Bacteroides fragilis is a Gram negative nonsporulating anaerobic rod bacterium that makes up about 1 to 2% of the norrnal human colonic microflora. In 1984, Myer et al. reported that some strains of B. fragilis produce enterotoxin and cause diarrheal disease in cattle and human. Since then it has been termed enterotoxigenic B. fragilis (ETBF). In this study, we tried to detect enterotoxin gene from 37 B. fragilis strains, isolated in Korean patients, to confirm the existence of ETBF and usefulness of PCR as a rapid diagnosis method. By this method, we identified 9 ETBF strains and confirmed their pathogenesis by cytotoxicity test. No significant cross- reactivity with other anaerobes or aerobes was observed. Thus, the PCR method may be considered useful for the sensitive and rapid detection of anaerobic infections. And the entire amplified PCR mixture was ligated into a pT7Blue T-vector and transformed into E. coli. When the nucleotide sequences of cloned PCR products were compared with reported enterotoxin gene, pBF529 inserted DNA sequence was nearly in good agreement with it but pBF570 inserted DNA sequence showed some difference at nucleotide 270-300. A search for nucleotide sequence homologies revealed that pBF529 exhibited 99%, but pBF570 indicated only 90% identity with reported enterotoxin gene. According to these results, it was suggested that ETBF toxin can be differentiated into at least 2 subtypes.
Animals ; Bacteroides fragilis* ; Bacteroides* ; Base Sequence ; Cattle ; Clone Cells ; Colon ; Diagnosis ; Enterotoxins* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

Herpes zoster oticus (Ramsay Hunt syndrome) is characterized by facial nerve paralysis associated with vesticular eruptions and cochleovestibular symptoms. Many evidences have supported that it is caused by the reactivation of latent varicella-zoster virus in the geniculate ganglion. Recently we experienced a case 49-year-old man presented severe vertigo and a vesicular eruptions of auricle and external ear canal. It is an unusual variant of herpes zoster oticus that involves only vestibular nerve without facial nerve palsy and hearing loss. We believe this case results from reactivation of latent varicella zoster virus in the vestibular ganglion and report with a review of literatures.
Dizziness ; Ear Canal ; Facial Nerve* ; Ganglion Cysts ; Geniculate Ganglion ; Hearing Loss ; Herpes Zoster Oticus* ; Herpes Zoster* ; Herpesvirus 3, Human ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Paralysis* ; Vertigo ; Vestibular Nerve*

No abstract available.
Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell* ; Ulcer*

BACKGROUND: The efficiency of lipid extraction by different kinds of solvents from stratum corneum may vary. OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficiency of lipid extraction by several solvents from the stratum corneum, the total lipids weights were measured by an electronic microbalance, and lipids compositions of a stratum corneum were analyzed by thin layer chromatography(TLC) after pretreatment of several solvents, respectively. METHODS: Stratum corneums separated fro circumcised prepuce were pretreated with acetone, petroleum ether, or distillecl water for 10 minutes. Lipids of stratum corneum were extracted with methanol chlorofonn-H,O mixture(4: 2: 1.6, v/v, Bligh Dyer solvent). Lipids weights were weighed, and the ratio of lipid weight and wet weight of stratum corneum were measured. TLC was performed and lipids compositions were quantitated by photodensitometer. Lipids extraction in viva was performed on both forearms. After two times stripping with sellotape, lipids were extrected with the solvents using cup method. These were dried and lipids weights were weighed. RESULTS: The efficiency of lipid extraction from the stratum corneum of circumcised prepuce were acetone, petroleum e1 her, and distilled water in decreasing order. All groups were similar in the compositions of the stratum corneum lipids except for those of cholesterol esters and sphingolipids. The efficiency of lipid extraction from in vivo skin were ranked in order from petroleurn ether, acetone, down to distilled water. The efficiency of lipid extraction of petroleum ether and acetone were higher than that of distilled water. CONCLUSION: The efficiency of lipid extraction is influenced by the kinds of solvents as well as the materials and the methods of extraction.
Acetone ; Cholesterol Esters ; Ether ; Forearm ; Methanol ; Petroleum ; Skin ; Solvents* ; Sphingolipids ; Water ; Weights and Measures

We are reporting a case of molluscum contagiosum in a 3-year-old boy who showed a good response to diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP) immunotherapy. The lesions were multiple, 2 to 7mm in size, centrally umbilicated, normal skin-colored papules of 7 months' duration which were distributed on the penoscrotal area, extremities and trunk. In spite of several treatments using extraction and curettage, new lesions developed continuously. The patient was sensitized with 0.1ml of 1% DPCP solution in acetone on his right shoulder and there-after challenged with solution of varying concentrations (0.05 to 0.1%) on his left shoulder once or twice a week to maintain a mild eczema. Clinical improvement was noted 1 week after sensitization and almost all of the lesions cleared after 8 week's treatment.
Acetone ; Child, Preschool ; Curettage ; Eczema ; Extremities ; Humans ; Immunotherapy* ; Male ; Molluscum Contagiosum* ; Shoulder

