In order to study the role of prostaglandin E2(PGE_2)on the pathogenesis of candidal vaginitis,the effect of Candida albicans and histamine on the production of PGE_2 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with candidal vaginitis and normal controls,the effect of PGE2 on germ tube formation of Candida albicans,and the effect of PGE2 on Candida albicans adhering to vaginal ep- ithelial cells were observed.The results showed that:Candida albicans and histamine induced PGE2 synergistically,and the production of PGE2 increased markedly.PGE2 enhanced germ tube formation in Candida albicans,increased the number of Candida albicans adhering to the vaginal epithelial cells, and the pathogenicity of C.albicans.The above results indicate that PGE_2 plays a role in the pathogene- sis of candidal vaginitis.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of systemic fungal infection in patients at auto-psy and its association with clinical data.Methods The materials from unselected adult patients were exa-mined at necropsy in our hospital from1971to2000,and the fungal species were identified by their mor-phologies in pathology.The clinical and pathological data were compared.Results The rate of fungal infec-tion was7.8%(31/396)among396cases.Seventeen(54.8%)of the31cases were infected with as-pergillus.The frequencies of organs involved with fungal infection were83.87%in lungs,48.39%in kid-neys,35.48%in brain and29.03%in heart,respectively.The fungal infection attributed directly to death in21cases.Conclusion Systemic fungal infection is one of the most common fatal causes among the critically ill patients,and aspergillosis becomes a major pathogenic fungus for patients with systemic fungal infection at autopsy.

Objective To establish a new method for detecting pemphigus antibody (PAb). Methods PI 1 anti idiotype monoclonal antibodies against pemphigus and purified PAb from the serum of a patient with active pemphigus were used to establish an ELISA system for detecting the PAb. Results The result showed the purified PAb was IgG4 subclass, the sensitivity and specificity for the detection of PAb were high in the ELISA system, the sensitivity and specificity were not significantly different among the IIF, indirect ELISA and ABC ELISA. The standard curve for detecting the concentration of the purified PAb was primarily obtained in the study. Conclusion The ELISA system for the detection of PAb in the sera of patients is a good qualitative method, it might be of value in the clinical diagnosis of pemphigus. It is expected to quantitatively detect PAb of pemphigus patients in the future with the ELISA system established, which is directed to the IgG4 subclass of PAb, so it may be of value in the study of IgG4 subclass in the pathogenesis of pemphigus.

Seventeen cases of malignant melanoma (MM) were observed with transmission electron microscopy in order to clarify the significance of abberant melanosomes in its diagnosis.30 cases of nevus were also studied to serve as control.It was found that aberrant melanosomes were present in 14 cases of MM including 2 cases of amelanotic MM and absent in 2 cases of pigmented MM and one case of amelanotic MM.In addition,aberrant melanosomes were found in 4 cases of congenital nevus.The findings suggest that the significance of aberrant melanosomes in the diagnosis of MM has been overemphasized.It is believed that the diagnosis of MM must be judged comprehensively on all the ultrastructural changes under transmission electron microscope.

Fifteen cases of malignant melanoma,17 cases of acquired nevus,18 cases of congenital small nevus,and 3 cases of congenital giant nevus were labeled with anti-human prolifera-tive cell antibody Ki-67 with ABC labeling method.It was found that 13 out of the 15 cases of malignant melanoma were positive and the positive rate of the tumor cells was ranged between 2% to 33%.After culture,the positive rate of the melanoma cells was 88%.But all the 3.types of melanocytic nevi were negative.The findings suggest that the labeling of anti-human proliferative cell antibody Ki-67 is a sensitive and specific method to identify melanocytic tumors and it is not sensitive enough to differentiate the minor changes of the 3 types of nevi.

Desmosomes with well-preserved architecture were isloated from the epidermis of bovine muzzle.The thickness of the dense plaque was about 15 nm and the width of desmoso-mal interspace 30~40 nm.The midline in the desmosomal interspace was shown as a moderately electrondense material.The component proteins of the desmosomes were analyzed with SDS-PAGE.It was found that both DP Ⅰ and DP Ⅱ consisted of 3 polypeptides and the molecular weight of DP 1 a,b and c was 235 kd,226 kd and 215kd and that of DP Ⅱ a,b and c was 206 kd,198 kd and 186 kd respectively ; and DP Ⅲ was composed of 2 polypeptides and the molecular weight of DP I a and b was 87 kd and 86 kd.The above mentioned data were different from those of other reports,while the data of the other component proteins were similar to those of others.The molecular weight of DG I was 150 kd.that of DG Ⅱ a and b was 135 kd and 118 kd,that of DG Ⅲ was probably 22 kd.and that of DP Ⅳ was 82 kd.According to our findings,it is concluded that both DP Ⅰ and DP Ⅱ consist of 3 polypeptides and DP Ⅲ of 2 polypepties.

There are controversies concerning whether congential small nevus(CSN)is liable to undergo malignant degeneration and whether it should be resected promptly.The signif-icane of CSN in the pathogenesis of malignant melanoma(MM)was assessed with microspec-trophotometric determination of DNA quantity,the detection of the gene product of N-ras,p21 protein,with ABC technique,ultrastructural study of MM tissue with electron microscopy,and analysis of clinical data of MM.The findings were as follows:(1)The DNA content increased sequentially in order of acquired nevus(AN),CSN,congenital giant nevus(CGN)and MM,and the difference was statistically significant among the 4 groups(P

Objective To study the effects of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) on a ctivation, proliferation and melanin synthesis of hair-follicle melanocytes. Me thods The cultured human hair follicle melanocytes were treated with various con centrations of 8-MOP(10～500 ?mol/L) in vitro. The effects of 8-MOP were obse rved on cellular morphologic changes, proliferation, tyrosinase activity and mel anin contents of cultured melanocytes. Results Seven days after treatment with 8-MOP(50 ?mol/L), striking changes were found in cellular morphology with many elongated dendrites, and deposition of brown granules in cytoplasm. Tyrosinase a ctivity and melanin contents also remarkably increased in treated cells compared to those in untreated cells(P

Objective To investigate whether the sort of drugs causing drug eruptions complicated with drug-induced liver dysfunction are the same as those causing drug eruptions. Methods Sixty-one cases of drug eruption complicated with drug-induced liver dysfunction in 261 cases confirmed as drug eruptions from January 1998 to March 2003 were analyzed retrospectively. Results The major hepatotoxic drugs in these cases were antivirus drugs (60%, 9/15), antituberculosis drugs (66.67%, 8/12), zyloric (55.56%, 5/9), and some traditional Chinese medicines (31.58%, 6/19). Conclusion The sort of drugs causing drug eruptions complicated with drug-induced liver dysfunction are the same as those causing drug eruptions, which should be taken into consideration in clinical medication.

Objectives To identify and characterize 10 strains of Francisella philomiragia-like organisms isolated from blood samples and environmental water.Methods The 10 clinical and environmental isolates were identified by traditional morphological examination and biochemical characterization,matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight(MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry(MS) systems and sequencing based on 16S rRNA gene.The minimum inhibitory concentrations were tested by E-test methods.Results All the 10 isolates were gram-negative coccobacilli appearing tiny and faint counterstain of safranin,negative for urease,nitrate reduction and X and/or V factor requirement,but positive for oxidase and catalase.The isolates grew rapidly in sheep blood agar,chocolate agar and BCYE plate forming white opaque,colorless transparent or gray smooth colonies with about 2-mm diameters,but did not grow in M-H agar and MacConkey agar.The sequencing for 16S rRNA gene indicated that the 10 isolates shared more than 99.6％ similarity to Francisella philomiragia,and fell into the same clusters of Francisella philomiragia on phylogenetic tree.The MALDI-TOF MS analysis also showed the typical peaks with 6 153 m/z,5 180 m/z,7 757 m/z and 9 392 m/z which were similar to Francisella philomiragia ATCC 25015.However,they may be misidentified to be Sphingomonas paucimobilis by using Vitek 2 GN cards,Neisseria cinerea by using Vitek 2 NH cards,Myroides odoratimimus by using API 20NE strips and Haemophilus by using API NH cards.The results of antimicrobial susceptibility showed that they were all sensitive to chloramphenicol,doxycycline,tetracycline,gentamicin,ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin.Conclusion The 10 isolates could be identified as Francisella philomiragia,so we should pay more attention to the infrequent pathogen for its inactive biochemical reaction and the misidentification by commercial detection systems.