Quaternium-15 (Dowicil 200) which is a water-soluble antimicrobial agent and a formaldehyde releaser is widely being used as a preservative in cosmetics and medicaments these days. However, there are scanty reports about it in the Korean literature. Recently, we have experienced two cases of Quaternium-15 contact dermatitis probably related with their cosmetics and topical medicament, respectively. We report our cases with the patch test results.
Dermatitis, Contact* ; Formaldehyde ; Patch Tests

No abstract available.
Female ; Germ Cells* ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal* ; Ovary*

A 24-year-old woman was seen for evaluation of an skin lesion on thiright nipple. Examination revealed a solitary 1.5 x 1cm-sized, erythematous, oozing, eroded andruted, verrucous nodule on the right nipple. A small amount of serous discharge was found but there was no pain or tenderness. Histopathologic findings showed cystic invaginations extending down vard from the epidermis and papillary projections extending into the lumina of the invagination. Pupiae were lined by two rows of cells. In stroma, there were marked inflammatory infiltrates containing any plasma cells. The overlying dermis showed an adenomatous growth pattern with a prolifertion of round, oval or irregular shaped ducts and fibrotic stroma.
Adenoma* ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Female ; Humans ; Nipples* ; Plasma Cells ; Skin ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pemphigus is an autoimmune bullous disease of the skin and mucous membranes. There are two major types of pemphigus, namely pemphigus vulgaris(PV) and pemphigus foliaceus(PF) which can be classified by the specificity of the autoantibodies against the epidermal desmosomal antigens in this disease. Like many other autoimmune diseases, pemphigus is also considered to be strongly associated with certain HLA alleles; some alleles can be detected with higher frequencies as compared with those found in ethnically matched populations. At this time, we tried to find out if there were certain HLA class II allele(s) associated significantly with Korean patients of pemphigus. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty patients with pemphigus (fifteen of PV and fifteen of PF), and one hundred healthy Korean controls were enrolled in this study. For the genotyping of HLA class II alleles in DRB1 loci, genomic DNAs prepared from buccal epithelia were amplified by polymerase chain reactions with nucleotide sequence-specific primers. Each allele of thirteen different generic types belonging to the DRB1 loci were used to identify the existence of each allele in both patient and control groups on gel electrophoreses. RESULTS: In PV, there was a significantly increased frequency of HLA-DRB1*01 alleles than from the findings observed in the controls(pc=0.0013, RR:5). In patients with PF, there was a significant degree of association with HLA-DRB1*01(pc=0.00013, RR:5.5) when compared with that in normal controls. However, no allele of negative association with a significantly low frequency in the patient group was detected in both types of the disease. CONCLUSION: It can be suggested that DRB1*01 alleles may be susceptibility genes in Korean patients with PV, and DRB1*01 alleles could contribute to the autoimmune reactivity in patients with PF. This data shows different patterns in the frequency of each DRB1 allele in patient groups compared with those found in patients of other ethnic backgrounds.
Alleles* ; Autoantibodies ; Autoimmune Diseases ; DNA ; Electrophoresis ; HLA-DRB1 Chains* ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane ; Pemphigus* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin

OBJECTIVE: The aim this study was to investigate possible mechanisms behind olanzapine-associated weight gain. METHOD: Thirteen psychiatric inpatients (all meeting DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder) receiving olanzapine in Soonchunhyang university Chun-an hospital were studied. Body weight, plasma leptin, insulin and fasting glucose levels were measured five-times over 6 weeks. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated. RESULT: At the end of sixth week, body weight, BMI, plasma leptin, insulin and fasting glucose levels were significantly increased from baseline. Both insulin and leptin plasma levels were significantly increased from baseline at the end of the sixth week of treatment. Both body weight and BMI were significantly increased from baseline at the end of the first week, the fourth week and sixth week, respectively. Fasting glucose was significantly increased from baseline at the end of the fourth week and sixth week, respectively. Between baseline and sixth week, the body weight, BMI, plasma leptin and fasting glucose levels were significantly correlated to insulin level. There was a tendency toward a correlation between BMI and leptin level, whereas no correlation was found between body weight and leptin. CONCLUSION: Olanzapine treatment was associated with weight gain and elevated level of leptin, insulin and fasting glucose. Elevated insulin levels and hyperleptinemia may be mechanisms behind olanzapine-induced weight gain.
Body Mass Index* ; Body Weight* ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Fasting* ; Glucose* ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Insulin* ; Leptin* ; Plasma* ; Schizophrenia ; Weight Gain

The aim of this stud y was to compare the epidermal thinning properties of four corticosteroid ointments applied under occlusion, using histology and histometry. The results were surnmerized as follows: 1.The stratum corneurn was dramatically thinned, appearing as a wispy layer of horny cells as apposed to the norrnal basket-weave configuration. this effect was prominent at sites treated with clobestasol propionate, fluocinonide, and fluocinolone acetonide. 2. With the histometry, visible epidermal thickness wa.s markedly reduced. This effect w is prominent in the following ascending order: fluocinolone acetonide, fluocienonide, clobestasol-17-propionate. Hydrocortisone was the least atrophogenic. 3. Clohestasol-17-propionate and fluocinonide caused significant flattening of dermo-epidermal junction, Fluocinolone acetonide and hydrocortisone caused less pronounced cbanges. 4. Marked capillary dilation af papilly dermis is caused by clobestasol-17-propionate, fluocinonide and fluocinolone acetonide.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones* ; Atrophy* ; Capillaries ; Dermis ; Diethylpropion ; Epidermis* ; Fluocinolone Acetonide ; Fluocinonide ; Humans* ; Hydrocortisone ; Ointments

Epoxy resins,which are irritant and allergen, are now used for surface coatings, electrical insulations, adhesives, and construction industry throughout the world. However, epoxy resin contact dermatitis has not been reported in the Korean literature. We report two cases of epoxy resin contact dermatitis which were occupationally related. They have been in the same work, painting dye and resin mixtures on the glasses for decoration. They showed positive patch test reactions to epoxy resin 1, and their own materials containing resins and accelerators which were proved to be -countinue-
Adhesives ; Construction Industry ; Dermatitis, Contact* ; Eyeglasses ; Glass ; Occupations ; Paint ; Paintings ; Patch Tests

Most insects including the honeybee cause erythema and edema at the site of a sting in non-allergic individuals. This reaction usually resolves within a few days. However, in certain cases, the persistence of inciting materials in the cutaneous tissue may promote a local inflammatory foreign body reaction. Localized nodular lesions were seen in our two patients and erythemstous patches were present in one patient due to rarely encountered complications induced by retained sting materials. In these cases histopathology showed multiple foci of foreign body granuloma containing yellow refraetile material in the center surrounded by histiocytes and foreign body giant cells. The granulomatous skin lesions in these patients were treated with intralesional injections of triamcinolone acetonide and partial excisions of the nodular masses were performed.
Bites and Stings ; Edema ; Erythema ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Giant Cells, Foreign-Body ; Granuloma* ; Granuloma, Foreign-Body ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Injections, Intralesional ; Insects ; Skin ; Triamcinolone Acetonide

An unequivocal diagnosis of mesothelioma during life, on the basis of limited biopsy tissue or cytological specimens, is frequently difficult and requires distinction from inflammatory mesothelial hyperplasia on the one hand and secondary neoplasms, especially adenocarcinoma on the other. Although some studies have produced conflicting results, it is generally believed that immunohistochemical methods can aid in this distinction. To obtain comparable and reproducible results, 23 metastatic carcinoma of the pleura and 2 unequivocal malignant epiehtlial mesotheliomas were studied by the peroxidase-antiperoxedase method on paraffin-embedded cell blocks, and commercially available antibodies to carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), keratin and epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) were used. Nineteen metastaic adenocarcinoma (73%) and two mesotheliomas (100%) reacted with keratin and EMA antibodies. Nineteen matastatic adenocarcinomas (73%) reacted with EMA antibodies. Nineteen metastatic adenocarcinoma (73%) reacted with CEA antibody; no mesotheliomas stained for CEA. Two cases of reactive mesothlial hyperplasia showed positive for keratin, but negative reaction for EMA and CEA. Noen of the antibodies used in this study was specific for mesothelioma, but CEA was found to be the most useful marker for differentiating between mesothelioma and metastatic carcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma ; Biopsy ; Neoplasm Metastasis

An unequivocal diagnosis of mesothelioma during life, on the basis of limited biopsy tissue or cytological specimens, is frequently difficult and requires distinction from inflammatory mesothelial hyperplasia on the one hand and secondary neoplasms, especially adenocarcinoma on the other. Although some studies have produced conflicting results, it is generally believed that immunohistochemical methods can aid in this distinction. To obtain comparable and reproducible results, 23 metastatic carcinoma of the pleura and 2 unequivocal malignant epiehtlial mesotheliomas were studied by the peroxidase-antiperoxedase method on paraffin-embedded cell blocks, and commercially available antibodies to carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), keratin and epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) were used. Nineteen metastaic adenocarcinoma (73%) and two mesotheliomas (100%) reacted with keratin and EMA antibodies. Nineteen matastatic adenocarcinomas (73%) reacted with EMA antibodies. Nineteen metastatic adenocarcinoma (73%) reacted with CEA antibody; no mesotheliomas stained for CEA. Two cases of reactive mesothlial hyperplasia showed positive for keratin, but negative reaction for EMA and CEA. Noen of the antibodies used in this study was specific for mesothelioma, but CEA was found to be the most useful marker for differentiating between mesothelioma and metastatic carcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma ; Biopsy ; Neoplasm Metastasis