With a view to investigating the distribution of keratinophilic fungi in soil according to latitudes in south Korea, soil samples were collected at 81 sites in 17 areas in different latitudes across the country and keratinophilic fungi were isolated by means of Vanbreusegherns technique. The results are summarized as follows : 105 strains of keratinophilic fungi were recovered from 56(69.2%) out of 81 samples. Isolated fungi were composed of 41 strains of Trichophyton ajelloi, 24 stains of Chrysosporium species, 20 strains of Microsporum gypseum, and 20 strains of M. cookei. Frequency of isolation of keratinophilic fungi tended to decrease from higher latitudes down to lower latitudes. In areas of higher latutudes, T. ajelloi and M. cookei were isolated more frequently than in lower latitudes. M. gypseem was most frequent in Cheju City, and Chrysosporium species showed an even distribution, Among three areas under different conditions of moisture and shadedness(i.e., shaded wet, shaded dry, and sunny dry areas), frequency of isolation was highest in shaded dry areas(72.2%). T. ajelloi was the most frequent species in all the three areas, especially in shaded wet areas(53.1%). No M. gypsetcm was found in shaded dry areas. As regards distribution at various sites, roadsides and streamsides exhibited the highest frequency of isolation, and hills the lowest. Except for roadsides, T. ajelloi was the most frequent species at all sites, especially in forests. M. gypseum was frequent at sites beside streams M. cookei at streamsides, fields, and hills and Chrysosporim species in gardens, forests, and streets.
Chrysosporium ; Coloring Agents ; Fungi* ; Jeju-do ; Korea* ; Microsporum ; Rivers ; Soil* ; Trichophyton

Recurrent infantile digital fibroma is a peculiar fibrous tumiir that may be single or multiple on fingers and toes of infants and children. We report a 5-year-old gril with recurrent infantile digital fiber oma which was recurrent on the left 5th toe. The lesion had noted at the age of 6 months. and was excised surgically when the child was 3 year old. 2 years after operation, the lesion was recurred in operation site. Microscopically, nodular fibrous mass is attached to flattened,pidermis. The underlying nodule is composed of proliferating fibroblasts surrounded by derse collagenous tissue. We could find eosinophilic inclusion bodies in the cytoplasm of fibro ilast. It was stained pink with H&E, bright red with Massons trichrome and purple with PTAH.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; Collagen ; Cytoplasm ; Eosinophils ; Fibroblasts ; Fibroma* ; Fingers ; Humans ; Inclusion Bodies ; Infant ; Toes

BACKGROUND: Basal cell carcinoma(BCC) is the most common tumor of light-skinned people. Most of them are relatively innocuous, but some may cause extensive tissue destruction, and result in death by local infiltration of vital structure or metastatic disease. The bcl-2 is a protooncogene involved in tumorigenesis by blocking apoptosis or programmed cell death. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether there was a difference in bcl-2 expression in different histopathological types of BCC. Method: We performed immunohistochemical staining by using a monoclonal mouse anti-human bcl-2 oncoprotein in 28 BCC(nodular: 7 cases, micronodular; 3 cases, adenoid; 1 case, infiltrative; 9 cases, and mixed; 8 cases). Result: All 28 BCC expressed bcl-2, and the degree of staining was different according to histopathological types; poor prognostic micronodular(100%) and infiltrative(73.3%) types were relatively strong, and nodular(66.7% ) and adenoid(75.0%) types were moderate. Conclusion . These results suggest that the degree of bcl-2 expression in BCC seems to be dependent to the histopathological types together with clinical behavior.
Adenoids ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Cell Death ; Mice

BACKGROUND: Ultraviolet light induces sunburn, ageing of the skin, pigmentation and even promotes skin cancers. As there has been a recent decrease in the ozone layer surrounding the earth, increasing attention has been given to the effects of ultraviolet light on the skin. Through human epidermis, ultraviolet light is reflected, scattered, absorbed or transmitted. In caucacians, the rate of transmitted ultraviolet light A from the epidermis to the dermis is 50% and the rate of transmitted ultraviolet light B is below 10%. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the transmittance of UVA and UVB on Korean normal epidermis. METHODS: Pure epidermis was obtained from normal human epidermis by suction of blisters in 12 patients with vitiligo. All specimens were irradiated respectively with UVA and UVB and the amount of transmitted energy was measured. RESULTS: 1. The transmittance of UVA energy density by normal epidermis was 47.7+11.2% of irradiated UVA energy. 2. The transmittance of UVB energy density by normal epidermis was 32.4+3.4% of irradiated UVB energy. CONCLUSION: UVA energy transmission through normal epidermis of Korean is less than those of Caucacians but UVB energy transmission through nor mal epidermis of Korean is more than those of Caucacians. It is suggested that this could be an important basic data to study for photoaging and photoprotection in Korean population.
Blister ; Dermis ; Epidermis* ; Humans* ; Pigmentation ; Skin ; Skin Neoplasms ; Stratospheric Ozone ; Suction ; Sunburn ; Ultraviolet Rays ; Vitiligo

BACKGROUND: With the development of medical science and technology, the proprotion of the aged has been significantly increasecl. Therefore it needs to be studied the fuadamental epidemiologic survey of dermatologic diseases and akin care in the elderly. OBJECT: Our purpose was to provide clinically relevant data regaring both dermatologic diseases and skin care in the aged population. MEHTODS: Total 172 volunteers aged 51 to 90 were enrolled in a study of 32-item questionnaire and total cutaneous examination. RESULTS: The sex ratio of male to female of 172 elderly volunteers as 1:1.4 and population of 7th and 8th decades occupied 76.5% with their mean age 74.4. The dermatologic findings which showed higher incidence in this study were seborrheic keratosis, senile lentigines, xerosis, cherry angioma, and generalized pruritus. Through the interviews of 172 elderly, the mot fequent dermatologic complaint was generalized pruritus. As the mean age of the population increasec, the number of the population showing xerosis and complaing of pruritus was elevated(r=0.976. 0.917 respectively). And there was a significant stastical correlation between the finding of xerosis and the the presence of pruritus(P<0.005). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that dermatologic problems in the elilerly are very common ancl further dermatologic studies including substantial medical care will be needed.
Aged ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Incidence ; Keratosis, Seborrheic ; Lentigo ; Male ; Prunus ; Pruritus ; Sex Ratio ; Skin Care* ; Skin Diseases* ; Skin* ; Volunteers

No Abstract Available.
X-Ray Film*

BACKGROUND: The relationship and differentiation among various dendritic cells of the dermis are unclear. Recently it has hecome possible to identify different subpopulat,ions of dermal dendritic cells using anti-CD34 and anti-factor XIIIa antibodies. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate which cell types the fibrous dermal turnors consist of we compared the staining patterns of these antibodies as well as of anti-Mac 387 antibody which are labeled as inflammatory cells of the monocyte-macrophage lineage. METHODS: Tumors studied included dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans(DFSP, n=2), dermato-fibroma(n=22), neurofibroma, n=27), acrochordon(n=15), keloid, hypertrophic scar(n=10), juvenile xanthogranuloma(n=1, and malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH, n=1). We performed immunoperoxidase staining(AUSC technique) with polyclonal anti FXIIIa antibody, monoclonal anti-CD34 antibody, and monoclonal anti-Mac 387 antibody on the formalin-fixed-paraffin-embedded tissue specimens of these fibrous tumors. The intensity of staining was graded as negative, weakly staining, or strongly stainiring. RESULTS: FXIIIa reactivity was strongly present in dendritic and spindle-shaped cells of all dermatofibromas and some nurofibromas(11 of 27 specimens), but absent from the other fibrous tumors. Among these tumors, one of the two DFSPs was uniquely expressed CD34. Dendritic and spindle-shaped cells within tiese tumors were MAC 387 negative. In inflammatory conditions, variable numbers of MAC 38 positive cells were observed, corresponding to histiocytes and mac-rophages, but the labeling of ipithelioid cells and multinucleated foreign body giant cells were variable. CONCLUSION: The findings of significant numbers of FXIIIa positive cells in dermal fibrous tumors studied suggest that thet may be diagnostic utility associated with the use of this antit)ody. In addition, CD 34 expression by the tumor cells can be an extremely useful marker in establishing a definitive diagnosis of IFSP.
Antibodies ; Dendritic Cells ; Dermatofibrosarcoma ; Dermis ; Diagnosis ; Factor XIIIa* ; Giant Cells, Foreign-Body ; Histiocytes ; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous ; Keloid ; Langerhans Cells ; Neurofibroma

Cholelithiasis and cholecystitis frequently necessitate cholecystectomy. Experience is increasing with laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a technique that avoids much of the morbidity, pain, prolonged hospital day, and recovery complications associated with the traditional approach. And the safety of laparoscopic cholecystectomy was confirmed. Besides appendectomy, cholecystectomy is the second most common nonobstetric procedure performed in pregnant women. We have performed one case of a successful laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the second trimester of pregnancy. Pregnancy was once a contraindication of laparoscopic operation, but no longer.
Appendectomy ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic* ; Cholecystitis ; Cholelithiasis ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women

Background: Insulin is known to act as second effector that provides potassium transfer from extracellular fluid to intracellular fluid, thus causing hypokalemia and arrythmia. We evaluated the effect of magnesium sulfate treatment on hemodynamics and serum potassium concentration, induced by continuous infusion of regular insulin solution in rabbits. Method: Twenty-four rabbits were divided into four groups for the experiment. Group I was given intravenouse injection of 5 ml of normal saline and continuous dripping of 7.5 U of RI. Group II was pretreated with 30 mg/kg of magnesium sulfate, followed by continuous dripping of 7.5 U of RI. Group III was given 5 ml of normal saline and 15 U of RI. And Group IV was administered 15 U of RI after 30 mg/kg of magnesium sulfate pretreatment. Venouse blood sampling was done before pretreatment, and after 5, 30, 60 and 120 minutes respectively. Heart rate and arterial blood pressure were taken at the same intervals. Result: 1) There was no significant change in serum potassium concentration in groups injected with 7.5 units of RI respectively (groups I and II), regardless of magnesium pretreatment. But in groups injected with 15 units of RI, the group that was not pretreated with magnesium (Groups III) showed a decrease in serum potassium concentration from 3.39+/-0.57 Eq/L to 2.29+/-0.71 mEq/L, while the concentration in the pretreated group (Group IV) decreased more significantly from 3.35+/-0.50 mEq/L to 1.81+/-0.41 mEq/L. 2) Pulse rate did not change significantly in groups that received continuous infusion of 7.5 units of RI (groups I and II) regardless of magnesium pretreatment, but increased significantly in groups injected with 15 units of RI (groups III and IV), pretreated or not. The pretreated group (group IV) had a more significant rise in pulse rate compared with the group that was not pretreated (group III). 3) In all of the groups, those pretreated with magnesium (groups II and IV) and those not pretreated (groups I and III), there was no significant change in systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Nor was arrhythmia detected. Conclusion: The above results indicate that while magnesium sulfate pretreatment at 30 mg/kg with insulin infusion affects serum potassium concentration, has an antiarrhythmic effect, and may induce tachycardia, it does not have any significant effect on blood pressure.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Extracellular Fluid ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics* ; Hypokalemia ; Insulin ; Intracellular Fluid ; Magnesium Sulfate ; Magnesium* ; Potassium* ; Rabbits* ; Tachycardia

BACKGROUND: The confgurations of the skin surface, as characterized by surface furrows and plateaux, are known to change with ageing. There are many parameters to analyze the effects of ageing processes on the surface configuration. However, there are contradictory results among the authors. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the sensitivity of various parameters being described in other reports with our new parameters used in evaluating the changes of the skin surface in the agein processes. METHODS: 112 healthy Korean males in 4 age groups participated in this study. Silicon skin replicas were taken from medial and lateral aspects of the forearm. Images of the skin replicas were analyzed by means of a digital image processing system (AIC, GA). Most parameters were calculated and measured in the primary skin axis. Image analyses were porformed by 3 different processes i.e., morphometry, densitometry (optical profilometry), and histograms. RESULTS: In Morphometry, the furrow count in the vertical section (VFC), the coefficient of the developed skin surface (CDSS) and mean width at maximal interception (MWMI) showed a tendencies to decrease with ageing.Irregularity of shadow shape (ISS) showed a tendency to increase with ageing. In Densitometry, the mean surface roughness(Ra) and mean depth of roughness(Rz) showed a tendency to increase with ageing. On histogram analysis, skewness was decreased with ageing but kurtosis did not show any significant changes. CONCLUSION:Ra, Rz, and ISS have shown a tendency to increase in the ageing processes (p<0. 05). VFC, CDSS, MWMI and skewness showed tendencies to decrease with ageing but the results were not statistically significant. The different results between morphometry and densitometry are likely to be due to increrr ent angles in the skin furrows with ageing.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Densitometry ; Forearm ; Humans ; Male ; Silicones ; Skin*