In order to measure the MPD with 8-methoxypsoralen, we selected 49 Korean healthy male vlunteers without phototoxic or photosensitive dermatoses. They were divided to 3 groups (Immediate; group 1, 1 hour; group 2, 2 hours', group 3) according to the waiting time, intervals of application of photosensitizer a,nd UVA:irradiation. The reaults were summarized as follows: 1. MPDs of group 1 had no clinical significance. 2, MPDs of group 2 were more than those of group '3 independently of application methods of photosensitizer. 3. In the cases of topical application of 8-MOP, MPDs of group 3 according to reading interval (24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours after UVA irradiation) were 3.4+/-2.9 J/cm2, 1.9+/-l.5 J/cm' and l. 7+1, 2/cm, respectively. 4 In the cases of oral administration of 8-MOP, MPDs of group 3 according to reading; interval as topical application of 8-MOP were 7.1+/-2.3 J/cm, 4.4+/-1.1 J/ cm2 and 4.2+/-l.2 J/cm2, respectively. 5 MPL)s accarding to the skin types as follows; (waiting time; 2 hours, read- ing interval; 48 hours) a. In the case of topical application of 8-MOP, MPDs of the skin type ]II, 1V and V were 0.9+/-0.5 J/cm2, 1.8+/-1.1 J/cm2 and 3.0+/-l.3 J/cm2 respectively. b. In the case of oral administration of 8-MOP, MPDs of skin type g, W and were 3.5+/-1.1 J/cm2, 4.7+/-1.3 J/cm2 and 6.9+/-l.8 J/cm2, respectively.
Administration, Oral ; Humans ; Male ; Methoxsalen ; Skin ; Skin Diseases

A lg year-old female patient with pityriasis lichenoides et varioliforrnis acuta (PLEVA) was been treated with PUVA, At first, she was treated with tetracycline for 8 weeks with improvement somewhat. But 2 months later, her skin lesions aggravated slowly. So, we tried to treated her with PUVA and then she was cleared completely. The initial dose of UVA was 5 J/cm The UVA dosage increased by 10g of the previous exposure and increased to the maximum dose, 15 J/cm The patient exposed to UVA R times per week. 12 times after the PUVA therapy, the skin lesions begin to improve and completely improved at 21 times of Pl.JVA therapy. She was followed up every week and there was no side effect except hyperpigrnentation till 24 months. The total dose during treatment is 210 J/cm.
Female ; Humans ; Photochemotherapy* ; Pityriasis Lichenoides* ; Pityriasis* ; PUVA Therapy ; Skin ; Tetracycline

BACKGROUND: Oncogenes and EGF-Receptor(EGFR) may be involved n different stages of the multistep carcinogenesis process. A specific pattern of karyotypic abnormalities in solid tumors can be detected by cytogenetic methods. OBJECTIVE: This study is intnded to observe the cytomolecular kiologic chracterization of c-myc, erb B and EGFR genes in squasnous cell carcinoma(SCC) of the skin and cervix. METHODS: We have eytogenet,ically examined the short-term culturs from SCC. The rearrangement, amplification or expressi.on of erb B, c-myc, and EGFR genes were studied by Southern blot, analysis of genomic DNA and by slot blot analysis of tota! RNA extracted from biopsies of normal skin and SCC tissues. EGFR expression was examined immunohistochemially using monoclonal antibodies and the localizat,ion of the c-myc oncogene mRNA by in situ hybridization. RESULTS: A remarkably structural aberration was del 6(q21-qter) counted 20 metaphases among 28 metaphases ana1yzed. In nunierical aberration, all chromosomes were lost or gained randomly. Amenploid including triploid and tetraploid were observed in 8 metaphases, 6 tumor cells contained marker chromosome. In Southern blot analysis, rearrangement and amglificaton of EGFR in primary squamous cell carcinoma of cervix uteri and skin respectively. In slot blot analysis, the levels of c-myc, erb B and EGFR mRNA increaaed respectively 3.5, 2.5 and 2.8 times in SCC when compared to normal tissues. In immunoperoxidase stain, EGFR was present, in SCC where keratinocytes with strong cyto-plasmic staining but no membr, line labelling, where as in normal skin the were primarily present in t,he membrane and cytoplasm of basal cells. In situ hybridization with c-myc cDNAs allowed detection of grains representative of biotin labelled cDNA-mRNA hybrids in the frozden section of SCC tissues. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that specific patterns of karyotypir abnormalites, rearrangement, or amplification of EGFR gene, and overexpression of oncogenes and EGFR gene may be associated with the carcinogenesis of SCC.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Biopsy ; Biotin ; Blotting, Southern ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Edible Grain ; Cervix Uteri ; Cytogenetics ; Cytoplasm ; DNA ; DNA, Complementary ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Female ; Genes, erbB-1 ; In Situ Hybridization ; Keratinocytes ; Membranes ; Metaphase ; Oncogenes ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin ; Tetraploidy ; Triploidy

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

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

We report a case of periumbilical pseudoxanthoma elasticum in a 73-year-old female. It is characterized by a dark-yellowish plaque present on the periumbilical area of the lower abdomen. The plaque is well-demarcated and its surface is grooved or fissured, atrophic and verrucoid. This localized lesion of the periumbilical area occurs in a multiparous woman with no history of hereditary systemic pseudoxanthoma elasticum.
Abdomen ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum*

In general the appearance of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is the most important sign of adequate dura puncture. We experienced an unusual case of spinal failure due to the blockage of a spinal needle hole by a foreign body. After the needle tip penetrated the dura, the stylet was removed, but we could not see a free flow of CSF. We found that a small rubber fragment of the local anesthetic bottle plug was on the spinal needle tip. The reason for this was the aspiration of the local anesthetic with an 18 gauge introductory needle.
Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Foreign Bodies* ; Needles* ; Punctures ; Rubber

To investigate the effect of tumor removal and administration of OK432 on the splenic natural killer (NK) cell activity in the subcutaneous tumor bearing rats, NK cell activity assay using a 4-hour 51Cr release assay and flow cytometric analysis for NK cell population were performed. The results were as follows: 1. Splenic NK cell activity and population in the subcutaneous tumor bearing rats decreased along with the growth of the tumor. 2. The rats with subcutaneous tumor removal showed decrease of splenic NK cell activity, but splenic NK cell population was not decreased. 3. In the rats with subcutaneous tumor removal and OK432 administration, splenic NK cell activity was significantly increased 1 week after administration of OK432 and then gradually returned to normal, whereas increase of NK cell population was not significant. In the present study, splenic NK cell activity was significantly decreased despite removal of subcutaneous tumor. But with the administration of OK432, splenic NK cell activity returned to normal. Considering the role of NK cells on the first line of defense against the metastatic implantation of circulating tumor emboli, we suggest that perioperative administration of immunopotentiator such as OK432 may improve the patient's outcome after surgery of human neoplasm.
Animals ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural* ; Picibanil* ; Rats* ; Spleen

The superior vena cava syndrome can occur when an extrnsc compression or intralurninal occlusion impedes blocxl flow through this vessel. We report a case of superior vena cava syndrome with tirc nbophlebitis on the right forearm in 57 year old male patient who used steroids (p.o) for 25 years.
Forearm ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Steroids ; Superior Vena Cava Syndrome* ; Vena Cava, Superior*

We report a case of xanthoma disseminatum in a 24 year old male paitient. Multiple yellow-brown papules developed on the flexor aurfaces, such as the neck, axillae, antecubital fossae, groin, and perianal regions. Some papules were detected arouns the eyes and uvulai. biopsy specimen revealed a dense infiltrate of histiocytes, foam cells, Touton giant cells, and other inflammatory cells. No Langerhans granules were seen in the electron microscopic analysis.
Axilla ; Biopsy ; Foam Cells ; Giant Cells ; Groin ; Histiocytes ; Histiocytosis, Non-Langerhans-Cell* ; Humans ; Male ; Neck ; Xanthomatosis* ; Young Adult