Bezoyl peroxide, a powerful oxidizing agent, has been uaed topically in the treatment of acne vulgaris as a cream or lotion and has been shown to he effective for this codition. In 1972 Fulton emphaaized the importance of the vehicles used to obtain. maximum potential of benzoyl peroxide and for this, the gel formulation has been examined in many clinical trials. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic effect of Fanoxyl 2.5, a 2.5% . benzayl peraxide gel, in patients with acne vulgaris. A total of 31 patients entered this study at the Departrnent of Dermatology, Jeoul National University Hospital rluring 3 rnanths period, from Decemher, 1978 through February, 1979, All patienta were instructed to apply Fanoxyl 2.5' on their affected areas once or twice a day and the nurnber of lesions on two or three t fixed areas were counted before and onee weekly after initation of the treatment. The reaults observed in the 3I patients were as follaws; 1. The percentage decrease in total nurnber of lesions in 4 weeks after treatment was 56.9%. 2. The authors could follow up for 6 weeks in 6 cases. In 6 case, the mean percentage in total number of lesions in 6 weeks after treatment was 81.7%. 3. Clesed and open eomedones were gradually eliminated; and their numbers were decreased in 4 weeks after treatment by 46.5% and 56.8% respeetiveIy. The papules were rapidly eliminated and their numbers were decreased in 4 weeka, after treatment by 79.8%. 4. Although most patients felt a mild burning sensation and tightness at the begining of the treatment, only a minority of the patients complained of discomfort due to pain(l case), erytherna(l case), tightness(2 cases),burning sensation (1 case), scaling(1 case). But all were tolerable without taking any specific measures or discontinuance of application. In one case, contact dermatitis developed after 4 weeks treatment. The authors concluded through this experiment that Panoxyl 2.5' (2.5% benzoyl peroxide gel) is a very effective local therapeutic agent in the treatment of acne vulgaris patients.
Acne Vulgaris* ; Benzoyl Peroxide* ; Burns ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Dermatology ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Sensation

Benzoyl peroxide has been known to have bacteriostatic activity against Corynebacterium acnes and to have comedolytic action in patients with acne vulgaris. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic effect of Renoxal, a 5% benzoyl peroxide lotion, in patients with acne vulgaris. A total of 35 patients entered this study at the Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University Hospital during the five months period from March to July, 1978. All patients were instructed to apply Benoxal on their affected sites once or twice daily; and the number of lesions on three fixed areas were counted before and every week for four weeks after the treatrnent. Two female patients stopped the application due to developrnent of contact dermatitis to Benoxal The results observed in the 33 patients were as follows: 1. The percentage decrease in total number of lesions in four weeks after treatment was 51.1% 2. Closed and open comedones were gradually eliminated; and their numbers were decreased in four weeks after treatment by 45. 8% and 55. 3% respectively. The papules were decreased. by 59. 1 @2 after the first week of treatment, but showed. a transient lag around tbe second week and then marked 61. 5% in four weeks after treatment. 3. Observed side effects included burning sensation,(3 cases), tightness (3 cases), itching sensation (2 cases) and scaling (1 case). All were tolerable without any specific measure or discontinuance of the application. The authors concluded througb this experiment that Benoxal (5% benzoyl peroxide lotion) is a very effective local therapeutic agent in the treatment of acne vulgaris patients.
Acne Vulgaris* ; Benzoyl Peroxide ; Burns ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Dermatology ; Female ; Humans ; Propionibacterium acnes ; Pruritus ; Sensation ; Seoul ; Thiram

Livedo vasculitis or vasculitis of atrophie blanche is a clinical entity which can be distinguished from cutaneous vasculitis by distinctive pathology and immunopathologic study. A 18-year-old female with erythematous, telangiectatic, purpuric or hyperpigmented patches, intermingled with white atrophic ivory patches on her legs of 3 years duration was seen in June 3, 1982. The histologic examination of an atrophic patch showed proliferation and occlusion of blood vessels in the upper dermis with patchy atrophy of the epidermis. The immunopatbologic features of an atrophic patch revealed deposits of IgM, Ca and fibrin as a definitive immunofluorescence vessel pattern. This suggests that the livedo va.sculitis or vasculitis of atrophie blanche may he considered one of the immune vasculitides. This patient had received aspirin and persantine for 4 months, and moderate therapeutic effects could be noticed.
Adolescent ; Aspirin ; Atrophy ; Blood Vessels ; Dermis ; Dipyridamole ; Epidermis ; Female ; Fibrin ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Leg ; Pathology ; Vasculitis*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

The E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, and beta-catenin expressions were immunohistochemically investigated in paraffin-embedded materials of 80 cases of colorectal adenocarcinomas. The staining similar to normal colorectal mucosa with preserved strong membranous staining pattern was considered normal or preserved expression. The X2 test was used to analyse the statistical correlation of cadherin/catenin expression with clinicopathologic parameters and the Breslow test for the correlation with survival length. Normal colorectal mucosa showed strong membranous expression of cadherin/catenin complex. The reduced E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, and beta-catenin expression were found in 53/80 (66.3%), 46/80 (57.5%), and 44/80 (55.5%) cases of colorectal cancers examined, respectively. There were significant correlations between E- cadherin and alpha -catenin (p=0.035), and between alpha-catenin and beta-catenin (p=0.013). The reduced E-cadherin expression was associated with histologic dedifferentiation, tumor depth, lymph node metastasis, clinical stage (p<0.05), poor clinical outcome in stage II (p=0.016) and the reduced alpha-catenin expression with lymph node metastasis and clinical stage (p<0.05). Reduced expression of two or more proteins was correlated with lymph node matastasis, histologic dedifferentiation, clinical stage, and survival (p<0.05). The present study demonstrates a significant down-regulation of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin expression in colorectal cancer is associated with tumor invasiveness, histologic dedifferentiation, lymph node metastasis, and clinical stage. These results suggest that E-cadherin and alpha-catenin may be useful markers of invasiveness, lymph node metastatic potential, and clinical stage and of value as prognostic markers in the earlier stage. Further studies are needed to confirm the prognostic value of these cadherin/catenin complex.
Adenocarcinoma* ; alpha Catenin* ; beta Catenin* ; Cadherins* ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Down-Regulation ; Lymph Nodes ; Mucous Membrane ; Neoplasm Metastasis

No abstract available.
Acne Vulgaris*

N,N-Diethylnitrosamine (DEN) has been proved to have carcinogenic potential in the initiation or promotion stage and the transformed cells proliferate to form preneoplastic nodules which are positive for placental form of glutathione S-transferase (GST-P). E-Cadherin, a member of the cadherin family, is expressed in epithelial cells. To evaluate the role of adhesion molecules (E-Cadherin, alpha-catenin, and beta-catenin), which have not been well understood in carcinogenesis, we investigated the changes of E-cadherin, alpha-Catenin and beta-Catenins by immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting in DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis of rat liver. In addition, the sequential analysis of histopathology and the expression of GST-P were also examined. Immunoreactive areas for GST-P were gradually increased from early period of carcinogenesis and strong GST-P positive foci were noted in various lesions, especially in the clear cell and eosinophilic cell nodules. Immunohistochemically, the E-Cadherin expression was increased in DEN-treated preneoplastic nodules in 4 and 10 weeks and hepatocellular carcinomas displayed relatively reduced expression compared with the hyperplastic nodules. But alpha- and beta-catenin expression was increased in hyperplastic nodules and hepatocellular carcinomas. Immunoblotting studies revealed that the level of alpha-catenin (cytosol and membranous fraction) was overexpressed in hyperplastic nodules as well as hepatocellular carcinomas, which showed markedly increased expression. The membranous fraction of beta-catenin was markedly increased in 10 weeks of DEN treatment and slightly reduced in hepatocellular carcinomas. These findings suggest that during DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis, the clear cell and eosinophilic cell nodules expressing GST-P in their cytoplasm are early transformed cell nodules. The altered expression of E-Cadherin and catenins is closely related with tumor propagation. Loss or reduced expression of E-cadherin may play a role in the progression of late hyperplastic nodule to hepatocellular carcinoma in DEN-induced rat hepato carcinogenesis.
alpha Catenin ; Animals ; beta Catenin ; Cadherins* ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Catenins* ; Cytoplasm ; Eosinophils ; Epithelial Cells ; Glutathione Transferase* ; Glutathione* ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Immunohistochemistry ; Liver* ; Rats*

PURPOSE: To compare the detectability and conspicuity of focal hepatic lesions among conventional spin echo techniqueniques and fast scanning techniqueniques in MR imaging. MATERIALS AND METHOD: 36 patients (24 men and 12 women, mean age of 54 years) with suspected liver mass on CT scan and US underwent MR imaging at 1.5 T system. Conventional spin echo T1, T2 weighted imaging, T2 weighted fast spin echo, T1 weighted fast multiplanar spoiled gradient recalled(FMPSPGR) imaging and Gd-enhanced FMPSPGR(Gd-FMPSPGR) were performed. 16 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, 13 cases of hemangioma, 3 cases of metastasis, 3 cases of cholangiocarcinoma, and 1 case of lymphoma were included. Lesion conspicuity and number of detected hepatic masses were compared among the MR sequences. RESULTS: Overall 63 hepatic lesions were detected in 36 patients. Lesion detection' was 63(100%) with Gd-FMPSPGR, 62(98%) with non-enhanced FMPSPGR, 58(92%) with SE T2WI, 56(89%) with SE T1WI and 54 (86%)with FSE. For solid tumors, the contrast to noise ratio was greatest on Gd-FMPSPGR which was significantly higher than any other sequences. For hemangiomas it was greatest on SE T2WI and was significantly higher than SE T1WI. In the qualitative assessment, Gd-FMPSPGR was preferred for both solid mass lesion and hemangioma. FSE was inferior to SE T2WI for lesion detection and conspicuity without statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: For the evaluation of focal hepatic lesions, breath-hold FMPSPGR with and without contrast enhancement may replace the conventional SE T1WI. Because FSE was inferior to SE T2WI when the later is used with respiratory compensation in some cases, it is difficult to replace the SE T2WI with FSE. But FSE, FMPSPGR and Gd-FMPSPGR images, when combined, may replace SE T1WI and SE T2WI.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; Compensation and Redress ; Female ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Liver ; Lymphoma ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Noise ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: To evaluate the early clinical results of lumbar microdiscectomy using minimally invasive tubular retractor (METRx-MD system, Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Memphis, TN), and to validate the merits of minimally invasive spinal surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April, 2003 to April 2004 we retrospectively studied a consecutive series of 45 patients who underwent lumbar microdiscectomy using minimally invasive tubular retractor. In all cases, minimally invasive approach using the tubular retractor were performed with a 2 cm sized paramedian incision. The following data were collected: clinical outcomes, operative time, intraoperative blood loss, need for blood replacement, time needed before ambulation, length of hospital stay, and complications. The clinical outcomes were assessed by the modified MacNab criteria. RESULTS: Minimally invasive tubular microdiscectomy was performed in 45 patients over a 12-month period with an average follow-up of approximately 8 months. The clinical outcomes assessed by MacNab criteria were excellent in 33 patients (73%), good in 10 patients (22%). The average operative time was 63 minutes (range, 35 to 95 minutes). The average blood loss was 62 mL (range, 50 to 110 mL). None of the patients needed blood replacement. With the exception of 2 patients, all patients could walk at the day of surgery. The average hospital stay was 2.3 days. None of the patients had dural tear, wound problem, or other complications. CONCLUSION: Lumbar microdiscectomy using tubular retractor can offer a useful modality for the treatment of lumbar herniated disc with the merits of minimally invasive spinal surgery. Further long-term, randomized, prospective investigations are needed to fully evaluate the impact of this technique.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Length of Stay ; Operative Time ; Wounds and Injuries