To determine whether computer aided sessions can effectively replace some of the labor intensive laboratories in human gross anatomy, second-year medical students at the College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University were randomly assigned to either a traditional cadaver-dissection or self-learning using intensive computer programs of gross anatomy covering the same materials. After finishing the six-week anatomy course covering the upper and lower extremities, two groups of students were tested in written and practical examinations. Even though they were tested on an actual cadaver, in a statistical analysis, the performance of thirty students in the computer-lab were not significantly different from sixty-five students group in the dissecting lab. It strongly suggestes that part of traditional gross anatomy laboratory can be replaced to a digitalized laboratory.
Cadaver ; Humans ; Learning* ; Lower Extremity ; Students, Medical

BACKGROUND: Common environmental allergens play a role in the pathogenesis of urticaria via type I hypersensitivity reaction. Changes in the number of eosinophils and serum IgE in circulating blood in various allergic disorders have been reported by several investigators. However, there are only a few reports about the measurement of those numbers according to a clinical type of urticaria. OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to measure the peripheral blood eosinophil and serum IgE levels in 514 patients with different types of urticaria. METHOD: We measured the peripheral blood eosinophil and serum IgE levels in 514 patients who visited the Department of Dermatology, Kyungpook National University Hospital from November 1993 to December 1996. Of these patients there were 122 with acute urticaria (23.7%), 160 with chranic urticaria (31.2%), 164 with dermographism (31.9%), 11 with acute urticaria plus dermographism (2.1%) and 57 with chronic urticaria plus dermographism (11.1%).
Allergens ; Dermatology ; Eosinophils* ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Research Personnel ; Urticaria*

We report a case of multiple cutaneous focal mucinosis in a 22 year-old male, who presented with multiple, asymptomatic, nodular lesions on the left upper trunk and left arm which had persisted for about one year. They were 2 to 17 mm in size, firm, yellowish, dome-shaped elevated, slightly movable papules or nodules which were distributed over the area of the left C3-7 and TI-3 sensory dermatomes. The histopathologic findings showed homogeneous mucinous material in the upper dermis. The material was confirmed to be hyaluronic add by, alcian blue stain. Some of the lesions showed improvement with intmlesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide. Such an entity, to the best of our knowledge, has not yet been reported.
Alcian Blue ; Arm ; Dermis ; Humans ; Male ; Mucinoses* ; Mucins ; Triamcinolone Acetonide

BACKGROUND: The changes in lipid composition during epidermal differentiation has been reported in human and animal models. Because of the difficulties in getting adeguate specimens from human subjects, the authors used easily obtainable circumcised prepuce for lipid analysis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in lipid composition duriig cornification of the epidermis, the lipid compositions of whole epidermis and stratum corneum were analyzed by thin layer chromatography(TLC). METHODS: From circumcied prepuce whole epidermis and stratum orneum were separated by 10mM EDTA(ethylene diamine tatraacetate) in PBS(phosphate-buffered saline) or heat(60C), and 0.5% trypsin in PBS respectively. Lipids were extracted with methanolctloroform-HO mixture(4:2:1.6, v/ v, Bligh-Dyer solvent), TLC was performed and lipid composition was quantitated by photodensitometer. RESULTS: In the composition of stratum corneum lipids, sphingoliids were the highest(33.3+2.9%) followed by cholesterol, free fatty acids and cholesterol esters in cleceasing order, there were small percentages of triglycerides, cholesterol sulfate and squalene. CONCLUSION: In this study the lipid composition of epidermis was similar to that of stratum corneum rather than those of previous reports on epidermal lipids, which may indicate the regional characteristics of epidermal/stratum orneum lipids in hyperkeratotic prepuie.
Cholesterol ; Cholesterol Esters ; Epidermis* ; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified ; Humans ; Models, Animal ; Squalene ; Triglycerides ; Trypsin

This study eximaned the status of cadaver collection of medical colleges in Korea for their anatomy education during the last thirty years. The total collected number of cadavers during the first decade (1971 ~1980) were 1, 182. The numbers increased year gradually and it showed 1, 771 during the second decade (1981 ~1990). Thereafter the collection rate dropped suddenly to 607 during the period of 1991 ~1996. Compare to the total number of medical colleges (from 14 to 41 schools) and medical students (from 1,300 to 3,300 students) during the examined period, the ratios of medical students joining to dissection per cadaver were getting worse until the donation of cadavers become popular after 1994. In 1995 ~1996, 83.2% of total collected cadavers in Korea were available from donation, while the donation rate in 1989 ~1990 was only 7.5%. We have been tried to collect donated cadavers for richly available cadavers and to prepare that combination of plastination materials and models with advanced tools for visualization provides the look and feel of real dissection.
Cadaver* ; Education* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Students, Medical