No abstract available.
Phenobarbital*

Psoriasis is a relatively common disorder that affects at least 1-2% of the population, however, the pathogenesis is not fully understood yet. Histopathologically, psoriatic lesion is characterized by hyperplasia of keratinocyte, intraepidermal neutrophil accumulation and activated T lymphocyte infiltration in the dermis. Among many cytokines, IL-8 is known to play a role for the activation and migration for neutrophil and T lymphocyte and for the proliferation of keratinocyte. We performed immunohistochemical staining with anti-IL-8 monoclonal antibody for the active lesion, stable lesion and normal-looking skin of ten psoriatic patients and ten healthy controls. Strong expression of IL-8 in the epidermis and dermis was noted from the active as well as stable psoriatic skins. In the normal-looking skin of the psoriatic patients, only faint expression which is not different from healthy control skin, was noted. These observations indicate that the expression of IL-8 is increased in psoriatic lesion, and IL-S is important for the initiation and maintenance of psoriasis.
Cytokines ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Interleukin-8* ; Keratinocytes ; Lymphocytes ; Neutrophils ; Psoriasis ; Skin*

BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy(PDT) is a type of photochemotherapy that is designed to kill targeted tumor cells. OBJECTIVE: The Clinical effects of PDT were analysed for response rates, post-treatment healing and adverse effects on several cutaneous carcinoma in situ. METHOD: PDT with topical 5-aminolevulinic acid-based irradiation of corresponding 630+5nm light was performed in 6 carcinoma in situ patients who had actinic keratosis, Bowen' disease or cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. RESULT: In all patients the clinical results were exellent with respect to initial complete responses and cosmetic outcome. CONCLUSION: PDT might be chosen as a first line treament for cutaneous carcimoma in situ.
Carcinoma in Situ* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Humans ; Keratosis, Actinic ; Photochemotherapy* ; Skin*

We report a case of Becker's nevus associated with smooth muscle hamartoma, in a 21-year-old male patient, which shows clinically match-head sized, flat topped, round to oval, grouped papules with hairs on the outer surface of the right arm, and microscopically reveals numerous bundles of smooth muscle fiber in the dermis.
Arm ; Dermis ; Hair ; Hamartoma* ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Nevus* ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis is reported to have increased recently, but the epidemiologic studies of atopic dermatitis have not been systematically performed in Korea. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to review the previous epidemiologic studies of the prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Korea and to discuss important factors in performing the systematic epidemiologic studies of atopic dermatitis. METHODS: We reviewed the Korean literature reported since the 1960s, which included 7 field surveys of atopic dermatitis and, 10 prevalence studies of common dermatologic diseases in outpatients. The literature was compared and analyzed in the view of diagnostic criteria, time/period of the studies, method of the surveys, sampling of subjects, the frequency of atopic dermatitis with age and sex distribution, seasonal variation and the secular trend. RESULTS: 1. No definite diagnostic criteria was presented in some studies, and in the others, Hanifin and Rajka's diagnostic criteria or its modification was used. 2. The studies were performed during a season of a year or through spring, summer; and autumn. 3. A variety of methods were employed such as the review of the medical records, the questionnaire, and a doctors physioal examination/interview. 4. Subjects in most of the studies were children under 15 years of age, and the survey area was limited to a certain city or district. 5. The frequency of atopic dermatitis ranged from 2.4% to 15.4% in field surveys and from 2.3% to 23.5% in outpatient studies. The secular trends could not be inferred directly though there is a possibility of an increasing tendency. CONCLUSION: This review may give help to understand the present state and progression of Korean epidemiologic studies of atopic dermatitis and to plan future studies. The epidemiologic studies of atopic dermatitis should be systematically carried out with the consideration of the general factors required in the epidemiologic study and proper understanding of the specific features of atopic dermatitis.
Child ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Medical Records ; Outpatients ; Prevalence* ; Seasons ; Sex Distribution ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Carbamylated hemoglobin (CarHb) is formed by the reaction of hemoglobin with cyanate derived from the spontaneous dissociation of in vivo urea. Previous studies have shown that formation of CarHb depends upon both the severity and the duration of renal failure. To study the clinical significances of CarHb in Korean patients with chronic renal failure, we measured CarHb levels by high-performance liquid chromatography in 159 CRF patients and 46 normal controls. Patients with CRF had a higher CarHb concentration than normal controls (107.9+/-58.8 vs 35.1+/-14.2 microgramVH/gHb; P<0.001). In patients with CRF, nondialysis group had a higher value than dialysis group (129.8+/-77.9 vs 98.7+/-46.1 microgramVH/gHb; P<0.05). There were no siginificant difference in CarHb levels between hemodialysis (92.0+/-35.8microgramVH/gHb) and peritoneal dialysis (106.7+/-55.3microgramVH/gHb) groups. CarHb levels were not different between diabetic and nondiabetic patients in predialysis and hemodialysis groups. Although there was a significant difference in peritoneal dialysis group, the BUN levels were also lower in diabetic patients than nondiabetic patients. There were no correlation between CarHb and HbA1c percentage in patients with diabetes. CarHb levels were positively correlated with BUN (r=0.489; P<0.001) and creatinine (r=0.458; P<0.01) concentrations. There were negative correlations between CarHb and both Kt/V (r=-0.358; P<0.05) and URR (r=-0.415; P<0.05) in hemodialysis patients. In conclusion, CarHb may be a useful index of uremic control in patients with chronic renal failure, and are independent of the mode of dialysis and the presence of diabetes.
Chromatography, Liquid ; Creatinine ; Dialysis ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Renal Dialysis ; Renal Insufficiency ; Urea

