To evaluate the expression of ras, neu oncoprotein a.nd epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on uterine cervieal carcinoma, imimunohistochemieal staining was performed on 9 cases of dysplasia, 39 cases of careinoma in situ(CIS), 32 cases of microinvasive earcinoma(WIC) and 60 cases of frankly invasive carrinoma(FIC). The results obtained were as follows: Ras p21 protein was positive in 29.5% of total cases, and it was very low in dysplasia lesion(12. 5%) and CLS(17.9%) while it was high in MIC(31.3%) and FIC(38.9%). In CIS, parabasal cell type showed positive reaction in only 8.7%, but pleomorpkic type showed 60.0% positivity. Invasive carcinoma showed no significant differences between histolegic types. Expression of neu protein was very high in caneerous group(around 95%) and slight,ly lower in dysp]asia(75.0%). No differences were found depending on histologic types and stages. EGFR was expressed in 51.8% of total cases; 12.5% of dysplasia; 54.2% of all cases of carcinoma. Keratinizing type of CIS showed highest positive reaction(90,0%), of which tendency were also noted in keratinizing type of i.nvasvie cinoma(76.2%). The results suggested that ras and EGFR could be used as a factor of prognostic value.
Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor*

OBJECTIVES: Psychiatry in North Korea is believed to seem very different from psychiatry in South Korea. However, there is nearly no information regarding psychiatry in North Korea until now. Our study aimed to get information about North Korean psychiatry. METHODS: Three North Korean defectors in South Korea, whose clinical experience as medical doctors in North Korea was over 10 years, were recruited. They underwent the semi-structured interview, content of which included the clinical experience with psychiatric patients, the details of psychiatry, the treatment of psychiatric patients, the stigma of mental illness, and the suicide, in North Korea. RESULTS: In North Korea, psychiatric department was called as 49th(pronounced as Sahsip-gu-ho in Korean). Only patients with vivid psychotic symptoms came to psychiatric department. Non-psychotic depression or anxiety disorders usually were not dealt in psychiatry. The etiology of mental illness seemed to be confined to biological factors including genetic predisposition. Psychosocial or psychodynamic factors as etiology of mental illness appeared to be ignored. Psychiatry was apparently separated from political or ideological issues. The mainstay of psychiatric treatment is the inpatient admission and out-of-date therapy such as insulin coma therapy. Stigma over mental illness was common in North Korea. Suicide is considered as a betrayal to his/her nation, and has been reported to be very rare. CONCLUSION: The situation of psychiatry in North Korea is largely different from that of South Korea. Although some aspects of North Korean psychiatry are similar to psychiatry in former socialist countries, North Korean psychiatry is considered to have also its unique characteristics.
Anxiety Disorders ; Biological Factors ; Convulsive Therapy ; Democratic People's Republic of Korea ; Depression ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Porphyrins ; Republic of Korea ; Suicide

We described a case of diffuse biphasic cutaneous amyloidosis, a unique form of localized cutaneous amyloidosis. A 41-year-old man has gradually developed a lichenoid papular and a grouped spotted pigmented macular eruption on the trunk and upper extremities over the past 15 years. Histopathologic examination revealed that amyloid deposits were present in the papillary dermis. It was confirmed by Congo red staining, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. There was no evidence of systemic amyloidosis.
Adult ; Amyloidosis* ; Congo Red ; Dermis ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Microscopy, Electron ; Plaque, Amyloid ; Upper Extremity

PURPOSE: To evaluate the ability of percutaneous ethanol ablation in the treatment of benign cysts of the liver and kidney, and to decide the need and the time of retreatment when the cysts remain on the follow-up ultrasonogram. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty benign cysts(8 hepatic and 12 renal cysts) in 18 patients diagnosed or confirmed either by ultrasound, CT or cytology were treated with percutaneous ethanol injection(PEI). After evacuation of cystic fluid, 15-900ml(amount corresponding to 40-50% of the volume of aspirated fluid) of absolute ethanol(99.9%) was injected into the cysts through the aspiration catheter. rln large cysts, two or more PEIs were done in one session. Follow-up ultrasonographic studies during the period of 12 months with 1-2 months interval after PEI were performed for evaluation of the therapeutic effect. RESULTS: Nine cysts(45%) disappeared completely within 2 months after initial PEI. Although 11 cysts(55.5%) recurred 2 months after initial PEI, 8 of them disappeared within 6 months and one within 8 months after inital PEI without additional PEI. As a result, 18 of 20 cysts(90%) disappeared within 8 months after initial PEI and most of the recurrent cysts disappeared within 6 months without additional PEI. No major complications were encountered concerning PEI, although transient abdominal pain, elevation of body temperature, and drowsiness were noted in 8 patients. CONCLUSION: PEI is an effective and safe modality for the treatment of benign hepatic or renal cysts and the apparent recurrence within 6 months after initial PEI might be mostly a transient, reactive or inflammatory fluid collection rather than real recurrence.
Abdominal Pain ; Ameloblastoma* ; Ameloblasts ; Body Temperature ; Catheters ; Dentigerous Cyst ; Ethanol* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lung ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Retreatment ; Retrospective Studies ; Sleep Stages ; Tooth, Unerupted ; Ultrasonography

