Membrane and cytosolic interleukin-1 alpha and beta in normal human epidermal cells: variability of epitope exposure in immunohistochemistry.

Previous studies have shown that interleukin-1 (IL-1) is present in normal human epidermis. However, with immunohistochemical techniques, epidermal IL-1 immunoreactivity has been found in only a limited number of epidermal cells. In the present study, we show that both IL-1 alpha and beta immunoreactivities can be detected in all epidermal cell layers, provided optimal processing of tissue samples is used. The use of isolated epidermal cells showed that keratinocytes at various stages of maturation display both membrane-associated and cytosolic IL-1 alpha and beta immunoreactivities. After protease treatment of tissue sections, the IL-1 beta immunoreactivity of the granular cell layer was enhanced by some antibodies used, whereas in the other cell layers it was clearly lower. We a) suggest a different cellular localization, processing, and/or binding to subcellular structures of IL-1 during the differentiation process of human keratinocytes and b) outline the technical difficulties in any immunohistologic approach to IL-1 status in diseased skin.     

Stereoselective metabolism of (-)-benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-diol by human lung microsomes and peripheral blood lymphocytes: effect of smoking.

Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P)-tetrols formed after stereoselective cytochrome P450-dependent metabolism from (-)-trans-7,8-dihydroxy-7,8- dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene [(-)-B[a]P-7, 8-diol] by lung microsomes (n = 19) and peripheral blood lymphocytes (n = 13) from lung cancer patients were measured, and the effect of smoking explored. B[a]P-tetrols were quantified by an HPLC/fluorescence assay with a detection limit of approximately 300 attomol, after incubation with peripheral blood lymphocytes or microsomes from lung cancer patients who were current cigarette smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers. In lymphocytes from these subjects, high, medium and low metabolic activities respectively for (-)-B[a]P-7,8-diol to tetrol conversion were found, but there was no statistically significant difference between smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers. When the B[a]P-tetrol formation by human lung microsomes was measured, recent smokers had 4- to 7-fold higher (P = 0.04) metabolic activity than ex-smokers and non-smokers. The mean lung microsomal arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity was three times higher in smokers than in non-smokers and was undetectable in ex-smokers. AHH activity was correlated with tetrol formation in the same lung microsomal samples (r = 0.62, P less than 0.01 in smokers; and r = 0.67, P less than 0.01 in all subjects). When subjects were grouped according to smoking habits, however, no correlation was detected between mean tetrol formation by lung microsomes and that of lymphocytes. Thus, lymphocytes cannot serve as a surrogate for lung microsomes concerning the pulmonary metabolism of (-)-B[a]P-7,8-diol. The much higher B[a]P-tetrol formation observed in lung microsomes from smokers is in accord with a reported higher pulmonary AHH activity, cytochrome P450IA level, and CYP1A1 gene expression in recent tobacco smokers.     

Orbital germ cell tumors revisited: A clinicopathological approach to classification

Orbital teratomas are unilateral, congenital germ cell tumors, which present at birth with moderate to massive proptosis, leading to exposure keratopathy. They enlarge the orbit diffusely. Primary orbital teratomas cause axial or vertical proptosis, are usually unassociated with bony defects, and do not extend outside the orbit. Recurrence is unusual after an early excision without enucleation or exenteration. Combined orbital teratomas additionally involve periorbital and intracranial spaces, cause lesser degrees of proptosis, and typically are associated with defects of orbital bones. Their intracranial part is small as compared to the orbital one. A significant risk of recurrence exists even after a combined craniotomy, orbitotomy and plastic reconstructive surgery. Intracranial teratomas with secondary orbital spread present prenatally with polyhydramnois and hydrocephalus, due to a massive primary tumor replacing parts of the brain, and typically lead to stillbirth. One orbital teratoma with malignant change has been well documented. Included twins, monsters rather than neoplasms, represent parts of a second fetus in the orbit. Orbital yolk sac carcinomas or endodermal sinus tumors are malignant neoplasms affecting children, which frequently invade periorbital and intracranial spaces, and which may respond to chemotherapy and irradiation. Finally, a teratoma or a yolk sac carcinoma may rarely present as an intraocular tumor.     

The effect of beta-glucan on the glycemic and insulin index

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of oat products with increasing beta-glucan content on the glycemic (GI) and insulin indexes (II) of oat products, and to establish the effect of physical properties of beta-glucan on these physiological responses. DESIGN: Test group (n=10) randomly attended to three glucose tolerance tests and glycemic response tests for four oat bran products. SETTINGS: Functional Foods Forum and the Department of Food Chemistry, University of Turku, and the Department of Food Technology, University of Helsinki. SUBJECTS: One male and nine female volunteers were recruited from university students and staff, and all completed the study. INTERVENTIONS: GI and II of different products were calculated for each subject using the average of parallel glucose tolerance tests and the subsequent glycemic/insulinemic responses for each product. Average indexes for products were calculated according to the individual data. RESULTS: The glycemic responses to oat products with increasing amounts of beta-glucan had lower peak values than the reference glucose load. The amount of extractable beta-glucan had a high correlation between the glycemic and insulinemic response. CONCLUSION: In addition to the total amount of beta-glucan in oat products, the amount of extractable beta-glucan in oat products explains the magnitude of the decrease in glycemic responses to carbohydrate products.     

Headache children with temporomandibular disorders have several types of pain and other symptoms

The aim was to investigate the association between temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and overall muscle tenderness, depressive symptoms, sleep difficulties, headache frequency and related symptoms in children with primary headache in comparison with controls. Based on an unselected population sample of 1135 Finnish schoolchildren classified according to the type of headache at age 12, altogether 297 children aged 13–14 from different headache groups and healthy controls were randomly selected for an interview and clinical examinations. Children with migraine had more TMD signs than children with nonmigrainous headaches or healthy controls. High TMD total scores were associated with palpation tenderness in other parts of the body and with frequent headache attacks. We conclude that children with overall headache, migraine in particular, and high total TMD scores showed an increased overall tenderness to muscle palpation and multiply manifested hypersensitivity pain.     

Cladophialophora bantiana as an Emerging Pathogen in Animals: Case Report of Equine Endometritis and Review of the Literature

We present an unusual equine endometritis case associated with Cladophialophora bantiana in a 15-year-old mare. The mare displayed infertility and uterine fluid accumulation with numerous black, hairy granules. Microscopically, the fluid revealed numerous septate, dark fungal hyphae and conidia in chains. Culture yielded C. bantiana (CBS 138271); the species was confirmed by internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing. Treatment was unsuccessful. C. bantiana causes cerebral phaeohyphomycosis in humans, while animal cases are rare. Animal cases are reviewed.