PURPOSE: To analyze the imaging features of brain abscess. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR studies of nine patients with surgically verified brain abscess were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: The shape of abscesses were round(n=6), multilobulated(n=2) or triangular(n=1). All lesions were located in corticomedullary junction and extended into white matter. On gadolinium-DTPA enhanced images, smooth rim-like(n=6) or irregular thick enhancement(n=3) of abscess wall was noted. Budlike projection from the abscess capsule was found in 4 cases. The signal intensity of abscess capsule was either hyperintense (n=5) or isointense(n=4) relative to white matter on Tl-weighted images, and hypointense(n=6), isointense (n=2) or mixed hypo and isointense(n=l) on T2-weighted images. Satellite nodules were found in 2 cases. PNS inflammation(n=2), meningitis(n=1), ventriculitis(=2) and subdural empyema(n=1) were associated CONCLUSION: The MR features of brain abscess included characteristic intensity of abscess capsule, budlike projection from the abscess wall, moderate amount of peripheral edema, satellite nodules, and associated meningitis, ventriculitis or PNS infection. The morphology of abscess wall was not specific for the diagnosis of brain abscess.
Abscess ; Brain Abscess* ; Brain* ; Diagnosis ; Edema ; Humans ; Meningitis ; Retrospective Studies

A 47-year-old male patient presented us with erythematous, telangiectatic, purpuric or hyperpigmented patqhes, recurrent painful ulceration and ivory white atrophic scars on the lower portions of his legs, ankles and dorsal surfaces of both feet exacerbating on every summer for 5 years. The histopathalogical findings of an atrophic patch showed endothelial proliforetiion, partial occlusion of the dermal capillaries and fibrinoid material) on the superficial blood vessels, This patient was treated with aspirin and dipyriclamole for 4 months, and the skin lesions were improved significantly.
Ankle ; Aspirin ; Blood Vessels ; Capillaries ; Cicatrix ; Foot ; Humans ; Leg ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Skin ; Ulcer ; Vasculitis*

BACKGROUND: Since the exact pathogenesis of sepsis-induced ARDS has not been elucidated, the mechanisms of enhanced neutrophilic respiratory burst were probed in endotoxin primed neutrophils associated with the roles of phospholipase A2 (PLA2), platelet activating factor (PAF) and apoptosis. METHODS: In isolated fresh human neutrophils, effects of the inhibition of PLA2 and PAF on the apoptosis were examined by the method of Annexin-FITC/dual PI flow cytometry. The roles of PLA2 and PAF on the neutrophilic respiratory burst were also examined by measuring oxidant generation in cytochrome-c reduction assay. Activities of the PLA2 and lysoPAF acetyltransferase (lysoPAF AT) of the neutrophils were determined to understand the effect of endotoxin on these enzymatic activities which may be related to the neutrophilic respiratory burst and apoptosis. In addition, the role roles of PLA2 and PAF in neutrophilic adhesion to bovine endothelial cells were examined in vitro by neutrophil adhesion assay. To investigate the effect of oxidants on pulmonary surfactant, cytochemical ultrastructural microscopy was performed. To inhibit PLA2 and PAF, non-specific PLA2 inhibitor mepacrine (100 nM) and WEB 2086 (100 nM) or ketotifen fumarate (10 kg/ml) were used respectively in all in vitro experimental sets. WEB 2086 is PAF receptor antagonist, and ketotifen fumarate is a lyso PAF AT inhibitor. RESULTS: The mapacrine treatment, provided after the endotoxin (ETX) treatment, resulted in increased apoptosis of neutrophils (p<0.001) while treatments of WEB 2086 and ketotifen did not. The inhibition of PLA2 and PAF decreased (p<0.001) production of oxidants from PMA-stimulated neutrophils. While endotoxin increased the PLA2 activity of neutrophils (p<0.01), mepacrine supressed (p<0.001) the activity, provided after treatment of ETX. The lyso PAF actyltransferase activity (lyso PAF AT) increased(p<0.01) after treatment of ETX. In contrast, mepacrine, WEB 2086 and ketotifen showed a tendency of decreasing the activity after treatment of ETX. The Treatment of ETX increased (p<0.001) neutrophil adhesion to endothelial cells, which was reversed by inhibition of PLA2 and PAF (p<0.001). The binding of oxidants to pulmonary surfactant was identified histologically. CONCLUSIONS: The enhanced neutrophilic respiratory burst by ETX plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of ARDS in term of oxidayive oxidative stress. Increased production of oxidants form neutrophils is mediated by the activations of PLA2 and lyso PAF AT.
Apoptosis* ; Endothelial Cells ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Ketotifen ; Microscopy ; Neutrophils* ; Oxidants ; Oxidative Stress ; Phospholipases A2 ; Platelet Activating Factor ; Pulmonary Surfactants ; Quinacrine ; Respiratory Burst*

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of combined exercise on visceral fat, cardiac function, adipocytokine, and NT-pro BNP concentration according to angiotensin-converting enzyme(ACE) genotype in obese middle aged men. Fifty three obese men (II type: 18, ID type: 20, DD type: 15), ratio of visceral and subcutaneous were over 0.4, were enrolled in the study. The combined exercise program included stretching, resistance training, aerobic exercise, and yoga. The exercise was conducted for 60 minutes, 4 times a week for 12 week period. ACE genotype was determined using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the genetic subtype was classified in three patterns e.g. II, ID, DD. As a results, body weight, BMI, and WHR significantly decreased after 12 weeks of combined exercise in ID type and DD type. Body fat(%), visceral fat and V/S significantly decreased after 12 weeks in DD type. HDL-C and LDL-C significantly improved in II, ID and DD type. Cardiac structure decreased in all genotype and cardiac function increased in DD type. IL-6 and NT-pro BNP, the risk factors of cardiovascular disease, were significantly decreased in DD type, after 12 weeks. Therefore, exercises have shown to be most effective in type DD which is also considered as the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Among all the ACE genotype, DD type requires the most exercise.

