In 1932, Harris, et al., reported that vitamin A had an anti-keratinizing effect on acne vulgaris, and in 1948, Straumfjord, somewhat over-enthusiastically reported that oral use of vitamin A also had a beneficial effect on acne. In spite of studies by Lynch and Cook (1947), and Andrew and Stokoe (1963), which questioned its effectiveness, the original enthusiasm for this regimen has not been completely dampened. Kligman (1969) reported that vitamin A acid (VAA), a metabolic end-product of vitamin A metabolism, produced a peeling effect and when applied topical was effective in tbe treatment of acne. The mechanism of action of VAA is incompletely understood, however, it is observed to cause, arnong other things, an increase in the speed of proliferation of the cells of the epidermis; dissolution of the intracellular lysosomes; increase in the rate of keratin formation and the conversion of hard keratin to soft keratin; and an increase in the secretion of the sebaceous glands. The effect of VAA in acne treatment is due to the increase in the secretion of the sebaceous glands which prevents the formation of comedones. It is believed that the increased spced of cell division, increased keratinization and softening of the keratin cause a weakening of the intercellular adhesion. These processes cause an acceleration of the flow of cells out of the sebaceoua glands which prevents the formation of comed.ones and forces existing comedones to the surface of the skin. For this study, thirty eight patients with acne vulgaris were selected from among the outpatients of Severance Hospital. They were divided into two groups. The first group was treated with application of vitamin A acid alone. The second group was treated concurrently with topical vitamin A acid and oral tetracycline. The results were a.s folIows: l. The group treated for three weeks with VAA alone showed significant improvement in up to 70 of the cases. 2. The group treated with VAA and oral tetracycline showed results which were sirnilar to the group on VAA alone. 3. In both groups. closed cornedones and papules gradually disappeared, however, the number of open com.dones increased in the first week, but decreased threafter, In combined therapy, pustules disappeared grad.ually just like the papules, but in therapy with VAA alone, the number of pustules increased during tbe first week and decreasd. thereafter. 4. In the group which was treated with VAA alone, undesirable side effects such as scaling, erythema, tightness, itching and burning sensation were seen, and also occasionally fissures, edema, pain and oozing were noted. In the group treated with combined therapy, similar findings were recorded.
Acceleration ; Acne Vulgaris* ; Burns ; Cell Division ; Edema ; Epidermis ; Erythema ; Humans ; Lysosomes ; Metabolism ; Outpatients ; Pruritus ; Sebaceous Glands ; Sensation ; Skin ; Tetracycline ; Tretinoin* ; Vitamin A* ; Vitamins*

BACKGROUND: Although adults in 30s and 40s are at risk for hypertension management due to low rates of awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension, there has been a lack of study on hypertension management for this population. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine blood pressure screening and other associated factors with hypertension management in terms of awareness, control, and treatment. METHODS: Secondary data analysis was performed on the data from the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2007-2009. To examine whether blood pressure screening affects hypertension management in 929 subjects aged 30s and 40s with hypertension. Other factors, such as socio-demographics, health status, and health behaviors, were also included for data analysis. Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis were carried out using SAS 9.1. RESULTS: Hypertension awareness rates were high in those who had diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR] 2.23; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27-3.90), self-rated their health status as poor (OR 2.89; 95% CI 1.82-4.58), and received a blood pressure check up (OR 5.96; 95% CI 2.90-12.25). Hypertension treatment rates were high in women (OR 2.50; 95% CI 1.47-4.27), and high in those who had diabetes mellitus (OR 2.59; 95% CI 1.49-4.47), self-rated their health status as poor (OR 2.53; 95% CI 1.54-4.14), self-reported as past smoker (OR 2.01; 95% CI 1.22-3.29), and received a blood pressure check up (OR 12.64; 95% CI 4.87-32.77). Hypertension control rates were high in women (OR 2.47; 95% CI 1.29-4.72), and high in those who self-reported as past smoker (OR 2.46; 95% CI 1.35-4.50), and received a blood pressure check up (OR 9.24; 95% CI 3.15-27.15). CONCLUSIONS: For effective hypertension management in 30s and 40s, we should encourage this population to have a regular blood pressure screening.
Adult ; Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Mass Screening ; Nutrition Surveys ; Phenothiazines ; Statistics as Topic

Thirty-one Patients who underwent reoperation from Jan. 1983 to Dec. 1988. were analysed retrospectively. The results of reoperation showed the excellent recovery in 13 cases(42%) and good recovery in 12 cases(39%) in terms of pain relief and working capability. But 6 cases(19%) couldn't be managed successfully. The most common intraoperative findings were true recurrences(14 cases: 45%), missed disc material(7 cases: 23%), and small recurrent fragment embedded in epidural fibrosis(7 cases: 23%). The clinical result is affected predominantly by the intraoperative pathology and the time interval between the first and second operation. The excellent or good results could be achieved among patients with true recurrences occurred after more than 6 months following initial surgery and among the patients who were operated again within one month because of missed disc material, hematoma, and inadequate laminectomy and discectomy. But the patients who underwent reoperation between 1 month and 6 months because of a small recurrence and fibrosis or epidural fibrosis showed the poor results. The complete removal of disc, adequate bleeding control, adequate laminectomy were considered to be helpful to reduce the chance of reoperation. Microsurgery is advisable in reoperations because it can facilitate the dissection between fibrous scar and nerve root, making the small recurrent disc material removed completely.
Cicatrix ; Diskectomy ; Fibrosis ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Microsurgery ; Pathology ; Recurrence ; Reoperation ; Retrospective Studies

