Working‐correlation‐structure identification in generalized estimating equations

Selecting an appropriate working correlation structure is pertinent to clustered data analysis using generalized estimating equations (GEE) because an inappropriate choice will lead to inefficient parameter estimation. We investigate the well‐known criterion of QIC for selecting a working correlation structure, and have found that performance of the QIC is deteriorated by a term that is theoretically independent of the correlation structures but has to be estimated with an error. This leads us to propose a correlation information criterion (CIC) that substantially improves the QIC performance. Extensive simulation studies indicate that the CIC has remarkable improvement in selecting the correct correlation structures. We also illustrate our findings using a data set from the Madras Longitudinal Schizophrenia Study. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Biochemical analysis of human milk treated with sodium dodecyl sulfate, an alkyl sulfate microbicide that inactivates human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

Reduction of transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) through human milk is needed. Alkyl sulfates such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) are microbicidal against HIV-1 at low concentrations, have little to no toxicity, and are inexpensive. The authors have reported that treatment of HIV-1-infected human milk with < or = 1% (10 mg/mL) SDS for 10 minutes inactivates cell-free and cell-associated virus. The SDS can be removed with a commercially available resin after treatment without recovery of viral infectivity. In this article, the authors report results of selective biochemical analyses (ie, protein, immunoglobulins, lipids, cells, and electrolytes) of human milk subjected to SDS treatment and removal. The SDS treatment or removal had no significant effects on the milk components studied. Therefore, the use of alkyl sulfate microbicides to treat milk from HIV-1-positive women may be a simple, practical, and nutritionally sound way to prevent or reduce transmission of HIV-1 while still feeding with mother's own milk.     

FK506-壳聚糖膜与体外培养雪旺细胞生物相容性的研究

目的 探讨FK506-壳聚糖膜片与培养的雪旺细胞生物相容性.方法 将生长状况和纯度较好的第3代雪旺细胞,分别传代接种于含有FK506-壳聚糖膜片、单纯壳聚糖膜片的培养皿中培养,以盖玻片作为对照组.计算3组雪旺细胞倍增时间、雪旺细胞纯度;用MTT法比较不同膜片上雪旺细胞的生长活力,绘制生长曲线;S-100免疫荧光染色.结果 雪旺细胞倍增时间对照组为5.9 d,单纯壳聚糖膜片及FK506-壳聚糖膜片组均为4.0 d;雪旺细胞纯度分别为80%、89%,93%;雪旺细胞增殖情况以FK506-壳聚糖组最佳,单纯壳聚糖组次之,对照组最差;各组雪旺细胞均呈S-100阳性,FK506-壳聚糖组与单纯壳聚糖组雪旺细胞排列呈典型的漩涡状或栅栏状.结论 FK506-壳聚糖膜片具有更显著的组织相容性与生物功能性,并保持了雪旺细胞的生物学特性.     

Modified Nile red staining method for improved visualization of neutral lipid depositions in stratum corneum.

The neutral lipids existing in the intercellular spaces of the stratum corneum (SC) provide a permeability barrier to prevent water loss. Nile red is the most sensitive lipid stain for tissue sections. However, due to the extremely flattened morphology of corneocytes and the resolution limits of the light microscope, Nile red staining is seldom used as a fluorescent probe for the lipid-rich SC. In this study, we modified the traditional method for visualization of intracellular lipid by adding 4% potassium hydroxide after Nile red staining. This modified method not only allowed visualization of lipids existing in the intercellular membrane regions and the lateral junctions of the adjoining corneocytes, but also clearly demonstrated small lipid droplets within pathological corneocytes. These features were not observed with the traditional staining method. Thus, this modified Nile red staining method greatly improved the resolution of the SC lipids under light microscopy and should be useful for studying lipid depositions in both normal and pathological SC.