We have studied the function of lymphokines on human tonsillar B cell prolifertion and differentiation. B cells were stimulated with Staphylococcus aureus Cowanl (SAC) or anti- bead. The followings showed the results of this study. 1) In B cell activation, SAC induced B cell DNA synthesis but anti-mubead did not. SAC could activate and proliferate B cells. Minimal number of B cells were required to proliferate effectively. 2) In B cell proliferation, SAC could proliferate B cell in the abscence of lymphokines. Exogenous IL-2 or IL-4 enhanced B cell proliferation. The roles of IL-2 were very important in B cell proliferation. The effect of IL-4 on the IL-2 induced B cell proliferation was inhibitory in SAC-B cells. IL-4 could enhance the proliferation of anti-mu bead activated B cells. 3) In B cell differentiation, IL-2 was a major factor to differentiate SAC activated B cells, but IL-4 did not. IL-6 had a synergistic effect on the differentiation. The results of this study showed that the different signal transduction mechanisms were involved in B cell proliferation and differentiation. The B cell resposes to lymphokine were different, and it is depend upon antigens or mitogens.
B-Lymphocytes ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation* ; DNA ; Humans* ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-4 ; Interleukin-6 ; Lymphokines ; Mitogens ; Signal Transduction ; Staphylococcus aureus

No abstract available.
Hernia, Inguinal* ; Humans

Buschke-Lowenstein tumor is a rare disease in the category of designated as verrucous carcinoma characterized by its invasive downward penetration of underlying tissues in the perineum and perianal regions. Viruses, unclean sanitation and cytotoxic immune reaction have been proposed as the etiology of the tumor. However, among all the causes, recent studies have emphasized on the associaton of the tumor and human papilloma virus (HPV). Expecially, HPV also has been discovered in several cutaneous and anogenital lesions of solid organ transplant recipients. We herein report a case of Buschke-Lowenstein tumor in a renal transplant recipient with HPV 6 and 16 coinfection proved by HPV genotyping of DNA extracted from the biopsy specimen of the tumor.
Biopsy ; Buschke-Lowenstein Tumor* ; Carcinoma, Verrucous ; Coinfection ; DNA ; Human papillomavirus 6 ; Humans ; Papilloma ; Perineum ; Rare Diseases ; Sanitation ; Transplantation* ; Transplants

PURPOSE: To investigate the changes in postural balance before and after total hip arthroplasty (THA) using computerized dynamic posturography MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective study of 18 patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. We evaluated each patient's postural balance prior to, and at least 12 months after, total hip arthroplasty by using computerized dynamic posturography. We compared the preoperative equilibrium scores with the postoperative equilibrium scores. Clinical results were assessed for all patients preoperatively and postoperatively using the Harris hip scoring system. We investigated whether postural balance improves, and what factors were related to this parameter. RESULTS: Patients showed significant improvement in postural balance by means of proprioception after total hip arthroplasty (p<0.05). We found, during intercepting visual compensation, that an increase in the Harris hip score was correlated with an improvement in balance (p<0.01, r = 0.649). CONCLUSION: Patients with Total hip arthroplasty showed improvement in dynamic postural balance through proprioceptive recovery, and balance improved as the Harris hip score increased. This resulted in decreased pain, recovery of articular function, enhancement of physical activity, and ultimately improvement in postural balance by means of total hip arthroplasty.
Arthroplasty ; Compensation and Redress ; Hip ; Humans ; Motor Activity ; Postural Balance ; Proprioception ; Prospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a disabling and intractable disease influencing the psychosocial life of the patients. Patients who are frustrated with orthodox medicine may explore alternative therapies. OBJECTIVE: This study was done to research on the actual condition of the use of alternative medicine in the patients with psoriasis. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire was constructed, and was given to the patients to answer our questions. RESULTS: Among 128 patients with psoriasis, 61 (47.7%) reported previous use of one or more forms of alternative medicine. The absence of satisfactory long-term effects of physician-provided therapy was the main reason for patients trying alternative medicine. Persons without skin s disease and the mass media were the main sources of information on alternative medicine. CONCLUSION: Alternative therapies were widely utilized by subjects participating in this study, and dermatologists need to be aware of alternative treatments employed by their patients.
Complementary Therapies* ; Humans ; Mass Media ; Psoriasis* ; Skin

