Cutaneous horn is a clinical decription for a cohesive mass of cornified mterial protruding from the surface of the skin. The incidence of cutancous horn is relaively rare and the lesion is usually single, The predilection sites are known to be the exposed area of the skin, that is, face, ear, dorsum cf hand etc. Soles are reported as the least common site of the cutaneous horn. Here, we report two cases of cutaneous horn. The one was a 49 year old schzophrenic male who had multiple cone shaped protrusions on hoth soles for 10 year. The other was 17 year old, boy who had a single cornified protrusion on the left forhead. The histopa.thologic findings from the base of two cases were consistent with benign hyperplastic epithelium.
Adolescent ; Animals ; Ear ; Epithelium ; Hand ; Horns* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Skin

No abstract available.
Herpesvirus 4, Human*

No abstract available.
Adaptive Immunity ; Animals ; Cell Line* ; Rats*

No abstract available.
Antibodies, Monoclonal* ; Herpesvirus 4, Human* ; Humans* ; Tetanus Toxoid* ; Tetanus*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Clone Cells* ; Cloning, Organism* ; Mast Cells* ; Mice*

PURPOSE: Galectin-3 is a member of a large family of beta-galactoside- binding animal lectins. It is thought that galectin-3 can be a suppressor of apoptosis because of its significant sequence similarity with Bcl-2. We examined the role of galectin-3 for the paclitaxel-induced apoptosis after transfection of the galectin-3 gene in LNCaP cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Galectin-3 cDNA was cloned into PcDNA 3.1(-) and transfected into LNCaP cells. Stable transfection of galectin-3 into the LNCaP cells was achieved. Growth of the transfectants was observed with performing MTT assay. Apoptosis was induced by 100nM paclitaxel and 2microM staurosporine, and this was observed by DNA fragmentation assay. The viable cell numbers(% of control) after induction of apoptosis were determined with performing MTT assay. RESULTS: The LNCaP subclone that expressed galectin-3(LNCaP-G3-PcDNA) grew faster than the control transfectant(LNCaP-PcDNA)(p<0.05). The DNA fragmentation bands were decreased in the LNCaP subclone expressing galectin-3(LNCaP-G3-PcDNA) as compared to the control transfectant(LNCaP-PcDNA) after induction of apoptosis by 100nM paclitaxel or 2iM staurosporine; this means that galectin-3 inhibits apoptosis. The viable cells (% of control) with LNCaP-G3-PcDNA after the induction of apoptosis by 100nM paclitaxel was 92+/-2% in 8 hours, 77.5+/-1.9% in 24 hours and 40.4+/-2.9% in 48 hours on average, respectively. In contrast, the viable cells(% of control) of the control transfectant were 84.5+/-2%, 46+/-2.5% and 19+/-2.6% on average, respectively. The viable cells(% of control) with the LNCaP-G3-PcDNA after the induction of apoptosis by 100nM paclitaxel was higher than that of the control transfectant(LNCaP- PcDNA cells)(p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Galectin-3 gene transfer stimulates the growth of LNCaP cells. The galectin-3 protects LNCaP cells from paclitaxel-induced apoptosis.
Apoptosis* ; Cell Line* ; Clone Cells ; DNA Fragmentation ; DNA, Complementary ; Galectin 3* ; Humans ; Lectins ; Paclitaxel ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Staurosporine ; Transfection

Wear of polyethylene liner and osteolysis appear to be topical problems after long-term follow-up in total hip arthroplasty(THA). Age and activity of patients, manufacturing procedure of polyethylene liner, thickness of the liner, position of acetabular cup, and material of artificial femoral head have of effects on the degree of wear. In addition, conformity, congruency and micromotion between liner and metal cup are likely to be related to the wear. The purpose of this study is 1) to determine the stress caused by contact between metal and polyethylene components, 2) to evaluate the effects of conformity, congruency, and fixation between metal and polyethylene components, on contact stress in acetabular cups and 3) to identify the design parameters of the commercial acetabular cup within the constraints imposed by the overall functional requirements of total joint replacement. The specimens applied to six different commercial cups made in five companies. The methods was performed on dynamic test and static test to rely on load conditions, estimated the gap between the components through LM. The results showed H-G II cup had the most excellent congruency because of the narrowest interval between two components.
Acetabulum ; Head ; Hip ; Humans ; Joints ; Osteolysis ; Polyethylene*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Granuloma Annulare* ; Granuloma* ; Humans

BACKGROUND: To avoid the risks associated with transfusion of homologous blood products, artificial colloid solutions represent an alternative for intra-operative blood loss replacement. However, synthetic colloids have been implicated as a cause of coagulopathy when administered in large quantities. We investigated the effect of Hydroxyethyl starch (HES) on blood coagulation in vitro under thromboelastography (TEG). METHODS: Whole blood was withdrawn from fifteen volunteers undergoing peripheral surgery who had no history of coagulation defect. Whole blood was diluted with HES to 25, 50 and 75 vol% concentrations, and the changes in coagulation status were analysed using TEG and were compared with those of an undiluted control specimen obtained concurrently from the same patients. RESULTS: Hemodilution with HES solution at 50 vol% concentration decreased the MA and alpha angle values (P < 0.05), but the R and K values remained unchanged. In case of profound hemodilution at a 75 vol% concentration, the values of MA and alpha angle were severely decreased (P < 0.05) and the values of R and K were severely increased (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:There were many reports that moderate hemodilution with crystalloids increased coagulability, but hemodilutions up to 50 vol% concentration with HES solution did not significantly change blood coagulability. Significant hypocoagulability occurred at a 75 vol% hemodilution with HES.
Blood Coagulation ; Colloids ; Hemodilution ; Humans ; Starch* ; Thrombelastography* ; Volunteers

BACKGROUND: Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a clinicopathologic syndrome for widespread intravascular coagulation. DIC occurs when the processes that regulate coagulation break down. Staphylococcal infection is one of the causes of DIC. Staphylococcus aureus produces coagulase that can clot plasma. There are two different tests to detect the coagulase; a tube test for free coagulase and a slide test for bound coagulase or clumping factor. The goal of the present study is to evaluate the characteristics of coagulase in Staphylococcus aureus for establishment of an in-vitro model for DIC. METHODS: Coagulase tests were performed by mixing plasma with two-fold diluted culture broths, culture supernatant and culture filtrates. Coagulase activity was expressed as the reciprocal of the highest dilution titer. Cell pellets treated with normal saline, ethyl alcohol, and aceton were used for the clumping tests. Platelet aggregation tests were conducted using a culture broth and a concentrated culture supernatant. A fibrinogen binding protein was isolated from sonificated bacteria and thus, determined the molecular weight. RESULTS: Coagulase activity was higher in the broth culture than in the culture supernatant and culture filtrate. Coagulase activity decreased after incubation at 37degrees C for 24 hours but culture filtrates were clumped after boiling at 100degrees C for 10 minutes. Alcohol and aceton did not inhibit the clumping test. S. aureus induced platelet aggregation but a concentrated culture filtrate did not induce platelet aggregation. Molecular weight of fibrinogen binding protein was 57 kDa. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that the plasma clot was due to free coagulase or a clumping factor. Free coagulase is different from a clumping factor. We concluded that the pathogenesis of DIC in the staphylococcal infection was due to platelet aggregation triggered by a clumping factor or coagulase with other substances.
Bacteria ; Carrier Proteins ; Coagulase* ; Dacarbazine ; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation* ; Ethanol ; Fibrinogen ; Molecular Weight ; Plasma ; Platelet Aggregation ; Staphylococcal Infections ; Staphylococcus aureus* ; Staphylococcus*