalence rate of androgenetic alopecia in Korean was lower than that of the Caucasian. Our data adicates that Korean men have a late onset of baldness and more preservation of the frontal hair line with decreased frequencyte frontoparitetal loss than the Caucasian.
Alopecia* ; Female ; Hair ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Prevalence*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role and difficulties of the use of routine abdomen ultrasound (US) in postoperative breast cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the clinical records of 2460 patients who received breast cancer surgeries and underwent routine follow-up abdomen US for more than five years. We evaluated the number and clinical conditions of patients with a liver metastasis. We also evaluated the cut-off point of the breast cancer stage where a metastasis was likely to occur using the chi-squared test and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: A metastasis developed in 238 patients (9.7%), and the liver was the third most common organ site. However, just 24 (0.98%) patients presented only with a liver metastasis. Among these 24 patients, a metastasis was detected in 17 patients with the use of routine abdomen US. The cut-off point for a metastasis was Stage 3A. CONCLUSION: The use of routine screening abdomen ultrasound for the detection of a liver metastasis in postoperative breast cancer patients is not recommended. However, US can be used selectively in patients with clinical symptom or that present with a high stage equal or greater than Stage 3A.
Abdomen ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver ; Mass Screening ; Neoplasm Metastasis

Forty cases of infiltrating duct carcinoma of the breast were examined immunohistochemically for expression of TGF-beta and angiogenesis in order to analyze significant correlation with prognostic parameters including tumor size, axillary lymph node metastasis, clinical stage, histologic grade, estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor status. The TGF-beta expression was observed in tumors center and advancing edges of tumors. To determine microvessel density for angiogenesis, we stained endothelial cells for Factor VIII related antigen and counted microvessel within tumor. The results were as follows: 1) The strong immunohistochemical expression of TGF-beta and higher counts of microvessels were observed in advancing edges of tumors (p<0.05). 2) The TGF-beta expression in the advancing edges of tumors was closely related to clinical stage and presence of axillary lymph node metastasis (p<0.05). 3) The mean microvessel counts were significantly higher in tumors from patients with axillary lymph node metastasis and increased with increasing clinical stage (p<0.05). 4) The TGF-beta expression was not related to histologic grade, estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor status(p>0.05). Therefore, the results suggested that the TGF-beta expression and angiogenesis in infiltrating duct carcinoma of the breast may play an important part in prognostic factors, closely related to the lymph node metastasis and clinical stage.
Neoplasm Metastasis

BACKGROUND: With the rapid growth of the elderly population, osteoporosis has become a major health problem worldwide. Although health knowledge and self-efficacy are important assets to facilitate healthy behaviors and disease prevention, such information as it relates to individuals and their bone health is limited. The purpose of this study was to assess the levels of knowledge, self-efficacy, and health behaviors on promoting bone health in middle-aged Korean women. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional survey study. A convenience sampling of middle-aged women (> or =40 years) was done at a community health center in Korea. Bone mineral density was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry with the DEXXUM T. The level of knowledge was measured with the Knowledge of Osteoporosis Scale, and self-efficacy with the Osteoporosis Self-efficacy Scale. A questionnaire for bone health behaviors was developed for this study. Collected data were analyzed through descriptive methods, independent t-test, analysis of variance, and Pearson's correlation analysis. RESULTS: A total of 150 middle-aged women whose mean age was 59.8+/-11.5 years participated in the study. Most (74%) were menopausal. Less than one-quarter of participants (22.7%) had osteoporosis and less than half (42%) had osteopenia based on the T-score at the left femur neck site. Level of knowledge (mean score, 10.35) and self-efficacy (mean score, 47.67) ranged from low to moderate. Intake of calcium and vitamin D-rich foods was insufficient in our subjects. Bone health behaviors had significant positive relationships with knowledge (r=0.22, P=0.008) and self-efficacy (r=0.29, P<0.001) on promoting bone health. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that educational interventions are needed to enhance knowledge and confidence and to encourage middle-aged women to engage in bone health behaviors.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Aged ; Bone Density ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Calcium ; Community Health Centers ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Femur Neck ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis ; Self Efficacy ; Vitamins

Bcl-2 oncoprotein is being localized to mitochondria and interfering with programmed cell death (apoptosis) independent of promoting cell division in the lymphoid and nonlymphoid cells. The bcl-2 oncoprotein expression has been reported in follicular lymphomas as well as in diffuse non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, leukemia and a variable propotion of Hodgkin's lymphoma cases. Recent evidence suggests that some lymphomas protected from apoptosis is conferred through expression of Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) latent membrane protein which turn to cause upregulation of bcl-2. To define the role of the bcl-2 oncoprotein and EBV in lymphoid malignancy, we tried immunohistochemical studies with anti-bcl-2 antibody and In situ hybridization (ISH) with EBV-encoded small nuclear RNAs(EBER) in the paraffin embedded sections of 46 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) cases and 20 Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) cases. Bcl-2 oncoprotein expression was found in 37 of 46 cases (80%) of NHL with relatively strong cytoplasmic staining, and in 14 of 20 cases (70%) of HL with weak cytoplasmic staining in limited small numbers of RS, Hodgkin and lacunar cells. The widespread presence of bcl-2 oncogene in many different types of both NHL and HL supports that the extended cell survival through overexpression of bcl-2 gene protein may be a growth advantage of neoplastic lymphoid cells. In the ISH analysis for EBV, the presence of EBV was detected in 17 of 20 cases (85%) of HL, compared to 6 of 44 cases(13.6%) of NHL. It appears to be no direct correlation between overexpression of bcl-2 oncoprotein by neoplastic lymphoid cells and the presence of EBV in NHL but it seems to be a definite association between EBV and HL.

