International travel has become increasingly common as travelers of various purposes. It is estimated that there are 900 million international tourist arrivals alone each year. Unfortunately, some health impairments were reported in about 50% of short term travelers to the tropics or sub-tropics, usually due to infectious agents. In this paper, the author reviewed imported parasitic diseases in Korea from 1970 to 2009 with literature and data collected by Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The author also reviewed warning points about parasitic disease in pregnant and immune deficit travelers. Most prevalent imported parasitic disease was malaria. About 30~70 travelers infected with malaria are returned home anually from abroad, mostly South East Asia and Africa. Subtype of malaria classified from 2003~2006 surveillance data showed Plasmodium falciparum infection in about 55% of patients identified. Over 20 cases of hydatid disease and cutaneous leishmaniasis cases were reported respectively. Visceral leishmaniasis (5 cases), babesiosis (7 cases), loiasis (3 cases), cutaneous myiasis (1 case), pentastomiasis (1 case), gnathostomiasis (4 cases, 41 people), angiostrongylosis (1 case, 10 people), heterophyiasis (2 cases), schistosomiasis (13 cases), cyclosporiasis (1 case), cutaneous larva migrans (4 cases), ancylostomiasis (1 case) and syngamosis (1 case) were reported. Prevention and surveillance plan of imported parasitic diseases is organized and conducted by KCDC since 2001. According to increasing travel to developing or under developed countries, retraining of doctor and technician, systematization of consulting system for diagnosis of parasitic disease, supply of medication, supplement of the personnel, and financial supports are needed.
Africa ; Ancylostomiasis ; Animals ; Babesiosis ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Cyclosporiasis ; Developing Countries ; Far East ; Financial Support ; Gnathostomiasis ; Humans ; Korea ; Larva Migrans ; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous ; Leishmaniasis, Visceral ; Loiasis ; Malaria ; Myiasis ; Parasitic Diseases ; Plasmodium falciparum ; Schistosomiasis

X-linked ichthyosis is a hereditary dermatosis characterized by large dark and thick scaly skin of trunk, extremities, scalp and neck. Rare manifested ocular signs include scales on lid and lashes, corneal opacity, lens opacity, and peripheral retinal granular hyperpigmentation. The authors experienced a case of diffuse punctate corneal opacities observed in the deep stroma or pre- Descemet's layer which developed in a 12-year old male patient who visited our clinic complaining symtoms of itching and dark thick scales on trunk, extremities, and scalp since at birth a.nd diagnosed as X-linked ichthyosis by clinical and histologic features.
Cataract ; Child ; Corneal Opacity* ; Extremities ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Ichthyosis* ; Male ; Neck ; Parturition ; Pruritus ; Retinaldehyde ; Scalp ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Weights and Measures

Choristomas are defined as benign congenital overgrowth of normal tissues in an abnormal location, which can contain lacrimal gland, muscle, cartilarge, adipose tissue, nerve, epidermal appendage. There are many reports about choristoma but cartilarge containing choristoma is very rare. We experienced a 20-year-old healthy male patient complaining of mass on limbus. The diagnosis was limbal dermoid. After tumor removal, histopathologically it was proved as complex choristoma. It contains not only muscular tissue, adipose tissue, neural tissue but also cartilarge. We report this case because of the rarity of cartilarge containing choristoma.
Adipose Tissue ; Choristoma* ; Dermoid Cyst ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus ; Male ; Young Adult

Cell Adhesion Molecule(CAM) is a cell surface glycoprotein that plays an important role in many inflammatory reaction. This is responsible for the migration and accumulation of different populations of leukocyte in inflamed tissues. To investigate the relevance of CAM expression to giant papillary conjunctivitis associated with type I and/or type IV hypersensitivity, the histology of conjunctival giant papillae from patients with papillary conjunctivitis was examined with light microscopy and using indirect immunofluorescent staining method with monoclonal antibodies against the ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and CD44. The infiltrates of the inflammatory cells such as eosinophil, basophil, plasma cell and lymphocyte were noted in conjunctival stroma by light microscopy. The ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and CD44 were expressed or upregulated in stroma and vascular wall by immunofluorescent method. These findings suggest that CAM may play a key role in the pathogenesis of giant papillary conjunctivitis. Further efforts to block or modulate the expression of CAMs may provide new therapeutic modalities in the treatment of conjunctival disease.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Basophils ; Cell Adhesion ; Conjunctival Diseases ; Conjunctivitis ; Conjunctivitis, Allergic* ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity, Delayed ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1* ; Leukocytes ; Lymphocytes ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; Microscopy ; Plasma Cells ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1*

