We report herein a case of eosinophilic pustular follicultis in a 20-year-old man. The patient showed typical clinical picture with specific laboratory and histopathological findings of eosinophilic pustular folliculitis. The patient responded well to systemic administration of corticosteroid and dapsone.
Dapsone ; Eosinophils* ; Folliculitis* ; Humans ; Young Adult

No abstract available.

T cell activation is a critical event for initiation and regulation of immune responses and inhibitors of such signaling pathways are clinically useful for the treatment of patients received allogratt and autoimmune disease. In the course of screening soil microorganisms from the forest of Cheju island in Korea for new immunosuppressive agent, one of Streptomyces species (CK-95441) was found to produce a new immunosuppressant, tautomycetin which also had antifungal activity. Tautomycetin showed the inhibition of T cell proliferation in murine mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and T cell activation induced by concanavalin A. Tautomycetin also blocked the induction of IL-2 gene expression which was examined in Jurkat TAg cell line in which multiple NFAT-binding sites and minimal IL-2 promoter drive the production of B-galactosidase. Also, the level of inhibition in activation-induced IL-2 receptor expression by tautomycetin was greater than those by cyclosporin A measured by flow cytometry. But, Fas ligand-induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells was unaffected by tautomycetin which was measured by DNA fragmentation assay. These results suggested that tautomycetin will be able to be used as a potent immunosuppressive drug following organ transplantation.

No abstract available.
Epidermolysis Bullosa ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne ; Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Preimplantation Diagnosis*

In a comparative, prospective randomized study 200 patients underwent myelography using iopamidol (150 patients) or metrizamide (50 patients) as contrast medium. Adverse reactions were few, mild, and short in duration in iopamidol myelography compared to metrizamide myelography. Seizure occured in 2 patients with the use of metrizamide. Iopamidol appears to be superior to metrizamide for intrathecal administration.
Humans ; Iopamidol* ; Metrizamide ; Myelography* ; Prospective Studies ; Seizures

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: For nasal augmentation surgery, several materials have been used. Porous material, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex(R)) contains numerous pores which allow stability of the implant, but this advantage has been tempered by unpredictable outcomes. The purpose of this study is to evaluate morphological and histological changes of reinforced Gore-Tex(R) in the rabbit model. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Twenty New Zealand white rabbits were used. The reinforced Gore-Tex(R) block was implanted in the nasal dorsum. According to the duration of implantation, rabbits were divided into four groups such as 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. The animals were grossly examined with respect to the status of the Gore-Tex(R). We evaluated the three-dimensional size of the implants over time and used light and electron microscopy to investigate the histological changes associated with the whole tissue blocks. RESULTS: Grossly, none of the implants was lost or extruded and there was no evidence of wound infection. Diminution rates of thickness, width and height in the implants were respectively 16.7%, 7.5%, and 3.5%. Histologically, the growth of connective tissue was observed in all specimens and internodal space was decreased by connective tissue ingrowth as time goes on. Neovascularization was observed in the groups for which duration was longer than 6 months, and degenerative changes were also observed in the groups over 6 month of implanted duration. CONCLUSION: The reinforced e-PTFE should be carefully trimmed because of the possibility of decreasing size over time. And additional studies are needed to further investigate the stability of Gore-Tex(R).
Animals ; Connective Tissue ; Imidazoles ; Light ; Microscopy, Electron ; Nitro Compounds ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Rabbits ; Reinforcement (Psychology) ; Rhinoplasty ; Wound Infection

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although Gore-Tex is popularly used in nasal augmentation in human, studies about the histological changes have been carried out only in animal models. The purpose of this study is to investigate histological changes of Gore-Tex used in nasal augmentation in human. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Gore-Tex of 24 patients who underwent nasal augmentation using Gore-Tex (non-reinforced sheets) 2-36 months ago and had re-operated for the sole cosmetic problems was obtained. Histologic examination was performed from specimens including Gore-Tex and the surrounding soft tissue with light microscope and electromicroscope. RESULTS: Histologically, connective tissue ingrowth was observed in all specimen. But the degree of foreign body reaction and collagen deposit varied from specimen to specimen and had no relationship with the duration. Neovascularization was observed from specimen whose duration was longer than 12 months and degenerative calcification was observed from 36 month old specimen. CONCLUSION: Unlike the findings of previous reports, individual differences and partial degenerative lesions in Gore-Tex were observed. Additional studies are required to confirm the stability of Gore-Tex as an implant to be used in human.
Child, Preschool ; Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Humans* ; Individuality ; Models, Animal ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Rhinoplasty

