A survey was carried out from August to December 2004 in Pusan, Korea to document the presence of free-living amoeba (FLA), including the genus Acanthamoeba, in both contact lens storage cases and domestic tap water. Acanthamoeba was isolated from 5 (4.2%) in 120 contact lens storage cases. Four house tap water samples from residents, whose contact lens storage cases had been contaminated by Acanthamoeba, were also found to be contaminated with Acanthamoeba. Therefore, the contamination rate of FLA and Acanthamoeba in domestic tap water was investigated in order to examine the role of domestic tap water in Acanthamoeba contamination of contact lens storage cases. FLA and Acanthamoeba were identified in 97 (46.8%) and 16 (7.7%) of the 207 domestic tap water samples, respectively. There were no significant differences between the contamination rates of FLA in tap water according to the filtration plant of origin. No FLA was detected in the tap water directly supplied by the water purification plants. Water storage tanks appear to promote FLA colonization, including Acanthamoeba, in domestic tap water. This increases the risk of Acanthamoeba contamination in contact lens storage cases as well as increasing the risk of Acanthamoeba keratitis.
Acanthamoeba/*isolation & purification ; Amebiasis/epidemiology ; Animals ; Comparative Study ; Contact Lenses/parasitology ; Data Collection ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Risk Factors ; Water/*parasitology ; Water Supply/*standards

This experiment was performed to elucidate the cytologic origin of chemically induced MFH in Wistar rats. The tumor was produced by injections of DMBA(9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene). With the produced MFH, cell culture and cloning were performed, followed by establishment of a cell strain, which was investigated by immunohistochemical and electron microscopic studies. The results were as follows. A) By immunohistochemistry of the tumor tissue, fibroblastic cells were positive for MEP-1(specific antibody for fibroblastlike cell of MFH, Takeya, 1993) and Anti-hPH(beta)(Anti-prolyl 4-hydroxylase beta), but negative for TRPM-3 and F4/80. Histiocytelike cells were positive for TRPM-3 and F4/80, but negative for MEP-1 and Anti-hPH(beta). In immunoelectron microscopy, normal spleen macrophage showed linear reactivity in cell membrane for TRPM-3, whereas histiocytelike cells of the tumor disclosed negative reaction. B) At 5 weeks of the primary tumor cell culture, the cells exhibited typical storiform pattern of MFH. C) The established cell strain revealed immunoreactivity for MEP-1 and Anti-hPH(beta), but negative for TRPM-3. The cloned tumor cells showed morphologic characteristics of undifferentiated fibroblastic cell. Latex particle (0.80 micrometer size) phagocytosis was negative in the cloned cell strain. The results of the current study support the concept that principal component cells of MFH is of fibroblastic cell origin.
9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene* ; Animals ; Cell Culture Techniques* ; Cell Membrane ; Clone Cells* ; Cloning, Organism* ; Fibroblasts ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Macrophages ; Microscopy, Immunoelectron ; Microspheres ; Phagocytosis ; Rats* ; Rats, Wistar ; Spleen

Most instances of choriocarcinoma of the ovary are gestational in origin. In contrast, nongestational choriocarcinoma of the ovary is an exceedingly rare primary germ cell neoplasm that has worse prognosis than gestational neoplasm. We report a case of pure nongestational choriocarcinoma of the ovary in view of the rarity of its kind. The patient was a 35-year-old Korean unmarried woman who had suffered from vaginal bleeding and feeling of abdominal inflation for two months. The X-ray studies and CT scanning revealed a child head sized cystic mass on the right pelvic cavity and multiple nodular densities in both lung fields and the liver. The mass in pelvic cavity was excised and histologically confirmed to be a nongestational pure choriocarcinoma, arising from the right side ovary.
Child ; Male ; Female ; Humans

No abstract available.
Pilomatrixoma* ; Vaccination*

No abstract available.
Foot* ; Neuroma*

No abstract available.
DNA, Viral* ; Hep G2 Cells* ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Spices*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Mycosis Fungoides* ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing* ; Infliximab

No abstract available.
Erythema Multiforme* ; Erythema* ; Pemphigoid, Bullous*

No abstract available.
Cisterna Magna*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Scrotum