BACKGROUND: Interferon alpha-2a has already been shown to be effective in clinical use of virus-originated diseases such as hairy cell leukemia, condyloma acuminatum, and AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma. The use of recombinant alpha-interferon may allow common warts to be treated relatively atraumatically and with less incidence of recurrence. OBJECTIVE: We tried to determine the safety and effectiveness of intralesional injections of recombinant alpha-2a interferon in the treatment of patients with common warts. METHODS: A single wart on each patient was weekly injected with 0.75 to 1.5×10(5) IU/25mm2 of interferon for 8 weeks, and the response to treatment was followed up-to 6 months. RESULTS: Clearing of the treated wart at the end of treatment occurred in 5(71%) out of 7 patients and the rest showed no improvement. With evaluation for relapses up-to 6 months after treatment, warts relapsed in 2(40%) out of 5 patients. Therefore, 3(43%) out of 7 patients were completely free of warts 6 months after treatment. CONCLUSION: Intralesional recombinant interferon alpha-2a has a limited therapeutic effect, but may be considered as a therapeutic modality of recalcitrant verruca or when it can be anticipated that destructive techniques or blistering agents will not be tolerated.
Blister ; Humans ; Incidence ; Injections, Intralesional ; Interferon-alpha ; Interferons* ; Leukemia, Hairy Cell ; Recurrence ; Sarcoma, Kaposi ; Warts*

Bornstein and plate (1911) and Bassoe (1913), followed by many European and American, described the radiographic appearance of avascular necrosis of the bone in compressed air worker. Divers bone lesions was described for the first time by Grutzmacher in 1941. There is not any report of information on the caisson disease and divers bone lesions in this country. Inview of these considerations, during the period from March to June 1981, 124 traditional civilian divers and 132 Naval divers, were observed in eight Korean coastal cities (In-cheon, Sam-chun-po, Sin-hae, Pu-san, Ul-san, Ku-ryung-po, joo-moon-jin and Sok-cho). For each divers, a record was made of his medical history, diving experiences and frequencies of bends attacks. The clinical examination included blood pressure, body weight, a chest radiograph and routine checks of the shoulders, hips and knees, but an X-ray examination extended to the spines, ankles, elbows when symptoms existed. The results were as follow: l. Out of 256 divers, 113 (44.2%) had bone lesions, seventy-five traditional divers (60.5%) had bone lesions out of 125 divers, but naval divers, only thirty eight (28.8%) of 132 had such lesions. 2. Divers bone lesion incidence is increased with diving experience especially over 10 years. 3. The most frequent bone lesions occured in the upper end of the humerus, the upper end of the femur, the lower end of the femur and proximal tibia. 4. The most frequent divers bone lesions in X-ray was dense areas (Bl). 5. There was a high incidence (93.1%) in man with a history of the bends and significantly relate between the sites of the bends and those of the lesions. 6. Divers bone lesions incidence was increased with the length of diving experiences, diving depth, diving time, ages and with bends experiences.
Ankle ; Blood Pressure ; Body Weight ; Compressed Air ; Decompression Sickness ; Diving ; Elbow ; Femur ; Hip ; Humerus ; Incidence ; Knee ; Korea ; Necrosis ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Shoulder ; Spine ; Tibia

A cases is reported of congenital atlanto-occipital fusion in a 12-years-old girl. The lesion was treated by occipito-cervical arthrodesis by iliac bone grafting with wiring. The congenital atlanto-occipital fusion has not progressed in this 2 years of observation. This is presented with a review of literature.
Arthrodesis ; Bone Transplantation ; Female ; Humans

BACKGROUND: We conducted this study to verify whether a mechanical ventilator is adequate for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). METHODS: A self-inflating bag resuscitator and a mechanical ventilator were used to test two experimental models: Model 1 (CPR manikin without chest compression) and Model 2 (CPR manikin with chest compression). Model 2 was divided into three subgroups according to ventilator pressure limits (P(limit)). The self-inflating bag resuscitator was set with a ventilation rate of 10 breaths/min with the volume-marked bag-valve procedure. The mode of the mechanical ventilator was set as follows: volume-controlled mandatory ventilation of tidal volume (Vt) 600 mL, an inspiration time of 1.2 seconds, a constant flow pattern, a ventilation rate of 10 breaths/minute, a positive end expiratory pressure of 3 cmH2O and a maximum trigger limit. Peak airway pressure (P(peak)) and Vt were measured by a flow analyzer. Ventilation adequacy was determined at a Vt range of 400-600 mL with a P(peak) of < or = 50 cmH2O. RESULTS: In Model 1, Vt and P(peak) were in the appropriate range in the ventilation equipments. In Model 2, for the self-inflating bag resuscitator, the adequate Vt and P(peak) levels were 17%, and the P(peak) adequacy was 20% and the Vt was 65%. For the mechanical ventilator, the adequate Vt and P(peak) levels were 85%; the P(peak) adequacy was 85%; and the Vt adequacy was 100% at 60 cmH2O of P(limit). CONCLUSIONS: In a manikin model, a mechanical ventilator was superior to self-inflating bag resuscitator for maintaining adequate ventilation during chest compression.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation* ; Manikins* ; Models, Theoretical ; Positive-Pressure Respiration ; Thorax ; Tidal Volume ; Ventilation* ; Ventilators, Mechanical*

