Influence of narrow-band UVB phototherapy on cutaneous microbiota of children with atopic dermatitis

OBJECTIVE: In the present work, the effect of narrow-band ultraviolet B (UVB) phototherapy on a cutaneous microbial population was evaluated in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and compared with control patients (vitiligo). METHODS: Count, isolation and identification of cutaneous microbiota from anticubital fossa were performed in 10 controls and 10 AD patients, both submitted to similar levels (P > 0.05) of UVB phototherapy (4.3 +/- 0.9 and 4.3 +/- 0.8 accumulated joules, respectively). Additionally, Staphylococcus aureus isolates were screened for the production of exotoxins. RESULTS: The total and staphylococcal cutaneous microbial population levels were higher (P < 0.05) in AD patients than in the controls. All these population levels decreased (P < 0.05) for both AD and control patients after UVB phototherapy, which also decreased the SCORAD for AD patients. All patients with AD and 50% of controls were carriers of S. aureus, and harboured the bacteria simultaneously on skin and anterior nares. All of the S. aureus strains recovered from AD patient skin produced toxin and the B type was the most frequently detected (70%), followed by C (20%) and A (10%) toxins. Only 40% of the S. aureus isolates from control patients produced toxin. After UVB treatment, microbial population levels of AD patients were similar (P > 0.05) to the ones found in control patients before phototherapy, and toxin production ability of S. aureus isolates decreased drastically. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study show the beneficial effect of UVB phototherapy on AD and suggest that this may be attributable not only to reduction of skin surface bacteria but also to the suppression of superantigen production from S. aureus.     

展毛翠雀花中的二萜生物碱

从展毛翠雀花(Delphinium kamaonense var.glabrescens)中分离到两个C_(19)-二萜生物碱,经光谱方法确定结构,证明其中一个是新化合物,命名为展毛翠雀碱(glabredelphinine,Ⅰ)。另一个是已知生物碱tatsiensine(Ⅱ)。     

Infection in diabetic osteoarthropathy: use of indium-labeled leukocytes for diagnosis

Indium-111 labeled leukocyte imaging was compared with three-phase skeletal scintigraphy as a means of determining whether osteomyelitis was complicating diabetic osteoarthropathy. Three-phase scintigraphy demonstrated increased activity in both infected and noninfected osteopathic bone, with a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 56% for osteomyelitis. Leukocyte imaging had the same sensitivity but was most helpful for excluding infection (specificity, 89%) when three-phase imaging could not. Abnormal leukocyte localization was seen at the primary site of infection in all cases within 4 hours after injection. Disadvantages of leukocyte imaging included long preparation time, low count rates resulting in poor spatial resolution, and absence of bone landmarks, which made it difficult to differentiate soft tissue from bone infection.     

CYCLOSPORINE A IMMUNOSUPPRESSION IN SHEEP WITH RESPONSE ENHANCEMENT BY CONCOMITANT KETOCONAZOLE

1. The pharmacokinetics of a single dose of Cyclosporine A (CsA) administered to sheep by intravenous (i.v.) route were examined. 2. Concomitant administration of ketoconazole was found to increase the area under the blood CsA concentration-time curve (AUC) and was effective when adminstered by the oral or intraperitoneal route. 3. The effects of CsA and ketoconazole on the immune system of sheep were also assessed. 4. A single dose of CsA 5mg/kg resulted in abrogation of in vitro lymphocyte function manifest at 24h after injection of CsA. Normal responsiveness recovered in 48-72h. Numbers of T lymphocytes in peripheral blood were elevated transiently at 48h although no other significant alteration in lymphocyte subsets was observed with this treatment. 5. Concomitant ketoconazole administration enhanced the CsA-induced suppression of in vitro lymphocyte responses. Blood levels of CsA (AUC values to 24h) were significantly elevated with concomitant ketoconazole administration and depression of lymphocyte responses to mitogens were also significantly enhanced. An increase in the proportion of T4 positive cells in the blood was observed at 48h and at 7 days after administration of CsA with ketoconazole. 6. These findings indicate that CsA effectively abrogates immunocompetence in the sheep and this immunosuppressive effect is enhanced by concomitant administration of ketoconazole.     

抗寄生虫药物硝硫氰胺类似物的合成

本文报道52个硝硫氰胺的衍化物,经对小鼠抗日本血吸虫筛选结果表明,其中8个化合物有抗日本血吸虫作用。化合物23对家兔血吸虫病的疗效较硝硫氰胺明显为高。对其中的6个化合物经棉鼠丝虫病实验治疗,发现化合物2和26有抗丝虫病作用,化合物26对微丝蚴和成虫的杀灭作用,不亚于海群生。药理研究正在进行中。