BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide(NO), a multifunctional mediator, is known as a endothelium-derived relaxing factor, a neurotransmitter, and a killer molecule formed by activated immune cells and participates in tissue destruction via apoptosis. In the skin, an increase in apoptotic cells has been desribed in the epidermis in various lichenoid diseases, in response, to ultraviolet radiation, and in neoplasia. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate whether a positive correlation occurs between iNOS(inducible nitric oxide synthase) expression and apoptosis index in psoriasis vulgaris(PV), lichen planus(LP), and Bowen's disease(BD). METHODS: TUNEL staining and immunohistochemical staining with anti-iNOS antibody were done in paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 4 cases of PV, 4 cases of LP, and 2 cases of BD.
Apoptosis* ; Bowen's Disease* ; Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors ; Epidermis ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Lichen Planus* ; Lichens* ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Nitric Oxide ; Psoriasis* ; Skin

No abstract available.
Coronary Vessels* ; Mammary Arteries* ; Transplants*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Mitral Valve* ; Tricuspid Valve*

Eccrine nevus is a rare benign cutaneous lesion, frequently present at birth or at an early age. Herein we report on a 1-year-old girl with erythematous papules in a zosteriform arrangement associated with hyperhidrosis on the left side of her trunk.
Female ; Humans ; Hyperhidrosis ; Nevus* ; Parturition

No abstract available.
Alloxan* ; Animals ; Rats*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical features of high myopic eyes with cataracts implanted with negative power intraocular lenses (IOLs) at the time of cataract surgery. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted of 18 eyes of 14 patients who underwent cataract surgery with negative power IOLs and 10 eyes in 9 patients with low power IOLs. We investigated axial length, IOL power, preoperative and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and preoperative and postoperative spherical equivalent (SE) refractive errors. RESULTS: Mean BCVA showed significant improvement in both groups. We measured postoperative SE refraction and the difference between the mean intended and the mean achieved SE refractive errors in the negative power group (17 eyes) was +1.59 ± 1.34 D and +0.31 ± 0.50 D in the low power group. CONCLUSIONS: BCVA was significantly improved in the majority of eyes, although they had myopic macular degeneration or posterior staphyloma. However, the mean achieved postoperative SE refraction was more hyperopic than the predicted postoperative SE error. Additionally, hyperopic refractive error was greater in the negative power group than the low power group. Therefore, we recommend that postoperative hyperopic refractive error should be considered when performing cataract surgery in high myopic patients.
Cataract Extraction* ; Cataract* ; Humans ; Lens Implantation, Intraocular* ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Macular Degeneration ; Myopia* ; Refractive Errors ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the important factors affecting survival and pregnancy rate in frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles. METHODS: we performed reprospective analysis in 738 cycles of frozen-thawed embryo transfers, in relation to the insemination methods, the freezing stage of embryo, patient's age, infertility factors and the origin of injected sperm in ICSI cycles. After conventional IVF or ICSI, the supernumerary PN stage zygotes or multicellular embryos were cryopreserved by slow freezing protocol with 1,2-propandiol (PROH) as a cryoprotectant. RESULTS: The survival rates of thawed embryos were 69.3% (1585/2287) in conventional IVF group and 71.7&% (1645/2295) in ICSI group. After frozen-thawed embryo transfers, 27.0% (92/341) and 32.0% (109/341) of pregnancy rates were achieved in conventional IVF and ICSI group, respectively. There were no significant difference in the survival and pregnancy rates according to the insemination methods, the freezing stage and patient's age. However, the pregnancy rate (36.2%) of male factor infertility (22.9%). In ICSI group, the origin of injected sperm did not affect the outcome of frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that acceptable clinical outcomes can be achieved after the transfer of frozen-thawed embryos regardless of the stage of embryos for freezing, the patient's age and the origin of injected sperm.
Embryo Transfer* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Freezing ; Humans ; Infertility ; Insemination ; Male ; Pregnancy Rate* ; Pregnancy* ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Spermatozoa ; Survival Rate ; Zygote

The bioactive sphingolipid metabolite sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), recently was reported to induce apoptosis of some cancer cells and neurons, although it generally known to exert mitogenic and antiapoptotic effects. In this study, we investigated the effects of S1P on the cell growth, melanogenesis, and apoptosis of cultured B16 mouse melanoma cells. In results, S1P was found to induce apoptosis in B16 melanoma cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, but exerted minimal effects on melanogenesis. Although receptors of sphingosine 1-phosphate (endothelial differentiation gene 1 [Edg]/S1P1, Edg5/S1P2, Edg3/S1P3) were expressed in B16 melanoma cells, they were shown not to be associated with S1P-induced apoptosis. In addition, pertussis toxin did not block the apoptotic effects of S1P on B16 melanoma cells. S1P induced caspase-3 activation and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation. Interestingly, the ERK pathway inhibitor, UO126, reversed the apoptotic effects of S1P on B16 melanoma cells. These results suggest that S1P induced apoptosis of B16 melanoma cells via an Edg receptor-independent, pertussis toxin-insensitive pathway, and appears to be associated with the ERK and caspase-3 activation.
Sphingosine/administration & dosage/*analogs & derivatives ; Signal Transduction/drug effects ; Mice ; Melanoma/*enzymology/*pathology ; Lysophospholipids/*administration & dosage ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases/*metabolism ; Enzyme Activation/drug effects ; Cell Line ; Caspase 3/*metabolism ; Apoptosis/*drug effects ; Animals

Reactive perforating collagenosis(RPC) is a kind of perforating dermatosis characterized by transepidermal elimination of altered dermal collagen. RPC is classified into two forms; childhood or inherited form, and adulthood or acquired form. Acquired RPC is reported to occur in association with the severe complicated diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure and other diseases. We describe a 43-year-old Korean woman with atypical acquired RPC associated with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus and severe pruritus. The histopathologic findings of the lesions showed neither transepidermal channel nor cup-shaped epidermal depression. Multiple degenerated collagen bundles arranged vertically and were eliminated through epidermis to the surface individually. Transmission electron microscopic findings showed the same as typical RPC. Skin lesions improved after the insulin subcutaneous injections, UVB phototherapy and antihistamine administration.
Adult ; Collagen ; Depression ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Epidermis ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Insulin ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Phototherapy ; Pruritus ; Skin ; Skin Diseases

No abstract available.
Extremities* ; Gestational Age*