Multiple, reticulated, dark brown colored, macules and patches suddenly developed on the fac, and neck of a 48-year-old Korean woman two days after a traffic accident. On physical examination and laboratory tests including serum melanocyte-stimulating hormone, estrogen and progesterone level, no abnormalities were found except cervical pain. Histological examination of hematoxylin-eosin stained sections revealed increased melanin pigmentation in the basal layer, but the number of melanocytes was not changed in DOPA stained section. Topical application of 2% hydroquinone and 20% azelaic acid ointments had been applied successively for two months each without any apparent improvement. Herein we present a case of reticulate hyperpigmentation on the face and neck, which is very acute and whose causative factors are not certain.
Accidents, Traffic ; Dihydroxyphenylalanine ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation* ; Melanins ; Melanocytes ; Middle Aged ; Neck Pain ; Neck* ; Ointments ; Physical Examination ; Pigmentation ; Progesterone

No abstract available.
Adenoma, Pleomorphic* ; Neurilemmoma*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcome of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using epididymal and testicular sperm in patients with azoospermia. METHODS: From March, 1993 to May, 1999, a retrospective clinical analysis was done of a total of 140 cycles in 112 patients who underwent ICSI. Subjects were divided into three group: ejaculated-ICSI group included 42 cycles in 34 patients with ejaculated sperm who underwent ICSI due to severe oligospermia and past history of failed or poor fertilization in the previous in vitro fertilization and embryo tranfer (IVF-ET) cycles, microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (MESA-ICSI) group included 50 cycles in 42 patients with congenital absence of the vas deferens (CAVD) or unreconstructable obstructive azoospermia and testicular sperm extraction and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (TESE-ICSI) group included 48 cycles in 36 patients with no spermatozoa which can be retrieved from epididymis or non-obstructive azoospermia. RESULTS: Normal two-pronuclear fertilization rates were similar in three groups: 64.4% for ejaculated-ICSI group, 59.4% for MESA-ICSI group and 60.4% for TESE-ICSI group. The pregnancy rates were 26.2%, 26.0% and 25.0% respectively. There were no significant differences in the fertilization, cleavage, and clinical pregnancy rates among ICSI cycles using ejaculated, epididymal and testicular sperm. CONCLUSION: Epididymal and testicular sperm obtained in azoospermic patients can fertilize oocyte successfully and may lead to be similar fertilization rates and clinical pregnancy rates to ejaculated sperm.
Azoospermia ; Embryonic Structures ; Epididymis ; Fertilization ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Male ; Oligospermia ; Oocytes ; Pregnancy Rate ; Retrospective Studies ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic* ; Sperm Retrieval ; Spermatozoa* ; Vas Deferens

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Colon* ; Colonic Polyps* ; Female* ; Humans ; Urethra*

No abstract available.
Alleles* ; Gene Frequency* ; HLA-DR Antigens* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is one of the common diseases which family physicians encounter to manage. Various research proved that appropriate aerobic exercise had effect on lowering blood pressure efficiently. This study was to find out the status of exercise, the change of exercise according to time and its predicting factors in hypertensive patients. METHODS: A total of 193 of the followed-up hypertensive patients of family physicians in Seoul and kyoungkido from May 11, 2001 to June 10, 2001 were interviewed by doctor according to the previously designed structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Eighty two patients (42.57) were male and mean and was 57.4 +/- 9.9 fears. Using Kaplan-Meier's method, 8% of non-exercise group (N= 115) in diagnosing hypertension started exercise after 1 fear and 40%, after 5 years. Otherwise, 5% of exercise group(N=78) stopped exercise after 1 year and 30%, after 5 years. The characteristics of 5 exercise groups according to sex, age, level of education and adequacy of exercise showed significant difference. In average blood pressure, lately started group showed the lowest (137/84 mmHg) and non-exercise group, the highest (146/91 mmHg) In the degree of recommendation. sporadic group showed the highest and non-exercise group, the lowest which showed significant difference (p =0.0024) . CONCLUSION: I conclude that lately started group among non-exercise group and continuous exercise group were mainly affected by recommendation to exercise of physician. As well as exercise, other nonpharmacologic treatment should be promoted by physician as an important strategy for treatment of hypertension.
Blood Pressure ; Education ; Exercise ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Physicians, Family* ; Seoul ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
DNA Fingerprinting* ; DNA* ; Oligonucleotide Probes* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Collagen* ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver*

BACKGROUND: Dermal papilla cells, which are mesenchymal components of the hair bulb are considered to play an important role in the regulation of hair growth by production of diffusible factors that stimulate follicular epithelial cells. Degenerative changes in the dermal papilla cells in the involved scalp of alopecia areata cases indicate that these cells are one of the important targets in this disease. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effects of serum from alopecia areata patients on the proliferation of dermal papilla cells. METHOD: Dermal papilla cells and fibroblasts from normal human scalp were cultured in DMEM media with 10% or 20% of normal and alopecia areata serum for 48hrs and 96hrs. Cell proliferation was measured by cell counts and [3H]-thymidine incorpoartion. RESULTS: Both 10% and 20% alopecia areata serum had no significant effects on the proliferation of dermal papilla cells and fibroblasts after 48hrs and 96hrs. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that there are no serum factors that inhibit the proliferation of dermal papilla cells.
Alopecia Areata* ; Alopecia* ; Cell Count ; Cell Proliferation ; Epithelial Cells ; Fibroblasts ; Hair ; Humans ; Scalp