Atopic dermatitis is characterized by many signs of immunodeficiency. We have performed this experiment to know whether there are reduced respiratoty burst of neutrophils in patients with atopic dermatitis in response to stimulants such as zymosan activated serum(ZAS), phorbol myristate cetate(PMA) and for- mylmethionylleucylphenylalanine(FMLP). The atopic derrqatitis group consisted of 27 patients(5 are severe, 22 are mild) and the control group consisted of 10 persons. Superoxide anion generation of neutrophils in response to stimulants was measured as nmol of reriuced cytochrome C by spectrophotometer(at 550nm, molar extinction coefficient of cytochrome C=21.lmM 1cm ). We compared the superoxide anion generation according to the severity of atopie dermatitis, total serum IgE level and eosinophil count. Results were as follows. 1. After stimulation by PMA and FMLP, superoxide anion generation in severe atopic dermatitis group decreased compared with the control and mild atopic dermatitis group. After stimulation by ZAS there was a decreasing tendency in severe atopic dermatitis group, however it was not statistically significant. 2. Superoxide anion generation had no correlation with the total serum IgE level. 3. Superoxide anion generation had no correlation with the eosinophil count. Our data suggested that some physiologic stimulants of respiratory hurst may be generated during the course of atopic dermatitis. Possible physiologic stimulants include C5a, bacterial chemotactic factors, certain arachidonate metabolites such as leukotriene B4, as well as phagocytosis. We think that these physiologic stimulants can desensitize neutrophils of atopic dermatitis in vivo specifically or onspecifically so that superoxide anion generation may be reduced in response tostimulants in vitro.
Chemotactic Factors ; Cytochromes ; Cytochromes c ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Leukotriene B4 ; Molar ; Myristic Acid ; Neutrophils* ; Phagocytosis ; Superoxides* ; Zymosan

Oriental liver fluke (Clonorchis sinensis) infection was surveyed among residents of Hamyang-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea during the period of January 2001 to March 2002. Total 1,041 stool samples were collected from residents who visited Public Health Center and its branches in Hamyang-gun and examined using formalin-ether sedimentation method. The overall egg positive rate was 16%, male showing higher positive rate (21%) than female (10%). The age group of 30 to 50 years had the highest egg positive rate of C. sinensis from 20% to 22%. The positive examinees were treated with praziquantel and educated individually to prevent reinfection. Egg positive rate in this area was decreased when compared with results recorded in the past, however, still remained more than 10%. This study suggests that periodic examination, treatment as well as education of residents should be continued and systematized.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Child ; Clonorchiasis/drug therapy/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Feces/parasitology ; Female ; Human ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Parasite Egg Count ; Patient Education ; Praziquantel/therapeutic use ; Sex Factors ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Recently, the bcl-2 and p53 protein have been recognized as important factors that is contributed to programmed cell death. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of bcl-2 and p53 protein expression in uterine cervical carcinoma. The expression of bcl-2 and p53 in 59 cases of uterine cervical carcinoma (stage IB to IIB) were surgically treated from January 1993 to June 1994. The expression of bcl-2 and p53 was examined by immunohistochemical method using formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue specimens. The 48 cases were squamous cell carcinoma and 11 cases were adenocarcinoma. The results were as follows: 1. The expression rate of bcl-2 protein was 28.8%(17/59) and there was no significant correlaltion between the expression of bcl-2 protein and the clinicopathologic parameters (histologic type, grade, FIGO stage, cervical invasion depth, lymph node metastasis, parametrial invasion, tumor size, neoadjuvant chemotherapy response, recurrence, survival). 2. The expression rate of p53 protein was 32.2%(19/59) and there was no significant correlation between expression of p53 protein and the clinicopathologic parameters. 3. There was significant correlation between and expression of bcl-2 and p53 protein (P 0.05). In conclusion, bcl-2 and p53 protein are thought to be possible factors in the carcinogenesis of uterine cervical carcinoma and correlate with progression of it. But further study will be required to clarify the role of bcl-2 and p53 in carcinogenesis of the uterine cervix.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cell Death ; Cervix Uteri ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Formaldehyde ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Paraffin ; Recurrence ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

