Ageing appearance in China: biophysical profile of facial skin and its relationship to perceived age

Background Perceived age is important to women and is a primary driver for topical product use and facial cosmetic surgery. Changes in facial features and biophysical skin parameters with chronological age and their associations with perceived age have not been described in Asian populations. Objective To investigate the relationship between biophysical properties of the skin, visual features of skin ageing and perceived facial age in Chinese women. Methods Facial photographs were collected of 250 Chinese women, aged 25–70 years in Shanghai, China. The perceived facial age was determined and related to the chronological age for each participant and to a range of visual assessments of skin appearance and objective biophysical measurements of the skin. The profile of changes in these parameters with age was investigated together with the differences in those parameters for women judged to look younger than their chronological age and those judged to look older than their chronological age. Results Large discrepancies in perceived age (up to 29 years) were found in women of the same chronological age. Each objective skin measure and visual assessment parameter had a stronger correlation with perceived age than with chronological age. The strongest relationships to perceived age were for wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. Skin colour, hydration and trans‐epidermal water loss (TEWL) had weaker associations with perceived age. Women judged to look older than their chronological age had significantly higher scores than those judged to look younger for coarse wrinkles and hyperpigmentation across all age groups. The appearance differences between these groups were evident in composite facial images of the same average chronological age. Conclusions We have identified the skin attributes which differ with perceived age in Chinese women. Perceived age is a better measure of the biological age of facial skin than is chronological age in this population.     

Interstitial cells of Cajal are present in human extrahepatic bile ducts

Background and Aims: Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are distributed with smooth muscle throughout the gastrointestinal tract and are involved in regulating motility. ICC were recently discovered in the wall of the human gallbladder. This study sought to determine whether ICC are present in human bile ducts. Methods: Biliary tract samples were obtained from several sources: surgical specimens (n = 16, 11 women, mean age 61 years); archival post‐mortem specimen (n = 1, 86 years, man); and cadavers (n = 2, 68 and 80 years, men). Paraffin‐embedded sections (3 µm) from the gallbladder (fundus, body and neck) and both extrahepatic and intrahepatic bile ducts were investigated. A double immunofluorescence protocol using polyclonal and monoclonal c‐kit antibodies and mast cell tryptase was used to distinguish c‐kit‐positive cells with typical ICC morphology from c‐kit‐positive mast cells. Small bowel samples were used as positive controls. ICC in the gallbladder were confirmed by ultrastructural study. Results: c‐kit‐positive cells with characteristic ICC morphology were identified in the subepithelial and muscular layers of the gallbladder and extrahepatic bile ducts. They were most prominent within the muscle layer of the extrahepatic bile ducts where they were organized into loosely arranged laminae running parallel to circular smooth muscle fibers. ICC were not found in intrahepatic bile ducts. Conclusion: This study demonstrates for the first time that ICC are present in human extrahepatic bile ducts where they are more densely aggregated than in the gallbladder. This cellular network is likely to be involved in biliary tract motility and its related disorders.     

Prospective treatment of advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma with cisplatin, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide

Both single-agent cisplatin and the combination of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide demonstrated moderate activity against endometrial carcinoma in earlier salvage trials. Since January 1979, 102 patients with advanced primary (n = 42) or recurrent (n = 60) endometrial carcinoma were prospectively treated with cisplatin (50 mg/m2), doxorubicin (50 mg/m2), and cyclophosphamide (500 mg/m2) (PAC). PAC was administered monthly until disease progression or toxicity precluded additional therapy. Patients received a median of five treatment cycles (range 1-13). Of the 87 patients with measurable disease, 12 had a complete clinical response, while 27 had a partial clinical response, for an overall objective response rate of 45%. No differences in response rates between primary and recurrent disease patients were noted. Median time to response was 2.5 months with a median response duration of 4.8 months. Nonresponders included 33 patients with stable disease and 15 with progression. Median progression-free survival for all patients was 6 months. Dose escalation was possible in 25% of patients; however, 52% of patients required dose reductions during treatment. Clinically significant toxicities included neutropenia (65%), anemia (47%), emesis (21%), nephrotoxicity (17%), and neurotoxicity (4%). Our study indicates that endometrial cancer is significantly responsive to PAC. Enthusiasm for this regimen should be tempered by the limited duration of response and substantial treatment toxicity.     

Effects of cisapride in patients with cystic fibrosis and distal intestinal obstruction syndrome

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial, we investigated the effects of the prokinetic drug cisapride in patients with cystic fibrosis and chronic recurrent distal intestinal obstruction syndrome (DIOS). After a baseline period, 17 patients (12.9 to 34.9 years; 12 boys) received, in random order, cisapride (7.5 to 10 mg) and placebo three times daily by mouth, each for 6 months. Gastrointestinal symptoms (flatulence, abdominal pain, fullness, abdominal distension, nausea, anorexia, heartburn, diarrhea, vomiting and regurgitation) were scored three times monthly and physical examinations assessed. At baseline and at each 6-month period, assessment included food intake for 7 days, 3-day stool collection, pulmonary function tests, and abdominal radiographs. During cisapride therapy compared with placebo, there were significant reductions in flatulence (p less than 0.005), fullness, and nausea (p less than 0.05). Patients with the worst symptom scores benefited most from cisapride. With cisapride, 12 patients felt better and three worse (p less than 0.05); physicians judged 11 patients improved and two worse (p less than 0.05). No side effects were noted. There were no significant differences between cisapride and placebo periods in nutritional status, x-ray scores, pulmonary function, food intake (fat, protein, calories), stool size and consistency, and fecal losses of fat, bile acids, chymotrypsin, and calories. For acute episodes of DIOS, intestinal lavage was needed 6 times in 4 patients during treatment with cisapride, and 11 times in 6 patients receiving placebo. In comparison with unselected patients with cystic fibrosis and pancreatic insufficiency who were receiving enzyme supplements and who had no distal intestinal obstruction, fecal fat losses (percentage of intake) were almost twice as high in the study group with DIOS (31.2 +/- 20.6% vs 16.2 +/- 17.6%; p less than 0.01). We conclude that in the dosage used, long-term treatment with cisapride appears to improve chronic abdominal symptoms in patients with cystic fibrosis and DIOS, but fails to abolish the need for intestinal lavage. Cisapride treatment had no effect on digestion and nutritional status of cystic fibrosis patients with pancreatic insufficiency.