Microsportcm gypseum is a geophilic fungi abundant in soil throughout the world. The infections may occur either from animal to man(zoophilic) or from soil to man (geophilic). Patierit of 13-year-old Korean male sought medical attention with skin lesion on scalp which showed scaly patch with broken hairs and a round pilar cyst like nodule. Identification of Microsporum gypseum was made by culture on Sabouraud agar media and microscopic exarnination.
Adolescent ; Agar ; Animals ; Epidermal Cyst ; Fungi ; Hair ; Humans ; Male ; Microsporum* ; Scalp ; Skin ; Soil ; Tinea Capitis* ; Tinea*

To determine the normal interindividual variability of global visual field indices in normal subjects and investigate the correlations of visual field changes with intraocular pressure and myopic degrees, OCTOPUS 2000R automated perimetry was tested in 70 eyes of 40 normal subjects who had undergone one previous visual field on two separate sessions. The average value of Mean Defect(MD) was 3.83 +/- 1.15dB. Three eyes(4.3%) were within 2dB of the normal. In the statistical analysis of Global indices between the 1st and the 2nd fields. there were no differences(p>0.05). MD and myopic degrees showed a significant positive correlation (r=0.237, p<0.05). These results indicate that visual field indices should be interpreted with caution and used as one adjunctive parameter with other clinical findings.
Intraocular Pressure ; Myopia ; Octopodiformes* ; Visual Field Tests ; Visual Fields

Background: Fluvastatin is the first entirely synthetic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A(HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor. Clinical data indicate that this agent exhibits the proven efficacy of its class and also has some theoretical advantages in safety for long-term use because of its unique pharmacololgic property consistent with hepatoselectivity(i.e., low systemic exposure). This study is to evaluate efficacy and safety of fluvastatin in hypercholesterolemic patients in Korea. Methods: An open clinical trial with fluvastatin was conducted in 31 subjects who continued to have high blood cholesterol levels of 6.21 mmol/L(240 mg/dl) or greater after 1 month of lipid-lowering diet plus single blind placebo period. Fluvastatin was administered for 8 weeks with the initial dose of 20 mg per day and if serum cholesterol levels did not fall below 5.20 mmol/L(200 mg/dl) after 4 weeks the dose was increased to 40 mg per day for the second 4 weeks. On each visit every 4 weeks they underwent interview and laboratory tests about side effects and tolerability. Results: The mean % changes in plasma total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol from baseline were
Cholesterol ; Creatine Kinase ; Diet ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Korea ; Oxidoreductases ; Plasma ; Sleep Stages ; Triglycerides

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to review our recent experiences with deep neck abscesses in children and adolescents and to provide helpful information in treatment and diagnosis by comparing them with those in other available literatures. METHODS: Medical records of 36 children and adolescents admitted for deep neck abscess at two hospitals from January 2000 to October 2010 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Male to female ratio was 1.4 : 1 and the mean age was 6.5 years. Painful neck swelling and fever were the most frequent symptoms in patients under thirteen years of age whereas trismus and headache were frequent symptoms in patients over fourteen years of age. Submandibular space was the most common site of deep neck abscess in patients under thirteen years of age, whereas peritonsillar space was the most common site in patients over fourteen years of age. The results of bacterial cultures were positive in 61.5% of drained cases. Staphylococcus aureus was the most commonly identified bacteria in 6 patients (37.5%) and 5 of them were under 2 years of age. Twenty six patients received surgical drainage while the others were treated with antibiotics only. There were no statistically significant differences in the durations of admission, fever after admission, and antibiotic treatment between surgical and medical treatment groups. CONCLUSION: The common sites of deep neck abscess, associated symptoms, and causative organisms were different between children and adolescents. As there were no differences in durations of admission, fever, or antibiotics treatments between surgical and medical treatment groups, surgical drainage may be avoided by early recognition and suspicion. However, if there is no improvement of symptoms or size of abscesses within 48-72 hours of antibiotic treatment, surgical drainage should be considered.
Abscess ; Adolescent ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteria ; Child ; Drainage ; Female ; Fever ; Headache ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Records ; Neck ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Trismus