To investigate the relationship between Radiosensitivity and postirradiation recovery in human cancer cells, a study was performed using human cancer cell lines-A549, CaSki, SNU-C5 and PCI-13. for the study of radiosensitivity, single doses of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 Gy were given and for postirradiation recovery, two fractions of 4 Gy were separated with a time interval of 0, 0.5, 1,1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, or 6 hours. Surviving fraction was estimated using colony forming ability. Surviving fractions at 2 Gy (SF2) were 0.496 (0.570-0.412) for A549, 0.496 (0.660-0.332) for CaSki, 0.386 (0.576-0.216) for SNU-C5, and 0.185(0.247-0.123) for PCI-13. By statistical analysis the SF2 of PCI-13 was lower significantly than those of others (p<0.05). this difference was also observed at 4,6 and 8 Gy dose levels. At 6 and 8 Gy the surviving fractions of SMU-C5 were also lower significantly than A549 and CaSki(p<0.05). By the analysis with linear quadratic model, the value of alpha for A549, CaSki, SNU-C5 and PCI-13 were 0.3016, 0.3212, 0.4327 and 0.8423, respectively, and those of betawere 0.024929, 0.02009, 0.03349 and 0.00059, respectively. So, the value of alpha showed increasing tendency with decreasing SF2.By the multitarget single hit model the values of Do for A549, CaSki, SUN-C5 and PCI-13 were 1.97, 1.97,1.46 and 0.81, respectively, and those of n were 1.53, 1.50, 1.56 and 2.28, respectively. So, the value of Do decreased with decreasing SF2. Post-irradiation recovery reached plateau at around 2 hours. Recovery ratio at plateau phase ranged from 1.2 to 4.2; the value were 1.2 for PCI-13, 3.2 for CaSki, 3.3 for SNU-C5, and 4.2 for A549. Recovery rate well correlated with SF2, and increased with increasing Do and decreasing alpha. According to above results, the intrinsic radiosensitivity was quite different among the tested cell ilnes; PCI-13 was the most sensitive and A549 and CaSki was similar. This difference of radiosensitivity is thought to be partly due to the difference in amount of postirradiation recovery. By linear quadratic model the difference of alpha values was very high, and by multitarget single hit model the difference of Do value was significantly high among four cell lines.
Cell Line* ; Humans* ; Radiation Tolerance*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to find a method of proving cold discomfort in patients who complain during the winter seasons, after receiving an internal fixation with a metal plate, and to determine the different in the developments of cold discomfort according to the type of metal plate used. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among 26 cases of lateral malleolar fracture, 16 stainless-steel plates and 10 titanium plates were compared. Discomfort was induced by placing ice over both lateral malleoli (ice provocation test), and the side on which discomfort was induced first was recorded. RESULTS: Ten patients who felt discomfort in the winter, among which 8 cases stainless-steel plate and 2 cases titanium plate. The degree of pain was rated as 3.6 on average (ranging 2-4) on the VAS (visual analogue scale). CONCLUSION: Cold discomfort during the winter season can be confirmed by using the ice provocation test (p=0.0004). The frequency of discomfort during the winter season was higher (p=0.126) in cases filted with stainless-steel plate (50%) than in those with a titanium plate (20%).
Ankle ; Humans ; Ice ; Seasons* ; Stainless Steel* ; Titanium*

The purpose of this study was to established the characteristic radiographic features in salivary gland diseases by means of sialography and scintigraphy. Sialograms and scintigrams with diseases of salivary gland were examined. In this group were 5 salivary stones, 14 sialadenitis, 17 Sj gren's syndromes and 8 benign tumors. The obtained results were as follows; 1. In the configuration of the shape of main duct, those revealed that modified curvilinear and curvilinear types were predominant in Sj gren's syndromes but reverse sigmoid and angular types were in sialolithiasis and sialadenitis combined with sialodochitis. 2. In the configuration of the course of main duct, those revealed that smooth types were predominant in sialadenitis and irregular types were predominant in Sj gren's syndromes and benign tumors and irregular types were seen in all salivary stones and sialadenitis combined with sialodochitis, 3. In the type of intraglandular pattern, those revealed that destructive changes of salivary duct system and parenchyma were severe in sialadenitis and salivary stones and predominantly severe in Sj gren's syndromes. 4. The function of salivary gland was decreased severely in Sj gren's syndrome. and also decrease in salivary stone and sialadenitis. In benign tumor, the uptake of radioisotope was not seen in lesion and the function of salivary gland decreased in its remaining normal parenchyma.
Colon, Sigmoid ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Salivary Ducts ; Salivary Gland Calculi ; Salivary Gland Diseases ; Salivary Glands ; Sialadenitis ; Sialography*

