Objective To observe the skin ultrastructure change of electric shock death rats and to test the expression changes of hypoxia-inducible factor-2α （HIF-2α） and heart type-fatty acid-binding protein （H-FABP） of myocardial cells, in order to provide basis for forensic identification of electric shock death. Methods The electric shock model of rats was established. The 72 rats were randomly divided into control group, electric shock death group and postmortem electric shock group. Each group was divided into three subgroups, immediate （0 min）, 30 min and 60 min after death. The skin changes of rats were observed by HE staining, the changes of skin ultrastructure were observed by scanning electron microscopy, and the expression of HIF-2α and H-FABP in rats myocardium was tested by immunohistochemical staining. Results The skin in the electric shock death group and postmortem electric shock group had no significant difference through the naked eye or by HE staining. Under the scanning electron microscope, a large number of cellular debris, cells with unclear boundaries, withered cracks, circular or elliptical holes scattered on the cell surface and irregular edges were observed. A large number of spherical foreign body particles were observed. Compared with the control group, the expression of HIF-2α in all electric shock death subgroups increased, reaching the peak immediately after death. In the postmortem electric shock group, HIF-2α expression only increased immediately after death, but was lower than that of electric shock death group （P<0.05）. Compared with the control group, the expression of H-FABP in all subgroups of electric shock death group and postmortem electric shock group significantly decreased. The expression of H-FABP in all subgroups of electric shock death group was lower than that of the postmortem electric shock group （P<0.05）. Conclusion Electric shock can increase HIF-2α expression and decrease H-FABP expression in the myocardium, which may be of forensic significance for the determination of electric shock death and identification of antemortem and postmortem electric shock.
Animals ; Autopsy ; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Fatty Acid Binding Protein 3/metabolism* ; Myocardium/metabolism* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism* ; Rats ; Skin/ultrastructure*

Olmsted syndrome (OS) is a rare congenital skin disorder characterized by severe palmoplantar and periorificial keratoderma, alopecia, onychodystrophy, and severe pruritus. Recently, pathogenic ‘gain-of-function‘ mutations of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 3 gene (TRPV3), which encodes a cation channel involved in keratinocyte differentiation and proliferation, hair growth, inflammation, pain and pruritus, have been identified to cause OS. Due to the rarity, the pattern of inheritance of OS is still unclear. We report a case of OS in a 3-year-old Korean girl and its underlying gene mutation. The patient presented with a disabling, bilateral palmoplantar keratoderma with onychodystrophy. She also exhibited pruritic eczematous skin lesions around her eyes, ears and gluteal fold. Genetic analysis identified a heterozygous p.Gly568Val missense mutation in the exon 13 of TRPV3. To our knowledge, this is the first case of OS in the Korean population showing a missense mutation p.Gly573Ser.
Abnormalities, Multiple/*genetics ; Base Sequence ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Keratoderma, Palmoplantar/genetics ; Lipid Droplets/ultrastructure ; Mutation, Missense/*genetics ; Skin/pathology/ultrastructure ; Syndrome ; TRPV Cation Channels/*genetics

The present paper was designed to investigate the effect of varying concentrations of ethanol in receiver solution on the in vitro transdermal permeation of drug across the rat skin. 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was used as the model drug on account of its good hydrophility, the excised rat skins were treated with different concentration ethanol prepared with normal saline for 12 h, then replaced by normal saline and added the saturated model drug into the donor compartment to determine the transdermal parameters of the drug. Meanwhile, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to monitor the effect of the different concentration ethanol on the stratum corneum of the rat skin. The ethanol below the concentration of 15% didn't significantly affect the barrier profile of the rat skin, while significant difference of in steady-state transdermal rate and lag times were observed when the concentration of ethanol was 20% or above. The SEM studies indicated that wrinkle of the intact rat skin gradually disappeared and a number of flakes were desquamated from the skin when the concentration of ethanol was above 20%. The results showed that the low concentration of the ethanol (below 15%) didn't obviously affect the excised skin, yet the barrier profile of rat skin would significantly disrupted with the concentration of ethanol above 20%.
Animals ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Ethanol ; chemistry ; Fluorouracil ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Male ; Microscopy, Electrochemical, Scanning ; Permeability ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin ; metabolism ; ultrastructure

Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) is a rare subtype of cutaneous lymphoma. There have been a few case reports describing the radiologic imaging findings of SPTCL. We report a case of SPTCL, rarely presented with a breast mass. Here, we review her clinical history and radiologic (mammography and ultrasound) findings.
Adult ; Breast Neoplasms/*pathology/radiography/ultrasonography ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphoma, T-Cell/*pathology/radiography/ultrasonography ; Mammography ; Panniculitis/*pathology/radiography/ultrasonography ; Rare Diseases/*pathology/radiography/ultrasonography ; Skin Neoplasms/*pathology/radiography/ultrastructure

Animals ; Bone Matrix ; pathology ; Bone and Bones ; pathology ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Collagen Type III ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal ; metabolism ; pathology ; Osteoblasts ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Osteoclasts ; pathology ; Osteocytes ; pathology ; Osteogenesis Imperfecta ; classification ; metabolism ; pathology ; Skin ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo probe the mechanism of acupuncture in anti-skin aging.

METHODSA blank control group, an operation control group, an 8-month young group and an 18-month aged group were set up. Soluble and total hydroxyproline contents of the abdominal skin were compared, and appearance of fibroblast and arrangement of collagenous fibers were observed with transmission electron microscope, effects of surrounding needling on contents of collagenous fibers and ultrastructures of the dermis of the aged rats were observed, and the results were compared with results reported.

RESULTSAfter surrounding needling, soluble hydroxyproline content of the skin significantly increased and the total hydroxyproline content did not change in the rats as compared with the aged control group; and cellular organs in dermis fibroblast decreased and cellular structures retrograded, and the space between collagenous fibers widened, and aging frame-bridge increased in the aged rats, but after surrounding needling fibroblast activity strengthened.

CONCLUSIONSurrounding needling can change aging state of skin possibly by strengthening the activity of fibroblast in skin and increasing the content of soluble collagen.

Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Animals ; Collagen ; analysis ; Female ; Hydroxyproline ; analysis ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Skin ; chemistry ; ultrastructure ; Skin Aging

OBJECTIVETo observe mid- and long-term changes in the histopathology and electron microscopic characteristics of the acellular dermal matrix engrafted with thin split-thickness skin autograft.

METHODSTwenty-three biopsy samples were collected from 17 patients undergoing extremity scar resection, who received subsequent grafting using allogenic dermal matrix dressed with thin split-thickness skin autografts. Six months to 2 years after the grafting, the grafts were sampled for histopathological and electron microscopic observations of the layer of the epidermis, thickness of the basal membrane, structural components of the dermis, and infiltration of fibroblasts and revascularization. The data were compared with those of the normal skin samples from the patients.

RESULTSOnly the number of epidermal layers showed statistically significant difference between the skin grafts and the normal skin (16.33-/+5.89 vs 26.57-/+3.46, P=0.007). The thickness of the basal membrane of the skin grafts was similar to that of normal skin, and no significant difference was found in the number of fibroblasts and newly generated capillaries between them.

CONCLUSIONThe mid- and long-term histopathology and ultrastructures of the composite skin graft in the extremities are similar to those of normal skin, suggesting satisfactory effect of the skin grafts.

Adolescent ; Burns ; surgery ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cicatrix ; surgery ; Dermis ; transplantation ; ultrastructure ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Male ; Skin ; ultrastructure ; Skin Transplantation ; methods ; Skin, Artificial ; Transplantation, Autologous

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of preemptive freezing with different temperature and cross-linking methods on the ultrastructure of collagen membrane and its influence on human fibroblast proliferation.

METHODSBovine collagen type I solution in concentration of 10 g/L was preliminarily frozen at -20 degrees C or - 80 degrees C for 12 hours, and lyophilized at -70 degrees C for 48 hours. The diameter of apertures in collagen membranes prepared with two different preliminary temperatures were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and compared. The preliminary freezing temperature of - 80 degrees C was used for the following study. The apertures of collagen membrane performed with cross-linking glutaraldehyde and ultraviolet (UV) radiation cross-linking with glutaraldehyde (double cross - linking) after preliminary freezing were also compared. The proliferation of human fibroblasts inoculated in above cross-linking collagens were assessed by MTT assay, in terms of absorption value.

RESULTSThe mean diameter of apertures of collagen membrane pre-frozen at -20 degrees C was (172 +/- 374 microm, while that at -80 degrees C was (99 +/- 24) microm. The apertures of collagen membrane were reduced in size after glutaraldehyde cross-linking, while those of double cross-linking showed no change in size. There was obvious difference in absorption value of fibroblasts 8 days after seeding between above two cross-linking methods (1.534 +/- 0.013 for glutaraldehyde cross-linking, 3.778 +/- 0.010 for double cross-linking, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe collagen membrane after preliminary freezing at - 80 degrees C and double cross-linking with UV radiation and glutaraldehyde may be used as a dermal skeleton substitute.

Animals ; Cattle ; Cells, Cultured ; Coculture Techniques ; Collagen ; ultrastructure ; Cross-Linking Reagents ; chemistry ; Dermis ; cytology ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Freezing ; Glutaral ; chemistry ; Humans ; Skin, Artificial ; Tissue Scaffolds ; Ultraviolet Rays

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between melanin synthesis and the congenital high myopia of albino guinea-pigs. METHODS: Twelve albino guinea-pigs and 12 pigmented guinea-pigs of 220~250 grams (aged 5~6 weeks) were chosen at random. The eyes were examined with retinoscopy, A-scan ultrasonography and vernier caliper. The retinal structures were examined with light and electronic microscope. RESULTS: The diopter was -19.17 D in albino guinea-pigs and +0.63 D in pigmented guinea-pigs on average. Compared with the pigmented guinea-pigs, the axial dimensions of the albino guinea-pigs were elongated. There was significant difference between the albino guinea-pigs and the pigmented guinea-pigs. The retinal thickness, pigment granules and membrane disc of the outer segment of the visual cells decreased in the albino guinea-pigs, and the membrane disc space became narrow. The normal retinal thickness, plenty of pigment granules , membrane disc and wide membrane disc space could be observed in the pigmented guinea-pigs. CONCLUSION Albino guinea-pigs have high myopia, and pigmented guinea pigs have light hyperopia. There are structural differences in the retina between albino guinea-pigs and pigmented guinea-pigs. The abnormity of albino guinea-pigs provides optical foundation for its high myopia.
Albinism ; complications ; Animals ; Guinea Pigs ; Melanins ; biosynthesis ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Myopia ; congenital ; etiology ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Retina ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Skin Pigmentation

AIMTo investigate the effects and permeation mechanism of D-limonene and L-limonene on transdermal delivery of ligustrazine hydrochloride (LH).

METHODSTransdermal flux of LH through porcine skin was determined in vitro by Franz-type diffusion cells. The peak shift and peak areas of C-H stretching vibration absorption were estimated by Fourier transform-infrared (FTIR). Morphological changes in the stratum corneum (SC) treated with enhancers were observed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and apparent density, a new concept, was proposed to estimate the desquamated extent of SC for the first time.

RESULTSThere were no statistic difference (P > 0.05) between the transdermal fluxs of the enantiomer enhancers which were higher than those of control and azone. But the lag time of L-limonene was 2.55 times than that of D-limonene. The FTIR results revealed that the shift and decreased peak area of C-H stretching vibrations in the SC lipids were dependent on the enhancers. The enantiomers permeation enhancers, D-limonene and L-limonene, were able to perturb and extract the SC lipids to different extent. The disordering and extracting lipids activity of L-limonene was stronger than that of D-limonene. SEM studies demonstrated that the extraction of lipids was depended on the selected penetration promoters.

CONCLUSIOND-limonene was the most effective enhancer which had the greater transdermal flux of LH and the least lag time. The results showed that the permeation enhancement mechanism of the enantiomer enhancers to LH was multiple ones including disordering and extracting the SC lipids and probably including stereoselective mechanism.

Animals ; Cyclohexenes ; pharmacology ; Ligusticum ; chemistry ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Pyrazines ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Skin ; drug effects ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Skin Absorption ; drug effects ; Stereoisomerism ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature ; Terpenes ; pharmacology