No abstract available.
Bone Marrow Examination* ; Bone Marrow*

BACKGROUND: Melasma is an acquired, symmetrical hypermelanosis that occurs on sun-exposed areas of the skin. It has significant emotional and psychological effects on those affected with the condition. Melasma Quality of Life Scale (MELASQOL) is a specific questionnaire to identify the most impaired areas of melasma patient's life. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose of this study is to investigate the changing of MELASQOL after the treatment of melasma. METHODS: A total of 27 volunteers with melasma were enrolled in this 8-week treatment study. The patients were instructed to apply an arbutin-containing cream, once a day for 8 weeks. The assessment of outcomes included the colorimetric value (L*) and MELASQOL score. RESULTS: The arbutin-containing cream group increased more in the colorimetric values (L*) after the 8-week treatment (p<0.01). The MELASQOL score was decreased (p=0.02). No significant adverse reactions were observed. CONCLUSION: The treatment of melasma improves the QOL of melasma patients.
Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Melanosis ; Quality of Life ; Skin ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Abdomen ; Syringoma

No abstract available.
Abdomen ; Syringoma

No abstract available.
Dermatitis, Seborrheic* ; Lice Infestations*

No abstract available.
Dermatitis, Seborrheic* ; Lice Infestations*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of exercise intervention, including dumbbell(weight lifting), walking, and yoga, on the body composition, physiologic factors, body image, and perceived health in the community-dwelling women. METHOD: This study utilized pretest-posttest design with three types of exercise interventions. The types of exercise intervention included dumbbell, walking, and yoga. RESULTS: A total of 136 subjects were included: 49 for dumbbell, 67 for walking, and 20 for yoga. As measures of body composition, BMI, body weight, and body fat rate were significantly improved only after dumbbell intervention(p<.01). Systolic blood pressures were significantly decreased in the groups of dumbbell and walking. Diastolic blood pressure was significantly declined only in the walking group. Vital capacities and body image were improved in all groups(p<.01). However, total cholesterol levels were not improved in all groups(p>.05) and none of the measures for perceived health state were not significantly changed in all groups(p>.05). CONCLUSION: From the findings of this study, it was demonstrated that the effects of exercise interventions were differentiated by their types and variables to be affected. Therefore, future studies that apply the tailored exercise intervention to each age-categorical group are needed.
Adipose Tissue ; Blood Pressure ; Body Composition ; Body Image ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Female ; Humans ; Vital Capacity ; Walking* ; Yoga* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of exercise intervention, including dumbbell(weight lifting), walking, and yoga, on the body composition, physiologic factors, body image, and perceived health in the community-dwelling women. METHOD: This study utilized pretest-posttest design with three types of exercise interventions. The types of exercise intervention included dumbbell, walking, and yoga. RESULTS: A total of 136 subjects were included: 49 for dumbbell, 67 for walking, and 20 for yoga. As measures of body composition, BMI, body weight, and body fat rate were significantly improved only after dumbbell intervention(p<.01). Systolic blood pressures were significantly decreased in the groups of dumbbell and walking. Diastolic blood pressure was significantly declined only in the walking group. Vital capacities and body image were improved in all groups(p<.01). However, total cholesterol levels were not improved in all groups(p>.05) and none of the measures for perceived health state were not significantly changed in all groups(p>.05). CONCLUSION: From the findings of this study, it was demonstrated that the effects of exercise interventions were differentiated by their types and variables to be affected. Therefore, future studies that apply the tailored exercise intervention to each age-categorical group are needed.
Adipose Tissue ; Blood Pressure ; Body Composition ; Body Image ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Female ; Humans ; Vital Capacity ; Walking* ; Yoga* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Proteinase-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) is cleaved, and it is activated by trypsin or mast cell tryptase. PAR2 plays an important role in inflammation. The aim of this study is to examine the potential of PAR2 agonists to modulate TNF-alpha secretion from the human astrocytoma cell line CCF-STTG1. METHODS: PAR2 expression in CCF-STTG1 was examined using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemistry. The potential of PAR2 agonists to modulate TNF-alpha secretion from CCF-STTG1 was examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: CCF-STTG1 expresses PAR2. PAR2 agonists such as trypsin, mast cell tryptase, and activating peptide SLIGKV-NH2 (corresponding to the PAR2 tethered ligand) directly signal CCF-STTG1 to induce the secretion of TNF-alpha but not in the case of the soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI) or VKGILS-NH2 (control peptide). Furthermore, the secretion of TNF-alpha was significantly reduced in CCF-STTG1 cells pre-treated with either 50 microM PD98059 (mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor) or 1 microM SB203580 (p38 MAPK inhibitor) 30 min before trypsin stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that trypsin may induce TNF-alpha secretion through the activation of MEK and p38 MAPK via PAR2 in astrocytoma cell line CCF-STTG1.
Astrocytes* ; Astrocytoma ; Cell Line* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inflammation ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Phosphotransferases ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Soybeans ; Trypsin ; Tryptases ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

BACKGROUND: Cheilitis is a common problem, the cause of which is often obscure. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the frequency of allergic contact cheilitis and irritant contact cheilitis among 23 eczematous cheilitis patients via patch testing and assessment of past medical history. METHODS: This study consisted of 23 patients with eczematous cheilitis who had visited the Department of Dermatology, two University Hospital in Incheon, between January 2005 and August 2006. Of the 23 patients, 20 were female, and the age range was 15 to 70 years. We analyzed the clinical characteristics (age, gender, duration, atopic or allergic disease, lip licking) of the patients. All patients were patch-tested with the Korean standard series, 9 patients with the Cosmetic series and 5 patients with as is test. We then analyzed the results of the patch tests and evaluated the relevance of any positive results. RESULTS: Of the cases, 34.78% were identified as irritant contact dermatitis (ICD), and 30.43% as allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Furthermore, of the 23 patients, 11 were positive to one or more antigen and 7 of these had a clinical relevance for positive antigen. The substances causing a positive reaction, triggering ACD were identified as medicaments applied to the lip, lipstick ingredients and toothpaste. CONCLUSION: The most common cause of cheilitis was irritation, frequently caused by lip licking. But, almost one third was caused by ACD. Patients with chronic eczematous cheilitis should be patch-tested to identify the materials causing ACD.
Cheilitis* ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Dermatology ; Female ; Humans ; Incheon ; Lip ; Lip Diseases ; Patch Tests* ; Toothpastes