BACKGROUND: The distribution of Malassezia yeasts on normal human skin was varied according to the age and race of the volunteers and the methodologies used. In Korea, most reports of Malassezia yeast distribution have relied on direct skin smears rather than culture methods. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work was to perform a comprehensive survey of the distribution of Malassezia yeasts on normal human skin to provide a base line for a companion study of Malassezia yeasts in patients with various dermatoses. METHODS: Malassezia yeasts were cultured using the swabbing technique from the scalp, forehead, chest, upper back, upper arm and upper thigh in 137 subjects, infancy to 80 years of age. RESULTS: Malassezia yeasts were present in the lowest incidence(0-30%) on six sites of infants and present in 60.0-66.7% on the sebum-rich sites (scalp, forehead, chest, upper back) of children aged 1-9. Malassezia yeasts were present in 80.0-86.7% on the sebum-rich sites of the elderly group(over 60 years of age), about the same frequency as in the middle-aged groups. The population density of these organisms was significantly higher on the upper back than on the forehead, chest, upper arm and upper thigh in all age groups except the infant group and the group aged 1 to 9 (p<0.05). There were no regular quantitative variations in the distribution of Malassezia yeasts on a given site between age groups. On Leeming and Notman media, besides three morphotypes of Malassezia yeasts reported by Cunningham et al(1990), one additional type was identified. CONCLUSION: The results showed regional variations in the distribution of Malassezia yeasts in all ages except infancy and no regular age variations on a given site. Additionally, four colony types of Malassezia yeasts were found. The findings of our study coold help to investigate the role of Malassezia yeasts in related disorders.
Aged ; Arm ; Child ; Continental Population Groups ; Forehead ; Friends ; Humans* ; Infant ; Korea ; Malassezia* ; Population Density ; Scalp ; Skin Diseases ; Skin* ; Thigh ; Thorax ; Volunteers ; Yeasts*

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous vasculitis associated with viral hepatitis seems to occur as a hypersensitivity reaction against the circulating viral antigens. Hepatitis B virus(HBV)-encoded X antigen(HBxAg) is known to participate in the carcinogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) by the inactivation of p53. However, HBxAg has been found in chronic infiammatory lesions without the overexpression of p53. Accordingly, not only EBsAg and HBcAg but also HBxAg may be involved in HCC-associated cutaneous vasculitis, regardless of the alteration of p53. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the expression of HBV-encoded antigens in cutaneous vasculitis accompanied by HBV hepatopathy. Additionally, we have compared the expression of 3 HBV antigens and p53 between vasculitic patients with HCC and in others showing HCC-non-associated vasculitis. METHODS: Immunohistochemically, we examined the expression of HBsAg, HBcAg, and HBxAg in the tissue specimens taken from the vasculitic lesions of the 33 HBsAg-positive enrolled patients with cutaneous vasculitis proven by skin biopsy. RESULTS: 1. The immunohistochemical positivity rate to HBsAg in vasculitic patients with HBV hepatopathy was 66.7% overall. It was 90% in HCC-associated vasculitic subjects and 56.5% in the vasculitic subjects without HCC, respectively. 2. We found the expression of HBxAg in 80% of the vasculitic subjects showing HCC. The vasculitic patients without HCC showed 17,3% of the positivity rate to HBxAg. 3. We could not find the overexpression of p53 in the vasculitic tissue specimens of the HCC patients without the cutaneous metastasis from primary HCC. CONCLUSION: HBsAg, HBcAg and HBxAg may participate in the pathogenesis of cutaneous vasculitis with HBV hepatopathy, regardless of tumorigenesis.
Antigens, Viral ; Biopsy ; Carcinogenesis ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Humans* ; Hypersensitivity ; Malassezia* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Skin* ; Vasculitis ; Yeasts*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn* ; Reference Values*

Endodermal sinus tumor of the mediastinum is a very rare malignant tumor, usually affecting young adolescents, and its histologic findings are characteristic as that of gonadal germ cell origin. We describe the cytologic finding of fine needle aspiration of mediastinal endodermal sinus tumor in a 19-year-old male patient, comparing with tissue section. The tumor cells in smears were usually in tight clusters with large overlapping cells, which were arranged in a papillary or microacinar pattern, suggesting carcinoma. The tumor cells were large, round or oval with a small amount of cytoplasm which was occasionally vacuolated and had indistinct border. The nuclei were large, pleomorphic, and vesicular with large promi- nent nucleoli. The tissue sections showed typical findings of endodermal sinus tumor. Careful correlation of cytological findings and the serum alpha-fetoprotein level would be helpful to confirm the diagnosis.
Adolescent ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Biopsy, Needle ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Child* ; Clonorchiasis ; Cytoplasm ; Diagnosis ; Dietary Proteins* ; Endodermal Sinus Tumor ; Female ; Germ Cells ; Giant Cells ; Gonads ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Male ; Mediastinum ; Middle Aged ; Thyroid Gland ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract* ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux* ; Young Adult

