Tomb with lime-soil mixture barrier (LSMB) was constructed by the people from upper class people of Joseon Dynasty. The coffin of LSMB was surrounded by hard concrete barriers, being successfully protected from outside invasions until the archaeological excavation begins. The human remains were extremely preserved well, providing important information on the health and illness of the people of Joseon dynasty. Recent investigation into human skeletons from LSMB in Yong-in city was another forensic anthropological case that was very meaningful to our research. During the examination on the elderly Joseon female bones, we discovered unusual saw-marks on the shaft of both tibiae. We could not find any osteological evidences suggestive of healed bone process. Considering archaeological and anthropological findings altogether, the occurrence time of saw-marks was considered to be perimortem period. However, as for why such a saw mark was made on the tibiae, we did not get any information about it. We expect that this report facilitate other researcher to do explore the usefulness of forensic anthropology examination on the similar human skeleton cases identified in various archaeological ruins.
Aged ; Female ; Forensic Anthropology ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Skeleton* ; Tibia*

BACKGROUND: Persistent facial telangiectasia, erythema and flushing are the major cosmetic problems in patients with rosacea. However various therapeutic treatments for rosacea papules and pustules are not effective in reducing telangiectasia and flushing reactions. Matrix-centered theory that dermal matrix degradation can cause telangiectasis, erythema and flushing, is one of the various theories of rosacea pathogenesis. Shark cartilage extracts are collagenase inhibitors and can inhibit dermal matrix degradation. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical effects of shark catilage extracts (Venatrix(R)) for erythematotelangiectatic rosacea patients. METHODS: Twenty three patients with erythematotelangiectatic rosacea applied shark cartilage extracts twice daily for up to 8 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated by erythema index using mexameter (MPA 5, CK, Germany) and clinical photography. RESULTS: Erythema index decreased from 525.7+/-114 to 413.9+/-101.7 (mean reduction: 21.3%) (p<0.1) after 8 weeks treatment. 16 patients (69%) showed excellent or good results by clinical photography. Transient stinging sensation was the most common adverse effect and these symptoms improved after the first few days. There were no other significant side effects. CONCLUSION: Shark cartilage extracts may be an effective treatment for mild erythematotelangiectatic rosacea.
Bites and Stings ; Cartilage* ; Erythema ; Flushing ; Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors ; Photography ; Rosacea* ; Sensation ; Sharks* ; Telangiectasis

Subintimal angioplasty is an effective method for the treatment of long superficial femoral artery (SFA) occlusions. One of the major limiting factors for the success of this procedure is the failure to re-enter the true lumen. The recently introduced luminal re-entry devices provide a high technical success rate, but failures can occur. In such cases, a retrograde popliteal approach can serve as a potential backup option. However, the need to reposition the patient remains a drawback. Here, we report a case of an 81-year-old male with a long SFA occlusion treated using a retrograde distal SFA approach in the supine position after the initial failure of antegrade angioplasty.
Aged, 80 and over ; Angioplasty ; Femoral Artery* ; Humans ; Male ; Peripheral Arterial Disease ; Phenobarbital ; Supine Position*

A two-month-old baby had acholic stool, neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and congenital heart disease. Atresia of the hepatic duct was confirmed by open cholangiography, which showed a non-opacified intrahepatic bile duct. Liver biopsy and the Kasai operation were performed. Because the liver biopsy pathology revealed a paucity of intrahepatic bile ducts, the patient was diagnosed with the Alagille syndrome. We report the case of an infant diagnosed with the Alagille syndrome with atresia of the hepatic duct.
Alagille Syndrome ; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; Biopsy ; Cholangiography ; Heart Diseases ; Hepatic Duct, Common ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal ; Infant ; Liver

