akamatsu hirohiko

We reported a case of lichen planus due to dental metal compounds. A 55-year-old female had suffered from itchy eruptions on her forehead and back for two years. She was treated with topical medicaments and internal medicines. However, her symptoms had not been improved. Then she suffered from painful lesions on buccal mucosa for eight months. The histopathological diagnosis was lichen planus of the buccal mucosa. The result of patch tests showed a positive reaction to gold sodium thiosulfate 0.5%pet.. The painful lesions on her buccal mucosa and itchy eruptions on her forehead and back became less distinct after removing dental metals containing gold.

In order to evaluate the hormonal environment in adolescent women with acne, we measured serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone (T), free testosterone (FT), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), androstenedione (Δ⁴A), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels in 65 female patients with acne vulgaris, and 38 healthy controls with regular menstrual cycles. Only the serum DHEA-S levels in acne patients were significantly higher than those in the controls (p<0.001). There was also correlation between DHEA-S levels and acne severity (p<0.001). Thus there is the possibility that DHEA stimulates the activity of sebaceous glands in vivo. In this study the in vitro effects of DHEA on proliferation and lipid synthesis in cultured hamster sebaceous-gland-derived cells were assessed. DHEA stimulated the proliferation and lipid synthesis of cultured hamster sebaceous-gland-derived cells in a significant dose dependent manner (cell proliferation ; 10^-9M : p<0.05, 10^-8, 10^-7, 10^-6M : p<0.01, lipid synthesis ; 10^-7, 10^-6M : p<0.05). These in vivo and in vitro results suggest that DHEA may play a important role in the etiology of acne vulgaris.

We report a case of electric shock injury in a 42-year old man who was electrocuted with a current of 200. V voltage while performing civil engineering work. Electric current spots were observed on both his right and left forearms and the back of his right hand, suggesting that the electric current entered through the back of the hand, exiting from the forearm on the right side, and through the switch to the palm, and then exiting from the forearm on the left side. We performed an MRI, which provided confirmation of the degree and range of local muscular tissue damage. A relaxation incision, debridement and the attachment of an artificial dermis preceded full-thickness grafting. Following post-surgical rehabilitation, a mild contracture of finger joints was observed, but the motor functions were observed to have significantly improved.

A case of occupational contact dermatitis due to epoxy resins is reported. A 27-year-old man, with a 6-year history of pruritic eruptions on his hands consulted our clinic. We treated him with topical steroids and antiallergic agents, however, the lesions gradually worsened. He was thereafter given a series of patch tests using various products in his work place to find the causative product. The patch test demonstrated positive reactions to bisphenol A epoxy-resin. After making changes in the work environment, his symptoms improved.

The patient is a 34-year-old female with aortitis syndrome. In May 1999. an eruption occurred on the lower limbs but spontaneous remission was observed. However, she visited this department in July when similar eruptions occurred on the lower limbs and buttocks. She had a painful erythema accompanied with induration and crust as well as a localized undermining ulcer. Histopathological finding from erythema with induration was showed infiltration of neutrophilis lymphocytes, and not vasculitis. Based on these clinical findings and histopathological findings, she was diagnosed to have pyoderma gangrenosum. In addition to 20mg/day of oral predonisolone prescribed at the internal department. she was treated with zinc oxide ointment stratified by a topical steroid containing antibiotic. The ulcer disappeared in 5weeks while she was placed under observation. © 2001, Meeting of Osaka Dermatological Association. All rights reserved.

Background: It has been shown that in acne comedones the proportion of linoleic acid is markedly decreased, while palmitic acid is significantly increased. We previously reported that the decreased proportion of linoleic acid, which markedly suppresses neutrophil reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and phagocytosis, contribute to the worsening of acne inflammation. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of palmitic acid on neutrophil functions in vitro. Methods: We investigated the effect of palmitic acid on inflammatory parameters such as neutrophil chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and ROS generation. Reactive oxygen species generation in a cell-free, xanthine-xanthine oxidase system was also assessed. The species examined were superoxide radical anion (O2-), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and hydroxyl radical (OH·). Results: Palmitic acid significantly decreased H2O2 generation both by neutrophils and in the xanthine-xanthine oxidase system, while neutrophil chemotaxis and phagocytosis as well as O2- and OH· generation by both systems were not markedly affected in the presence of palmitic acid. Conclusions: The present study suggests that palmitic acid may be involved in the pathogenesis of acne inflammation from a standpoint of oxidative tissue injury.

We demonstrated the immunoreactivity of the receptor proteins, VR1, ion channels associated with pain sensation, on the epidermis of the human skin. Immunohistochemistry using antiserum against VR1 derived peptide showed immunoreactivity on the keratinocytes cell membrane of the human epidermis and cultured keratinocytes. The blocking peptide of the antiserum reduced the immunoreactivity on the epidermis. RT-PCR assay of cultured human keratinocyte also showed expression of VR1 mRNA. These results suggest the existence of VR1-like protein in epidermal keratinocytes of human skin. © 2001 Academic Press.

The effect of clindamycin (CLDM) at subminimal inhibitory concentrations (sub-MIC), i.e. one-tenth MIC, on the production of human neutrophil chemotactic factors in comedonal bacteria, Propionibacte-rium acnes (P. acnes) strains and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) strains, was assayed using Boyden chamber method. Sub-MIC of CLDM markedly inhibited the production of neutrophil chemotactic factors in all strains of P. acnes and CNS. Our results seem to suggest that sub-MIC of CLDM has an anti-inflammatory effect presumably due to the inhibition of neutrophil chemotactic factors production in comedonal bacteria on the inflammatory process of acne.