DNA profiles have been increasingly used as the most reliable means to identify remains from war or mass disaster. To establish the identity with such a large set of victims, special care should be taken to correlate remains with correct family references while avoiding coincidental match between non-relatives. Therefore we address here relevant statistical and combinatorial issues in the DNA identification of mass victims. A simple and general formula for the likelihood ratio governing any potential kinship between two DNA profiles was presented, and for that purpose, the probabilities that a given relative and an individual share autosomal identical-bydescent alleles were calculated. In addition, a method dealing with the allele drop-out in kinship analysis and the estimation of a cold hit were discussed.
Alleles ; Cold Temperature ; Disasters ; DNA ; Humans

Eosinophilic cellulitis (Wells'syndrome) is an uncommon skin disorder. We report two adult male patients who had recurrent erythematous plaques and a nodular lesion on the abdomen. The histopathologic feature of their skin biopsies similarly indicated a marked infiltrate of eosinophils in the dermis with the fashion of "flame figures". One of the patients demonstrated blood eosinophilia. Given the clinicohistological findings, the patients fulfilled the criteria for the diagnosis of eosinophilic cellulitis. The skin lesions remained refractory to medications such as corticosteroids, sulfones, antihistamines, and minocycline. Considering the beneficial effect of cyclosporine in the treatment of eosinophilia-associated dermatoses, we speculated that eosinophilic cellulitis might respond to cyclosporine therapy. Thus, each of the two patients was given cyclosporine (microemulsion formulation) at a daily dose of 1.25 or 2.5 mg/kg, i.e., 100 or 200 mg, respectively. Complete remission of the skin eruptions was obtained in both patients during a 3- or 4-week period of treatment. No side effects were observed. Neither of the patients experienced relapse of the disease at least over 10 months after the discontinuation of the cyclosporine therapy. We suggest that administration of low-dose cyclosporine be a safe and useful therapeutic option in patients with eosinophilic cellulitis.
Adult ; Case Report ; Cellulitis/*drug therapy ; Cyclosporine/*therapeutic use ; Eosinophilia/*drug therapy ; Human ; Immunosuppressive Agents/*therapeutic use ; Male

To evaluate the usefulness of computed tomography (CT) in radiotherapy treatment planning in malignant tumors of thoracic cage, the computer generated dose distributions were compared between plans based on conventional studies and those based on CT scan. 22 cases of thoracic malignancies, 15 lung cancers and 7 esophageal cancers, diagnosed and treated in Department of Therapeutic Radiology of Seoul National University Hospital from September, 1982 to April, 1983, were analyzed. In lung cancer, dose distribution in plans using AP, PA parallel opposing ports with posterior spinal cord block and in plans using box technique both based on conventional studies were compared with dose distribution using AP, PA and two oblique ports based on CT scan. On esophageal cancers, dose distribution in plans based on conventional studies and those based on CT scans, both using 3 port technique were compared. The results are as follows: 1. Parallel opposing field technique were inadequate in all cases of lung cancers, as portion of primary tumor in 13 of 15 cases and portion of mediastinum in all were out of high dose volume. 2. Box technique was inadequate in 5 of 15 lung cancers as portion of primary tumor was not covered and in every case the irradiated normal lung volume was quite large. 3. Plans based on CT scan were superior to those based on conventional studies as tumor was demarcated better with CT and so complete coverage of tumor and preservation of more normal lung volume could be made. 4. In 1 case of lung cancer, tumor localization was nearly impossible with conventional studies, but after CT scan tumor was more clearly defined and localized.
Esophageal Neoplasms ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Mediastinum ; Radiation Oncology ; Radiotherapy* ; Seoul ; Spinal Cord ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed