BACKGROUND: Pilomatricoma(Benign calcifying epithelioma of Malherbe) is a uncommon benign tumor with differentiation toward hair cortex cells. It commonly manifests itself as a firm, deep seated nodule with normal Overlying skin, However, anetodermic cutaneous changes have also been described in the literature since 1943. Although the authors hypothesized this phenomenon as a chronic mechanical irritation or a step of transepidermal elimination of the tumoral mass, distinctive elucidation of pathomechanism of it remained. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to characterize the clinical and histopathologic features of 25 cases with pilomatricoma and to elucidate pathomechanism of the anetodermic cutaneous changes through the comparison of the anetodermic pattern of overlying skin with the changes of the tumoral mass or collagen and elastic fibers in the dermis. METHODS: Twenty-five cases with pilomatricoa have been collected at Chunganam National University Hospital and Kongju Medical Center during 15 years and 5 years, respectively, And we studied the clinical and histopathological characteristics of patients and tried to reveal the relationship between the cutaneous manifestations and the histologic changes through the test for independence. RESULTS: 1. In the age distribution, the patients lesser than 30 years old was 23 cases(92%). The mean age was 18.9 years old. The ratio of males to females was 1 : 2.6. 2. The duration of lesions was from 2 months to 7 years, with the mean duration of 11 months. The predilection sites were arm(40%), face(28%), neck(12%), shoulder(8%), scalp(4%) and back(4%) in order. All lesions were hard in consistency, and were from bean to walnut sized. Clinically, 10 cases (40%) showed reddish discoloration and/or anetodermic cutaneous changes. 3. Histopathologically, the typical patterns of pilomatricoma were commonly located at the dermis (23 cases) and consisted of the shadow cells predominantly(21 cases). Calcium deposits(21 cases, 84%) were noted within the shadow cells. Eight cases(32%) had the tumoral maese demarcated with fibrous capsules, and the foreign body reaction with giant cells and chronic mononuclear cell infiltrations around the shadow cells ruptured the fibrous capsules in 17 cases(68%). 4. When we compared the relationship between the inflammatory cell infiltrations around the tumoral mass and the changes of dermal collagen and elastic fibers, we observed that the changes of dermal fibers and foreign body reaction and mononuolear cell infiltrations were statistically co-related. When compared the cutaneous changes with the inflammatory cell infiltrations of the tumoral masses, we could also reveal that the anetodermic cutaneous changes of the overlying skin might be influenced by the foreign body reactions with chronic mononulcer cell. Based on the status of foreing body reaction, the average of onset was inversely proportional to the average of age. CONCLUSION: Pilomatricomas are slowly growing, firm, deep seated benign tumor which occurs commonly on the arm, face and neck. However, they often showed the anetodermic changes on the overlying skin. Anetodermic cutaneous changes or discoloration may be correlated with the degree of foreign body reactions without the evidences of transepidermal elimination histopathologically.
Adult ; Age Distribution ; Arm ; Calcium ; Capsules ; Carcinoma ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Collagen ; Dermis ; Elastic Tissue ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Giant Cells ; Hair ; Humans ; Juglans ; Male ; Neck ; Pilomatrixoma* ; Skin

A patch design using bovine pericardial patch for aortic enlargement in the Norwood procedure has been introduced to avoid problems related to homograft availability. We report 2 successful cases of Norwood procedure with home-made bovine pericardial patch. The first case was a 23-day-old (2.2 kg) patient with multi-level left ventricular outflow tract obstruction with ductal-dependent systemic circulation. The other case was a 9-day-old (3 kg) patient with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. This technique was relatively easy to perform, reproducible and quite effective like homograft patch.
Allografts ; Humans ; Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome ; Norwood Procedures*

Infantile digital fibromatoais is a rare benign tumor on fingers and toes of infants and childhood characterized by fibroblaatic proliferation. A 6 months old male infant had a bean sized, flesh nodule on th left 3rd finger. The lesion was noted at 3 days after birth and surgically removed at 7 months old, However, a new lesion developed at the margin of the ald lesion 2 months later. The second patient was a 21 months old female who had two bean sized, flesh nodules on the right 4th snd 5th fingers. The lesion was first noted at 12 months and regressed spontaneously at 30 months without specific interventiona. Histopathological examination of the two cases showed eosinophiric ntracytoplasmic inclusion bodies, charateristic for infantile digital fibromatosis.
Female ; Fibroma* ; Fingers ; Humans ; Inclusion Bodies ; Infant ; Male ; Parturition ; Recurrence ; Toes

