BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide(NO), a multifunctional mediator, is known as a endothelium-derived relaxing factor, a neurotransmitter, and a killer molecule formed by activated immune cells and participates in tissue destruction via apoptosis. In the skin, an increase in apoptotic cells has been desribed in the epidermis in various lichenoid diseases, in response, to ultraviolet radiation, and in neoplasia. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate whether a positive correlation occurs between iNOS(inducible nitric oxide synthase) expression and apoptosis index in psoriasis vulgaris(PV), lichen planus(LP), and Bowen's disease(BD). METHODS: TUNEL staining and immunohistochemical staining with anti-iNOS antibody were done in paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 4 cases of PV, 4 cases of LP, and 2 cases of BD.
Apoptosis* ; Bowen's Disease* ; Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors ; Epidermis ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Lichen Planus* ; Lichens* ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Nitric Oxide ; Psoriasis* ; Skin

We report a case of eosinophilic pustular folliculitis in a 42-year-old woman who had atypical clinical findings with moderately pruritic erythematous follicular papules and pustules on the face and neck. Histopathologically miny eosinophils and neutrophils infiltrated around the follicles, within the follicles and around tbe vessels. The follicular walls showed spongiosis. The differential count of eosinophils in seram was 1.9%. The patient responded well to systemic steroid and dapsone.
Adult ; Dapsone ; Eosinophils* ; Female ; Folliculitis* ; Humans ; Neck ; Neutrophils

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (oriental sore) is usually a self-limited infection of the skin caused by the protozoan Leishmania tropica. The disease is endemic to the Mediterranean, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. It has been seen in this country among many Korean technical experts and labourers working in the endemic areas of the disease. Our patient had acquired cutaneous leishmaniasis in Saudi Arabia and it had remained active for six months. He had been treated with antimony and metronidazole but failed because of severe side effects. And then we treated the patient witb cryosurgery and the skin lesions were followed by resolution with cosmetically acceptable scar in 4 months. The brief review of literature on the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis was undertaken.
Africa ; Antimony ; Asia ; Cicatrix ; Cryosurgery* ; Humans ; Leishmania tropica ; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous* ; Metronidazole ; Middle East ; Saudi Arabia ; Skin

BACKGROUND: After the development of the Q-switched lasers, it was possible to remove tattoos without causing scarring. Currently, Q-switched ruby lasers, Q-switched Nd: YAG lasers and Q-switched alexandrite lasers are used selectively to treat tattoos. The objective of this study was to determine the difference of effectiveness aceording to color, site and duration in removing tattoo pigments by the alexandrite laser. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 30 tattoos were treated with a Q-switched alexandrite laser(model IL-l, Candela Laser Corporation. Wayland. U.S.A.). Pretreatment evaluation included a clinical desrviption of the site, color, duration and photographs were taken. The effects were examined by fether photo graphs and telephone follow-up. The response was expressed as the percentage area cleared of the tattoo. The clearance was graded as follows: clear, >95%; excellent, 76-95%; good, 51-75%; fair, 26-50%; poor < 25%. The occurence of adverse events were also examined. RESULTS: 1""he results are summarized as follows: 1. Treatment with fluences that ranged from 6.0-8.0J/cm2 was given on average 1.7 times and better results were achived than expected in 80% of all patients with tattoo. 2. The effectiveness of laser therapy correlated with the number of treatments. 3. After 1 laser session, tattoos of black and darkblue showed better results than light blue in terms of color. 4. After 1 laser session, the sites of tattoos on upper extremitise showed better results than those of the eyebmw, eyeline and face. 5. Differences in duration after 1 laser session were not seen. 6. Hyperpigmentation in 2 cases and bulla formation in 1 case occurred and all complications had ceased after a few months. CONCLUSION: The alexandrite laser is an effective treatment for cosmetic, general and traumatic tattoos with a low incidence of significant adverse effects and provides excellent cosmetic results.
Cicatrix ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Incidence ; Laser Therapy ; Lasers, Solid-State* ; Telephone

In the present study soap chamber test was carried out for assessing irritancy of toilet soaps and soap ingredients. The results obtained in the present study are summarized as follows; This chamber test can discriminate the differences of irritancies between various soaps and soap ingredients. 2. Soap irritancy is not directly related with its alkalinity. 3, Erythema score and scaling score tend to parallel each other with weak correlation(r=p 46), but erythema score and fissuring score show strong correlation (r=p77) Scaling score and fissuring score show moderate correlation(r=p.64), 4. In the eighteen kinds of toilet soaps, two soaps are most irritating, harsh soap and the total irritancy scores of all soaps are within 1. 9 5. 1. Baby soaps are not milder than the common toilet soaps. 5. Generally, total irritancy score of soap ingredients is concentration dependent. Average total irritancy scores of five main soap ingredients in 4 times of recommended allergen concentration are as follows; Builders 5. 30, Perfumes l. 88, Color 0. 70, Fatty acids p. 35 and Superfat p.
Erythema ; Fatty Acids ; Soaps*

