PURPOSE: This study was conducted in order to investigate the effect of Sargassum confusum extracts on the reduction of body fat for eight weeks in overweight women (BMI > or = 23 kg/m2). METHODS: Subjects were classified by double-blind randomized trial as the control group (C group, n = 14) and the Sargassum confusum extract supplementation group (SC group, n = 16), which consumed 12 tablets per day. Questionnaires related to their health status were assessed twice (week 0 and week 8). Their dietary intake status was evaluated by 24-recall method and body compositions were measured using a bioelectrical impedance analyzer. In addition, we assessed the anti-obesity effect and the occurrence possibility of health risk factors during the supplementation periods by hematological and clinical analysis of blood. RESULTS: Waist circumference and body fat (%) were significantly decreased in the SC group. Serum leptin level was also significantly decreased in the SC group. Defecation frequency was significantly increased in the SC group. The above results indicate that Sargassum confusum extract supplementation improves overweight on visceral fat and blood leptin level by increasing bowel movement. These results imply a decrease of health risk factors in overweight women. Seven subjects withdrew from the study due to adverse events; however, no differences regarding adverse events were observed between the control and treatment group. CONCLUSION: Therefore, Sargassum confusum extract is a plausible effective agent for body fat reduction in humans.
Adipose Tissue* ; Body Composition ; Defecation ; Electric Impedance ; Female ; Humans ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Leptin ; Overweight ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Sargassum* ; Tablets ; Waist Circumference

Antidiabetic and beta cell-protection activities of purple corn anthocyanins (PCA) were examined in pancreatic beta cell culture and db/db mice. Only PCA among several plant anthocyanins and polyphenols showed insulin secretion activity in culture of HIT-T15 cells. PCA had excellent antihyperglycemic activity (in terms of blood glucose level and OGTT) and HbA1c-decreasing activity when compared with glimepiride, a sulfonylurea in db/db mice. In addition, PCA showed efficient protection activity of pancreatic beta cell from cell death in HIT-T15 cell culture and db/db mice. The result showed that PCA had antidiabetic and beta cell-protection activities in pancreatic beta cell culture and db/db mice.
Animals ; Anthocyanins* ; Blood Glucose ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Death ; Insulin ; Insulin-Secreting Cells ; Mice ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Plants ; Polyphenols ; Zea mays*

BACKGROUND: Medical skin care is essential for the treatment of skin diseases all over the world. Medical skin care is also part of medical practice and this must be differentiated from the simple skin care that is given for normal healthy skin. OBJECTIVE: We wanted to discuss medical skin care and the related medical devices and legal issues. METHODS: We reviewed the related laws and regulations, we consulted experts and associations and we analyzed the result of the survey. RESULTS: Legally, medical skin care and simple skin care are well classified. However, many illegal procedures are still performed by non-medical personnel and many adverse effects have been reported as a result. Furthermore, there are no legal restrictions for the performer based on the grade of each medical skin care procedure. CONCLUSION: For the best results and safe procedures, medical skin care must be performed by approved medical equipment under the supervision of a physician or medical personnel. Continuous control and guidance by the government is strongly needed.
Jurisprudence ; Organization and Administration ; Skin ; Skin Care ; Skin Diseases ; Social Control, Formal

Metastasis to the thyroid from distant cancer is rarely diagnosed clinically and renal cell carcinoma is the most common group of neoplasm to metastasize to the thyroid. Papillary thyroid carcinoma is known as the most frequent primary thyroid cancer. But coexistence with metastatic renal cell carcinoma to thyroid and papillary thyroid carcinoma is very rare. We are reporting this highly unusual case of metastatic renal cell carcinoma to thyroid, which harbored papillary thyroid cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported in Korea. A 57-year-old woman presented with hoarseness and palpable anterior neck mass. She had a history of renal cell carcinoma of right kidney, which had been resected 10 years previously and had undergone lower anterior resection due to sigmoid colon cancer 2 months before. Fine needle aspiration cytology suggested follicular neoplasm, and total thyroidectomy was performed. The pathology from the thyroid nodules showed papillary thyroid cancer combined metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Female ; Hoarseness ; Humans ; Kidney ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pathology ; Sigmoid Neoplasms ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Thyroid Nodule ; Thyroidectomy

PURPOSE: To evaluate the mechanism of the humeral fractures induced by arm wrestling and the clinical results of its treatment. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We reviewed 7 humeral fractures induced by arm wrestling; 3 humeral shaft fractures, 4 humeral medial epicondyle fractures. The mechanism of the fractures and the clinical results were assessed by history and radiographs. RESULTS: Shaft fractures were produced by twist and axial compression force. Humeral medial epicondyle fractures were the avulsion fractures by excessive contraction of flexor muscles and developed in young age. We operated 6 of them and in all cases, we could obtain fracture healings without complication. CONCLUSION: The humeral fractures induced by arm wrestling have the differences in the ages and mechanisms as to the locations of the fractures and if the proper treatment is performed, the clinical results are satisfactory.
Arm* ; Fracture Healing ; Humeral Fractures ; Humerus* ; Muscles ; Wrestling*

