OBJECTIVES: A different sequence change, in the mitochondrial tRNA gene, has been proposed as a candidate mutation in the sensorineurnal hearing loss. The purpose of current study is to identify the association between the noise-induced sensorineurnal hearing loss and the A to G mutation at nucleotide 3243 of mitochondrial DNA. METHODS: Subjects were established by history and chart review, and audiological and clinical data were obtained. Blood was sampled from 101 controls, 50 noise-induced hearing loss, and 12 sensorineural deafness. The DNA of these individuals was extracted, and mitochondrial genome was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction. Subsequently, the coding sequence of mitochondrial genome was sequenced, and compared to the normal sequence, and all sequence variations were analyzed by restriction endonuclease ApaI. RESULTS: Mitochondrial DNA mutation (3243A->G) was not detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in any patients with noise-induced hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, and normal control without hearing loss in Koreans. The DNA sequencing of PCR products did not revealed an A to G substitution at nucleotide 3243 of mitochondrial DNA. CONCLUSIONS: The noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss was not associated with mitochondrial DNA mutation (3243A->G)
Clinical Coding ; Deafness ; DNA ; DNA Restriction Enzymes ; DNA, Mitochondrial* ; Genome, Mitochondrial ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural* ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Transfer ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVES: Manganese is cytotoxic to the central nervous system including basal ganglia. Its toxic mechanism is related to oxidative stress, mediated by toxic free radicals but is specultives. In the present study, we have investigated to manifest apoptosis in manganese-induced cytotoxicity in primary neuronal cell culture of rat basal ganglia. METHOD: To detect apoptotic neuronal cells were stained by the terminal deoxynu-cleotide(TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end-labelling(TUNEL) method and apoptotic changes in nuclei of neurons were observed by electron microscopy. RESULTS: We showed that TUNEL immunostain showed brownish signal in the nuclei of apoptotic cells and the proportions of apoptotic cells in Manganese treatment groups were more higher than controls. On transmission electron microscopy, there were chromatine condensation with margination toward nuclear membrane and condensation of cytoplasm in the treated with luM MnC1, for 48 hours in a basal ganglia neurons. Apoptotic bodies were found and consisted of semilunar-like condensed nuclei with relatively intact cytoplasmic organelles. CONCLUSIONS: Apoptosis appears to be one mechanism in the manganese-induced neuronal cell death. Manganese intoxication is a convenient model for apoptosis study.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Basal Ganglia* ; Cell Culture Techniques* ; Cell Death ; Central Nervous System ; Chromatin ; Cytoplasm ; Free Radicals ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Manganese* ; Microscopy, Electron ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Neurons* ; Nuclear Envelope ; Organelles ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats

Lead is a major environmental and occupational neurotoxicant. It has been shown that long-term exposure to a low level of lead impairs the development of brain. For example, it was reported that lead exposure during the childhood causes a learning difficulty and a memory deficit of children. Neurotoxic agents including the lead are believed to cause neuronal death in developing brain by two mechanisms: apoptosis and necrosis. However, the exact mechanism of neuronal death caused by lead exposure is still not known explicitly. In this study, we conducted a study to clarify a mechanism of hippocampal neuronal cell death caused by lead acetate. Hippocampal neurons were cultured for 14-16 days and treated with lead acetate of 1. 10, 100 1 microM concentrations for 12 hours. With the MTT(methyl tetrazolium test) kit, the viability of neuronal cells was measured. Next, in order to examine apoptosis caused by lead acetate, TUNEL (TdT-mediated d-UTP Nick End Labelling) assay was performed. It has been shown that lead acetate reduced the viability of neuronal cells in a dose dependent manner, especially at the concentration of 100 ~M lead acetate. TUNEL immunostain showed brownish signals in the nucleus of apoptotic cells. The proportions of apoptotic cells in the lead?acetate treated group were more higher than those in the controls and increased as lead acetate concentration increased. From above results, it may be concluded that lead in the hippocampal neuronal cells reduced cell viability and one of mechanisms in neuronal cell death by lead appears to be apoptosis.
Apoptosis* ; Brain ; Cell Death ; Cell Survival ; Child ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Learning ; Memory Disorders ; Necrosis ; Neurons*

