We report a rare case of sporadic keratosis punctata palmaris et plantaris in a 49-year-old woman. Thirty years ago, firm semitranslucent papules developed on the middle portion of her palms without any subjective symptom. The lesions had flat-topped smooth surfaces. They were concentrated along the margins of the hands, especially on the lateral surfaces of both index fingers and finger tips/ Ten years ago, similar hyperkeratotic papules with or without central craters developed on the weight bearing portions of her soles. Her family and past histories were negative. The biopsy specimen revealed a dense hyperderatotic stratum corneum which fitted into a cup shaped depression in the stratum malpighii and a turning inward of the rete ridges at the margin. The Masson trichrome and elastic strains showed no peicific dermal changes.
Biopsy ; Depression ; Female ; Fingers ; Hand ; Humans ; Keratosis* ; Middle Aged ; Weight-Bearing

Chronic actinic dermatitis is an uncommon disabling ecxematous photosensitive eruption. The skin lesion is characterized by persistent eczematous eruptions on sun exposed skin with possible extension into nonexposed areas. The phototest shows decreased minimal erythema doses (MED) to UVB and possibly UVA. Histological features demonstrate chronic eczema with or without the presence of lymphoma like changes. The present cases showed pruritic erythematous patches and plaques on sun exposed areas and showed decreased minimal erythema doses to both UVB and UVA. We herein report three cases of chronic actinic dermatitis treated with systemic PUVA therapy.
Eczema ; Erythema ; Lymphoma ; Photosensitivity Disorders* ; PUVA Therapy* ; Skin ; Solar System

The purpose of the study was to determine factors influencing compliance with anti-tuberculosis therapy. The study subjects were 104 tuberculosis patients who have received the initial treatment in 3 health centers of Kyongju-city, Dalseong-Gun in Teagu and Kumi-city. Data were collected between september and october 1995. The patients were classified into the improved group and the non-improved group according to outcomes of 3 month treatment with short-term therapeutic regimen. To find factors influencing compliance with anti-tuberculosis therapy, multiple logistic regression was made. There was no significant differences between the improved group and the non-improved group in sex, age, education level, occupation, family pattern, and habitual change regarding smoking and drinking. The level of knowledge about anti-tuberculosis therapy in the improved group was significantly higher than the non-improved group(p<0.01). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that family support for not forgetting medication(p<0.05) was a predictor of improvement and knowledge about anti-tuberculosis therapy (p=0.054), regularity of medication(p=0.062), and consultation to family, doctor and nurse(p=0.075)were marginal predictors of improvement. Treatment must be given to every patient confirmed as having tuberculosis and must be given free of charge to the patients. The requirements for adequate chemotherapy are prescribed in the correct dosage and taken regularly by the patient for a sufficient period to prevent relapse of the disease after cure. It is suggested that education to the patients should be reinforced and connectedness between patients and tuberculosis control workers and family should be solidated.
Compliance* ; Drinking ; Drug Therapy ; Education ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Occupations ; Recurrence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Tuberculosis

We report a rare case of glomangiomyoma in a 25-year-old man who had an asymptomatic, 1.5 × 1.5cm sized, round, skin-colored, soft mass on the right cheek. Histopathologically, the lesion was consistent with glomangiomyoma which showed irregularly dilated vessels lined by endothelial cells and several outer layers of glomus cells, and smooth muscles distributed within the tumor. The tumor cells were characterized immunohistochemically by the presence of smooth muscle actin, muscle specific actin, and vimentin. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of glomangiomyoma on the facial location in the Korean literature.
Actins ; Adult ; Cheek ; Endothelial Cells ; Glomus Tumor ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth ; Vimentin

A 34-year-old man visited our hospital with alopecia areata on the occipital scalp, which began to develop two months prior to his visit. He was sensitized with 0.2% diphenylcyclopropenone(DPCP) in acetone that was applied to the inner side of his right arm. Two weeks after sensitization, we applied DPCP on his bald lesion once weekly for skin challenge. Following the third application of DPCP, polycyclic erythematous target-like lesions developed around the sensitized area. A clinical diagnosis of erythema multiforme was made. Histologically, the target-like lesion showed few eosinophilic dyskeratosis, exocytosis, and hydropic de-generation of basal layer in the epidermis, and mononuclear infiltration around superficial blood vessels in the dermis. We report herein a rare case of erythema multiforme following topical application of DPCP in the treatment of alopecia areata. This complication must be noted because of the wide-spread and frequent use of DPCP in dermatotherapeutic fields.
Acetone ; Adult ; Alopecia Areata ; Arm ; Blood Vessels ; Dermis ; Diagnosis ; Eosinophils ; Epidermis ; Erythema Multiforme* ; Erythema* ; Exocytosis ; Humans ; Scalp ; Skin

A 33-year-old man with alopecia totalis presented with facial erythema and flares, conjunctival injection, and dyspnea developed within several minutes following the ninth application of dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). A scratch skin test produced positive reactions in concentrations of 0.01, 0.05, 0.1% DNCB showing flares and wheals, whereas concentrations of 0.001, 0.01, 0.05% diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP) showed negative results. Contact urticaria due to DNCB is very rare, but this complication must be fully noted because of the widespread and frequent use of DNCB in dermatotherapeutic fields. We report herein a rare case of contact urticaria following topieal application of DNCB in the treatment of alopecia totalis.
Adult ; Alopecia ; Dinitrochlorobenzene* ; Dyspnea ; Erythema ; Humans ; Skin Tests ; Urticaria*

