Melanocytes were identified by the dopa reaction, and counted in vertical sections of 183 specimens of normal skin and 218 specimens of patients with pigmentary disorders. The incidence of dopa-positive cells in the basal layer was determined. One cell in 9 in the basal layer was dopa-positive in normal specimens. There was no significant difference in the incidence of dopa-positive cells between male and female and between adult and children. Specimens from face, neck and prepuce revealed comparatively high incidence of dopa-positive cells. Among pigmentary disorders, vitiligo and halo area of halo nevus were characterized by an abscence or marked reduction in the number of dopa-positive cells, but lentigo and cafe-au-lait spot were characterized by an increase in their number In tuberous sclerosis, tinea versicolor and idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis, there wasn't any change of the melanocyte population between lesional skin and normal skin. The significance of these findings in vertical skin sections was discussed.
Adult ; Cafe-au-Lait Spots ; Child ; Dihydroxyphenylalanine* ; Female ; Humans ; Hypopigmentation ; Incidence ; Lentigo ; Male ; Melanocytes ; Neck ; Nevus, Halo ; Skin* ; Tinea Versicolor ; Tuberous Sclerosis ; Vitiligo

No abstract available.
Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Humans

Nevus lipomatosus cutaneous superficialis(NLCB) is a rare condition consisting of ectopic fat tissue in the dermis and having the predilection for the pelvic girdle, especially gluteal region. The patient was a 20 year-old female. About 8 years prior to the first visit she had noticed the rice-sized papules on her lower back, which had been gradually increased in size and coalesced to become two, cerebriform, skin colored to yellowish tumor masses of soft consistency, distributed on both sides of the midline of lower back, and measuring respectively 3.5X7.Qcm and 7.0x11.5cm in size. Jihe biopsy specimen taken from the tumor mass revealed the ectopic presence of fat lobules occupying half of the reticular dermis. The fat lobules consisted of almost mature fat cells with the presence of dilated capillaries in their centers.
Adipocytes ; Biopsy ; Buttocks ; Capillaries ; Dermis ; Female ; Humans ; Nevus* ; Skin ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of morbidity and mortality. It is well known that androgen and sex hormone-binding globulin(SHBG) in women were associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as obesity, central fat accumulation and atherogenic lipid profile. High resolution B-mode ultrasonography can visualize directly both luminal and vessel wall characteristics, and ultrasonic measurement of carotid intima-medial thickness(IMT) can be used to investigate the atherosclerosis of coronary, cerebral and peripheral arteries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate(DHEA-S) and SHBG, and body fat distribution pattern, cardiovascular risk factor and carotid atherosclerosis in women. METHODS: Blood pressure, fasting serum glucose, insulin, lipid profile, SHBG and DHEA-S were measured. Body fat distribution pattern was assessed by waist to hip ratio, waist to thigh ratio and subscapular to triceps skin fold thickness ratio, faf mass measured by bioelectric impedance analyzer, subcutaneous fat area, visceral fat area, and visceral to subcutaneous fat area ratio(VSR) at the level of umbilicus using the computed tomography. The IMT of the carotid artery was measured by high resolution B mode ultrasound as a marker of atherosclerosis. RESULTS: 1) There was no significant difference of age-adjusted values of carotid IMT among subjects with NGT(0.426+/-0.09mm), IGT(0.46+/-10.09mm) and NIDDM(0.453+/-0.11mm). 2) In postrnenopausal women, carotid IMT was greater(0.484+/-0.11mm, p=0.05) than premenopausal women(0.426+/-0.08mm), but it was not significant after age adjustment. Serum SHBG and DHEA-S levels in postmenopausal women were significantly lower(p<0.05) than premenopausal women, but they were not significant after age adjustment. 3) Carotid IMT was significantly correlated with age(r=0.37, p<0.01), fasting serum glucose (r=0.32, p<0.01), total cholesterol(r= 0.25, p<0.05), LDL-cholesterol(r=0.26, p<0.05), visceral fat area(r=0.35, p<0.01) and VSR(r=0.31, p<0.05). 4) By the stepwise multiple regression analysis, carotid IMT was positively and significantly associated with age(p<0.01) and serum DHEA-S concentration(p<0.05) in dent of age, body mass index, waist to hip ratio, fasting serum glucose. CONCLUSION: Carotid IMT was associated with age and serum DHEA-S concentration in women without cardiovascular disease. Therefore, serum DHEA-S may be one of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in women. However, we could not conclude its cause-result relationship because of cross sectional nature of our study, and prospective study will be needed.
Arteries ; Atherosclerosis ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Body Fat Distribution ; Body Mass Index ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery Diseases* ; Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate* ; Dehydroepiandrosterone* ; Electric Impedance ; Fasting ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Mortality ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Phenobarbital ; Risk Factors ; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin* ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Fat ; Thigh ; Ultrasonics ; Ultrasonography ; Umbilicus ; Waist-Hip Ratio

Kaposi's sarcoma is one of the important features of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients, renal transplanted patients, young African men, and elderly Ashkenazi Jews. It is well recognized as the most common malignancy asssociated with AIDS and there is also an increased incidence among patients with iatrogenic immunosuppression secondary to renal transplantation. However, a few cases of Kaposi's sarcoma in immunosuppressed patients not related to the renal trans-plantation had been reported. In this study, we present a case of Kaposi's sarcoma involving the oropharynx and the skin of a patient who was not associated with AIDS nor treated with special immunosuppressive agents for renal transplantation.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; Aged ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Incidence ; Jews ; Kidney Transplantation ; Male ; Oropharynx* ; Sarcoma, Kaposi* ; Skin*

Trichophyton tonsurans is a major causative agent of tinea capitis in the United States, Canada, Mezico and other Latin American countries, but the infection of T.tonsurans has not been reported in Korea. We report a case of tinea capitis caused by T. tonsurans in a 15-year-old student wrestler. He had a 3*3cm sized non-inflammatory alopecia with black dots on the right occipital area of the scalp. The diagnosis was established by a hght microscopic examination of the affected hairs and by mycological studies from cultures. To our knowledge, this is the first case in which T. tonsurans has been isolated in Korea, It is likely that the student acquired the infection through contact with a foreign wrestler during interaational games and practice. We should be concerned about the potential of spread of this infection in our country.
Adolescent ; Alopecia ; Canada ; Diagnosis ; Hair ; Humans ; Korea ; Scalp ; Tinea Capitis ; Tinea* ; Trichophyton* ; United States

Gardner's syndrome is a familial disease consisting of gastrointestinal adenomatous polyposis, osteomas of the mandible, skull, and long bones, and a variety of sol tissue lesions, including sebaceous cysts, fibromas, lipomas, and desmoid tumors. The colon is the most common site for polyposis, but the stomach, duodenum, small bowel, and periampullary area may also be involved. The diagnostic evaluation, malignant potential, and management is identical to that for familial adenomatous polyposis. The extracolonic manifestations of Gardner's syndrome are frequent and varied. Gardner's syndrome is inherited as autosomal dominant traits. Authors experienced one case that is a 32 year old female patient who had colonic and duodenal multiple polyposis, desmoid tumor in abdominal wall and right mesocolon and odontoma on mandible.
Abdominal Wall ; Adenomatous Polyposis Coli ; Adult ; Colon ; Duodenum ; Epidermal Cyst ; Female ; Fibroma ; Fibromatosis, Aggressive ; Gardner Syndrome* ; Humans ; Lipoma ; Mandible ; Mesocolon ; Odontoma ; Osteoma ; Skull ; Stomach

BACKGROUND: Cyclosporine, an immune suppressive agent has been reported to potentiate the neuromuscular blockade induced by vecuronium and atracurium. And the potentiation degree was more prominent in the vecuronium. Rocuronium and mivacurium have been introduced into clinical practice recently and there is no report whether the cyclosporine potentiates the neuromuscular blocking effects of these agents. We, therefore studied the effect of Sandimun (cyclosporine in cremophor-ethanol) on the neuromuscular blockade action of rocuronium and mivacurium in rabbits. METHOD: The effect of Sandimun on the rocuronium and mivacurium were investigated in anesthetized 30 rabbits. The rabbits were divided into five groups; rocuronium group (rocuronium bromide 1 mg/kg iv), rocuronium - Sandimun group (rocuronium bromide 0.1 mg/kg iv after Sandimun 5 mg/kg iv), mivacurium group (mivacurium chloride 0.064 mg/kg iv), mivacurium - Sandimun group (mivacurium chloride 0.064 mg/kg iv after Sandimun 5 mg/kg iv) and Sandimun group (Sandimun 5 mg/kg iv). Neuromuscular block was assessed by measuring the response of anterior tibial muscle to 0.1Hz single twitch stimulation of the common peroneal nerve. Onset time, duration of muscle relaxation and recovery index were compared among the groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in onset time and recovery indices among the groups. Significant difference was found in duration between the rocuronium group and the rocuronium-Sandimun group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Sandimun potentiates the rocuronium - induced neuromuscular blockade but not the neuromuscular blocking action of mivacurium.
Atracurium ; Cyclosporine* ; Muscle Relaxation ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Neuromuscular Blockade* ; Peroneal Nerve ; Rabbits ; Vecuronium Bromide

Dermal melanocytosis includes Mongolian spot, nevi of Ota and Ito, dermal melanocytic harnartoma, and blue nevus. Nevi of Ota may be respectively associated with Mongolian spot, blue nevi and unilateral or bilateral nevi of Ito. We present a case, a 24 year-old female, who had bilaterally brownish or slatebluish pigmented patches on the face, sclera, neck, anterior chest, deltoid, supraclavicular, scapular, back and sacrococcygeal area. And also she had a bluish, bean-sized nodule on her left mid-back. It is likely that this case may be considered as an extremely extensive case of pig:m.entary anomaly, associating aberrant and persistent mongolian spots, extensive nevus of Ito, bilateral nevus of Ota and blue nevus. To our knowledges it seems that such case has not previously been reported in Korean literature.
Female ; Humans ; Mongolian Spot ; Neck ; Nevus ; Nevus of Ota ; Nevus, Blue ; Sclera ; Thorax ; Young Adult