Case 1 was a 39-year-old woman and Case 2 was a 57-year-old man. Both patients had histories of hay fever or allergic rhinitis, but not of atopic dermatitis, food allergy, or an oral allergy syndrome. Neither had previously experienced allergy to a soybean product, but both had allergic symptoms after drinking soy milk. A CAP-RAST analysis was negative for soybean, but positive for Glym4, alder, and birch. Skin prick tests were positive for soymilk. Both cases were diagnosed as a soymilk class 2 food allergy on the basis of cross-reactivity between pollen antigen and a class 2 food antigen. We explained to the patients that they could consume tofu, soybean products, soybean oil, and fermented foods like bean paste and fermented soybeans, but that they must not consume soymilk, soymilk skin, or tofu containing a high level of moisture. Skin Research, 11: 286-289, 2012

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A 15-year-old boy presented papules with itching on his nape that had increased over two and a half years. At the first visit, numerous erythematous papules and nodules grouped on his nape to the upper back and coalesced into a lichenified plaque. Laboratory studies including of thyroid hormones were within normal limits, and the result of serology testing for hepatitis C virus was negative. A biopsy specimen stained with hematoxylin and eosin revealed separation of collagen bundles due to basophilic depositions in the upper and mid-dermis. Alcian blue staining showed mucin deposits in the upper and mid-dermis. On the basis of these findings, we diagnosed this patient as having localized lichen myxedematosus and classified it as a discrete papular form according to the classification of Rongioletti et al. Reports of discrete papular lichen myxedematosus are infrequent in Japan and no therapy is reliably effective for this variant. The eruptions and itching of our patient were improved with oral antihistamine and topical corticosteroid in 16 weeks. Skin Research, 11: 290-293, 2012

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Two cases of acquired reactive perforating collagenosis are reported. Case 1: A 45-year-old man with a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) presented with pruritic skin lesions. The lesions manifested as multiple umbilicated papules with central keratotic plugs, and these were scattered on his trunk and extremities. The onset was subsequent to insect bites on the lower arm. Skin biopsy of a papule showed evidence of transepidermal elimination of basophilic fragmented dermal material through a cup-shaped epidermal depression. On the basis of these clinical and histological findings, a diagnosis of acquired reactive perforating collagenosis (ARPC) was made. Case 2: A 28-year-old woman presented with pruritic skin lesions. The lesions consisted of multiple umbilicated papules with central keratotic plugs, spreading on her extremity. The onset was subsequent to insect bites on the lower leg. Systemic examination was unremarkable. Skin biopsy of the papules revealed findings similar to those in case 1, suggesting a diagnosis of acquired reactive perforating collagenosis. Although case 1 had a history of type 2 DM, there was no correlation between the condition of DM and the activity of ARPC. Case 2 had no systemic disorder. ARPC is reported to be associated with various diseases. Both of our cases had pruritic lesions induced by an insect bite, and it is likely that the superficial microtrauma from the subsequent scratching due to pruritus could have been a triggering factor that initiated the lesions of ARPC. Skin Research, 11: 294-299, 2012

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A 20-year-old male presented with an umbilical tumor mass, discharge from the umbilical region, and lower abdominal pain. The patient was treated by antibiotic administration at a local dermatology clinic, but symptoms did not improve so he visited our department. At initial diagnosis, a red granuloma tumor mass with purulent effusion, adhering to the umbilical region, and lower abdominal pain were observed. An 18×14mm low-echo area continuing to the umbilical region under the fascias of the lower abdomen was observed by abdominal ultrasound examination, and a soft shadow area suspected of being an abscess from the navel subcutaneous to the abdominal wall was observed by abdominal CT test. According to the symptoms and findings of imaging tests, formation of an abscess due to urachal remnant and secondary infection was diagnosed. After controlling the infection, urachal resection was performed as fundamental treatment. Six months have passed since surgery and recurrence has not been observed. Skin Research, 11: 300-303, 2012

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A 56-year-old woman had an epidermal cyst on her right buttock for twenty years. She suffered from repeated infection of this epidermal cyst. The epidermal cyst developed rapidly after its incision by her doctor. When she visited our hospital for the first time, there was a 9cm nodule on her right buttock. A biopsy specimen of this nodule showed the existence of squamous cell carcinoma. MRI indicated that the tumor had invaded her gluteus maximus muscle. CT results suggested swelling of the right inguinal lymph node. We performed a wide excision of this tumor. Histopathological examination showed its cystic structure and a highly differentiated tumor mass connecting with the cyst wall. We should pay 1 attention to the possibility that squamous cell carcinoma may appear on the wall of epidermal cysts. Skin Research, 11: 304-307, 2012

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A 53-year-old woman complained of a 2-year history of a mass in the left thumb. After an ultrasound imaging test at another hospital, she came to our hospital for evaluation of a possible solid tumor. At her first visit, physical examination revealed a subcutaneous immovable mass with a smooth surface and yellowish brown color, measuring 16×16mm on the dorsal aspect of the interphalangeal (IP) joint of the left thumb. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed that the lesion on the dorsal aspect of the IP joint of the left thumb was hypointensive on a T1-weighted image, hypointense and hyperintense on a T2-weighted image, the bone cortex of the lesion was not clear on T1- and T2-weighted images, and it was enhanced by contrast medium. A skin biopsy was performed and histopathological examination revealed the infiltration of histiocyte-like cells, epithelioid cells, foamy cells, and osteoclast-like multinucleated giant cells in the deep area of the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. Most of the infiltrating cells were positively stained by CD68. On the basis of these findings, a diagnosis of giant cell tumor of tendon sheath was made. To date, there have been 26 cases including our patient reported in the Japanese literature in the field of dermatology since 2000, and the most common site of GCTTS is the finger, in which 15 cases have been reported. Skin Research, 11: 308-312, 2012

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An outbreak of Trichophyton tonsurans in a women's university judo team occurred in the Hokuriku region in 2009, and we were requested to control the infection. In April 2010, we visited the university and examined all 19 team members. Samples of stripped horny layer from body lesions were obtained with scotch tape, and samples were obtained with hairbrushes. Fungal culture results showed that 7 samples (3, hairbrush; 4, scotch tape) from 6 of 19 members were positive for T. tonsurans. NTS typing revealed all the isolates to be NTS1 in our classification system, which is the most common subtype for judo-related isolates. All 6 patients were successfully treated with oral terbinafine (confirmed by subsequent fungal culture examination in mid-May, 2010). In April 2011, we again visited the university and found that 6 (including 1 previously infected) of the then 14 members were infected by T. tonsurans. We treated them with oral terbinafine, and only one member still showed positive culture results on our sixth visit in June 2011. During our examinations, we found hair loss lesions mimicking black dot ringworm on the scalp of some members, which may have resulted from hair being tied back under a judo rule for female practitioners with long hair. We also discussed the usefulness of the scotch tape sampling for the examination of tinea corporis. Skin Research, 11: 313-318, 2012

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We conducted a clinical trial to determine the usefulness of calmerose sodium (CMC) in dimethyl isopropyl azulene ointment or zinc oxide ointment for patients with irritated dermatitis due to diarrhea. Sixty patients, aged from 0 to 95, were enrolled in this study. They used the CMC ointment for 2 to 161 days, which showed a sufficient skin-protective effect. The irritated dermatitis was successfully controlled in all cases. No side effects were exhibited. We concluded that the CMC ointment is a safe and effective medicine for external use by patients with diarrhea-induced irritated dermatitis. Skin Research, 11: 319-322, 2012

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