BACKGROUND: Superoxide disrnutase(SOD) is an essential enzyme oi protective defense mechanism in cellular compartments against the potential cytotoxicity of superoxileinion. It seems SOD activity is increased in psoriasis because of an increase in oxygen intermediates dae to hyperoxia. However SOD activity is decreased paradoxically. OBJECTIVE: In order to understand the pathophysiology of psoriasis and to elucidate the significance of SOD aetivity in keratinocyte proliferution, we measured the SOD activities in psoriatic and in normal skin. METHODS: Authors assayed the level of SOD activities in 16 psoriatie and 16 normal skin specimens, which were obtained from face/neck (1and 4 speeimens), forearm(5 and 4 specimens), trunk(6 and 3 specimens), and lower extremiy(4 and 5 specimens). We also investiga.ed changes of SOD activity by age and regional differences of' SOD sctivities in the psoriatic and normarl skins. RESULT : First, activities of tot,al SOE Mn-SOD and Cu, Zn-SOD were L2.75+8.15, 4.28+ 3.62, 8.48+ 6.37 units/mg protein respect,ively in the psoriatic skin. Activities of toal SOD, Mn-SOD and Cu, Zn- SOD were 17.63+9.10, 3.38+ 1..85, 1.25+8.16 units/mg protein respec,ively in the normal skin. There was a significant differenc between psoriatic and normal skins in C-SOD activity(p<0.05). Second, the changes of total SOD, Mn-FOD and Cu, Zn-SOD activities showed no significant differences between the age groups. Third, in sun exposed area and unexposedire there were no significant differences between the psoriatic and normal skins in SOD activities. Elut in the normal skin, there were significant differences between sun exposed area and unexposed area in total SOD and Cu, Zn-SOD activities. CONCLUSION: There is a signiificant difference between psoriatic and normal skins in Cu, Zn-SOD activity. Namely, the Cu, Zn-SOD activity is significantly decreased in psoriasis.
Epidermal Cyst* ; Humans ; Hyperoxia ; Keratinocytes ; Oxygen ; Psoriasis ; Skin ; Solar System ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Superoxides

BACKGROUND: Androgens stimulate the growth of hair in various are of skin including the pubis, axilla and beard, whereas in the scalp androgens promote baldness in genitically predisposed individuals. Androgens bind to specific intracellular receptors, which modulate saecific gene expression and so affect hair loss. Androgenetic isldness is first apparent on the frontalegion, with recession of the hair line. As this progresses, aloperia also develops on the vertex. But the osterior and lateral scalp area is spared, even in the most advanced eases, and even in old age. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study is to find out the difference of androgen receptor expression in lesional and non lesional scailp of androgenetic alopecia patients by iminunohistochemical staining. METHODS: Biopsy specimens were taken from its lesion(vertex) and its non lesion(occiput) of 3 patients with androgenetic alopecia and 4 normal controls. The deteatic n of androgen receptor was performed by an immunohistochemical technique(streptavidin peroxidasc method) using monoclonal antibody against androgen receptor. RESULTS: Androgen receptors were strongly expressed in eccrine land and sebaceous gland, and weakly expressed in epidermal cells, hair infundibulum, hair bulb epith-lium and dermal hair papilla. CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference of the expression if androgen receptors in lesional and non lesional scalp of androgenetic alopecia.
Alopecia* ; Androgens ; Axilla ; Biopsy ; Gene Expression ; Hair ; Humans ; Receptors, Androgen* ; Scalp* ; Sebaceous Glands ; Skin

BACKGROUND: Hydration, the water content of the stratum corneum, is an important factor in both the appearance and the barrier function of the skin. Many non-invasive methods have been developed in order to assesa the hydration state of the skin and the effect of various moisturizers. The hydrometer and carneometer are commercially available instruments which are widely used in dermatologic research. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to compare the measuring usefulnes of both instruments on normal subjects with a wide range of hydration states of the hornylayer. METHODS: We measured the conductance with the hydrometer and the capacitance with the corneometer in various hydrating eonditions and compared both insruments. RESULTS: Conductance had a non linear correlation with capacita ice. Capacitance measured with the corneometer had a high sensitivity to moisture in a wide range of hydration levels. On the other hand, conductance guaged with the hydrometer showed a few sensitivity to moisture at a low level. When the hydretion level was measured after a moiturizer was added, 10 % urea cream showed a sharp increase by 256% in terms of conductanae, and H-base by 97.8%. Mineral oil decreased by 41.5% and petrolatum by 62% respectively. On the other hand, when measured in terms of capacitance under the same conditions as above, 38.9 increase in 10% urea cream, 19.3% increase in H-base, 20% decrease in mineral oil, and 43.5 % decrease in petrolatum were reported. Conductance showed a higher hygroscopicity and a lower water holding capacity than capacitance did. When the measurement of the moisture level iri virious parts of the human body is performed, the corneometer provided us with more stable alies than the hydrometer. While the hydrometer can not the available and appropriate under the condition of insulation, the corneometer can measure moisture levels even down at the depth of 250mm. When measured after the oily surface of the forehead was cleansed with soft tissue, conductance and capacitance revealed higher values of moisture levels than before the eleanin. However, there is no statistical significance in these values. CONCLUSION: The hydrometer is a more appropriate tool for the measurement of moisture at a high level, and the corneometer at a low moisture level. The hydrcmeter is a more sensitive method of measuring the increase and the decrease in the moisture level.
Forehead ; Hand ; Human Body ; Ice ; Lasers, Gas ; Mineral Oil ; Petrolatum ; Skin* ; Urea ; Water ; Wettability

