Relationship between Plantar Pressure and Sensory Disturbance in Patients with Hansen's Disease-Preliminary Research and Review of the Literature.

Orthoses and insoles are among the primary treatments and prevention methods of refractory plantar ulcers in patients with Hansen's disease. While dynamic plantar pressure and tactile sensory disturbance are the critical pathological factors, few studies have investigated whether a relationship exists between these two factors. In this study, dynamic pressure measured using F-scan system and tactile sensory threshold evaluated with monofilament testing were determined for 12 areas of 20 feet in patients with chronic Hansen's disease.

Allergic contact dermatitis due to diclofenac sodium in eye drops.

Eyelid dermatitis and/or periocular dermatitis (ED/PD) is commonly seen in a variety of skin diseases such as seborrheic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, but is most often associated with allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Here, a case of ACD in an 82-year-old man is described; he used 0.1% diclofenac sodium eye drops and exhibited pruritic erythema on the eyelids.

[International cooperation for prosthetics and orthotics in Myanmar].

"Effectiveness of the sole protection and the plantar ulcer treatment of Micro Cellular Rubber (MCR) sandals" was investigated as a part of research enterprise "Research concerning the diagnosis, treatment, and the prevention of disability of an effective Leprosy in Myanmar" of the international medical treatment cooperation for three years since 2007. Furthermore "Introduction of Orthotics for the footdrop" was recently attempted through those activities. We participated for two research items from 2007, and reported on the research content and the result.

Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala jeanselmei in a patient with polymyalgia rheumatica.

An 87-year-old man, a gardener in Okinawa, first noticed a tumor on the dorsum of his right hand in November 2005. He had been taking prednisolone for the treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica since 2000. A nearby dermatologist incised the tumor for pus drainage in February 2006.

Necrotizing fasciitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae.

A 69-year-old woman presented with shivering and pain in the lower extremities on 5 April 2006; she was referred to the dermatology division of our hospital on the following day with difficulty in walking. She had been suffering from non-viral, non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis, and was being treated by the Division of Internal Medicine. Physical examination showed edema in the lower extremities and light purpuras on the groin and legs.

Phylogenic analysis of the genus Leishmania by cytochrome b gene sequencing.

In a previous report (Luyo-Acero et al., 2004), we demonstrated that cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene analysis is an effective method for classifying several isolates of the genus Leishmania; hence, we have further applied this method to other Leishmania species in an effort to enhance the accuracy of the procedure and to construct a new phylogenic tree. In this study, a total of 30 Leishmania and Endotrypanum WHO reference strains, clinical isolates from our patients assigned to 28 strains (human and non-human pathogenic species) and two species of the genus Endotrypanum were analyzed.

Neonatal pemphigus vulgaris.

A male newborn with skin erosions was born to a 32-year-old woman who was under treatment for pemphigus vulgaris that had been diagnosed 16 months earlier. Antibodies to desmoglein (Dsg)1 and Dsg3 were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Index values of antibodies to Dsg1 and Dsg3 were 49 (normal index values, <14) and 121 (normal index values, <7), respectively.

Case of linear immunoglobulin A bullous dermatosis associated with acquired hemophilia.

Linear immunoglobulin (Ig)A bullous dermatosis is a rare autoimmune subepidermal bullous dermatosis caused by circulating IgA autoantibodies directed against the antigens at the basement membrane zone. Most linear IgA bullous dermatosis cases are idiopathic, but some are associated with the use of certain drugs, infections, lymphoproliferative disorders, internal malignancies, autoimmune disorders, collagen diseases or, very rarely, other skin diseases, including autoimmune bullous diseases. Acquired hemophilia is also rare; it is a coagulation disease caused by anti-factor VIII IgG antibodies.

Case of chromoblastomycosis appearing in an Okinawa patient with a medical history of Hansen's disease.

Chromoblastomycosis is one of several chronic infectious skin diseases caused by various species of dematiaceous fungi. It is clinically characterized by verrucous skin eruptions and occurs most commonly in tropical and subtropical regions. In Okinawa, a subtropical area, there have been only three reported cases of chromoblastomycosis including the present one.

Detection of human papillomavirus type 11 in a case of Buschke-Löwenstein tumor.

We here report a 31-year-old male affected by a papillary tumor in his pubic region. At 26 years of age, he consulted a nearby clinic and was prescribed a topical cream. Although the condition was not relieved, he left the disease untreated.

Case of skin injuries due to stings by crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci).

A case of skin injuries due to stings by crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster planci, in a 53-year-old Okinawan woman is reported. She went to a beach to gather shellfish on 8 April 2001 and fell to the ground with her left palm on a crown-of-thorns starfish that happened to be close to her. She hurried to the emergency section of our hospital.

Polymorphisms of cytochrome b gene in Leishmania parasites and their relation to types of cutaneous leishmaniasis lesions in Pakistan.

The exact species and/or strains of Leishmania parasites involved strongly influence the clinical and epidemiological features of leishmaniasis, and current knowledge of those influences and relationships is inadequate. We report that cytochrome b (cyt b) gene sequencing identified causal Leishmania parasites of 69 cutaneous leishmaniasis cases in Pakistan over a 3-year period. Of 21 cases in highland areas (Quetta city, Balochistan province), 16 (76.

Case of pemphigus foliaceus that shifted into pemphigus vulgaris after adrenal tumor resection.

A 79-year-old Japanese woman visited our hospital on 6 May 2003, who had suffered from erythema and crusted vesicles located on the head, face and trunk. The eruptions first appeared in February 2003. Histopathological findings included blister formation spreading from just below the horny layers to the upper squamous layers, where acantholytic cells were observed.

Case reports of malignant mucocele-like lesions.

Mucocele-like lesions (MLL) of the breast have been reported as extremely rare as well as benign, but now it is believed they can be both malignant and benign. This paper describes two cases of malignant MLL, both subjected to immunohistochemical staining. Case 1: A 42-year-old woman with multiple malignant MLLs without evidence of a mass at presentation to our hospital after biopsy, but whose ultrasonogram showed small multiple hypoechoic lesions.

Gastric cancer recognized by metastasis to the ureter.

Although ureteral obstruction is rarely noted in patients with gastric cancer at an advanced stage or at autopsy, the condition caused by authentic ureteral metastasis of gastric cancer is extremely rare. We experienced a case of gastric cancer in a 51-year-old woman who showed bilateral ureteral metastasis. The patient initially complained of right flank pain, caused by right ureteral obstruction, and was referred to our hospital, where she underwent a right nephroureterectomy, with suspicion of primary ureteral neoplasm.