No abstract available.
Emergencies* ; Emergency Medical Technicians* ; Humans ; Military Personnel* ; Republic of Korea*

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the differences of expression of TGF-betaS(TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta2) in the human proliferative endometrium, secretory endometrium, and the decidua during early pregnancy. And we also have studied the endometrial expression of TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta2 in the menopause and compared that to the expression in the endometrium and decidua. METHODS: We have studied the expression of TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta2 by immunohistochemical staining method in the proliferative endometrium, secretory endometrium, decidua during early pregnancy, and menopausal endometrium. RESULTS: In the epithelial cells, TGF-beta1 was moderately expressed in the secretory phase and was weakly expressed in the proliferative phase and menopause. In the stromal cells, TGF-beta1 was not expressed in the whole menstrual phase and menopause. And in the epithelial cells, TGF-beta2 was moderately expressed in the proliferative phase, secretory phase, and menopause. In the stromal cells, TGF-beta2 was not expressed in the whole menstrual phase and menopause. Especially, TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta2 were markedly expressed in the decidua during early pregnancy compared to the expression in the proliferative, secretory endometrium, and menopausal endometrium. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that TGF-beta1 may have an important role in the epithelial cells during the secretory phase, not stromal cells. And TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta2 may have a paracrine and autocrine role in the decidua/trophoblast interaction during pregnancy , especially in the normal pregnancy.
Decidua ; Endometrium* ; Epithelial Cells ; Female ; Humans* ; Menopause ; Menstrual Cycle* ; Pregnancy ; Stromal Cells ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; Transforming Growth Factor beta2

PURPOSE: Steatocystoma multiplex is a hamartomatous malformation of the pilosebaceous duct junction. It is not common and inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. But numerous non-hereditary cases have been reported. The neck is an unusual site in steatocystoma multiplex. METHODS: A 23-year-old woman was found to have multiple yellowish papules, which had developed on anterior surface of her neck for 10 years. RESULTS: There was no similar lesions on any other parts of the body. Histopathological examination revealed an intricately folded cyst wall consisting of several epithelial layers and flattened sebaceous gland lobules close to the cyst wall, which were typical of steatocystoma multiplex. CONCLUSION: We describe an unusual case of steatocystoma multiplex localized on the neck.
Female ; Humans ; Neck* ; Sebaceous Glands ; Skin Neoplasms ; Steatocystoma Multiplex* ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: Steatocystoma multiplex is a hamartomatous malformation of the pilosebaceous duct junction. It is not common and inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. But numerous non-hereditary cases have been reported. The neck is an unusual site in steatocystoma multiplex. METHODS: A 23-year-old woman was found to have multiple yellowish papules, which had developed on anterior surface of her neck for 10 years. RESULTS: There was no similar lesions on any other parts of the body. Histopathological examination revealed an intricately folded cyst wall consisting of several epithelial layers and flattened sebaceous gland lobules close to the cyst wall, which were typical of steatocystoma multiplex. CONCLUSION: We describe an unusual case of steatocystoma multiplex localized on the neck.
Female ; Humans ; Neck* ; Sebaceous Glands ; Skin Neoplasms ; Steatocystoma Multiplex* ; Young Adult

The basic technique for total reconstruction of the microtia was established by Tanzer, who utilized autologous rib cartilages for constructing the auricular framework. In order to decrease the number of surgical stages and to achieve maximal convolution, we employed a surgical procedure with simultaneous three layered costal cartilage grafting for the high profiled auricle, concha formation and lobule rotation. However, we performed ear elevation as an additional procedure for some patients who had decreased helical height due to absorption of cartilage framework or postoperative trauma and who had wanted to wear the spectacles or to have more natural appearance of auriculocephalic sulcus. From August 1988 to October 1997 we had performed surgeries for the ear elevation of 58 patients in 177 patients with total ear reconstruction, using various elevation methods; skin graft, local flap, and local with costal cartilage block. When the ear elevation was performed with skin graft, postoperative contraction of the grafted skin was inevitable. In cases with two skin flaps, it was difficult to stabilize and maintain the correct projection of the constructed ear. So we elevated the reconstructed ear by utilizing a costal cartilage block, two skin flaps to cover the posterior region and skin graft. We conclude that the local flap with costal cartilage block is one of the most favorable methods in ear elevation which can maintain the adequate projection and make natural looking auriculocephalic sulcus.
Absorption ; Cartilage ; Ear* ; Eyeglasses ; Humans ; Ribs ; Skin ; Transplants

PURPOSE: Congenital hypothyroidism(CH) is not uncommon disorder, leading to retardation of mental development and growth, if not treated early. The aim of this study is to determine the factors influencing IQ of children with CH, diagnosed after 1 month of life. METHODS : Thirteen children with CH were included. They had intelligence test by KEDI-WISC(Korean Educational Development Institute-Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) and their medical records were reviewed. Their T4, TSH, height, age at diagnosis were investigated retrospectively. To evaluate the influence of T4, TSH, height, age at diagnosis on IQ, children were divided into three groups ; athyroid(n=8), sublingual(n=3), inborn errors of thyroid hormone synthesis(n=2) according to the result of thyroid scan. Results : In athyroid group, IQ closely correlated to VIQ and PIQ and had close relationship to T4 at diagnosis(.p=0.0086, r=0.8427), but no relation to TSH. There was no difference in height, T4 TSH, and IQ between athyroid and sublingual group. CONCLUSION : The results suggest that intellectual function in children with CH, diagnosed after 1 month of life depends on serum level of T4 at diagnosis. Further study is mandatory to elucidate the relationship between final IQ and factors, including thyroid function, age at diagnosis, adequacy of treatment, etc.
Child* ; Congenital Hypothyroidism* ; Diagnosis ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Intelligence Tests ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Gland