Bethanechol, a cholinergic agonist, has been recommended for the management of peripheral anticholinergic side effects during the treatment of antipsychotic medications. But there have been few studies which have evaluated the drug interactions of antipsychotics and bethanechol, even the treatment effects of bethanechol on anticholinergic side effects. So the authors have evaluated whether psychopathology and plasma haloperidol and reduced haloperidol concentrations are significantly changed or not when bethanechol was administrated with maintained doses of haloperidol and other coadministrated drugs(such a benztropine). Also we have evaluated the abating effects of bethanechol on anticholinergic side effects during the treatment with haloperidol. Fifteen schizophrenics with higher than 5 of total score of anticholinergic side effects of 'Rating scale for side effect' were assigned to two groups, and bethanechol 30mg/day and 60mg/day were applied on each group for 4 weeks. The daily haloperidol dosages were fixed before 2 weeks of study. We assessed anticholinergic side effects by 'Rating scale for side effect' and psychopathology by BPRS, and plasma haloperidol and reduced haloperidol concentrations by HPLC at baseline, 2nd week and 4th week. The results were as followed. 1) There was no significant change of plasma haloperidol and reduced haloperidol concentration. 2) At baseline, the dosage of haloperidol showed significant correlation with the total score of anticholinergic side effect, but not at 2nd week and 4th week. 3) In 60mg/day group, dry mouth and the total score of anticholinergic side effects were significantly improved, but not in 30mg/day group. 4) There was no significant change of BPRS except withdrawal at 2nd week. These results suggest that coadministration of bethanechol influenced neither on psychopathology nor on plasma haloperidol and reduced haloperidol concentrations and that improved dry mouth and total score of anticholinergic side effects at 60mg/day.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Bethanechol* ; Cholinergic Agonists ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drug Interactions ; Haloperidol* ; Mouth ; Plasma* ; Psychopathology ; Schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to review the clinicopathologic features, recurrent rate, survival rate and controversable issues in the treatment of the ovarian malignant germ cell tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From August, 1991 to November, 1998 thirty-one patients with malignant germ cell tumors of the ovary treated in the department of obstetrics and gynecology, Kosin University Medical college, were eligible and assessable. Demographic characteristics, symptoms, signs, stage, tumor grade, mode of therapy and results of follow up were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The patients with malignant germ cell tumor constituted 6.37% of all ovarian malignancies during this period. Histologic subtypes were 8 dysgerminoma(25.8%), 7 endodermal sinus tumor(22.6%), 10 immature teratoma(32.3%), 3 mixed germ cell tumor(9.7%), 3 choriocarcinoma(9.7%). The age of the patients ranged from 10 to 40 years (mean +/-S.D.; 24.26 +/- 7.51). The most common symptom was abdominal pain(38.7%). Most had stageI(18 cases, 58.0%) or stageIII(5 cases, 16.2%) diseases. All patients underwent surgery as the initial treatment, and nine patients received more than one operation. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapeutic regimens were VAC, VBP, EP, BEP, EMA, and EMA CO. The mean follow up duration was 26.0(+/- S.D.; +/- 20.3) months. The 2-year and 5-year survival rate were 91.97%(+/- S.E.; +/- 0.05) and 86.86%(+/- S.E.; +/- 0.07).
Endoderm ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Germ Cells* ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal* ; Obstetrics ; Ovary ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to evaluate bethanechol's efficacy in urinary difficulty, constipation, dry mouth and blurred vision and to evaluate the bethanechol's effect on psychopathology. METHODS: Thirty-two schizophrenic patients who have been treated with antipsychotics and the total score of anticholinergic side effect of 'Rating scale for side effect (no symptom ; 0, severe ; 3)' is above 5 were assigned to three group(controlled group, bethanechol 30 mg/day group, 60 mg/day group). These patients were entered on 6 weeks open trial. Anticholinergic side effects were assessed by 'Rating scale for side effect' and psychopathology by BPRS at base, 2nd week & 4th week. After 4weeks administration of bethanechol, 30 mg/day group was increase to 60 mg/day and 60 mg/day group was decreased to 30 mg/day for 2 weeks for evaluation of dose difference. And then anticholinergic side effects were reassessed at 6th week. RESULTS: There were significant correlations between blurred vision and age. There were no significant improvement of anticholinergic side effect in placebo group but significant improvement of urinary difficulty and dry mouth in 30 mg/day group and significant improvement of urinary difficulty, constipation and dry mouth in 60 mg/day group at 4th week evaluation. In the case dose up(bethanechol 30 mg/day to 60 mg/day) for 2 weeks, dry mouth was more improved. In the case of dose down (60 mg/day to 30 mg/day), the improvements of urinary difficulty and dry mouth were sustained but constipation was aggravated. There were no BPRS changes by bethanechol administration. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that more than 30 mg/day of bethanechol made improvements in urinary difficulty, constipation, dry mouth, when the total score of Anticholinergic side effect of 'Rating scale for side effect (no symptom ; 0, severe ; 3)' is above 5, although 60 mg/day of bethanechol was more effective than 30 mg/day. Moreover bethanechol administration does not influence psychopathology.
Antipsychotic Agents* ; Bethanechol* ; Constipation ; Humans ; Mouth ; Psychopathology

