Melanogenesis, or synthesis of melanin has been a focus of intense investigation by pigment cell biologists during the past few decades. Melanogenesis provides pigment in skin, thus serving as a unique, if not only, physiological defense against sun-induced injuries, including photocarcinogenesis. Moreover, skin color plays a major role in visual esthetics of an individual. Therefore, unwanted hyper- or hypo-pigmentation, especially on facial skin, could cause significant psychological stress. Epidermal melanocytes, derived from neural crest cells, are mainly responsible for melanin in skin. In human skin, nearly all normal pigmentation is due to melanin and with the exception of hemoglobin, it is one of the only endogenously synthesized pigments in man. Melanin has numerous functions in mammals, including increasing the optical efficiency of the eye, producing color patterns in various organs, including hair or skin, serving as camouflage, heat exchange, sexual recognition and protection from sunlight. The incidences of malignant melanoma have been increasing dramatically in western countries, at least by a factor of 15 over the past 60 years, and this has caused an intense interest in understanding melanogenesis. More than 40,000 new cases of malignant melanoma have been diagnosed in 1997, and it is one of the most common cancers in young adults. The research in the area of melanogenesis has exploded during the last ten years because model systems to study molecular mechanisms regulating melanogenesis have become available. This review examines currently available in vitro and in vivo model systems to study melanogenesis.
Esthetics ; Hair ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mammals ; Melanins ; Melanocytes ; Melanoma ; Neural Crest ; Pigmentation ; Skin ; Stress, Psychological ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Doxycycline ; Humans ; Tooth*

Epidermoid Cyst is a very rare benign neoplasm of the testis which represents about 1% of all testicular tumors. Ultrasonography findings of epidermoid cyst are so variable in reported cases that it is not eas y to diagnose preoperatively. The echogenecity of mixed echoic. it may show hyperechoic rim, and rarely shows target apperance. Target appearance may be a specific finding of epidermoid cyst, and it may be helpful to diagnose preoperatively. we describe a case of epidermoid cyst of the testis demonstrating double target sign on ultrasonography.
Epidermal Cyst* ; Testicular Neoplasms ; Testis* ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.

Primary breast lesions diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology, confirmed by histologic examination were analyzed by morphometry to evaluate the difference between benign and malignant lesions, and the methods obtaining the sample. Four size factors and 5 form factors were evaluated in 22 fibroadenomas and 20 carcinomas by image analyzer(Zeiss Ibas 2000) using the H-E stained slides. Nuclear size was significantly larger in the carcinoma cells than fibroadenoma cells both in the cytology and biopsy specimens, but the form factors were not significantly different. Both fibroadenoma and carcinoma cells were significantly larger in cytologic smear than histologic section. The cells in the cytology were more regular and round than those in histology, but not statistically significant. Fibroadenomas having cellular proliferation and atypism exhibited larger size and more irregular nuclei than non-proliferative fibroadenoma, but not statistically significant. Therefore nuclear morphometric analysis can be a helpful method to diagnose the questionable breast lesions and is a method appropriate for use as a quality control procedure in the fine needle aspiration cytology.
Biopsy* ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Breast* ; Cell Proliferation ; Fibroadenoma* ; Quality Control

BACKGROUND: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) with acquired metallo β-lactamase (MBL) resistance have been increasingly reported worldwide and associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Here, an outbreak of genetically related strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae producing the imipenemase (IMP)-1 MBL in a medical intensive care unit (MICU) in Korea is reported. METHODS: Since isolating carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CRKP) at the MICU of the hospital on August 10, 2011, surveillance cultures for CRE in 31 hospitalized patients were performed from August to September 2011. Carbapenem resistance was determined based on the disk diffusion method outlined in the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for genes coding for β-lactamase. Associations among isolates were assessed via pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). In addition, a surveillance study of environmental cultures and health-care workers (HCWs) was conducted in the MICU during the same time frame. RESULTS: During the study period, non-duplicated CRKP specimens were discovered in four patients in the MICU, suggestive of an outbreak. On August 10, 2011, CRKP was isolated from the sputum of a 79-year-old male patient who was admitted to the MICU. A surveillance study to detect additional CRE carriers by rectal swab revealed an additional three CRKP isolates. PCR and sequencing of the four isolates identified the presence of the IMP-1 gene. In addition, PFGE showed that the four isolated strains were genetically related. CRE was not identified in specimens taken from the hands of HCWs or other environmental sources during surveillance following the outbreak. Transmission of the carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae strain was controlled by isolation of the patients and strict contact precautions. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that rapid and systemic detection of CRE and strict infection controls are important steps in preventing nosocomial transmission.
Aged ; Clinical Coding ; Critical Care* ; Diffusion ; Disease Outbreaks ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Enterobacteriaceae ; Hand ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Intensive Care Units* ; Klebsiella pneumoniae* ; Klebsiella* ; Korea ; Male ; Methods ; Mortality ; Pneumonia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sputum

A case of toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) was presented in 46 year-old male patient. The characteristic skin lesions of TEN were developed after some medictions and tetanus anti-toxin (TAT) injection due to trauma. Probably, the cause of the disease was drugs, TAT injection or trauma inself. On the pathologic findings, lower epidermis and dermo-epidermal cleavage were noticed. He was treated with massive antibiotics and steroid. About 7 days after therapy, much improvement achived. However foul odorous yellowish discharge was noticed since 20 days of hospitalization. Wide debridement of necrotic tissue was carried without improvement. Patient expired on 48th hospital day due to sepsis and impending hepatic coma.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Debridement ; Epidermis ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odors ; Sepsis ; Skin ; Stevens-Johnson Syndrome* ; Tetanus

Pityriasis lichenoides chronica is considered to be a benign disease. Erythematous yelIowieh scaly maeulea appear insidiously, chiefly on the sides of trunk, thighs and upper arms. Acanthosis nigricans is a rare cutaneous disorder with peak incidence in puberty characterized by hyperkeratosis and, dark pigmentation. We report a case of pityriasis lichenoides chronica assaciated with pseudoacanthosis nigricans in a 14 year-old obeae male patient who has bean sized erythematoua scaly papules on the trunk and extremities, velvety black brownish colored patchea on the neck and both axillary regions.
Acanthosis Nigricans ; Adolescent ; Arm ; Extremities ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Neck ; Pigmentation ; Pityriasis Lichenoides ; Pityriasis* ; Puberty ; Thigh

OBJECTIVE: The conventional methods to determine fetal genetic status, such as amniocentesis or chorionic villi sampling(CVS) have small procedure-related risk of abortion. Recently, several researchers reported that fetal genetic status, such as sex, can be confirmed by fetal nucleated erythrocytes in maternal blood and this method might reduce such risk. Therefore, in this study, we attempted to determine the basic fetal genetic status, sex, with fetal nucleated erythrocytes. METHODS: In twelve pregnant women who undertook amniocentesis or CVS, 20 ml of venous blood was drawn immediately before the procedure and the nucleated erythrocytes were recovered by magnetic activated cell sorting(MACS). After MACS, DNA was extracted from 200 microliter of sample and single nucleated erythrocyte was obtained by additional procedure, immunostaining, and microdissection. After recovery of nucleated erythrocytes by microdissection, nested polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and fluorescent PCR of amelogenin gene were performed to identify the fetal gender. RESULTS: The DNA of enriched erythrocytes after MACS could identify the fetal gender in the 58.3% of the samples by nested PCR. After the recovery of single nucleated erythrocyte by MACS, immunostaining and microdissection, the minute DNA in a single cell could be amplified by primer extension preamplification(PEP), nested PCR, and fluorescent PCR. Fetal genders were correctly identified in 8 out of 12 (66.7 %). CONCLUSION: Through this study, we could conclude that fetal nucleated erythrocytes in maternal blood might be sufficient sample to determine fetal sex. And single cell isolation by microdissection could get the better results than nested PCR after MACS only. However, in spite of the pregnancy of male fetus, female specific bands were obtained after nested PCR of amelogenin in several cells, which might suggest that part of nucleated erythrocytes in maternal blood might be maternal origin. Therefore, to determine fetal genetic condition by nucleated erythrocytes in maternal blood, further improvements of methods to identify the nucleated erythrocytes of fetal origin are needed.
Amelogenin ; Amniocentesis ; Cell Separation ; Chorionic Villi ; Diagnosis* ; DNA ; Erythroblasts* ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Male ; Microdissection ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women

Edwards syndrome is first introduced by Edwards and characterized by facial anomalies, multiple cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, urogenital, and skeletal malformations. It results from triplication of part or all of chromosome 18 in some or all of the patient's cells. It has an incidence of 1 in 4,500 live births or less and short life expectancy. Recently we experienced a case of 3-day-old female new born infant with this syndrome. Post mortem examination showed progeric face with prominent occiput, large flabby ears, microphthalmia, and micrognathia, bilateral clenched hands with flexion contraction of middle fingers, and bilateral rockerbottom feet. Internal examination revealed horseshoe kidney, esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula, two accessory spleens, and multiple cardiac anomalies. A trisomy 18 was confirmed by the cytogenetic study.
Infant ; Male ; Female ; Infant, Newborn ; Humans ; Incidence