Clear cell eccrine porocarcinoma with extensive cutaneous metastasis and peripheral lymphocyte dysfunction.

An 81-year-old woman came to our clinic (Department of Dermatology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan) with multiple erythematous, indurated papules over the left side of her face. Two years earlier, the patient had a skin biopsy done at a similar anatomical area with the histopathological diagnosis of Bowen's disease. After reviewing surgical specimens and confirming no systemic involvement, clear cell eccrine porocarcinoma with extensive cutaneous metastasis has been diagnosed. In addition, the peripheral blood lymphocyte function of the patient was evaluated. The expression of interleukin-2 receptors on lymphocytes after stimulation is abnormal compared with the age-matched normal control and a patient with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. This clinical manifestation of eccrine porocarcinoma is exceptional, and lymphocyte dysfunction in this patient has probably contributed to extensive cutaneous metastasis.

Antiepiligrin cicatricial pemphigoid.

Cicatricial pemphigoid is a chronic subepithelial autoimmune blistering disease of mucous membranes and skin. Recently, a subtype of cicatricial pemphigoid with autoantibodies to epiligrin was identified. We describe a Taiwanese patient who presented with ocular, oral, and cutaneous involvement. Direct immunofluorescence showed IgG and C3 deposition in epidermal basement membrane; indirect immunofluorescence showed circulating IgG autoantibodies reactive with the dermal side of 1 mol/L sodium chloride-split skin. Immunoblotting of laminin 5 isolated from the extracellular matrix of cultured human keratinocytes showed no specific reactivity. In contrast, with immunoprecipitation of the conditioned culture media from biosynthetically radiolabeled human keratinocytes, this patient's serum clearly reacted with a series of disulfide-linked polypeptides that correspond to laminin 5(alpha3beta3gamma2) and laminin 6(alpha3beta1gamma1). This is the first confirmed case of a patient of Chinese ancestry with this disease entity.

The causality between fertility and female labour force participation in Japan.

PIP: This study examines the correlation and reverse correlation between fertility and female labor force participation in Japan during 1950-93. The model is logarithmic and follows earlier studies by Cheng (1996) and Hsiao's (1981) version of the Granger causality method. Data were obtained from the Japan Statistical Yearbook on total fertility rates and female labor force participation rates. Tests for cointegration revealed no cointegration between measures of fertility and employment. Findings indicate that the presence of children had a strong negative effect on labor force participation. Findings are consistent with the study by Yamada and Yamada (1986) and inconsistent with the study by Hamilton (1984), who found that fertility was positive and not significantly related to female labor force participation in Japan. Findings indicate that female labor force participation had a negative and insignificant effect on fertility. These findings support findings from studies by Sprague (1988) and Maddavi (1990) and contest findings of Hamilton (1984) and Yamada and Yamada (1986) that showed negativity and significance. The authors view their findings as correctly specified and supportive of a causality that favors fertility affecting labor force participation without feedback. Findings indicate that employment does not prevent or reduce the probability of having more children. Having young children at home does strongly discourage women from seeking employment outside the home.^ieng

Allelochemical resistance of bald cypress,Taxodium distichum, heartwood to the subterranean termite,Coptotermes formosanus.

The heartwood of bald cypress,Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich., resisted feeding attack by the Formosan subterranean termite,Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. Hexane-extracted heartwood, however, was consumed at > 12 times the amount of sound heartwood eaten. A bioassay usingT. distichum sapwood as a feeding substrate was employed to assess the antitermitic activity of successive hexane, acetone, and methanol extracts of heartwood shavings and isolates derived from the active hexane extract. Two fractions, eluted from the crude hexane extract by liquid chromatography, significantly reduced termite feeding compared to the parent extract, while a third fraction was less active than the original hexane extract. Each fraction contained one major component. All three components were structurally related diterpenes. The two most active heartwood constituents were identified by GC-MS and NMR as ferruginol and manool, while the third and least active, but most prevalent, compound in heartwood was identified as nezukol. Results of bioassays suggest that these allelochemicals act principally as feeding deterrents with accompanying termite mortality due to starvation.

The nephrotoxic potential of gentamicin in the cat: enzymuria and alterations in urine concentrating capability.

This study investigated the potential for nephrotoxicity of gentamicin in cats by measuring marker enzyme concentrations, [Na], [K], osmolality, and pH of the urine, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels. Gentamicin was administered i.m. at 4.4 mg/kg once daily (s.i.d.) or twice daily (b.i.d.) for 7 days. Concentrations of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), lysozyme (LZM), alkaline phosphatase (AP), and glutamate dehydrogenase (GD) were measured as total 24-h excretions. The s.i.d. regimen produced only a slight increase in LDH excretion after 5 days, whereas the b.i.d. regimen caused an increase in the excretion of all enzymes. The greatest elevations were observed for LZM and LDH. Of the enzymes studied, these appeared to be the most appropriate to monitor for potential nephrotoxicity, except that urinary concentrations did not correlate well with duration of gentamicin administration. Only slight elevations in BUN were observed for either regimen. Single daily administration increased urine osmolality slightly, but b.i.d. treatment caused a marked and immediate decrease in urine osmolality, [Na], and total Na excretion. Urinary [K] was also depressed, as was total K excretion after 6 days. Urine pH was not substantially affected. This study showed that the recommended daily dose of 4.4 mg/kg produced little if any evidence of nephrotoxicity as indicated by the parameters measured. Twice daily dosing, however, produced elevations in urine enzyme concentrations, and markedly decreased urine osmolality and Na and K excretion. Compared to other species studied, the cat appears particularly sensitive to urine concentrating alterations resulting from repeated gentamicin administration.