Acrokeratoelastoidosis of Costa is a rare palmoplantar keratoderma with autosomal dominant inheritance. It is clinically charaeterized by small, firm, yellowish, shiny, translucent papules occumng over the dorsal hands, the knuckles, and the lateral margine of the palms and soles. Histologically, the characteristic features are hyperkeratosis, aeanthosis, and most strikingly, fragmentation of coarse elastic fibers within the dermis. The lesions usually begin in early childhood and progress slowly. We herein report two familial cases of acrokeratoelastoidosis of Costa showing typical clinic1 and histopathological features.
Dermis ; Elastic Tissue ; Hand ; Keratoderma, Palmoplantar ; Wills*

It is well established that mast cell proliferation and maturation are regulated by two principle cytokines, IL-3 and the c-kit ligand stem cell factor (SCF). Previous reports have demonstrated that bone marrow-derived IL-3-dependent mast cells exhibit the characteristic apoptosis on removal of IL-3. To know how the number of mast cells is controlled, we observed the effects of nitric oxide (NO) on the murine bone marrow-derived cultured mast cells (BMCMC). Apoptosis was measured by the analysis of flow cytometric data and electrophoretic evidence of DNA fragmentation. Our data showed that sodiurn nitroprusside (SNP)-a NO releasing substance- induced apoptosis in BMCMC. Cell cycle analysis showed that the number of the G,/G, and S phase decreased markedly, while the percentage of cell in G,/M phase was increased. Also, SNP alone induced cell death, whereas SNP in combination with SCF markedly decreased cell death of BMCMC. SNP-induced apoptosis was partially inhibited by the treatment of BMCMC with SCF. Our results suggest that NO might have sorne role in the regulation of the number of mast cells.
Apoptosis ; Bone Marrow* ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Death ; Cytokines ; DNA Fragmentation ; Interleukin-3 ; Mast Cells* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Nitroprusside ; S Phase ; Stem Cell Factor

Milia en plaque is characterixed by multiple milia-like lesions within an erythematous edematous plaque in the postauricular area. The histopathological findings are those of milia. We report a case of milia en plaque occurring on the scapha's fossa of the left auricle in a 3-year-old boy.
Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Male

Juvenile spring eruption(JSE) of the ears is an unusual type of photodermatosis, which develops on the light exposed areas of the ears of boys and young male adults in the early spring months. JSE has received little attention in the literature, and to our knowledge no cases have been reported in Korea until now. Herein we report a case of JSE occurring in a 17-year-old man who has suffered from a recurrent pruritic erythematous papulovesicular eruption of both helix, followed by crusting and healing without scarring within one to two months early each spring for six years.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Cicatrix ; Ear* ; Humans ; Korea ; Male

Terbinafine is now widely used for the treatment of dermatophytic infections of the skin and nails. Cutaneous side effects of terbinafine are rare and mild. They includes erythema, pruritus, urticaria, desqumation, and macular exanthem. In addition, fixed drug eruption, erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and erythema annulare centrifugum-like psoriatic drug eruption were recently described in the literatures. Herein, we reported a case of acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis induced by terbinafine.
Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis* ; Drug Eruptions ; Erythema ; Erythema Multiforme ; Exanthema ; Pruritus ; Skin ; Stevens-Johnson Syndrome ; Urticaria

Tegafur is a fluoropyrimidine structurally similar to 5-fluorouracil, used in the treatment of advanced gastrointestinal neoplasms. Mucocutaneous side reactions induced by this agent are rare and include photosensitivity of lichenoid and eczematous types, acral erythema, hyperpigmentation and palmoplantar keratoderma. However, to our knowledge, there has been no report of concurrent development of eruptions of two types in a patient. We describe a female patient with breast cancer, presented with combined features of acral erythema and hyperpigmentation due to oral tegafur.
Breast Neoplasms ; Erythema* ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation* ; Keratoderma, Palmoplantar ; Tegafur*