In an attempt to elucidate the morphologic changes of normal aging skin, the present study was undertaken in human facial and chest well skin of individuals aged from 4 months to 76 years old. Biopsied skin was studied with light microscope, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope, using both conventional and tannic acid staining. The morphologic changes in the skin were noted as follow: 1. Structurally, the aged epidermis gradually became somewhat thinner, with flattening of the dermoepidermal interface. The number of melanocytes also decreased. 2. Abnormalities of elastic fibers such as loss of oxytalan fibers were observed from age 30. It was the initial sign of the aging process of elastic fibers, followed by abnormal changes in elaunin and mature elastic fibers. The degree of facial skin abnormality was rather more severe than that of the chest wall skin. 3. In individuals more than 50 years old, the age related changes in mature elastic fibers were more severe. Transmission electron microscopically, the electron density in elastin was irregular. The elastic fibers also showed pores and irregular splitting with fragmentation. Fine granular materials were scattered near the elastin. 4. Scanning electron microscopically, the elastic fibers in young adult skin showd ribbon-like fibers aligned in the same direction. They were either cylindrical or elliptical, having smooth surface. In old skin, the elastic fibers ran in various directions, forming complicated networks. These were larger, more elliptical and more branched than those in young adult skin. In summary, histologic changes of aging are much more prominent in sun-exposed skin(facial skin) than in sun protected skin(chest wall skin). A completely different spectrum of elastic fiber abnormalities was found in individuals more than 30 years old. The result indicates that elastic fiber abnormalities are related to aging skin.
Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans

No abstract available in English.
Transplants

Turner's syndrome results from complete or partial monosomy of the X chromosome and is characterized by hypogonadism or related other congenital anomalies in phenotypic females. In these patients, there are failure to develop normal secondary sex characteristics, amenorrhea, or short stature at puberty and the ovaries are reduced to atrophic fibrous strands devoid of ova and follicles(streak gonads). Individuals with this condition are particularly prone to the development of gonadoblastoma. For this reason, the gonads should be early removed and supplemental estrogen therapy given. We experienced a case of Turner's syndrome, 45, XO/46, XY karyotype in a 20-year-old phenotypic female complained an amenorrhea. On the exploratory laparotomy, the right gonadal mass is sevearly adhered to the adjacent organs and measures 8 x 5 x 5 cm in dimension and 75gm in weight and shows multiple foci of hemorrhage with necrosis. The left streak gonad measures 3.5 x 2 x 1.5 cm in dimension and shows multiple foci of calcification. Microscopically, the right gonadal mass reveals malignant mixed germ cell tumor, composed of endodermal sinus tumor, composed of endodermal sinus tumor with dysgerminoma and gonadoblastoma. The left streak gonad consists of mainly dense fibrous connective tissue and shows some foci of calcification associated with gonadoblastoma. On immunohistochemical and special stainings, the cytoplasm and hyalin droplets of the endodermal sinus tumor component reveal strong positivity to the a-fetoprotein and PAS. After removal of both gonads, the serum level of the a-fetoprotein is markedly down from 1742ng/ml to 2.6 ng/ml.
Female ; Humans

Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma is histologically characterized by marked cellular pleomorphism of lipid-laden neoplastic astrocytes and bizarre giant cells showing mitotic figures and high cellularity. Inspite of its ominous-looking microscopic features, howerver, the prognosis is usually favorable. This tumor develops mainly in the supratentorial area of young people and frequently involves the leptomeninges. We experienced a case of pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma in 18 year-old-male. In addition to the cellular pleomophism, the prominent reticulin fibers surround the individual tumor cells or the tumor cells nests. Immunohistochemical staining and electron microscopy revealed glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) expression and pericytoplasmic basal lamina in the tumor cells.

In osteoarthritis of the knee with varus deformity, abnormal stress is concentrated in the medial compartment of the knee joint. A logical treatment must decrease and recenter the force acting on the knee in order to distribute the compressive stresses evenly over the largest possible weight-bearing articular surfaces. This can be attained by an overcorrection of the deformity. The technique of a Barrel-Vault osteotomy is the correction of severe angular deformity of the knee and the reduction of the patellofemoral joint pressure simultaneously by an anterior displacement of the distal fragment. From 1986 to 1989, the authors studied the preoperative clinical status and lpostoperative results in twelve knees(nine patients) who had had a Barrel-Vault osteotomy for combined medial and patellofemoral disease. The total Insall Knee Rating Score improved from a preoperative mean 54.1 to 85.4 Points at the last assessment. The pain component score improved from a preoperative mean 6.6 to 26.2 points at the last assessment. Eleven kness had either no pain or occasional mild pain. The tibiofemoral angle was corrected from a preoperative mean of 4.4 degrees of varus to a mean of 11.2 degrees of valgus at the last assessment.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Knee Joint ; Knee ; Logic ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteotomy ; Patellofemoral Joint ; Weight-Bearing

An endodermal sinus tumor is a malignant germ cell tumor that usually arises in the gonads, but on rare occasion occurs in extragonadal locations. Our case was that of a 3 year old girl who complained of a rapid growing orbital mass. On histologic examination it revealed the typical picture of an endodermal sinus tumor and it also disclosed a positive reaction for alphafetoprotein using an immunoperoxidase technique. An orbital exenteration was performed followed by chemotheraphy, but the patient died 5 months after the onset of the disease.

A case of a 58-year-old man with malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) of the right ventricle is reported light and electron microscopically. This is the first case of MFH of the heart in the Korean literature. A tendency for malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the heart to occur in the left atrium of young women is suggested; this sarcoma's usual location is in the soft tissue of elderly men. The tumor consisted of spindle cells arranged in a focal storiform patterns, clusters or sheets of histocyte-like cells, benign and malignant giant cells, inflammatory cells, scattered mitotic figures and anaplasia of stromal cells. In ultrastructure the constituent of cells of the tumor are primitive mesenchymal cells, histiocytoid cells and fibroblast like cells including giant cells.
Female ; Male ; Humans

No abstract available.
Muscular Dystrophy, Oculopharyngeal*

No abstract available in English.
Clinical Study ; Neck

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Humerus*