Scanning electron microscopic(SEM) examination of hair is an efficient and definite method for the diagnosis of hair anomaly. The Hair specimen is placed on a stub, gold coated, and directly viewed without prior fixation or treatment for identification. We have analyzed 25 cases of scalp hair and 2 cases of eyebrow that were sampled with the suspicion of hair anomalies at Seoul National University Hospital during the last 7 year period from January 1988 to June 1992. All 27 cases had certain abnormalities of the hair. They consisted of monilethrix(1 case), hair casts(4 cases), pili torti(1 case), uncombable hair syndrome(1 case), trichorrhexis nodosa(5 cases), woolly hair(5 cases) and other anomaly(1 case). Some cases of them were mixed with two or three anomalies in hairs. Their combinations were; hair casts and woolly hair(1 case), hair casts and pili torti and uncombabla hair syndrome(1 case), hair casts and uncombable hair syndrome and trichorrhexis nodosa(1 case), trichorrhexis nodosa and uncombable hair syndrome(3 cases). Most of these defects included brittleness of scales and distortion of the hair shaft.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated that quantitation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in sera of HBsAg-positive patients is more useful test for the assessment of infectivity and for the evaluation of disease status than previously utilized numerous serological markers and qualitative polymerase chain reaction for the detection of HBV DNA. We tried to measure serum HBV DNA using a branched DNA (bDNA) signal amplification assay, which is recently introduced and known to be a simple and nonradioisotopic method. METHODS: Total forty patients with HBsAg were randomly selected and serum HBV DNA was measured with duplication using bDNA signal amplification assay (QUANTIPLEXTM HBV DNA ASSAY, Chiron, USA). Quantitation was determined from a standard curve and expressed as HBV DNA equivalents/mL (Eq/mL; 1 Eq = 1 molecule of the primary HBV DNA standard). Serum HBeAg, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) , and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) were compared with HBV DNA. RESULTS: Serum HBV DNA was quantitated in 13 patients (32.5%) (range 6.4x106-7.4x109 Eq/mL, mean 1.8x109 Eq/mL, CV 8.1%). All eleven patients (100%) with both HBsAg and HBeAg an4 2 of 29 patients (6.9%) with HBsAg but not with HBeAg showed measurable HBV DNA (p < 0.001). In addition, serum levels of AST, ALT, and sIL-2R were significantly higher in HBV DNA measured patients compared with those of unmeasured patients. CONCLUSIONS: Above results show that more than half the HBsAg-positive patients do not have enough HBV DNA which is measurable with boNA signal amplification assay but all of HBeAg-positive patients and some of HBeAg-negative patients do. In addition, HBV DNA quantitation might be correlated with the disease activity in HBsAg-positive patients because serum levels of AST, ALT, and sIL-2R are higher in patients measured with HBV DNA than unmeasured.
Alanine Transaminase ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Branched DNA Signal Amplification Assay* ; DNA ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

BACKGROUND: T cell mediated immune destruction is an important mechanism of liver injury in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor(sIL-2R) seem to serve as a marker for the T cell activation and progressive liver injury, This study examined serum levels of sIft-2R and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in patients with chronic HCV infection to determine the correlation with the severity of chronic hepatocellular damage. METHODS: Serum levels of sIft-2R in 73 patients with HCV infection (chronic hepatitis 52, liver cirrhosis 9, hepatocellular carcinoma 12) and 40 healthy controls were measured by sandwich enzyme immunoassay (CELLFREE, T Cell Sciences, USA). HCV RNA was quantified by QUANTIPLEX(TM) HCV RNA 2.0 assay (Chiron, USA) with duplication. This assay is a sandwich nucleic acid hybridization procedure using branched DNA amplification for the quantitation of HCV RNA. RESULTS: The sIL-2R levels of 52 patients with chronic hepatitis (591.4+/-238.7U/mL), 9 with liver cirrhosis(949.4+/-721.9 U/mL), and 12 with hepatocellular carcinoma (1,167.4+/- 554.4 U/mL) were significantly higher than those of healthy controls(370.8+/-71.8 U/mL) (p<0.001). A progressive and significant increase occurred in sIL-2R levels with chronic hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in order (p(0.001). The HCV RNA was detected in all patients and the means of HCV viral load were 3.3 MEq/mL in chronic hepatitis, 2.8 MEq/mL in cirrhosis, and 3.7 MEq/mL in HCC. There was no significant correlation between HCV RNA and the severity of liver injury in chronic HCV infection. There were no correlations among sIL-2R, HCV RNA and serum ALT. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that chronic hepatocellular injury by HCV progress mainly by T cell mediated immune response, not by direct cytopathic injury. Also, sIL-2R can be useful as a marker in monitoring the patients with HCV infection at high risk of getting HCC.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; DNA ; Fibrosis ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic* ; Hepatitis* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Interleukin-2* ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; RNA ; Viral Load

BACKGROUND: T cell mediated immune destruction is an important mechanism of liver injury in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor(sIL-2R) seem to serve as a marker for the T cell activation and progressive liver injury, This study examined serum levels of sIft-2R and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in patients with chronic HCV infection to determine the correlation with the severity of chronic hepatocellular damage. METHODS: Serum levels of sIft-2R in 73 patients with HCV infection (chronic hepatitis 52, liver cirrhosis 9, hepatocellular carcinoma 12) and 40 healthy controls were measured by sandwich enzyme immunoassay (CELLFREE, T Cell Sciences, USA). HCV RNA was quantified by QUANTIPLEX(TM) HCV RNA 2.0 assay (Chiron, USA) with duplication. This assay is a sandwich nucleic acid hybridization procedure using branched DNA amplification for the quantitation of HCV RNA. RESULTS: The sIL-2R levels of 52 patients with chronic hepatitis (591.4+/-238.7U/mL), 9 with liver cirrhosis(949.4+/-721.9 U/mL), and 12 with hepatocellular carcinoma (1,167.4+/- 554.4 U/mL) were significantly higher than those of healthy controls(370.8+/-71.8 U/mL) (p<0.001). A progressive and significant increase occurred in sIL-2R levels with chronic hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in order (p(0.001). The HCV RNA was detected in all patients and the means of HCV viral load were 3.3 MEq/mL in chronic hepatitis, 2.8 MEq/mL in cirrhosis, and 3.7 MEq/mL in HCC. There was no significant correlation between HCV RNA and the severity of liver injury in chronic HCV infection. There were no correlations among sIL-2R, HCV RNA and serum ALT. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that chronic hepatocellular injury by HCV progress mainly by T cell mediated immune response, not by direct cytopathic injury. Also, sIL-2R can be useful as a marker in monitoring the patients with HCV infection at high risk of getting HCC.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; DNA ; Fibrosis ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic* ; Hepatitis* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Interleukin-2* ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; RNA ; Viral Load

No abstract available.
Arteriovenous Fistula*

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the functional outcomes of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) and to assess factors affecting the patients' subjective satisfaction after RTSA. METHODS: Forty-three patients (mean age, 75.0 ± 5.2 years) who underwent RTSA for cuff tear arthropathy or irreparable cuff tears with preoperative magnetic resonance imaging and pre- and postoperative radiographs at 1 year, and whose various functional outcomes including pain visual analogue scale (VAS), simple shoulder test, Constant score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, and active range of motion were evaluated preoperatively and at the last follow-up (>12 months) were enrolled. The outcome parameter was set as a satisfaction scale. Various clinical and radiographic factors were analyzed, and their correlations with postoperative satisfaction were evaluated. RESULTS: All functional scores, VAS pain score, and active forward flexion showed significant improvement after surgery (all p<0.001). Twenty-nine patients were satisfied with the results and 14 were dissatisfied. The presence of pseudoparalysis (p=0.028) and worse preoperative function (all p<0.05) were related with higher satisfaction. Any radiologic parameters did not affect patients' postoperative satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: All patients showed a good functional outcome after RTSA, however the patients' subjective postoperative satisfaction was affected by preoperative functional status (higher satisfaction in poor preoperative function), not by radiological findings.
Arthroplasty* ; Elbow ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Shoulder* ; Surgeons ; Tears

No abstract available.
Neck*

We report an extremely rare case in which two tuberculids, papulonecrotic tuberculid and erythema nodosum, occurred together. A 16-year-old girl had two types of clinically distinct lesions; asymptomatic necrotic papules on the upper and lower extremities and painful subcutaneous nodules on the legs. A Mantoux test showed a strong positive reaction. Histopathologic findings of the necrotic papule and subcutaneous nodule were consistent with papulonecrotic tuberculid and erythema nodosum, respectively. There was no extracutaneous focus of tuberculosis. Polymerase chain reaction for tuberculous bacilli in the papulonecrotic tuberculid lesion revealed a negative result. Antituberculous therapy brought a rapid clinical improvement of both lesions.
Adolescent ; Erythema Nodosum* ; Erythema* ; Female ; Humans ; Leg ; Lower Extremity ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Cutaneous*

Male breast cancer is a rare disease, representing approximately 1% of breast cancer and less than 1.5% of malignant tumors occurring in men. We report a case of cuaneous metastasis of male breast cances. a 64-year-old male who presented with multiple nodules and erythematous plaque on the right anterior chest and enlargement of the right axillary lymplinodes. The histopathologic findings of the nodule showed atypical tumor cells with a somew eat gland-like pattern. The cells showed potive reactions in PAS, DPAS and alcian blue stains, and also positive for estrogen and roiesterone receptors. Biopsy specimens taken from the plaque showed cellular arrangement in show line, referred to as Indian filing, between thiclenecin collagen bundles. He was treated not, tamoxifen, 5-fluorouracil, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide and megestrol acetate. 5 months after nitiation of the treatment, the skin lesions were improved vvith a decreased number and size or dules and decreased intensity of erythema.
Alcian Blue ; Biopsy ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast Neoplasms, Male* ; Collagen ; Coloring Agents ; Cyclophosphamide ; Doxorubicin ; Erythema ; Estrogens ; Fluorouracil ; Humans ; Male ; Male* ; Megestrol Acetate ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Rare Diseases ; Skin ; Tamoxifen ; Thorax

We report a case of multiple Bowen's disease associated with leprosy. A 68-year-old man was seen because of slightly pruritic multiple erythematous scaly patches and plaques on the trunk and the both extremities for 5 years. He has been treated for leprosy with many kinds of drugs consisting of the herb medications for over 40 years. He also showed decreased cell-mediated immunity in skin tests. It is considered that depressed cellular immunity may be an important predisposing factor in the development of mutiple Bowen's disease in this case, .although arsenics can not be completetly excluded.
Aged ; Bowen's Disease ; Causality ; Extremities ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Leprosy* ; Skin Tests