Thiamine deficiency is known to lead to certain neurologic sequales including Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Wernicke's encephalapathy is charac-terized by ataxia, ophthalmoplegia, nystagmus, and mental change. Although classically associated with chronic alcoholism, a number of other predisposing conditions exist such as hyperemesis gravidarum, thyrotoxicosis, starvation, anorexia nervosa, prolonged total parenteral nutrition, gastric plication and renal dialysis. We have experienced a case of Wernicke's encephalopathy associated with prolonged starvation which was misdiagnosed by hyponatremic ence-phalopathy at first, and which seemed to be developed by thiamine-free dextrose infusion in 39-year-old male patient. We report the case with review of the literature and emphasize the need for thiamine supplementation with slow correction of hyponatremia before the infusion of dextrose solution in the prolonged starved hyponatremic patient.
Adult ; Alcoholism ; Anorexia Nervosa ; Ataxia ; Female ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hyperemesis Gravidarum ; Hyponatremia* ; Korsakoff Syndrome ; Male ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Parenteral Nutrition, Total ; Pregnancy ; Renal Dialysis ; Starvation ; Thiamine ; Thiamine Deficiency ; Thyrotoxicosis ; Wernicke Encephalopathy*

BACKGROUND: The use of light technology in dermatology has grown rapidly over the last decade, with many developments in its use for the treatment of a wide variety of skin conditions from non-melanoma skin cancers to facial resurfacing for photo-damaged skin. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have attracted much attention in medical fields. OBJECTIVE: (1) To assess the optimal distance of 630 nm LEDs (OmniLux(R), (Phototherapeutics Ltd, the UK)) and 830 nm LEDs (Healite(R) (Lutronic, Korea)) for maximum power as determined by a power meter and (2) to apply theory to practical use. METHODS: Two separate hinged planar light emitting diode arrays were studied: 1) the Omnilux Revive(TM) (Phototherapeutics Ltd, the UK), which delivers non-coherent red light at a wavelength of 633+/-3 nm and 2) the Lutronic Healite (Korea), which delivers non-coherent light at a wavelength of 830+/-5 nm. An X93 power meter (Gigahertz-Optik, Germany) was placed against a black background in order to reduce the amount of reflected light. We measured the LED powers over a range of 3~25 cm in 1 cm increments. RESULTS: On the irradiation side of the LED, power increases according to the mass effect of the radiation angle. However, at a certain distance, the power decline effect predominated over the amassment effect. In this respect, the LED light was estimated to be emitted in a reverse V shape. The proper irradiation distance for use in medical fields can thus be determined. CONCLUSION: The proper irradiation distance of LED will be useful and the proper use of LED under the subjects' shape will be done in many medical fields.
Dermatology ; Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique ; Light ; Skin ; Skin Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Spectacle contact allergy is not infrequent. The fine scratches on the spectacle frames which may play a role in the sensitization to the potential allergenic components have not been studied. OBJECTIVE: We sought the relationship between the scratches on the spectacle frames and the allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in the Republic of Korea. METHODS: A total of 42 Korean patients with ACD at the spectacle contact sites were enrolled. Their spectacle frames were examined with the dimethylglyoxime (DMG) test and analyzed by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Patch tests (thin-layer rapid use epicutaneous test [TRUE tests]) were performed to identify the skin allergens. RESULTS: The DMG-positive spectacle frames were identified in 78.5% of the frames. The SEM results showed that there were more scratches on the skin-contacting parts of the spectacle frames than the non-skin-contacting parts of the same frames. In the EDS findings, the mean nickel content (weight, %) of the spectacle frames was 15.7+/-5.5, and the mean chromium content was 20.3+/-3.4 at the skin-contacting parts. In the TRUE tests, nickel sulphate was the most common allergen (31 cases, 73.8%), and potassium dichromate was the second (9 cases, 21.4%). Three patients presented simultaneous positive reactions with nickel sulphate and potassium dichromate. CONCLUSION: Minor visible and non-visible fine scratches on the spectacle frames may present the provocation factors of the ACD. Nickel sulphate was the most common allergen suspected of provoking the spectacle frame-induced ACD, followed by potassium dichromate.
Chromium ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Nickel ; Oximes ; Patch Tests ; Potassium ; Potassium Dichromate ; Skin ; Spectrum Analysis