We report herein a case of primary cutaneous diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with multiple skin lesions in a Korean woman. A 56-year-old woman presented with rapidly growing multiple sub-cutaneous nodules in her right flank and right upper arm. Microscopic examination of skin biopsy specimen showed diffuse infiltrates of large atypical lymphocytes with vesicular nuclei, prominent nucleoli and moderate degree of mitotic figures in deep dermis and subcutis. Immunophenotypic studies revealed the lymphoid infiltrates reacted with CD45, CD20 and bcl-2 protein, but none of the sections expressed CD3, bcl-6 protein and CD30. In physical examination and staging work-up, we could not find any other extracutaneous or systemic involvement. She was treated with 2 cycles of high-dose multiagent chemotherapy with the Vanderbilt and the BEAM regimen combined with the autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. Until now, 10 months after termination of treatment, she has shown improvement of all skin lesions and no development of extracutaneous disease.
Arm ; B-Lymphocytes* ; Biopsy ; Dermis ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphoma, B-Cell* ; Middle Aged ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; Physical Examination ; Skin

High-riding right brachiocephalic and subclavian arteries are often asymptomatic and rare vascular variations. We present a patient with high-riding right brachiocephalic and subclavian arteries that caused compressive pharyngeal and cervical esophageal dysphagia. An 82-year-old woman presented to our hospital with dysphagia that worsened with solid food. A pulsatile lump was observed on the right neck side. A videofluoroscopic swallowing study showed a deviated food bolus movement anterolaterally from the normal vertical pharyngoesophageal transition, with a filling defect in the lower pharynx through the upper esophagus. Neck computed tomography (CT) showed high-riding right brachiocephalic and subclavian arteries and a tortuous right common carotid artery located adjacent to the trachea in the cervical area. The cervical midline structures were deviated to the left neck side. A neck mass with vascular variation should be considered as a cause of dysphagia that worsens with solid food; CT should be considered to determine its cause.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of toenail onychomycosis requires long term oral medication of antifungal agent and its compliance was about 30% in outpatient base. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and compliance of combined treatment with systemic and topical antifungal agent in toenail onychomycosis. METHOD: Medical records of 402 patients with toenail onychomycosis were analysed. They were diagnosed by positivity in KOH or fungus culture. Two hundred forty patients took systemic antifungal agent (terbinafine or itraconazole) only (oral treatment group). One hundred sixty two patients took combined treatment with systemic antifungal agent and topical antifungal agent (ciclopirox 8% nail lacquer) (combined treatment group). Compliance, complete cure rate, revisiting rate and follow up period were compared between oral treatment group and combined treatment group. RESULTS: Completely treated rate was higher in combined treatment group (48.2%, 78 out of 162) than in oral treatment group (20.8%, 50 out of 240) (p=0.000, c2). Complete cure rate after complete treatment was higher in combined treatment group (34.6%, 43 out of 78) than in oral treatment group (22.0%, 11 out of 50) (p=0.127, c2). Revisiting rate after complete treatment was higher in combined treatment group (60.5%, 43 out of 71) than in oral treatment group (22.2%, 10 out of 45) (p=0.000, c2). CONCLUSION: All these findings suggested that combined treatment with systemic and topical agent in toenail onychomycosis can increase compliance and cure rate.
Compliance* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fungi ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Nails* ; Onychomycosis* ; Outpatients