INTRODUCTION: The fixation strength of transpedicular screw system in the vertebral hody relied on bone quality and anatomical characteristics of vertebral pedicle, designs of screw and types of connection(rod or plate) with screw. The purpose of this study is to verify the biomechanical nature of the transpedicular fixation in spine under various conditions with porcine vertebrae. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Fresh porcine vertebrae and the custom-made screws were used in this experiment. To reduce the errors caused by vertebral bodies of different size and quality, vertebral bodies having regular range of pedicular width(10.0 to 11.5mm) and hone density(more than 1.0 gm/cm2) were used. The pedicle screws were inserted in the same procedure and axial pull out test was performed with using the Material Testing System(lntron8511, Canton, USA). The experiments were performed in four types to assess the difference of strength accroding to designs of the screw hy using two group of screws. The first group of screw was designed according to the outer and inner diameter and the second group was designed according to the shape, pitch, and thread profile of screw. Experiment I was perfomed to evaluate the effect of screw diameters on the biomechanical pull-out strength hy using the first group of custom-made pedicle screw which fixed all other factors except the diameter of screw. Experiment I was to verify the effect of screw shape, experiment III to verify the effect of pitch and experiment IV to verify the effect of thread profile. RESULTS: The results of experiments were summarized as follows: Experiment I showed that the screw of larger outer diameter had greater holding strength. Experiment II showed that the holding strength of cylindrical shaped screw is superior to that of conical shaped screw. Experiment III showed that there is no statistical significance between different modes of pitch. Experiment IV showed that the holding strength of buttress shape of thread profile is superior to that of V-shape. CONCLUSION: It seemed that the fixation strength of the screw was more powerful with 1 mm increment of outer diameter in 4-7mm of outer diameter, 3mm of pitch and buttress shape of thread of the screw with the same operation technique.
Spine

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to investigate the age related changes of lymphocyte subset values in healthy Korean children. METHODS: Eighty healthy children were divided into four groups: group A(less than 1yr, n=20), group B(from 1 to 211/12 yr, n=20), group C(from 3 to 511/12 yr, n=20), group D(more than 6 yr, n=20). Their blood were examined for the proportions of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD19+ lymphocytes utilizing monoclonal antibodies and flowcytometry. RESULTS: 1) The percentage of CD19+ lymphocytes was significantly decreased with age. 2) The percentage of CD3+ lymphocytes was relatively constant, irrespective of age. 3) The percentage of CD4+ lymphocytes was significantly decreased with age. 4) The percentage of CD8+ lymphocytes was increased with age, but the changes were not significant. 5) The ratio of CD4+/CD8+ cells was significantly decreased with age. 6) The absolute numbers of total lymphocytes, CD19+, CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes were significantly decreased with age. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, as in previous other studies1-6), the results suggest that there are specific changes in proportions of lymphocyte subsets with age, independent of total lymphocyte count. There were similar trends of changes in many studies, but the reference ranges were somewhat differnt from one another. We thought that it is desirable for each individual laboratory to research its own age related normal reference ranges.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Child* ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Count ; Lymphocyte Subsets* ; Lymphocytes* ; Reference Values*

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome is an X-linked combined immunodeficiency disorder characterized by severely decreased number of platelets which are small in size, eczema resembling atopic dermatitis and recurrent infection. The serum of the patient contains elevated concentrations of IgA and IgE, whereas the IgG level is usually normal and IgM level is decreased. The patients also shows skin test anergy and progressive T-lymphocytopenia. Bleedings and recurrent infections are the main causes of death and the patients usually die before age 10. Bone marrow transplantation is accepted to be the only radical therapy. We experienced a case compatible with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome in a 5 year old male child who accompanied above clinical manifestations and laboratory findings.
Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Cause of Death ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Eczema ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Male ; Skin Tests ; Thrombocytopenia ; Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome* ; X-Linked Combined Immunodeficiency Diseases

No abstract available.

Four newborn infants with hyperbilirubinemia, caused by ABO blood group incompatibility, were treated with high-dose intravenous immune globulin(IVIG). As soon as the diagnosis was clinically suspected, these infants received conventional treatment including phototherapy and were monitored closely for bilirubin levels. When bilirubin concentrations reached the risk point in spite of phototherapy, IVIG was given at a dose of 1g/kg for 6 hours. In all cases, bilirubin levels declined within 12 hours after LVIG therapy, and to rebound effect was seen, No side effects of IVIG treatment were observed. We suggest that high-dose IVIG therapy may be useful in the treatment of hyperbilirubinemia due to ABO incompatibility, and reduce the need for exchange transfusion.
Bilirubin ; Blood Group Incompatibility ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia* ; Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous* ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Phototherapy

No abstract available.
Byssinosis*

OBJECTIVE: To classify the findings of magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar interspinous ligaments in relation to the lumbar disc herniation, disc degeneration, and lordosis. METHOD: The subjects were 45 herniated intervertebral disc(HIVD) patients and 35 normal subjects on MRI finding. The magnetic resonance features of the interspinous ligament were classified into five categories according to their signal intensities: type 1A (low intensity on T1- and T2- weighted images without hypertrophy of spinal process); type 1B (same signal pattern as in type 1A with hypertrophy of spinal process); type 2 (low intensity on T1- and high intensity on T2-weighted images); type 3 (high intensity on T1-weighted images); type 4 (others). RESULTS: The most common type in both HIVD patients and normal subjects was type 3. The mean age and disc degeneration grade of the type 1B ligaments were significantly higher. Lordosis of type 1B of L5-S1 interspinous ligament was increased with significant difference. CONCLUSION: The classification of the MRI findings of interspinous types didn't show statistical difference between HIVD patients and normal subjects, but was helpful in assessing the degree of the degeneration of the intervertebral disc and age.
Animals ; Classification* ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; Intervertebral Disc* ; Ligaments* ; Lordosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging