[Using a lipid clearing drug to prevent osteocytes damage of the femoral head in steroid-treated rabbits].

Objective: We investigated experimentally the prevention of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Methods: Twenty-three rabbits were divided into three groups: (Group S) steroid treated, (Group T), steroid and clofibrate treated, and controls. Serological tests (cholesterol and triglyceride), histology and histochemical studies and electron microscopic examination were performed six weeks after treatment.

Terminal differentiation of facial epidermis of the aged: immunohistochemical studies.

In old age, the epidermis tends to become dry and flaky, especially on the lower legs. However, this does not occur on the face, although long-term ultraviolet light irradiation has important effects on the differentiation of facial keratinocytes. Therefore, the differentiation of the epidermal cells of the facial skin in the young and the aged was immunohistochemically examined using antibodies against four differentiation products: filaggrin, involucrin, cystatin A (CTA) and carbonic anhydrase-like protein.