BACKGROUND: Pemphigus are chronic autoimmune blistering disorcers characterized by acantholysis. In addition to pemphigus vulgaris(PV), the major clinical variarts are pemphigus foliaceus(PF), paraneoplastic pemphigus(PNP) and drug-induced pemphigus(DP). Detection of pemphigus antigen is important for differential diagnosis as well as research work. Most investigators have identified pemphigus antigens by means of immunoprecipitation using metabolically radiolabeled cultured keratinocytes. However, immunorepitation is generally more expensive, hazardous and time-consuming than immunoblotting. Therefore, establishment of the immunoblotting as a standard technique for the detection of the pemphig us antigens is desirable. OBJECTIVE: To characterized pemphigus antigens by an immunobloting analysis of human epidermal extract and by indirect itnmunofluroscence study using human of cultured keratinocytes as a substraie. METHOD: We performed imrnunoblotting analysis af sera from patieiits with PV, PF, PNP and DP with human epidermal extract as a source of antigen. Indirect immunof uorescence study was also performed using human keratinocytes cultured in high or low calcium media for detection of pemphigus antigens. RESULTS: In an immunoblotting analysis, all(9/9) PV sera showed secific reactivities with a 130-KD protein and all(5/5) FF sera showed reactivities with a 150-KK protein, which is most likely desmoglein 1. Furthermore, one of nine PV serum also reacted with a 150-KD protein, which seems to be the identical antigen detected in PF. All PNP(3/3) sera showed reactivities with two protein bands, 210KD and 190KD. In our indirect imrnunofluorescence study using culltured human keratinocytes as a substrate, when keratinocytes were grown in low calcium media, no pimphigus antigens could be detected. However, when grown in high calciurn media, pemphigus vulga ris and paraneoplastic pernphigus antigens were present t the cell-cell contact areas with a puncta;e pattern, whereas pemphigus foliaceus antigen was not, presint in keratinocytes even when cultured in high calcium media. CONCLUSION: Our results suggests (1) immunoblotting analysis is a reliable technique for defining pemphigus antigen and could be a valuable tool for the differentiation of PV, PF and PNP and(2) PF antigen rnay not be expresseden cultured keratinocytes.
Acantholysis ; Blister ; Calcium ; Desmoglein 1 ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect* ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoprecipitation ; Keratinocytes* ; Pemphigus* ; Research Personnel

No abstract available.
Chest Pain* ; Child* ; Humans ; Thorax*

No abstract available.
Epidermal Cyst* ; Nevus*

No abstract available.
Epidermal Cyst* ; Nevus*

Pneumocystis carinii is a pulmonary pathogen of immunocompromised humans or other mammals. Its infection results from activation of organisms involved in latent infection or from new infection through the air. Almost all children are known to be infected within 2 to 4 years of birth, though prenatal transplacental transmission has not yet been demonstrated. In this study we observed experimental P. carinii infection in neonatal rats, thus investigating the possibility of transplacental vertical transmission by Diff-Quik staining of the lung impression smears and in-situ hybridization for lung sections. The positive rate of P. carinii infection in immunosuppressed maternal rats was 100%, but that in normal maternal rats was 0%. Cystic forms of P. carinii were observed in three of six 1-week old neonatal rats born of heavily infected mothers, but none of them was positive by in-situ hybridization. Five weeks after birth, cystic forms were detected in four neonatal rats. In the lobes of the lungs, no predilection site of P. carinii was recognized. Counts of cystic forms on smears and the reactivity of in-situ hybridization in the lungs of neonatal rats were significantly lower than in maternal rats. The present findings suggest that P. carinii is rarely transmitted through the placenta and proliferates less successfully in the lungs of neonatal rats than in mothers.
Animal ; Animals, Newborn/microbiology* ; Disease Transmission, Vertical* ; Female ; Immunocompromised Host ; Lung/microbiology ; Male ; Opportunistic Infections/transmission* ; Opportunistic Infections/complications ; Pneumocystis carinii/isolation & purification ; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis carinii/transmission* ; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis carinii/complications ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

No abstract available.
Fracture Fixation*

No abstract available.
Catheterization* ; Fingers* ; Radial Artery*

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*

The relative bioavailability amd palsma level fluctuation of controlled release carbamazepine (carbamazepine CR, CBZ CR, Tegretol CR) to the regular product (Carbamazepine RR, CBZ RR, Tegletol RR) were studied in 12 patients who were taking stable dose of carbamazepine for more than six weeks. Fixed dosage regimen (400 mg every 12 hours) of both products was administered in a random cross over manner at least for four days. After reaching steady-state, serial blood samples were drawn after last dose administration. Plasma carbamazepine levels were analysed by fluorescence polarizing immunoassay. The controlled lelease products showed lower area under the concentration time curve (AUC; 89.7)20.0 ug/ml/hr) than that (107.1)13.2 ug/ml/hr) of the regular products (p<0.01), and also showed low peak plasma level (CR;848)l.93ug/ml, RR;10.57+1.55 ug/ml). However. Fluctuation of plasma drug level during dose interval was slightly less in controlled release products compared with carbamazepine regular products in the respect of various indices such as percent fluctuation, fluctuation index and area deviation from mean level. However those parameters did not show no statistical singificance between two products except area diviation (p<0.01). Though the controlled relase product showed slightly less fluctuation during dose interval, this seemed to be the expense of incomplete bioavailability. As a conclusion, the dose correction should be made according to the relative bioavailability of controlled release formulation if switching of the formulation from regular to controlled release form would be needed. However it could not be proved that controlled release fromulation had less fluctiuation during dose interval in this study. More detailed studies should be pursued to show the evidence of significant superiority of currently marketing controlled release formulation to the regular one.
Biological Availability* ; Carbamazepine* ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Marketing ; Plasma

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