OBJECTIVE: This study characterized the neurons in the lumbosacral cord that express phospho ERK (pERK) after distension or irritation of the bladder, and their relation to the vanilloid receptor 1 (VR1) positive primary afferents. METHODS: Mechanical distension and chemical irritation of the bladder were induced by intravesical injection of the saline and mustard oil, respectively. Spinal neurons expressing pERK and the primary afferent fibers were characterized using multiple immunofluorescence for neurokinin 1 (NK1), neuronal nitric oxide synthetase (nNOS) and VR1. RESULTS: Neurons in lamina I, medial dorsal horn (MDH), dorsal gray commissure (DGC) and sacral parasympathetic nucleus (SPN) were immunoreactive for pERK after either mechanical or chemical stimulation. The majority of pERK positive cells were positive for NK1 in lamina I and SPN, but not in the DGC. Most of pERK positive cells are not stained for nNOS except in a small population of the cells in the SPN and DGC. Contacts between perikarya and dendrites of pERK-positive cells and terminals of primary afferents expressing VR1 were identified in lamina I, lateral collateral path (LCP) and SPN. CONCLUSION: In this study, the lumbosacral neurons activated by mechanical and chemical stimulation of the urinary bladder were identified with expression of the pERK, and also provided the evidence that VR1-positive primary afferents may mediate the activation of these neurons.
Administration, Intravesical ; Animals ; Dendrites ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Horns ; Mustard Plant ; Neurons* ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Rats* ; Spinal Cord ; Stimulation, Chemical* ; Urinary Bladder*

The incidence of severe hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection has been increasing. However, clinicopathologic features of severe HAV infection that lead to liver transplantation (LT) have not been reported in Korea. We retrieved 16 LT cases with HAV infection during the last 3 years at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. Fifteen cases progressed to hepatic encephalopathy. Thirteen cases survived with or without complications, and three patients died of sepsis. The explanted liver showed massive or zonal necrosis with moderate to severe cholestasis. The zonal distribution of necrosis was frequently associated with endothelialitis of portal and/or central veins. Degenerative changes of hepatocytes were various in degree and distribution. Viral inclusions were suspected in two cases. Although HAV infection is usually confirmed by serological tests, significant venulitis of central and/or portal veins and viral inclusions, which are rarely observed, can suggest an HAV infection as a cause of massive hepatic necrosis of unknown mechanism.
Cholestasis ; Fluconazole ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis A ; Hepatitis A virus ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Liver ; Liver Transplantation ; Massive Hepatic Necrosis ; Necrosis ; Portal Vein ; Sepsis ; Serologic Tests ; Veins

BACKGROUND: Various neuronal and glial factors which participate in neural differentiation, including neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), are upregulated in pathogenesis of temporal lobe epilesy (TLE).This study aimed to investigate hte effect of (R-)-N6-phenylisopropyladenosine (RPIA), an adenosine A1 receptor agonist, on the morphological alteration of NCAM immunoreactivity (IR) in limbic system of Kainic acid (KA)-induced epileptic rats. METHODS: Experiment animals were divided into control group, KA treatment only (10 mg/kg. i.p.)group, and RPIA pretreatment (100 microgram/kg. i,p, 10 min prior to injection of KA) group. Animals were sacrificed at 24 hours and 1 week after KA treatment. Luxol fast blue-cresyl violet stain for histopathological observation, and NCAM immunohistochemistry to study alteration of NCAM IR in limbic system were performed. RESULTS: Neuronal loss in CA1 and CA3areas of hippocampus, piridorm cortex, basolateral amygdala nucleus and lateral dorsal thalamic nucleus were induced by KA unjection, and thoes were reduced by RPIA pretreatment. Inrease of NCAM-IR was observed in interneurons of all hippocampal areas. except CA2 area, pirform cortex and basolateral amygdala nucleus at 24 hours after KA injection. and increased NCAM-IR was observed in cell membrane and processes of neuroglia, dentate granule cells and pyramidal cells in CA1 area of hippocampus. and neurons in piriform cortex, amygdala and lateral dorsal thalamic nucleus 1 week after KA injection, but those changes were milder than those at 24 hours after KA injection. RPIA pretreatment significantly reduced KA-induced NCAM-IR in hippocampal CA3, CA1 area, piriform cortex, amtgdala and lateral dorsal thalamic nucleus. CONCLUSION: We suggest that decrease of NCAM immunoreactivity is associated with neuprotective effects of RPIA on limbic system against KA neurotoxiciy.
Amygdala ; Animals ; Cell Membrane ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe ; Hippocampus ; Immunohistochemistry ; Interneurons ; Kainic Acid ; Lateral Thalamic Nuclei ; Limbic System ; Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules ; Neuroglia ; Neurons ; Pyramidal Cells ; Rats ; Receptor, Adenosine A1 ; Temporal Lobe ; Viola