Kallmann's syndrome is defined as the combination of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and anosmia/hyposmia. The syndrome is a result of defect in the embryonic migratory pathway of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, which synthesizes neurons and olfactory axons. The hypogonadotropic hypogonadism results due to absence of or incomplete pubertal development and may be associated with anosmia, hyposmia, midline defect(color blindness, cleft-lip, cleft-palate, unilateral renal agenesis, sensorineural deafness), cryptorchidism and skeletal anomaly. Till date in Korea, few cases of Kallmann's syndrome have been reported but there are no available reports on cases of Kallmann's syndrome with unilateral renal aplasia and diabetes mellitus. We handled a case of Kallmann's syndrome associated with unilateral renal agenesis and diabetes mellitus. In the current work, we present a peculiar case as afore mentioned with the review of related literature.
Axons ; Blindness ; Cryptorchidism ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Hypogonadism ; Kallmann Syndrome* ; Korea ; Male ; Neurons ; Olfaction Disorders

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effect of autogenous bone and allograft material coverd with a bioresorbable membrane on bone regeneration after a simultaneous installation of implant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve healthy rabbits, weighing about 3~4 kg, were used in this experiment. Following impalnt(with 3.25 mm diameter and 8 mm length) site preparation by surgical protocol of Oraltronics(R), artificial bony defect, 5mm sized in height and depth, was created on femoral condyle using trephine drill(with 5 mm diameter and 5 mm length). Then implant was inserted. In the experimental group A, the bony defect was filled with autogenous particulated bone and coverd with Lyoplant(R) resorbable membrane. In the experimental group B, the bony defect was filled with allograft material(Orthoblast II(R)) containing demineralized bone matrix and covered with Lyoplant(R). In the control group, without any graft materials, the bony defect was covered with Lyoplant(R). The experimental group A and B were divided into each 9 cases and control group into 3 cases. The experimental animals were sacrificed at 3, 6 and 8 weeks after surgery and block specimens were obtained. With histologic and histomorphometric analysis, we observed the histologic changes of the cells and bone formation after H-E staining and then, measured BIC and bone density with KAPPA Image Base(R) system. RESULTS: As a result of this experiment, bone formation and active remodeling process were examined in all experimental groups and the control. But, the ability of bone formation of the experimental group A was somewhat better than any other groups. Especially bone to-implant contact fraction ranged from 12.7% to 43.45% in the autogenous bone group and from 9.02% to 29.83% in DBM group, at 3 and 8 weeks. But, bone density ranged from 15.67% to 23.17% in the autogenous bone group and from 25.95% to 46.06% in DBM group at 3 and 6 weeks, respectively. Although the bone density of DBM group was better than that of autogenous bone group at 3 and 6weeks, the latter was better than the former at 8 weeks, 54.3% and 45.1%, respectively. Therefore these results showed that DBM enhanced the density of newly formed bone at least initially.
Allografts ; Animals ; Bone Density ; Bone Matrix* ; Bone Regeneration ; Membranes ; Osteogenesis* ; Rabbits ; Transplants*

A malignant sarcoma of soft tissue that arises near but not in a joint, most often in an adolescent or young adult, is typically slowgrowing, and may escapes notice until it causes pain. The diagnosis of this tumor can be suspected by X-ray or imaging, made by biopsy, and confirmed by chromosome studies. Cytogenic studies reveal a translocation between the X chromosome and chromosome 18 in the tumor cells. The most common treatment for the tumor is surgery to remove the entire tumor, nearby muscle, and lymph nodes. Synovial sarcoma tends to recur locally and to involve regional lymph nodes. Distant metastasis occurs in half cases. The well-documented and adequately followed cases are currently lacking and this report described an instance of Synovial sarcoma good result after treatment and review of literature.
Adolescent ; Biopsy ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18 ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Joints ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Sarcoma ; Sarcoma, Synovial* ; United Nations ; X Chromosome ; Young Adult

Squamous papilloma is a benign proliferation of stratified squamous epithelium, resulting in a papillary or verruciform mass. Verrucous carcinoma is a differentiated variant of squamous cell carcinoma and may present diagnostic difficulties as it may be erroneously diagnosed as squamous papilloma. Squamous papilloma is similar to other oral mucosa malignancy in microscopic view. So, it is difficult to distinguish between squamous cell papilloma and other oral mucosa malignancy. Here are three patients. they were diagnosed as squamous papilloma initially, but the lesion was recurred. In recurred lesion, verrucous carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma were found. So we report that recurred oral mucosa malignency(verrucous carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma) which was diagnosed as squamous papilloma.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Carcinoma, Verrucous ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Mouth Mucosa* ; Papilloma*

Mucormycosis is an acute opportunistic infection caused by a saprophytic fungus found in soil, decaying fruits and vegetables. Numerous predisposing risk factors are associated with mucormycosis, although most cases have been reported in poorly controlled diabetics or in patients with hematologic malignant conditions. Throughout the history of mucormycosis, from the first case in humans reported in 1885 by Paltauf, through publication by Gregory et al of the first observation of rhino-orbital cerebral mucormycosis in 1943, to the report by Harris in 1955 of the first known survivor, little has changed in the diagnosis and outcome of this disease. Without treatment, the patient may die after an interval ranging from a few days to a few weeks. Regulation of diabetes mellitus and a decrease in the dose of immunosuppressive drugs facilitate the treatment of Mucormycosis. Extensive debridement of craniofacial lesions appears to be very important. intravenous amphotericin B is clearly of value. This is a case report of a patient with mucormycosis in maxilla. He was an uncontrolled DM patient, and for the treatment of intravenous amphotericin B and sequestrectomy were applied.
Amphotericin B ; Debridement ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Fruit ; Fungi ; Humans ; Maxilla* ; Mucormycosis* ; Opportunistic Infections ; Publications ; Risk Factors ; Soil ; Survivors ; Vegetables