Fungi have been recognized as a significant cause of external otitis and it may be the primary pathogen or be part of a mixed infection. In the immunocompromised host, fungus is capable of producing infection in inner ear or middle ear. Otomycoses are most frequently caused by Aspergillus spp. and Candida sap. There are few reports that Aspergillus species other than A. fumigatus, A. niger and f. flavus have caused chronic otitis media. We report two cases of chronic otitis media caused by Aspergillus ferrous in Korea. One case is a 7-year-old girl who had recurrent serous otorrhea and otalgia for 4 years, was reattended otolaryngology clinics with otorrhea of 3 days durations and another is a 6-year-old girl who had serous otorrhea for 2 months and 3 day fever, was attended otolaryngology clinics with them. Microscopic appearance and colony morphology from ear discharge cultures revealed A. ferrous. The infection responded well to topical ketoconazole therapy. This report should help to raise medical personnel's awareness of such human opportunistic fungal ear infections.
Aspergillus* ; Candida ; Child ; Coinfection ; Ear ; Ear, Inner ; Ear, Middle ; Earache ; Female ; Fever ; Fungi ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Ketoconazole ; Korea ; Niger ; Otitis Externa ; Otitis Media* ; Otitis* ; Otolaryngology ; Otomycosis

No abstract available.
Benzalkonium Compounds* ; Dermatitis, Contact*

PURPOSE: We studied to evaluate the effect of percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) in liver abscess. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data (presence of fever, WBC count), radiological findings (computed tomography, ultrasonography and abscessogram) and correlated them with treatment period. Percutaneous drainage of liver abscess were performed in 19 patients under fluoroscopy guide during recent three years. RESULTS: Eighteen patients (95%) were cured, and one patient underwent surgery because of peritonitis caused by PCD procedure. Average treatment period was 17 days. CONCLUSION: In the treatment of liver abscess, PCD is thought to be safe and effective.
Catheters* ; Drainage* ; Fever ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Liver Abscess* ; Liver* ; Peritonitis ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

Two hundred twenty premature infants who were inhalated 02 and under 2500mg birth weight or under 37 weeks of gestational age were examined from January 1990 to June 1991. We performed clinical analysis and results were as follows. 1. Thirty one infants (14.1 %) were diagnosed as retinopathy of prematurity. 2. Male patients were 17 (54.8%) and female patients were 14 (46.2%). There was no significant difference in incidence between male and female (X2=0.01, p>0.05). 3. The first examination was performed at 2.4 weeks cf life in average, and the retinopathy of prematurity was diagnosed at 4.8 weeks in average. 4. Stage 2 was detected in 10 patients (32.3%) and stage 3 was detected in 6 patients (19.4%). 5. Plus sign was found in 2 patients (19%) with stage 2 and 6 patients (100%) with stage 3. 6. The incidence of retinopathy of prematurity was highly associated with low birth weight (<1200gm), small gestational age (<30 weeks), and oxygen concentration (>or=60%). 7. Other associated possible risk factors were hyperbilirubinemia, idiopathic respiratoty distress syndrome, anemia, apnea and transfusion.
Anemia ; Apnea ; Birth Weight ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Male ; Oxygen ; Retinopathy of Prematurity* ; Risk Factors

Dihydropyridine (DHP) calcium channel blockers (CCBs) have been widely used to treat of several cardiovascular diseases. An excessive shortening of action potential duration (APD) due to the reduction of Ca2+ channel current (I(Ca)) might increase the risk of arrhythmia. In this study we investigated the electrophysiological effects of nicardipine (NIC), isradipine (ISR), and amlodipine (AML) on the cardiac APD in rabbit Purkinje fibers, voltage-gated K+ channel currents (I(Kr), I(Ks)) and voltage-gated Na+ channel current (I(Na)). The concentration-dependent inhibition of Ca2+ channel currents (I(Ca)) was examined in rat cardiomyocytes; these CCBs have similar potency on I(Ca) channel blocking with IC50 (the half-maximum inhibiting concentration) values of 0.142, 0.229, and 0.227 nM on NIC, ISR, and AML, respectively. However, ISR shortened both APD50 and APD90 already at 1 microM whereas NIC and AML shortened APD50 but not APD90 up to 30 microM. According to ion channel studies, NIC and AML concentration-dependently inhibited I(Kr) and I(Ks) while ISR had only partial inhibitory effects (<50% at 30 microM). Inhibition of I(Na) was similarly observed in the three CCBs. Since the I(Kr) and I(Ks) mainly contribute to cardiac repolarization, their inhibition by NIC and AML could compensate for the AP shortening effects due to the block of I(Ca).
Action Potentials ; Amlodipine ; Animals ; Antihypertensive Agents ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Calcium Channel Blockers* ; Calcium Channels* ; Calcium* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Ion Channels ; Isradipine ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; Nicardipine ; Purkinje Fibers ; Rats

