Anthrax in man is usually cutaneous, resulting from contact with materials derived from infected livestock. Internal organs are infrequently involved,. This report concerns a case of primary anthrax of intestine. The first case of primary anthrax of intestine is to our knowledge in Korea. The patient was a 14-year-old male who has complained of nausea, vomiting and acute abdominal pain. History was otherwise noncontributory except for ingestion raw meat of the dead cattle, one day before the onset of the disease. The cattle presumably died due to Bacillus anthracis in a village Bae-Ban Dong in the city of Kyung ju, Kyung Pook. Among 15 sufferers, 2 cases died 3 days later. Bacillus anthracis isolated from the raw beef, blood samples of two patients and throat culture of one patient. At laparotomy, the peritoneal cavity was full of serosanginous fluid. Right hemicolectomy including partial resection of ileum was done. The bowel was segmentally dilated, hemorrhagic and necrotic, especially at terminal ileum. The mucosa was edematous and largely ulcerated covered with greenish yellow exudate. The intense vascular congestion with hemorrhage and numerous colonization of bacteria were present through the entire wall. The organisms were large, gram-positive and PAS-negative bacilli in long chain. Bacterial emboli were scattered in lymphatics. The other feature was band like lymphoid cell infiltration in ulcer base and submucosal layer. Payer's patches were prominent and the germinal centers were necrotic. Interfollicular spaces exhibited aggregates of numerous atypical lymphoid cells. The cells were five times larger than resting lymphocytes and had several prominent nucleoli and abundant amphophilic cytoplasm. On immunohistochemical staining, most of atypical cells were positive for T-cell marker and Ki-I Ag. The mesenteric lymph nodes were enlarged, showing reactive feature, and the atypical cells were also demonstrated. The patient recovered completely.
Male ; Humans

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to correlate the CT and histopathologic findings of abscess wall. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The CT findings of 12 patients with pathologically proven brain abscess were retrospectively analyzed with particular attention to the thickness, smoothness and uniformity of enhancing abscess wall, and the results were correlated with histopathologic findings. RESULTS: Two patients with acute cerebritis showed an isodense ring on non-contrast CT(NCCT), but a true capsule formation could not be identified at pathologic examination. Six other patients with isodense ring on NCCT consisted of early to late cerebritis(3 cases), late cerebritis to early capsule(1 case), early capsule(1 case), and late capsule(1 case). These 6 cases showed ring enhancement on contrast enhanced CT(CECT) and true capsule formation pathologically. There was no isodense ring on NCCT in the remaining four patients. They consisted of early to late cerebritis(2 cases), late cerebritis(1 case), and late cerebritis to early capsule formation(1 case). These also showed ring enhancement on CECT and true capsule formation pathologically. CONCLUSION: We found that it is difficult to predict the exact stage of brain abscess on preoperative CT findings. It is suggested that clinical findings and sequential dynamic CT may provide more detailed informations for evaluation of abscess staging.
Abscess ; Brain Abscess* ; Brain* ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies

The diagnosis of cutaneous disorders depends mainly on the visual observation of skin lesions. To make accurate diagnoses, extensive experience with a number of different pathological states is required. An atlas that contains a wide range of pictures of cutaneous disorders is one way to gain indirect experience. However, the textbooks usually used for this purpose are inappropriate. With recent developments in computer science, which have made it possible to show many pictures relatively easily, a number of electronic textbooks have been published in medicine, especially in Western countries. However, most of these texts are simply modifications of earlier textbooks, and consist of text descriptions with a few added pictures, a practice that does not make the most of the benefits an electronic textbook can offer. In Korea, the Korean Dermatological Association as well as individual dermatologists have published several textbooks, including the 'Atlas of Skin Disease'. However, there has been no attempt to make an electronic textbook containing numerous images of cutaneous diseases with their descriptions. In 1986, we began to compile an electronic textbook for cutaneous diseases and completed it under the name the 'eBook of Dermatology', in 2004. It consists of 29 chapters, covering 1,116 diseases. Twenty-three dermatologists participated in collecting the 4,028 pictures, and writing the descriptions, which are given in the following form for each disorder: definition, cause and pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, pathologic features, diagnosis and differential diagnosis, and treatment.
Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Korea ; Skin ; Writing

