Hyperplastic pacinian corpuscles: an uncommonly encountered lesion of the hand

The occurrence of hyperplastic pacinian corpuscles in the hand is rare, with only 13 cases reported in the literature. We describe such a case in a 70-year-old male who had worked as a locksmith for many years. A grape-like cluster of firm, rice-sized nodules was discovered in the subcutaneous tissue of the finger following a glass-induced injury. Histopathological findings revealed pacinian corpuscles to be increased in size and number. Individual corpuscles consisted of a central nerve fiber surrounded by 35 to 60 concentric lamellae (normal controls from other specimens: 13–15 lamellae). The external corpuscular diameter ranged from 1.8 to 3.2 mm (normal controls from other specimens: 1.6 mm). Immunohistochemistry showed positive staining with Leu 7 antibody and anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein in the small nerves situated in the vicinity of the pacinian corpuscles, but not in the corpuscles themselves. The lesion reported here clearly differed from both neurofibroma with occasional pacinian differentiation and the so-called pacinian neurofibroma. There was no evidence of neurofibromatosis.     

CD101 expression by Langerhans cell histiocytosis cells

AIMS: Our objective was to study the expression of a recently identified cell surface molecule, CD101 and in Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) patients as CD101 has been shown to be present on dendritic cells. We wanted to determine if CD101 expression could be helpful for the diagnosis of LCH in conjunction with other markers (CD1a, S100 protein), and could be predictive of the evolution and dissemination of the disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: The expression of CD101 was studied by immunohistochemical technique in 11 cases of Langerhans cell histiocytosis on frozen sections. The expression of CD101 was positive in nine cases, high in six cases and low in three cases. There was no expression in the other two cases. No correlation with the evolution, the localization or the dissemination of the disease could be evidenced. CONCLUSIONS: CD101 is a new phenotypic marker that might be useful in combination with other markers for the diagnosis of LCH. However, as the anti-CD101 antibody works only in frozen sections, its value is limited compared to anti-CD1a antibody.     

Long-term incidence and risk factors of cardiovascular events in Asian populations: systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based cohort studies

Background: Scientific studies on cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden and risk factors are predominantly based on short-term risk in Westerner populations, and such information may not be applicable to Asian populations, especially over the longer term. This review aims to estimate the long-term (>10 years) CVD burden, including coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke, as well as associated risk factors in Asian populations.

Methods: PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were systematically searched, and hits screened on: Asian adults, free of CVD at baseline; cohort study design (follow-up >10 years). Primary outcomes were fatal and non-fatal CVD events. Pooled estimates and between-study heterogeneity were calculated using random effects models, Q and I² statistics.

Results: Overall, 32 studies were eligible for inclusion (follow-up: 11–29 years). The average long-term rate of fatal CVD is 3.68 per 1000 person-years (95% CI 2.84–4.53), the long-term cumulative risk 6.35% (95% CI 4.69%–8.01%, mean 20.13 years) and the cumulative fatal stroke/CHD risk ratio 1.5:1. Important risk factors for long-term fatal CVD (RR, 95% CI) were male gender (1.49, 1.36–1.64), age over 60/65 years (7.55, 5.59–10.19) and current smoking (1.68, 1.26–2.24). High non-HDL-c, and β- and γ-tocopherol serum were associated only with CHD (HR 2.46 [95% CI 1.29–4.71] and 2.47 [1.10–5.61] respectively), while stage 1 and 2 hypertensions were associated only with fatal stroke (2.02 [1.19–3.44] and 2.89 [1.68–4.96] respectively).

Conclusions: Over a 10 year?+?follow-up period Asian subjects had a higher risk of stroke than CHD. Contrary to CVD prevention in Western countries, strategies should also consider stroke instead of CHD only.     

Congenital Erosive and Vesicular Dermatosis with Reticulated Scarring in a Newborn: An Innovative Treatment Using a Silicone Dressing

Abstract: Congenital erosive and vesicular dermatosis healing with reticulated supple scarring is a rare entity presenting in the newborn with crusted erosions and vesicles that heal relatively rapidly, forming unique reticulated scars. We report the case of a premature baby 31 weeks old. Diagnosis was confirmed by skin biopsies, and the clinical improvement was excellent, with complete healing observed within 7 weeks. This report highlights clinical and histopathologic features, and a new successful treatment approach using a silicone dressing.     

Unusual Location of an Inoculation Lesion in a Traveler with African Tick-Bite Fever Returning from South Africa

African tick-bite fever is a common tick-borne rickettsiosis in sub-Saharan Africa. It is an acute febrile illness associated with one (or more) inoculation eschar, an inconstant eruption, and local lymphadenopathies. We describe the first case of mucosal inoculation lesion on the vulva in a female traveler returning from South Africa.     

Long-term detection of methyltestosterone (ab-) use by a yeast transactivation system

The routinely used analytical method for detecting the abuse of anabolic steroids only allows the detection of molecules with known analytical properties. In our supplementary approach to structure-independent detection, substances are identified by their biological activity. In the present study, urines excreted after oral methyltestosterone (MT) administration were analyzed by a yeast androgen screen (YAS). The aim was to trace the excretion of MT or its metabolites in human urine samples and to compare the results with those from the established analytical method. MT and its two major metabolites were tested as pure compounds in the YAS. In a second step, the ability of the YAS to detect MT and its metabolites in urine samples was analyzed. For this purpose, a human volunteer ingested of a single dose of 5 mg methyltestosterone. Urine samples were collected after different time intervals (0–307 h) and were analyzed in the YAS and in parallel by GC/MS. Whereas the YAS was able to trace MT in urine samples at least for 14 days, the detection limits of the GC/MS method allowed follow-up until day six. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the yeast reporter gene system could detect the activity of anabolic steroids like methyltestosterone with high sensitivity even in urine. Furthermore, the YAS was able to detect MT abuse for a longer period of time than classical GC/MS. Obviously, the system responds to long-lasting metabolites yet unidentified. Therefore, the YAS can be a powerful (pre-) screening tool with the potential that to be used to identify persistent or late screening metabolites of anabolic steroids, which could be used for an enhancement of the sensitivity of GC/MS detection techniques.