BACKGROUND: Calcinosis cutis may occur when connective tissue is abnormal (dystrophic), or where calcium or phosphate levels in the blood are high(metastatic); alternatively, there may be no obvious underlying cause(idiopathic). The exact incidence of calcinosis cutis in dermatologic patients is not well-kniown and the pathomechanism of it remains to be elucidated. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to analyze the incidence, clinical and histopathological features of calcinosis cutis. METHODS: We studied 72 patients with calcinosis cutis who visited our department between January 1985 and December 1996. The patients were classified into 3 types (dystrophic, metastatic, and idiopathic) and were analyzed clinically and histopathologically. Results : The results were summerized as follows; 1. There were 60 cases(83.3%) and 12 cases(16.7%) of the dystrophic and idiopathic types, respectively but the metastatic type was not observed. The frequency of dystrophic calcification in individual disorders was 88.2% in pseudoxanthoma elasticum, 66.7% in trichilemmal cyst and dermatomyositis, and 64.6% in pilomatrichoma. 2. In the idiopathic type, it was common in females aged over 50 years and the mean duration of lesions was 2.8+/-2.0 years. The predilection site was the flank(5 cases) and most of the lesions(7 cases) showed skin-colored nodules 3. Histopathologically, calcified material of the idiopathic type was located predominently in the dermis(10 cases) and was present as large masses surrounded by a foreign body reaction. 4. In the dystrophic type, calcified deposits were noted predominently within the shadow cells of pilomatricoma, in the degenerated elastic fibers of pseudoxanthoma elasticum, and in the keratinized area of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, trichilemmal cyst, and epidermal cyst. Foreign body reactions with giant cells and mononuclear cell infiltrations were often found around large deposits of calcium. Conclusion : The incidence of calcinosis cutis in dermatologic patients is relatively low, but a variety of disorders can be associated with cutaneous calcification. Therefore, dermatologists should be familiar with the different forms of cutaneous calcification and the dermatoses that manifest them.
Calcinosis* ; Calcium ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Connective Tissue ; Dermatomyositis ; Elastic Tissue ; Epidermal Cyst ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Giant Cells ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pilomatrixoma ; Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum ; Skin Diseases

No abstract available.
Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Sweet Syndrome* ; Ulcer*

We present a series of 10 Patients(Seven men and three women with an average age of 53 years) who underwent decompressive craniectomy for treatment to massive brain swelling following acute cerebral infarction. Clinical signs of cerebral herniation(anisocoria or fixed and dilated pupil, and/or hemiplegia with decerebrate righidity) were present in all patients. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed the mass effect by cerebral edema through midline shift. All patients were treated with an extensive craniectomy and duroplasty. Among them, one recovered without neurological deficit, three were moderately disabled but functionally dependent, three remained in a persistent vegetative state and three died within 9 days after surgery(good recovery=1, moderate disability=3, persistent vegetative state=3, death=3). The results suggest that decompressive craniectomy can be an useful lifesaving procedure for massive cerebral edema following widespread hemispheric infarction.
Brain Edema ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Decompressive Craniectomy* ; Female ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Infarction ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Persistent Vegetative State ; Prognosis ; Pupil

No abstract available.
Blood Platelets*

The N-terminal sequence of HIV1 gp41 (amino acid residues 584-623) was known to be the immundominant region of HIV1 gp41 protein. In order to determine epitope for gp41 protein of Korean anti-HIV1 positive sera, multiple antigenic peptides (MAPs) for the sequences corresponding to 584-604, 590-612, 604-623 and 584-618 of HIV1 gp41 were synthesized by solid phase method using Fmoc-Lys (Fmoc)-OH and used as coating antigens for ELISA. The reactivities of the synthetic peptides with Korean HIV1 positive (21 samples) and anti-HIV1 negative sera (22 samples) obtained from healthy blood doner were estimated by an indirect ELISA. MAPs for 584-604, 590-612 and 604-623 of gp41 reacted with 62 %, 100 % and 81 % of Korean anti-HIV1 positive sera tested, respectively. The results suggest that the epitope for HIV1 gp 41 for Korean anti-HIV1 positive sera is located in the region of amino acid 590-612 of gp41. MAP for gp41 (584-618) reacted with all (100 %) of anti-HIV1 positive sera tested, but did not react with anti-HlV1 negative sera. In addition, this MAP reacted stronger with seven samples of anti-HIV1 positive sera of anti-HIV1/2 combo performance panel than the mixture of 584-604, 590-612 and 604-623 of gp41, but did not react with anti-HIV negative serum. The high sensitivity and selectivity of MAP of gp41 (584-618) suggest that this peptide as a coating antigen in an ELISA system will be useful for antibody detection of HIV1.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epitope Mapping* ; Immune Sera* ; Peptides*

