BACKGROUND: thermotherapy has been shown to be effective in the treatment of some fungal infections. Dermatophyte are well grown at 25degrees C rather than 37degrees C or high temperature. OBJECTIVE: An vitro test was done to assess the complemental effect and optimal conditions of local heating on the susceptability of t. rubrum to systemic antifungal agents. METHODS: Microdilution susceptability test to ketoconazole and itraconazole was done using 96 well microplate. Eight strains of T. rubrum were isolated from patients withtinea pedis and were cultured at 25degrees C, 37degrees C and 42degrees C for 1, 8 or 24 hours per day. MIC were checked at 4th, 7th, 9th day after inoculution. RESULTS: The growth without antifungal agents at 37degrees C and 42degrees C were decreased by 805 and 50% of the growth at 25degrees C respectively. Seven day after inoculation was the proper time to check the MIC. MIC50 of ketoconazole was the lowest at 42degrees C for 24hours per day in value of 0.006microgram/ml, and 0.09microgram/ml at 37degrees C for 24hours per day, 0.37microgram/mlat 42degrees C, for 8hours per day and 37degrees C for 8hours per day. MIC at 42degrees C for 1 hours er day, 37degrees C for 1 hyours and 25degrees C for 24hours per ady MIC were the same in value of 0.05microgram/ml. MIC50 of itraconazole was the lowest at 42degrees C for 24hours per day in value of 0.006microgram/ml, 0.01microgram/ml at 37degrees C for 24hours per day, 0.02microgram/ml at 37degrees C for 8hours per day. MIC at 42degrees C for 8hours per day, 42degrees C for 1hours per day, 37degrees C for 24hours per day MIC were the same in value of 0.05microgram/ml. CONCLUSION: Incubation at 37degrees C for 24 hours per day or 42degrees C for 24 hours per day increased the susceptability of T. rubrum to ketoconazole and itraconazole.
Antifungal Agents* ; Arthrodermataceae* ; Complement System Proteins ; Heating ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Hyperthermia, Induced ; Itraconazole ; Ketoconazole

We report a case of type IV hyperlipoproteinemia associated with xanthoma tuberosum and diabets mellitus in a 48 year old female patient. She had several yellowish-brown papules on the knees and palms. The blood glucose level was elevated and serum lipid and lipoprotein analysis revealed patterns of type IV hyperlipoproteinemia. Histopathologic findings of yellowish-brown papules on the knee showed the aggregation of foam cells in the dermis. She has been treated with diet control and hypolipidemic drug(lovastatin and procetofen) and is under our continuing supervision.
Blood Glucose ; Dermis ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Diet ; Female ; Foam Cells ; Humans ; Hyperlipoproteinemia Type IV* ; Knee ; Lipoproteins ; Middle Aged ; Organization and Administration ; Xanthomatosis*

The incidence of the cutaneous tuberculosis has shown a steady decline over the past decades. This parallels the decreasing incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis. We experienced 5 cases of cutaneous tuberculosis from January 1990 to February 1991. We present herein 4 cases of cutaneous tuberculosis. They were 3 cases of vulgaris and 1 case of tuberculosis verrucosa cutis. Mantoux tests were done except one case and were reactive in all cases. Culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis were done but Mycobacterium tuberculosis were not cultivated in the all cases. Histopathological findings showed tuberculoid granulomas in the dermis except one case and no acid fast bacilli were demonstrated on AFB stains.
Coloring Agents ; Dermis ; Granuloma ; Incidence ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Cutaneous* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

The pathogenesis of lupus er thematosus(LE) appears to be multifactorial, including genetic, hormonal and environmental influences. Genetic factors have long been suspected to an important role in its pathogenesis. This was been shown in family studies and twin studies. We report a family in which mother developed SLE and son developed DLE. The mother, 35 year old female, had hyperpigmcnted brownish macules and atrophic scars on the face and also complained of fever, chill and arthralgia for 2 years. The clinical, laboratory and histopathological findings showed characteristic features of systemic lupus erythematosus. she had been treated with systemic prednisolone, hydrcxychloroquin sulfate and topical corticosteroid ointment for about 4 years resulting favorable improvement skin lesions. Laboratory studies during her course had demonstrated persist leukopenia, peckled pattern ANA and VDRL positive. The son, 10-year-old, had peasized, multiple erythematous papules and plaques on the face and arms for 2 months. The lirical, laboratory and histopathological findings showed characteristic features of discoid lupus erythematosus. He was treated with systernic prednisolone for 2 years, hydroxychloroquin sulfate and topical corticosteroid ointment for abcut 4 years resulting nearly all clearing of skin lesions with slighthly hyperpigmentation. Laboratory studies during his course had demonstrated only weakly ANA positive.
Adult ; Arm ; Arthralgia ; Child ; Cicatrix ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Leukopenia ; Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Mothers* ; Naphazoline ; Prednisolone ; Skin

