Mucormycosis is an infectious disease caused by fungi of the order Mucorales. Almost all patients have a serious uriderlying condition such as diabetes mallitus, imrnunosuppression, starvation, burn, but a few cais have been reported in previously heilthy subjects. In order to successfully treat this infection, diagnosis must be prompt and acior. panied by aggressive debridement and parenteral administration of amphotericin B. We report a case of primary cutaneous mucormycosis in 58-year-old man. The lesion was a well-circumscribed erythematous plaque with central necrcis Histopathologically, a biopsy revealed broad, nonsptate with branches occuring at right anghles.
Amphotericin B ; Biopsy ; Burns ; Communicable Diseases ; Debridement ; Diagnosis ; Fungi ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mucorales ; Mucormycosis* ; Starvation

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Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

Brain size is a useful parameter describing ontogenic character and function. Despite its potential contribution to functional study and diagnosis of disease, it has been hampered by poor assessment tools in vivo and postmortem changes. Recent development of medical imaging techniques such as MRI and CT enable us to understand brain structures in vivo. Many morphometirc studies of the brain has given us new insights in the field of functional neuroanatomy and neuropsychiatric diseases. In spite of these advances, volumetric data of normal Korean brain is not available yet. As an initial approach to Korean standard brain size, we measured the cerebellar volume between 20 and 80 years old Koreans. The MRI films free from lesions in brain was analyzed and measured by NIH image program. The Korean cerebellar volume were ranged between 86.2cm(3) and 141.3 cm(3) and average male cerebellum volume was significantly larger than that of female[male : 118.2+/-11.2cm(3)] > female : 108.0+/-9.6cm(3), P=0.1021E-07<0.05]. And we could not find volume change according to aging process. This is the first report on normal Korean cerebellar volume and the presence of gender difference in the Korean cerebellar volume. These data will be used for the standard useful in studying cerebellar function and cerebellum associated disorders in the future.
Aged, 80 and over ; Aging ; Brain ; Cerebellum ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Male ; Neuroanatomy ; Postmortem Changes

PURPOSE: Two types of chitosan oligosaccharides (COSs), COS I and COS II, were investigated for the effects on ascitic tumor and enzymes for cancer chemoprevention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chitosan oligosaccharides were administered once daily for 10 days after the tumor implantation. The change of body weight was observed for 20 days, and the survival rate of mice was determined after 21 days. Chitosan oligosaccharides were administered once daily for 10 days before the tumor implantation (1 106 cells). The number of ascitic tumor cells were measured at 6 days after tumor implantation. Chemopreventive potential of chitosan oligosaccharides was examined by the induction of quinone reductase and inhibition of cytochrome P450 1A1. RESULTS: Chitosan oligosaccharides exerted antitumor activity by inhibiting the growth of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells in vivo. Mice given Ehrlich cells and 10 or 100 mg/kg body weight of chitosan oligosaccharides had 33% survival after 21 days. Quinone reductase activity was increased with chitosan oligosaccharides. There were 26% and 33% inhibition in the activity of cytochrome P450 1A1 enzyme with the treatment of COS I and COS II, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that chitosan oligosaccharides has antitumor activity and cancer chemo preventive potential by inducing QR activity and inhibiting cytochrome P450 1A1.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor ; Chemoprevention* ; Chitosan* ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System ; Mice ; NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) ; Oligosaccharides ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: We report here on a solution for the case of a 71 year old lady with cartilage destruction in the left shoulder and the loss of the rotator cuff secondary to post-septic arthritic sequelae. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After thorough laboratory, clinical and radiological investigation of the patient to rule out any foci of active infection, we contemplated performing reverse total shoulder arthroplasty as a primary procedure. RESULTS: At 22 months follow up, the patient had an excellent result according to the UCLA and ASES scales. CONCLUSION: Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty seems to be an efficient procedure to improve pain and function in the post-septic shoulder accompanying severe rotator cuff injury.
Arthritis, Infectious ; Arthroplasty ; Cartilage ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Rotator Cuff ; Shoulder

PURPOSE: To report a case of proptosis occurring during a Valsalva maneuver in a neurofibromatosis patient with an arachnoid cyst. CASE SUMMARY: A 42-year-old man diagnosed with type I neurofibromatosis visited our hospital with a 20-year history of enophthalmos in the left eye. The patient also complained of exophthalmos during the abdominal straining. On exophthalmometry, a 4 mm enophthalmos was found. The patient also presented with a limited motion to the superior and lateral direction. There was an ocular pulsation corresponding to the heart rate. During the Valsalva maneuver, a marked exophthalmos of the left eye occurred. The patient had light brown spots on the skin of the face and body trunk. Following an orbital computed tomography (CT), defects of the left sphenoid bone were present. Posteriorly, an arachnoid cyst was found; however, there was a lack of varix. The archnoid cyst was also observed to expand into the orbit during the Valsalva maneuver and forward the globe. CONCLUSIONS: To date, cases of proptosis occurring during a Valsalva maneuver by causes other than orbital varix are rare. Herein, the authors report a case with a review of literature.
Adult ; Arachnoid ; Enophthalmos ; Exophthalmos ; Eye ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Light ; Neurofibromatoses ; Orbit ; Skin ; Sphenoid Bone ; Sprains and Strains ; Valsalva Maneuver ; Varicose Veins

