Stratum corneum lipids, which are enriched in sphingolipids, free fatty acids, and cholesterol, are required for epidermal barrier function. When the epidermal permeability barrier is perturbed, the transepidermal water loss returns to normal by 24-48 hours in parallel with the reappearance of stratum corneum lipids, derived from secreted lamellar bodis and accelerated lipid synthesis. Recent evidence shows that topical application of individual lipids interferes with barrier recovery while complete mixtures of cholesterol, fatty acids, and ceramides facilitate recovery after barrier disrupton. Metabolic imbalances and perturbed barrier function can be either the cause or the consequences of the pathobiology of scaling disease. Many skin diseases relating cornification and dryness are indeed related to abnormality of one or several combinations of lipids. Recently the cytokines which have changed during barrier recovery seem to be important in understanding of epidermal lipid homeostasis as well as barrier recovery.
Ceramides ; Cholesterol ; Cytokines ; Fatty Acids ; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified ; Homeostasis* ; Permeability ; Skin Diseases ; Sphingolipids ; Water

BACKGROUND: Although the precise pathogenesis of the Behçet's disease is not yet undertween the severity of Behçet's disease and the serum cytokine level. development of cytokine research has made it possible to find out if there is an association between the severity of Behçet's syndrome and the serum cytokine level. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to elucidate whether the immunopathological mechanism is associated with the serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-1β (I1,1β) which are predominantly produced by monocytes/macrophages, and mterleukm-6 (IL-6). METHOD: Sixty seven patients of Behçet's disease and ten healthy adults as a control group were studied. Serum TNF and IL-6 levels were detected by enzyme immunoassay and serum IL-lβ levels by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in the serum levels of TNF, IL-1β, TL-6 compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that the immunopathological reactions of the Behçet's disease are not associated with a monocyte/macrophage dependent mechanism, possibly due to other immunocompetent cells.
Adult ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Interleukin-6* ; Methods ; Necrosis* ; Radioimmunoassay ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

The authors underwent the serum lipid study, involving the lipoprotein fraction, and the HDL-cholesterol mean values in normal Korean adults visited to Hanyang University Hospital, and also compared with the previously reported serum lipid studies. The results are as follows; 1) The mean values of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and phospholipid were 103.3+/-17.1mg%, 188.9+/-18.2mg%, and 196.7+/-19.8mg%, respectively. 2) Compared with the past 7 years triglyceride showed increasing tendency with significance, and cholesterol and phospholipid showed slightly increasing tendency. 3) In the serum lipoprotein fraction, the mean values of alpha-lipoprotein, pre-beta-lipoprotein, and beta-lipoprotein were 37.2+/-5.9%, 16.0+/-4.2%, and 48.6+/-5.2%, respectively. 4) Compared with the past 10 years, the alpha-, and pre-beta-lipoprotein showed increasing tendency, meanwhile, beta-lipoprotein revealed decreasing tendency. 5) The mean value of HDL-cholesterol was 52.3+/-14.6mg%, and the ratio of HDL-cholesterol to total cholesterol(HDL-cholesterol/total cholesterol) was 28.2+/-7.9. 6) Compared with the past 2 years, HDL-cholesterol level showed slightly increasing tendency.
Adult ; Cholesterol ; Humans ; Lipoproteins ; Triglycerides

The metal ceramic crown is currently the most popular complete veneer restoration in dentistry, but in many cases, the metal cervical collar at the facial margin is unesthetic and unacceptable. Facial porcelain margin has been used in place of it. But this dose not solve the problems, such as dark gingival discoloration and cervical opaque reflection of porcelain veneer. Recently, metal copings which were designed to terminate its labio-cervical end on the axial walls coronal to the shoulder have been clinically used to solve the esthetic problem of metal ceramic crown. But in this design, porcelain veneer of labio-cervical area which is not supported by metal may not be able to resist the stress during cementation and mastication. The purpose of this study was to evaluate fracture strength and fractured appearance of crowns according to different coping designs. A resin maxillary left central incisor analogue was prepared for a metal ceramic crown, and metal dies were made with duplication mold. Metal copings were made and assigned to one of four groups based on facial framework designs: group 1, coping with 0.5mm metal collar; group 2, metal extended to the shoulder; group 3, metal extended to 1 mm coronal to the shoulder; group 4, metal extended to 2mm coronal to the shoulder. Copings and crowns were adjusted to be same size and thickness, and cemented to metal dies with zinc phosphate cement by finger pressure. Fracture strength was measured with Instron Universal Testing Machine. Metaldies were anchored in Three-way-vice at 3mm below finish line and at 130degree inclined to the lone axis of the crown. Load was directed lingually at 2mm below midincisal edge. Load value at initial crack and at catastrophic fracture was recorded. The results obtained were as follows: 1. Fracture strength values at initial crack were higher in groups 1, 2 than in groups 3, 4 but this difference was not statistically significant(P<0.05). 2. Conventional metal collared crown had greater catastrophic fracture strength than any other collarless crowns. 3. The greater the labial metal coping reduction, the lower the catastrophic fracture strength of crowns but when more than 1mm of labial metal reduction was done, the difference in strengths was not statistically significant(p<0.05). 4. The strongest collarless coping design was group 2.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Cementation ; Ceramics* ; Crowns* ; Dental Porcelain ; Dentistry ; Fingers ; Fungi ; Incisor ; Mastication ; Shoulder ; Zinc Phosphate Cement

