Two cases of pseudoxanthoma elasticum associated with angioid streaks in both eyes were presented and the literatures were reviewed. The affected sisters were 15 and 18 years female among the five siblings. They had pin head sized yellowish maculopapular eruptions on the sides of the neck and axillae, and also visual distubance of the both eyes. They seemed to be autosomal recessive inberitance in their family background. There were no other complications.
Angioid Streaks ; Axilla ; Female ; Head ; Humans ; Neck ; Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum* ; Siblings

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is the most common etiologic agent of pneumonia in school-aged children and young adults. It involves not only the respiratory system but includes extrapulmonary complications such as exanthem, hemolysis, arthritis, hepatic dysfuction, cardiac disease, and central nervous system disease. The pathogenesis of extrapulmonary involvements may be an autoimmune phenomena. Recent studies suggest that bronchial asthma can be initiated by Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. We experienced a five-year-old girl suffering simultaneously from Guillain-Barr syndrome and initial bronchial asthmatic attack after mycoplasma pneumonia. She was admitted with lower-leg pain and weakness for three days. Ten days before admission, she was coughing and showed on a chest X-ray, pneumonic infitrations of both subhilar peribronchial areas. The titers of anti-mycoplasma antibody and cold hemagglutinin were 1:80 and 1:32, respectively. With a progression of paralysis to the upper extremities, she showed dyspnea, dysphagia and right facial palsy on the second hospital day. We performed a tracheostomy and started artificial ventilation. Unexpectedly, she showed continuous dyspnea, poor lung aeration and revealed severe hypoxemia in serial arterial gas analysis. Intravenous theophylline, high-dose corticosteroid and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy resulted in a progressive improvement of lung condition. She recovered completely from neurologic and pulmonic complications after five weeks.
Anoxia ; Arthritis ; Asthma* ; Central Nervous System ; Child ; Cough ; Deglutition Disorders ; Dyspnea ; Exanthema ; Facial Paralysis ; Female ; Heart Diseases ; Hemagglutinins ; Hemolysis ; Humans ; Immunization, Passive ; Lung ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae ; Mycoplasma* ; Paralysis ; Pneumonia ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma* ; Respiratory System ; Theophylline ; Thorax ; Tracheostomy ; Upper Extremity ; Ventilation ; Young Adult

Flow cytometry, a useful tool for measuring DNA content and cell differentiation as expressed by cell surface markers, is utilized to measure multiple antigens, especially surface antigen, intracellular oncoprotein, and DNA content, simultaneously. For this simultaneous detection, several methods off ixation and permeabilization have been used with limited values. In this study, 20 ng/ml of lysolecithin in 1% paraformaldehyde solution was utilized for fixation and permeabilization of cultured promyelocytic leukemic cells(HL 60). The cells were first stained with phycoerythrin (PE)-conjugated monoclonal antibody to the cell surface My 7 antigen and then were fixed and permeabilized with 20 ng/ml of lysolecithin in 1% partormaldehyde solution. After incubation, the fixed and permeabilized cells were stained with monoclonal antibody to intracellular c-myc antigen, which were followed by fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated secondary antibody. The c-myc stained cells were finally stained for DNA content with 7-amino-actinomycin D(7-AAD). This procedure permits excellent staining for intracellular oncoproteins and preservation of surface antigens with relatively low cofficients of variation (CV) for the G0G1 peak of the DNA histograms and suggests that the sequential staining procedure of surface antigen, intracellular antigen, and DNA content will be extended for the study of correlations with cellular differentiation, expression of oncoproteins, and cell cycle analysis in the cells which are obtained from human malignant diseases using a 488 nm single laser flow cytometry.
Antigens, Surface* ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Differentiation ; DNA* ; Flow Cytometry* ; Fluorescein ; Humans ; Oncogene Proteins ; Phycoerythrin

The tuberculous peritonitis, especially in pregnancy, is very rare and difficult to diagnose since there is no diagnostic clue and limitation of diagnostic means. The clinical features may vary such as fever, chill, tachycardia, abdominal tenderness or rebound tenderness which are not controlled easily with antibiotics. It is possible to diagnose by AFB culture and biopsy through exploro-laparotomy which is done due to uncontrolled symptoms even to unstable vital signs. It's clinical symptoms and signs are dramatically improved with antituberculotic therapy. Recently we have experienced a case of tubeculous peritonitis at 29 weeks gestation which was diagnosed through exploro-laparotomy including cesarean section. So we report this case with a brief review of literature
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Biopsy ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Fever ; Peritonitis ; Peritonitis, Tuberculous* ; Pregnancy* ; Tachycardia ; Vital Signs

We investigated the expression of MAGE-1, -2, and -3 genes in tissues of 51 gastric carcinomas from Korean patients and in 11 gastric cancer cell lines established in Korea using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction along with immunohistochemical analyses and DNA sequencing. Among the 51 gastric carcinomas, MAGE-1, -2, and -3 genes were expressed in 16 (31%), 22 (43%), and 17 (33%), respectively, and 31 (60%) expressed at least one of the three genes. In contrast, none of the three MAGE genes were expressed in normal sites of gastric tissue from each cancer patient. Out of 11 gastric cancer cell lines, MAGE-1, -2, and -3 genes were expressed in two (18%), five (46%), and four (36%), respectively. According to the clinicopathological analysis, the expression of any of the three MAGE genes was not significantly correlated with several clinicopathological factors except histologic types (p= 0.067). Immunohistochemical analyses identified positive staining with monoclonal antibodies 77B and 57B specifically against MAGE-1 and -3 proteins, respectively, in nuclei and cytoplasms of cells in mRNA-positive tumor tissue. These findings suggest the possibility as a target for tumor-specific immunotherapy for Korean patients.
Antigens, Neoplasm/genetics* ; Female ; Human ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Age ; Neoplasm Proteins/genetics* ; Neoplasm Proteins/analysis ; RNA, Messenger/analysis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Stomach Neoplasms/therapy ; Stomach Neoplasms/pathology ; Stomach Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

No abstract available.
Aged ; Bone Marrow/pathology ; Genome, Human ; Humans ; Isochromosomes/*genetics ; Karyotyping ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/complications/*diagnosis/genetics ; *Loss of Heterozygosity ; Male ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Thrombocytosis/*etiology

Ginseng products available in different forms and preparations are reported to have varied bioactivities and chemical compositions. In our previous study, four new dammarane-type ginsenosides were isolated from Panax ginseng, which are ginsenoside Rg18 (1), 6-acetyl ginsenoside Rg3 (2), ginsenoside Rs11 (3), and ginsenoside Re7 (4). Accordingly, the goal of this study was to determine the distribution and content of these newly characterized ginsenosides in different ginseng products. The content of compounds 1 – 4 in different ginseng products was determined via HPLC-UV. The samples included ginseng roots from different ginseng species, roots harvested from different localities in Korea, and samples harvested at different cultivation ages and processed under different manufacturing methods. The four ginsenosides were present at varying concentrations in the different ginseng samples examined. The variations in their content could be attributed to species variation, and differences in cultivation conditions and manufacturing methods. The total concentration of compounds 1 – 4 were highest in ginseng obtained from Geumsan (185 µg/g), white-6 yr ginseng (150 µg/g), and P. quinquefolius (186 µg/g). The results of this study provide a basis for the optimization of cultivation conditions and manufacturing methods to maximize the yield of the four new ginsenosides in ginseng.
Ginsenosides ; Korea ; Panax

In order to assess the effects of radiofrequency-induced local hyperthermia on the normal liver, histopathologic findings and biochemical changes after localized hyperthemia in canine liver were studied. Hyperthermia was externally administered using the Thermotron RF-8 (Yamamoto Vinyter Co., Japan; Capacitive type heating machine) with parallel opposed electrodes. Thirteen dogs were used and allocated into one control group (N=3) and two treatment groups according to the treatment temperature. GroupI(N=5) was heated with 42.5+/-0.5degree C for 30 minutes, and GroupII(N=5) was heated with 45+/-0.5degree C for 15-30 minutes. Samples of liver tissue were obtained through a needle biopsy immediately afterhyperthermia and 7, 14 and 28 days after treatment and examined for SGOT, SGPT and alkaline phosphatase. Although SGOT and SGPT were elevated after hyperthermia in both groups (three of five in each group), there was no liver cell necrosis or hyperthermia related mortality in GroupI. A hydropic swelling of hepatocytes was prominent histologic finding. Hyperthermia with 45degree C for 30 minutes was fatal and showed extensive liver cell necrosis. In conclusion, liver damage day heat of 42.5+/-0.5degree C for 30 minutes is reversible, and liver damage by heat of 45+/-0.5degree C for 30 minutes can be fatal or irreversible. However, these results cannot be applied directly to human trial. Therefore, in order to apply hyperthermic treatment on human liver tumor safely, close observation of temperature with proper thermometry is mandatory. Hyperthermic treatment should be confined to the tumor area while sparing a normal liver as much as possible.
Alanine Transaminase ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Biopsy, Needle ; Dogs ; Electrodes ; Fever ; Heating ; Hepatocytes ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Hyperthermia, Induced* ; Japan ; Liver* ; Mortality ; Necrosis ; Thermometry

Floating thrombi in the aortic arch are very rare, and often go under-diagnosed. Herein, a case of an 8-cm long thrombus in the aortic arch is reported. It was a floating, highly mobile thrombus attached to the atherosclerotic plaque in the proximal aortic arch. The patient was a 59-year-old woman with a history of hypertension. The thrombus was operatively removed, with a favorable outcome.
Aorta, Thoracic* ; Arteriosclerosis ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Middle Aged ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Thrombosis*

Acute pancreatitis can result in many vascular complications in both artery and vein. Venous complication usually occurs as a form of splenic or portal vein thrombosis, and also can simultaneously occur in superior mesenteric vein as well. Rarely, isolated superior mesenteric vein thrombosis occurs as a venous complication. Although it is uncommon, mesenteric vein thrombosis is an important clinical entity because of the possibility of mesenteric ischemia and infarction of small bowel. The treatments of mesenteric venous thrombosis include anticoagulation therapy, transcatheter therapy and surgical intervention. We report a case of 45-year-old man who had acute pancreatitis with isolated superior mesenteric vein thrombosis, which was spontaneously dissolved with the resolution of underlying inflammation without anticoagulation or surgical intervention.
Acute Disease ; Humans ; Male ; *Mesenteric Veins ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis/complications/*diagnosis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Venous Thrombosis/*diagnosis/etiology/radiography