Two patients who developed typical skin eruptions 24 hours after consumption of shiitake mushrooms are reported.Case 1:a 56-year-old woman suddenly developed widespread itching eruptions one day after intake of shiitake mushrooms.On examination,there were erythematous and edematous linear streaks (flagellate erythema) over the neck,trunk and limbs.Case 2:a 60-year-old man presented with edematous flagellate erythema over the trunk and limbs for four days.He reported intake of shiitake mushroom several days prior to the presentation.Pathological examination revealed focal parakeratosis,intracellular and intercellular edema in the prickle cell layer,severe edema of papillary dermis,evident widening of interfibrous spaces,dilation and congestion of capillaries in the superficial dermis with a mixed perivascular infiltrate of massive lymphocytes and sparse neutrophils.Both patients were diagnosed with shiitake dermatitis,and treated with prednisone and antihistamines.The lesions subsided after 3 and 4 days of treatment in patient 1 and 2 respectively.

Objective To examine the cellular distribution and the role of a-catenin in epidermal tumors. Methods Expression of a-catenin was investigate d by immunohistochemical staining in 20 patients with Bowen′s disease (BD), 20 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 20 basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and 40 normal cont rols. Results Expression of a-catenin was strongest on the cell membranes of b asal cells, but nearly negative in the cytoplasm and the nuclei of epidermal cel ls in normal controls. Expression of a-catenin was significantly lower on the cell membranes in SCC and BCC cells than that in normal epidermal cells (P

Objective To investigate the effects of UVA irradiation on the expression of inducible nitric oxide sgnthase(iNOS)and level of nitric oxide(NO)in HaCaT cells.Methods HaCaT cells were cultured,irradiated with difrerent doses(1,5,1 0 J/cm2)of UVA.After another 24-,48-,72-hour culture,the mRNA and protein expressions of iNOS and level of NO wen measured bv RT-PCR,Westem blot and Griess reagent kit,respectively.Results Atier the irradiation with 1.5 or 10 J/cm2 of UVA,the mRNA expression of iNOS was observed in HaCaT cells at 24 h,reached a peak at 48 h,then decreased at 72 h;significant differences were fcIund between the three time points (all P＜0.05).No expression of iNOS protein was detected in HaCaT cells at any time point after irradiation witll UVA Of 1 J/cm2;meanwhile,with UVA irradiation of 5 and 10 J/cm2,the protein expression of iNOS increased at 24 h,peaked at 48 h,but was undetected at 72 h.In HaCaT cells irradiated with UVA of 1.5 or 10 J/cm2.the level Of NO showed an increase at 24 h.a marked increase at 48 h,and a stable increase at 72 h,and significant differences were noticed between irradiated cells and control cells at three time points(all P＜0.05).In unirradiated HaCaT cells,no expression of iNOS mRNA or protein was observed with a low level of NO.Conclusions The changes in iNOS expression and NO level in HaCaT cells are related to the duration and dose of UVA irradiation.

Objective To observe the protection of human keratinocyte cell line, HaCaT cell, from UVA damage by resveratrol and its possible mechanism. Methods HaCaT cells were incubated with or without 0.01 mmol/L or 0.1 mmol/L resveratrol after exposure to 5 J/cm2 UVA irradiation. Unirradiated HaCaT cells-without the treatment with resveratrol served as the control. After another 24-hour culture, MTT assay was used to detect the proliferation of cells, RT-PCR and Western-blot to measure the iNOS mRNA and protein expression respectively, electron microscopic technique to observe the changes in cell ultrastructure. Results After irradiation with UVA of 5 J/cm2, the proliferation of HaCaT cells decreased with the absorbance at 490 nm descending from 0.889±0.083 to 0.542±0.004, while a significant increase was observed in the relative expression level of iNOS mRNA and protein in HaCaT cells (1.532±0.041 vs 0.009±0.003, 1.331 ±0.046 vs 0.003±0.001, both P < 0.05) with the presence of typical apoptotic cells. The treatment with 0.01 and 0.1 mmol/L resveratrol significantly promoted the proliferation of irradiated cells with the absorbance at 490 nm being 0.753±0.435 and 0.892±0.173 respectively, but inhibited the mRNA (0.853±0.038 vs 1.532±0.041, 0.392±0.033 vs 1.532±0.041, both P< 0.05) and protein expression level (0.809±0.018 vs 1.331±0.046, 0.412±0.026 vs 1.331±0.046, both P< 0.05) of iNOS in irradiated cells, and the resveratrol of 0.1 mmol/L was more effective than that ofO.01 mmol/L in all tested parameters (P< 0.05). Furthermore, no apoptofic cells or necrotic cells were observed in irradiated ceils incubated with resveratrol. Conclusion Resveratrol effectively protects HaCaT cells from UVA damage, which may be related to the inhibition of UVA-induced iNOS expression by resveratrol.

dosage ( P<0.01).Conclusion UVA can inhibit the proliferation activity of human skin fibroblasts. It might be related to the up-regulation of iNOS gene expression and the over-secretion of NO induced by UVA.

Objective To compare the clinical features between measles in adult and juvenile patients,and to provide references for correct diagnosis and early prevention of measles.MethodsClinical data werle retrospectively collected from and analyzed for 239 inpatients with measles in the hospital.Results The ratio ofmales to females was 1∶1.4 and 2.9∶1 among adult patients(n=129)and juvenile patients (n=110),respectively.The average duration from fever to eruption was shorter in adults than in juveniles (2.43±1.34)days vs(4.26±2.69)days,(t=6.48，P＜0.01).The incidence of hyperthermia,catarrhal symptoms,Koplik spots,conjunctival hyperemia,diarrhea and thrombocytopenia was 33.0%,65.0%，78.3%,84.5%,42.7%and 17.8%,respectively aniong adult patients,14.5%,50.9%,56.4%,69.0%,22.9%and 9.0%,respectively among juveniles;the difference was significant between the two groups in all the above rates (P＜0.01 or 0.05).Meanwhile,elevated activity of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH),creatine kinase(CK),MB isoenzyme of creatine kinase (CK-MB),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),alanine aminotransterase(ALT)was found in 63.6%,43.4%,38.0%,59.7%and 48.1%of the adult inpatients,respectively,42.7%,28.0%,20.0%,41.8%and 30.9% of juvenile patients,respectively,with the difference being statistically signifi cant(x2=10.38,5.95,6.73,7.59,7.27,P＜0.01,0.05,0.01,0.01,0.01,respectively).Furthermore,theincrease of LDH activity correlated with the occurrence of complications(x2=12.60,P＜0.01).Bronchopneumonia was diagnosed in 16.3%of adult inpatients with measles and 31.8%of juvenile inpatients(t=7.99,P＜0.01).Conclusions Measles in adults tends to have a more severe clinical symptom but a better prognosis compared with measles in juveniles;however,this 1s often ignored in clinical practice.

Objective To investigate the effect of triptolide on the proliferation and apoptosis of human epidermal squamous cell carcinoma cell line A431 in vitro. Methods Human epidermal squamous cell carcinoma cell line A431 was cultured. After the treatment with triptolide, the inhibi-tion of cellular growth was determined by measuring MTT dye absorption of the living cells. Light mi-croscope showed morphological changes. The cell cycle and apoptosis rate were assessed by flow cy-tometry. Results Triptolide could significantly inhibit the proliferation of A431 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Triptolide could also cause cell morphological changes ( the number of float-ing cells and nuclear pyknosis increase), induce cell apoptosis, and change the distribution of cell cycle phase in A431 cells. Compared with the control group, the G0/G1 phase A431 cell rate in-creased and the rate of S phase cell decreased in TP-treated group. Cell cycles were obviously inhibi-ted by triptolide in G0/G1 phase (both P<0.05). Conclusion TP could play an anti-tumor role by effectively inducing cell apoptosis and inhibiting the proliferation of A431 cells.

Objective To investigate the expression of aquaporin 3 (AQP3) in lesions of four cuta-neous tumors. Methods Immtmohistochemistry was utilized to measure the expression of AQP3 in tissue samples from 30 patients with seborrheic keratosis, 15 patients with Bowen's disease, 32 patients with squa-mous cell carcinoma, 17 patients with malignant melanoma and 15 normal human controls. Results AQP3 was observed in all the tissue samples from both patients and controls. A significant increment was noticed in the expression of AQP3 in patients with Bowen's disease, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma compared with the normal controls (all P < 0.01), while no significant difference was found between patients with seborrheic keratosis and the controls (P > 0.05). The highest expression of AQP3 was obtained in lesions from patients with squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma, followed by those with Bowen's disease (both P < 0.01), and there was no significant difference between squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma (P > 0.05). The differentiation status of squamous cell carcinoma significantly corre-lated with the expression of AQP3 (P < 0.01). AQP3 was significantly higher in malignant melanoma with metastasis than that in malignant melanoma without metastasis (P < 0.05). Conclusion The expression of AQP3 is upregulated in malignant skin tumors.

Objective To investigate the role of Ephrin A2 in the regeneration and reinnervation of hair cells in the chick cochlea following kanamycin ototoxicity.Methods 66 newly hatched Roman chickens (3 days old) were randomly divided into experimental group and control groups. Experimental chickens (n=48) received intramuscular kanamycin (200 mg/kg:Sigma,St Louis,MO) for 10 consecutive days and were subsequently sacrificed 2 days before the last injection,and 1,3,7,10,15,21,30,and 60 days after the last injection (n=6 per subgroup). Control chickens (n=18) were untreated and sacrificed 3,13 and 43 days after hatching (n=6 per subgroup). Ephrin A2 protein expression in acoustic ganglia was determined by western blot analysis in all chickens after sacrifice. Results Ephrin A2 protein expression was found and the protein level was almost same in acoustical ganglia of all normal chickens. After kanamycin exposure,the Ephrin A2 protein expression level in the cochlea of the experiment chickens from 2 to 7 days after last kanamycin injection was lower than that in control chickens,respectively. Ephrin A2 expression increased obviously at 15 days after kanamycin last injection. By 30 days after the cessation of kanamycin treatment,the level of Ephrin A2 protein approximated to that in normal control group.Conclusion The expression of Ephrin A2 protein in the acoustical ganglia basically synchronizes with the regeneration and the reinnervation of the hair cells in the chicken cochlea following kanamycin damage,indicating that Ephrin A2 may play an important role in this process.

Objective To study the telomerase activity,the keratinocyte apoptosis in condyloma ac-cuminatum(CA)and the correlation between them.Methods CA specimens from30patients were stud-ied,and compared with normal tissue and tumor cell lines.Telomerase activity was detected with telomeric repeat amplification polymerase chain reaction(TRAP)-ELISA.Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase(TdT)-mediated biotin dUTP nick end-labeling(TUNEL)was used to evaluate apoptotic cells.Results Increased telomerase activity was detected in27(90%)patients with CA,with A 450 ranging between0.50and2.76(mean1.3022).Apoptotic keratinocytes were found in24out of30CA cases(80%).A statistically signifi-cant inverse correlation was found between telomerase activity and apoptotic index(r =-0.52,P=0.004).Conclusion Keratinocyte telomerase is activated in condyloma acuminata,which is correlated with the downregulation of apoptosis,thus they might be involved in the pathogenesis of CA.