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Objective: To investigate the relationship between pediatric otitis media with effusion and obesity, as determined by body mass index (BMI) (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) and serum triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) concentrations., Design: A prospective, nonrandomized, case-control study., Setting: University-affiliated hospital., Subjects: The experimental group comprised 155 children aged 2 to 7 years, who received unilateral or bilateral ventilation tube insertion for the treatment of otitis media with effusion. The control group comprised 118 children with no history of otitis media with effusion, who underwent operations for conditions other than ear diseases. Based on BMI and serum TG and TC concentrations, we divided the experimental group into 2 subgroups, those who were and were not obese., Main Outcome Measures: We determined the difference between the experimental and control groups in BMI and serum TG and TC concentrations and the difference between the obese and nonobese subgroups in frequency of ventilation tube insertion., Results: Mean +/- SD BMI (22.0 +/- 3.4 vs 16.3 +/- 2.4) (P = .01) and mean +/- SD TC level (195.0 +/- 31.0 mg/dL vs 159.3 +/- 26.9 mg/dL [5.05 +/- 0.80 mmol/L vs 4.13 +/- 0.70 mmol/L]) (P = .04), but not mean serum TG level (109.4 +/- 40.4 mg/dL vs 90.0 +/- 52.3 mg/dL [1.24 +/- 0.46 mmol/L vs 1.02 +/- 0.59 mmol/L]) (P = .13), were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group. Frequency of ventilation tube insertion, however, did not differ significantly between the obese and nonobese subgroups, whether divided by BMI (P = .10) or serum TG (P = .12) or TC (P = .07) concentration., Conclusion: Childhood obesity may be associated with the occurrence of otitis media with effusion.

Three-dimensional (3D) tissue culture models have an invaluable role in tumour biology today providing some very important insights into cancer biology. As well as increasing our understanding of homeostasis, cellular differentiation and tissue organization they provide a well defined environment for cancer research in contrast to the complex host environment of an in vivo model. Due to their enormous potential 3D tumour cultures are currently being exploited by many branches of biomedical science with therapeutically orientated studies becoming the major focus of research. Recent advances in 3D culture and tissue engineering techniques have enabled the development of more complex heterologous 3D tumour models.

Purpose: To investigate the incidence of epithelial ingrowth after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) using the VISX 20/20B and VISX Star S3 laser systems., Methods: A chart review of patients who had undergone LASIK between April 1999 and December 2001 was performed. Patients having known risk factors for epithelial ingrowth were excluded from the study. Both eyes of patients who were operated with both laser systems were included in a paired analysis. The first operated eyes of the remaining patients were included in an unpaired analysis. The outcomes studied were epithelial ingrowth (a region of epithelial growth under the flap that was contiguous with the flap edge and extended at least 0.7 mm in the radial direction) and epithelial ingrowth requiring treatment (extending into the pupillary zone, causing reduced vision, causing nighttime glare, or inducing any melting of the flap edge)., Results: In the paired study, 11 (61.1%) of 18 eyes treated with the VISX 20/20B had epithelial ingrowth, and 7 (38.9%) eyes required treatment. None of the eyes treated with the VISX Star S3 had epithelial ingrowth. In the unpaired study, 39 (37.1%) of 105 eyes treated with the VISX 20/20B were noted to have epithelial ingrowth and 14 (13.3%) eyes required treatment. None of the eyes treated with the VISX Star S3 had epithelial ingrowth. The incidence of epithelial ingrowth was significantly different for the VISX 20/20B and the VISX Star S3 in both analyses (paired: P<.001, McNemar's test; unpaired: P<.001, Fisher's exact test)., Conclusions: The laser system used in LASIK is a risk factor for the development of epithelial ingrowth.

Activation of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) induces a reduction of adult hippocampal neurogenesis found in dentate gyrus (DG). However, the nature of specific effects by glucocorticoid in hippocampal neurogenesis is not known. In this report, we show differential effects of dexamethasone (DEX), a glucocorticoid receptor agonist, on proliferation and functional differentiation of adult hippocampal progenitor cells in DG. Two-month-old adult rats received daily injections of DEX for 9 days and were sacrificed 12 h and 28 days after the ninth injection. Proliferation assays showed that DEX inhibited proliferation of neural progenitor cells and the inhibitory effects of DEX was not detected 28 days after recovery. Functional differentiation studies using B-cell lymphoma protein-2 (Bcl-2), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), p-ERK, and neuronal nuclear protein (NeuN) antibodies revealed that the expressions of Bcl-2 and BDNF were not significantly different between control and DEX-treated rats. In contrast, however, the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) was downregulated 12 h, but not 28 days, after the DEX treatment. When adult hippocampal progenitor cell cultures were treated with subchronic DEX, proliferation of the progenitor cells was suppressed. Taken these in vitro and in vivo results together, it is concluded that glucocorticoid receptor activation blocks only proliferation, but not differentiation, in hippocampal neurogenesis.

Three-dimensional (3D) in vitro breast tumour models have an invaluable role in tumour biology today providing some very important insights into breast cancer. As well as increasing our understanding of homeostasis, cellular differentiation and tissue organization they provide a well defined environment for cancer research in contrast to the complex host environment of an in vivo model. With the recent availability of relevant stromal elements together with the vast array of extracellular matrix constituents available, in vivo like microenvironments can be recreated. These tissue like structures more realistically model the structural architecture and differentiated function of breast cancer than a cellular monolayer providing in vivo like responses to therapeutic agents. Three dimensional in vitro models allow the study of cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions, in addition to the influence of the microenvironment on cellular differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis and gene expression. Due to their enormous potential 3D cultures are currently being exploited by many other branches of biomedical science with therapeutically orientated studies becoming the major focus of research. In return great progress in 3D culture techniques have been made, largely due to this greater interaction. At present they are being used in studies ranging from investigating the role of adhesion molecules (e.g., E-cadherin) in invasion/metastasis; VEGF and angiogenesis, to tissue modelling and remodelling. Progress in the development of complex 3D culture systems is more productive than ever, however further research is vital., (Copyright 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers)