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Biomedical subjects

H N Liu

Publications and source records attributed to H N Liu.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Detection of Epstein-Barr virus in primary cutaneous amyloidosis.

To determine the association of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) with primary cutaneous amyloidosis (PCA), a retrospective study was conducted on skin tissue from 27 Chinese patients with lichen amyloidosus and macular amyloidosis. In situ hybridization with oligonucleotide probes was used to detect the expression of EBV-encoded RNAs (EBERs). Eleven of 27 cases (40.7%) were found to contain the EBV genome. No EBV genome was detected in the skin of the control groups, including three cases of secondary cutaneous amyloidosis, two cases of primary systemic amyloidosis, and four cases of lichen simplex chronicus. Our study showed no correlation between the presence of EBV in PCA patients and the patients' age, sex, clinical type or severity of the skin lesions. Although our results suggest that EBV may be associated with some cases of PCA, the true aetiological role of EBV in PCA remains unknown.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Extramammary Paget's disease: a report of 22 cases in Chinese males.

Extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) is more frequently seen in Caucasian females than in males (3.2:1 female:male ratio). During the past 14 year period, we have collected 22 patients, all Chinese males, with EMPD. They presented with eczema-like lesions in the early stages in the genital or perianal regions. Histological sections showed Paget cells within the epidermis or skin appendages and even within the dermis. No underlying adnexal carcinoma or adjacent internal carcinoma could be detected after thorough examinations. Mode of therapy and outcome are presented. EMPD seems to affect more males than females in Orientals. The incidence of concomitant malignancy in Chinese male patients with genital Paget's disease seems to be much lower than that in Caucasians. However, if EMPD involves the glans penis or perianal area, a search for internal malignancy is still warranted.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Hemodialysis-related pruritus: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study of capsaicin 0.025% cream.

Pruritus is a significant symptom among patients receiving hemodialysis. However, its underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Substance P, a neuropeptide, has been implicated in the mediation of pain and some itch sensations. Local application of capsaicin depletes the peripheral neurons of substance P and may block the conduction of pain or pruritus. This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of capsaicin 0.025% cream in the treatment of hemodialysis-related pruritus and to further explore the underlying pathomechanism. Nineteen hemodialysis patients with idiopathic, moderate (n = 5) to severe (n = 14) pruritus were examined in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study and 17 of them completed the study. Topical agent of capsaicin or placebo base cream was applied to localized areas of pruritus 4 times a day. The severity of pruritus and treatment-related side effects (cutaneous burning/stinging sensations, dryness, or erythema) were evaluated weekly. The results showed (1) that 14 of 17 patients reported marked relief and 5 of these 14 patients had complete remission of pruritus during capsaicin treatment (Wilcoxon signed-ranks test, 2p < 0.001); (2) capsaicin was significantly more effective than placebo (Mann-Whitney rank sum test, 2p < 0.001) and a prolonged antipruritic effect was observed 8 weeks posttreatment; (3) no serious side effects were noted during the study and (4) there were no significant changes in serum concentrations of albumin, calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, or intact parathyroid hormone during the treatment with either capsaicin or placebo. In summary, the present study indicates indirectly that idiopathic pruritus in some patients on maintenance hemodialysis may be transmitted by substance P from the peripheral sensory neurons to the central nervous system. Topical capsaicin with the unique pharmacological effect is demonstrated to markedly improve the pruritus of these patients.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1996

Bullous pemphigoid--a report of 86 cases from Taiwan.

We reviewed 86 cases of bullous pemphigoid and the results were compared with those reported in the literature. Seventy-eight per cent of the patients developed generalized blisters and 22% had localized blisters, including three cases of dyshidrosiform pemphigoid and one case of pretibial pemphigoid. Oral mucosal involvement was noticed in 12.8% of the patients. Fifteen per cent of the patients had internal malignancies but the incidence was not significantly different from the control group. Direct immunofluorescence in our series showed a high positive rate of 98.8%. Indirect immunofluorescence was positive in 48.1% of the 54 patients in whom this was carried out. Peripheral blood eosinophilia was observed in 22.1% of the patients. Prednisolone alone or in combination with immunosuppressive agents was the mainstay of treatment. Treatment side-effects was observed in 33% of the patients. Thirty per cent of the patients had a complete remission after a mean follow-up period of 26.9 months. Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a chronic debilitating autoimmune blistering disease. It is characterized clinically by generalized tense bullae and histologically by subepidermal blisters. Immunofluorescence is crucial in the diagnosis and shows linear deposits of C3 and/or IgG at the basement membrane zone (BMZ). Information regarding this disease in Chinese patients is quite limited. In this study, 86 patients with BP were reviewed. The clinical and histological features, immunofluorescence, modes of therapy and outcome were studied.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Glutamate induces c-fos proto-oncogene expression and inhibits proliferation in oligodendrocyte progenitors: receptor characterization.