Aplasia cutis congenita is an anomaly characterized by absence of localized areas of the integument. The most common type of aplasia cutis congenita is a circular or oval, sharply outlined ulcer 1 to 3cm in diameter on the vertex of the scalp at the level of the posterior fontanel. Two cases of aplasia cutis congenita are presented. The first case was in a male newborn infant with a localized defect on his scalp. The second case was also in a male newborn infant who had extensive symmetrical involvement of his heels. No similar conditions and associating other congenital anomalies were found in the family members of reported cases.
Cranial Fontanelles ; Ectodermal Dysplasia* ; Heel ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Scalp ; Ulcer

Two cases of old unreduced dislocation of shoulder are reported. One was the posterior dislocation for six months with malunited fracture of humeral shaft in thirty degree lateral angulation. Her shoulder and arm aches with limitation of motion remaining only ten degrees in every direction but abduction in thirty degrees, The malunion of humeral shaft and shoulder were reduced surgically in result of eighty degrees abduction, seventy degrees flexion, sixty degrees extension and twenty degrees of external rotation with free of pain. Another case was an anterior dislocation for one year. Her range of shoulder motions are almost normal degree but brachial plaxus compression symptoms. Open reduction in practically Putti-Platt procedure was performed. She became completely free of brachial plexus symptom and ranges of shoulder motion are normal except about fifteen degrees less external rotation than preoperative condition. The surgical indication and the result of treatment were discussed for the the neglected cases of old unreduced dislocation of the shoulder.
Arm ; Brachial Plexus ; Dislocations ; Fractures, Malunited ; Shoulder

No abstract available.
Ichthyosiform Erythroderma, Congenital*

Membranous lipodystrophy is a peculiar type of fat necrosis, present in patients with various types of skin diseases. It is charaeterized by the presence of microcysts and macrocysts lined by amorphous eosinophilic material with a crenelated arabesque appearance and microgranules in the subcutis with massive fat necrosis. The eosinophilic lining and microgranules stain positively with periodic acid-Schiff, are resistant to diastase, and also stain with Sudan black B. We report three cases of subcutanous membranous lipodystrophy in patients with erythema induratum, posttraumatic panniculitis and morphea with typical clinical and histopathologic findings.
Amylases ; Eosinophils ; Erythema Induratum ; Fat Necrosis ; Humans ; Lipodystrophy* ; Panniculitis ; Scleroderma, Localized ; Skin Diseases ; Sudan

BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide(NO) produced by activated macrophages through the action of iNOS is the key molecule in the killing mycobacterium. Prostaglandins produced by the action of COX-2, also, are the important mediators of inflammation and other pathophysiologic process. A complex relationship is emerging with regard to "cross-talk" between the NO and COX-2 pathways. OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to investigate the expression of iNOS and COX-2 across the spectrum of leprosy in the paraffin-embedded skin lesions, to demonstrate the interaction between iNOS and COX-2 expression, and to demonstrate the differences in the cell types expressing the iNOS or COX-2. METHOD: In the paraffin-embedded skin lesions of 30 new cases of leprosy(TT, n=4; BT, n=4; BL, n=7; LL, n=15), iNOS and COX-2 expression were detected by using immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: iNOS expression was 2.0-55.8%(mean 15.9%) and the level of expression of iNOS in TT(31.2%) and BT(32.6%) lesions was significantly higher than that of BL(11.1%) and LL(8.6%) lesions(p<0.05). COX-2 expression was 3.6-74.5%(mean 27.1%) and the level of expression of COX-2 in TT(59.2%) lesions was significantly higher than that of BT, BL and LL lesions(p<0.05). There was positive correlation between iNOS and COX-2 expression, that is, the lesions which expressed high level of iNOS also expressed COX-2 highly. The correlation was statistically significant(r=0.535, p<0.05). The overall level of COX-2 expression(27.1%) was higher than that of iNOS expression(15.9%), and when compared the expression of them across the spectrum of leprosy, COX-2 expressed higher than iNOS in TT and LL lesions. CONCLUSION: Both iNOS and COX-2 were expressed in all types of leprosy skin lesions and the level of iNOS expression in TT and BT lesions was significantly higher than that of BL and LL lesions. The level of expression of COX-2 in TT lesions was significantly higher than that of BT, BL and LL lesions. These results suggest that iNOS and COX-2 have important roles in anti-mycobacterial activities in leprosy lesions. The positive correlation between iNOS and COX-2 expression suggests that NO and COX-2 might interact synergistically or additively rather than suppress each other.
Homicide ; Humans ; Inflammation Mediators ; Leprosy* ; Macrophages ; Mycobacterium ; Prostaglandins ; Skin*