No abstract available.
Erythema Nodosum* ; Erythema*

We report a case of 54-year-old female with two intracranial tumors, a meningioma and multifocal glioblastoma multiforme with extracranial metastasis. The simultaneous occurrence of meningioma and glioblastoma multiforme and extracranial metastasis of glioblastoma multiforme are rare. We demonstrated additional clinical and pathological features of interest and reviewed the relevant literatures, and have speculated on the causes of this phenomenon.
Female ; Glioblastoma* ; Humans ; Meningioma* ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis

BACKGROUND: Chronic telogen effluvium is a common problem in middle-aged women. It has been suggested that reduced iron stores are a cause of this type of baldness. OBJECTIVE: We performed this study in order to elucidate the pathogenesis of chronic telogen effluvium and to evaluate the differences in serum stored iron levels between normal females and those with chronic telogen effluvium. METHODS: Blood levels of hemoglobin, iron, ferritin, and TIBC were examined in 20 patients with chronic telogen effluvium and 20 normal females. RESULT: 1) Ferritin levels were significantly decreased in the patients group(p=0.008). 2) TIBC levels were significantly increased in the patients group(p=0.001). 3) There were no significant differences in Hb and serum iron in both groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings suggested that the variation of serum ferritin level may play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic telogen effluvium, but further studies will be needed for evaluation of this condition.
Alopecia ; Female* ; Ferritins ; Humans ; Iron*

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to predict spontaneous labor onset delivery within 7 days in low risk pregnant women at 38 weeks' of gestation by ultrasonographic examination of cervical changes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This prospective study included 110 singleton low risk pregnancies between 37(+0) and 37(+6) weeks of gestation. Fifteen cases were lost during follow-up and finally 95 pregnant women (58 nulliparous, 37 multiparous) were analysed. The study period was from Oct/2005 to May/2007. Four cervical changes (length, gland thickness, funneling and canal formation) were evaluated. Main outcome was remaining day to delivery after the examination. Remaining days to actual delivery with spontaneous labor onset were recorded and the pregnancies were divided into two groups according to remaining days (within 7 days, over 7 days) to compare predicting power of delivery within 7 days. ROC curves were drawn to find out cut-off values of cervical length and gland thickness. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were extracted from four cervical changes. RESULTS: Mean cervical length of pregnant women at 38 weeks' of gestation was 25.8 (+/-10.0) mm and mean cervical gland thickness was 4.3 (+/-1.2) mm. Funnelings of uterine cervix were detected in 13 cases (13.7%), canal formations in 6 cases (6.3%). All four cervical changes were statistically valuable to predict delivery within 7 days and the cervical length showed highest sensitivity. When the cervical length was measured under 20 mm, the possibility of delivery within 7 days was 78.6% (p<0.001). The cervical gland thickness less than 4 mm could predict the delivery within 7 days with sensitivity of 57.1% (p<0.01). Sensitivities of funneling and canal formation for delivery within 7 days were 54.5%, 36.4% each. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonographic examination of the cervical changes in low risk singleton pregnancy at 38 weeks' of gestation are valuable for predicting spontaneous labor onset delivery within 7 days. Among four cervical changes, cervical length is most sensitive ultrasonographic marker.
Cervix Uteri ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Labor Onset ; Parturition* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Prospective Studies ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity

No abstract available.
Hand*

Sclerosing panniculitis refers to the skin induration and hyperpigmentation of the legs that often occurs in patients who have venous insufficiency. Sclerosing panniculitis is similar to those described under the designations hypodermitis sclerodermiformis or lipodermatosclerosis. Histologically the septa of the subcutis become thickening by inflammation and fibrosis. Adipocytes coalesce to form small and large pseudocysts. Some of these are lined by refractile, amphophilic crenulated membranes. This alteration was referred to as lipomembranous change. We report a case of sclerosing panniculitis in a 40-year-old female patient presented as induration and depression of the skin and subcutaneous tissues of the lower third of the leg.
Adipocytes ; Adult ; Depression ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Inflammation ; Leg ; Membranes ; Panniculitis* ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Venous Insufficiency