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common gastrointestinal emergency in the neonatal population. The aim of this study is to evaluate surgical indication and prognostic factors of NEC. Clinical data of seventy patients, diagnosed as NEC between January 2000 & January 2007, were reviewed retrospectively. Fifty-seven patients had medical treatment and 7 of them died. Thirteen patients who presented with pneumoperitoneum on plain abdominal film or were refractory to medical treatment received surgical treatment, and 5 of them died. All the expired 12 patients weighed less than 2500g. Twenty out of seventy patients showed thrombocytopenia, and 11 patients of them died. The finding of pneumoperitoneum and thrombocytopenia could be the most important surgical indication. Prematurity, low birth weight and thrombocytopenia were related to a bad prognosis. NEC patients who presents with these findings must be considered for close observation and intensive care.
Emergencies ; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing ; Humans ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Pneumoperitoneum ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombocytopenia

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an inducible heme-degrading enzyme, is expressed by macrophages and endothelial cells in response to inflammatory stresses. It has been known to show strong immunosuppressive properties although its mechanisms are not completely understood. This study was designed to determine the effects of HO-1 modulation on collagen induced arthritis (CIA) model. CIA model was induced by subcutaneous injection of collagen on tail of DBA/1J mice. For evaluation of HO-1 effects, an inducer of HO-1, cobalt protoporphyrin IX (CoPPIX), or an inhibitor of HO-1, tin protoporphyrin IX (SnPPIX), were administered every other days into peritoneal cavity from day 1 to day 42 after CIA induction. The macrocopic clinical findings of CIA were evaluated and histo-pathologic findings and radiographic analysis were carried out. The expressions of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and VEGF which have important roles in pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis were observed by immuno-histochemical staining. Collagen on DBA/1J mice induced arthritis at knee joint and ankle joint. Administration of CoPPIX significantly aggravated the severity of arthritis while SnPPIX protected collagen induced arthritis. SnPPIX strongly suppressed inflammatory cell infiltration, swelling of synovial membrane, and erosion and destruction of bone on CIA mice. Furthermore subcutaneous injection of collagen also increased expression of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and VEGF which are important pro-inflammatory mediators in rheumatoid arthritis. SnPPIX suppressed expression of the pro-inflammatory mediators on CIA mice. Finally, we suggest that HO-1 mediates the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators and bone destruction during pathogenesis of CIA, which indicates modulation of HO-1 can be a new therapeutic target of rheumatoid arthritis.
Animals ; Ankle Joint ; Arthritis* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Cobalt ; Collagen* ; Endothelial Cells ; Heme Oxygenase-1* ; Heme* ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Interleukin-6 ; Knee Joint ; Macrophages ; Mice ; Peritoneal Cavity ; Synovial Membrane ; Tail ; Tin ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

BACKGROUND: The imaging system that's currently being used in the field of dermatology is based on such instruments as the dermoscope, phototrichograph and camera. In recent years, the use of an image magnification system based on polarization has become popular. OBJECTIVE: In this study, optical quantification was performed based on the multiwavelength imaging analysis of the structures that form dermatologic diseases, and an attempt was made to enhance the image quality by using polarization technology. METHODS: The lesions of three patients who were clinically diagnosed with cherry angioma, melanocytic nevus and inflammatory lesions in acne and freckles were measured at the outpatient clinic of the Department of Dermatology of the authors' hospital. All the patients were female, and their mean age was 29.3 years. RESULTS: The optical characteristics of the patients' various skin lesions, including cherry angioma, melanocytic nevus and inflammatory lesions in acne and freckles, were distinguishable by their wavelength. CONCLUSION: The use of different kinds of information may be helpful for measuring and diagnosing various skin lesions that have not been differentiated with using the previous modalities. Further, if the various environmental factors that may be generated during the measurement process can be controlled, then these study results can be applied to a standard diagnostic modality in the field of dermatology.
Acne Vulgaris ; Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Dermatology ; Female ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Melanosis ; Nevus, Pigmented ; Prunus ; Skin