Apocrine adenocarcinoma is rarely reported in the world and only 4 cases are reported in Korean literature. We encountered a case of apocrine adenocarcinoma associated with basal cell carcinoma in a 76-year-old female. Excisional biopsy showed well demarcated basophilic cell mass in the upper dermis and glandular structure in the lower dermis. Basophilic cell mass consisted with basaloid cells and had peripheral palisading arrangement. Glandular structures characterized by cells with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm showed decapitation secretion. The cells showed nuclear atypicality, plemorphism and prominent nucleoli. The cytoplasm contained PAS-positive, diastase-resistant granules and stains for lysozyme and GCDFP-15(Gross Cystic Disease Fluid Protein-15) were positive.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Aged ; Basophils ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Coloring Agents ; Cytoplasm ; Decapitation ; Dermis ; Eosinophils ; Female ; Humans ; Muramidase

The discrimination of eccrine and apocrine neoplasms is still in dispute among researchers. To discriminate the differentiation of eccrine and apocrine neoplasms, immunohistochemical stainings with HMFG-1 and GCDFP-15 were performed on 12 specimens of eccrine and apocrine neoplasms, 3 of normal palmar tissues, and 3 of normal axillary tissues. The 12 cases of eccrine and apocrine neoplasms included 3 cases of syringoma, 2 cases of eccrine poroma, 2 cases of hidradenoma, 2 cases of apocrine hidrocystoma, 2 cases of syringocystadenoma papilliferum, and 1 case of spiradenoma. The 3 specimens of palmar tissue were used as the positive control of eccrine unit, and the 3 specimens of axillary tissue as that of apocrine unit. The results are as follows; HMFG-1 was positive in the cytoplasm and luminal surface of normal apocrine units, and also positive in those of eccrine units. Still more, HMFG-1 was documented as positive even in the eccrine poroma which is originated from eccrine unit. GCDFP-1 was positive in both normal eccrine and apocrine units, and glandular structure was stained stronger than ductal structure. In all of eccrine and apocrine neoplasms, syringoma, eccrine poroma, and spiradenoma which were known to differentiate to ductal structure were negative in GCDFP-15, but hidradenoma, apocrine hidrocystoma, and syringocystadenoma papilliferum which were known to differentiate to glandular structure were positive, partially. All these findings suggest that GCDFP-15 might be a useful marker for glandular differentiation rather than ductal differentiation, and both HMFG-1 and GCDFP-15 might not be useful to discriminate eccrine and apocrine neoplasms. Further intensive studies about normal eccrine and apocrine unit should be performed to determine if HMFG-1 could be used as a significant marker of apocrine unit, and it is necessary to develop new methods for the discrimination of eccrine and apocrine neoplasms.
Acrospiroma ; Cytoplasm ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Dissent and Disputes ; Hidrocystoma ; Phenobarbital ; Poroma ; Syringoma

Duplication is a rare congenital abnormality and may occur in any region of the gastrointestinal tract. A 19-year-old woman was admitted due to lower abdominal pain. Abdomino-pelvic CT scan showed a cystic mass interpreted as mesenteric cyst or duplication cyst. On the operation finding, it seemed to be arised from mesentery but attached to the ileum. Microscopically, the cystic wall was lined by non-keratinizing squamous, ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium, and ectopic gastric mucosa with two distinct muscular layers and a serosa. We report the first case of ileal duplication cyst lined by squamous and ciliated columnar epithelium in Korea.
Cilia/pathology ; Cysts/*congenital/pathology/radiography ; Epithelium/pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Ileal Diseases/*diagnosis/pathology/radiography ; Ileum/*abnormalities/pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

Mondor's disease is an uncommon superficial thrombophlebitis of the anterolateral thoraco-ab dominal wall. It's cause is unknown, but it is often associated with recent local trauma, muscular strain, and strenuous exercise. It has clinical features of a palpable, tender, linear cutaneous nodule and is always almost unilateral, and solitary, but rarely multiple. A 39-year-old man presented multiple cord-like tender subcutaneous linear lesions on the left ventrolateral thoracoabdominal wall for 3 weeks. He had done strenuous exercise and stretching for 2 months prior to his visit. Histologic finding revealed thrombophlebitis. The lesion did not involute with systemic and intralesional steroids, but three months later, it disappeared.
Adult ; Humans ; Steroids ; Thrombophlebitis