Objective: To examine the effects of Tribulus terrestris L. (T. terrestris) extract on the modulation of calcium channels to evaluate its use in topical agents for treatment of atopic dermatitis. Methods: The 70% methanol extract of T. terrestris was prepared. Human HEK293T cells with over-expressed calcium release-activated calcium channel protein 1 (Orai1), transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, or transient receptor potential vanilloid 3 (TRPV3) were treated with T. terrestris extract. Modulation of ion channels was measured using a conventional whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Results: T. terrestris extract (100 mg/mL) significantly inhibited Orai1 activity in Orai1-stromal interaction molecule 1 co-overexpressed HEK293T cells. In addition, T. terrestris extract significantly increased the TRPV3 activity compared with 2-Aminoethyl diphe-nylborinate (100 mmol/L), which induces the full activation of TRPV3. Conclusions: Our results suggest that T. terrestris extract may have a therapeutic po-tential for recovery of abnormal skin barrier pathologies in atopic dermatitis through modulating the activities of calcium ion channels, Orai1 and TRPV3. This is the first study to report the modulatory effect of a medicinal plant on the function of ion channels in skin barrier.

Takayasu's arteritis is a chronic, granulomatous, large-vessel arteriopathy of unknown cause. A 45-year-old women developed multiple subcutaneous nodules preceded by fever, chills, weakness and weight loss. There were several developed pyoderma gangrenosum-like ulcerations which resulted from the breakdown of subcutaneous nodules on both forearms. A skin biopsy specimen from a forearm nodule revealed characteristics of polyarteritis nodosa including necrosis of the muscular arteries of the deep dermis and subcutaneous tissues destruction of the elastic lamella, thrombus formation, and an acute and chronic inflammatory cell infiltrates. Seven years later, the diagnosis of Takayasu's arteritis was suggested by the absence of the left radial pulse and confirmed by angiography.
Angiography ; Arteries ; Biopsy ; Chills ; Dermis ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fever ; Forearm ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis ; Polyarteritis Nodosa* ; Pyoderma ; Pyoderma Gangrenosum ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Takayasu Arteritis* ; Thrombosis ; Ulcer ; Weight Loss

BACKGROUND: Substrates play an important role in the effectiveness of the indirect immunofluro-rescence test. The monkey eaophagus has been known to be a more reliable and reproducible substrate than any other animal substrates for detecting pemphigus vulgaris autoantibodies, but it is quite difficult to get the monkey esophagus in Korea, therefore, we tried to find other substrates which could be substituted for it. OBJECTIVE: We studied to select the substrate which can be the most sensitive, to compare the immunofluorescent sensitivity of various animal substrates and fores,cins for detection of pemphigus autoantibodies, and finally to evaluate the effectiveness of cultured hunan keratinocytes as a substrate for indirect immunofluorescerice. METHOD: With foreskin, guinea pigs, cats, rats, dogs, rabbits and cultured human keratinocytes as substrates, an indirect imrnunofluorescence test was performed to detect pemphigus vulgaris autoantibodies in seven sera from the active patients before treatment and diluted serially from 1:10 to 1:1280 RESULT: We could detect pernphigus autoantibodies in all animal subtrates used in this study except rats and obtain good immunofluorescent results with foreskin, guinea pigs, and cultured human keratinocytes. The results were moderate with dogs, cats, rabbits, and poor with rats. CONCLUSION: We confirm thut cultured human keratinocytes can be a good effective substrate. According to effectiveness, subtrates can be divided into three groups. Foreskin, guinea pigs, and cultured human keratinocytes are included in the good effective substrate group, dogs, cats, and rabbits in the modeate group and rats in the poor substrate group, but we can not find any superiority of substrates within each groups.
Animals ; Autoantibodies* ; Cats ; Dogs ; Esophagus ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect* ; Foreskin ; Guinea Pigs ; Haplorhini ; Humans ; Keratinocytes ; Korea ; Pemphigus* ; Rabbits ; Rats