BACKGROUND: As the size of the elderly population has increased compared to the hole, there has been growing concern over potential health problems and geriatric hospitals for elderly people. However, despite the emerging needs for geriatric hospitals, there is no data on the clinical characteristics of patients being admitted to geriatric hospitals. To analyze the characteristics of elderly patients admitted to a geriatric hospital, we studied the medical records of patients admitted to Yong-in Hyoja Geriatric Hospital during a recent 20 months period. By clarifying the clinical characteristics of elderly patients admitted to a geriatric hospital, the basic data for understanding and treating elderly patients could be made. METHODS: We analyzed the medical records of 345 patients who were admitted to Yong-in Hyoja Geriatric Hospital from November 1997 to July 1999. The diagnosis of patients was largely subgrouped according to the existence of dementia, and subsequent detailed diagnoses were made. RESULTS: (1) The average age of patients was 74.59 years and there were slightly more females than males admitted (ratio, 1.15:1). (2) Most of the patients suffered from dementia (62.1%), of which vascular dementia was the most common(31.6%), followed by Alzheimer dementia(19.15%). (3) Compared to vascular dementia, patients with Alzheimer dementia had more severe cognitive dysfunction, psychosis, and agitation, while patients with vascular dementia had more problems in activities of daily living (ADL) and were more depressed than Alzheimer dementia (4) The average hospitalization duration was 3.54 months and incidence of significant illness after admission was 29.8%. The mortality rate was 10.9%. (5) The most common cause of death was infection (45.2%), followed by cardiovascular problems(16.2%). CONCLUSIONS: In addition to significant illnesses and mortality after admission, most patients admitted to geriatric hospitals have severe cognitive and behavioral problems. Therefore, adequate medical and neurological assessment and treatment for the aged is necessary.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Cause of Death ; Dementia ; Dementia, Vascular ; Diagnosis ; Dihydroergotamine ; Female ; Geriatrics ; Gyeonggi-do* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Psychotic Disorders

Dermatophytosis was found on the right front leg of a 4-month-old female African lion cub (Panthera leo) kept at a zoo with locally marginal alopecia. For diagnosis, culturing on sabouraud dextrose agar was performed and skin scrapings from the lesion were analyzed. The ones from the culture and skin scrapings were identified as Trichophyton mentagrophytes. A zookeeper that had been in contacted with the lion for artificial rearing developed skin lesions with well-defined erythematous plaques on the right arm about 1 month after the lesion in the lion was observed. The ringworm was probably transmitted from the lion through continuous contact.
Agar ; Alopecia ; Arm ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Glucose ; Humans ; Infant ; Leg ; Lions* ; Skin ; Tinea ; Trichophyton*

BACKGROUND: Ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) sustained during mechanical ventilator support is still a cause of a high rate of morbidity and mortality in intensive care units and in operating rooms. VILI is characterized by pulmonary inflammation that appears to be mediated by proinflammatory cytokines. This study investigates whether the volatile anesthetic sevoflurane has an anti-inflammatory effect that attenuates VILI. METHODS: Twenty one male rabbits were anesthetized and were mechanically ventilated with 50% oxygen at a peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) of 10 cmH2O, I : E ratio of 1 : 4, and positive end expiratory pressure of 5 cmH2O. All animals were randomly assigned to one of three groups that were ventilated for 5 h with 10 cmH2O of PIP (Sham group, n = 7); 30 cmH2O of PIP (Control group, n = 7); or 30 cmH2O of PIP and 0.8 vol% sevoflurane (Sevoflurane group, n = 7). The wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio and histopathology of the lung; concentration of interleukin-8 (IL-8) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; and activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) 1/2, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and Akt were measured in the lung tissue after completing the protocol. RESULTS: Histopathology indicated that the sevoflurane group showed fewer inflammatory cells and architectural changes than the control group did. The W/D ratio [(5.36 +/- 0.13) versus (6.61 +/- 0.20)], expression of IL-8 [(144.08 +/- 14.61) versus (228.56 +/- 15.13) pg/ml] and phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and Akt decreased significantly in the sevoflurane group relative to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Sevoflurane attenuates VILI in rabbits mainly by inhibiting expression of IL-8, and Sevoflurane-induced inhibition of phosphorylated ERK1/2 and Akt might be a possible pathway for protection.
Animals ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Cytokines ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Interleukin-8 ; Lung ; Male ; Mortality ; Operating Rooms ; Oxygen ; Phosphorylation ; Pneumonia ; Positive-Pressure Respiration ; Protein Kinases ; Rabbits ; Signal Transduction* ; Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury* ; Ventilators, Mechanical

