Sea urchin granuloma is a rare skin disorder, considered to be allergic or foreign body reaction caused by stick of spines of sea urchin. However, detection of the spine in the granuloma is quite difficult. A 27 year-old marine was seen with several asymptomatic hard nodules on the dorsum of hands, fingers, forearrns and knees at the injured site of the spines after a latent period of 6 rnonths. Histolagical examination revealed dermal granulomatous inflamation with hyperkeratotic and acanthotic epidermis. On examination with polarized microscopy, sea urchin spines in the granuloma were seen as bright white fragments in the dark field. Those nodules were regressed with intralesional injection of triamcinoIone.
Adult ; Epidermis ; Fingers ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Granuloma* ; Hand ; Humans ; Injections, Intralesional ; Knee ; Microscopy ; Sea Urchins* ; Skin ; Spine

The Ilizarov technique for gradual distraction osteogenesis was developed in the 1950s. A correctly performed osteotomy is essential to the success of distraction osteogenesis and prepares for limb lengthening. Between Sept. of 1991 and 1994, thirty-four patients were treated by Ilizarov technique at St. Benedict Hosp. and Gang-Dong Hosp.. And then assigned to two separate groups : a corticotomy group (group A) and osteotomy group (group B; osteotomy with Gigli saw or osteotomy with multiple drill holes and osteotome). The regenerate segments were evaluated weekly for the first six weeks after operation. After the initial six-week evaluation period, observations of these segments were continued through a series of monthly radiographs. Distraction began on postoperative day seven in group A and on day eleven in group B; and continued at a rate of 1 mm/day and a frequency of 4 times/day. Group A displayed new bone formation earlier than group B: group A's mean was 16.5 ± 4.9 days, while B's mean was 25.3 ± 4.6 days. The first bridging callus occurred earlier in group A than it did in group B: A's mean was time of 36.7 ± 9.9 days, while B's mean was 44.0 ± 7.9 days. There was no significant difference between groups A & B in terms of first cortical formation : A's mean was 86.9 ± 24.0 days, and B's mean was 100.6 ± 25.2 days. There was no significant difference between groups A & B in terms of the bone healing index : A's mean was 41.6 ± 13.5 days and B's mean was 41.15 ± 8.10 days.
Bony Callus ; Extremities ; Humans ; Ilizarov Technique ; Methods ; Osteogenesis ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; Osteotomy

We report a rare case of carcinosarcoma arising in the stomach. The tumor is presented in the posterior wall of the gastric lower body and antrum of a 56-year-old man. Grossly the tumor has polypoid appearance with diffuse surface ulceration and measures 5.5 cm in diameter. The tumor is accompanied with three separate well differentiated early gastric adenocarcinomas (two EGC type IIc & IIa). Microscopically, the tumor consists of moderately well differentiated adenocarcinoma in the periphery, and lobulated sarcomatous areas in the center, which shows chondroid differentiation. Transitional areas between adenocarcinoma and chondrosarcoma are evident. Immunohistochemical studies show positivity for cytokeratin and carcinoembryonic antigen in the epithelial component, and for vimentin and S-100 in the sarcomatous component. The transitional areas are positive in carcinoembryonic antigen, vimentin, S-100, and cytokeratin. The tumor extended to the subserosa and showed metastasis of only adenocarcinomatous component in six out of 47 dissected perigastric lymph nodes.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Carcinosarcoma* ; Chondrosarcoma ; Humans ; Keratins ; Lymph Nodes ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Stomach* ; Ulcer ; Vimentin

In order to investigate the occurrence characteristics of cancer in terms of industry in Kwangju-Chonnam area, medical utilization records of industrial medical insurance corporations during the period of 1987 to 1988 were reviewed for the identification of neoplastic disease. The cases obtained from the medical records were followed up for the verification and to get additional information. Standardized incidence data were compared by occupational characteristics. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to analyze the difference of incidence or distribution of cancer as a whole or of some selected cancer. Total cases of cancer identified were 242 during the study period. Annual incidence rate was calculated as 123.1 per 100,000 person. The frequent types of cancer were cancers of stomach, liver, lung, colon and rectum, bladder and lymphoma in descending order. Employees of mine and other sand handling industries showed significantly higher risks for cancer of stomach and cancer as a whole. Employees of the transportation industry showed the higher risk for cancer of liver. Workers in small-sized industry (< or = 100) had a higher risk for cancer than who in large-sized industry (>100). These findings suggested the effect of occupational environmental exposure to cancer development.
Colon ; Environmental Exposure ; Humans ; Incidence ; Insurance* ; Liver ; Liver Neoplasms ; Logistic Models ; Lung ; Lymphoma ; Medical Records ; Occupations ; Rectum ; Silicon Dioxide ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Transportation ; Urinary Bladder

Cryptococcus is native to the environment and thrives in any type of environment inhabited by birds. Cryptococcal genito-urinary infection has been reported in immunnocompromised patients and can involve the adrenal gland, kidney, prostate, or penis. To our knowledge, there have been no reports of cases where cryptococcal epididymo-orchitis infects an uncompromised healthy host. Here, we report a case of primary cryptococcal epididymo-orchitis in a healthy male.
Adrenal Glands ; Birds ; Cryptococcus ; Humans ; Kidney ; Male ; Orchitis ; Penis ; Prostate

This study was aimed at investigation of the stimulatory innervations on the rat urinary bladder. Detrusor muscle strips of 15 mm long were suspended in isolated muscle chambers containing 1 ml of PSS maintained at 37℃ and aerated with 95% O²/5% Co². Isometric myography was performed, and the results were as followings: Muscle strips showed “on-contraction” by electric field stimulation (EFS) frequency-dependently. The EFS-induced contraction was not affected by hexamethonium, a ganglion blocker, but abolished by tetrodotoxin, a nerve conduction blocker. Physostigmine, a cholinesterase inhibitor enhanced the EFS-induced contraction which was inhibited by hemicholinium, an inhibitor of choline uptake at the cholinergic nerve ending. Such an EFS-induced contraction was antagonized by atropine only partially, and the atropine-resistant portion was completely abolished by the desensitization of purinergic receptors by prolonged incubating of the strips in the presence of high concentration of ATP. Bethanechol, a cholinergic agonist, elicited concentration-dependent contraction. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a purinergic agonist, induced a weak but concentration-dependent contraction of short duration. Bethanechol-induced contraction was not affected by ATP-desensitization, and ATP-induced contraction was not affected by tetrodotoxin. These results suggest that there are at least two main stimulatory components of innervations in the detrusor muscle, cholinergic muscarinic and purinergic; and those receptors are independent each other.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Atropine ; Bethanechol ; Choline ; Cholinergic Agonists ; Cholinesterases ; Ganglion Cysts ; Hemicholinium 3 ; Hexamethonium ; Myography ; Nerve Endings ; Neural Conduction ; Physostigmine ; Rats* ; Receptors, Purinergic ; Tetrodotoxin ; Urinary Bladder*

Though the incidence of paragonimiasis has been remarkably decreased since 1970, it is still not a rare disease in Korea. Major problems in the diagnosis of pulmonary paragonimiasis on chest radiography are its differentiation from pulmonary tuberculosis and lung cancer. Chest radiographic findings have been described in detail, but little have been reported on CT findings. We reviewed CT findings of 10 patients with pulmonary paragonimiasis. The characteristic CT findings were similar to those on chest radiography, such as air-space consolidation (70%), nodular mass (50%), pleural effusion (40%), cystic lesion (30%), small low density within the mass (30%), linear density (20%), pneumothorax(20%), and burrow track (20%). CT depicted the cystic lesions and the burrow tracks more clearly and showed the small worm-retaining cysts within the mass that were not detectable on chest radiography. In conclusion, all of these CT findings are useful in the diagnosis of pulmonary paragonimiasis especially when differentiation from tuberculosis or lung canceris difficult on chest radiography.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Paragonimiasis* ; Pleural Effusion ; Radiography ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Rare Diseases ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between oral health-related quality of life and adult attachment type among college students. Methods: A total of 557 self-administered questionnaires were collected from undergraduates in Jeonbuk. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0. The results were analyzed using t-tests, analyses of variance, Duncan’s multiple range tests, correlation analyses, and multiple regression analyses. Results: The results of this study showed that sex and age were significant factors according to the analysis of the oral health-related quality of life in terms of general characteristics. The variable that had the greatest effect on the oral health-related quality of life was attachment anxiety, followed by age, sex, and attachment avoidance. Conclusions Education and counseling to promote safety of adult attachment will improve the oral health-related quality of life for college students.

Torsade de pointes (TdP) is a form of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia that is associated with prolongation of the QT interval. Although it occurs in many clinical settings, torsade de pointes is most commonly caused by drugs. The second generation antihistamines, including terfenadine and astemizole, have little sedation or other adverse effects on the CNS. They have been used widely to treat various allergic diseases, but it has been reported that overdoses or combinations with antifungal agents or macrolide antibiotics may lead to TdP. We report a case of TdP that occured during com-bination therapy of terfenadine and ketoconazole.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Antifungal Agents ; Astemizole ; Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating ; Ketoconazole* ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; Terfenadine* ; Torsades de Pointes*

PURPOSE: Over the past few decades, prevalence of childhood asthma has increased worldwide. However, in some countries, it remains stable or even decreased. Nationwide cross-sectional surveys were performed to obtain comparable data of the prevalence in Korea and other Asian countries (China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Philippines). METHODS: The collaborative international phase III studies were carried out in 1995 and 2000 using a Korean versions of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) written questionnaire (WQ) and a video questionnaire (VQ). In 1995, 15,894 children aged 12-15 years were enrolled in this study, and in 2000, 15,481 children from the same 34 selected schools were investigated. Prevalence of asthma or ever-wheeze had steadily increased until 1995. RESULTS: Both lifetime and past 12-month prevalence of wheeze decreased or reached the plateau from 1995 to 2000; 17.0% vs. 13.0% and 13.4% vs. 12.8% for 6-7 years old children, and 9.5% vs. 4.9% and 8.5% vs. 8.5% for 13-14 years old children, respectively. Prevalences of asthma in China, Hong Kong and Singapore have generally decreased, whereas it remained stable or slightly increased in Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of asthma symptoms decreased or reached the plateau in Korean children during a period of 1995 to 2000 and was generally stable in the other Asian countries. This was attributed to greater awareness of symptoms, diagnosis and proper management by patients and physicians together with a successful 'National Asthma Campaign' in Korea and other countries.
Adolescent ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Asthma ; Child ; China ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Hong Kong ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Singapore ; Taiwan ; Thailand