We report a case of multiple eccrine hidrocystoma (MEH) in a 57-year-old woman who had asymptomatic, discrete, skin-colored, shiny, firm papulovesicles on the face. These lesions enlarged during summer or when the patient did housework, and decreased in sue during winter or rest. Histologic examination showed a dilated, unilocular, cystic, invaginated structure within the middle dermis. The wall of the cyst generally consisted of two layers of Rat or cuboida1 epithelial cells. Decapitation secretion and myoepithelial cells were not observed. The lesions improved markedly with 1% topical atropine sulfate.
Animals ; Atropine* ; Decapitation ; Dermis ; Epithelial Cells ; Female ; Hidrocystoma* ; Housekeeping ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Rats

BACKGROUND: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) is an increasingly common cause of nosocomial infections worldwide. Epidemiologic investigation of MRSA outbreaks and identification of pathways of nosocomial MRSA spread require the ability to distinguish individual MRSA strains. We applied molecular tap ing of the methicillin-resistant determinant (mec) and coagulase typing in the investigation of a nosocomial MRSA infections. METHODS: We randomly selected 79 strains of mecA positive MRSA isolated from patients who visited Dong-A university Hospital from Dec. 1995 to Oct. 1996. Molecular typing of MRSA was performed by comparing the size of the mac-associated hypervariable region amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Coagulase typing with type I-VIII antisera was also used for classification of MRSA based on its phenotype. Each isolates were classified by the combination of molecular analyses and coagulase type. RESULTS: The 79 MRSA isolates were grouped Into sin hypervariable legion (HVR) genotypes on the basis of the size of the PGR products. In coagulase typing, the most predominant type was II(46.8%) and type V was not found. Nine strains were not typable. The combination of HVR genotypes and coagulase types showed 23 different types in 79 MRSA Isolates. The strains which were repeatedly isolated from the same patients showed the same HYR genotypes and coagulate types. CONCLUSION: The combination of HVR genotypes and coagulase types is thought to be useful in epidemiolgical Investigation of nosocomial infections caused by MRSA ,because of its simplicity and reproducibility.
Classification ; Coagulase* ; Cross Infection* ; Disease Outbreaks ; Genotype ; Humans ; Immune Sera ; Methicillin Resistance* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus* ; Molecular Typing* ; Phenotype ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Staphylococcus

BACKGROUND: Recent DNA polymorphism analysis using numerous DNA markers has been used to determine the parental origin of the extra chromosome 21 in Down syndrome. In this study we used seven dinucleotide repeat polymorphisms on chromosome 21 to characterize a case of rea(21q21q) and to know whether it is consistent with an isochromosome or a true Robertsonian translocation. METHODS: Cytogenetic investigation was done by conventional G banding DNA was extracted from whole blood of a proband and her parents and was amplified by PCR using seven sets of (GT)n repeat dinucleotide markers located on the long arm of chromosome 21 After electrophoresis of the PCR product in polyacrylamide gel and silver staining the parental origin and number of DNA copy were determined by visual comparison of the band intensities within and between individuals. RESULTS: Conventional cytogenetics showed that the proband had a 46.XX.re(21q21q) chromosome pattern. Parental chromosome studies were normal, therefore, the rearrangement was a de novo event. All seven DNA markers showed one or two alleles, demonstrating rea(21q21q) to be an isochromosome. For D21S215 and D21S156 markers both parents were heterozygous and the proband inherited one copy of paternal allele and two copies of maternal allele which both parents did not share. This finding was consistent with a maternally derided isochromosome. CONCLUSION: Use of dinucleotide repeat DNA polymorphisms after PCR amplification will be very useful to detect the parental origin of additional chromosome 21 or rearrangement of chromosome 21 in Down syndrome. Besides employing siltier staining of a PCR product we will be able to avoid using of radioisotopes and apply to clinical laboratory diagnosis.
Alleles ; Arm ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21 ; Clinical Laboratory Techniques ; Cytogenetics ; Dinucleotide Repeats* ; DNA ; Down Syndrome ; Electrophoresis ; Genetic Markers ; Humans ; Isochromosomes ; Parents ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Radioisotopes ; Silver Staining

BACKGROUND: The 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 (5-HT3) receptor is a member of the Cys-loop superfamily of ligand-gated ion channels (LGICs) and modulated by pharmacologic relevant concentrations of volatile anesthetics or n-alcohols like most receptors of LGICs. The goal of this study was to reveal whether the site-directed single mutations of E-106, F-107 and R-222 in 5-HT3 receptor may affect the anesthetic modulation of halothane known as positive modulator. METHODS: The wild-type and mutant receptors, E106D, F107Y, R222F, R222V, were expressed in Xenopus Laevis oocytes and receptor function was assessed using two electrode voltage clamp techniques. RESULTS: E106D, F107Y, R222F, R222V mutant 5-HT3A receptors were functionally expressed. F107Y mutant 5-HT3A receptors displayed decreased sensitivity to 5-HT compared to the wild type 5-HT3A receptor (P < 0.05). Halothane showed positive modulation in both wild and F107Y mutant 5-HT3A receptors but F107Y mutant 5-HT3 receptor showed greater enhancing modulation comparing to wild-type receptor. Meanwhile, R222F and R222V mutant 5-HT3 receptor lost positive modulation with 1 and 2 MAC of halothane. Most interestingly, positive modulation by halothane was converted into negative modulation in E106D mutant 5-HT3A receptor. CONCLUSIONS: The present study implicate the amino acid residues known for agonist binding and linking agonist binding to channel gating might also have important role for anesthetic modulation in 5-HT3A receptor.
Anesthetics ; Electrodes ; Electrophysiology ; Halothane ; Ligand-Gated Ion Channels ; Oocytes ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT3 ; Serotonin ; Xenopus laevis