Melatonin could be used as an anticancer agent to suppress the proliferation of tumor cells and induce the differentiation of cancer cells. HeLa, HepG2, A549, L929, and NIH/3T3 cell lines were cultivated in alpha-MEM with 0.2 mM/2 mM melatonin. The influences of melatonin on quantitative changes of glycoprotein, fibronectin, laminin and actin related to the metastasis of tumor cells investigated with PAS or PAP at light microscopic level. To elucidate the possibility of antitumor actions of melatonin, the changes of cell organelles were observed under transmission electron microscope. Cell proliferation was suppressed after treatment with 2 mM melatonin for 2 or 3 days. Compared with control groups, the amounts of glycoprotein, fibronectin, laminin and actin in all cell lines at 1st, 2nd and 3rd day after treatment with 0.2 mM and 2 mM melatonin were generally increased. Heterochromatin in the nucleus formed clumps in all cell lines at 2nd and 3rd day after treatment with 0.2 mM and 2 mM melatonin. The numerical increase of rough endoplasmic reticulum and golgi complex observed in HeLa and L929 cells treated with 0.2 mM and 2 mM melatonin at 1st, 2nd and 3rd day. The number of lysosomes increased in HeLa, A549, and L929 cells treated with 0.2 mM and 2 mM melatonin at 3rd day. The number of vesicles increased in all cell lines treated with 0.2 mM and 2 mM melatonin at 1st, 2nd and 3rd day. Taken together, antimitotic effect of melatonin can be expected at least 2day after treatment with 2 mM melatonin. The production of fibronectin and laminin in all cell lines treated with 0.2 mM or 2 mM melatonin increased. Therefore, the increase of amounts of extracellular matrix proteins in the extracellular space can be expected. And the increase of amounts of actin connected to the extracellular matrix proteins through the integrin of plasma membrane seemed to strengthen cell attachment. In order to metastasize of cancer cells, it is important for them to secrete various enzymes to pass through the extracellular matrix proteins. Hence, it will be more difficult for the cells to metastasize into other regions due to the increase of the extracellular matrix proteins. It was postulated that the clumps of heterochromatin and the numerical increase of vesicles induced by treatment with 0.2 mM and 2 mM melatonin could be represented for the actions of melatonin as morpholgical criteria.
Actins ; Cell Line* ; Cell Membrane ; Cell Proliferation ; Endoplasmic Reticulum, Rough ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins* ; Extracellular Matrix* ; Extracellular Space ; Fibronectins ; Glycoproteins ; Golgi Apparatus ; Heterochromatin ; Laminin ; Lysosomes ; Melatonin* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Organelles