BACKGROUND: Hydration, the water content of the stratum corneum, is an important factor in both the appearance and the barrier function of the skin. Many non-invasive methods have been developed in order to assesa the hydration state of the skin and the effect of various moisturizers. The hydrometer and carneometer are commercially available instruments which are widely used in dermatologic research. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to compare the measuring usefulnes of both instruments on normal subjects with a wide range of hydration states of the hornylayer. METHODS: We measured the conductance with the hydrometer and the capacitance with the corneometer in various hydrating eonditions and compared both insruments. RESULTS: Conductance had a non linear correlation with capacita ice. Capacitance measured with the corneometer had a high sensitivity to moisture in a wide range of hydration levels. On the other hand, conductance guaged with the hydrometer showed a few sensitivity to moisture at a low level. When the hydretion level was measured after a moiturizer was added, 10 % urea cream showed a sharp increase by 256% in terms of conductanae, and H-base by 97.8%. Mineral oil decreased by 41.5% and petrolatum by 62% respectively. On the other hand, when measured in terms of capacitance under the same conditions as above, 38.9 increase in 10% urea cream, 19.3% increase in H-base, 20% decrease in mineral oil, and 43.5 % decrease in petrolatum were reported. Conductance showed a higher hygroscopicity and a lower water holding capacity than capacitance did. When the measurement of the moisture level iri virious parts of the human body is performed, the corneometer provided us with more stable alies than the hydrometer. While the hydrometer can not the available and appropriate under the condition of insulation, the corneometer can measure moisture levels even down at the depth of 250mm. When measured after the oily surface of the forehead was cleansed with soft tissue, conductance and capacitance revealed higher values of moisture levels than before the eleanin. However, there is no statistical significance in these values. CONCLUSION: The hydrometer is a more appropriate tool for the measurement of moisture at a high level, and the corneometer at a low moisture level. The hydrcmeter is a more sensitive method of measuring the increase and the decrease in the moisture level.
Forehead ; Hand ; Human Body ; Ice ; Lasers, Gas ; Mineral Oil ; Petrolatum ; Skin* ; Urea ; Water ; Wettability

Nevus sebaceus of Jadassohn has been referred to as a organoid nevus that classically evolves through three stages and may be associated with a range of skin tumors, and of these, syringocystadenoma papilliferum and basal cell carcinoma have been commonly reported to occur. The occurrence of keratoacanthoma is a very rare event in nevus sebaceus. Herein we report on a 23-year-old man with nevus sebaceus of the cheek. He represents a keratoacanthoma arising within nevus sebaceus.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Cheek ; Humans ; Keratoacanthoma* ; Nevus* ; Nevus, Sebaceous of Jadassohn ; Organoids ; Skin ; Young Adult

Nevus flammeus is a benign but cosmetically devascating congenital inalformation involving mature capillaries. The copper vapor laser is a therapeutic device which had been newly applied to this. Yellow copper vapor light is absorbed by the intraluminal oxyhemoglobulin mo ecules, leading to the destruction of blood vessels. This study was undertaken to evaluate the histobigic findings in a patient with nevus flammeus according to the sequential time after copper vapor laser therapy. The results were as followed, One hour after treatment, nonspecific damages to the epidermis and upper part of the dermis were observed. The specific damage to the vessels which showed thrombi formations and partial disruption of the vessel walls was prominent. One cay after treatment, degeneration of the epidermis and sepaiation of the dermoepidermal junction were apparent. Three days after treatment, extravasations of a small amount of erythrocytes and inflanimatory cell infiltrations were present, especially around the vessels. Seven days after treatment, the capillaries showed a deposition of fiorinoid material around themselves. Partial disappearance of the vessel walls was seen. There was hisi ologic evidence of the replacement of abnormal ectatic vessels by normal appearing vessels with small uminal diameters, surrounded by endothelial cells.
Blood Vessels ; Capillaries ; Copper* ; Dermis ; Endothelial Cells ; Epidermis ; Erythrocytes ; Humans ; Lasers, Gas* ; Nevus* ; Port-Wine Stain*