No abstract available.
Caroli Disease*

The importance of tick-borne diseases is increasing because of climate change, with a lack of long-term studies on tick-borne pathogens in South Korea. To understand the epidemiological characteristics of tick-borne diseases, the monthly distribution of field ticks throughout the year was studied in South Korea between May 2014 and April 2018 in a cross sectional study.

The direct antiglobulin test (DAT) is used in investigating autoimmune hemolytic anemia, drug-induced antibodies, hemolytic diseases of newborn and alloimmune reactions to recently transfused red cells. We performed 3,033 DATs in our blood bank from 1985 to 1992. When using a polyspecific antihuman globulin reagent, the DAT was positive in 7.2% of all cases tested. In further studies using monospecific anti-IgG and anti-C3d reagents, three patterns of reactivity were founded: in 37% of cases, red cells are coated with IgG alone; in 18% of cases, the red cells are coated with both IgG and complement; and in 45% of cases only with complement. We evaluated clinical significance of DAT positive results with the 227 patients' medical records which can be available for reviewing among the positive DAT patients. The male to female ratio of DAT positive patient was 1:2 and 41% of cases were belong to the 20-30 years old age group. The most common underlying disorders were systemic lupus erythematosus (29.5%), idiopathic (10.1%), hematologic malignancy (8.8%), and liver disease (6.2%). Patients with warm reactive autoantibodies account for 60.4% of all DAT positive cases. Cold reactive autoantibodies were demonstrated in 11%, and the mixed-types were 2.6%. Drug-induced DAT positive findings were observed in 15.4% and the DAT positve caused with transfusion associated alloantibodies were 7.5%. IgG warm-reactive autoagglutinins were more commonly detected in patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia and drug induced hemolysis. Definite hemolysis was present in 37% of all DAT positive patients and especially in all patients with mixed type autoagglutinin. Drugs caused a positive DAT were cephalosporin, penicillin, isoniazid, and rifampicin.
Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune ; Antibodies ; Autoantibodies ; Blood Banks ; Complement System Proteins ; Coombs Test* ; Female ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Hemolysis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Indicators and Reagents ; Infant, Newborn ; Isoantibodies ; Isoniazid ; Liver Diseases ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Male ; Medical Records ; Penicillins ; Rifampin

PURPOSE: Salivary duct carcinoma(SDC) is uncommon but high grade adenocarcinoma arising in the ductal epithelium of salivary glands. SDC is characterized by distinctive clinical and pathologic features. The most important histologic aspect of this neoplasm is its resemblance to ductal carcinoma of the breast. Clinically SDC is defined by cervical lymph node involvement and distant metastasis with a high rate of recurrence and mortality. We described some of the clinical and pathological features of SDC and the management using case report for our patient. METHODS: We present a case of a 40-year-old male with 2-year history of a swelling arising in his left preauricular region. There was a single painless, firm and solid 2x1.5cm mass in the left parotid area. Facial nerve function was intact and no cervical lymph node were palpable. In August 2005, we found out 1.7x1.8cm sized cystic, nodular lesions that were located in the superficial lobe of left parotid gland through Computed tomography. And then superficial parotidectomy and postoperative radiation therapy were performed in Jan 2007. RESULTS: Pathologically, the specimen were consisted of homogeneous, chondoid to myxoid type of tissues. It was yellow mass that has multiloculated cystic lesions. In postoperative PET(Positiron emission tomography) CT, there was no evidence of uptaking FDG(Fluorodeoxyglucose) into the deep layers of parotid gland and distant metastasis were not seen. CONCLUSION: Salivary duct carcinoma(SDC) is a rare but high grade adenocarcinoma related to pleomorphic adenocarcinoma. The prognosis of SDC can be different according to the type of tumor such as mucoepidermoid adenocarcinoma, adenoid duct carcinoma and acinar cell carcinoma. So we need to study more carefully for accurate diagnosis in early stage of diagnosis. Although radiotherapy has not yet proven to be a significant factor in overall survival, the combination of parotidectomy and postoperative radiation therapy can lead to more favorable results in treating of SDC.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoids ; Adult ; Breast ; Carcinoma, Acinar Cell ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Epithelium ; Facial Nerve ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Parotid Gland ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Salivary Ducts ; Salivary Glands

OBJECTIVES: Cartilage reshaping by laser irradiation is used to correct septal and auricular cartilage deformities. Chondrocyte viability following laser irradiation and reshaping has been well established. However, the regeneration process of chondrocyte after laser irradiation has not been revealed yet. The aims of this study were to determine the mechanism of cartilaginous thermal injury and the regenerative process of damaged cartilage following laser irradiation. METHODS: Laser irradiation was performed on human septal cartilage and rabbit auricular cartilage using a 1,460-nm diode laser. We observed change in the shape of cartilage and evaluated the extent of cartilage injury using live/dead cell assay via confocal microscopy. Hoechst and propidium iodide (PI) staining was used to evaluate the mechanism of chondrocyte injury after laser irradiation. To evaluate the regeneration of cartilage, laser irradiated cartilages were reimplanted into a subperichondrial pocket and were harvested at 1, 2, and 4 weeks after reimplantation for viability assessment and histologic examination. RESULTS: Laser irradiation using a 1,460-nm diode laser produced a marked shape change in both human septal and rabbit auricular cartilages. Thermal damage on cartilage was correlated with the exposure time and the laser power. Hoechst and PI staining showed that chondrocyte death by laser irradiation was due to mainly necrosis, rather than apoptosis. In lower power treatment group (0.3 W and 0.5 W), all the chondrocytes regenerated within 4 weeks, however, in 1 W treatment group, chondrocytes could not regenerate until 4 weeks. CONCLUSION: Reshaping of cartilage using 1,460 nm diode laser was attained concurrently with the thermal injury to the chondrocytes. The extent of thermal damage on chondrocytes was dependent on the exposure time and the laser power and the damaged chondrocytes irradiated with lower level of laser power could be regenerated after reimplantation into subperichondrial pocket.
Apoptosis ; Cartilage ; Chondrocytes ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Ear Cartilage ; Humans ; Lasers, Semiconductor ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Necrosis ; Propidium ; Regeneration ; Replantation

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to analyze clinical characteristics of the patients with AAA (Abdominal aortic aneurysm) and to report the results of AAA repair. We also compared the results of open repair (OR) with those of endovascular repair (ER) to evaluate the short-term efficacy of ER, especially in high-risk patients. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 118 (28 ruptured, 90 unruptured) patients who underwent AAA repair in Seoul National University Hospital from September 1986 to September 2002. We also compared the treatment outcomes of ER (n=21) with those of conventional OR (n=37) for unruptured AAA during the period July 1995 to September 2002. RESULTS: The mean aneurysm size was larger in ruptured AAA patients (8.49 cm vs. 6.67 cm, P<0.01). The most frequent comorbidity was hypertension (51.7%, n=61). Abdominal discomfort or pain was the most frequent symptom. The hospital mortality in ruptured AAA was higher than in unruptured AAA (35.7% vs. 4.4%, P=0.01), especially in intraabdominal free rupture (80%). The complications of OR were rather systemic, but those of ER repair were all local or vascular complications such as endoleak and graft thromboembolism. The graft failure rate was significantly higher in ER than in OR (P=0.001), but ER resulted in shorter operation time and length of ICU stay, less blood loss and a lower necessity for general anesthesia than OR. No significant difference was found in hospital mortality or survival rate. CONCLUSION: Ruptured AAA still has high operative mortality, especially in free ruptured AAA. We suggest that elective operation be performed before rupture occurs. Because the short-term outcomes of ER are considered to be acceptable, ER may be helpful especially in the patients with high operative risk. But further study of the long-term results of ER for AAA should be followed.
Anesthesia, General ; Aneurysm ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal* ; Comorbidity ; Endoleak ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Rupture ; Seoul ; Survival Rate ; Thromboembolism ; Transplants