In this study, the feasibility of identification and genotypic differentiation of enteroviruses was investigated by using nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (nested RT-PCR), single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP), and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) techniques. Two hundred seventy-four clinical samples were assayed by both nested RT-PCR and tube culture method using MRC-5 and MK cells; 58 (86.6%) out of 67 enterovirus culture-positive samples contained enteroviral RNA. In addition, 114 (55.1%) of 207 samples from patients with suspected enteroviral CNS disease with negative viral cultures were positive by the nested RT-PCR. The nested RT-PCR products were genotyped by the SSCP method and the results were compared with serotypes. We could differentiate 6 subtypes, 3 of which are similar to coxsackievirus B3, B5, echovirus 11, plus 3 other subtypes. RFLP cleaved with Sty I, Bgl I, and Xmn I yielded characteristic patterns for each laboratory strains. This study demonstrates the usefulness of the RT-PCR for the rapid diagnosis of enterovirus infection and the potentials of the SSCP method for differentiation of enterovirus strains.
Central Nervous System Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Enterovirus B, Human ; Enterovirus Infections ; Enterovirus* ; Genotype* ; Humans ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; RNA

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the efficacy and safety of combined subacromial and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia for control of postoperative pain after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. METHODS: Between May 2012 and August 2014, 60 patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with acromioplasty and received patient-controlled analgesia were studied prospectively. Cases were divided into 2 groups: combined subacromial and intravenous infusion group (group A, 30 cases) and solitary intravenous infusion group (group B, 30 cases). The visual analogue scale was used to record the patient's level of pain every 12 hours during postoperative 72 hours and the following 48 hours after the suspension of patient-controlled analgesia. RESULTS: The mean preoperative visual analogue scale score was 7.8 in group A and 7.6 in group B, and the immediate postoperative visual analogue scale score was 7.9 and 8.1 for each group. At postoperative time (From 12 hours to 72 hours after operation), the scores of combined subacromial and intravenous infusion were significantly lower than those of solitary intravenous infusion. Significant difference in the frequency of supplemental analgesic injections was observed between group A and group B (p=0.008). However, no significant difference in complication rate was observed between the two groups (p=0.562). CONCLUSIONS: Combined subacromial and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair is more effective than solitary intravenous infusion without significantly increasing complications. Therefore, combined subacromial and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia could be a effective pain control method.
Analgesia, Patient-Controlled* ; Humans ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Methods ; Pain, Postoperative ; Prospective Studies ; Rotator Cuff*

BACKGROUND: Solvents play an immense role in the industria sector. Irritant dermatitis which is more common than allergic contact dermatitis can be caused by solvents. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to compare the skin irritancy of several solvents using human and guinea pig skin models. METHODS: The skin responses to short contact with etharol, acetone, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and xylene were measured by visual scoring of erythm, transepidermal water loss and laser doppler flowmetry. RESULTS: The results are summarized as follows . 1. Guinea pig and human skin responses to normal saline, ethanol, and acetone were nearly negligible. 2. Guinea pig skin responses to 99.9% DMSO under occlusion for 0.5 min were assessed by visual scoring system, TEWL, and LDF. They are measured 3+0.(0,1+21.70, 45+12.70 at 5 min after removal of 99.9% DMSQ, and 0.83+0.41, 10.5+3.83, 36+4.0, to 120 min after removal. 3. Guinea pig skin responses to 97% xylene under occlusion for 5 nin were assessed by visual scoring system, TEWL and LDF. They are measured 3+0.00, 1. 5.82, 77+11.7 at 5 min after removal of 97% xylene, and 1.83+0.75, 5.5+3.21, 39.17+11.53 at l2 min after removal. 4. Human skin responses to 75% DMSO under occlusion for 1 min were assessed by visual scoring system, TEWL and LDF. They are measured 2,5+0.5, 63+25.8, 51+13.7 at 5 min after removal of 75% DMSO, and 0.17+0.41, 14.67+15.87, 21.17-8. 1 at 120 min after removal. 5. Human skin responses to 97% xylene under occlusion for 12 min were assessed by visual scoring system, TEWL and LDF. They are measured 2.7+0.52+4.22, 76+14.30 at 5 min after removal of 97% xylene, and 0+0, 2.5+0.55, 3.17+0.98, 120 emOVBI. CONCLUSION: Short contact vrith DMSO and xylene cause visib erythema and an increase in TEWL and cutaneous blood flow. The reaction patterns in hurr an and guinea pig skin models were similar.
Acetone ; Animals ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Dermatitis, Irritant* ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; Erythema ; Ethanol ; Guinea Pigs ; Humans ; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry ; Lichen Planus ; Skin ; Solvents* ; Xylenes