Currently, uric acid disorders, especially including hyperuricosuria, are thought to be important in the formation Of idiopathic calcium urolithiasis. Herein, we estimated the serum concentration and urinary excretion of uric acid in I22 stone-formers, comparing to those in 56 controls. Also, various theories about the pathogenesis of uric acid disorder and stone formation were discussed. The results were as follows: 1. Serum uric acid levels of stone-formers were significantly higher than those of controls, in total and female, but, not in male. 2. Urinary uric acid levels of stone-formers were significantly higher than those of controls in total, male and female. 3. Hyperuricemia was significantly more frequent for stone-formers in total, male and female. 4. Hyperuricosuria was significantly more frequent for stone-formers in total, but, not significantly more frequent for stone-formers in male and female. 5. The incidence of stone-formers, in whom hyperuricemia and hyperuricosuria were not present at the sometime, was significantly less than that Of controls. These results suggest the possibility that uric acid disorder may play some roles in the genesis of urinary stone.
Calcium ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperuricemia ; Incidence ; Male ; Uric Acid* ; Urinary Calculi* ; Urolithiasis

Currently, the cell surface antigen A,B,O(H) is thought to be an important indicator of malignant potential in bladder carcinoma. Herein, we performed SRCA test in 54 bladder carcinoma for detection of such an isoantigen, comparing the SRCA result to its tumor grade and stage. Also, various significances including the clinical application of SRCA test for the management of the bladder carcinoma were discussed. The results were as follows: 1. Of 54 patients, 34 patients were low stage(0-A) and low grade(1-2). 2. There is a significant correlation between tumor grade and SRCA test: Of 38 patients with low grade. 19 patients were SRCA positive, but of 16 patients with high grade. all were SRCA negative. 3. There is a significant correlation between tumor stage and SRCA test: Of 36 patients with low stage, 18 patients were SRCA positive, but of 18 patients with high stage(above B1), only one patient was SRCA positive. 4. There is a high possibility of false-negative results in detecting O(H) isoantigen: Of 36 patients with low stage, 6 patients were blood group 0 who were all SRCA negative. but 30 patients with other blood groups showed variable SRCA results. 5. There is a considerable correlation between tumor recurrence and SRCA result: Of 20 patients who were followed more than one year after initial TUR, 8 patients were SRCA positive, of these 4 patients were recurred, but 9 patients of 12 patients with SRCA negative were recurred.
Antigens, Surface* ; Blood Group Antigens ; Humans ; Isoantigens ; Recurrence ; Urinary Bladder*

No abstract available.
Cardiac Catheterization* ; Cardiac Catheters* ; Echocardiography* ; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis*

We report a case of epidermolysis bullosa acqumta with characteristic clinical features, subepidermal vesicles in histopathology, and deposits of IgG in basement membrane zone at routine direct immunofluorescent test. 1M NaCl-treated immunofluorescent test was performed in order to correctly diagnose our case. In this method, linear immunofluorescent deposits of IgG were found only at the dermal part of separation induced by 1M NaC1 treatment to skin specimen.
Basement Membrane ; Epidermolysis Bullosa Acquisita* ; Epidermolysis Bullosa* ; Immunoglobulin G ; Methods ; Skin

No abstract available.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*

We report a case of actinic granuloma in a 70-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus. Several annular lesions developed in both shins and persisted for five years, and similar lesions developed later mainly in sun-exposed areas. Histopathological study from the annular plaques of the shoulder showed actinic granuloma composed of numerous giant cells with disappearance of elastic fibers. Histopatholoc finding from the shin showed actinic granuloma of several foci of necrobiosis. From this case, we observed two different patterns of actinic granuloma in the same patient.
Actins* ; Aged ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Elastic Tissue ; Female ; Giant Cells* ; Granuloma* ; Humans ; Necrobiotic Disorders ; Shoulder

No abstract available.
Diagnosis* ; Exanthema* ; Lymphadenitis* ; Scrub Typhus*