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.     

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations of free-living subjects consuming olestra

The effect of olestra on vitamin D status was assessed in a 6-wk, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 202 free-living adults. Subjects consumed a total of 20 g/d of olestra or triglycerides in cookies eaten at each meal. A 20-micrograms ergocalciferol capsule was taken with each morning meal. Serum 25-hydroxyergocalciferol (25-OHD2) concentrations rose from approximately 5.7 to 39.0 and 31.7 nmol/L in the placebo and olestra groups, respectively, at week 6. At week 6, 25-OHD2 contributed 46-54% to total serum 25-OHD concentration compared with 11% at baseline. The 19% decrease in serum 25-OHD2 concentrations produced by olestra in this study is equivalent to a decrease of approximately 1.2 nmol/L under nonsupplemented dietary conditions. Ingesting 20 g olestra/d in the diet is thus not expected to affect vitamin D nutritional status.     

Minocycline attenuates hyperlocomotion and prepulse inhibition deficits in mice after administration of the NMDA receptor antagonist dizocilpine.

The present study was undertaken to examine whether the second generation antibiotic drug minocycline attenuates behavioral changes (eg, acute hyperlocomotion and prepulse inhibition (PPI) deficits) in mice after the administration of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist (+)-MK-801 (dizocilpine). Dizocilpine (0.1 mg/kg)-induced hyperlocomotion was significantly attenuated by pretreatment with minocycline (40 mg/kg). Furthermore, the PPI deficits after a single administration of dizocilpine (0.1 mg/kg) were attenuated by pretreatment with minocycline (10, 20, or 40 mg/kg), in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, in vivo microdialysis study in the free-moving mice revealed that pretreatment with minocycline (40 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly attenuated the increase of extracellular dopamine (DA) levels in the frontal cortex and striatum after administration of dizocilpine (0.1 mg/kg), suggesting that the inhibition of dizocilpine-induced DA release by minocycline may, at least in part, be implicated in the mechanism of action of minocycline with respect to dizocilpine-induced behavioral changes in mice. These findings suggest that minocycline could attenuate behavioral changes in mice after the administration of the NMDA receptor antagonist dizocilpine. Therefore, it is possible that minocycline would be a potential therapeutic drug for schizophrenia.     

Association between cord blood IgE and genetic polymorphisms of interleukin-4, the β-subunit of the high-affinity receptor for IgE, lymphotoxin-α, and tumor Necrosis factor-α

High cord blood immunoglobulin E (cbIgE) is known to be associated with increased risks of atopic diseases in childhood. The relationship between genetic polymorphisms and high cbIgE has not been well documented. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the association between cbIgE and genetic polymorphisms of interleukin (IL)-4 -590C/T, the beta-subunit of the high-affinity receptor for IgE (FcepsilonRI-beta) E237G, lymphotoxin (LT)-alphaNcoI alleles, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha -308G/A. A total of 320 mother-neonate pairs were recruited from four maternity hospitals from different locations of Taiwan. Cord blood was obtained and assayed for cbIgE. Polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to assess the genotypes. Three hundred pairs of mothers and neonates were included in the final analysis. Infants with IL-4 -590 C allele were found to have higher risk of elevated cbIgE (> or =0.35 IU/ml, 24.3%) (p = 0.004). After adjusting for gender, birth order, maternal age, and history of allergic disease in maternal and paternal families, odds ratios for CC and CT genotypes were 4.41 and 3.16 (95% confidence interval 0.78-22.67, and 1.66-6.13), respectively, using TT genotype as reference. The genotypes of FcepsilonRI-beta, LT-alpha, and TNF-alpha were not associated with cbIgE before or after the adjustment. Our finding suggested a significant association of cbIgE with genetic polymorphism of IL-4 -590C/T, but not with the genotypes of FcepsilonRI-beta, LT-alpha, and TNF-alpha.     

复发性鼻腔及鼻窦恶性肿瘤的挽救性治疗

目的 探讨鼻腔及鼻窦恶性肿瘤复发后的临床表现、与复发有关的因素、再手术的意义及缺损组织的修复。方法 排除原发性鼻腔鼻窦恶性肿瘤，仅收集治疗后复发并且有再手术意义的病例。应用乘积极限法估计生存率，Stata7．0统计软件进行统计运算。结果 1993～2002年共有25例患者符合要求。男19例，女6例，年龄13～66岁，平均46．1岁。所有患者均有至少1次手术或放射治疗史。末次治疗至复发的时间2周～46个月，中位时间18个月，80％的患者肿瘤复发出现于末次治疗后2年内。术后随访1～65个月。再手术中无死亡病例。5例健在无肿瘤复发；局部复发2例，颈部淋巴结转移1例，经过1刀或手术治疗后2例健在、1例带瘤生存；死于局部复发13例，死于肺转移1例，死于无关疾病1例，失访2例。1年生存率62．5%，2年生存率43．7％，3年生存率29．1％，中位生存时间18个月。术后发生脑脊液漏3例次，中枢性尿崩症1例次，皮瓣部分坏死1例次。手术修补脑脊液漏l例。结论 鼻腔及鼻窦恶性肿瘤局部复发多发生于末次治疗后2年之内，主要症状是头痛及局部隆起。肿瘤的类型和分化程度与复发密切相关。合理、及时的综合治疗有助于减少复发。运用有效修复手段的再手术可改善晚期患者的生活质量，延长生命。并发症主要是脑脊液漏，多数可通过保守方法治愈。