Allergic contact dermatitis from aroma oils has long been recognized and with increasing frequency. Contact dermatitis of the allergic type of fragrances used for aromatherapy has been reported rarely, and only in patients exposed due to their occupation. We report herein a case of allergic contact dermatitis to aroma oils in an aroma therapist. A 25-year-old woman, an aroma therapist, had been treated with topical steroids under the impression of contact dermatitis. She had had pruritic erythematous maculopapules on the arms extending to the hands for the previous 6 months. Patch tests showed strong reactions to aroma oils(3% fennel and 3% juniper). The skin lesions were cleared after she stopped her job. However, re-exposure to aroma oils caused eczematous lesions repeatedly at the sites previously involved. We predict that increasing popularity of aromatherapy will lead to increasing number of patients developing allergic contact dermatitis from aroma oils. This has to be taken into consideration when testing patients with suspected contact dermatitis.
Adult ; Arm ; Aromatherapy ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Female ; Foeniculum ; Hand ; Humans ; Oils ; Patch Tests ; Skin ; Steroids

No abstract available.
Carbon Dioxide* ; Carbon* ; Lasers, Gas* ; Vulva*

Skin tags are very common skin tumors in middle age. In spite of their frequent occurrence, there was no reported cases of verruca vulgaris developing on the soft fibroma. We report a case of verruca vulgaris developing on the bag-like skin tag. We think that the incidence of HPV infection on the large skin tags may be higher than on normal skin due to their protrusion and repetitive irritation.
Fibroma ; Humans ; Incidence ; Middle Aged ; Skin* ; Warts*

Cortical dysplasia is a cause of intractable epilepsy and a candidate for surgical resection to control epileptic attacks. The neuronal cytomegaly and balloon cell change are the diagnostic hallmarks of cortical dysplasia. Little research has been performed about the normal-sized dysplastic neuron which has complex arborizing dendrites and lacks in its polarity. The aim of this study was to define the histopathologic characteristics of the neurons in cortical dysplasia. Twelve cases of cortical dysplasia who underwent partial lobectomy for intractable seizures were selected and immunohistochemical staining for NF-M/H, MAP2, tau, and ubiquitin was performed. The perikarya and dendrite of dysplastic neurons were more intensely labeled with antibodies for the high and medium molecular weight neurofilament proteins (NF-M/H) than normal neurons. Immunoreactivity with the MAP2 antibody expressed mainly within the somatodendritic regions was present in the dysplastic or normal neurons without any significant difference in intensity. The complex arborizing dendrites of dysplastic neurons were easily identified due to pronounced immunoreactivity within the somatodendritic regions. Immunoreactivity with the primary antibody against tau and ubiquitin was present in the normal-looking neurons as well as the dysplastic neurons. This study suggests that the dysplastic neurons in cortical dysplasia are accompanied by changes of cytoskeletal neurofilaments, and the immunohistochemical stains for NF-M/H, MAP2, tau, and ubiquigin are useful to detect them.
Antibodies ; Coloring Agents ; Dendrites ; Epilepsy ; Malformations of Cortical Development* ; Molecular Weight ; Neurofilament Proteins ; Neurons ; Seizures ; Ubiquitin

Neurocutaneous melanosis is a rare congenital syndrome characterized by the presence of large or multiple congenital pigmented nevi and a benign or maigrant pigment cell tumor of the leptomeninges. The s ndrome is thought to represent an erroi in the morphogenesis of the embryonal neuroectoderm. Even in the absence of melanorra, symptomatic neurocut.aneous melanosis has extremely poor prognosis. We report a case of neiirocutaneous melanosis in 38-year-old male. He was noted at birth to have a giant pigmented nevus on the bathing trunk area. He presneted with severe headache. Brain CT sca n was performed and 4 x 4cm sized well demarcated contrast enhanced mass was seeii in the right frontal lobe. Histopathologically, the tumor was composed of malignant melanoma cells. Multiple skin biopsies werperformed on the giant pigmented nevus and small nevi. All of the specimens revealed patterns typical of cornpound nevi. Dermatologists following patients with large or multiple congenial pigmented nevi should be aware of this condition to aid in prompt diagnosis.
Adult ; Baths ; Biopsy ; Brain ; Diagnosis ; Frontal Lobe ; Headache ; Humans ; Male ; Melanoma ; Melanosis* ; Morphogenesis ; Neural Plate ; Nevus ; Nevus, Pigmented ; Parturition ; Prognosis ; Skin

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to assess the epidemiology of DSM-IV posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD), including information on lifetime and current prevalence, the kinds of traumas most often associated with PTSD, and sociodemographic correlates. METHOD: For this survey, an urban area with total population of 611,921 persons was chosen. Modified version of traumatic event checklist and Clinician Administered PTSD Scale were administrated to a representative sample of 850 persons aged 15 to 65 years above through home visiting. RESULTS: The lifetime and current prevalence of PTSD in survey area was 4.71% and 2.12%. the lifetime and current prevalence in male and female were of no significant statistical differences(p>.05). And the lifetime prevalence by age, and education were of no significant statistical differences. Only the lifetime prevalence by marital status was of significant statistical differences(p<0.001). The lifetime prevalence to any traumatic exposure was 78.79%. Sudden unexpected death of a close person was the most prevalent traumatic event(51.06%). Among the traumas, natural disaster, fire and explosion, motor vehicle accident, serious accident at work or home, physical assault, assault with a weapon, combat, life-threatening illness, and serious injury to death you caused to someone else were more commonly associated with male sex, and sexual assault was more commonly associated with female sex. The traumas commonly associated with PTSD were natural disaster, fire and explosion, motor vehicle accident, serious accident at work or home, physical assault, sexual assault, combat, and life-threatening illness. CONCLUSION: The lifetime and current prevalence in survey area were lower than those of previous studies. This study found differences between men and women on the type of trauma experienced, and the type of trauma associated with PTSD. Future epidemiological studies to assess PTSD from all lifetime traumas rather than from only a small number of retrospectively reported ones will be required, and larger sample size covering the country will be required for better estimation.
Checklist ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Disasters ; Education ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Epidemiology ; Explosions ; Female ; Fires ; House Calls ; Humans ; Male ; Marital Status ; Motor Vehicles ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Sample Size ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic* ; Weapons

