Disturbance of systemic antioxidant profile in nonsmall cell lung carcinoma.

The present study aimed to determine the alterations of antioxidant activities in erythrocytes from patients with nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). A comparative study of the systemic antioxidant activities in red blood cell lysate from subjects with NSCLC and healthy control subjects was conducted. The antioxidants catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were measured using chemical kinetic reactions under spectrophotometry. In total, 189 cases of mostly advanced-stage IIIB or stage IV NSCLC and 202 healthy controls were studied. In subjects with lung cancer, there was similar catalase activity, lower SOD activity (median (interquartile range) 13.4 (9.0-27.2) versus 48.7 (27.0-64.3) U x (ghaemoglobulin(Hb)(-1)), and higher GPx activity (175.2 (126.6-288.3) versus 49.2 (39.5-59.2) mU x (gHb)(-1)) compared with controls. The antioxidant activities in lung cancer subjects were not associated with age, sex, smoking status, or tumour cell types. However, more advanced disease (stage IV compared with stage IIIB) was associated with lower SOD activity. Using multivariable analysis, the presence of lung cancer independently predicted SOD and GPx activities. In conclusion, nonsmall cell lung carcinoma in Chinese subjects is associated with alterations in systemic antioxidant activities, which may play an important role in carcinogenesis.     

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.     

A Complication of Stellate Ganglion Block?

Abstract: Stellate ganglion block is commonly used to treat the sympathetically maintained pain which may occur in one‐third of patients with complex regional pain syndrome type 1. A complication that followed a single block and presented a diagnostic dilemma for the ophthalmologist is reported.     

A female case with Down syndrome and non-neurogenic neurogenic bladder

Although the prevalence of a learned voiding dysfunction and non-neurogenic neurogenic bladder (NNB), which is one type of dysfunctional elimination syndrome, is considered to be relatively rare, the association of NNB with Down syndrome (DS) has been elucidated in male patients. We herein describe the occurrence of NNB in an adult female with DS. The diagnosis was confirmed after completely ruling out any neurological or anatomical anomalies that could be related to a lower urinary tract dysfunction. She had renal dysfunction and multiple obstructive uropathies for which clean intermittent catheterization was successfully introduced.     

Body fat in normal adults estimated by oxygen-18- and deuterium-dilution and by anthropometry: a comparison

We estimated body fat in 20 normal adults (10 males and 10 females) from 18O- and 2H-dilution spaces and from the equations of Durnin & Womersley and Pollock, Schmidt & Jackson based on skinfold thickness measurements. Differences between methods for body fat estimation were found to be sex-dependent: subsequent analyses indicated significant differences between methods within each sex. Regardless of sex, the highest fat estimates were obtained with the 18O-dilution method, followed by those obtained with the 2H-dilution method or the Durnin & Womersley equation. The lowest fat estimates were obtained using the Pollock, Schmidt & Jackson equation. The 18O-dilution method and the Durnin & Wormersley anthropometric method are both suitable and appropriate for body fat estimation in adults studied under field conditions.     

组织扩张术皮肤胶原的代谢改变

目的：研究常规扩张（ＩＴＥ）和持续快速扩张（ＣＴＥ）对皮肤胶原代谢的影响。方法用白色小家猪制作组织扩张术动物模型，用Ｇｏｒｄｅｌａｄｚｅ法测定血清和扩张组织的羟脯氨酸（ＨＰ）含量，藻酸盐印模材膜片法测量标记区面积；光镜测量真皮厚度。结果：ＩＴＥ组血清ＨＰ含量升高，０．８倍，ＣＴＥ组升高１．２倍，ＩＴＥ和ＣＴＥ组皮肤含量与正常皮肤相同，组织中ＨＰ总量均明显升高，持续扩张皮瓣组（ＣＴＥＦ）术后４ｗｋ皮     

Comparison of energy expenditure estimated in healthy infants using the doubly labelled water and energy balance methods

The doubly labelled water method was used to estimate energy expenditure in 20 formula-fed infants (10 aged 1 month and 10 aged 4 months). We then compared the energy expenditure values with energy balance values calculated from energy intake and energy cost of growth. Our purpose was to compare various published equations for calculating CO2 expiration rates (and thus energy expenditure values) from the isotopic data. Those equations in which we used measured values for 18O and 2H isotope dilution spaces and estimated or measured values for insensible water losses yielded energy expenditure values (69.7 +/- 8.4 kcal/kg/d) that agreed most closely with energy balance data (70.3 +/- 11.9 kcal/kg/d). Equations in which we used a constant ratio of 1.03 between the 2H and 18O isotope dilution spaces resulted in energy expenditure values (66.3 +/- 10.2 kcal/kg/d) lower than those predicted by the energy balance data. Data analysis by nonlinear curve fitting compared to logarithmic transformation did not alter the estimates of energy expenditure obtained in these infants.