The effect of glutamate on c-fos expression in oligodendrocyte progenitors was investigated by Northern blot analysis. Glutamate caused rapid and transient induction. Both 6-cyano-7-nitro-quinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) and 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DNQX), two competitive non-NMDA ionotropic receptor antagonists, reduced glutamate-induced c-fos expression, whereas the NMDA antagonist MK-801 was ineffective. In addition, the glutamate receptor agonists (+/-)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid hydrobromide (AMPA) and kainate strongly induced c-fos. However, the metabotropic receptor agonist trans-(+/-)-1-amino-(1S,3R)-cyclopentanedicarboxylic acid (trans-(+/-)-ACPD) did not increase c-fos mRNA level and the antagonist L-(+)-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid did not block glutamate-induced c-fos mRNA. These findings indicate that c-fos induction in oligodendrocyte progenitors is mediated through the AMPA/kainate receptors, while NMDA and metabotropic receptor subtypes are not involved. Chelation of extracellular calcium by EDTA prevented glutamate-induced c-fos expression. Similarly, the protein kinase C inhibitor 1-(5-isoquinoline-sulphonyl)-2-methylpiperazine dihydrochloride (H7) and down-regulation of protein kinase C by prolonged exposure to phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate blocked c-fos induction. These results suggest that induction of c-fos through AMPA/kainate receptors is dependent on extracellular calcium influx and involves downstream activation of phorbol ester-sensitive protein kinase C. The effect of glutamate on oligodendrocyte progenitor proliferation was assessed by [3H]thymidine incorporation. Glutamate and the agonists kainate and AMPA, but not trans-(+/-)-ACPD, caused a dose-dependent decrease in [3H]thymidine incorporation. All these pharmacological agents were not toxic to oligodendrocyte progenitors. CNQX reversed the inhibitory effects produced by glutamate and the various agonists. These results suggest that glutamate may modulate the growth and differentiation of oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system.

6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione↗
PubMed1995

Penile basal cell carcinoma with eccrine differentiation.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is rare on the penis. There have been only 17 cases of penile BCC reported in the literature. Eccrine differentiation may not be uncommon in BCC but has not been reported in penile BCC. We report here a 75-year-old man with multiple penile BCC with histological features of eccrine differentiation. A brief review of the literature is included. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most commonly diagnosed malignant skin tumour; it probably originates from pluripotential cells in the epidermis or hair follicle. More than 90% of BCCs are located on the head or neck, and its occurrence on the penis is rare. Seventeen cases of penile BCC have been reported in the literature.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Enrichment of unlabelled human Langerhans cells by modified discontinuous Ficoll-metrizoate density medium and following Langerhans cell culture.

Highly enriched and specifically unlabelled human Langerhans cells (LC) from epidermal cell suspensions (ECS) are indispensable for the intensive study of LC function. Discontinuous Ficoll-metrizoate density gradient centrifugation was found to be a satisfactory method of enriching LC from ECS. In contrast to a previous study, however, the majority of LC floated on Ficoll-metrizoate with a density of 1.057 g/cm3 instead of 1.068 g/cm3. The concentration of unlabelled LC can be enriched to as high as 92% from the original 1.8-3.1% LC in ECS. Approximately 40-50% of original LC can be harvested. The procedure was also simplified by using a Schick razor instead of a dermatome to obtain thin epidermal sheets (about 0.25 mm in thickness), omitting the density gradients of 1.089 and 1.10 g/cm3 and using the avidin-biotin complex method to identify LC. LC are non-proliferative cells in in vitro culture systems. The viability of LC dropped to 20-30% after 3 days in the culture medium. It was also observed that LC tended to attach to aggregated keratinocytes in the culture system.

