We report a case of multiple agminated Spitz nevi in a 16-year-old boy who presented with multiple nodules on the right side of his face. His past history revealed that there had been erythematous and brown colored papules on the same site at the age of four. At that time one lesion was excised and histopathological findings showed fairly well circumscribed spindle and epithelioid cell nests consistent with a Spitz nevus. Twelve years later, he presented with multiple agminated brown to black colored nodules on the face. Microscopic evaluation revealed nevus cells diffusely distributed throughout the dermis showing no or little junctional activity. In addition, these cells were embedded in a strikingly desmoplastic stroma which consisted of acellular collagen fiber. Immunohistochemical staining for S-100 protein was positive. To our knowledge this is the first report of multiple agminated Spitz nevi in Korea.
Adolescent ; Collagen ; Dermis ; Epithelioid Cells ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Nevus* ; Nevus, Epithelioid and Spindle Cell ; S100 Proteins

New techniques for regenerating the destructed periodontal tissue have been studied for many years. Current acceptable methods of promoting periodontal regeneration are basis of removal of diseased soft tissue, root treatment, guided tissue regeneration, graft materials, and biological mediators. Platelet Rich Plasma has been reported as a biological mediator which regulates activities of wound healing progress including cell proliferation, migration, and metabolism. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of using the Platelet Rich Plasma as a regeneration promoting agent for furcation involvement defect. Five adult beagle dogs were used in this experiment. The dogs were anesthetized with Ketamin HCl(0.1 ml/kg, IV)and Xylazine hydrochloride(Rompun(R), Bayer, 0.1 ml/kg, IM) and conventional periodontal prophylaxis were performed with ultrasonic scaler and hand instruments. With intrasulcular and crestal incision, mucoperiosteal flap was elevated. Following decortication with 1/2 high speed round bur, degree II furcation defect was made on mandibular third(P3), forth(P4) and fifth(P5) premolar, and stopping was inserted. After 4 weeks, stopping was removed, and bone graft was performed. Ca-P was grafted in P3(experimental group I), Combination of Ca-P and plasma rich platelet were grafted in P4(experimental group II), and P5 was remained at control group.Systemic antibiotics(gentamicin sulfate)and anlgesics(phenyl butazone) were administrated intramuscular for 2 weeks after surgery. Irrigation with 0.1% Chlorhexidine Gluconate around operate sites was performed during the whole experimental period except one day immediate after surgery. Soft diets were fed through the whole experiment period. After 4, 8 weeks, the animals were sacrificed by perfusion technique. Tissue block was excised including the tooth and prepared for light microscope with Gomori's trichrome staining. At 4 weeks after surgery, there were rapid osteogenesis phenomenon on the defected area of the Platelet Rich Plasma plus Ca-P BBP group and early trabeculation pattern was made with new osteoid tissue produced by activated osteoblast. Bone formation was almost completed to the fornix of furcation by 8 weeks after surgery. In conclusion, Platelet Rich Plasma can promote rapid osteogenesis during healing of periodontalregeneration.
Adult ; Animals ; Bicuspid ; Blood Platelets* ; Cell Proliferation ; Chlorhexidine ; Diet ; Dogs* ; Furcation Defects* ; Guided Tissue Regeneration ; Hand ; Humans ; Metabolism ; Osteoblasts ; Osteogenesis ; Perfusion ; Plasma ; Platelet-Rich Plasma* ; Regeneration ; Tooth ; Transplants ; Ultrasonics ; Wound Healing ; Xylazine

