Isolated pemphigus vegetans of the tongue.

Pemphigus vegetans affecting only the tongue is reported in a 35-year-old woman.

Hypopigmented lesions in early leprosy--a clinical and histological study.

26 Patients of leprosy presenting with hypopigmented lesions were divided on morphological grounds into 3 Sub groups, Group I (9 patients) with well-defined single patch with moderate to complete sensory loss; Group II (8 patients) with single ill-defined lesion having partial sensory loss; and Group III (9 patients) having multiple hypo-pigmented patches with mild to moderate sensory loss. Epidermal atrophy was a conspicuous histological finding in all groups. Only patients in Group I showed epitheloid cells in dermal infiltrate with erosion of epidermis in one case. This group may be labelled as maculoanesthetic leprosy. Patients in Group II and III showed mononuclear cell infiltrate in dermis, around neurovascular bundles and appendages. They were histologically consistent with indeterminate leprosy. Follow-up biopsy after six to eight months of treatment showed healing of the lesion of reduction in the infiltrate in most cases.

Selective cleavage of N-terminal amino acid in a peptide by polymeric cobalt (III) triene complex.

Cellulose was functionalized to incorporate triethylenetetramine group. This was in turn converted into the polymeric analogue of cobalt(III)triene complex. The polymeric complex reacts with peptides resulting in the cleavage of amino end amino acid, thus suggesting the applicability of the polymeric reagent as a solid phase reagent for N-terminal determination.

Effect of zinc administration on seminal zinc and fertility of oligospermic males.

Fourteen infertile males (age 24-45 years; married over 2 years) with idiopathic oligospermia (sperm count less than 40 millions/ml) were investigated for the effect of oral zinc sulphate (220 mg) for 4 months on their serum and seminal zinc levels, and seminal parameters. With zinc administration serum zinc levels remained essentially unaffected, however, seminal zinc levels increased significantly. There was significant improvement in sperm count, number of progressively motile and normal spermatozoa, and acid phosphates activity. Wives of 3 patients conceived. Observations suggest that zinc has potential to be used in male infertility. However, further studies are warranted.

Ultrastructural study of epidermal Langherhans cells in leprosy.

ATPase staining and ultrastructural study of skin biopsies from six patients of leprosy (2TT, 4LL) and three normal subjects was carried out to study Langherhans Cells (LC). ATPase staining showed normal counts of LCs in tuberculoid patients, while significant reduction was observed in lepromatous cases. Electron microscopy revealed morphological changes in LL cases in the form of dense matrix and indistinct cristae of mitochondria; decreased number of lysosomes and rough endoplasmic reticulum; and numerous vacuoles in cytoplasm. TT cases showed normal morphology. Possible role of Langerhans Cells in pathogenesis of leprosy is discussed.