No abstract available.
Pancreatitis*

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.
Animals ; Cats* ; Neurons* ; Visual Cortex*

BACKGROUND: Herpes zoster with generalized varicelliform eruptions occurs in 2 to 10% of patients with herpes zoster. It occurs mainly in old or debilitated persons especially those who have immunologic defects such as lymphoproliferative diseases, AIDS, or recipients of immunosuppressive therapy. The reported incidence of herpes zoster with generalized varicelliform eruptions is variable. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the incidence and clinical features of herpes zoster with generalized varicelliform eruptions. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical data of 962 patients with herpes zoster by retrospective methods. The annual incidence, age, sex, seasonal variation, predilection sites, and associated conditions of herpes zoster with generalized varicelliform eruptions were analyzed from January 1990 to December 1996 (7 years). RESULTS: 1. Among 962 patients, 8 patients with herpes zoster revealed generalixed varicelliform eruptions (0.83%). 2. The age ranged from 20 to 85 and the majority of cases occurred in the 6th decade. There were 4 females and 4 males. 3. Past histories of malignancy were observed in 2 patients. However, there were no signs of malignancy at the time of diagnosis of herpes zoster with generalized varicelliform eruptions. 4. The most common site of initial lesion was the thoracic dermatome,followed by the lumbar and the cervical ones. CONCLUSION: From our observation, it is suggested that herpes zoster with generalized varicelliform eruptions may occur in patients without underlying malignancy or immunosuppressive disorders. Sudden incidental uprising of herpes zoster with generalized varicelliform eruptions was observed in 1996.
Clinical Study* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons

No effective therapy has yet developed for liver fibrosis/cirrhosis by directly inhibiting the accumulation of extracellular matrix. This study was undertaken to determine the effect of tetrandrine in rat model of liver fibrosis induced by carborn tetrachloride (CCl4) administration intraorally. Tetrandrine, a calcium channel blocker, is anti-inflammatory constituent of the families Menispermaceae and Ranunculaceae, which have been used as folk remedies in China. Repeated administration of CCl4 for 14 weeks to rats induced liver fibrosis with steatosis. Rats were killed after 4, 8 or 14 weeks of treatment with CCl4, CCl4 tetrandrine (30 mg/kg) or CCl4 tetrandrine (50 mg/kg). The histopathological findings of liver were observed semi-quantitatively by light microscopy and volume percentage of the collagen deposition was determined by image analyzer. Tetrandrine inhibited collagen deposition induced by CCl4 administration, as shown by less severe steatosis and fibrosis and significantly decreased volume percentage of collagen fibers in CCl4 tetrandrine treated animals compared with CCl4 only group. Thus, the administration of tetrandrine holds great promise for treating subjects with liver fibrosis/cirrhosis as a result of chronic hepatic injury.
Animals ; Calcium Channels ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; China ; Collagen ; Extracellular Matrix* ; Fibrosis* ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Medicine, Traditional ; Menispermaceae ; Microscopy ; Models, Animal ; Ranunculaceae ; Rats*

BACKGROUND: Compliance with self-care and lifestyle modification is recommended for all patients with acute coronary syndrome to prevent a secondary attack. Data is limited regarding the association between compliance with self-care and restenosis. This study was conducted to examine the association between compliance with self-care and restenosis and to determine the predicting factors for restenosis and low compliance with self-care. METHODS: A total of 166 acute coronary syndrome patients (64.2+/-10.8 years) hospitalized for an angiogram during routine follow-up or symptom management were conveniently recruited from a university hospital cardiovascular care unit. Self-administered questionnaires were used to evaluate the level of compliance with self-care and symptom-related satisfaction. RESULTS: In-stent restenosis was found in 40.4% of the subjects and 36.1% were persistently smoking. There was no significant relationship between low compliance with self-care and restensosis. A lower symptom-related satisfaction significantly predicted restenosis and low compliance with self-care. A longer period after initial diagnosis predicted restenosis and a shorter period after initial diagnosis predicted low compliance with self-care. Persistent smoking was independently associated with low compliance with self-care. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who continued to smoke and had lower symptom-related satisfaction with daily living showed a stronger tendency for lower compliance with self-care and lifestyle modification. Effective educational strategy focusing on smoking cessation is needed to increase compliance with self-care in patients with ACS, especially during admission with a first heart attack.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Compliance ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart ; Humans ; Life Style ; Patient Compliance ; Self Care ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Smoking Cessation ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The morphologic abnormalities of the endocrine pancreas that underlie persistent neonatal hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia and are included under the heading "nesidioblastosis" appears to be heterogeneous. This characteristic morphologic finding is ductuloinsular complexes showing endocrine cells budding off the ductoepithelium and merging with adjacent endocrine cell clusters. A case of nesidioblastosis associated with hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia occurred in a 6/365 year-old male neonate. Microscopic finding of near totally resected pancreas revealed irregular sized islets and ductuloinsular complexes, both of which contained hypertrophied B cells with a few mitosis. Because of persistent hypoglycemia after first operation, he received second operation 8 days after. This histologic finding was more severe comparative to that of first operation. According to these findings, the pathogenesis of nesidioblastosis may be congenital or developmental defect of a kind of compensatory mechanism by unknown stimuli to acquire persistent hypoglycemia.
Male ; Infant, Newborn ; Humans

Serum Lipoperoxide levels were studied in 50 normal Korean and in the following patients; 26 patients with diabetes mellitus, 20 patients with hypertension, 14 patients with ischemic heart disease, 8 patients with cerebrovascular accident and 6 patients with nephrotic syndrome. The results obtained are summarized as follows; 1. In normal Korean, the average serum lipoperoxide level was 2.62+/-0.27 nmoles M.D. A./ml, with no difference by the sex. 2. In the cases with various disease which in supposed to be related to abnormal lipid metabolism, that is, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, nephrotic syndrome, the serum lipoperoxide value showed statistically significant elevation compared to that of the normal control (p<0.01), but in the patients with cerebrovascular accident the elevation was not significant (p>0.05). 3. The serum lipoperoxide level was coarsely related with the serum concentration of cholesterol and total lipid, the correlation coefficient of which were 0.34 and 0.35 respectively (p<0.05).
Cholesterol ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lipid Metabolism ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Stroke

Serum Lipoperoxide levels were studied in 50 normal Korean and in the following patients; 26 patients with diabetes mellitus, 20 patients with hypertension, 14 patients with ischemic heart disease, 8 patients with cerebrovascular accident and 6 patients with nephrotic syndrome. The results obtained are summarized as follows; 1. In normal Korean, the average serum lipoperoxide level was 2.62+/-0.27 nmoles M.D. A./ml, with no difference by the sex. 2. In the cases with various disease which in supposed to be related to abnormal lipid metabolism, that is, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, nephrotic syndrome, the serum lipoperoxide value showed statistically significant elevation compared to that of the normal control (p<0.01), but in the patients with cerebrovascular accident the elevation was not significant (p>0.05). 3. The serum lipoperoxide level was coarsely related with the serum concentration of cholesterol and total lipid, the correlation coefficient of which were 0.34 and 0.35 respectively (p<0.05).
Cholesterol ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lipid Metabolism ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Stroke

Soft tissue tumor is defined as a tumor occurring in voluntary muscles, fat, fibrous tissue, along with the vessels serving these tissue and peripheral nervous system. It is difficult to make a diagnosis by conventional microscopic observation because of their pleuripotentiality and similar growth characteristics. Although their morphological findings of tumors are similar to one another, their clinical courses, treatment and prognosis are different. So early, correct diagnosis and proper treatment are neccessary. The present study is aimed to evaluate a value of immunoperoxidase staining to make definite diagnosis of soft tissue tumors and its application to surgical pathology. The material consisted of 106 cases of fibrohistiocytic tumors and malignant soft tissue tumors which are morphologically similar to malignant fibrohistiocytic tumors for 5 years period lasting from 1980 to 1984 at the Department of Pathology, Yonsei University College of Medicine. After the classificationof fibrohistiocytic tumors by the Enzinger (1983), clinical finndings were reviewed and peroxidase antiperoxidase(PAP) method with alpha1-antichymotrypsin was done in 15 cases of all fibrohistiocytic tumors. Other soft tissue tumors which were difficult to differentiate from MFH by light microscopic observation were liposarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, fibrosarcoma and malignant schwannoma. These 21 cases of tumors including MFH were stained with PAP method for alpha1-antichymotrypsin, S-100 protein and myoglobin. Results obtained were as follows: 1) The cases on study consisted of 19 cases of malignant fibrous histiocytoma, 2 dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, 45 fibrohistiocytic tumors and 11 other benign fibrohistiocytic tumors. 2) The male to female ratio was 1 : 1.8 in benign and intermediate group of fibrohistiocytic tumor, but 2.2 : 1 in malignant histiocytic tumor. 3) Most cases of benign fibrohistiocytic tumors were occurred in 4th and 5th decade of life. Intermediate and malignant fibrohistiocytic tumors were mostly found in late adult life and their mean age was 43.6 year. 4) The most common sites were trunk and both extrimities in benign fibrohistiocytic tumors(88.9%), but head, neck and lower extremities in MFH (78.9%). Two cases of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans were occurred in turnk and upper extremity. 5) The PAP stain for alpha1-antichymotrypsin was done in 15 cases of 77 fibrohistiocytic tumors which included MFH, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, xanthoma, xanthofibroma, dermatofibroma showed variable degree of positivity to alpha1-antichymotrypsin. The positivity of alpha1-antichymotrypsin revealed no significant difference according to differentiation of the tumors, such as benign, intermediate and malignant. 6) The PAP stain for alpha1-antichymotrypsin revealed diffuse positivity in all cases of MFH and also in a case of malignant schwannoma, fibrosarcoma, liposarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma, but myoglobin and S-100 protein were negative. In three cases of leiomyosarcoma, two of rhabdomyosarcoma and three of malignant schwannoma, alpha1-antichymotrypsin, S-100 protein and myoglobin were negative, although a few positive tumor cells were present, which may the considered as metatypci differentiation. Another possibility of this discordance was loss of antigenicity by improper procedure of paraffin embedding and poor differentiation of tumor cells. In summary, PAP method for specific tumor marker is important for proper diagnosis of soft tissue tumors, and application to surgical pathology.
Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Tumor Markers, Biological