BACKGROUND: A lot of protective tools such as sunshades (sun-cap), sun-shielding tints and various sunscreens are widely used to protect solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Although dermatologists are aware of these products, they do not know the exact protective efficacy or their stability after strong UV irradiation. OBJECTIVE: We tried to measure the spectal absorbance and transmittance of various sunscreening products. In addition, we measured change of sunscreens's absorbance or transmittance after strong UV irradiation for 30, 60 and 90 minutes. METHODS: We purchased five commercially available sunshades (product A-E), five sun-tinting films (product A-E), and eight sunsceens (product A-H) with similar sun-protection factor (SPF) around 30, and measured spectral absorbance and transmittance of those agents. For the sunscreens, they were irradiated with 250 watt Xenon-Arc lamp and change of spectral responses were evaluated. RESULTS: In absorption and transmission spectra of five different sun-caps, sun-cap C showed very good protection in entire UV range whereas all others protected UV only partially. Absorption and transmission spectra of six different sun-shielding tints showed all of them protected UV fairly well and tint C showed the best protection. Eight different sunscreens showed profound differences in spectal absorbances or transmittances. Sunscreen-A showed the best protection and there was no relationship between price and spectral-protection of sunscreens. In the photo-stability of eight sunscreens after UV-irradiation, there were big differences. Only sunscreen-A showed the least change after UV irradiation, and all other sunscreens showed a change of specta by increased UV-irradiation time. CONCLUSION: Protection efficacies of sunscreening products were variable, and most sunscreens were unstable to strong UV irradiation. Further studies would be necessary to give proper information for protecting UV effectively to dermatologists and consumers.
Absorption ; Sunscreening Agents

BACKGROUND: Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation induces sunburn, immune suppression, and various pigmentary disorders. Sunscreens are widely used to protect those untoward effects by UV but there are reports of phototoxicity or stability problems of sunscreens after exposure to UV. OBJECTIVE: We tried to compare sunscreens with different photostability in terms of their protection against various biologic responses like sunburn, immune suppression or pigmentation. METHODS: Three different sunscreens with SPF around 30 were used; Sunscreen-A (Sc-A) was photochemically inert, sunscreen-B (Sc-B) showed intermediate level of photostability, and sunscreen-C (Sc-C) was the least stable. To observe their in vivo effects, we measured sunscreen-protection against sunburn by back-skin swelling and sunburn cell formation, against immune suppression measured by depletion of Langerhans cells, local and systemic suppression of contact hypersensitivity (CHS), and against pigmentation by irradiation with mixed light source with UVA and UVB lamps that mimic solar UV spectrum. RESULTS: Back skin swellings by 5 kJ/m2 of UVB were protected well by sunscreens, but protection of Sc-C against 50 kJ/m2 of UVB was worse than Sc-A or Sc-B. Sunburn cells were increased significantly in mice irradiated with 5 kJ/m2 of UVB and it was protected by sunscreens, and the effect of photostability was minimal. Depletion of epidermal Langerhans cells by 5 kJ/m2 of UVB was protected completely by sunscreens. Local suppression of CHS by 5 kJ/m2 of UVB was protected by sunscreens, and Sc-A had better protection. But, in the experiment with 50 kJ/m2 of UVB, the protective efficacy was reversed; Sc-A showed worse protection. Systemic suppression of CHS by 10 kJ/m2 of UVB was protected well by sunscreens, and Sc-A had better protection and Sc-C had worse protection. In the experiment irradiated with 100 kJ/m2 of UVB, the protection of sunscreens was decreased, and Sc-B showed better protection, whereas Sc-C showed worse protection. In UV-induced pigmentation, all three sunscreens showed significant protection both by L* value and individual topographic angle (ITA) with the best protection by Sc-A and the worst protection by Sc-B. CONCLUSION: These data showed sunscreens can protect various in vivo responses and photostability of sunscreens played important roles particularly in the back-skin swelling and systemic suppression of CHS by high dose of UVB.
Animals ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Dermatitis, Phototoxic ; Langerhans Cells ; Mice ; Pigmentation ; Skin ; Sunburn ; Sunscreening Agents*

No abstract available.
Adipocytes*

Piezogenic pedal papules are small, occasionally painful, fat herniation, which become apparent when weight is placed on the heel. We present a case of painful piezogenic pedal papules occurring on both heels of 30-year-old female patient without family history. Clinical and histopathological features confirmed diagnosis. Foot-ankle stocking was effective therapy for painful piezogenic pedal papules.
Adult ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Heel ; Humans

We report a three-year-old Korean boy who presented with itching symmetrical erythematous macules and papules on his face, trunk, and extremities for 1 week. Lymphadenopathies were detected on physical examination. He was vaccinated against Japanese B Encephalitis (JE) 1 day before developing skin rashes. The patient's serum JE antibody titer by hemagglutinin inhibition (HI) test was 1:40. Under the diagnosis of Gianotti-Crosti syndrome following JE vaccination, he was conservatively treated with an antihistamine agent, and his symptoms were all cleared 2 weeks after treatment.
Acrodermatitis/*etiology ; Child, Preschool ; Encephalitis, Japanese/*prevention & control ; Human ; Japanese Encephalitis Vaccines/*adverse effects ; Male

