Central venous catheter-related Rhodotorula rubra fungemia

With the increased use of indwelling central venous catheters, increasing numbers of cases of Rhodotorula fungemia have been observed in patients with neoplasia and neutropenia. In most patients with catheter-related Rhodotorula fungemia, the condition has been treated with broadspectrum antibiotics. We report two cases of central venous catheter-related Rhodotorula rubra fungemia that occurred in patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia. Both patients were in a state of neutropenia. One patient was treated with amphotericin B and his central venous catheter was removed, but he died of Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteremia. The other patient was treated with amphotericin B and discharged, with a central venous catheter, after recovery from neutropenia. Although the management of catheter-related Rhodotorula fungemia infections remains controversial, resolution of the underlying disease is more important than catheter removal for recovery from Rhodotorula rubra fungemia. Received: August 22, 2001 / Accepted: October 8, 2001     

Vesicular pityriasis rosea: response to erythromycin treatment

Pityriasis rosea (PR) is a relatively common disease although its aetiology has not yet been identified. It occurs worldwide and there is no racial susceptibility factor. It usually affects teenagers and young adults between 10 and 35 years of age. Typical PR is much easier to diagnose than the rare atypical forms. We report a rare case of vesicular PR in a black woman who had vesicular lesions limited to her palms and soles in addition to regular typical lesions. We devised an efficient oral erythromycin treatment for this patient.     

Humoral immunity to Malassezia furfur serovars A, B and C in patients with pityriasis versicolor, seborrheic dermatitis and controls

Abstract This study examined the humoral immune responses to Malassezia furfur serovars A, B and C of 10 patients with pityriasis versicolor, 10 patients with seborrheic dermatitis and 20 age- and sex-matched controls. A transferable solid-phase ELISA was used to determine titres of total Igs, IgM, IgA and IgG specific to M. furfur serovars A, B and C. The results demonstrated that patients with seborrheic dermatitis had a significantly higher litre of total Igs to serovar A than patients with pityriasis versicolor; and that patients with seborrheic dermatitis had a significantly higher litre of IgA to serovar C than patients with pityriasis versicolor. The litres of total Igs for controls and patienls with seborrheic dermatitis were significantly lower to serovar B than to serovar C. A modified TSP ELISA was used to determine the titres of the IgG subclasses. Titres of IgG _1,3,4 to serovar B were significantly higher in seborrheic dermatitis patients than pityriasis versicolor patients and litres of IgG₃, to serovar A were significantly higher in seborrheic dermatitis patients than pityriasis versicolor patients. However, despite the differences between the patient groups, none of these results was significantly different to those of controls. Thus, this study did not demonstrate any differences in humoral immunity of patients suffering from Malassezia-associated dermatoses when compared to normal controls. These results may suggest that the humoral immune response to M. furfur is not related to the pathogenesis of Malassezia-associated dermatoses, but simply to the carriage of M. furfur on the skin.     

赤芍水提物对四氯化碳致肝损伤大鼠的保护作用

目的：探讨赤芍水提取物对四氯化碳(CCl4)中毒性肝纤维化大鼠的治疗作用。方法：复制大鼠CCl4肝纤维化模型，以马洛替酯为阳性对照，采用光镜观察组织学改变， 测定血清丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)、一氧化氮(NO)、透明质酸(HA)、层粘蛋白(LN)，肝组织羟脯氨酸(Hyp)、丙二醛(MDA)以反映肝细胞损伤及肝纤维化的程度。结果：赤芍水提物能降低实验性肝纤维化大鼠血清中升高的ALT、AST、NO、HA、LN水平和肝组织中过高的Hyp、MDA的含量。病理组织学检查亦表明，赤芍水提物明显改善实验性肝纤维化。结论：赤芍水提物对实验性肝纤维化具有治疗作用。     

胞必佳注射液抑制膀胱癌细胞BIU-87生长的蛋白质组学分析

目的探讨胞必佳对膀胱癌细胞杀伤作用的分子机制。方法胞必佳注射液作用膀胱癌细胞BIU-8796h,用固相pH梯度双向凝胶电泳分离胞必佳注射液处理和未处理的膀胱癌细胞BIU-87的总蛋白质,银染显色,PDQuest2-de软件分析差异蛋白质点。结果双向电泳图像分析胞必佳注射液药物处理组图像的平均蛋白质数为1021±88,未处理组的平均蛋白质数为1171±99;差异蛋白质有661个,其中有216个表达增强,有451蛋白质表达下降。结论胞必佳注射液对膀胱癌细胞的杀伤作用这些差异表达蛋白质有关,这些差异蛋白质有待质谱分析鉴定,为其作用的分子机理研究提供了新的思路。     

玫瑰疹病毒属与玫瑰糠疹发病的相关性研究现况

玫瑰糠疹是一种病因尚未明确的炎症性、自限性红斑鳞屑性皮肤病，至今病因尚未明确。近年来，关于玫瑰糠疹与玫瑰疹病毒属人疱疹病毒6、7型的研究较为深入，本文对相关文献进行了综述。     

Novel dermoscopic features of pityriasis versicolor–like macules in epidermodysplasia verruciformis

Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV) manifests early in childhood as pityriasis versicolor (PV)–like macules on sun-exposed sites such as the face. These hypopigmented lesions closely resemble commoner pediatric dermatoses such as PV or pityriasis alba. In this report of two cases, we describe the distinguishing dermoscopic features of PV-like macules in EV. Unfocused dotted vessels in a hypopigmented or erythematous background with whitish scales and pigment diluted vellus hairs on dermoscopy should raise the suspicion of EV in children presenting with PV-like lesions.     

Acantholytic pityriasis rubra pilaris associated with topical use of imiquimod 5%: case report and literature review

Topical use of immune response modifiers, such as imiquimod, has increased in dermatology. Although its topical use is well tolerated, it may be associated with exacerbations of generalized cutaneous inflammatory diseases, possibly through the systemic circulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This report describes a case of development of pityriasis rubra pilaris, a rare erythematous-papulosquamous dermatosis, in a woman aged 60 years during treatment with imiquimod 5% cream for actinic keratosis. It evolved with erythrodermic conditions and palmoplantar keratoderma, presenting progressive clinical resolution after the introduction of methotrexate. The authors emphasize the importance of recognizing possible systemic reactions associated with the topical use of imiquimod.     

Myrica rubra leaves as a potential source of a dual 5-LOX/COX inhibitor

Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zucc. is a valuable fruit tree that is used in Chinese, Japanese and Taiwanese traditional medicine. We investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of M. rubra leaves extracted with four different solvents. Total phenolics were determined using the Folin–Ciocalteu method. Extracts were investigated for their inhibitory activity toward the pro-inflammatory enzymes cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 (COX-1, COX-2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX). The ethanol extract of M. rubra leaves demonstrated a strong inhibition of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) biosynthesis catalyzed by both COX-1 (93.42%) and COX-2 (75.71%) and leukotriene B₄ (LTB₄) formation catalyzed by 5-LOX (82.72%). Further we identified selective COX-1 inhibition by the n-butanol and aqueous fractions of the ethanol extract (with an IC₅₀ for COX-1 inhibition of 1.07 and 0.71?µg?mL^?1 _, respectively) and dual 5-LOX/COX inhibition by the ethyl acetate fraction (with an IC₅₀ of 3.29 for COX-1, 2.54 for COX-2 and 8.30?µg?mL^?1 for 5-LOX).