We present a case of transient acantholytic dermatosis which developed on the face of a 19-year-old Korean girl. Asyrnptomatic pinhead to miliary-grain sized brownish papules arranged in a somewhat band-like outbreak along the left side of the nose for about 3 months. Histopathologic findings were similar to Dariers disease. Immunoperoxidase staining showed that IgG was deposited on the intercellular area of keratinocytes around the suprabasal clefts. Skin lesions disappeared spontaneously in 5 weeks after a skin biopsy.
Biopsy ; Darier Disease ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Keratinocytes ; Nose ; Skin ; Skin Diseases* ; Young Adult

Industrial glues contain many kinds of organic solvents and glue sniffing by young people has become a social problem in Korea. Glue vapor may induce chronic toxicities different from those induced by exposures to the solvent of single component. We studied the effects of the inhalation of glue vapor on the primary target organ, the pulmonary epithelium of the respiratory system. Vapor samples of glue were collected for analysis; the components were acetone, n-hexane, methyl cyclopentane, c-hexane, and toluene. For the inhalation of glue vapor, experimental mice were exposed in a whole body chamber for 20 min/d for 3, 5, 7, and 14 d. Control groups were exposed to room air. Animals were euthanized and lung tissues were fixed in 10% neutral formalin for light microscopy, and in 2.5% glutaraldehyde plus 1.5% paraformaldehyde for electron microscopy. The results are as follows. 1. Alcianophilic bands were not detected in the normal alveolar epithelium, but weak alcianophilic bands were detected in bronchioles. Alcian blue-PAS and PAS positive cells were found in the mucosae of mice exposed to glue vapor for 5 and 7 d. 2. Types I and II pneumocytes and capillary endothelial cells were found in the normal alveolar epithelium. The blood-air barrier consists of Type I pneumocytes, a common basal lamina, and the capillary endothelium. 3. The alveolar epithelium of vapor-exposed mice showed more type II pneumocytes. In the longerexposed group, Type I pneumocytes and endothelial cells contained many pinocytotic vesicles. 4. The vapor-exposed lungs showed macrophages in the alveolar space, mild interstitial swelling, and increased numbers of collagenous fibers. Clearly, ultrastructural changes in pulmonary epithelia can occur following glue sniffing.
Acetone ; Adhesives ; Animals ; Basement Membrane ; Blood-Air Barrier ; Bronchioles ; Collagen ; Cyclopentanes ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Epithelium ; Formaldehyde ; Glutaral ; Inhalant Abuse ; Inhalation* ; Korea ; Lung* ; Macrophages ; Mice* ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron ; Mucous Membrane ; Pneumocytes ; Respiratory System ; Social Problems ; Solvents ; Toluene

OBJECTIVETo investigate the adjuvant therapeutic effects of fermented red ginseng (FRG) extract on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with chemotherapy.

METHODSA total of 60 patients with advanced NSCLC were divided into two groups using a random number table, i.e., the gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GP) chemotherapy alone group (26 patients) and the FRG + GP chemotherapy group (34 patients), for 60-day treatment. Patients were then assessed according to the Fatigue Symptom Inventory, Chinese medicine symptoms score, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Self-Rating Depression Scale, Karnofsky Performance Status Scale, and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung. In addition, chemotherapy toxicity and tumor biomarkers were measured.

RESULTSFor NSCLC patients after chemotherapy, FRG extract significantly improved the FSI score, CM symptoms score, psychological status, physical conditions, and quality of life and reduced chemotherapy toxicity, but the expression levels of carcinoembryonic antigen, cytokeratin-19 fragments, and neuron-specific enolase were not significantly different between the chemotherapy alone and the FRG + chemotherapy groups or between pre- and post-treatments.

CONCLUSIONSThis study demonstrated that FRG extract had an adjuvant effect on advanced NSCLC patients treated with chemotherapy. Further studies with a larger sample size will verify the current findings.