BACKGROUND: The reference list is an important part of a scientific papers. To be useful it must be accurate OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate quotation accuracy in the Korean Journal of Dermatology and the Annals of Dermatology. METHODS: We randomly selected 35 references from Korean Journal of Dermatology and 35 references from Annals of Dermatology and checked them against the original articles. RESULTS: The overall rate of quotation error was 32.9%, respectively 40% in the Annals of Dermatology and 25.7% in the Korean Journal of Dermatology. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the rate of quotation errors is unacceptably high in the Korean Journal of Dermatology and the Annals of Dermatology, which significantly diminishes the value of the information of its source.
Dermatology*

Familial benign pemphigus(Hailey-Hailey disease) is a rare hereditary dermatosis that begins in the 2nd or 3rd decade of life. The skin lesion is characterized by a localized, recurrent eruption of small vesicles on an erythematous base. During its course there are remissions and exacerbations. It seldom begins in early childhood or after the age of 50. The main treatment modalities are conservative ones. A 59-year-old woman with familial benign chronic pemphigus presented with a 10 year history of generalized pruritic recurrent skin lesions on her neck, axilla, inguinal, antecubital, and trunk area. Physical examination showed moist, macerated, fissured and scaly patches on an erythematous base in the axillae, groins, neck, antecubital, and trunk. A biopsy specimen showed extensive suprabasal separation containing acantholytic cells.
Axilla ; Biopsy ; Female ; Groin ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Pemphigus* ; Pemphigus, Benign Familial ; Physical Examination ; Skin ; Skin Diseases

Cyclosporine(CsA) has been known to cause an endothelial dysfunction following its use as an immunosuppressive agent. On the other hand, the vascular endothelium has been recognized as an endocrine organ in its own right, i.e., it releases vasoactive factors such as nitric oxide(NO) and hyperpolarizing factor(EDHF). NO is synthesized by at least three isoforms of NO synthases(NOS), among which ecNOS is constitutively expressed in the endothelium. The principle of EDHF has not been determined. The present study was aimed at further investigating the mechanisms underlying the CsA-induced vasculopathy. Rats were treated with CsA (25mg/kg/day, subcutaneous) for one week and their thoracic aortae were isolated. Their changes of iso-metric tension in responses to acetylcholine, diazoxide, and high concentrations of calcium were recorded. The expression of ecNOS mRNA and protein was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase reaction and Western blot analysis, respectively. The acetylcholine-induced relaxation of the aortic rings was significantly diminished follawing the CsA-treatment, which was prevented by L-arginine supplemented along with the CsA-treatment. The relaxation of the thoracic aorta in response to either diazoxide or high concentrations of extracellular calcium was not affected by CsA-treatrnent. The vascular tissue contents of NO metabolites were significantly decreased following the CsA-treatment, which was also prevented by L-arginine-supple-mentation. Neither ecNOS mRNA nor protein expression was significantly altered following the CsA-treatment. It is suggested that CsA induces an endothelial dysfunction, which cannot be attributed to an altered role of EDHF, but to an impairment in L-arginine/NO pathway at the steps beyond NOS protein expression.
Acetylcholine ; Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Arginine ; Blotting, Western ; Calcium ; Diazoxide ; Endothelium ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Hand ; Protein Isoforms ; Rats* ; Relaxation ; RNA, Messenger

No abstract available.
Child* ; Cytomegalovirus* ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique* ; Humans ; Prevalence*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Laparotomy* ; Ovarian Neoplasms*

BACKGROUND: The reference list is an important part of a scientific article. To be useful it must be accurate. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of reference citations in the Korean Journal of Dermatology and the Annals of Dermatology. METHODS: We randomly selected 200 references (100 references from Korean language journals and 100 references from foreign language journals) from the Korean Journal of Dermatology and 100 references from the Annals of Dermatology and checked them against the .original articles. RESULTS: The overall rate of citation error was 32%, and errors in the title and author names of the citation were common, each occurring in about two fifths of the citation errors. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the rate of citation errors is unacceptably high in the Korean Journal of Dermatology and the Annals of Dermatology, which significantly diminishes the value of the reference list.
Dermatology*

BACKGROUND: Statistical errors have been noted in a large percentage of articles appearing in medical journals. Their incidence in the Annals of Dermatology and the Korean Journal of Dermatology, however, has not been studied. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of statistical methods in the Annals of Dermatology and the Korean Journal of Dermatology. METHOD: Original papers using the t test in the Annals of Dermatology(AD) and in the Korean Journal of Dermatology(KJD) from January 1990 to July 1994 were analyzed for correctness of statistical methods. RESULTS: Of the 376 original papers in the period considered, 78(20.7%) presented t tests and 43(55.1%) of these also contained some errors. Of the 9 papers from the Annals of Dermatology, 4(44.4%) included at least one error. Of the 69 papers from the Korean Journal of Dermatology, 39(56.5%) included at least one error. CONCLUSION: Misuse of statistical methodology may not be uncommon in the two Korean Dermatology journals, and it would be prudent to give more attention to statistical methodology.
Dermatology* ; Incidence ; Methods

No abstract available.
Fingers*

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease characterized by multisystem involvement and various laboratory findings. A retrospective study was made of the medical records of 59 patients with SLE at Severance hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, for the analysis of clinical and laboratory findings during the years 1970 through 198I. The results were compared with those of previous serial studies in Korea and western countries. The results obtained are as follows: l. In 59 patients with SLE, 7 patients were men and 52 patients were women (M: F=l: 7.4). Their age at onset of the dsiease ranged mainly in the 3rd and 4th decades. 2. The major clinical manifestations were skin eruptions (81%), fever(73%), renal involvements(66%), pulrnonary(66%) and cardiac(61%) abnomalities. 3. The variety of skin and mucus membrane manifestations seen included butterfly rash of face(53%), maculopapular eruption (34%), purpura(22%), and mucosal ulcer (19%) in that order. 4. Mucosal ulcers and alopecia were correlated closely with exacerbations of disease activity. Patients with Raynauds phenomenon were not likely to have severe organ involvement. 5. Compared with Western series, renal manifestation, anemia and thrombocytopenia were more frequent, and lymphadenopathy, Raynauds phenomenon and alopecia were less frequent. 6. The ANA test showed a, high sensitivity(96%) and a high titer. Compared with the patients showing a speckled pattern(30%), those showing a homogenous pattern(60%) had more severe organ involvement and poorer prognosis. 7. The anti-nDNA antibody test had a high sensitivity(81%), and indicated. severe renal involvement and poorer prognosis. Also, the titer correlated well with disease activity. 8. The disease was associated with autoimmune hemolytic anemia, Buergers disease, thyroid diseases, myelofibrcsis and chilblain. 9. A bimodal rnortality pattern was seen with infection being the major cause of early death, and renal failure and cardiopulmonary abnormalities in late death.
Alopecia ; Anemia ; Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Butterflies ; Chilblains ; Exanthema ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Male ; Medical Records ; Membranes ; Mucus ; Prognosis ; Renal Insufficiency ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin ; Thromboangiitis Obliterans ; Thrombocytopenia ; Thyroid Diseases ; Ulcer

No abstract available.
Cicatrix* ; Contracture*