[Incidence of benign and malignant lesions of eyelid and conjunctival tumors].

Purpose: To examine the incidence of benign and malignant eyelid lesions and conjunctival tumors.

Subjects And Methods: One-hundred-and twenty-eight cases (131 eyes) which were treated during the period from January 1990 to February 2004 were histopathologically diagnosed for eyelid or conjunctival tumors (87 cases of eyelid tumors and 41 cases of conjunctival tumors) in retrospective evaluations. The incidence of benign or malignant lesions, the pathological classification, age, sex, and clinical diagnostic accuracy were all investigated.

Predominant cell-mediated immunity in the oral mucosa: gene gun-based vaccination against infectious diseases.

Background: Direct immunization via epithelial surfaces has been considered for many vaccine approaches, including DNA vaccines. It remains to be determined, however, which body site is suitable for genetic vaccination.

Objective: To characterize the effects of the oral mucosa-mediated genetic vaccination, we compared antigen-specific immune responses of the oral mucosal DNA vaccine to the flank skin vaccination against influenza virus and malaria parasite.

Distinct patterns of gene transfer to gerbil hippocampus with recombinant adeno-associated virus type 2 and 5.

Genetic modification of the gerbil hippocampal neuronal cells in vivo helps us understand the mechanisms of neuronal function under various circumstances such as ischemic insult. In this study, we examined the distinct distribution of the recombinant adeno-associated virus type 2 (rAAV2) and rAAV5 vectors for gene delivery to primary cultured cells and the gerbil hippocampus. Mixed cortical cultures containing both neurons and astrocytes from E17 rat embryos were infected with rAAVs containing the Cytomegalovirus virus (CMV) promoter.

(1-->3)-beta-D-glucanemia in deep mycosis.

Factor G, a coagulation proenzyme of the Japanese horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus), is extremely sensitive to (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan, which is a characteristic cell-wall constituent of fungi. Using this factor and by a digestion study with (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan, we showed that blood from patients with deep m ycosis contains the glucan. It was detected in 39 out of 41 fungal febrile episodes (sensitivity 90%), but in none of the 59 nonfungal febrile episodes (specificity 100%).