BACKGROUND: Although there have been many studies on psoriasis, only a few studies have been conducted on pilosebaceous changes and even those results are controversial. While a few studies have been conducted on the morphological changes of the pilosebaceous unit in scalp psoriasis, comparative studies on the morphometric changes of pilosebaceous structures with a normal control group have not been conducted. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to elucidate the morphological change of the pilosebaecous unit in scalp psoriasis. METHODS: We conducted a comparative study an the morphometric changes of the pilosebaceous structure in 10 cases of scalp psoriasis with a normal control group. Results : The results of this study are summarized as follows : 1. Total hair counts, telogen hair counts, telogen hair counts, and the sizes of hairs and follicles in the lesional scalp showed no statistically significant increase than in the normal control. 2. The intrafollicular hyperkeratosis in infundibulum and sebaceous atrophy were more proininet in the lesional area than in the normal control area. These findings were also significantly prominent in the uninvolved normal-appearing area than in the normal control area. 3. Perifollicular inflammation, squamous metaplasia of the sebaceous gland and telangiectasia in the lesional and uninvolved areas were prominent, and these findings were not found in the normal control areas. Conclusion : The sebaceous atrophy and squamous metaplasia are very important findings of morphologic changes in psoriasis, and this paradoxical change may be an important clue to clarify the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
Atrophy ; Hair ; Inflammation ; Metaplasia ; Psoriasis ; Scalp* ; Sebaceous Glands ; Telangiectasis

BACKGROUND: Onychomycosis is common nail problem and requires administration of antifungal agent for long period. But several cutaneous diseases can produce similar nail changes and an inexpensive, quick and sensitive test is essential for screening nail specimens. Recently, there have been several reports of new method for diagnosing onychomycosis and fungi-Fluor(R)stain, which had been used to detect fungal elements in the tissue, was not used for diagnosing onychomycosis. OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to evaluate the usefulness of the new method using Fungi-Fluor(R)solution for the diagnosis of onychomycosis, and compare with other methods. METHODS: During the study period, nail samples obtained from 72 patients with onychomycosis were tested for Fungi-Fluor(R)solution and the results of that were compared with those of KOH smear, fungal culture and KONCPA test. RESULTS: The results of this study are summarized as follows: 1. The positive rates of conventional KOH nail scraping preparation, fungal culture, KONCPA and Fungi-Fluor(R)staining were 47.2%,40.3%, 77.8%, and 86.1%, respectively. 2. Fungi-Fluor(R)staining proved to be less time-consuming than KONCPA test. 3. Compared to KONCPA and Fungi-Fluor(R)staining, KOH preparation and fungal culture showed high false positive rate. 4. Though both KONCPA and Fungi-Fluor(R)staining showed higher positive rate in toenail than fingernail, there were no statistic significance. CONCLUSION: The Fungi-Fluor(R)solution staining is rapid, inexpensive, and highly sensitive method to detect fungal elements in the nails.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Nails ; Onychomycosis*

BACKGROUND: The clinical types of sporotrichosis are generally classified into four groups: lymphocutaneous, fixed cutaneous, and cutaneous disseminated, and hematogenous. Of these, the lymphocutaneous variety is the most frequently encountered pattern, constituting 80% of sporotrichosis patients and the fixed cutaneous sporotrichosis is the next Potassium iodide (KI) was the most commonly used drug for the treatment of sporotrichosis. Many studies about these clinical findings of sporotrichosis have been reported, but comparative study on the changes in clinical findings has not been reported. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to clarify the changes of the clinical findings in sporotrichosis in Korea. METHODS: A total of 58 patients with sporotrichosis who had visited the Department of Dermatology, Pusan National University were divided into 2 groups according to the period and then the clinical findings of sporotrichosis were compared. RESULTS: The results of study are summarized as follows: 1. During this period, there were 58 cases of sporot.ichosis. In the past period (1967~1979) there were 35 cases of sporot.ichosis, and there were 23 cases in the recent period (1980 ~1997). 2. In the past period, most cases (71.4%) were lymphocutaneous type, however in the recent period, most cases (69.2%) were fixed cutaneous type. 3. The most commonly affected site was right upper extremity in the past period, but face & right upper extremity were the most commonly affected sites in the recent period. 4. In the past period, 2nd and 3rd decades were prevalent age group, but 5th to 7th decades were prevalent age group in the recent period. 5. In the treatment of sporotrichosis, potassium iodide (KI) was the choice of treatment in the past period, however itraconazole is gradually used in the recent period. CONCLUSION: According to this study, many changes in clinical findings of sporotrichosis were noted, especially in the clinical type. We found that conical type of sporotrichosis changed from lymphocutaneous type to the fixed cutaneous type with time. And we suggest that further observation would be necessary to define the meaning of these changes.
Busan ; Dermatology ; Humans ; Itraconazole ; Korea ; Potassium Iodide ; Sporotrichosis* ; Upper Extremity