We report a case of rosacea in a 65 year old female with a 14 year history of polycythemia vera. The patient suffered from several constitutional symptoms and signs suggestive of polycythemia vera. Six years prior to our initial examination, erythematous lesions were first noted on the center of the face. These lesions exhibited periodic improvement and exacerbation without specific treatment. Histopathologic examination of the facial lesions showed nodular infiltration of lymphocytes and histiocytes and dilation of blood vessels. On the basis of laboratory examination, the patient was diagnosed as polycythemia vera. The patient has received metronidazole, tetracycline, and topical steroids to control rosacea-like facial lesions. The treatment results were not significant. However, phlebotomy markedly improved the skin lesion. To our knowledge, there are no reports describing the clinical course of rosacea lesions following the treatment with phlebotomy.
Blood Vessels ; Female ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Metronidazole ; Phlebotomy ; Polycythemia Vera* ; Polycythemia* ; Rosacea* ; Skin ; Steroids ; Tetracycline

BACKGROUND: Conventional treatment for mesothelioma is largely ineffective. We evaluated the novel approach of adenoviral gene transfection of PTEN gene in mesothelioma cancer cell lines, inflammatory and epithelial subtype, which are sensitive to adenoviral p53. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Binary adenoviral PTEN and LacZ (Ad/GT-LacZ and Ad/GV16) vectors were used for transduction of the mesothelioma cell lines, REN (p53 sensitive). Protein levels were determined by Western blotting assay. Apoptosis was assessed by fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis of subdiploid populations. Cell viability was determined with the XTT assay. Statistical analysis was performed with analysis of variance and the Student t test. RESULT: 72 hours after the treatment of adenoviral PTEN gene, cell killing were 32.9% for REN compared to control cell (2.5%) at MOI of 20. Also we observed the over-expression of proapoptotic protein, bax and decreased expression of bcl-2 protein in REN cells. But the expression of BCL-xl, Bak, Bad proteins were not altered. CONCLUSION: Adenovirus Pten-mediated overexpression of the Bax gene induces apoptosis and decreased cellular viability in p53-sensitive mesothelioma cells. These data suggest that the transfection of PTEN gene may represent a alternative gene therapy strategy to treat mesothelioma.
Adenoviridae ; Apoptosis ; bcl-Associated Death Protein ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Death ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; Genetic Therapy ; Homicide ; Humans ; Mesothelioma* ; Transfection

Visualization of falx cerebri on non-enhanced CT of children with severe head injuries (the falx sign) has been regarded as an evidence of subarachnoid hemorrhage. On the contrary, other authors have reported reverse results. To evaluate clinical significance of the falx sign, authors studied frequency of visualization and CT number of falx cerebri and dural sinuses in 65 children with head injury and 65 children without head injury examined by cranial CT at the Dep. of Radiology, St. Paul's Hospital, Catholic Medical College from March to Sept. 1981. All patients with head trauma were studied within 1 week of the traumatic event. Visualization of falx cerebri was observed at slice in the region of lateral ventricle and slice near to vertex respectively. On the slice in the region of lateral ventricle, falx cerebri was identified in 82% of all of the children examined, of which 92%showed partial visualization of falx cerebri and remaining 8% totally. On the slice near to vertex, falx cerebri was identified in 92% of all the children examined, of which 38% showed partial visualization of falx cerebri and remaining 62% totally. In head trauma group, frequency of visualization of falx cerebri was 78% on the slice in the region of lateral ventricle and 89% on the slice near to vertex; in non-traumatic group, frequency of visualization of falx cerebri was 86% and 94% respectively. The highest numerical value of the falx densities averaged 47 Hounflieds (range, 32-63) in non-traumataic group, averaged 49 Housfields (range, 32-69) in head trauma group. All or a portion of the superior sagittal sinus was visualized in 59% of all of the cases studied, 50% in head trauma group, and 69% in nontraumatic group. The straight sinus was identified in 45% of all of the cases studied, 39% in head trauma group, and 51% in non-traumatic group. In conclusion, there was no distinction between head trauma and non-traumatic group in visualization of falx cerebri and dural sinuses, and we could frequently identify the falx density in normal. Also we could find that frequency for visualization of falx cerebri and drual sinuses increased as the age increased.
Child ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Humans ; Lateral Ventricles ; Spinal Cord ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Superior Sagittal Sinus

Chordoma is relatively rare and slowly growing tumor arising from notochordal remnant. The tumor is locally infiltrative rather than metastatic. Distant metastasis occured in 5% of Gentil & Coley's cases and 43% of Higinbotham et als cases. Usual sites of metastasis sites were lung, liver adrenal gland and lymph nodes. In 1922, Stewart reported first case of extrapulmonary metastatic chordoma in muscle & subcutaneous layer, which was extremely rare. We have experienced a case of wide spread multiple metastasis to muscle & subcutaneous tissue from primary sacrococcygeal chordoma. The case was 26 years old man, who have had multiple metastatic lesions in trunk, upper & lower extremities. They located in muscle and subcutaneous fat layer. In some lesions neurovascular structure was involved. We have treated the metastatic lesions by complete surgical excision, and they were confirmed as soft tissue chordoma by histologic examination.
Adrenal Glands ; Chordoma ; Liver ; Lower Extremity ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Notochord ; Subcutaneous Fat ; Subcutaneous Tissue

Background: Sequencing and allele separation from exon 2 to exon 7 in the ABOgene can be required to determine the genotype. This study used the seamless cloning technique to clone approximately 7.3 kb containing a portion of exon 2 to exon 7 of the ABO gene. Methods: The previously confirmed DNA sample of the ABO*B.01/O.01 genotype was used for seamless cloning using the Overlap Cloner DNA Cloning Kit (ElpisBio). Cloning was performed three times using the same cloning protocol. The plasmids obtained by cloning were also confirmed by sequencing. Results: Ninety-two colonies (average of 30 colonies per culture plate) were obtained. Of the fifty colonies, 48 colonies were properly amplified. Plasmid sequencing confirmed that 31 heterozygous alleles were well separated in accordance with predictions through the BGMUT database. Conclusion The data suggest that the seamless cloning technique is a reliable technique that can be used to separate long-range alleles, such as the ABO gene.

Background: Sequencing and allele separation from exon 2 to exon 7 in the ABOgene can be required to determine the genotype. This study used the seamless cloning technique to clone approximately 7.3 kb containing a portion of exon 2 to exon 7 of the ABO gene. Methods: The previously confirmed DNA sample of the ABO*B.01/O.01 genotype was used for seamless cloning using the Overlap Cloner DNA Cloning Kit (ElpisBio). Cloning was performed three times using the same cloning protocol. The plasmids obtained by cloning were also confirmed by sequencing. Results: Ninety-two colonies (average of 30 colonies per culture plate) were obtained. Of the fifty colonies, 48 colonies were properly amplified. Plasmid sequencing confirmed that 31 heterozygous alleles were well separated in accordance with predictions through the BGMUT database. Conclusion The data suggest that the seamless cloning technique is a reliable technique that can be used to separate long-range alleles, such as the ABO gene.

PURPOSE: We investigated the effectiveness and safety of DA-3030 for prophylatic use in patients receiving chemotherapy for malignant disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy cancer patients were randomized to receive chemotherapy alone (36 patients) or with DA-3030 administered (34 patients) after stratified block randomization according to chemotherapeutic regimen. DA-3030 was subcutaneously administered at the dose of 100 pg/m/day for 10 days from 24 hours after the completion of chemotherapy. RESULTS: Of the 70 enrolled patients, 62 patients were evaluable. The neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count [ANC] <1,000/mm) occurred in 9 of 32 (28.1%) of the DA-3030 group and 21 of 30 (90.0%) of the control group, giving relative risk for control group of 0.154 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.05 to 0.45; p-0.0001). Severe neutropenia (ANC 500/mm') occurred in 4 of 32 (12.5%) of the DA-3030 group and in 20 of 30 (66.7%) of the control group (relative risk for control group of 0.316 [95% CI, 0,18 to 0.55]; p=0.0001). The mean duration of neutropenic period (+/-standard error) was 1.13+/-0.34 days in the DA-3030 group and 6.73+/-0.69 days in the control group respectively, and was significantly shorter in the DA-3030 group (p<0.0001). And, there was higher nadir ANC in the OA-3030 group than that in the control group (p=0.0001); the mean nadir ANC was 2,547+/- 343/mm and 442+/-120/mm, respectively. The DA-3030 group had significantly higher incidence of myalgia in comparison to the control group (43.8% compared with 3.3%; p=0.001). However, it was tolerable and was easily managed by conservative therapy CONCLUSION: The use of DA-3030 was effective in preventing chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.
Drug Therapy* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Myalgia ; Neutropenia* ; Neutrophils ; Random Allocation