A 13-year-old girl presented in our unit with progressive alopecia and a long history of edematous scalp in the occiput. Biopsy specimen of a lesion showed two-type pathologic abnormality consisting of diffuse neurofibroma in the lower portion and trichotillomania in the upper portion. Since the tumor spread diffusely through the lower dermis and subcutaneous fat tissue without destroying surrounding structures, we concluded that the trichotillomania might result from repetitive scratching or other traumatic behavior at the same site of underlying diffuse nerurofibroma. We reported a case of the concomitant occurrence of trichotillomania associated with diffuse neurofibroma.
Adolescent ; Alopecia ; Biopsy ; Dermis ; Female ; Humans ; Neurofibroma* ; Scalp ; Subcutaneous Fat ; Trichotillomania*

Genetic polymorphisms may be linked to inter-individual differences in erythropoietin (EPO) resistance. We investigated the -511C/T polymorphism of the IL-1B gene and the I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene for any association with EPO resistance index (ERI) in maintenance hemodialysis patients (n=167). Because EPO responsiveness is multi-factorial, we also included other possible influences (age, sex, time on dialysis, ACE inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker use, ferritin, transferrin saturation, intact PTH, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, albumin, Kt/V, and presence of diabetes mellitus) on ERI in our analyses. Multiple regression analysis showed significant association of the IL-1B-511CC and ACE DD polymorphisms with ERI (P=0.038 and P=0.004 in the recessive model, respectively). The combination (C) of alleles of two loci showed that C1 (I-T) was significantly associated with ERI in the co-dominant and recessive models (P=0.005 and P=0.0001, respectively). Subjects who did not carry C1 showed significantly decreased ERI (10.10+/-5.15 IU/kg weight/g hemoglobin) compared to other study subjects (C1/C1 and C1/-; 12.97+/-4.90 and 15.12+/-7.43 IU/kg weight/g hemoglobin, respectively). Our study indicates that the IL-1B-511C/T and ACE I/D polymorphisms may be useful genetic markers of EPO requirement in hemodialysis patients. These findings might also provide a new perspective on therapeutic approaches to the treatment of end stage renal disease patients with anemia.
Adult ; Aged ; *Drug Resistance ; Erythropoietin/*administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-1beta/*genetics ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A/*genetics ; *Polymorphism, Genetic ; *Renal Dialysis

PURPOSE: Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) has an important role in the pathogenesis of renal damage; it enhances extracellular matrix production. Urinary TGF-beta1 excretion has been shown to be significantly increased in patients with IgA nephropathy. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of spironolactone on urinary TGF-beta1 levels in patients with IgA nephropathy. METHODS: TGF-beta1 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in random urine specimens from 35 patients with IgA nephropathy. The patients were assigned to a spironolactone group, prednisolone group or losartan group. They were treated over an 8-week period. Urine samples were tested at the beginning and the end of the treatment period. RESULTS: The patients with IgA nephropathy (n=35) had a higher urinary excretion of TGF-beta1 than normal controls (n=13). Urinary TGF-beta1 excretion was positively correlated with proteinuria and pathological grading but not with serum creatinine. After 8 weeks of treatment, losartan (n=13) and prednisolone (n=11) therapy induced a significant reduction in both urinary protein and TGF-beta1 excretion. After treatment with spironolactone (n=11), urinary protein and TGF-beta1 excretion were decreased. However, the decrease was not statistically significant. There was a significant correlation between the urinary TGF-beta1 excretion and the serum aldosterone (r=0.84; p<0.01); however, treatment with spironolactone abolished this correlation. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that endogenous aldosterone influences urinary TGF-beta1 excretion in patients with IgA nephropathy.
Aldosterone ; Creatinine ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Extracellular Matrix ; Glomerulonephritis ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A* ; Losartan ; Prednisolone ; Proteinuria ; Spironolactone* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1*