A case of primary amelanotic melanoma of the vagina diagnosed in scraping smear is described. A 64-year-old woman complained of vaginal bleeding with a 2.5x2cm sized, fungating mass on the right lateral vaginal wall near the introitus for 2 months. Scraping smears from the mass showed scattered individual tumor cells with single, bi- or multi-nucleated eccentric nuclei having prominent macronucleoli and occasional intranuclear inclusions. The cytoplasm was plump and cyanophilic with a indistinct rim. No melanin pigment was identified. Characteristic cytologic features of this case were very helpful to exclude more common squamous cell carcinoma in the vagina, which was strongly suggested in biopsy specimen.
Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Child* ; Cytoplasm ; Female ; Humans ; Intranuclear Inclusion Bodies ; Mediastinum ; Melanins ; Melanoma, Amelanotic ; Middle Aged ; Proteinuria* ; Thyroid Gland ; Uterine Hemorrhage ; Vagina

Low back pain patients an controls of shipyard workers were surveyed between June 1995 and september 1995 to identify risk factors of industrial low back pain. The patients were 17 male workers who had got medical treatment for over 3 days because of industrial back pain controls were 51 male workers who had not have musculoskeletal disorder for one year before the survey. By univariate analysis, the workers who did overtime work 4 times or more for the last 2 weeks showed odds ratio of 3.67 on low back pain with the workers who did less overtime work. Carrying heavy materials was also associated with the low back pain and the odds ratio increased with the increase of carrying weight. work space and work posture were not associated with the low back pain significantly. The welder had higher odds ratio than the other workers on low back pain. The duration of employment and job satisfaction did not affect the risk of low back pain. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that frequency of overtime work for the last 2 weeks and carrying heavy materials among the risk factors were associated significantly with the low back pain. We found that important risk factors of low back pain of shipyard workers are work intensity factors such as overtime work and carrying heavy weight.
Back Pain ; Employment ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction ; Logistic Models ; Low Back Pain* ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Posture ; Risk Factors*

BACKGROUND: Adolescent girls are interested in weight reduction, but effective and adequate education for weight reduction is not done in Korea. And so much information is accepted via mass media. We investigated body image perception, weight control activities and their side effects among adolescent girls. METHODS: We used questionnaire about body image and weight control activities of middle and high school girls in Seoul in Sep. 1995. RESULTS: 88.6% of girls were not satisfied with their own height and 85.1% of girls with their own weight. 66.3% underweight students(BMI<20kg/m2) thought they were too fat and 98% acceptable weight students(20kg/m2<_KBMI<25kg/m2) thought they were too fat. So most girls had body image disturbance. 42.4% of girls were trying to lose weight and 85.1% were trying to lose weight reason for attractiveness and 16.6% were trying to lose for health. Self reported weight reduction methods were exercise(31.6%), fasting(21.9%), diet(21.5%), monodiet(10.8 %), laxatives(2.3%), very low calorie diet(1.8%) etc. Students who tr ied to lose weight for attractiveness selected more undesirable methods than who tried to lose weight for health(P<0.01). Most common route is via magazine, TV and newspaper. 43.4% of girls who tried to lose weight experienced side effects after weight reduction, those were dizziness(71.3%), general weakness(51%), apathy(26.S%) etc. CONCLUSIONS: Most girls had body image distortions. Useless weight reduction activities were done or planned and most of information was accepted via mass media. It is important to educate the girls to get adequate body image and effective weight reduction program is needed for health in adolescent girls.
Adolescent* ; Body Image* ; Education ; Female* ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Media ; Periodicals ; Periodicals as Topic ; Self Report ; Seoul ; Thinness ; Weight Loss ; Weight Perception ; Weight Reduction Programs ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Little objective information is avilable on the influence of occlusive dressings on the healing of cutaneous partial skin defect wounds. Our purpose was to examine the effects of occlusive dressing by using the synthetic dressing mateial, PolyMem in the management of 2nd degree burn wounds and donor sites of split thicknes skin graft and partial-thickness wounds in rabbits. New Zealand white rabbits, 12 to 14 weeks of age, were divided into 2 groups. Two partial thickness skin wounds measuring approximately 40x30 mm were induced using a scalpel on the back of each anesthetized animal. They were designated as group I (dressing with conventional method, n=15), group II (dressing with PolyMen, n=15). Each treated wound was individually covered with the assigned dressing immediately after wounding. Wound were examined and measured at 10 days to determine the extent of healing. By day 10, the PolyMem dressed wounds were approximately 67% healed, while all vaseline gauze dressed wounds were about 50% healed. Standardized 20 mm full-thickness biopsy wounds were treated for 10 days. Section of PolyMem group at POD 10 days showed complete epidermal regeneration above fibrotic dermis (H&E, x40). Section of conventional group at POD 10 days showed marginal epidermal regeneration (H&E, x40). 72 patients (44 patients with 2nd degree burn and 28 patients with skin graft donor sites) were divided into four groups. They were designated as group I (Burn patients with PolyMem, n=24), group II (Burn patients with conventional methods, n=24), group III (S.T.S.G. patients with PolyMem, n=14), group IV (S.T.S.G. patients with conventional methods, n=14). We investigated wound site pain, healing time, comfort and numbers of dressing change. As compared with the control group, the PolyMem dressed group had less pain, more rapid healing time, more comfort, less frequent dressing changes. From these results, we concluded that the occlusive dressing with PolyMem was an effective alternative to the conventional gauze dressig on the wound healing. Our results suggest tat PolyMem is one of the ideal dressing materials.
Animals ; Bandages ; Biopsy ; Burns ; Dermis ; Humans ; Occlusive Dressings ; Petrolatum ; Pheniramine ; Rabbits ; Regeneration ; Skin ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants ; Wound Healing* ; Wounds and Injuries*