No abstract available.
Diabetes Insipidus ; Holoprosencephaly

We attempted to identify parasite DNA in the biliary stones of humans via PCR and DNA sequencing. Genomic DNA was isolated from each of 15 common bile duct (CBD) stones and 5 gallbladder (GB) stones. The patients who had the CBD stones suffered from cholangitis, and the patients with GB stones showed acute cholecystitis, respectively. The 28S and 18S rDNA genes were amplified successfully from 3 and/or 1 common bile duct stone samples, and then cloned and sequenced. The 28S and 18S rDNA sequences were highly conserved among isolates. Identity of the obtained 28S D1 rDNA with that of Clonorchis sinensis was higher than 97.6%, and identity of the 18S rDNA with that of other Ascarididae was 97.9%. Almost no intra-specific variations were detected in the 28S and 18S rDNA with the exception of a few nucleotide variations, i.e., substitution and deletion. These findings suggest that C. sinensis and Ascaris lumbricoides may be related with the biliary stone formation and development.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Animals ; Ascaridida/genetics/isolation & purification ; Ascaris lumbricoides/genetics/isolation & purification ; Base Sequence ; Clonorchis sinensis/genetics/isolation & purification ; Common Bile Duct/*parasitology ; DNA, Helminth/*genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal/genetics ; Face/parasitology ; Female ; Gallbladder/parasitology ; Gallstones/*parasitology ; Helminths/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/*methods ; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/genetics ; RNA, Ribosomal, 28S/genetics ; Sequence Alignment

No abstract available.
Carcinoma in Situ* ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female

The basis of surgical treatment of spondylolisthesis lies in the restoration of stability to the unstable spine and the decompression of the entrapped nerve root. Knodt's distraction rod has been thought to be one of effective distraction instruments promoting fusion for lumbar spine surgery. From December 1981 to May 1987, we performed surgical treatment of spondylolisthesis with Knodt's distraction rod instrumentation in 15 patients (Group I ) and fusion in situ in 7 patients (Group II ). Clinical analysis and changes of radiographic measurements of above two methods were evaluated and obtained following results. l. In Group I, the percentage slip and slip angle decreased to 12.1 ±6.3% and 0.2 ±6.6°, postoperatively, from 20.9 ±8.4% and 7.5 ±5.6°, respectively. In Group II, changed from 13.4 ±9.4%, 7.8 ±6.1°to 11.4 ±9.6%, 11.0 ±5.2°, respectively. 2. In Group I, the average reduction rate was 42.1% postoperatively, but decreased to 20.5% at follow-up. 3. The percentage posterior disc height increased to 49.0 ±6.7% postoperatively, from 27.4 ±10.0% in Group I and decreased to 34.7 ±5.3% at follow-up. But, in Group II, no significant changes observed. 4. The lumbar lordosis in Group I and Group II, decreased to 26.0 ±8.3°and 29.8 ±13.8°, postoperatively, from 35.5 ±7.8°and 37.6 ±1.4°, respectively. 5. There was no significant difference in clinical results between two groups. 6. Postoperstive complications in Group I, were one case of rod breakage with pseudarthrosis, 3 cases of voiding difficulty and superficial wound infection, in Group II, were 2 cases of superficial wound infection and 3 cases of transient voiding diffeculty.
Animals ; Decompression ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lordosis ; Pseudarthrosis ; Spine ; Spondylolisthesis ; Wound Infection

BACKGROUND: Chronic stress is associated with physical illness such as coronary artery disease and hypertension. Daily life habits being able to affect physical health and are associated with mental stress. We studied the relationship between physical illness and stress amount so far. However, the investigation about the stress and the health habits to affect disease directly was not studied enough. Eventually we tested this investigation to know the relationship between stress amount and health habits. METHODS: We measured stress amount and health habits for a month(from May 1 to May 31, 1997) through the people who had already received health screening and were working as researchers. We used 147 results out of 212. Health habits were investigated about 6 articles out of "Breslow's 7 Health habits" and stress amount was measured by evaluation scale made by Lee, Pyoung-sook. RESULTS: There were no differences in amounts of stress of subjects according to age, years in work, hours of sleeping, having breakfast or not, the frequency of exercise and body mass index(BMI). But there were significant differences in amounts of stress of subjects according to drinking amount, smoking or not, and health habit index(P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Drinking and smoking appeared to be health habits related to the amounts of stress. Prospective studies are needed ? find a causal relationship between health habits and stress amount.
Breakfast ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Drinking ; Hypertension ; Mass Screening ; Smoke ; Smoking