Skin tags: localization and frequencies according to sex and age

The relevant literature does not contain detailed numerical data about skin tags. We found 46% skin tag carriers in 750 unselected persons (25% males and 21% females). The risk of getting skin tags increases with age. The age of 50, however, seems to be a turning point, at which a stagnation of the increase is observed. The majority of the carriers had no more than 3 tags per localization; the most frequent localization was the axilla, followed by the neck. This study supplies objective data for the evaluation of skin tags as markers for colonic polyps and may provide standard values for future studies.     

Multiplex PCR assay for rapid identification of oculopathogenic adenoviruses by amplification of the fiber and hexon genes

Eye infections caused by adenovirus (Ad) often result in nosocomial infections and community epidemics with significant rates of morbidity. No antiviral agent effective against Ad is yet available for clinical use. Therefore, early diagnosis is still the mainstay for patient management and the prevention of epidemics. A multiplex PCR assay based on amplification of a combination of the fiber and hexon genes which can identify the six important oculopathogenic serotypes of Ads (Ad serotype 3[Ad3], Ad4, Ad7, Ad8, Ad19, and Ad37) in a single-tube amplification reaction was developed. Ad serotypes could be distinguished by the different amplicon sizes. The assay correctly identified prototype strains as well as isolates in clinical specimens. In comparison with a previously described PCR-restriction fragment polymorphism method, our assay gave unequivocal results for clinical specimens. Our multiplex PCR has the potential to serve as a rapid and cost-effective tool for the typing of important ocular Ads.     

Characterisation of hexon and fibre genes of a novel strain of adenovirus involved in epidemic keratoconjunctivitis

AIMS: To characterise a novel strain (M86) of adenovirus (Ad) involved in epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC). METHODS/RESULTS: The virus strain was neutralised by antisera to both Ad35 and Ad11. Restriction endonuclease analysis of genomic DNA showed 98% and 88% homology with Ad11 and Ad35, respectively. The deduced amino acid sequence of the hypervariable regions of (HVRs) of the hexon gene showed a higher homology with Ad35 (94.4%) than with Ad11 (83.7%). However, it was 100% homologous to Ad35 in HVRs 1, 2, 3, and 6 and to Ad11 in HVRs 4 and 6. In the fibre knob, the isolate was more homologous to Ad11 (99.4%) than to Ad35 (29.1%). CONCLUSION: This novel strain of adenovirus showed similarities with both Ad11 and Ad35. The isolation of a novel strain like Ad35+11 is important because of its association with EKC.     

Serological and genetic characterisation of a unique strain of adenovirus involved in an outbreak of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis

AIMS: To characterise a novel strain of adenovirus (Ad) type Ad8 (genome type Ad8I) involved in an epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) outbreak in Hiroshima city using serological testing and sequence analysis of the fibre and hexon gene. METHODS: A neutralisation test (NT) was performed in microtitre plates containing a confluent monolayer of A549 cells using 100 tissue culture infectious doses of virus and type specific antisera. The haemagglutination inhibition test was also carried out in microtitre plates with rat erythrocytes using four haemagglutination units of virus and twofold dilutions of serum. The fibre gene was sequenced by generating overlapping polymerase chain reaction products or by direct sequencing of genomic DNA. Primer selection was based on alignment of the fibre genes of human adenovirus serotypes Ad8, Ad19, Ad37, Ad9, and Ad15 available from Gene Bank. RESULTS: The virus strain was specifically neutralised by anti-Ad8 antibodies, although there was a major crossreaction with anti-Ad9 antibodies. Haemagglutination was equally inhibited by anti-Ad8 and anti-Ad9 antibodies. The predicted amino acid sequences of the hypervariable regions (HVRs) of the Ad8I hexon gene showed higher homology with Ad9 (83.3%) than with Ad8 (62.0%). However, the Ad8I fibre knob was more homologous to Ad8 (94.4%) than to Ad9 (91.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Ad8I is a unique strain of adenovirus because of its lower genomic homology with Ad8, major crossreactivity with Ad9 in NT, and mixed genetic organisation of HVRs of the hexon gene. These factors may have enabled the virus to circumvent acquired immunity, resulting in the outbreak.     

Norepinephrine reduces heat responses of cutaneous C-fiber nociceptors in Sprague-Dawley rats in vitro

Nociceptors are excited or sensitized by many inflammatory mediators as well as by elevation of tissue temperature. We have shown that there is a facilitatory synergistic interaction between norepinephrine (NE) and bradykinin (BK) on cutaneous C-fiber nociceptors in normal Lewis rats. These interactions may play an important role in the mechanism of sympathetically maintained pain. In the present experiment, using skin-saphenous nerve in vitro preparations, we tested the effect of NE on the activity of nociceptive fibers and their response to heat in normal Sprague-Dawley rats. For comparison with the previous data on Lewis rats, we also examined the effect of NE on BK response. NE (10(-5) or 10(-6) M) did not excite nociceptive fibers before repeated heat stimuli or BK superfusion (10(-5) or 10(-6) M) to the receptive field. In contrast, after a few applications of heat or BK, NE excited 20-43% of nociceptive fibers to similar magnitudes. We also found that NE sensitized subsequent BK responses, but somewhat unexpectedly that it suppressed subsequent heat responses. This occurred regardless of the presence or absence of NE-induced excitation. These results suggest different mechanisms of NE modification to the BK and heat responses of cutaneous C-fiber nociceptors.     

