BACKGROUND: Mechanisms of secondary injury (post-ischemic injury) in the central nervous system have cently reported in a vast of amount of experiments. Among many factors which give rise to post-ischemic neuronal damage, glial deterioration probably mediated by calcium paradox, could be another of the aggravating deleterious factars to the already ischemic neurophil. METHODS: Here we have designed experiment to investigate calcium paradox in astroglial cell line, humsn asttocytoma U1242MG. Intracellular calcium alterations in experimental cells were monitored by using calcium indicating dye fura-2 and epifluorescent photometry system. RESULTS: Intracellular free calcium changes during reperfusion phase after exposure to low calcium led to a prampt increase in intracellular calcium level after 10 and 30 minutes. The way of calcium entry during the reperfusion phase was mediated by the revase mode of Na+/Ca(2+) exchanger. Cells that had a reduction of reperfusate calcium to 10 uM increased cell viability. Also we observed an inverse relationship between major enzymatic activity in the astrocytoma cells (i.e., glutamine synthetase activity) and the duration of reperfusion in the the same protocols. CONCLUSIONS: A relatively small amount of intracellular calcium increase by the reverse mode of Na+/Ca(2+) exchanger during the reperfusion period is related to a limitation of enzyme activity and viability 24 hours later.
Anesthesia* ; Astrocytoma ; Brain ; Calcium ; Capnography* ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; Central Nervous System ; Fura-2 ; Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase ; Ions ; Neuroglia ; Neurons ; Photometry ; Reperfusion

No abstract available.
Hemangioma*

Larval nematodes belonging to genera Ancylostoma, Strongyloides, Rhabditis, Gnathostoma or microfilariae (Onchocerca volvulus)/adult filaria (Loa loa) can invade human skin, each making different lesion. In a 71-year old immunocompetent Koreanman with 23% eosinophilia and elevated serum IgG (2530 mg/dl), a skin biopsy was undertaken for a nodular lesion at abdominal wall. A longitudinal section of a larval nematode was recognized in mid-dermal tunnel surrounded by pseudolymphomatous diffuse lymphoreticular cell infiltration. The larval nematode, 15 um in maximum diameter, had outermost cuticular layer and pale intestinal cells. The nematode section was identified as a filariform larva of Strongyloides stercoralis mainly based on its maximum diameter. In Korea, this is the first description of a cutaneous larval nematode infection. This case did not show quick migration of lesion which is a typical manifestation of classical cutaneous larva migrans.
Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Biopsy

Glutathione S-Transferase (GST) is a conjugation enzyme in the metabolism of exogenous and endogenous lipophilic compounds for their excretion and detoxification. Acidic isozyme of GST, GST-Pi, has been recognized as a preneoplastic marker in the experimental hyperplastic nodules of liver in rats, and GST-Pi is abundant in the squamous cells of the skin, also. This histochemical study was carried out to evaluate the distribution and the relationship between the differentiation status of squamous cells in dysplastic or neoplastic epithelium in various organs. The human placental form of glutathione S-transferase (GST-Pi) were stained immunohistochemically with specific anti GST-Pi rabbit antibody in 23 cases of human squamous cell carcinomas. The patients consisted of 14 cases from the uterine cervix, 3 cases from the esopahgus, 3 cases from the lung and 3 cases from the larynx. The results obtained were as follows; 1. Basal cells in normal mucosa were stained negative for GST-Pi while superficial keratinocytes were stained moderately positive. Basal dysplastic cells were stained negatively or weakly positive. Carcinoma cells especially large cells either keratinizing or nonkeratinizing were stained moderately to strongly. Carcinoma cells surrounding keratin pearl were strongly reacted with GST-Pi than other carcinoma cells. 2. Differentiated cells of squamous cell carcinoma showed moderate to strong positive reaction to GST-Pi staining irrespective of its site of origin. 3. Therefore, Immunohistochemical staining pattern of GST-Pi in various squamous carcinoma cells showed similar immunohistochemical reaction to the GST-pi, which is closely correlated to the degree of differentiation, keratinigation and also suggested that squamous carcinoma cells had abundant GST-Pi related detoxifying system.
Humans ; Rabbits ; Animals

No abstract available.
Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Miliary*

We report, herein, a case of reactive perforating collagenosis in a 52-year-old man with diabetes mellitus and chronic renal failure on hemodialysis. He had multiple, pinhead to pea sized, round or oval shaped, central umbilicated papules on the face, trunk, and extremities for 3 months duration. The papules developed after scratching due to pruritus. Histopathologic examination showed a cup-shaped depression of the epidermis filled with parakeratotic material, necrobiotic collagen and inflammatory cells. At the base of the depression, the epidermis showed interruption through which basophilic bundles of collagen ex-tend in a vertical direction from the dermis. The skin lesions improved after treatment with oral antihistaminics:
Basophils ; Collagen ; Depression ; Dermis ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Epidermis ; Extremities ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Middle Aged ; Peas ; Pruritus ; Renal Dialysis ; Skin

No abstract available.
Herpesvirus 3, Human* ; Korea* ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length*

Fibrous hamartoma of infancy (FHI) is an uncommon, benign, solitary intradermal or subcutaneous tumor. It occurs typically in the axillary or shoulder region. The histopathologic examination of affected lesion shows the characteristic elements: dense fibrous tissue, adipose tissue, and primitive mesenchymal tissues. A 15 month-old girl had the multiple, asymptomatic, discrete, and skin-colored tumors that scattered on the scalp. These were present at birth. We report a rare case of FHI occurred on the scalp with multiple and congenital characteristics.
Adipose Tissue ; Female ; Hamartoma* ; Humans ; Parturition ; Scalp ; Shoulder

A case of calcifying synovial sarcoma, occuring in the deep muscle fascia of the left thigh is reported. The presence of extensive calcification in synovial sarcoma is a favorable sign for prognosis. The patient was a 31-year-old female. The tumor mass had been present for 3 years, accompanying local tenderness. X-ray revealed a soft tissue tumor with central calcification, which was located between the adductor magnus and brevis of the left thigh. The tumor size was 7 x 5.5 cm. There was no connection with the knee joint or the femur. Grossly, the tumor was a relatively well circumscribed hard tumor with massive calcification. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of predominantly spindle cells with accompanying hyalinization, numerous spherical concretions and ossification. The epithelial component was not clearly noted. Mitotic figures were rarely noted in the densely cellular area. Immunohistochemical staining for EMA, S-100, vimentin, and carcinoembryonic antigen was negative while vimentin and cytokeratin were weakly and focally positive. EM study revealed multiple desmosome-like calcification intercellular junctions with a slit-like lumen and an incomplete basal lamina, which suggest that tumor show these cells were undergoing epithelia] differentiation. Above evidence suggest that this tumor is a synovial sarcoma associated with a large area of calcification, a so called calcifying synovial sarcoma. No recurrence was noted in one and half years of follow up.
Female ; Humans

To elucidate the developmental sequence of the eccrine sweat gland, a morphologic and a morphometric observation were done using developing human embryos and fetuses. Five embryos and sixty four fetuses from the 9th to the 38th week of the gestational age were studied. The skin was sampled in eight different areas, i.e., scalp, forehead, face, chest, abdomen, back, palm and sole. Routine histological sections were made for histological evaluation and morphometric analysis. The results obtained were as follows : The primordia of the eccrine sweat glands appeared first as regular undulation of the basal cells in the palm and the sole in the 13th week of getation. Subsequently, elongation and coiling of the cell cords were noted from the 16th to the 18th weeks. Intraductal lumen formation was first noted in the 20th week. Secretory segment of the eccrine sweat glands were noted from the distal part of the coiling intradermal sweat duct in the 22nd week of the gestational age. The eccrine sweat glands became fully developed by the 28th week of gestation and this included the clear cell, the dark cell and the myoepithelial cell. In the morphometric analysis, the number of eccrine epithelial buddings were decreased with aging and the highest were in the palm and the sole. The diameter of the eccrine sweat duct showed no significant change by gestational age or in the different sites observed. Straight and coiled eccrine sweat ducts or glands were lengthened into the deep reticular dermis and upper portion of the subcutaneous adipose tissue with an increase of the gestational age. The above results suggest that developmental stage and the number of eccrine glands of the skin in the fetal stage is different from other areas of the body, especially in the palm and the sole.
Abdomen ; Aging ; Dermis ; Eccrine Glands ; Embryonic Structures ; Fetus ; Forehead ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Scalp ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Fat ; Sweat Glands* ; Sweat* ; Thorax