The expression of cytokines by an established basal cell carcinoma cell line (BCC-1/KMC) compared with cultured normal keratinocytes.

A basal cell carcinoma (BCC) cell line (BCC-1/KMC) has recently been successfully established from a patient. The production of interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), IL-1 beta, IL-6 and IL-8 was assessed in comparison with that of cultured normal keratinocytes. The mRNA expression of these cytokines was measured by a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method and the protein production by an ELISA. The cultured BCC cells spontaneously secreted more IL-6 and IL-8 but less IL-1 than the keratinocytes after culture for 24 h at 37 degrees C. It is suggested that the increased expression of IL-6 and IL-8 may indicate the transformation of normal keratinocytes to locally aggressive BCC.

Seroepidemiological study of coxsackievirus type A24 variant (CA24v) in Taiwan.

In October 1985 and June 1986, for the first time, Taiwan experienced two outbreaks of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) caused by a variant of coxsackievirus A24 (CA24v). Sera of virologically and clinically confirmed cases were studied together with the pre- and post-epidemic serum samples by the microneutralization method (cut-off titer, 1:8). The serum samples included 16 cases of virologically confirmed AHC and 18 cases of clinically diagnosed AHC which were collected during the period of January to July, 1987 (i.e., 7 to 21 months after the epidemic). In the same period of time, 374 serum samples were randomly collected as a post-epidemic control group. Meanwhile, 206 serum samples, which were randomly collected in 1980, were studied as a pre-epidemic control group. The results showed that in terms of CA24v neutralizing antibody (NTAb) positivity, a significant difference was found between the pre- and post-epidemic random sample groups (5.3% vs. 28.1%, P < 0.001) while no significant differences among the virologically confirmed, the clinically diagnosed and the post-epidemic random sample groups were noticed (31.3% vs. 28.1%; 44.4% vs. 28.1%, P > 0.05). For comparison, the enterovirus 70 (EV70) NTAb of the samples was studied simultaneously. The results showed that the positive rate and geometric mean titer of CA24v NTAb were lower than those of EV70 even in the post-epidemic serum samples collected shortly after the CA24v epidemic.

[A summary on effects of combined acupuncture anaesthesia for critical, old, week, special patients].

This article summarized the effects of combined acupuncture-epidural anaesthesia (n = 37) and epidural anaesthesia (n = 37) for operations of patients being in a critical, old, weak or special condition. And, the effects were compared between the two different anaesthetic methods in a similar clinical condition. The patients studied were almost complicated with coronary arteriosclerotic heart disease, hypertension or other types of disease excepting the surgical condition. There were different degrees of functional disturbance in their important visceral organs. The states of the body were all belong to critical or weak condition. This might be a difficulty of considerably great for anaesthesia and operation. By using combined acupuncture-epidural anaesthesia, the advantages of acupuncture anaesthesia and epidural anaesthesia were brought into fully play, and, the defect of incomplete analgesia as well as inadequate muscle relaxation was remedied. By acupuncture for 30 to 40 minutes, the EGGs that were originally abnormal had shown some improvement in parts of case and recovered to normal in individual patient. Even though the EGGs had not shown improvement in some cases, but, took no further steps to deteriorate, although undergoing harmful effects in operative process, such as exploration, hemorrhage or others. In some cases, the circulative function showed stabilization exceeding one's expectations. The result showed that acupuncture has a regulative role on the cardiovascular system, thus enhancing the safety in anaesthetic process.

[The ocular fundus findings in dengue fever].

From September to December of 1988, 24 cases of clinical diagnosed dengue fever accompanied by visual disturbances were studied. A detailed history and a detailed ocular examination including visual acuity, slit lamp examination, fundus examination through dilated pupil and fluorescein angiography were conducted. In some cases, Amsler grid, visual field, visual evoked potential and color vision test were also evaluated. The chief complaints of these 24 patients were blurred vision, central scotoma, floaters, photophobia and halo vision. The intervals between onset of fever and awareness of blurred vision were 2 to 15 days with an average of 7.26 days. The ocular fundus changes included macular hemorrhage, retinal hemorrhage, maculopathy, Roth's spot, diffuse retinal edema, peripapillary hemorrhage vitreous cells and blurring optic disc. The fluorescein angiographic findings included poor choroidal flushing, delayed disc filling, disc extravasation, block fluorescence, capillary obliteration, non filling of macular network, capillary leakage and window defect. Seventeen cases (30 eyes) were followed-up for 2 weeks to 3 months. Visual recovery was good in most of the cases. However, 2 cases (4 eyes) showed poor visual outcome. In this series studied, the principle ocular fundus change caused by dengue fever was macular hemorrhage. This may be due to the capillary changes near the macular area. But in some of the cases, the direct viral invasion and/or indirect changes of the optic nerve, the retinal pigment epithelium or photoreceptors should be considered.