Differences between the Lewis and Sprague-Dawley rats in chronic inflammation induced norepinephrine sensitivity of cutaneous C-fiber nociceptors

We investigated whether there are any differences between the Lewis and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats in chronic inflammation-induced norepinephrine (NE) sensitivity of nociceptors. Activities of C-fiber nociceptors innervating rat hairy hindpaw skin were recorded in an in vitro skin-nerve preparation. Sixty-five percent of C-fibers from inflamed Lewis rats were excited by NE (10 microM), against only 38% of C-fibers from inflamed SD rats. The average of the total impulses evoked in response to NE was also significantly higher in Lewis rats. The alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist CH 38083 (10 microM) and yohimbine (10 microM) consistently blocked the NE-excitation of both strains. These results show that after chronic inflammation, C-fiber nociceptors of Lewis strain rats have a stronger sensitivity to NE, and that alpha2-adrenoceptors are predominately involved in the NE-sensitivity of inflamed rats in both strains.     

Dyadic reciprocal associations between self-efficacy and planning predict sedentary behaviour

Objectives

There are two alternative hypotheses regarding bidirectional associations between self-efficacy and planning in predicting health behaviour change: self-efficacy may establish planning (cultivation hypothesis) or planning may enable the formation of self-efficacy (enabling hypothesis). This study investigates the order in which these two social cognitions are linked in adult–adult dyads in the context of sedentary behaviours (SB).

Design

A longitudinal study with 4 measurement points, spanning 8 months.

Methods

A total of 320 dyads (age: 18–90 years) were enrolled. Dyads included a focus person (who received the recommendation to reduce SB and intended to change their SB), and their partners, who were willing to support the focus persons and intended to reduce their own SB as well. Data were collected at Time 1 (T1), Time 2 (1 week later, T2), Time 3 (T3, 2 months after T1) and Time 4 (T4, 8 months after T1). SB was measured with accelerometers at (T1 and T4). Mediation models with individual and dyadic reciprocal effects were tested with path analyses.

Results

Only one indirect effect was found: A higher level of partners' SB reduction-specific self-efficacy at T2 was related to the focus person's more frequent planning to reduce SB at T3, which, in turn, predicted lower SB time among partners at T4.

Conclusions

The findings provide partial support for the cultivation model (self-efficacy prompting planning) and for dyadic reciprocal associations in the context of SB time reduction among adult dyads.     

Pathophysiological role of calpain in experimental demyelination

Calcium-activated neutral proteinase (calpain) has been extensively studied over the past three decades such that many enzymatic and structural properties of this enzyme are well understood. However, the pathophysiological roles of calpain remain poorly defined. In addition to recent studies delineating a role for calpain in various pathological conditions, this proteinase has been implicated in the degradation of myelin proteins in autoimmune demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). In EAE, calpain translational expression is significantly increased in activated glial/inflammatory cells that participate in myelinolysis while calpain substrates (axonal and myelin proteins) are lost. Thus, since all major myelin proteins are calpain substrates, early studies suggest calpain may play an important role in demyelination of the central nervous system.     

Pain and Bradykinin Receptors--sensory transduction mechanism in the nociceptor terminals and expression change of bradykinin receptors in inflamed condition]

Bradykinin (BK), an endogenous algesic and sensitizing substance, excited nociceptors and sensitized their heat responses. These effects were mediated by B2 receptors (B2Rs) in normal condition, and B1 receptors were additionally recruited in inflammation. B2Rs were coupled with Gq/11 and their activation resulted in diacylglycerol and inositol triphosphate release. Diacylglycerol activated protein kinase (PK) Cepsilon in sensory neurons. To clarify what channel was modulated by PKC to depolarize nociceptor terminals, we examined the heat activation threshold (Tt) of heat-sensitive capsaicin receptor (TRPV1). Tt was lowered down to 31 degrees C by BK in concentration dependent manner through activation of PKCepsilon in cells heterologously expressing TRPV1 and B2Rs. Thus both excitation and sensitization to heat could be explained by one mechanism, lowering Tt of TRPV1. The same was observed in capsaicin-sensitive primary sensory neurons. However, TRPV1 knockout mice showed almost no change in BK-induced nociceptive behavior and nociceptor excitation, although BK-induced heat hyperalgesia completely disappeared, suggesting that TRPV1 was not the sole channel that was modulated by BK to depolarize nociceptor terminals. In addition nociceptor sensitivity to BK was augmented in inflamed animals, with B2R mRNA and protein upregulated. The mechanism for prostaglandin-induced augmentation of BK response is left open for future study.