BACKGROUND: It has been known that androgenetic alopecia in both male and female is due to the role of the androgen hormone in the hair follicle, but the level of the androgen hormone in the plasma is controversial in relation with the development of the alopecia. OBJECTIVE: We have tried the clarify if there is any or no difference in the plasma levels of the hormones between the normal female and the patient with alopecia, because the range of the plasma DHEA-S and total testosterone in the normal female is very wide. METHODS: Plasma levels if the hormones were examined in 22 patients with female androgenetic alopecia and 20 normal females. RESULTS: 1. In DHEA-S, 21(95.5%) aut of 22 female androgenetic alopecia patients were in the normal range while 20(100%) of the 20 normal females were all within the normal range. However the mean value of the hormone(88.89+101.41 g/dl) in the patient group was significantly higher than that(82.18+44.03 g/dl) of the normal group(p<0.05). 2. In total testosterone, 17(94.4%) out of the 18 patents were in the normal range while 20 (100%) of 20 normal females were all within the normal range. However the mean value of the hormone(0.22+0.20ng/ml) in the patient group was significantly higher than that(0.08+0.09ng/ml) of the normal group(p<0.05). 3. As for distribution of DIEA S according to the age, the value of the patient group was higher than that of the normal group in all age groups studied. In the distribution of total testosterone according to age, there was no difference between the normal and the patient in the twenties. After the twenties, the testosterone levels were higher in the patients than the normal females. CONCLUSION: There were significant differences in mean values of plasma DHEA-S and total testosterone between the patients and the normal females although individuals in both groups were largely wit,hin normal range of the hormones.
Alopecia* ; Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate* ; Dehydroepiandrosterone* ; Female* ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Male ; Plasma* ; Reference Values ; Testosterone*

No abstract available.
Echocardiography* ; Echocardiography, Doppler, Color ; Ligation*

No abstract available.
Angiography ; Coronary Angiography* ; Coronary Vessels ; Echocardiography* ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Child ; Coronary Vessels* ; Echocardiography ; Humans

No abstract available.
Child ; Humans

The purpose of our study is to evaluate the visual, refractive and IOP results following combined small incision phacoemulsification, foldable lens implantation, and fornix based trabeculectomy with Mitomycin-C. Seventy-six eyes of 64 patients with cataract and glaucoma had undergone the combined procedure. Minimal follow-up period was 6 months(mean 12.8+/-4.8 months). All the eyes that were free of preexisting macular disease and endstage glaucomatous optic nerve damage demonstated significant improvement in visual acuity. Postoperative astigmatisn was negligible(-0.41diopters). The average IOP reduction was 7.7mmHg. Functioning filtrating bleb persisted in 76.3% of the eyes. Complications with this method were not significant compared with other studies reporting the combined procedure. The small incison phacotrabeculectomy with mitomycin-C technique that we describe appears to be effective in early restoration of visual acuity and reduction of IOP without significant complications.
Blister ; Cataract ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Mitomycin* ; Optic Nerve ; Phacoemulsification* ; Trabeculectomy* ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of combined treatment of metallic biliary stent placement and radiotherapy in malignant biliary obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1992 and February 1994, 22 patients with malignant biliary obstruction were treated with metallic biliary stent placement and radiotherapy. The causes of the obstruction included cholangiocarcinoma(n=14), gallbladder carcinoma(n=4), colon cancer(n=2), pancreatic head cancer (n=1), and stomach cancer(n=1). According to the sites of obstruction level, patient were divided into 2 groups; hilar obstruction(n=18) and common bile duct obstruction(n=4). The patients received dose of 45 Gray/18 fraction by external radiotherapy and 20Gy/8f by high dose rate brachytherapy with iridium--192 source through percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage(PTBD) catheter. The duration of stent patency after placement, survival period and survival rate by Kaplan Meier method were calculated in dead and alive patients, respectively. RESULTS: In all 22 patients, the duration of stent patency was 5.5(1.3--18.5)months. Survival periods after stent placement and PTBD were 5.3(2.0--8.5 )months and 7.9(4.0--14.7)months respectively in 9 dead patients and 7.7(1.3--21.0)months and 9.5(2.3--23.0)months in 13 alive patients. In all 22 patients, the survival rates in 6, 12 and 18 months were 78.9%, 47.5 % and 35.6 %, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results with combined metallic biliary stent placement and radiotherapy for the palliative treatment of malignant biliary obstruction in this study was more favorable, as compared with those of the other authors with only metallic biliary stent placement.
Brachytherapy ; Catheters ; Colon ; Common Bile Duct ; Gallbladder ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Humans ; Palliative Care ; Radiotherapy* ; Stents* ; Stomach ; Survival Rate