No abstract available.
Dendritic Cells*

BACKGROUND: Accessory tragi contain a central core of cartilage, which is the most important pathological factor, but often are misdiagnosed as soft fibroma/hair follicle nevi if sections cannot show a central core of cartilage. OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this study were aimed at comparing transverse sections with vertical sections and demonstrating the value of transverse sections about histological diagnosis for accessory tragus. METHODS: We studied 14 cases of patients with accessory tragi. All cases were totally excised and all 16 biopsy specimens (bilateral in 2 cases) were obtained. We classified these biopsy specimens into two groups regarding the removal of cartilage.All specimens were vertical or transverse seiral sectioned and we compared these histologic findings with established histologic diagnostic criteria which Satoh et al. reported. RESULTS: On the specimens of group 1 in which there was cartilage, subcutaneous prominent connective tissue framework whirling around cartilage could be observed on all transverse sections, but was not always present on vertical sections. Prominent connective tissue framework and pilosebaceous units with circular arrangement of eccrine glands were simultaneously in the center of transverse sections regardless of the presence of cartilage. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, transverse sections showed all diagnostic histologic important features for accessory tragus: presence of central cartilage, prominent subcutaneous connective tissue framework, and various degree of pilosebaceous unit, especially with circular arrangement of eccrine glands. So transverse sectioning could be a useful method for accurate histological diagnosis of accessory tragi regardless of the removal of cartilage when doing excisional biopsy.
Biopsy ; Cartilage ; Connective Tissue ; Diagnosis ; Eccrine Glands ; Humans ; Nevus

Histopathologic studies for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-associated chronic gastritis have been mostly undertaken with endoscopic biopsy specimens, often leading to an inappropriate evaluation of the gastric mucosal alterations. The purpose of this paper was designed to investigate the actual prevalence of lymphoid follicle formation by H. pylori infection using the resected stomachs. A total of 16 fresh gastrectomy specimens bearing gastric carcinoma were examined under the quick and gentle procedure, with which H. pylori was detected in 12 cases (75%) and lymphoid follicles in 14 cases (87.5%), while the detection rate of H. pylori remained 56.3% in the control group which comprised the same 16 resected stomachs and were examined by routine tissue preparation procedure without any special care. There was a significant correlation between the presence of H. pylori and lymphoid follicle formation (p=0.05), but no correlation was found between the grades of H. pylori and lymphoid follicles. The topographical distribution of H. pylori or lymphoid follicles in antrum and body gave no statistical difference. Similarly, there was no correlation between H. pylori infection and intestinal metaplasia, activity of chronic gastritis or histologic types of accompanying adenocarcinoma. We conclude that studies of the gastric mucosal change by H. pylori infection using the gastrectomy specimens provide a useful information for analysis of lymphoid follicle formation which is a consistent morphological characteristic of H. pylori infection.
Adenocarcinoma ; Biopsy ; Gastrectomy* ; Gastritis ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Metaplasia ; Prevalence ; Stomach

Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma is a rare tumor of vascular origin having a intermediate clinical course between benign cavernous hemangioma and malignant anglosarcoma. Patients present nonspecific clinical signs and symptomas. We experienced a case of surgically proven hepatic epithelioid hemangioen-dothelioma. Computed tomography showed multiple nodules with internal calcifications, chiefly in peripheral portion of both lobes of the liver. Ultrasonography showed hypoechoic nodules and tiny calcific foci in peripheral portion. Open biopsy of the liver and the omenrum confirmed epithelioid hemangioendotheliomas.
Biopsy ; Hemangioendothelioma, Epithelioid* ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; Humans ; Liver* ; Ultrasonography

This study investigated the stress of community residents in Kwang-Ju and Chonnam areas by using the General Health Questionnaire(GHQ-60) as a instrument of stress measurement. The number of subject were 445 residents who lived in three areas (large city, middle city, and rural area) and they were individually interviewed in March, 1994. The result of study showed that the degrees of stress measured by GHQ-60 were statistically significant in the residents' area, age. sex variables: (a) the residents in middle city among three area had the highest level of stress: (b) the resident who were more than 60 in age had the highest level of stress: (c) the female resident had more stress than male residents: (d) particularly, the residents who were more than 60 years old in the middle city had the highest level of stress. Further, the results of factor analysis showed that there were three factors of social dysfunction, depression and anxiety, and psychosomatic symptom. The social dysfunction factor was statistically significant in both age and resident area variables. The depression and anxiety factor was statistically significant in the residents' area, age. sex variables. The psychosomatic symptom factor was statistically significant in both age and sex variables. The study suggested that they should give a special attention to solve the old people's stress because stress was closely related to residents age.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Female ; Gwangju ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Male ; Mass Screening* ; Middle Aged ; Surveys and Questionnaires*