Purpose: The aims of this study were to examine the rate of depression among older adults living alone and to identify factors associated with depression in older adults living alone during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A secondary data analysis was performed using data from the 2020 Korea Community Health Survey. The study participants were 18,824 older adults aged 65 years and over living alone. The data of the complex sample design was analyzed with consideration for weights, stratification, and clustering. Complex sample multiple logistic regression was conducted to identify factors associated with depression in older adults living alone during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: The results showed that the rate of depression in older adults living alone was 6.3%. Older adults living alone with decreased physical activity, decreased hours of sleep, and an increased or similar frequency of meeting with friends or neighbors were found to be more likely to have depression. In terms of factors related to the practice of COVID-19 infection prevention and control rules, not disinfecting regularly and not wearing a mask indoors were related to depression.For health-related factors, fair or poor self-rated health status, not having breakfast every day, and feeling stressed were related to depression. Conclusion It is recommended to develop tailored interventions to prevent depression among older adults living alone by considering the factors related to their depression during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A 70-year-old female was referred for brown-to-gray colored papules and nodules on her lower legs. She had been diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in her stomach, and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) by bone marrow biopsy. Three years after complete remission of DLBCL, she experienced DLBCL recurrence in her small bowel and was hospitalized. MDS had been stationary, but during the treatment of DLBCL, her laboratory findings suggested signs of leukemia. Bone marrow biopsy was done, and acute monoblastic leukemia (AMoL) was diagnosed. After 1 cycle of chemotherapy for AMoL, skin lesions developed, and her skin biopsy showed cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase staining and CD123 staining were negative, and bone marrow re-biopsy conducted after the skin lesion developed still showed monoblastic proliferation. Whether the CTCL represented with an AMoL lineage switch could not be completely proved due to the absence of molecular or clonal marker evaluations, but the possibility of coexistence of three different malignancies was higher. During treatment, a neutropenic fever developed, and the patient died due to sepsis. We herein report a rare case of CTCL accompanied by AmoL and DLBCL.

Background: Accuracy in histological subtyping of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is crucial for determining the appropriate treatment modality. Previous studies have assessed the concordance rateof punch biopsy and excision in subtyping BCC however, they did not calculate this rate according to the BCC location or in Asian populations. Objective: This study compared the concordance rate of punch biopsy and excision for each BCC location. Methods: This study included 192 patients who underwent both punch biopsy and excision. BCC subtypes identified by punch biopsy and excision were compared to calculate the concordance rate. The differences in the rates of misdiagnosis according to the BCC location were also determined. Results: The overall concordance rate of punch biopsy and excision was 78.1% (150/192). The proportion of aggressive type was higher for excision than for punch biopsy. The false-positive rate, defined as the rate of misidentified nonaggressive type, was 19.7% (26/132) and was highest for nodular-type BCC. Additionally, most discrepancies occurred in BCCs located in the face, especially in the H-zone. Conclusion Owing to the inconsistencies in the results of punch biopsy and excision and the high false-positive rate of punch biopsy, dermatologists should be aware of the possibility of an aggressive type BCC even if it is identified as anonaggressive type in punch biopsy. Moreover, more aggressive treatment should be considered in cases of BCCslocated on the face, especially in the H-zone, as the discrepancy rate is higher.

Background: Digital mucous cysts (DMCs) are benign, occurring mainly on the fingers but rarely on the toes.Although the exact cause of DMC has not been identified, it is classified into two different types based on its pathogenesis and location. Surgical and nonsurgical procedures, including aspiration, sclerotherapy, steroid injection, cryotherapy, and CO 2 laser, can be used to treat DMC. Objective: This study aimed to compare treatment response based on DMC type and evaluate its efficacy in surgical and nonsurgical (sclerotherapy) treatments. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of patients with DMC who visited our dermatology department between January 2010 and November 2020. Results: This study enrolled 39 patients having a mean age of 59.2 years. The proportion of female patients (21/39, 53.8%) was more than male (18/39, 46.2%). The DMC occurrence was more frequent in the fingers (32/39, 82.1%), especially in the index and middle fingers than in the toes (7/39, 17.9%). In sclerotherapy, DMC in the distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ) required more treatment than that in the proximal nail fold (PNF) (p＜0.05). The number of treatments using sclerotherapy was higher compared to that of surgical treatments (p＜0.05). Conclusion The DIPJ type of DMC patients was more difficult to treat using sclerotherapy than the PNF type.Moreover, surgical treatment has a better response than sclerotherapy.

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a relatively uncommon mesenchymal neoplasm that usually arises in the pleura, but also has been reported in numerous extrapleural locations, including cutaneous site. The skin lesion presents as a circumscribed nodule or tumor, mainly on the head and neck. A 41-year-old male presented with 6 months history of nail lesion without symptom on the left third finger. The lesion is slightly yellowish discoloration with subungual erythematous nodule and distal onycholysis. Biopsy specimen from the nail lesion showed the spindle cells form patternless pattern with hypercellular and hypocellular area. And small blood vessels and dilated vascular spaces were present. The result of special stain for specimen showed that positive for CD34, Bcl-2, and CD99 but negative for S-100, FactorXIIIa, and smooth muscle action. Recognition of this uncommon location of SFT is important because of possible confusion with other subungual tumors, including glomus tumor, fibroma and other fibrohistiocytic tumors like dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, superficial acral fibromyxoma and cellular digital fibroma. Here in, we report a case of SFT of subungual region. We think this case is interesting because of uncommon location and may be helpful to more understand the character of this disease.

A 62-year-old female, with previous history of asthma andhypertension, presented with generalized hyperpigmentedskin lesion, found a year ago. Physical examination revealedbrown colored lichenified and sclerotic patches on the lowerabdomen and flexural areas of extremities. Punch biopsywas performed and histopathological examination revealedhyperkeratosis, follicular plugging and thinning in epidermis.In dermoepidermal junction, cleft like space separating atrophicepidermis and dermis was seen. Also, lichenoid lymphocyticinfiltration was observed in mid-dermis. Based onclinical and histopathological findings, a diagnosis of generlaizedlichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA) was made.Other laboratory examinations were unremarkable. As thereis no standard treatment for LSA, the patient received varioustreatments including topical steroid, tacrolimus and narrow-band ultraviolet B therapy. The skin lesion has softenedand its color improved after treatment. LSA is defined as infrequentchronic inflammatory dermatosis with anogenitaland extragenital manifestations. Generalized type is rare andgenital involvement is the most frequent and often the onlysite of involvement. We report this case as it is an uncommontype of LSA with generalized hyperpigmented and scleroticskin lesion in a postmenopausal female patient.