This study was undertaken to investigate mineral changes in weathered scalp hair after burial. EDX (energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) analysis was performed to measure the presence of minerals on the hair surface. Twelve scalp hairs, buried for 5-40 years, were chosen from deceased individuals buried in tombs in Soha-Ri, Kyonggi-Do, and other regions in Korea. Three normal hairs were used as the control group. EDX data showed that carbon, oxygen, and sulfur were detected in hair collected from all three burial grounds. In contrast, calcium was only detected in hair collected from tombs in Soha-ri. The amounts of calcium and sulfur were found to decrease with time for hair collected from tombs in Soha-ri. Similar results were observed with sodium for hair collected from other regions. These results show region specific mineral detection and a decrease in the concentration of minerals with time. Consequently, it is suggested that changes in minerals concentration in weathered hair could be used as basic data in the field of forensic medicine.
Burial ; Calcium ; Carbon ; Forensic Medicine ; Forensic Sciences ; Hair ; Humans ; Korea ; Minerals ; Oxygen ; Scalp ; Sodium ; Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission ; Sulfur ; Weather

PURPOSE:Ghrelin is an endogenous ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, and stomach is the major site of ghrelin secretion. The purpose of this study is to compare the serum ghrelin concentrations between patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and normal adults. We studied also whether serum ghrelin levels in the patients with type 2 DM are correlated with body mass index (BMI), serum insulin, lipid profiles, and creatinine levels. METHODS:Forty patients with type 2 DM and forty normal adults were included in this study. We measured heights and weights of the subjects and calculated their BMIs. Blood samples were obtained to measure the ghrelin concentration and their sera were stored at -20degreeC until used. In all subjects, serum ghrelin levels were measured using the commercially available Ghrelin(human) EIA kit. RESULTS:No differences of mean values were detected between the control group and the type 2 diabetic group for age, body weight, BMI, and the levels of serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, and creatinine. But ghrelin level of the type 2 diabetic group (71.1+/-30.5 ng/L) was significantly lower than the control group (139.7+/-36.9 ng/L). In the control group, the ghrelin level showed positive correlation with HDL cholesterol (Pearson's correlation coefficient=0.37, P<0.05). In the diabetic group, the ghrelin level showed weakly positive correlation with insulin concentration. However, there was no significant relationship between serum ghrelin and various parameters in the diabetic patients group. CONCLUSION: In this study, ghrelin concentration in type 2 diabetic patients was lower than that in the control group. In the control group, serum ghrelin concentrations were positively correlated with HDL cholesterol. In the type 2 diabetic group, there was no significant correlation between insulin and ghrelin concentrations.
Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Creatinine ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* ; Ghrelin* ; Humans ; Insulin ; Receptors, Ghrelin ; Stomach ; Triglycerides ; Weights and Measures

Deep palmoplantar warts (Myrmecia) are frequently tender papules or plaques caused by HPV-1. Myrmecia are usually misdiagnosed as paronychia or digital mucous cysts. They occur not only on the palms and soles but also on the lateral aspects and tips of the fingers and toes. We report a rare case of deep palmoplantar wart occurring on proximal nail fold, unusual site of right 5th finger in an 11-year-old girl.
Child ; Female ; Fingers ; Humans ; Paronychia ; Toes ; Warts*