We report a case of Wells' syndrome consisting chiefly of papular, vesicular, pustular and vegetative lesions on the trunk, lower extremities and palms in a 48-year-old female, though characteristic lesions of this syndrome are known to be cellulitis or urticaria like plaques. Only a few cases with such lesions as ours have been reported until now. Histologic finding showed spongiotic vesicles in the epidermis and diffuse dense infiltration of eosinophils with characteristic flame figures in the dermis. In addition, marked blood eosinophilia was noted. We tried oral prednisolone for 3 weeks, and the skin lesions improved almost completely.
Cellulitis ; Dermis ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Epidermis ; Female ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Middle Aged ; Prednisolone ; Skin ; Urticaria

The clinical and histopathologic study of 26 cases with tsutsugamushi disease seen at the Department of Derrnatology, Kosin Medical Center, Pusan, Korea from October 1986 to December 1988 was performed. The results were summarized as follows : 1. Age distribution was from 12 to 73 years and male to female ratio was 1: 1.2 (1P, males 14 females). 2. The disease occurred from September to December in a year. The peak incidence was in October (61.5%). 3. Major clinical manifestations were as follows : Chill, fever and headache (100 %), maculopapular eruption (90.2%), eschar (88.5%) and myalgia (84.6%). 4. Eschars were distributed on the abdomen (34.8%), chest (30.4%), leg (7.4%) and ot.her sites. 5. Histopathologic findings of the erythernatous macules in 24 patients showed epiderrnal changes including exocytosis of rnononuclear cells (66.7%), liquefaction degeneration of basal cells (54.2%), spongiosis (33.3%) and epidermal cell necrosis (29.2%). Dermal changes revealed vascular dilatation and perivascular infiltration of rnononuclear cells (100%), extravasated RBC (50%), and edema of papillary dermis (45.8%). Epidermal changes around the eschar were liquefaction degeneration of basal cells (52.2%), spongiosis (43.5%) and exocytosis of mononuclear cells (30.4%). Dermal changes included vascular dilatation and perivascular mononuclear cell infiltration (100%), vessel wall necrosis (73.9%), ederna of papillary dermis (65.2%) and endothelial cell swelling (65.2%).
Abdomen ; Age Distribution ; Busan ; Dermis ; Dilatation ; Edema ; Endothelial Cells ; Exocytosis ; Female ; Fever ; Headache ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Leg ; Male ; Myalgia ; Necrosis ; Scrub Typhus* ; Thorax

Since last August, 29 cases of synovial punch biopsy have been carried out with Franklin-Silverman needle which was used in liver biopsy, instead of the specialized needle for the synovium. Authors report the applicable utility of Franklin-Silverman needle for the synovial biopsy, diagnostic value of this procedure and histopathologic findings of the results. The rate of the technical success to abtain synovial tissue was about 76%. Complications after procedure have been very rarely encountered, consisting of mild transient hemarthrosis. In 17 cases, the histopathologic changes was compatible with their clinical findings. In the remainders, we experienced the failures to get synovial tiasue at all in 7 cases and to give the significant synovial changes in 5 successful specimens. Fortunately, the important diagnostic aid was achieved in 3 cases which were conformed early diagnosis of tuberculous arthritis. This needle biopsy was also thought to contribute to rule out the gouty arthritis from other hyperuricemic conditions. But the histologic changes were non specific inflammatory findings in the synovial mambrane of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, traumatic and infectious arthritis.
Arthritis ; Arthritis, Gouty ; Arthritis, Infectious ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Biopsy ; Biopsy, Needle ; Early Diagnosis ; Hemarthrosis ; Liver ; Needles ; Osteoarthritis ; Synovial Membrane

No abstract available.
Child* ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Humans ; Insulin*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Seizures*

Trichorrhexis nodosa(TN) denotes small node-like swelling with a loss of cuticle of the hair shaft through which the hair readily fractures. The basic cause of TN is mechanical or chemical trauma, and a contributing factor is an inherent weakness of the hair shaft. We report a case of localized TN in a 37-year-old male. He had an ovoid hair patch with multiple small white-gray dotted and stubby hairs localized to the right occipital scalp. TN is known to be the commonest of all hair shaft anomalies (Price, 1975). However TN is rarely reported, and there have been only four reports in Korean dermatological literature, to our knowledge, which might be due to underdiagnosis of this disorder. We postulated that diagnostic difficulty lies in the discrepancy between terminology and gross morphological findings.
Adult ; Fibrinogen ; Hair ; Humans ; Male ; Scalp