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a dynamic process, both clinically and histopathologically. There is wide spectrum of histological change recognizable in psoriatic lesions. OBJECTIVE: We attempted to clarify the histological features in psoriasis by quantitative studies. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical charts, photographs and skin biopsy slides of 106 patients who were diagnosed as psoriasis clinically or histopathologically between March, 1990 and August, 1994 at the Department of Dermatology, Korea University Hospital. The 12 histopathologic fea tures of psoriasis were listed and examined whether these features were seen or not. in each section. And if seen, then the features were scored 0 to 1. The sum of score in ear,h section could range from 0 to 12. RESULTS: 1. 72 of 106 patients were psoriasis vulgaris. In other patients, the clinical forms of psoriasis wer e guttate psoriasis, pustulosis palmoplantaris, and generalized pustular psoriasis. 2. The average score of histopathologic features seen in each section were 8.11+/-2.11. 3. Sections commonly showed club shaped rete ridges, elongation and ederna of the dermal papil- lae, perivascular mononuclear infiltrate in the upper dermis, absent granular layer, parakeratosis, suprapapillary plate thinning, mitosis above basal cell layer, and dilated tortuous blood vessels. The observed frequency of Munro microabscess, spongiform pustule, and dilated tortuous blood vessels were significantly lower in psoriasis vulgaris than in other clinical forms(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study showed that the histologic picture of psoriasis varied with the clinical forms. In each section seen, the observed frequncy of Munro microabscess and spongiform pustule was relatively low.
Biopsy ; Blood Vessels ; Dermatology ; Dermis ; Humans ; Korea ; Mitosis ; Parakeratosis ; Psoriasis* ; Skin

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to evaluate the role of KATP channel activation and change of monophasic action potential duration on cardioprotective effect of ischemic preconditioning in cat. METHODS: 34 cats were divided into 4 groups: control (n=10), ischemic preconditioning(n=8), glibenclamide pre-treated(n=8) and nicorandil pre-treated group(n=8). Ischemic preconditioning was done in ischemic preconditioning and glibenclamide pre-treated groups by 3 episodes of 5 min ischemia and 10 min reperfusion. All subjects underwent 40 min of ischemia and 40 min reperfusion. The KATP channel antagonist glibenclamide was given as intravenous bolus (0.5mg/kg) 10 min before ischemic precondtioning and infused (5 microgram/min) during ischemic preconditioning. Nicorandil, a KATP channel opener was injected as intravenous bolus (0.5mg/kg) before 40 min ischemic procedure. Monophasic action potential duration at 50% repolarization(MAP50) was measured in the ischemic and non-ischemic area respectively by epicardial probe throughout the experiment. The effects of ischemic preconditioning were determined by infarct size (% area at risk). RESULTS: Ischemic preconditioning or pretreatment with nicorandil prior to 40 min ischemia demonstrated a significant reduction in infarct size(26.6+/-7%, 33+/-8% infarction of the risk zone, respectively, p<0.01, p<0.05 vs. control) with respect to control(42+/-7% infarction of the risk zone). Pretreatment with glibenclamide abolished the effect of ischemic preconditioning(40+/-8% infarction of the risk zone, p=NS vs. control) Ischemic preconditioning group exhibited a significant reduction of ischemic area MAP50 duration in the ischemic area during preconditioning; at first preconditioning 123+/-9msec vs. 137+/-19msec control(p=NS), at second preconditioning 105+/-16msec vs. 140+/-19msec control(p<0.01), at third preconditioning 109+/-15msec vs. 138+/-19msec control(p<0.05). Pretreatment with glibenclamide prevented the reduction of MAP50 in the ischemic area during ischemic preconditioning. During 40 minutes ischemia, MAP50 shortening was more pronounced in the preconditioned group than in control group; at 10 min 85+/-22 msec vs. 131+/-31msec control(p<0.05), at 20 min 88+/-21msec vs. 130+/-32msec control(p<0.05), and at 30 min 103+/-24msec vs. 136+/-30msec control(p<0.05). This shortening effect was prevented by glibenclamide pretreatment. Nicorandil pretreatment pronounced the ischemic shortening of MAP50 in ischemic area and the nicorandil effect was most significant during early ischemic period; at 10 min 97+/-21msec(p<0.05 vs. control), at 20 min 104+/-32msec (p=NS vs. control), and at 30 min 134+/-28msec(p=NS vs. control). MAP50 measured in non-ischemic area was not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSION: We conclude that KATP channel activation and monophasic action potential duration shortening play a important role in myocardial protection during ischemic injury.
Action Potentials* ; Animals ; Cats* ; Glyburide ; Infarction ; Ischemia ; Ischemic Preconditioning* ; Nicorandil ; Reperfusion