Eccrine Porocarcinoma: Clinical and Pathological Report of Eight Cases

Background: Eccrine porocarcinoma (EPC), a slow-growing carcinoma of the sweat gland, is a rare condition documented only in a small number of case series. Due to its rarity, guidelines and specific recommendations are not widely available. Accordingly, many dermatologists encounter difficulty in diagnosing and treating EPC. The aim of this study is to report the clinical and pathological features of EPC in order to contribute to the body of information currently available on the subject. Patients and Methods: From 2003 to 2013, 8 Japanese patients were diagnosed with EPC at the Department of Dermatology in the Hachioji Medical Center of Tokyo Medical University. Patient data, including clinical manifestations, histopathological findings, immunohistochemical results, treatment method, and clinical course were collected and documented. Results: The mean age of the patients (6 males and 2 females) was 72.6 years. The duration of the lesions ranged from 4 months to 5 years (mean: 3.5 years). All of the lesions clinically presented with erosive reddish nodules (mean size: 39.0 mm). Initial CT imaging revealed that 1 case had multiple distant metastases. Surgical resection was performed for all primary lesions and follow-up observations were available in all cases (mean: 10.9 months). One case with distal metastases underwent both radiation therapy and chemotherapy, but nevertheless succumbed to the disease. Conclusion: The EPC cases in our department presented a versatile clinical appearance and characteristic histopathological features

Three Cases of Sacral Pressure Ulcers Presenting Primary Dermatoporosis on the Forearms

The relatively new term dermatoporosis refers to chronic deficiencies in the skin's functions in the elderly population due to aging. This syndrome is marked by chronic cutaneous fragility clinically represented by skin atrophy, senile purpura, stellate pseudoscars, skin laceration, and dissecting hematoma of the skin. In this paper, we report three cases of sacral pressure ulcers presenting primary dermatoporosis on the forearms. Case 1 was a 74-year-old male who presented with a stage IV sacral pressure ulcer. The signs of dermatoporosis appeared on the forearms. Histopathology of the lesions revealed epidermal thinning with loss of rete ridges. Azan and Elastica van Gieson staining demonstrated the degeneration of the dermal collagen fibers and elastic fibers, respectively. In spite of 6 months of treatment, the ulcer failed to heal sufficiently. Case 2 was a 74-year-old male and Case 3 was a 97-year-old female. Both cases presented with a stage II sacral pressure ulcer and dermatoporosis on the forearms. Histopathological examinations and the clinical course of the wound could not be ascertained in Cases 2 and 3. None of the patients had previously used corticosteroids. The presence of a primary dermatoporosis on the forearms in these cases may be associated with the increased risk of pressure ulcer development

An optogenetic system to control membrane phospholipid asymmetry through flippase activation in budding yeast

Abstract Lipid asymmetry in biological membranes is essential for various cell functions, such as cell polarity, cytokinesis, and apoptosis. P4-ATPases (flippases) are involved in the generation of such asymmetry. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the protein kinases Fpk1p/Fpk2p activate the P4-ATPases Dnf1p/Dnf2p by phosphorylation. Previously, we have shown that a blue-light-dependent protein kinase, phototropin from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (CrPHOT), complements defects in an fpk1Δ fpk2Δ mutant. Herein, we investigated whether CrPHOT optically regulates P4-ATPase activity. First, we demonstrated that the translocation of NBD-labelled phospholipids to the cytoplasmic leaflet via P4-ATPases was promoted by blue-light irradiation in fpk1Δ fpk2Δ cells with CrPHOT. In addition, blue light completely suppressed the defects in membrane functions (such as endocytic recycling, actin depolarization, and apical-isotropic growth switching) caused by fpk1Δ fpk2Δ mutations. All responses required the kinase activity of CrPHOT. Hence, these results indicate the utility of CrPHOT as a powerful and first tool for optogenetic manipulation of P4-ATPase activity