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The influence of topical PUVA on the activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and its gene expression was investigated in the skin of hairless mouse. After 1 h of application of 0.3% 8-methoxypsoralen, irradiation of 3 J/cm2 of ultraviolet A (UV-A) was administered. The ODC activity markedly increased and peaked at 24 h following UV-A irradiation. The ODC raRNA level analyzed in dot-blot analysis elevated to about 5 times that of control at 24 h after treatment. These results show that the PUVA-induced ODC activity is due in part to an increase in ODC gene expression.

A case of subcorneal pustular dermatosis (SPD) is reported in a 48-year-old man with a 2-year history of hyperthyroidism (Graves' disease). SPD has been reported in association with IgA monoclonal gammopathy, but to our knowledge it has not been associated with hyperthyroidism. The coexistence of hyperthyroidism and SPD suggests that immunologic factors may play a role in the pathogenesis of SPD.

A case of fixed drug eruption due to colchicine was reported. A 31-year-old man developed a dark purplish-red round macule on the glans penis 5 h after taking 2.5 mg of colchicine. An oral challenge test with 0.5 mg of colchicine provoked flare-up of the eruption.

In some types of drug eruptions, a positive blastoid transformation is frequently seen in peripheral lymphocytes when they are stimulated in vitro with the causative drug in the presence of autologous serum. In these cases, a soluble fraction prepared from guinea pig skin can replace the autologous serum in inducing the lymphocyte transformation, whereas either the mitochondrial or microsomal fraction of guinea pig skin instead of the autologous serum is less effective. Moreover, in fixed drug eruption, the addition of soluble skin material fractionated by gel filtration with Sephadex G-100 (FrD1 is as effective as the autologous sera in inducing lymphocyte transformation. These results suggest that the soluble fraction of skin is related to the pathogenesis of fixed and exanthematic drug eruptions as a carrier substance of drugs.

20 patients with distal onychomycosis were given daily application of an ointment containing 2% tolnaftate and an ointment containing 20% urea under ODT. Following this, 17 of 20 patients developed onychomalacia and seven of these developed onycholysis 1 or 2 weeks later. The separated nails were cut as short as possible. Similarly to those patients with onychomalacia alone, occlusive dressing technique was continuously performed until the newly developed nails became macroscopically normal and no fungi were observed microscopically (responders). Following treatment, out of 20 patients, 14 responded. 5 patients who had a short course of treatment did not respond. Side-effects such as pain, hemorrhage and infection did not occur.