No abstract available.
Asthma*

BACKGROUND: Although there are varied etiological factors in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, recent data where viral hepatitis is more frequently found in psoriasis patients than in the normal population, suggests the possibility that some kinds of viral antigens may participate as causative factors of psoriasis. Hepatitis C virus(HCV) in particular, which has been proven to be associated with many dermatoses such as porphyria cutanea tarda, lichen planus and vasculitis, is currently suspected as a possible pathogen in psoriasis. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of viral hepatitis infection among psoriasis patients in Korea where it is known to be endemic. Additionally, we analysed the relationship between the clinical severity of psoriasis and viral hepatitis according to the serotypes. METHODS: In this study, we looked for the presence of HCV, HBV, HAV, HDV and HEV infection in 65 enrolled psoriasis patients and 98 non-psoriatic patients by enzyme immunoasay, recombinant immunoblotting, radioimmunoassay and reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions. RESULTS: 1. We found a higher prevalence of viral hepatitis in the psoriasis group(70.8%) than the control group(45.9%). 2. 10.7% of patients were shown to be infected with HCV in the psoriasis group, in comparison with 2% in the control group. Also 52.7% of psoriatic patients were positive to HBV markers as HBcAb and HBsAg in comparison with 38.8% in the control group. 3. There was a statistically significant correlative relationship between the clinical severity of psoriasis and the presence of viral hepatitis. 4. We could establish a significant association among higher titers of ALT, positivity of HBcAb and HBsAg, and HCV hepatitis in psoriatic patients. CONCLUSION: Psoriatic patients had a higher prevalence of viral hepatitis than normal controls. Also psoriatic patients with viral hepatitis showed relatively different clinical features and labaratory results in comparison with those without it.
Antigens, Viral ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis C ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Korea ; Lichen Planus ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Porphyria Cutanea Tarda ; Prevalence ; Psoriasis* ; Radioimmunoassay ; Reverse Transcription ; Skin Diseases ; Vasculitis

We herein report a case of Spitz nevus which occurred in a 6-year-old girl with acute lymphocytic leukemia. The lesion was a well delimited, symmetric, 1.0 * 1.0cm sized, dome-shaped light pinkish nodule with a shiny surface on her forehead. The histopathological findings of the excisional biopsy specimen revealed mild epidermal hyperplasia ; numerous uniform nests of spindle cells and epitheloid cells with sparce pigmentation along the dermoepidermal junction; colloid body-like eosinophilic globules ; multinucleated giant nevus cells in the epidermis and edema in the upper dermis. Since the complete excision of her lesion was accomplished, there have been no new lesions over the past year.
Biopsy ; Child ; Colloids ; Dermis ; Edema ; Eosinophils ; Epidermis ; Female ; Forehead ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Nevus ; Nevus, Epithelioid and Spindle Cell* ; Pigmentation ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma*

BACKGROUND: Specified clinical observations regarding skin changes in viral hepatitis have not yet been accomplished in Korea, especially in view of serotypes. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to identify various cutaneous manifestations of viral hepatitis according to viral serotypes and the stages of the disease. METHODS: We performed a clinical observation of cutaneous manifestations in 450 patients who were diagnosed with viral hepatitis. RESULTS: 1. Cutaneous manifestations were found in 383(85.1%) patients. Patients with a longer duration seemed to have skin lesions more frequently. 2. The frequency of cutaneous manifestations was highest in HAV(94.4%) and HBV(84.9%) serotypes. The most common cutaneous manifestation was pruritus(32.4%) in all studied subjects. In HBV hepatitic patients, the most common cutaneous manifestation was pruritus(35.4%), in HCV hepatitic patients, vasculitic purpura(74.5%), in HAV hepatitic patients, urticaria(88.8%), in the hepatitic patients with the mixed form, spider angioma(30.2%) and vasculitic purpura(30.2%). 3. Urticarial lesions in non-HCV hepatitis were of the lymphocytic vasculitis type but HCV hepatitis was associated with neutrophilic vasculitis. The purpuric lesions with HCV hepatitis were of the neutrophilic vasculitis type while lymphocytic vasculitis was present in non-HCV hepatitis. 4. The most severe pruritus was present in HBV hepatitic patients. CONCLUSION: The cutaneous manifestations in viral hepatitis have different clinical features depending on the viral types.
Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Korea ; Neutrophils ; Pruritus ; Skin ; Spiders ; Vasculitis

BACKGROUND: Prick test, a kind of skin test, is most frequently used in clinical procedure because of its simplicity and safety of application and better correlation with clinical history history as well as specificity and highty reproducibility. OBJECTIVE: Studies into the result and clinical significance of the pinprick test with relationship to food allergens as the contributing factor of urticaria. METHODS: We have examined the skin test with extracts of 45 food allergens(Bencard Ltd. In England) in three groups. 10 acute urticaria patients. 30 chronic urticaria patients, and normal controls. RESULTS: Of the 40 patients with urticaria, 23(57.5%) revealed positive reaction to one or more food allergens in comparison with 9(45.0%) of the control, ad there was no statistically significant difference(p>0.05). Positive reaction to food allergens in 15 food correlates was 11(73.3%), Which was higher than 11(44.4%) in 25 patients with no relation to food. and there was a statisticals difference (p>0.05). Food allergen groups which showed frequent positive reaction were fishes(35.0%), shell fishes(30.0%), cereals(27.5%), fruit(20.0%), vegetabies(17.5%), egg & milk(10.0%), and meats(7.5%) in that order. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that food allergen test might not be useful in evaluation the contributing factor of urticaria.
Allergens* ; Humans ; Ovum ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin Tests ; Urticaria*