OBJECTIVE: Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is reserved for couples with a risk of transmitting a serious and incurable disease, and hence avoids the undesirable therapeutic abortion. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of PGD for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) cases by the fluorescent PCR with polymorphic linked markers and the conventional duplex-nested PCR methods. METHODS: Biopsy of one or two blastomeres was done from the embryos fertilized by ICSI on the third day after fertilization. We performed two cases of PGD-DMD by the duplex-nested PCR for the causative mutation loci and the SRY gene on Y chromosome. The triplex fluorescent PCR for the mutation loci, the SRY gene and the polymorphic microsatellite marker on X chromosome was applied for two cases of PGD-DMD. RESULTS: By the duplex-nested PCR, successful diagnosis rate was 95.5% (21/22), but we could not discriminate the female embryos whether normal or carrier in this X-linked recessive disease. However, the triplex fluorescent PCR method showed 100% (27/27) of successful diagnosis rate, and all female embryos (n=17) were distinguished normal (n=10) from carrier (n=7) embryos. Unaffected and normal embryos were transferred into mother's uterus after diagnosis. A healthy normal male was achieved after PGD with the duplex-nested PCR method and a twin, a male and a female, were delivered with triplex fluorescent PCR method. The normality of dystrophin gene was confirmed by amniocentesis and postnatal genetic analysis in all offsprings. CONCLUSION: The fluorescent PCR with polymorphic marker might be useful in improving the specificity and reliability of PGD for single gene disorders.
Abortion, Therapeutic ; Amniocentesis ; Biopsy ; Blastomeres ; Diagnosis ; Dystrophin ; Embryonic Structures ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Fertilization ; Genes, sry ; Humans ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Pregnancy ; Preimplantation Diagnosis* ; Prostaglandins D ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Twins ; Uterus ; X Chromosome ; Y Chromosome

Steroid sulfatase (STS) is an enzyme responsible for the hydrolysis of aryl and alkyl sulfates. STS plays a pivotal role in the regulation of estrogens and androgens that promote the growth of hormone-dependent tumors, such as those of breast or prostate cancer. However, the molecular function of STS in tumor growth is still not clear. To elucidate the role of STS in cancer cell proliferation, we investigated whether STS is able to regulate the integrin signaling pathway. We found that overexpression of STS in HeLa cells increases the protein and mRNA levels of integrin β1 and fibronectin, a ligand of integrin α5β1. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), one of the main metabolites of STS, also increases mRNA and protein expression of integrin β1 and fibronectin. Further, STS expression and DHEA treatment enhanced phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) at the Tyr 925 residue. Moreover, increased phosphorylation of ERK at Thr 202 and Tyr 204 residues by STS indicates that STS activates the MAPK/ERK pathway. In conclusion, these results suggest that STS expression and DHEA treatment may enhance MAPK/ERK signaling through up-regulation of integrin β1 and activation of FAK.
Androgens ; Breast ; Cell Proliferation ; Dehydroepiandrosterone ; Estrogens ; Fibronectins ; Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; HeLa Cells ; Humans* ; Hydrolysis ; Phosphorylation ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; RNA, Messenger ; Steryl-Sulfatase* ; Sulfates ; Up-Regulation ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

We report a recently encountered case of angioleiomyoma in oropharynx. The patient was a 26-year-old woman. The main symptoms were feeling of narrowing down of the pharynx and difficulty in breathing in the left supine position. Laryngoscopy revealed a 3.5cm-sized, spherical mass with a smooth surface, originating in the right oropharyngeal wall. The tumor was successfully removed using suspension microlaryngoscopy under general anesthesia. Histopathologically, it was well circumscribed and composed of proliferating smooth muscle fibers and dilated blood vessels. The tumor is a benign nature and recurrence is rare. Complete removal is the treatment of choice with care taken to avoid profuse bleeding.
Adult ; Anesthesia, General ; Angiomyoma* ; Blood Vessels ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Laryngoscopy ; Muscle, Smooth ; Oropharynx ; Pharynx ; Recurrence ; Respiration ; Supine Position