OBJECTIVE: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy(ARVC) is a progressive cardiac muscle disease characterized as progressive fibrofatty replacement of the right ventricle, severe ventricular arrhythmia, and sudden death. However, there is no report of ARVC as a cause of sudden death in Korea. METHODS and RESULTS: Postmortem studies were done to 115 cases of sudden unexplained death at department of legal medicine, school of medicine, Kyungpook national university in year 1999. We identified 7 cases(6%) of typical ARVC with no other identifiable cause of sudden death. The subjects included 5 males and 2 females, ranging in age from 19 to 41 years (mean 29.7 years). All were found dead at bed (5 cases) or workshop (2 cases). Five cases were fibrofatty types and two cases were fatty types. Right ventricular aneurysm, inflammatory infiltrates and left ventricular involvement were found in 4, 2 and 1 cases, repectively. Two cases had family history of sudden death before age 40. No one was suspected of having cardiovascular disease or ARVC before death. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that ARVC in Taegu-Kyungpook area may be more frequent than previously thought. ARVC may be a major cause of sudden unexplained death.
Aneurysm ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Death, Sudden ; Education ; Female ; Forensic Medicine ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Myocardium

PURPOSE: The efficacy of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA), prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD), digital rectal examination (DRE) and transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) for diagnosing prostate cancer in Koreans was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records from a selected population of 346 patients (30 to 93 years old, mean age 66.0) who had visited the department of Urology in Seoul National University Hospital from January 1994 to December 2000 were reviewed retrospectively. All patients a transrectal ultrasonography-guided biopsy. The student's t test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Prostate cancer was detected in 119 (34.4%) out of 346 patients. PSA, PSAD, TRUS, and DRE showed a sensitivity of 95.8%, 88.2%, 66.4% and 61.3%, a specificity of 26%, 49.3%, 66.5% and 55.9%, and a positive predictive value of 40.4%, 47.7%, 51% and 42.2%, respectively. The positive predictive value from the combination of PSAD and TRUS was 67%, which was the highest when two among the four methods were selected and combined. The detection rate for prostate cancer was 23% (31 out of 135 patients) when the PSA level was between 4 and 10ng/ml, and was 20.9% (18 out of 86 patients) when PSA level was between 4 and 10ng/ml and the DRE findings were negative. CONCLUSIONS: In detecting prostate cancer, PSA showed the highest sensitivity and TRUS showed the highest specificity and positive predictive value. PSAD might be a useful method for diagnosing prostate cancer when combined with TRUS. A TRUS-guided biopsy should be done in patients when the PSA level is between 4 and 10ng/ml in Korea.
Biopsy ; Digital Rectal Examination* ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening* ; Medical Records ; Prostate* ; Prostate-Specific Antigen* ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Seoul ; Ultrasonography* ; Urology

A one-year-old female sika deer died suddenly with no preliminary signs during exhibition at a zoo. At necropsy, the carcass was emaciated and had dried fur. Examination of the thoracic cavity revealed a diaphragmatic rupture measuring 2 cm in diameter and a fracture in the middle of the right eighth rib. The liver and lungs had irregular circular discolorations caused by diaphragmatic rupture and subsequent herniation. Dark-brown-colored ascitic fluid, hydrothorax, and yellowish hydropericardium were also observed. The cause of death was determined to be diaphragmatic rupture caused by a rib fracture, which led to respiratory imbalance and circulatory disorders.