A case of invasive cribriform carcinoma of the breast is presented with fine need- le aspiration cytologic features. The aspiration was performed from a papable 2.0cm mass in the upper outer quadrant of the right breast in a 53 year-old woman. The aspirate showed cellular smear composed of larger three dimensional tight clusters, smaller monolayered loose clusters, and many individual cells on the clean background. In the clusters, the tumor cells were bordering central lumina, quite similar to the cribriform in histology. The tumor cells in the clusters and individual tumor cells had uniform, small and round nuclei. The chromatin was finely granular, and nuclear membrane was smooth. No discernible nucleoli were present (nuclear grade 1-2). Unless the abundance of individual cells and the cribriform growth pattern are recognized in the smear, the cytologic diagnosis of invasive cribriform carcinoma is difficult.
Female ; Humans ; Biopsy

So-called sclerosing hemangioma of the lung is a rare benign neoplasm which usually presents with a coin lesion detected through routine chest X-ray. We report two cases showing characteristic cytologic appearances which have been rarely reported. Both cases were young females with coin lesions in the lung. Fine needle aspiration of each case revealed unique but some different cytologic features. Case 1 showed bland-looking polygonal epithelial cells resembling bronchioloalveolar cells having pre- dominantly papillary configurations with loosely arranged solid sheets or isolated cells. Cytoplasms were plump, cyanophilic, and finely granular, with eccentric nuclei, The nuclei were usually monotonous, round-to-ovoid, and vesicular with a small but conspicuous nucleolus. In comparison to case 1, case 2 revealed largely loose pavement-like solid sheets or clusters rather than papillary patterns in the hemorrhagic background. The size of tumor cells were a little smaller than that of case 1. Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma and papillary adenocarcinoma of metastatic origin were considered to be one of the important differential diagnoses with these cytologic features. Histologically, both cases exhibited findings compatible with so-called sclerosing hemangioma of the lung.
Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar ; Adenocarcinoma, Papillary ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Cytoplasm ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epithelial Cells ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney* ; Lung ; Numismatics ; Pulmonary Sclerosing Hemangioma ; Renal Insufficiency* ; Thorax

RecentIy, increasing emphasis has been placed on the histochemical and ultrastructural characteristics of the muscle in the cleft lip. Schendelet al and Cho et al demonstrated a non-neurogenic muscle atrophy and mitochondrial myopathy, and Raposio examined an increased inflammatory reaction, but no mitochondrial abnormalities of the cleft lip muscle. However, no study has focused on the ultrastructure of the microform cleft lip muscle. Eleven muscle specimens were obtained from the microform cleft lip patients at the time of primary repair from Jun.1997 to Aug.1998 and they were submitted to histologic and histochemical examinations as well as electron microscopy. A non-neurogenic muscle atrophy was seen on HE stain. Modified Gomori trichrome stain revealed red granularity of the muscle fibers, suggesting an increase in mitochondrial activity, however, no ragged-red fibers, a typical sign of mitochondrial myopathy, was found. Electron microscopy revealed atrophy, disarray, and focal loss of myofibrils, dilated sarcoplasmic reticulum with glycogen deposit, and interstitial fibrosis. However, the mitochondrial morphology was well preserved with an increase of the number of the mitochondria which might be secondary change to muscle degeneration. In conclusion, ultrastructural characteristics of the orbicularis oris muscle in the microform cleft lip is non-neurogenic muscle atrophy without mitochondrial myopathy which is controversial in the complete cleft lip.
Atrophy ; Cleft Lip* ; Fibrosis ; Glycogen ; Humans ; Microfilming* ; Microscopy, Electron ; Mitochondria ; Mitochondrial Myopathies ; Muscular Atrophy ; Myofibrils ; Nerve Fibers, Myelinated ; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum

No abstract available.
Aneurysm* ; Angiography* ; Circle of Willis*

This study was undertaken to observe the effects of centrally administred antihistamines on the blood pressure. Diphenhydramine(DPH), a H1-receptor antagonist, and ranitidine(RAN), a H2-receptor antagonist were administered intracerebroventricularly(icv) on urethane-anesthetized rabbits. 1) Both DPH and RAN administered intraccebroventricularly increased blood pressure, however the intravenous(iv) adminstration of them did not affect blood pressure. The pressor response to icv DPH was dose-dependent, but that to icv RAN was not. 2) The pressor response to icv DPH(1mg) was either markedly attenuated or reversed to depressor response by the pretreatment with icv phentolamine(250,500ug), and iv chlorisondamine(0.1, 1mg/Kg) and iv phenoxybenzamine(1mg/Kg). In cord-sectioned rabbtis, icv RAN) 1mg) did not produce pressor response. 3) The pressor responsr to icv RAN(1mg) was not affected by the pretreatment with icv phentolamine(500ug), iv chlorisondamin(1mg/Kg) and iv phenoxybenzamine(1mg/Kg), and iv phenoxybenzamine(1mg/Kg). RAN also producted pressor response in cordsectioned rabbits. These results suggest that the pressor response to icv DPH is elecited by increasing peripheral sympathetic tone via the stimulation of central alpha-adrenoreceptors and the pressor response to icv RAN is produced by releasing some humoral facotr which can increase blood pressure.
Blood Pressure ; Diphenhydramine* ; Histamine Antagonists ; Rabbits* ; Ranitidine*