Factitious fever has been a rare cause of fever of unknown origin. We herein report a case of a young soldier, who presented with persistent fever of unusual pattern and bullae on both palms. After numerous investigations had excluded organic diseases, factitious fever was diagnosed with measurement of the freshly voided urine temperatures and body temperatures while directly observed. Biopsy of skin lesions revealed friction blister. Early recognition of this cause of fever is needed to avoid the unnecessary investigation and prolonged hospitalization.
Biopsy ; Blister ; Body Temperature ; Factitious Disorders ; Fever of Unknown Origin ; Fever* ; Friction ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Military Personnel ; Skin

No abstract available.
Down Syndrome*

Purpose: We report on the 10-year clinical hip function and radiologic outcomes of patients who underwent hip arthroplasty using a COREN stem. Materials and Methods: A consecutive series of 224 primary cementless hip arthroplasty implantations were performed using a COREN stem between 2009 and 2011; among these, evaluation of 128 hips was performed during a minimum follow-up period of 10 years. The mean age of patients was 65.4 years (range, 40-82 years) and the mean duration of follow-up was 10.8 years (range, 10-12 years). Evaluation of clinical hip function and radiologic implant outcomes was performed according to clinical score, thigh pain, and radiologic analysis. Results: Dramatic improvement of the mean Harris hip score (HHS) from 59.4 preoperatively to 93.5 was observed at the final follow-up (P≤0.01). Stable fixation was demonstrated for all implants with no change in position except for one case of Vancouver type B2 periprosthetic femur fracture. A radiolucent line (RLL) was observed in 16 hips (12.5%). Thigh pain was observed in only two hips (1.6%) at the final follow-up. There were no cases of osteolysis around the stem. The survival rate for the COREN stem was 97.7%. Conclusion Good long-term survival with excellent clinical and radiological outcomes can be achieved using the COREN femoral stem regardless of Dorr type.

Primary fish-odor syndrome (FOS) is a genetic disorder caused by defective flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 gene (FMO3) with deficient N-oxidation of trimethylamine (TMA), causing trimethylaminuria (TMAU). By contrast, secondary FOS can be acquired by decreased FMO activities in patients with chronic liver diseases, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. In the present study, we examined plasma NOx concentrations and viral DNA contents as well as in vivo FMO activities and their correlations in chronic viral hepatitis (CVH) patients. Plasma concentration of NOx was significantly increased by 2.1 fold (56.2+/-26.5 vs. 26.6+/-5.4micrometer, p< 0.01), and it was positively correlated with plasma hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA contents (r2=0.2838, p=0.0107). Furthermore, the elevated plasma NOx values were inversely and significantly correlated with in vivo FMO activities detected by ranitidine-challenged test (8.3% vs. 20.0%, r2=0.2109, p=0.0315). TMA N-oxidation activities determined in CVH patients without challenge test were also significantly low (73.6% vs. 95.7%, p< 0.05). In conclusion, these results suggested that secondary FOS could be acquired by the endogenously elevated NO in patients with CVH.
DNA ; DNA, Viral ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Nitric Oxide ; Plasma ; Ranitidine

BACKGROUND: The most common complication of latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap in breast reconstruction is seroma formation in the back. Many clinical studies have shown that fibrin sealant reduces seroma formation. We investigated any statistically significant differences in postoperative drainage and seroma formation when utilizing the fibrin sealant on the site of the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap harvested for immediate breast reconstruction after skin-sparing partial mastectomy. METHODS: A total of 46 patients underwent immediate breast reconstruction utilizing a latissimus dorsi myocutaneous island flap. Of those, 23 patients underwent the procedure without fibrin sealant and the other 23 were administered the fibrin sealant. All flaps were elevated with manual dissection by the same surgeon and were analyzed to evaluate the potential benefits of the fibrin sealant. The correlation analysis and Mann-Whitney U test were used for analyzing the drainage volume according to age, weight of the breast specimen, and body mass index. RESULTS: Although not statistically significant, the cumulative drainage fluid volume was higher in the control group until postoperative day 2 (530.1 mL compared to 502.3 mL), but the fibrin sealant group showed more drainage beginning on postoperative day 3. The donor site comparisons showed the fibrin sealant group had more drainage beginning on postoperative day 3 and the drain was removed 1 day earlier in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The use of fibrin sealant resulted in no reduction of seroma formation. Because the benefits of the fibrin sealant are not clear, the use of fibrin sealant must be fully discussed with patients before its use as a part of informed consent.
Breast ; Drainage ; Female ; Fibrin ; Fibrin Tissue Adhesive ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Mammaplasty ; Mastectomy ; Seroma ; Tissue Donors