Cell Survival↗
PubMed1994

Scleroderma after silicone augmentation mammoplasty: report of a case.

The development of connective tissue diseases in patients who have had silicone gel breast implants has not been previously described in Taiwan. Herein, we report a 44-year-old female patient who underwent a silicone gel breast implant approximately 10 years prior to the onset of scleroderma. She developed generalized sclerosis, severe defective esophageal clearance, and severe reduction of gas exchange with DLco 37% of predicted value. Immunologic tests revealed that the antinuclear antibody titer was 1:2,560 with speckled pattern and positive anti-Scl-70 antibody. In spite of prednisolone and D-penicillamine treatment, her condition deteriorated. However, following the removal of the prosthesis, short-term subjective and objective improvements in both skin lesions and pulmonary function were noted. It is important that plastic surgeons, rheumatologists, and dermatologists, as well as primary care physicians, be aware of the possible association of sclerosis with silicone gel breast implants.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

KONCPA: a new method for diagnosing tinea unguium.

Tinea unguium (TU) is very common in tropical and subtropical regions. An inexpensive, quick and sensitive test is essential for screening the nail specimens. We investigated if a test using potassium hydroxide (KOH)-treated nail clippings, which were then crushed and stained with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), could be useful for diagnosing TU. The new method (abbreviated as KONCPA) was proved to be more fruitful to identify fungal hyphae in comparison with conventional KOH nail scraping preparation, histopathologic examination and fungal culture. The positive rates of each method were 77, 44, 60 and 16%, respectively. All 10 KONCPA-negative nails failed to show fungus by the other three methods. The KONCPA slides can be permanently stored as records. In addition, we also found that treatment of nail specimens in 20% KOH at 56 degrees C for 10 min prior to histopathologic processing is a simple method to soften the nail plate.

Humans↗
PubMed1993

[Stevens-Johnson syndrome: a review of 42 cases].

We retrospectively studied 42 patients hospitalized for Stevens-Johnson syndrome at the Veterans General Hospital-Taipei between 1979 and 1991. Twenty-seven patients were males and 15 females; the ages ranged from 7 months to 82 years old with a mean age 50. The most common precipitating factor was drugs among which diphenylhydantion was the leading offender followed by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents and allopurinol. Sixteen cases might be etiologically associated with infection, including 13 with upper respiratory infection, one with acute hepatitis B, one with pulmonary tuberculosis, and one with fever of unknown origin that was suspected to be viral infection. Although mycoplasma infection was thought in the literature to be a common etiologic factor of Stevens-Johnson syndrome, it was scarcely found in our study. Four patients were not treated with systemic steroids but still recovered uneventfully. Systemic steroid as a whole was not proved to be necessary, but early large-dose steroid therapy might abbreviate the course of the disease. The mortality rate was 11.9% which differs unremarkably from the reported rate (5-15%). Two patients died of pneumonia with sepsis, one of hemorrhagic shock (bleeding of adenocarcinoma of stomach), one of aspiration pneumonia, and one of sepsis with disseminated intravascular coagulation, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar nonketotic coma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Scabietic nodules: a dermatopathologic and immunofluorescent study.

Mites and their eggs were thought to be rarely found in nodular lesions of scabies. However, serial sections from 27 scabietic scrotal papules or nodules revealed mite parts in 22% (6/27). This supports the contention that scabietic nodules may result from persisting antigens of mite parts. In contrast to previous studies, vasculitis with fibrinoid degeneration was uncommon (3/27) in our series. This discrepancy may be due to the timing of the biopsies: 2 of 3 cases with vasculitis were associated with diffuse dense infiltration, and vasculitis may be a late event in the development of scabietic nodules. The specificity of immunoreactant deposits along the epidermodermal junction (EDJ) in scabies is controversial. In our study, direct immunofluorescence (DIF) was performed on 13 scabietic nodules. Four (31%) showed immunoreactants at the EDJ and two on blood vessels. Because of the relatively low positive rate, the low intensity of fluorescence, and 3 of 4 cases with positive immunoreactants having only a single class of immunoglobulin, the deposition may only be secondary to inflammation instead of a specific type II immunologic reaction to scabies.

Fluorescent Antibody Technique↗
PubMed1992

[Leukemia cutis: clinical and histopathological analysis of 14 cases].

