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

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*

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

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*

PURPOSE: In order to determine the amount of wound healing, objective sequential assessments of changes in wound size and depth are essential. Although a variety of measurements for wound healing have been proposed, a gold standard for quantifying day-to-day changes in healing has not been established. We present here a simple and non-invasive wound measurement method that quantitatively and accurately documents changes of the size of a raw surface and the volume of a soft tissue defect using a stereoimage optical topometer(SOT) system. METHODS: Using a 5mm diameter biopsy punch, four circular wounds were created on abdominal area of a diabetic mouse. Photographs were taken using SOT system at baseline, 5th day and 10th postoperative day. The wound margin was traced on a digitalized photo and evaluated the area and the volume of the wound by SOT system. RESULTS: The SOT system calculated a mean wound surface of 15.93+/-0.29mm2 and volume of 827.50+/-88.86 intensity/pixel x area(I/PA) immediately after wounding. On the 5th day after the operation wound surface declined by 10.73mm2 and on the 10th day declined by 5.95mm2. The wound volume also declined from 827.50 I/PA to 161.75 I/PA and 30.50 I/PA on 0, 5th and 10th day, respectively. CONCLUSION: The SOT system described in this study represents a reliable, simple, practical, and non-invasive technique to accurately monitor and evaluate wound healing.
Animals ; Biopsy ; Mice ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Wound Healing

Lately, there seems to be a growing interest in the forensic community for RNA analysis. Especially, body fluid identification using cell-specific RNA expression profiles is expected to present a new technique that will supplement DNA analysis in forensic casework. Several RNA markers specific to blood, saliva, semen, menstrual blood and vaginal secretions have been identified and their specificities and sensitivities have been confirmed using various forensic samples. Therefore, this review provides an overview of the present knowledge and the most recent developments in RNA analysis for the body fluid identification and discusses its possible and practical use in forensics.
Body Fluids ; DNA ; MicroRNAs ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger ; Saliva ; Semen

PURPOSE: Sexual differences in the incidence and crystalline composition of urinary stones in humans are well-known, but it is unclear why men have a higher incidence of calcium oxalate stones than women. We investigated the effects of sex hormones on stone formation using an ethylene glycol (EG)-induced urolithiasis model in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 13 groups of 10 each, segregated by sex. Two groups of rats were untreated to serve as male and female controls. The other 11 groups were fed a 1% EG lithogenic diet for 4 weeks. Among these, 2 groups were males and females otherwise not treated; two groups were neutered with bilateral orchiectomies or oophorectomies as appropriate; two groups were neutered and received subcutaneous testosterone; 2 groups were neutered and received subcutaneous estradiol; 2 groups were intact males and females administered the opposite sex hormone; and 1 group was intact males given finasteride orally. Serum testosterone, estrogen, creatinine, electrolytes, 24-hour urine levels of oxalate and citrate, and creatinine clearance were measured. The crystal deposits were examined by light and polarizing microscopes. RESULTS: Exogenous testosterone promoted, whereas estrogen inhibited, calcium oxalate stone formation in EG-treated rats. Finasteride administration significantly decreased urinary oxalate excretion and calcium oxalate deposition, compared with controls. Urinary citrate was significantly decreased in EG-treated female rats, but was not influenced by neutering and/or exogenous sex hormones in either sex. There were no significant differences in serum concentrations of creatinine, sodium, or potassium among the control and experimental groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that testosterone promotes and estrogen inhibits calcium oxalate stone formation, and that dihydrotestosterone may be partially responsible for the exaggerated hyperoxaluria in EG-treated rats. Additionally, sex hormones have a lesser influence on urinary citrate than oxalate.
Adult ; Animals ; Calcium Oxalate* ; Calcium* ; Citric Acid ; Creatinine ; Crystallins ; Diet ; Dihydrotestosterone ; Electrolytes ; Estradiol ; Estrogens ; Ethylene Glycol ; Female ; Finasteride ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones* ; Humans ; Hyperoxaluria ; Incidence ; Male ; Nephrolithiasis* ; Orchiectomy ; Ovariectomy ; Potassium ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium ; Testosterone ; Urinary Calculi ; Urolithiasis

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