Pharmacokinetics of gentamicin in the calf: developmental changes.

The purpose of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetic values for gentamicin in neonatal calves and to compare these values with those in adult cattle (cows). Gentamicin (4 mg/kg of body weight) was administered IV to 7 Holstein bull calves on days 1 (between 12 and 24 hours of age), 5, 10, and 15 after birth, and was administered once IV to 7 Holstein cows. Serum was collected from each animal before administration and at 22 different time intervals from 2 to 400 minutes after injection. Sera were analyzed for gentamicin concentrations. Decay of serum gentamicin concentrations was best described by a 2-compartment pharmacokinetic model. Elimination half-life (t1/2 (beta)) of gentamicin decreased from day 1 (149 minutes) to day 5 (119 minutes), but did not change between days 5 and 15 (111 minutes). Compared with the t1/2(beta) in 1- and 15-day-old calves, the t 1/2 (beta) in cows was shorter (76 minutes). In the calves, apparent volume of distribution (based on total area under the disposition curve) did not change between 1 (393 ml/kg) and 5 (413 ml/kg) days of age, decreased on day 10 (341 ml/kg) and cows day 15 (334 ml/kg), and was markedly smaller than that in cows (140 ml/kg). Total body clearance of gentamicin in cows (1.29 ml/min X kg) was lower than that seen in calves on day 1 (1.92 ml/min X kg) and on day 15 (2.10 ml/min X kg). The decrease in apparent volume of distribution of gentamicin was mirrored by a large decrease in the extracellular fluid volume, as measured by inulin space.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effect of oxygenated sterol compounds on human bone marrow granulocytic progenitor cells.

Oxygenated sterol compounds are potent inhibitors of sterol and DNA synthesis in mammalian cells. We studied the effects of oxygenated sterols on human marrow granulocytic progenitor cells in vitro (CFU-C). 25-Hydroxycholesterol was found to be a potent inhibitor of sterol synthesis in marrow mononuclear cells, with 50% inhibition occurring at approximately 10(-7) M. This compound, as well as 6-ketocholestanol, 7-ketocholesterol, and 20 alpha-hydroxycholesterol, also demonstrated marked inhibition of CFU-C proliferation. The latter effect, which was not a result of direct cytoxicity of the compounds, was reversible by cholesterol, but not by mevalonic acid. We conclude that inhibition of sterol synthesis by oxygenated sterol compounds may be insufficient to explain their suppression of CFU-C proliferation.

Lipid interactions with human alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). A study of the role of such interactions in the ability of human AFP to suppress lymphocyte transformation.

The ability of human alpha-fetoprotein (HAFP) isolates to inhibit human lymphocyte transformation varies over 2-3 orders of magnitude. Since HAFP is known to bind fatty acids, we have examined the possible role of lipid binding in producing this variability. While certain oxygenated sterols are potent inhibitors of lymphocyte transformation, and while the kinetics of such inhibition precisely mimic those of HAFP, HAFP is, by contrast, a weak inhibitor of sterol synthesis in mitogen-stimulated human lymphocytes. Fatty acids (18:0, 18:1, 18:2, 18:3, 20:4, 22:6) and 10(-4) M have little or no effect upon lymphocyte transformation. The fatty acid content of seen HAFP isolates ranged from 2.3 to 8.0 mol fatty acid/mol HAFP and included 12:0, 14:0, 16:0 (the most abundant), 18:0, 20:4, and 22:0; no 22:6 was found. There was no correlation between the total or individual fatty acid contents of HAFPs and their ability to inhibit lymphocyte transformation. Lysooleoyl-, lysostearoyl-, and lysopalmitoyl-lecithin at 5 X 10(-5) M all inhibited lymphocyte transformation (30.1%, 52.1%, and 58.1%, respectively) and the latter was active at 6.3 X 10(-6) M. Exposure of HAFP to a 5-fold molar excess of [14C]-lysopalmitoyl lecithin resulted in significant (10%) binding to HAFP, while no significant binding of dipalmitoyl lecithin occurred under similar conditions. Analysis of lipid extracts of potent HAFP isolates by thin-layer chromatography failed to reveal the presence of phospholipids. Although HAFP can bind certain lipids, and although certain lipids inhibit lymphocyte transformation, we conclude that HAFP suppression of lymphocyte transformation cannot be attributed to the binding of hydrocortisone, prostaglandins, fatty acids, lysolecithins, or oxygenated sterol compounds.