The gastric polyps may be premalignant lesions and they should be removed as possible. The gastric polyps can be remoued by various endoscopic methods. The safety and therapeutic effectiveness of snare polypectomy, neodymium YAG laser therapy and electrocutery were compared in a total number of 106 patients who were diagnosed as benign polyps by means of endoscopic biopsy.Safety was evaluated by the rate of complications such as perforation and bleeding, and therapeutic effectiveness was evaluated by the average numbers of treatment session of each modality. Average numbers of treatment session of snare polypectomy, laser therapy and electrocautery were 1.04, 1.38 and l.44, respectively. Average numbers of treatment session of snare polypectomy were significantly (p<0.05) lower than those of other two methods. Perforation was not occurred in any group. Bleeding rates after snare polypectomy, laser therapy and electrocautery were 17.4%, 1.0% and 3.8%, respectively. Bleeding was significantly (p<0,05) more frequent after snare polypectomy than after other two methods. In conclusion therapeutic effectiveness was best in snare polypectomy but complication was most frequent after snare polypectomy. There was no difference between laser therapy and electrocautery for therapeutic effectiveness and safety. Therfore, laser therapy and electrocautery caa be used for the removal of flat adenoma, alternatively.
Adenoma ; Electrocoagulation ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; Lasers, Solid-State ; Neodymium ; Polyps ; SNARE Proteins

The gastric polyps may be premalignant lesions and they should be removed as possible. The gastric polyps can be remoued by various endoscopic methods. The safety and therapeutic effectiveness of snare polypectomy, neodymium YAG laser therapy and electrocutery were compared in a total number of 106 patients who were diagnosed as benign polyps by means of endoscopic biopsy.Safety was evaluated by the rate of complications such as perforation and bleeding, and therapeutic effectiveness was evaluated by the average numbers of treatment session of each modality. Average numbers of treatment session of snare polypectomy, laser therapy and electrocautery were 1.04, 1.38 and l.44, respectively. Average numbers of treatment session of snare polypectomy were significantly (p<0.05) lower than those of other two methods. Perforation was not occurred in any group. Bleeding rates after snare polypectomy, laser therapy and electrocautery were 17.4%, 1.0% and 3.8%, respectively. Bleeding was significantly (p<0,05) more frequent after snare polypectomy than after other two methods. In conclusion therapeutic effectiveness was best in snare polypectomy but complication was most frequent after snare polypectomy. There was no difference between laser therapy and electrocautery for therapeutic effectiveness and safety. Therfore, laser therapy and electrocautery caa be used for the removal of flat adenoma, alternatively.
Adenoma ; Electrocoagulation ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; Lasers, Solid-State ; Neodymium ; Polyps ; SNARE Proteins

BACKGROUND: Mycoses of deep tissues requir e prompt recognition and early institution of treatment. Sometimes, it is quite difficult to find fungal elements in tissue section with special stains and to culture on Sabouraud media. Previously it has been shown that Fungi-Fluor(R) solution (calcofluor white) bind t fungi present in frozen and paraffin tissue sections. Fungi present in such specimens stained with Fungi-Fluor(R) solution have a distinct green-blue fluorescence when examined by fluorescent microscopy. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic value of the Fungi-Fluor(R) solution for detecting fungal element in the tissue. METHODS: Fungi-Fluor(R) staining was done with a paraffin-embedded tissue section of several superficial and cutaneous deep mycoses. Then we viewed this through a fluorescent microscope with excitation of 250-400 nm and compared these staining results to PAS staining. RESULTS: The results of this study are summarized as follows : 1. In the several superficial mycoses such as tinea corporis & tinea capitis, Fungi-Fluor(R) staining method revealed more fungal elements with high sensitivity compared to PAS stain. 2. In the several cutaneous deep mycoses such as sporotrichosis, Fungi-Fluor(R) staining method revealed more fungal elements than PAS stain, and revealed some fungal elements which were not detected by PAS stain. CONCLUSION: The Fungi-fluor staining solution is a rapid, inexpensive, highly sensitive method to detect fungal element in the tissue.
Coloring Agents ; Fluorescence ; Fungi ; Microscopy ; Mycoses* ; Paraffin ; Sporotrichosis ; Tinea ; Tinea Capitis

Langerhans cell granulomatosis(LCG), previously termed 'Histiocytosis-X', is one of the rare disease. LCG is characterized by proliferation of Langerhans cells in a unifocal or multifocal pattern. And LCG may be manifested in a variety of way, ranging from a spontaneously regressing solitary lesion to a multisystem life-threatening disorder. This disease usually involves the bone, lung, skin and lymph node. The most common endocrinologic abnormalities in LCG are diabetes insipidus and growth hormone deficiency. LCG involving the thyroid gland is extremely rare and only a small numbers of cases have been reported worldwide. A 41-year-old diabetic female visited the hospital due to the neck swelling for 3 months and she also complained of polyuria, polydipsia and easy fatigue. LCG involving multiple organs included thyroid gland was diagnosed by high-resolution CT of lung, by characteristic histological findings of the thyroid lesion and by the immunohistochemical staining for S-100 protein and OKT 6(CD la). She is followed at OPD without any medication.
Adult ; Diabetes Insipidus ; Fatigue ; Female ; Growth Hormone ; Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell* ; Humans ; Langerhans Cells ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Neck ; Polydipsia ; Polyuria ; Rare Diseases ; S100 Proteins ; Skin ; Thyroid Gland*

BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide (NO), a cytotoxic molecule is produced in various tissues including tumor cells during interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapy . Lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells are induced during IL-2 therapy, and have cytotoxic activity against tumor cells. The current study investigated the effects of NO synthesized in target cells or exposure of target cells to NO on the sensitivity of target cells to LAK cell cytotoxicity. METHODS: Cytotoxicity was measured using 4 h chromium release assays. LAK cells which were induced by a 4 day incubation of BALB/c mouse splenocytes with IL-2 (6,000 IU/mL) were employed as effector cells. RD-995 skin tumor cells originated from a C3H/HeN mouse were employed as target cells. NO synthesis in target cells was induced by a 24 h incubation of RD-995 cells with IFN gamma (25 U/mL), TNF (50 U/mL) and IL-1 (20 U/mL). S-nitrosyl acetylpenicillamine (SNAP), an NO donor, was used to expose target cells to NO. N(G) -monomethyl-L-arginine (MLA) and carboxy-PTIO were added during cytotoxicity assays to inhibit NO synthesis, and to scavenge NO produced by target cells, respectively. RESULTS: Sensitivity of NO-producing RD-995 cells to LAK cell cytotoxicity was decreased by addition of MLA and carboxy-PTIO during cytotoxicity assays. However, the two reagents had no effect on the sensitivity of non-NO-producing RD-995 cells. Pretreatment of RD-995 target cells with SNAP increased the sensitivity in comparison with untreated cells. CONCLUSIONS: Sensitivity of target cells to LAK cell cytotoxicity is increased by target cell NO synthesis or exposure to NO. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether these in vitro results have relevance to in vivo phenomena.
Animals ; Chromium ; Humans ; Indicators and Reagents ; Interleukin-1 ; Interleukin-2 ; Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated* ; Lymphocytes ; Mice ; Nitric Oxide* ; Skin ; Tissue Donors