No abstract available.
Hydroxyurea ; Skin ; Skin Ulcer

Though the incidence of paragonimiasis has been remarkably decreased since 1970, it is still not a rare disease in Korea. Major problems in the diagnosis of pulmonary paragonimiasis on chest radiography are its differentiation from pulmonary tuberculosis and lung cancer. Chest radiographic findings have been described in detail, but little have been reported on CT findings. We reviewed CT findings of 10 patients with pulmonary paragonimiasis. The characteristic CT findings were similar to those on chest radiography, such as air-space consolidation (70%), nodular mass (50%), pleural effusion (40%), cystic lesion (30%), small low density within the mass (30%), linear density (20%), pneumothorax(20%), and burrow track (20%). CT depicted the cystic lesions and the burrow tracks more clearly and showed the small worm-retaining cysts within the mass that were not detectable on chest radiography. In conclusion, all of these CT findings are useful in the diagnosis of pulmonary paragonimiasis especially when differentiation from tuberculosis or lung canceris difficult on chest radiography.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Paragonimiasis* ; Pleural Effusion ; Radiography ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Rare Diseases ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Rhinoscleroma is a chronic, granulomatous infectious lesion most frequently affecting the respiratory tract mucosa. This disease is endemic to Africa, Central and South America, South Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and China. We report an extremely rare disease of nasal rhinoscleroma in Korea. The patient was a 63-yr-old man, who suffered from chronic nasal obstruction and septal deviation. Characteristic histology from a nasal biopsy was proven and special stains for bacteria were employed: periodic acid-Schiff, Warthin-Starry silver, Giemsa, and Gram stains. Isolation of Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis from a culture of nasal discharge was failed, but ultrastructural examination of numerous phagocyzed bacilli in the Mikulicz cells confirmed the diagnosis. The histiocytic nature of the Mikulicz cells was confirmed, using CD 68 and alpha-1 antitrypsin, and by the ultrastructural features of Mikulicz cells. Here, we emphasize the recognition of this rare entity in nonendemic regions, frequently leading to delayed diagnosis.
Endemic Diseases ; Fibrosis ; Human ; Klebsiella pneumoniae/*isolation & purification ; Korea ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Middle Aged ; Nasal Mucosa/*microbiology/pathology/ultrastructure ; Rhinoscleroma/*pathology

No abstract available.
Carbon Dioxide* ; Carbon* ; Foreign Bodies* ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Granuloma ; Lasers, Gas* ; Lip*

The gene product of bcl-2 (B-cell leukemia/lymphoma-2) was suggested to suppress programmed cell death (apoptosis) of tumor cells and be involved in the development of multiple myeloma. However, the normal plasma cells also express the protein. It is unclear whether the expression of bcl-2 in multiple myeloma is of normal character or of regulatory adaptation in association with neoplastic transformation. p53 was also suggested to be involved in tumor progression since mutations on p53 were found in multiple myeloma. In order to find the relationship between the expression patterns of bcl-2 and p53 in tumor cells of multiple myeloma and non-neoplastic plasma cells, we examined 38 cases of multiple myeloma and 10 cases of nasal polyp immunohistochemically. Furthermore, expression of bcl-2 and p53, mitosis, clinical stage and infiltrative pattern of tumor cells in bone marrow were also evaluated in association with the survival of patients. By immunostaining with anti-bcl-2 and p53 monoclonal antibody, 37 out of 38 cases of multiple myeloma and all of 10 cases of nasal polyp were positive for bcl-2 but only 7 cases of multiple myeloma were positive for p53. Marked dysplasia, low percentage of bcl-2 expression, and increased mitoses were correlated with poor prognosis. Based on these observations, we suggest that bcl-2 and p53 are involved in tumorigenesis of multiple myeloma and the survival of patients would be influenced by dysplastic change, mitosis and degree of bcl-2 expression.
Bone Marrow ; Carcinogenesis ; Cell Death ; Humans ; Mitosis ; Multiple Myeloma* ; Nasal Polyps ; Plasma Cells* ; Plasma* ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the association among the identified conditions of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), eating habits, and depression and to identify risk factors of depression in female college students.METHODS: There were a total of 285 students who were recruited from universities in the Jeju area. All participants accepted to the study completed self-report questionnaires that included demographic variables, a Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool, a Korean Eating Attitude Test-26 and a Patient Health Questionnaire-9. We noted that a total of 268 students who completed the questionnaires were analyzed, and the results were as follows.RESULTS: As we have seen, the prevalence of depression, PMS, and associated eating problems were 52.4%, 67.2%, and 10.2%, respectively. It was discovered that female students who have prolonged or irregular menstrual period had experienced significantly high levels of depression. The students with PMS or eating attitude problems were more likely to have depression than those without PMS or an eating attitude problem. Also the study identified that a prolonged menstrual period, irregular menstrual period, PMS, and eating problems were significant risk factors of depression among female college students.CONCLUSION: In summary, this study provides evidence of the significant relationships among premenstrual syndrome, eating attitude problems, and depression in female college students. Based on the results, professionals need to consider physiological and psychological symptoms of PMS and provide treatment for comorbid depression in female college students as individually recommended according to their associated issues in this regard.
Depression ; Eating ; Female ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Premenstrual Syndrome ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors

Invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPCa) is a rare variant of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. This variant is associated with a set of peculiar cytological findings and aggressive biological behaviors. In most reported cases, IMPCa has involved massive axillary lymph node metastases at the time of diagnosis. We experienced four cases of cytological features of IMPCa, all of which were verified by histological examination. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) revealed malignant epithelial cells, which formed small, oval to angulated papillary clusters, which lacked central fibrovascular cores. The histological findings of the four cases revealed both pure and mixed forms of IMPCa, composed of cohesive malignant epithelial cells, surrounded by distinctive clear spaces and separated by thin fibrous septa. All patients evidenced axillary lymph node metastases at the time of diagnosis. It is important to identify the peculiar cytological findings which would differentiate IMPCa from other diseases.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Diagnosis ; Epithelial Cells ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis

Multiple congenital melanocytic nevi (MCMN), defined as the distribution of more than three small- or medium- sized congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN) on the body without a giant CMN, is a rare disease comprising about 4% of patients with CMN. Because MCMN accompanies neurodevelopmental delay, including seizures in 25% of patients as well as the risk of malignant melanoma, it must be carefully followed-up. We report a case of MCMN with developmental delay in a 19-month-old Korean boy. He had a history of febrile seizure when he was 18 months old. He showed a speech delay after the 1-year-follow up, even though there was no evidence of neurocutaneous melanosis (NCM) on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the first visit. As MRI has a low sensitivity for detecting NCM in patients with MCMN older than 4-months, close neurodevelopmental assessments should be considered to provide a chance for early rehabilitation.
Brain ; Humans ; Infant ; Language Development Disorders ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Melanoma ; Melanosis ; Neurocutaneous Syndromes ; Nevus, Pigmented ; Rare Diseases ; Seizures ; Seizures, Febrile

For the evaluation of exercise induced R wave amplitude changes in lead V5 (big up tri, openR) and multiple leads(summation operatorR), we studied 20 normal subjects and 21 ischemic heart disease patients with positive exercise test. All underwent submaximal, multiple leads multistage treadmill exercise testing. 14 to 20 normal subjects(70%) there were decreased R wave amplitude in multiple leads on treadmill exercise testing. 16 of 21 patients(76%) there were increased R wave amplitude on treadmill exercise testing. In normal group, R wave amplitude between rest and exercise was significantly decreased in lead V5 and multiple leads. In patients grous, R wave amplitude between rest and exercise was significantly increased in lead V5 and multiple leads. It is suggested exercise induced R wave amplitude changes probably enhance the diagnostic reliability by ST segment changes on treadmill exercise testing.
Exercise Test* ; Humans ; Myocardial Ischemia

PURPOSE: Many investigators suggested that changes in hormonal environment in the postmenopausal women functionally or histologically effect the clitoris and vagina. We investigated the mechanism of female se xual dysfunction occurring in the decreased hormonal status, and aimed to establish and experimental base for the hormone replacement in postmenopausal women to correct sexual dysfunction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty mature female New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups; control group, oophorectomy group, estrogen replacement group after oophorectomy. Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and the degree of expression of neuronal NOS (nNOS) and endothelial NOS (eNOS), collagen content in clitoral tissues were analysed. RESULTS: nNOS and eNOS were significantly increased in the oohporectomized group while decreased in the estrogen replacement group (p<0.01). NOS activity showed the similar pattern of change (p<0.05). Oophorectomy induced a significant increase in collagen content, while the ratio of smooth muscle content was increased significantly after the estrogen replacement (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Estrogen deficiency induces collagen synthesis and decreases the content of smooth muscle in clitoris, resulting in a structural relaxation difficulty. We believe that NOS becomes more active to improve the relaxation difficulty and that hormone replacement helps to restore the normal state of smooth muscle relaxation. Considering these findings, we suggest that estrogen down-regulates NOS and its activity.
Clitoris* ; Collagen ; Estrogen Replacement Therapy ; Estrogens* ; Female ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth ; Neurons ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Ovariectomy ; Rabbits ; Relaxation ; Research Personnel ; Vagina