Skin in maturity: the endocrine and neuroendocrine pathways.

Irrespective of age, most of the skin components are under the physiological control of endocrine and neuroendocrine factors. There is evidence that skin ageing appears complex showing much interindividual variability. Conceptually, ageing is a single biological process that is influenced and modulated by a series of various internal and exogenous factors. Among them, hormones and neuroendocrine signals play key roles in several ways. Ageing of most endocrine glands will in turn alter the skin biology. In addition, the age-related reduction in the intrinsic neuroendocrine activity of the skin will also alter the ageing rate of this organ. At last, various endocrinopathies will boost or conversely decrease the severity of the signs of cutaneous ageing.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome in Mycoplasma pneumonia: a case report and review.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is unusual. We herein report a previously healthy young man who developed ARDS after 7 days of respiratory symptoms. M. pneumoniae infection was diagnosed by a positive test for M. pneumoniae IgM and a positive cold agglutinin test. The patient recovered eventually after receiving effective antibiotic treatment and mechanical ventilation for 8 days. Six additional cases of M. pneumoniae infection with ARDS were reviewed. M. pneumoniae should be considered as an etiological agent in a delayed onset of ARDS after pneumonia.

High-speed sludge freezing.

The investigation examined the feasibility of applying a "high-speed freezing technique, using liquid nitrogen freezing, to condition activated sludges and alum sludges. Experimental results indicate that the freezing speed is much faster than that adopted in most previous works on sludge freezing. Although the filterability and settleability of the alum sludge is improved by 3-min liquid nitrogen freezing, no similar improvement is observed for activated sludge. Moreover, curing affects neither sludge after liquid nitrogen freezing, but affects the slow-freezing activated sludge.

Xanthogranulomatous cystitis: a case report and review of the literature.

Xanthogranulomatous cystitis is a rare benign chronic inflammatory disease of unknown aetiology. We report a case of xanthogranulomatous cystitis. The patient is well more than 15 years after partial cystectomy. The relevant literature is reviewed.

Adenomatosis erosiva de pezón: reporte de un caso / Erosive adenomatosis of the nipple: a case report

La adenomatosis erosiva del pezón es un tumor raro y benigno que se origina a partir de los conductores lactíferos del pezón y afecta principalmente a mujeres de mediana edad. Clínicamente se presenta como eritema, costras, erosiones, ulceraciones o nódulos, con o sin exudación serosa o sanguinolenta, pudiendo ser asintomática o presentar prurito, sensibilidad o dolor. La biopsia de piel es necesaria para llegar al diagnóstico, pues clínicamente puede ser indistinguible de la enfermedad de Paget. Histológicamente, su principal diagnóstico diferencial es el de adenocarcinoma de mama. El tratamiento es usualmente quirúrgico. Presentamos el caso de un paciente de 32 años de edad con una lesión inicialmente eritematosa y luego costrosa en el pezón derecho de 8 años de evolución.

Erosive adenomatosis of the nipple is a rare and benign tumor of the lactiferous ducts of the breast that affects primarily middle-aged women. Erythema, crusts, erosions, ulcerations or nodules, with or without serous or bloody discharge, are common clinical findings; pruritus, tenderness or pain may occur or it can be asymptomatic. Since the lesions are clinically indistinguishable from PagetÆs disease of the breast, a skin biopsy is mandatory for diagnosis. Adenocarcinoma of the breast is the main histologically differential diagnosis. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice. We present such a case in a 32-year-old woman with an 8-year history that begun as an erythematous, crusty lesion on her right nipple.

Short-term treatment of obesity with fluoxetine as a supplement to a low calorie diet.

BACKGROUND: Inhibitors of serotonin re-uptake including fluoxetine have generally been successful in inducing modest but statistically significant weight reductions in clinical trials. However, there are few published trials with serotonin re-uptake inhibitors in obesity therapy on Asians. This study aimed to assess the effect of fluoxetine as an adjunct therapy to a low calorie diet in the obese Taiwanese population. METHODS: Sixty healthy obese subjects [body weight > 130% of ideal body weight (IBW)] were instructed to follow a low calorie diet. All subjects were randomized to receive fluoxetine 60 mg once daily with diet or diet only for 12 weeks. RESULTS: The mean total body weight reduction at the end of the study was significantly greater in the fluoxetine group than in the diet group (mean +/- S.E., -5.75 +/- 0.69 vs. -3.06 +/- 0.59 kg, p = 0.008). The body weight reduction in the first 4 weeks and second 4 weeks were greater in the fluoxetine group and they were statistically significant (mean +/- S.E., 1st 4 weeks: -2.57 +/- 0.34 vs. -1.24 +/- 0.22 kg, p = 0.0033; 2nd 4 weeks: -1.90 +/- 0.25 vs. -0.9 +/- 0.35 kg, p = 0.0226). In the third 4 weeks, the weight reduction in the fluoxetine group was still greater, but it was not statistically significantly (mean +/- S.E., third 4 weeks: -1.21 +/- 0.34 vs. -0.73 +/- 0.25 kg, p = 0.299). More symptoms of anorexia and nausea were noted in the fluoxetine group. The other side effects noted in the fluoxetine group were usually mild and tolerable. CONCLUSION: Fluoxetine is effective, well tolerated and relatively safe in the short-term treatment of obesity in the Taiwanese population when added to a low calorie diet.