BACKGROUND: Lipids in the stratum corneum which acts as a barrier prevents transepidermal water loss and percutaneous absorption of a substance differs at different anatomic sites of skin. No study has yet been done on the recovery rate of the skin barrier after its destruction in relation to anatomic sites. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to measure the recovery rate of the skin barrier after its disruption in relation to anatomic sites and also to examine the lipid composition of skin surface lipids at different anatomic sites of skin. METHODS: The study population consisted of 20 healthy male subjects. We used 3M Scotch tapes to remove the stratum corneum and examined the recovery rate by measuring the TEWL using an evaporimeter after 2.5, 6, 10, 24, 48 and 72 hours at eight different anatomic sites consisting of the post-auricular area, chest, abdomen, back, forearm, thigh and calf. The skin surface lipids were extracted using 99% ethanol at ten different anatomic sites including the face, chest, abdomen, back, upper arm, forearm, palm, thigh, shin and sole. The composition of skin surface lipids was determined by thin layer chromatography. RESULTS: 1. The transepidermal water loss was highest in the post-auricular area and ahdomen, back, thigh, forearm, upper arm, thieh and chest in a decreasing order, although there was no statistical significance(p>0.05). 2. The recovery rate was highest in the post-auricular area after 2.5 hours with a statistical significance compared to other sites except for the abdomen(p<0.05). 3. The recovery rate was also highest in the post-auricular area after 6, 10, 24, 48 and 72hrs compared with other sites with a statistical significance (p<0.01). 4. Lipid analysis of ten anatomic sites demonstrated that the concentration of cholesterol sulfate was highest on the face, that of cholesterol was highest on the back and that of sphingolipid was highest on the abdomen but there was no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: The post-auricular area showed the fastest recovery rate after its barrier disruption which can be applied in the percutaneous absorption of substances. Also the composition of human skin surface lipids, especially epidermal lipids at different anatomic sites was not statistically different.
Abdomen ; Arm ; Cholesterol ; Chromatography, Thin Layer ; Ethanol ; Forearm ; Humans* ; Male ; Skin Absorption ; Skin* ; Thigh ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Lipids in the stratum corneum which acts as a barrier prevents transepidermal water loss and percutaneous absorption of a substance differs at different anatomic sites of skin. No study has yet been done on the recovery rate of the skin barrier after its destruction in relation to anatomic sites. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to measure the recovery rate of the skin barrier after its disruption in relation to anatomic sites and also to examine the lipid composition of skin surface lipids at different anatomic sites of skin. METHODS: The study population consisted of 20 healthy male subjects. We used 3M Scotch tapes to remove the stratum corneum and examined the recovery rate by measuring the TEWL using an evaporimeter after 2.5, 6, 10, 24, 48 and 72 hours at eight different anatomic sites consisting of the post-auricular area, chest, abdomen, back, forearm, thigh and calf. The skin surface lipids were extracted using 99% ethanol at ten different anatomic sites including the face, chest, abdomen, back, upper arm, forearm, palm, thigh, shin and sole. The composition of skin surface lipids was determined by thin layer chromatography. RESULTS: 1. The transepidermal water loss was highest in the post-auricular area and ahdomen, back, thigh, forearm, upper arm, thieh and chest in a decreasing order, although there was no statistical significance(p>0.05). 2. The recovery rate was highest in the post-auricular area after 2.5 hours with a statistical significance compared to other sites except for the abdomen(p<0.05). 3. The recovery rate was also highest in the post-auricular area after 6, 10, 24, 48 and 72hrs compared with other sites with a statistical significance (p<0.01). 4. Lipid analysis of ten anatomic sites demonstrated that the concentration of cholesterol sulfate was highest on the face, that of cholesterol was highest on the back and that of sphingolipid was highest on the abdomen but there was no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: The post-auricular area showed the fastest recovery rate after its barrier disruption which can be applied in the percutaneous absorption of substances. Also the composition of human skin surface lipids, especially epidermal lipids at different anatomic sites was not statistically different.
Abdomen ; Arm ; Cholesterol ; Chromatography, Thin Layer ; Ethanol ; Forearm ; Humans* ; Male ; Skin Absorption ; Skin* ; Thigh ; Thorax

Regarding to preserve the cadaver, formaldehyde has been used as a major preservative. However, the usage of formaldehyde has been considered by its harmful effects such as the disturbing ordor, toxicities and limitations to use. Therefore we studied the effect of decomposition-inhibition which is a natural product, grapefruit seed extract (GSE). Concerning the preservative activity, we sacrificed 8 week old male SD rat and collected liver. Using liver tissues, we treated GSE as a time dependant manner under 37degrees, 80+/-5% humidity conditions. To confirm GSE effects, we applied light and electron microscopic analysis. In results, we observed GSE attenuated the morphological changes and putrefaction of liver tissues more than 3 days. Herein, we introduced the potential substitute of formaldehyde to preserve the cadaver as well as animal tissues.
Animals ; Cadaver ; Citrus paradisi ; Electrons ; Formaldehyde ; Humans ; Humidity ; Light ; Liver ; Male ; Rats ; Seeds

This study was undertaken to investigate the morphological changes of hair according to weathering after burial and to offer basic data for forensic science. To examine the effect of weathering degree, the 45 hairs buried for 5~50 years were taken from deceased individuals in tombs in Korea. The morphological changes in weathering hair shafts of the scalp were investigated using the scanning electron microscopes. There were little morphological differences of weathering depending on the regions of burial. The weathering changes includes exclusion of cuticle, separation of hair cortex and hollow formation in the medulla according to the burial period. These results could provide basic data to the field of forensic medicine.
Burial ; Electrons ; Forensic Medicine ; Forensic Sciences ; Hair ; Humans ; Korea ; Scalp ; Weather

No abstract available.
Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Bacterial Proteins/chemistry/genetics/metabolism ; Brucella melitensis/classification/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Brucellosis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/microbiology ; Doxycycline/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Phylogeny ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Republic of Korea ; Rifampin/therapeutic use ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Spondylitis/diagnostic imaging

Although Q fever is an important zoonotic infection with a worldwide distribution, no human isolates of Coxiella burnetii have been identified in Korea. For the first time, we identified the nucleotide sequence of C. burnetii from a 32-year-old man with an acute febrile illness in Korea. Diagnosis of acute Q fever was confirmed by seroconversion using indirect immunofluorescence antibody assays. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated high sequence similarity (99.6%–100%) with C. burnetii 16S rRNA sequences identified from the reservoir. These results are the first genetic analysis of C. burnetii in a human case of Q fever in Korea.
Adult ; Base Sequence ; Coxiella burnetii* ; Coxiella* ; Diagnosis ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Humans ; Korea* ; Q Fever ; Seroconversion ; Zoonoses

We report 17 patients with human granulocytic anaplasmosis between January 2015 and September 2018 at two tertiary university hospitals in Korea. Monthly incidence peaked in May and June. Among these patients, we identified three who were co-infected with scrub typhus, and one patient with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.
Anaplasmosis ; Animals ; Coinfection ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Scrub Typhus

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is a neuropeptide with vasoconstrictive, antidiuretic, cardiovascular regulative and hepatic glycogenolysis effects, that also affects other behaviors including modulating learning. A number of studies on AVP regulation have been conducted in various metabolic diseases (disorders). In this study, the immunoreactivities of AVP in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) and mRNA expressions in the hypothalamus were investigated by immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats at different ages (i.e., at postnatal months [PM] 1, 8, and 12). Blood glucose levels in the PM 8 group were higher than in the other groups. However, cresyl violet positive neurons were detected in the PVN and SON of all animals, and numbers of cresyl violet positive neurons were similar in all aged groups. In addition, AVP immunoreactivity was detected in the PVN and SON of all age groups, and AVP immunoreactivity and mRNA expression levels were found to be increased in proportion to age by immunohistochemistry and RT-qPCR. These results suggest that the diabetic condition is temporally generated after hypertension has developed. Furthermore, our findings suggest that increased AVP expressions in the hypothalamic PVN and SON are associated with hypertension by age.
Aged ; Animals ; Arginine ; Arginine Vasopressin ; Benzoxazines ; Blood Glucose ; Glycogenolysis ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypothalamus ; Immunohistochemistry ; Learning ; Metabolic Diseases ; Molybdenum ; Neurons ; Neuropeptides ; Oxides ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; Supraoptic Nucleus ; Viola

PURPOSE: Adequate control of breakthrough pain is essential for patients with cancer. Managing breakthrough pain mainly depends on understanding the concept of breakthrough pain and the proper usage of rescue medication by physicians. This study aims to assess the attitudes and practice patterns of palliative physicians in managing breakthrough pain for patients in Korea. METHODS: This study was based on data from the 2014 breakthrough cancer pain survey conducted by the Korean Society for Hospice and Palliative Care. One hundred physicians participated in the online survey. Among total 33 self-reported questionnaires, twelve items were selected in this analysis. RESULTS: Rapid onset of action is the main influencing factor in selecting rescue opioids. Oral oxycodone (65%) and parenteral morphine (27%) are commonly used. A few physicians (3%) prefer to use transmucosal fentanyl. The percentage of physicians prescribing oral oxycodone due to its rapid onset of action is just 21.5%, whereas the percentage of physicians using parenteral morphine is 81.5%. Two thirds of respondents (66%) answered that breakthrough pain is not well controlled with rescue medications. CONCLUSION: There is a gap between the needs of physicians in terms of the perceived difficulties of managing breakthrough cancer pain and their practice patterns selecting rescue medications.
Analgesics, Opioid ; Breakthrough Pain ; Fentanyl ; Hospices ; Humans ; Korea* ; Morphine ; Oxycodone ; Palliative Care ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Rectal implantation cysts can be caused by continued growth in the submucosa of traumatically misplaced columnar epithelium during previous surgery. Cases of implantation cyst occurring at the site of anastomosis have rarely been reported. Rectal implantation cysts occurring at an anastomosis site after a low anterior resection for rectal cancer need to be distinguished from locally recurrent rectal cancer. Here we present a case of rectal implantation cysts in a patient with rectal cancer who underwent laparoscopic low anterior resection 9 months previously. The diagnosis was made according to the characteristic image findings of endoscopic ultrasonography and enodsocopic ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration. This is the first case report of rectal implantation cyst in Korea.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Endosonography ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Korea ; Rectal Neoplasms