Immunoglobulin E Reactivity of Recombinant Allergen Tyr p 13 from Tyrophagus putrescentiae Homologous to Fatty Acid Binding Protein

The storage mite, Tyrophagus putrescentiae, is one of the important causes of allergic disorders. Fifteen allergenic components were demonstrated in storage mite by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting, but only the group 2 allergen Tyr p 2 has been cloned and characterized. In this study, we attempted to identify and characterize new allergens from T. putrescentiae, which is a dominant species of storage mite in Korea. Expressed sequence tags were analyzed to identify possible storage mite allergens, and the cDNA sequence encoding a protein homologous to fatty acid binding protein, a mite group 13 allergen, was identified and named Tyr p 13. Its deduced amino acid sequence showed 61.1 to 85.3% identity with other mite group 13 allergens. The recombinant protein was expressed in Escherichia coli using a pET 28b vector system, and its allergenicity was investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The recombinant allergen was detected in 5 of 78 (6.4%) T. putrescentiae-positive sera tested, and it inhibited 61.9% of immunoglobulin E binding to crude extract at an inhibitor concentration of 10 μg/ml by inhibition ELISA using serum from the patient who showed the strongest reaction by ELISA. In this study, a novel allergen was identified in T. putrescentiae. This allergen could be helpful for more-detailed characterizations of storage mite allergy.     

Mohs Micrographic Surgery for Squamoid Eccrine Ductal Carcinoma

Background. Squamoid eccrine ductal carcinoma is a rare cutaneous malignancy. There are no accepted standards for surgical margins in eccrine carcinomas.
Objective. We report a case of squamoid eccrine ductal carcinoma resembling squamous cell carcinoma and discuss Mohs micrographic surgery as a surgical modality for eccrine carcinomas.
Method. The patient was a 30-year-old Korean woman with a 4-year history of a nodule on her neck. Following primary diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma by punch biopsy, the tumor was completely removed by Mohs micrographic surgery with a 2 mm cancer-free margin.
Result. A one-stage Mohs micrographic surgical procedure was performed, and the size of the tumor mass was 2.3 × 2.5 cm in width and 1.5 cm in depth. On histopathologic examination, the tumor was characterized by both eccrine and squamous differentiation. The squamous cells expressed epithelial membrane antigen and cytokeratin 5 and 6, and the cells forming ductal structures expressed anti–carcinoembryonic antigen. Although eccrine carcinomas show a generally aggressive clinical course, the patient was disease free at 14 months after surgery.
Discussion. Squamoid eccrine ductal carcinoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma and other cutaneous adnexal neoplasms showing squamoid and ductal features of differentiation. In addition, Mohs micrographic surgery can be an option sufficient for complete surgical removal of eccrine carcinomas such as squamoid eccrine ductal carcinoma.
YONG JU KIM, MD, AE REE KIM, MD, PHD, AND DONG SOO YU, MD, HAVE INDICATED NO SIGNIFICANT INTEREST WITH COMMERCIAL SUPPORTERS.     

退化性脊椎病变前方入路手术适应证探讨

目的：探讨退化性脊椎病变前方入路手术的适应证，方法：回顾性分析142例接受过前方手术的病例，根据不同病情，划分出不同组别，。分别讨论其预后，结果：总体疗效评价优等者占82％，一般者占15％，不好者占3％，结论：总结出4项适应证；（1）椎间盘突出症，尤其是中央型突出者以及椎间盘伴有过渡型腰骶变形者。（2）脊椎骨关节病变为主的病灶。（3）I度脊前倾滑脱症者，或其合并有椎间盘病变者。（4）曾接受椎间盘手术，因残余的软骨压迫导致严重的临床症状者。     

The ACTH4-9 analog ORG 2766 'normalizes' the changes in motor activities of rats elicited by housing and test conditions

Motor activities of rats were decreased by short-term (7 days) social isolation as well as by intense light test conditions. The ACTH4-9 analog ORG 2766, s.c. administered 50 min before testing, dose-dependently decreased the high motor activities of group-housed rats tested under low light conditions and increased the low motor activities of short-term isolated rats tested under intense light conditions (ED50: 0.01-0.03 microgram/kg). Structure-activity studies suggest that the essential structure for these effects may be located in the C-terminal tripeptide Phe-D-Lys-Phe. Treatment with ACTH4-10 (100 micrograms/kg) tended to enhance some of the effects of the environmental conditions. Pretreatment of rats with the opioid antagonist naltrexone (450 micrograms/kg, s.c.) completely blocked the 'normalizing' effects of ORG 2766, implicating endogenous opioids in this action of ORG 2766. Since social behaviors of rats are similarly affected by ORG 2766 as motor activities, it is suggested that this peptide affects the integration of sensoric stimuli rather than the specific motor output systems of these behaviors.     

Opioid blockade attenuates acquisition and expression of cocaine-induced place preference conditioning in rats

Endogenous opioid systems have been implicated in experimental cocaine addiction. One aspect of this involvement may be the modulation of the motivational properties of cocaine by endogenous opioids. The present study assessed the effect of opioid blockade with naloxone (NLX) on cocaine's motivational properties using the conditioned place preference procedure. Treatment with doses of NLX that did not induce place aversion (0.01–1.0 mg/kg^–1, SC), dose-dependently attenuated place preference induced by cocaine (10 or 20 mg/kg^–1, IP). This effect of NLX was present when administered during acquisition of cocaine-induced place preference and when administered before expression of cocaine's motivational effects. These data support the notion that the (conditioned) motivational properties of cocaine are modulated through activation of opioid systems by endogenous opioid peptides. Furthermore, it is suggested that an interaction between endogenous opioid systems and dopaminergic systems in the brain might be of importance in the motivational facilitation of experimental cocaine addiction.     

Local Rhymes for Singapore Children

The author shares her experience on writing local rhymes for Singapore children, how the themes were selected and the type of illustrations decided. The rhymes were tested with 3 to 5 year olds. To bring the rhymes to life, another author wrote a companion volume, which was used to train childcare teachers to make rhymes enjoyable, educational and meaningful for children. Finally, the author comments on the impact of training on the teachers and the children.