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) is characterized by acute nonfollicular sterile pustules on a background of edematous erythema. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), an antimalarial drug, widely used to treat rheumatic and dermatologic diseases. HCQ has been reported to be an uncommon cause of AGEP. We report a 60-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis requiring the use of HCQ presented fever and erythematous eruption on the trunk with sterile pustules. Leukocytosis and elevated erythrocyte sedimention rate noted on laboratory examination. On the histopathological examination of the skin biopsy specimen showed neutrophilic infiltration and scattered eosinohpils. The lesions were resolved with removal of HCQ. The clinical course was consistent with the diagnosis of AGEP associated with HCQ. We reported a case of typical AGEP associated with HCQ in a patient with Rheumatoid arthritis. The patient presented resolution from cutaneous lesions with withdrawal of culprit drug, without the need of systemic steroid.
Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Biopsy ; Erythema ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Hydroxychloroquine ; Leukocytosis ; Neutrophils ; Skin

Holoprosencephaly is a developmental malformation complex of forebrain and midface which arises from incomplete cleavage of the embryonic forebrain. It is subdivided into alobar, semilobar and lobar types based on the degree of growth disturbance within the anterior wall of the telencephalon, particularly in the midline. Cyclopia is the most severe form of alobar holoprosencephaly presenting a single median eye and a blind-ending proboscis usually located above the eye. We report a case of alobar holoprosencephaly with cyclopia and proboscis in premature infant.
Holoprosencephaly* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Prosencephalon ; Telencephalon

Purpose: The purpose of our study was to evaluate digital breast tomosynthesis as a breast cancer screening modality for women with gynecologic cancer. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included patients with underlying gynecologic malignancies who underwent screening digital breast tomosynthesis for breast cancer. The cancer detection rate, recall rate, sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value (PPV) were calculated. PPV1 was defined as the percentage of all positive screening exams that have a tissue diagnosis of cancer within a year. PPV2 was defined as the percentage of all diagnostic exams (and Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System category 4, 5 from screening setting) with a recommendation for tissue diagnosis that have cancer within a year. PPV3 was defined as the percentage of all known biopsies actually performed that resulted in a tissue diagnosis of cancer within the year. For each case of screen-detected cancer, we analyzed the age, type of underlying gynecologic malignancy, breast density, imaging features, final Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System assessment, histologic type, T and N stages, molecular subtype, and Ki-67 index. Results: Among 508 patients, 7 with breast cancer were identified after a positive result. The cancer detection rate was 13.8 per 1000 screening exams, and the recall rate was 17.9%. The sensitivity was 100%, and the specificity was 83.2%. The false negative rate was 0 per 1000 exams. The PPV1, PPV2, and PPV3 were 7.7, 31.8, and 31.8, respectively. Conclusion Digital breast tomosynthesis may be a promising breast cancer screening modality for women with gynecologic cancer, based on the high cancer detection rate, high sensitivity, high PPV, and high detection rate of early-stage cancer observed in our study.

PURPOSE: Intra-abdominal leiomyosarcoma is an uncommon malignant tumor, and its standard treatment is surgical resection. However, there is no generally preferred treatment for its metastatic mass, especially in the liver.METHODS: According to the sarcoma registry, 476 patients were diagnosed as leiomyosarcoma and received treatment in Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. And from 2003 to 2015, surgical resections of liver metastases were performed in 10 patients with leiomyosarcoma. The characteristics and short-term results were documented.RESULTS: Of the 10 patients, the median age was 48 years and the median survival period was 34.2 months. The mean period from primary resection to liver metastasis was 12.9 months. Six patients had a single metastatic mass, and four had multiple nodules. One patient had an additional distant metastasis outside of the liver. Eight patients had a partial hepatectomy, and the others were treated using segmentectomy or lobectomy. Two patients (20%) died during follow-up. Four patients showed metastasis to other organs after surgical resection of the liver.CONCLUSION: Intra-abdominal leiomyosarcoma with liver metastasis is a very rare disease. Long-term survival can be achieved after surgical resection and should be considered for all patients.
Chungcheongnam-do ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Korea ; Leiomyosarcoma ; Liver ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Rare Diseases ; Sarcoma ; Seoul

PURPOSE: Oncogen or growth factor receptor such as phospholipase C isoenzyme gamma-1 (PLC gamma-1), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and Her-2/neu which related with tyrosin kinasemay and then regulating vell proliferation may have a role as prognostic factors for breast cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: With assumption that expression of PLC gamma-1, EGFR and Her-2/neu oncogene has close relationship with prognosis of breast cancer, 59 breast cancer patients who were operated upon at Korea University Hospital during a period of 6 years starting June 1988 to May 1994 were selected for this study. This study was carried out by comparing between expression of PLC gamma-1, EGFR and Her-2/neu oncogene and patient's survival rate. These expression were also compared with TNM system, estrogen and progesterone receptor and at same time these expressions were compared with each other to see whether there are any relationship among these expression. RESULTS: Expression of PLC gamma-1, EGFR and Her-2/neu were present in 42% (25/59), 46% (27/59) and 20% (12/59). The expression of PLC gamma-1 was closely related with the expression of EGFR (p<0.05) and Her-2/neu (p<0.05), but there were no relationship between the expression of PLC gamma-1 and hormonal receptors and TNM stage (p>0.05). The expression of EGFR was closely related with the expression of Her-2/neu (p<0.05) and hormone receptors (p<0.05), but there were no relationship between the expression of EGFR and pathologic TNM stage (p>0.05). The expression of Her-2/neu was not closely related with hormone receptors and TNM stage except axillary lymph node metastasis. There were close relationship between overall and disease free survival and PLC gamma-1 and Her-2/neu. But EGFR had only related with disease free survival rate. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the expression of PLC gamma-1, EGFR and Her-2/neu oncogene in human breast cancer may be useful prognostic factors independently and it may potentiated its individual value as a prognostic factors if use them together.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Estrogens ; Humans* ; Korea ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Oncogenes ; Phospholipases* ; Prognosis ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Survival Rate ; Type C Phospholipases*

PURPOSE: To reduce the side effects and improve the effectiveness of standard chemoradiation therapy, many complementary or alternative medicines have been tried. However, little is known about its immunologic effects in breast cancer patients. The aim of this study was to assess the immunologic effects of mistletoe extract (Viscum album L., VAE) in patients with early breast cancer after surgery followed by standard adjuvant chemoradiation therapy. METHODS: A total 20 patients with early breast cancer treated with breast conserving surgery followed conventional chemoradiation therapy. Ten of these patients received subcutaneous injections of VAE for 7 weeks. IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TGF-beta, and IFN-gamma levels in serum samples were measured in all patients. RESULTS: The concentrations of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and TGF-beta were not significantly changed between before and after VAE treatment in both test and control group. The concentration of IL-6 in the test group was increased from 8.19+/-1.75 pg/mL to 9.86+/-1.46 pg/mL after treatment (p=0.013). The concentration of IFN-gamma in the test group was remarkably increased from 91.76+/-17.16 pg/mL to 167.42+/-66.61 pg/mL after treatment (p=0.009). CONCLUSION: Significant increases in the concentration of IL-6 and IFN-gamma were observed after VAE treatment. These results suggest that VAE treatment can stimulate immune responses, especially cell-mediated immunity in immune-compromised patients received the chemoradiation for breast cancer.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-4 ; Interleukin-6 ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Mistletoe ; Transforming Growth Factor beta

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to elucidate neuroprotective effect of carnosine in early stage of stroke. METHODS: Early stage of rodent stroke model and neuroblastoma chemical hypoxia model was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion and antimycin A. Neuroprotective effect of carnosine was investigated with 100, 250, and 500 mg of carnosine treatment. And antioxidant expression was analyzed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and western blot in brain and blood. RESULTS: Intraperitoneal injection of 500 mg carnosine induced significant decrease of infarct volume and expansion of penumbra (p<0.05). The expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) showed significant increase than in saline group in blood and brain (p<0.05). In the analysis of chemical hypoxia, carnosine induced increase of neuronal cell viability and decrease of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. CONCLUSION: Carnosine has neuroprotective property which was related to antioxidant capacity in early stage of stroke. And, the oxidative stress should be considered one of major factor in early ischemic stroke.
Anoxia ; Antimycin A ; Blotting, Western ; Brain ; Carnosine* ; Cell Survival ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Ischemia* ; Neuroblastoma ; Neurons ; Neuroprotective Agents* ; Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Rodentia* ; Stroke ; Superoxide Dismutase