Use of oral hypoglycemic agents during pregnant women with type 2 diabetes is controversial due to safety issues. Recently, randomized controlled trials support short-term safety of glyburide and metformin for the treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus. However, long-term safety data are not available. Moreover, use of oral hypoglycemic agents, except for metformin and glyburide, during pregnancy were limited to a few case reports. We report the case of a pregnant woman with type 2 diabetes unintentionally exposed to metformin and voglibose in addition to lercanidipine and bisoprolol during fetal organogenesis. The patient was continuously exposed to oral agents because we were not aware of her pregnancy until 22 weeks of gestation. After pregnancy was confirmed, we replaced oral hypoglycemic agents with insulin and discontinue betablockers. Delivery occurred without maternal or fetal complications.
Bisoprolol ; Diabetes, Gestational ; Female ; Glyburide ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Insulin ; Metformin* ; Organogenesis ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women*

In situ hybridization using biotinylated HPV(Human papillomaviruses) probes was performed to detect HPV DNA in 24 patients with genital wart-like lesions. The lesions were divided into two groups, with or without dysplastic changes histologically. We could detect HPV6/11 in 13 of 17 lesions(76.5%) without dysplastic changes. HPU16/18 was detected in a case with dysplastic changes. HPV6/ll was also detected in a case considered to be misdiagnosed as bowenoid papulosis. Oncogenic HPV such as HPV16/18 was found in one of histologically splastic lesions(14.3%).
Condylomata Acuminata* ; DNA* ; Humans* ; In Situ Hybridization

BACKGROUND: Recently, the molecular pathologic investigation for clonality in lymphomas has been introduced and has gained a role in the diagnosis of lymphomas. In fact, the clonality test using TCRGR phenomenon has been done by Southern blot analysis (SBA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for molecular pathologic diagnosis of T cell lymphomas. However, it is difficult to perform SBA with paraffin embedded specimens or with samples of small skin biopsies. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the efficacy of PCR amplification of TCR gene in paraffin em-bedded cutaneous T cell lymphomas. METHODS: Iii this study, the clonality was assessed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of T cell receptor gamma (TCR) gene from the DNA extracts obtained from paraffin em-bedded tissues (PET) of malignant T cells, B cell lymphomas, and benign cutaneous T cell proliferative disorders. Heteroduple-x-analyses were also performed to rule out the false positives. RESULTS: Among the total of 62 cases analyzed, monoclonality was observed in 4 out of 10 mycosis fungoides, 7 out of 9 cutaneous T cell lymphomas excluding mycosis fungoides, 1 out of 3 angiocentric lymphomas, 2 out of 2 lymphomatosis papulosis, 1 out of 7 large plaque parapsoriasis, and 1 out of 2 T cell lymphomas in other organs. No monoclonality was observed in 9 inflammatory cutaneous diseases, 5 small plaque parapsoriasis, 4 cutaneous B cell lymphomas, and 11 B cell lymphomas in lymph nodes. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the PCR method and heteroduplex analysis used in this study were not only practical but also efficacious for the diagnosis of cutaneous T cell lymphomas using tissues embedded in paraffins.
Biopsy ; Blotting, Southern ; Diagnosis ; DNA ; Gene Rearrangement* ; Genes, T-Cell Receptor ; Heteroduplex Analysis* ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous ; Mycosis Fungoides ; Paraffin ; Parapsoriasis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell* ; Skin ; T-Lymphocytes

OBJECTIVE: Mycoplasmas have been implicated in many diseases including cervicitis, urethritis, salpingitis, endometritis... and functioning as cofactors catalyzing the HIV disease state. The oncogenic potentiality of mycoplasma was only recently realized when they were shown causing chromosomal changes and in vitro cell transformations through gradual progressive chromsomal loss and translocation. Few study has been reported the prevalence of mycoplasma infection in human cancers and suggested that there was a connection between these organisms and human cancers. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between Ureaplasma urealyticum infection and cervical cancer. METHODS: The detection frequency of Ureaplasma urealyticum in 52 invasive cervical cancer tissues and 17 normal cervical tissues was studied using PCR. RESULTS: U. urealyticum DNA was detected in 8 out of 52(15.4%) invasive cervical cancer tissues and 1 out of 17(5.9%) normal cervical tissues. No statistic significance was observed between the detection frequency of Ureaplasma urealyticum and clinicopathologic parameters. The prevalence of Ureaplasma urealyticum in invasive cervical tissues was 15.4% and this rate was higher than 5.9% in normal cervical tissues but there was no statistic significance. CONCLUSIONS: With respect to clinicopathologic parameters of cervical cancer, there was no significant relation between U. urealyticum infection and cervical cancer. There is, however, few study and case on cervical cancer internally and externally. It is considered that more studies on the subject with much cases should be made.
Carcinogenesis ; DNA ; Endometritis ; Female ; HIV ; Humans ; Mycoplasma ; Mycoplasma Infections ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence ; Salpingitis ; Ureaplasma urealyticum* ; Ureaplasma* ; Urethritis ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms* ; Uterine Cervicitis