We report 14 cases of leukemia cutis registered at Department of Dermatology, Veterans General Hospital Over a period of 18 years. There were one patient with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), one with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), seven with acute monocytic leukemia (AMOL), one with acute myelomonocytic leukemia (AMML), and four with chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML). Multiple papules and nodules were the most frequent clinical lesions. Metastatic skin lesions occurred most commonly on legs (71%), followed by arms (64%), back (50%), anterior chest (50%), scalp (14%), and face (14%). The feet (7%) were rarely involved while palms and soles were rarely involved. Cutaneous leukemic lesions may be concomitant with or after, but never before the diagnosis of systemic leukemia in our series has had such change. In general, the histopathology of leukemia cutis showed diffuse or nodular infiltration of leukemic cells in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue, often typing of leukemia relays on more confirmative studies of peripheral smear and bone marrow biopsy. Leukemia cutis seems to be dissemination of systemic leukemia to the skin, and the presence of cutaneous leukemic lesions are associated with a very poor prognosis. Most patients (85%) died within 4 months after appearance of skin metastasis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Malignant melanoma: a clinicopathologic study of 22 cases.

To provide updated clinicopathologic information on malignant melanoma, we studied 22 cases of malignant melanoma registered at Tri-Service General Hospital, Taiwan from 1983 to 1988. About 60% (13/22) of the patients had a tumor thickness of more than 2.5 mm and 45% (10/22) of the patients of over 4 mm. No patient had a thin melanoma (tumor thickness less than 0.76mm) when first diagnosed. Forty-four percent of the patients, which was twice as many as those (22%) in a previous study done at the same hospital, were classified as stage III. Eleven patients (50%) had acral lentiginous melanoma, the most common type of malignant melanoma in Orientals as previously reported. The cumulative survival rate was 59% and 39% at 3 years and 5 years respectively. The age primary sites, clinical stage and tumor thickness were retrospectively evaluated. Due to the small sample size, the accuracy of the statistical analysis of survival is questionable. An extensive island-wide multicenter epidemiologic study is mandatory to clarify this issue.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Quantitative and morphologic changes of Langerhans' cells after ultraviolet A irradiation of human epidermis.

Three different surface markers (OKT6, HLA-DR, and adenosinetriphosphatase) were compared to identify Langerhans' cells, and the changes in number and morphology of these cells were studied at different intervals after irradiation of human skin by a 2.5-fold minimal erythema dose of ultraviolet A. Morphologic alteration and decreased surface-marker reactivity became evident on day 2 and were most pronounced on day 3 or day 4 (injury phase). The recovery phase started between day 4 and 1 week and was complete by 3 weeks. HLA-DR+/OKT6- (DR+T6-) cells were present at all time intervals. The ratio of these cells to the sum of DR+T6- and DR+T6+ cells was 0.3% before irradiation, reached a peak of 65.4% at day 4, and decreased to 0.6% by 3 weeks.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1986

Diagnostic criteria for Sweet's syndrome.

Five patients with Sweet's syndrome with typical clinical and histologic features were reviewed. Attention is drawn to the possible association of drug use, venipuncture and insect bite, resection of colon, exacerbation of sinusitis, and acute myelocytic leukemia with the onset of the skin eruptions in our patients. The question of whether Sweet's syndrome is just a reactive phenomenon or a specific entity is raised. Our opinion is that Sweet's syndrome is a reaction to many different antigens. However, characteristic clinical and histologic features are present to allow a definite diagnosis of Sweet's syndrome. We propose two major criteria and four minor criteria for the diagnosis of Sweet's syndrome. Findings in patients must fulfill both of the major criteria and at least two of the minor criteria to allow a diagnosis of Sweet's syndrome.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1986

Identifying a common--and benign--geriatric skin lesion.

Typical sebaceous hyperplasia is recognized by the yellowish color, lobulated configuration, and central umbilication. Other skin lesions that may be similar in appearance include basal cell epithelioma, molluscum contagiosum, and xanthoma. Chemical cauterization with phenol or trichloroacetic acid is worth trying if the sebaceous hyperplasia is in the middle or upper dermis. When the hyperplasia extends into the subcutaneous tissue, however, these topical agents are less effective.

Aged↗