Clusterin expression in cutaneous CD30-positive lymphoproliferative disorders and their histologic simulants

Background:  Clusterin is a ubiquitous 80 kDa heterodimeric glycoprotein previously shown to be expressed on tumor cells of systemic and, to a lesser extent, primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (PC-ALCL). Lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP), an important differential diagnosis of ALCL, has been studied for clusterin expression in only a small number of cases. The aim of this study was to compare clusterin immunostaining patterns in LyP and other cutaneous histologic simulants with those of PC-ALCL.
Methods:  Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of PC-ALCL (6), LyP (20), mycosis fungoides with large cell transformation (MF-LCT, 12), pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta (PLEVA, 12), arthropod bite reaction (ABR, 12) and lymphomatoid reactions (LR, 9) were immunostained for clusterin and evaluated for staining pattern and distribution. All diagnoses were made with clinicopathologic correlation.
Results:  Characteristic dot-like Golgi staining was identified in 10/20 LyP (50%), 4/6 PC-ALCL (67%) and 9/12 MF-LCT (75%). Two of 12 PLEVA (17%), 1 of 12 ABR (8%) and 2 of 8 LR (25%) had lymphocytes (< 25%) with diffuse cytoplasmic staining. Dermal dendritic cells stained strongly for clusterin. High background staining occurred in some cases.
Conclusion:  Clusterin immunostaining does not reliably distinguish between LyP, PC-ALCL or MF-LCT, but could distinguish LyP from its reactive histologic simulants.     

The Effect of Reduced Somatosensation on Standing Balance: A Systematic Review

The objective of this review is to identify and review publications describing the impact of reduced somatosensation on balance. Based on knowledge of the association between specific somatosensory loss and deterioration of balance, conclusions can be made about role of somatosensation in standing balance.A systematic literature review is presented in which publications from the years 1993 through 2007 were searched in Medline and Embase. Medical Subject Headings (MESH) terms and free text words (related to balance, somatosensory loss, and lower limb) were used to perform the searches. Fifteen articles were selected for detailed review based on predetermined inclusion criteria, and three of the included articles described the effect of experimentally reduced somatosensation on balance in healthy subjects. Ten of the articles described balance in diabetic neuropathy (DN). The last two included articles described balance in Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease type 1A (CMT1A) or type 2 (CMT2).The literature indicates that the tactile sensation is reduced in DN, CMT1A, and CMT2 and when the plantar surface of the feet was hypothermically anesthetized. Joint motion sensation seems to be impaired in patients with DN, and passive joint position sensation appears to be reduced in healthy subjects with anesthesia of ankle and foot from prolonged ischemia. This reduced somatosensation seems to have a negative effect on balance in patients with DN and CMT2; however, this appeared not to be the case in patients with CMT1A and in healthy subjects.     

The effect of ethanol intake on tendon healing: a histological and biomechanical study in a rat model

Introduction  

Ethanol has a suppressive effect on inflammation and the immune system, but the effect of ethanol on tendon healing in vivo has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to investigate the histological and biomechanical effects of ethanol intake on tendon healing in a rat tendon injury model.     

Validating the eating disorder inventory (EDI‐2) in two danish samples: A comparison between female eating disorder patients and females from the general population

The Eating Disorder Inventory, Version 2 (EDI‐2) is a questionnaire used clinically and in research all over the world. EDI‐2 is cross‐culturally valid, yet normative values may depend on culture. Norms and reliability of the Danish version have to date been lacking, and will be presented in this article, comparing patients (N = 575) and controls (N = 881). Also, internal reliability of scales is tested for both groups. Differences between norms of the Danish and the North American version of EDI were small but significant for all scales except asceticism (eating disorder patients) and ineffectiveness, interpersonal distrust and maturity fears (normal controls). For both groups the internal consistency was >0.70 for all subscales except asceticism. Although differences across the eating disorder diagnostic groups were dubious, the EDI‐2 is useful to screen for eating problems in the general population as well as to rate progress and outcome among eating disorder patients. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.     

Hyperemic Islets: A Possible Explanation for Poor Yields in Human and Porcine Islet Isolation

When studying histological characteristics of human and porcine pancreata in relation to islet isolation, we encountered a remarkably high number of hyperemic islets. The abnormalities observed in these islets ranged from a single dilated vessel through multiple widely dilated vessels to hemorrhages extending into the surrounding exocrine tissue. We determined their possible relevance for outcomes of islet isolation. This study involved a histological examination of 143 porcine pancreata (72 juvenile and 71 adult) and islet isolation from 48 adult pancreata. Human pancreata obtained from 71 multiple organ donors yielded islet isolation in 24 cases. To determine their endocrine content, tissue samples were stained with Aldehyde Fuchsin. The presence of hyperemic islets was scored semiquantitatively with pancreata allotted to categories based on the severity. In humans and pigs we observed hyperemic islets in 48% of pancreata, but only 4.0 ± 2.4% of the islets were hyperemic. In both humans and pigs, significantly higher endocrine content was found in the most severely affected pancreata. When the higher endocrine content was taken into account and isolation results were expressed as ratios of yield and content, we observed significantly lower yields in the most affected pancreata in pigs with a trend toward lower yields in humans. A substantial proportion of human and porcine pancreata contain hyperemic islets. Although the results in humans are preliminary, our data suggest that this phenomenon may contribute to the unpredictable, highly variable islet yields in pigs and humans.