The immunocompetence is important not only to kill the neoplastic cells but also to keep the neoplastic cells from growing further. T lymphocyte is plays the most important role in maintaining the tumor immunity efficiently. T lymphocyte has its specific functions depending in the subset of T lymphocytes. The author analyzed the T lymphocyte subsets in 31 brain tumor patients using anti-CD3, anti-CD4, anti-CD8 monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry to determine the immunological status of brain tumor patients. All CD3, CD4 and CD8 subsets were reduced in both benign and malignant brain tumor patients but more signigicantly reduced in malignant tumor group. But in benign tumor group, the subtypes of T lymphocytes were not so different from those of normal healthy controls except the pituitary tumor patients, who showed the significant decrease in all the subtypes. In malignant tumor group, each subtype was signigicantly reduced and CD8 subtypes was markedly reduced in metastatic tumor patients, These analyses were considered to have the possibility to be contributable to planning the further immunotherapy and also the possibility to moniter the brain tumor patients clinically.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunocompetence ; Immunotherapy ; Lymphocytes ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets* ; T-Lymphocytes*

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the cancer stem cell-vascular niche complex in human retinoblastoma tissue. METHODS: Six human retinoblastoma specimens primarily enucleated for Reese-Ellsworth classification stage 5a were stained to detect cancer stem cell markers, including ABCG2 for the stem cell marker and MCM2 for the neural stem cell marker, as well as to detect VEGF for the angiogenic cytokine. Using immunofluorescence, the expression of these proteins was analyzed, and their relative locations noted. RESULTS: In non-neoplastic retina of tumor-bearing eyes, ABCG2 and MCM2 were sporadically expressed in the ganglion cell layer and the inner nuclear layer, whereas VEGF was sporadically expressed in inner retina where retinal vessels are abundantly distributed. In the tumor, ABCG2 was strongly expressed out of Wintersteiner rosettes, whereas MCM2 and VEGF were strongly stained in the rosettes. Interestingly, the outer portion of the rosettes was positive for MCM2, and the inner portion of the rosettes was positive for VEGF. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrated that MCM2 and VEGF are strongly expressed in the rosettes of the tumor, which were far from the area of ABCG2-positive cells. Although VEGF might not directly contribute to the cancer stem cell-vascular niche complex, it could play some role in the differentiation of tumor cells to build up the rosettes.
ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters/metabolism ; Biological Markers/*metabolism ; Cell Cycle Proteins/metabolism ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Humans ; Neoplasm Proteins/metabolism ; Nuclear Proteins/metabolism ; Organ Specificity ; Retina/metabolism ; Retinal Neoplasms/*metabolism ; Retinoblastoma/*metabolism ; Stem Cells/*metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/*metabolism

BACKGROUND: Video assisted thoracic sympathectomy or sympathicotomy is a safe and effective therapy for the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis with immediate symptomatic imporvement. However the degree of satisfaction may diminish with time due to cmpensatory sweating or excessive hand dryness. Therefore by comparing and assessing the degree of symptomatic improvement or compensatory sweating following sympathectomy or sympathicotomy at various levels we aim to determine the optimal level of sympathetic nerve block which will result in minimal side effects and maximal benefit. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Among 194 patients having undergone video assisted thoracic sympathectomy or sympathicotomy between January 1996 and June 1999, 137 patients who responded to either telephone interview or questionnaire were included in the current study. The patients were divided into three groups. Group I(n=61) ; patients having undergone T2,3,4 sympathectomy group II(35) ; patients having undergone T2 sympathicotomy and group III(41) ; patients having undergone limited T2 sympathicotomy which consist of block of interganglionic neuronal fiber on the third rib. The parameters studied comprised of pre- and post-operative palmar temperature change treatment satisfaction the degree of compensatory sweating or discomfort from palmar dryness postoperative complication and changes in plantar sweating. RESULT: There was no difference in age and sex among the groups and the mean postoperative elevation in palmar temperature was 21.59degrees C without any differences among the groups. Patients expressing satisfaction were 65.6%, 62.9% and 90.24% in groups I, II and III, respectively(p<0.05) Moderate to severe compensatory sweating was present in 65.6% 51.4%, and 24.39%, in group I, II, and III, respectively (p<0.05) Slight but comfortable amount of palmar humidness was expressed in decreasing order group III(41.6%) group I(24.6%) and group II(5.7%) (p<0.05) Ineffectiveness or recurrence was present in 5patients in group I(8.2%) 1 patient in group II(2.9%) and none in group III. With regards to plantar sweating decrease in sweating was expressed in 43 patients(31.4%) while similar degree of sweating in 61 patients(44.5%) and increase in sweating in another 33 patinets(24.1%). CONCLUSION: Limited T2 sympathicotomy resection of the lower interganglionic neuronal fiber of the second sympathetic ganglion on the third rib showed immediate effect in palmar hyperhidrosis and caused lesser compensatory sweating and hand dryness.
Autonomic Nerve Block ; Ganglia, Sympathetic ; Hand ; Humans ; Hyperhidrosis* ; Interviews as Topic ; Neurons ; Postoperative Complications ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Recurrence ; Ribs ; Sweat ; Sweating ; Sympathectomy

No abstract available.
Embryonic Structures* ; Humans* ; Upper Extremity*