The peripheral blood eosinophil and serum IgE level in 53 patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) were measured. The patients were divided into 2 groups by severity(mild and severe grous) and into 3 groups by the associated respiratory atopic deseases and/or their family history : respiratory group(patient, with both AD and respiratory atopy), family history group (patient with both AD and family history of respiratory atopy), and atopic group(patient with neither respiratory atopy nor family history of respiratorv atopy). We designed to study which factors are important in the elevation of serum IgE and peripheral blood eosinophil level in AD, and to know possible relationships between the serum eosinophil and IgE level and the several groups of AD. The results are as follows : 1. Peripheral eosinophil counts were higher in severe group(224.8/mm) than in mild group (180.0/mm)(p<0.05). 2. Peripheral eosinophil counts were 220.0/mm in atopic group, l65.0/mm in family history group, and 332.4/mm in respiratory group, but there was no stitistically significant difference among 3 groups. This suggests that concomitant respiatitiry atopy or a family history of respiratory atopy is not an important factor in the elvation of peripheral blood eosinophil counts in AD. 3. Serum IgE was higher in severe group(443.2IU/ml) than in mild group(231.5IU/ml)(p<0.05). 4. Serum IgE level in respiratory group(754.6IU/ml) were signifiiantlly higher than in atopic (286.6IU/ml) or family history group(342.0IU/ml)(p<0,01). But there was no significant. difference between family and atopic group. This result suggests that concomittent respiratory atopy is a potential factor in elevation of serurn Igi in AD. 5. Slightly high correlation between peripheral blood and IgE level appeared in all 53 patients (r=0.434) and severe group(r=0.480). But, respiratory group(r=0.060), family history group(r=0.111) and atopic group(r=0.202) showed poor relationships.
Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Eosinophils* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E*

We report an unusual case of sebaceous hyperplasia in an 18-year-old male manifestated clinically as yellowish, grouped papules with a linear distribution, present on the right side of forehead since birth. Histopathologically, a large sebaceous gland composed of numerous lobules grouped around a centrally dilated duct was seen. The sebaceous lobules distributed in the upper dermis showed direct connection to the skin surface, which suggested a transepidermal elimination of sebaceous lobules.
Adolescent ; Dermis ; Forehead ; Humans ; Hyperplasia* ; Male ; Parturition ; Sebaceous Glands ; Skin

Recent investigations have revealed that autocrine growth factors and their receptors are closely related and play an important role in controlling cancer cell growth. We performed an immunohistochemical study on the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R), c-erbB-2, and PCNA labelling index in 60 cases of human gastric carcinomas. TGF-alpha was detected in 38 cases (63.3%), EGF in 26 cases (43.3%), EGF-R in 44 cases (73.3%), and c-erbB-2 in 18 cases (30%). These growth factors, EGF-R and c-erbB-2, were found more often in advanced gastric cancers. The PCNA labeling index was significantly higher in tumors with the expression of EGF-R or c-erbB-2. Tumors with simultaneous expression of EGF, TGF-alpha, EGF-R and c-erbB-2 was associated with a high PCNA labeling index. A correlation was observed between the synchronous expression of growth factors and its receptors and histological differentiation. The results suggest that the expression of EGF, TGF-alpha, EGF-R and c-erbB-2 are closely related and plays an important role in the growth and progression of human gastric carcinoma.
Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Peptides* ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Transforming Growth Factor alpha

In the present study, immunohistochemical detection of p53 oncoprotein was performed to determine whether the grade of differentiation and the histologic type of gastric adenocarcinoma, and the degree of atypia accompanied with adenoma can be related to p53 mutation. Paraffin sections of 22 gastric adenomas and 56 gastric adenocarcinomas were examined for the overexpression of p53 oncoprotein with the avidin-biotin peroxidase complex staining procedure. The obtained results were as follows; 1. All the 22 cases of adenomas and 16 cases of well differentated adenocarcinomas showed uniformly negative staining. 2.Seven of 18 cases of moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas(39%), and five of 30 cases of poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas(17%) exhibited p53 protein expression. 3. Three of 29 cases of diffuse type (10%) and 9 of 19 cases of intestinal type(47%) exhibited p53 protein expression. These results suggest that p53 mutation is important in carcinogenesis of the intestinal type of gastric adenocarcinoma, and there is no correlation between the differentiation of gastric adenocarcinoma and the degree of p53 oncoprotein overexpression.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoma

A case of contact dermatitis due to herb onintment is described in a 24 year-old female patient. After topical application of herb ointment, she developed erythematous papules and plaques on the face and neck. Patch test revealed positive reactions to ammoniated mercury, thimerosal, and the herb ointment. Energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis of the herb ointment showed a striking peak for mercury.
Dermatitis, Contact* ; Electron Probe Microanalysis ; Female ; Humans ; Neck ; Patch Tests ; Strikes, Employee ; Thimerosal ; Young Adult

Plexiform schwannoma is a rare benign tumor arising from the peripheral nerve sheath and characterized by a multinodular and plexiform growth pattern. This tumor usually arises sporadically. In rare cases, plexiform schwannomas have been associated with neurofibromatosis type 2. Plexiform schwannoma should be differentiated from plexiform neurofibroma, because the latter is pathognomonic tumor of neurofibromatosis type 1 and has a potential of malignant transformation. We report a case of multiple plexiform schwannomas associated with bilateral acoustic neuromas and meningioma.
Meningioma ; Neurilemmoma* ; Neurofibroma, Plexiform ; Neurofibromatoses* ; Neurofibromatosis 1 ; Neurofibromatosis 2* ; Neuroma, Acoustic ; Peripheral Nerves

For the morphological analysis of DMBA (9,10-diemethyl-1,2-benzanthracene) induced tumor, thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were received 0.1 ml of a 2% paraffin solution of DMBA into the knee joint cavity, which was repeated three times at an interval of 4 weeks. The induced tumor masses were removed at the 12th week after the first injection. Histological and histochemical examinations (H & E, PAS, alcian blue, Van Gieson, prussian blue, reticulin, PTAH stain) and enzyme histochemical examinations (acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase) were performed. The results were as follows: 1) By the 12th week after the first injection of DMBA, the tumor incidence rate was 20 percent. 2) On histological and histochemical examination, most of the induced tumor disclosed the features of the fibrous histiocytoma originating from mesenchymal cells, and the remains sweat gland adenoma and adenocarcinoma originating from epithelial cells. 3) On enzyme histochemical examination, most of the mesenchymal cell-derived tumor cells showed positive reactions for acid phosphatase and alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase, which were similar characteristic features of enzyme stains as shown in the component cells of fibrous histiocytoma.
Rats ; Animals ; Incidence ; Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoma

Human papillomavirus (HPV) 16/18 is a causative agent of uterine cervical carcinoma. HPV 16/18 can alter cell cycle regulation through apoptosis. Bcl-2 is an important regulatory gene of apoptosis. A study was done to evaluate the relation between HPV 16/18 and bcl-2 and apoptosis in 21 cases of carcinoma in-situ (CIS), 5 cases of microinvasive carcinoma and 23 cases of invasive squamous cell carcinoma. HPV 16/18 was detected by hybrid capture system (HCS), bcl-2 protein by immunohistochemical method and apoptosis by using the hematoxylin-eosin stained slide. The results were as follows: Expression of the bcl-2 protein was 43% (9/21) in CIS and 26% (6/23) in invasive carcinoma. Expression of the bcl-2 protein was 42% (5/12) in CIS with HPV 16/18 infection, 44% in CIS without HPV 16/18 infection, 20% (2/10) in invasive carcinoma with HPV 16/18 infection and 31% (4/13) in invasive carcinoma without HPV 16/18 infection. Mean apoptotic index (mAI) was 3.36 in CIS, 5.23 in microinvasive and 6.25 in invasive carcinoma. mAI was 3.66 in CIS with HPV 16/18 infection, 2.86 in CIS without HPV 16/18 infection, 6.18 in invasive carcinoma with HPV 16/18 infection and 6.30 in invasive carcinoma without HPV 16/18 infection. Based on these results, we conclude that there are no correlation between HPV infection and bcl-2, and between HPV infection and apoptosis in invasive and in situ carcinoma of the uterine cervix, and apoptosis is increased according to tumor progression.
Apoptosis* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cell Cycle ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Genes, Regulator ; Humans

Adenoid basal cell tumor of the prostate is a rare tumorous lesion that can be misdiagnosed as adenocarcinoma of the prostate. The malignant potential of adenoid basal cell tumor remains uncertain due to small number of reported cases. This 66-year-old man presented with symptoms of urinary tract obstruction. Under the impression of benign prostatic hyperplasia, a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) was performed. The patient was alive with no evidence of recurrence or metastasis 15 months after TURP. Microscopically, most of the lesions were composed of nodular collections of small nests of basaloid cells with peripheral palisading, and clusters of tumor cells forming cribriform pattern. Multiple areas of basal cell hyperplasia and atypical basal cell hyperpalsia were also observed. The coexistence of basal cell hyperplasia, atypical basal cell hyperpalsia, and adenoid basal cell tumor with cribriform pattern in this case supports a morphologic continuum from the benign hyperplastic lesion to malignant neoplasia.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoids* ; Aged ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Recurrence ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; Urinary Tract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was aimed to examine if FB1 induced-hepatotoxicity involves apoptosis, and cholesteryl hemisuccinate (CS) pre-treatment would selectively interfere with FB1 induced-apoptosis of hepatocytes. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were intravenousely injected with FB1 (1.25 mg/kg/day) for two days, and were sacrificed at 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after injection. Another experiment group was composed of rats with pretreatment of CS (100 mg/kg/day, i.p.) before FB1 injection. RESULTS: This study demonstrated that administration of hepatotoxic dose of FB1 to Sprague-Dawley rats resulted in liver injury leading to cell death by apoptosis. FB1-induced apoptosis was preceded by early elevation in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total cholesterol, and appearance of injured pre-apoptotic cells at 12 hours was followed by massive fragmentation and margination of heterochromatin at 24 hours. CS pre-treatment prior to FB1 injection ameliorated serum biochemistry and hepatic injury with apoptosis, demonstrated by histological, ultrastructural and TUNEL (terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick end labeling) methods. In addition, there was remarkable decrease in number of PCNA (proliferative cell nuclear antigen)-positive proliferating hepatocytes compared to that of FB1 treated group. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that apoptosis significantly contributes to FB1-induced hepatotoxicity in vivo, and pre-exposure of rat to CS prevents FB1-induced hepatic apoptosis and proliferation.
Alanine Transaminase ; Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Biochemistry ; Cell Death ; Cholesterol ; Hepatocytes* ; Heterochromatin ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Liver* ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley