BACKGROUND: CD99 is a cell surface transmembrane glycoprotein expressed in various tissues. CD99 is differentially expressed between subpopulations of each tissue and is highly expressed in certain hematopoietic and precursor cells. However, there has been no comprehensive study of CD99 expression in normal skin. We evaluated CD99 expression in normal human skin and developing fetal skin. METHODS: Seventy-five adult skin samples containing normal skin and eight fetal skin samples of different gestational ages were collected. CD99 immunohistochemical staining was performed to evaluate expression pattern in adult and fetal skin samples. CD99 and CD34 expression were compared by double immunofluorescence. RESULTS: In normal adult skin, CD99 was strongly expressed in the membrane of epidermal basal keratinocytes, hair follicle bulges and outer root sheaths, and inner secretory cells of eccrine sweat glands. In fetal skin, CD99 was not expressed on the periderm at 16 weeks of gestation but was expressed in basal cells of fetal skin at around 19 weeks of gestation. CD99 expression became comparable to that of the adult skin after 20 weeks of gestation. CD99 and CD34 were co-expressed in hair follicle outer root sheaths, as seen by double immunofluorescence study. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study examining CD99 expression pattern in normal adult and fetal skin. CD99 tends to be expressed in the basal/precursor cells of epidermis and in hair follicles. These results provide a basis for future investigation on functions of CD99 in the skin and provide a novel potential target for the treatment of dermatologic lesions.
Adult* ; Epidermis* ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Gestational Age ; Glycoproteins ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratinocytes ; Membranes ; Pregnancy ; Skin* ; Sweat Glands

OBJECTIVES: We compared the viral cycle threshold (Ct) values of infected patients to better understand viral kinetics by vaccination status during different periods of variant predominance in Gyeonggi Province, Korea. METHODS: We obtained case-specific data from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) surveillance system, Gyeonggi in-depth epidemiological report system, and Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service from January 2020 to January 2022. We defined periods of variant predominance and explored Ct values by analyzing viral sequencing test results. Using a generalized additive model, we performed a nonlinear regression analysis to determine viral kinetics over time. RESULTS: Cases in the Delta variant’s period of predominance had higher viral shedding patterns than cases in other periods. The temporal change of viral shedding did not vary by vaccination status in the Omicron-predominant period, but viral shedding decreased in patients who had completed their third vaccination in the Delta-predominant period. During the Delta-predominant and Omicron-predominant periods, the time from symptom onset to peak viral shedding based on the E gene was approximately 2.4 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.2 to 2.5) and 2.1 days (95% CI, 2.0 to 2.1), respectively. CONCLUSIONS In one-time tests conducted to diagnose COVID-19 in a large population, although no adjustment for individual characteristics was conducted, it was confirmed that viral shedding differed by the predominant strain and vaccination history. These results show the value of utilizing hundreds of thousands of test data produced at COVID-19 screening test centers.

Desmoplastic melanoma (DM) is a rare malignant melanoma variant. Although DM mainly affects the skin chronically exposed to the sun, a small number of mucosal DM have been reported. Primary mucosal DM is difficult to diagnose because of its rarity and atypical histopathologic features. Here, we report a case of DM in a 52 year-old female who presented with a right cervical mass and upper gingival pigmentation. A CT scan revealed an ill-defined infiltrative mass 2 cm in size under the pigmented mucosa. She subsequently underwent a partial maxillectomy with neck dissection. Gross examination revealed that the mass exhibited a grayish white fibrotic cut surface and that the maxillary bone had been destroyed. Microscopically, the main mass was composed of cigar-shaped or wavy spindle cells with desmoplastic stroma under the melanoma in situ. The diagnosis of DM was confirmed immunohistochemically with S100 protein positivity and HMB45 negativity. The patient has survived for 29 months after the operation with a presumed metastatic focus.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Gingiva* ; Humans ; Maxilla ; Melanoma* ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Mucosa ; Mucous Membrane ; Neck Dissection ; Pigmentation ; Skin ; Solar System ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: Despite an increased incidence of endometrial carcinomas in young Korean women, clinicopathologic characteristics and treatment outcomes have not been analyzed. METHODS: We investigated clinicopathologic characteristics of endometrial carcinoma in 48 women who were under the age of 40 in order to determine treatment guideline. RESULTS: According To The Criteria Of The Korean Society For Obesity, 70.8% Of Study Patients Were Overweight Or Obese, With An Average Body Mass Index (Bmi) Of 26.0 kg/m2. Twelve Patients Received Progesterone Treatment Only, And 6 Of Them Later Had Successful Pregnancies. The Histologic Subtype Was Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma In All Patients. Figo Stages Were 1A(41.7%), 1B(47.1%), II (2.8%), IIB2.8%), IIIA(2.8%), And IIIC (2.8%). Figo Grades Were Grade 1 (79%) Or 2 (21%). The Average Depth Of Invasion, Excluding Stage 1a, Was 4.6 Mm In The Hysterectomy Specimens. Two Patients Were Given Post-operative Radiation Treatment And 4 Were Treated With Chemotherapy. All But One Case Had An Uneventful Postoperative Course During Follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: A majority of endometrial carcinomas in young Korean women were associated with an early FIGO stage, favorable histologic subtype and grades, and a good prognosis. Progesterone treatment with close observation was a successful treatment option in a selected group of young patients.
Adenocarcinoma ; Body Mass Index ; Carcinoma, Endometrioid ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Endometrium ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Incidence ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Pregnancy ; Progesterone ; Prognosis

BACKGROUND: Primary splenic vascular lesions include the tumor and the inflammatory condition. A primary splenic vascular tumor is rare but is the most common tumor of the benign primary splenic tumors. METHODS: We describe the clinicopathological, radiological, and immunophenotypical findings of 40 cases of primary vascular lesions identified at our hospital from 1996 to 2009. RESULTS: The patients included 18 men and 22 women, aged 12 to 74 years, with a mean of 43.3-years and median of 40-years. They comprised 14 hemangiomas (35%), 13 lymphangiomas (32.5%), three hamartomas (7.5%), three littoral cell angiomas (7.5%), three sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformations (SANT, 7.5%) and four angiosarcomas (10%). The majority of the patients (65%) were asymptomatic. Some of the patients (32.5%) complained of abdominal pain, and 2.5% of the patients presented with fever. Metastases were identified in 75% of the patients with an angiosarcoma at the initial work-up. One angiosarcoma patient died of the disease despite adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. The radiological findings for hamartoma, littoral cell angioma, and SANT were nonspecific. Microscopically, six types of vascular lesions showed classic morphological and immunophenotypical features of their type. CONCLUSIONS: One should be aware of rare splenic vascular lesions when radiological findings are nonspecific. Histomorphological and immunophenotypical features are helpful for the differential diagnosis.
Abdominal Pain ; Aged ; Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Fever ; Hamartoma ; Hemangioma ; Hemangiosarcoma ; Humans ; Lymphangioma ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Spleen ; Splenic Neoplasms ; Statistics as Topic

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to investigate the relationship between community residents’ infection sensitivity and their levels of preventive behaviors during the 2015 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak in Korea. METHODS: Seven thousands two hundreds eighty one participants from nine areas in Gyeonggi-do including Pyeongtaek, the origin of the outbreak in 2015 agreed to participate in the survey and the data from 6,739 participants were included in the final analysis. The data on the perceived infection sensitivity were subjected to cluster analysis. The levels of stress, reliability/practice of preventive behaviors, hand washing practice and policy credibility during the outbreak period were analyzed for each cluster. RESULTS: Cluster analysis of infection sensitivity due to the MERS outbreak resulted in classification of participants into four groups: the non-sensitive group (14.5%), social concern group (17.4%), neutral group (29.1%), and overall sensitive group (39.0%). A logistic regression analysis found that the overall sensitive group with high sensitivity had higher stress levels (17.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 13.77 to 23.00), higher reliability on preventive behaviors (5.81; 95% CI, 4.84 to 6.98), higher practice of preventive behaviors (4.53; 95% CI, 3.83 to 5.37) and higher practice of hand washing (2.71; 95% CI, 2.13 to 3.43) during the outbreak period, compared to the non-sensitive group. CONCLUSIONS: Infection sensitivity of community residents during the MERS outbreak correlated with gender, age, occupation, and health behaviors. When there is an outbreak in the community, there is need to maintain a certain level of sensitivity while reducing excessive stress, as well as promote the practice of preventive behaviors among local residents. In particular, target groups need to be notified and policies need to be established with a consideration of the socio-demographic characteristics of the community.
Classification ; Cluster Analysis ; Coronavirus Infections* ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hand Disinfection ; Health Behavior ; Korea* ; Logistic Models ; Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus ; Middle East* ; Occupations ; Risk Reduction Behavior

Pituitary carcinomas are rare primary adenohypophyseal tumors with cerebrospinal or extracranial metastasis. The present case, the first report of the disease in Korea, involved a 36-yr-old woman who presented with a 3-week history of headache. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 2.5-cm sellar and suprasellar mass showing heterogeneous enhancement with suspicious invasion of both cavernous sinuses. The patient underwent gross-total resection. The tumor cells were composed of polygonal cells singly or in variable-sized nests. The nuclei were large and round with prominent nucleoli. The cytoplasms was acidophilic and granular. Marked pleomorphism and frequent mitoses (3 per 10 HPFs) were found. By immunohistochemistry, tumor cells were strongly positive for prolactin, but negative for ACTH and GH. Additional immunostainings for cytokeratin, vimentin, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were negative. After the surgery, the patient received radiotherapy because of the atypical histologic features. The prolactin level fell from 123.17 ng/mL to 5.17 ng/mL after surgery. Nine months after the initial diagnosis, the patient died from mandibular metastasis associated with the pituitary carcinoma.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mandibular Neoplasms/diagnosis/metabolism/pathology/*secondary ; Pituitary Neoplasms/diagnosis/metabolism/*pathology ; Prolactin/metabolism ; Prolactinoma/diagnosis/metabolism/pathology/secondary

Paragangliomas rarely originate from the pancreas and they are characterized on imaging studies as well-marginated, hypervascular masses with cystic areas. We herein report on a case report of pancreatic paraganglioma in a 57-year-old woman, which was confirmed on pathology. Color Doppler ultrasonography and dynamic CT demonstrated a well-demarcated, extremely hypervascular mass with prominent intratumoral vessels and early contrast filling of the draining veins from the mass. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography showed that the main pancreatic duct was displaced and mildly dilated.
Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology ; Paraganglioma/*diagnosis/pathology ; *Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; *Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color

We describe here a case of traumatic neuroma that developed in the pancreas head as a rare complication of pancreatic surgery for pseudocyst. A 50-year-old man presented with septic shock. The patient was a heavy drinker with history of operation for pancreatic pseudocyst 28 years ago. On the radiologic examinations, a poorly defined mass-like lesion was found in the uncinate process of pancreas, and it had features of chronic pancreatitis and a stricture of the distal common bile duct. Whipple's operation was performed due to the diagnosis of suspected pancreas head cancer. The pancreas revealed an ill-demarcated 4 cm sized firm mass with grayish white fibrotic cut surface in the head portion. On the microscopic examination, the mass was composed of haphazard proliferations of nerve fascicles in a fibrocollagenous matrix and this case was diagnosed as traumatic neuroma. Although traumatic neruoma is a rare cause of a pancreatic mass, it should be included as a differential diagnosis of pancreatic mass in patients with a history of pancreatic surgery.
Common Bile Duct ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Head* ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Post-Traumatic ; Neuroma* ; Pancreas* ; Pancreatic Pseudocyst ; Pancreatitis, Chronic ; Shock, Septic

OBJECTIVES: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are considered to have problems with empathy. It has recently been suggested that there are two systems for empathy; cognitive and emotional. We aimed to investigate the neural response to cognitive and emotional empathy and elucidate the neurobiological aspects of empathy in patients with ASD. METHODS: We recruited patients with ASD (N=17, ASD group) and healthy controls (HC) (N=22, HC group) for an functional magnetic resonance imaging study. All of the subjects were scanned while performing cognitive and emotional empathy tasks. The differences in brain activation between the groups were assessed by contrasting their neural activity during the tasks. RESULTS: During both tasks, the ASD group showed greater neural activities in the bilateral occipital area compared to the HC group. The ASD group showed more activation in the bilateral precunei only during the emotional empathy task. No brain regions were more activated in the HC group than in the ASD group during the cognitive empathy task. While performing the emotional empathy task, the HC group exhibited greater neural activities in the left middle frontal gyrus and right anterior cingulate gyrus than the ASD group. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the brain regions associated with cognitive and emotional empathy in ASD patients differed from those in healthy individuals. The results of this study suggest that individuals with ASD might have defects both in cognitive empathy and in emotional empathy.
Autism Spectrum Disorder* ; Autistic Disorder* ; Brain ; Empathy* ; Gyrus Cinguli ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging