Faun tail: a rare cutaneous marker of spinal dysraphism.

A 10-year-old girl who was admitted to the urology department with complaints of urinary incontinence was referred to our dermatology outpatient clinic because of a congenital, circumscribed, hypertrichotic area on the lumbosacral region. Cutaneous examination revealed a circumscribed area of coarse, dark terminal hair measuring 25 x 15 cm overlying the lumbosacral area with normal underlying skin (Figure 1). There were erythematous macular lesions on the superior of the hairy area. The lesion had been present since birth, and no other family member had similar lesions. Her history revealed back pain and a long history of urinary incontinence. On neurologic examination, no motor weakness or sensory changes were observed. Babinski reflex was positive on the left. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings included diastematomyelia between T12 and L1 levels and slight flattening of lumbar lordosis (Figure 2). A diagnosis of faun tail with underlying spinal dysraphism was made. There was also urinary incontinence as late sequelae of spinal dysraphism.

Transesterified sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) seed oil as a biodiesel fuel.

The sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) oil was extracted from the seeds of the sesame that grows in Diyarbakir, SE Anatolia of Turkey. Sesame seed oil was obtained in 58wt/wt%, by traditional solvent extraction. The methylester of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) seed oil was prepared by transesterification of the crude oil. Transesterification shows improvement in fuel properties of sesame seed oil. This study supports the production of biodiesel from sesame seed oil as a viable alternative to the diesel fuel.

[Catalase-negative Rothia dentocariosa: evaluation of additional descriptive tests]. / Katalaz negatif Rothia dentocariosa: Tanimlama için ilave testlerin degerlendirilmesi.

Rothia dentocariosa is one of the human oral flora members, and classified in the group of coryneform bacteria which are taxonomically heterogeneous. Although R. dentocariosa is considered as a contaminant in throat cultures generally, it may be the causative infectious agent in the presence of predisposing factors. The catalase activity which is used as a simple and initial identification test, becomes contradictory because of the detection of the catalase negative strains recently. The aim of this study was to compare several biochemical and enzymatic reactions for the identification of catalase positive and negative R. dentocariosa strains. A total of 42 R. dentocariosa strains which were isolated from throat cultures have been studied, and the positivity rate of mannose fermentation in catalase negative R. dentocariosa isolates was found to be significantly higher than those catalase positive (p < 0.05). In conclusion, mannose fermentation test seems to be a useful tool as an additional identification method of catalase negative R. dentocariosa isolates.