Expression of Bcl-2 in basal and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin

This study was carried out to evaluate the patterns of bcl-2 expression in basal cell carcinoma [BCC] and squamous cell carcinoma [SCC]. Nineteen paraffin-embedded skin biopsies from filed histopathologic material from the Pathology Laboratory, El-Minia Hospital were collected; 11 biopsies already diagnosed as BCC and 8 biopsies diagnosed as SCC. In addition, 2 specimens from normal skin were used as controls. In addition to routine hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunostaining using monoclonal antibody against bcl-2 protein was performed. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that bcl-2 expression was weak and limited to the basal cell layer of the epidermis and hair follicles in normal skin. Bcl-2 expression was distinct in the cytoplasm of all the BCC, 11/11 in variable degrees. However, SCC did not express bcl-2 in most of specimens. There is a distinctive difference in bcl-2 expression between BCC and SCC. This may reflect a difference regarding the cell of origin or a difference in the regulatory mechanisms of cell turnover between these tumors

Scanning electron microscopic study of hair weathering

The present work aimed at evaluating the weathering changes in human hair by using a scanning electrone microscope which is a useful diagnostic tool for hair disorders. This study included 28 persons. 18 patients classified into 2 groups and 10 controls having normal hair. The first patients group included 8 children with known inherited hair shaft defects [5 with monilethrix and 3 with pilitorti]. The second patients group involved 10 females, 8 of them were suffering from broken and splitted hair ends and 2 had dry, brittle, and curly hair. This work demonstrated the weathering changes in the studied cases

study of an outbreak of itchy skin lesions in Tanta University campus in Kafr Al-Sheikh

This study was carried out in Tanta University Campus in Kafr Al-Sheikh. It was conducted to find the nature and the underlying factors of itchy skin lesions that appeared among some of the campus residents. The work included dermatological, histopathological, entomological, and epidemiological studies in addition to surveying the surrounding environment. The target population involved all the affected cases [86 females] and a sample of the non-affected residents [100 females]. Dermatological and histopathological examination of the lesions indicated a contact dermatitis. The epidemiological study revealed that the situation could be considered an outbreak. The environmental survey and the circumstantial evidences pointed out to an insect that was found to be a beetle known as Paederus alfierii Koch. The direction of both the wind and the smoke, that resulted from the burnning dry remains of plants were the factors that induced the insect movement towards the females campus where the outbreak was reported. Our recommendations included dealing with the environment, use of insecticides, prohibition of burnning of the dry remains of plants, and screening of windows and doors of the residential buildings