E-cigarettes and health risks: more to the flavor than just the name.

The growing interest in regulating flavored E-liquids must incorporate understanding of the "flavoring profile" of each E-liquid-which flavorings (flavoring chemicals) are present and at what concentrations not just focusing on the flavor on the label. We investigated the flavoring profile of 10 different flavored E-liquids. We assessed bronchial epithelial cell viability and apoptosis, phagocytosis of bacteria and apoptotic cells by macrophages after exposure to E-cigarette vapor extract (EVE). We validated our data in normal human bronchial epithelial cells (NHBE) and alveolar macrophages (AM) from healthy donors. We also assessed cytokine release and validated in the saliva from E-cigarette users. Increased necrosis/apoptosis (16.1-64.5% apoptosis) in 16HBE cells was flavor dependent, and NHBEs showed an increased susceptibility to flavors. In THP-1 differentiated macrophages phagocytosis was also flavor dependent, with AM also showing increased susceptibility to flavors. Further, Banana and Chocolate were shown to reduce surface expression of phagocytic target recognition receptors on alveolar macrophages. Banana and Chocolate increased IL-8 secretion by NHBE, whereas all 4 flavors reduced AM IL-1ß secretion, which was also reduced in the saliva of E-cigarette users compared with healthy controls. Flavorant profiles of E-liquids varied from simple 2 compound mixtures to complex mixtures containing over a dozen flavorants. E-liquids with high benzene content, complex flavoring profiles, high chemical concentration had the greatest impacts. The Flavorant profile of E-liquids is key to disruption of the airway status quo by increasing bronchial epithelial cell apoptosis, causing alveolar macrophage phagocytic dysfunction, and altering airway cytokines.

The cost of dominance: suppressing subordinate reproduction affects the reproductive success of dominant female banded mongooses.

Social species show considerable variation in the extent to which dominant females suppress subordinate reproduction. Much of this variation may be influenced by the cost of active suppression to dominants, who may be selected to balance the need to maximize the resources available for their own offspring against the costs of interfering with subordinate reproduction. To date, the cost of reproductive suppression has received little attention, despite its potential to influence the outcome of conflict over the distribution of reproduction in social species. Here, we investigate possible costs of reproductive suppression in banded mongooses, where dominant females evict subordinates from their groups, thereby inducing subordinate abortion. We show that evicting subordinate females is associated with substantial costs to dominant females: pups born to females who evicted subordinates while pregnant were lighter than those born after undisturbed gestations; pups whose dependent period was disrupted by an eviction attained a lower weight at independence; and the proportion of a litter that survived to independence was reduced if there was an eviction during the dependent period. To our knowledge, this is the first empirical study indicating a possible cost to dominants in attempting to suppress subordinate breeding, and we argue that much of the variation in reproductive skew both within and between social species may be influenced by adaptive variation in the effort invested in suppression by dominants.

Intrasexual competition and sexual selection in cooperative mammals.

In most animals, the sex that invests least in its offspring competes more intensely for access to the opposite sex and shows greater development of secondary sexual characters than the sex that invests most. However, in some mammals where females are the primary care-givers, females compete more frequently or intensely with each other than males. A possible explanation is that, in these species, the resources necessary for successful female reproduction are heavily concentrated and intrasexual competition for breeding opportunities is more intense among females than among males. Intrasexual competition between females is likely to be particularly intense in cooperative breeders where a single female monopolizes reproduction in each group. Here, we use data from a twelve-year study of wild meerkats (Suricata suricatta), where females show high levels of reproductive skew, to show that females gain greater benefits from acquiring dominant status than males and traits that increase competitive ability exert a stronger influence on their breeding success. Females that acquire dominant status also develop a suite of morphological, physiological and behavioural characteristics that help them to control other group members. Our results show that sex differences in parental investment are not the only mechanism capable of generating sex differences in reproductive competition and emphasize the extent to which competition for breeding opportunities between females can affect the evolution of sex differences and the operation of sexual selection.

Reproductive competition and the evolution of extreme birth synchrony in a cooperative mammal.

Reproductive events in animal societies often show a high degree of temporal clustering, but the evolutionary causes of this synchronization are poorly understood. Here, we suggest that selection to avoid the negative effects of competition with other females has given rise to a remarkable degree of birth synchrony in the communal-breeding banded mongoose (Mungos mungo). Within banded mongoose groups, births are highly synchronous, with 64 per cent of females giving birth on exactly the same night. Our results indicate that this extreme synchrony arises because offspring suffer an increased risk of infanticide if their mother gives birth before other females, but suffer in competition with older littermates if their mother gives birth after them. These findings highlight the important influence that reproductive competition can have for the evolution of reproductive synchrony.

Linear eccrine nevus with comedones.

We report herein a case of a linear nevus comedonicus associated with tumors of sweat gland origin. We propose the term "linear eccrine nevus with comedones" as a suitable title for this disorder. Several similar cases in the literature are reviewed.

Inflammatory linear verrucose epidermal nevus.

We treated three patients with inflammatory linear verrucose epidermal nevus. The lesions were either verrucose or psoriasiform and all had an inflammatory component. Histologic features included psoriasiform acanthosis with spongiosis and parakeratosis. Features that distinguish this entity and the differential diagnoses are discussed.

Transfusion therapy in a patient with erythropoietic protoporphyria.

An 8-year-old boy with erythropoietic protoporphyria had a marked decrease in photosensitivity symptoms after several transfusions with washed, packed RBCs. The reduction in photosensitivity was associated with a decline in free erythrocyte protoporphyrin levels.

The labial melanotic macule.

A series of 41 cases of melanotic lesions of the lip from 1980 to 1984 are reported. These lesions occur preponderantly in young white women on the lower lip. The term labial melanotic macule is suggested for these lesions.

Cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis. Serial histopathologic evaluation demonstrates the dynamic nature of the infiltrate.

Data from experimentally induced cutaneous vasculitis have suggested that the inflammatory infiltrate is dynamic. In contrast, data from humans with cutaneous vasculitis have suggested that two distinct patterns of cellular infiltrate exist, a mononuclear-predominant and a neutrophilic-predominant type. There are little data regarding the temporal evolution of spontaneously occurring cutaneous vasculitis in humans. A patient with a cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis manifest as palpable purpura had four lesions encircled on the day of presentation. Biopsies of these lesions were obtained sequentially at 0, 24, 48, and 120 hours. The histopathologic specimens were graded without knowledge of the timing of the biopsy. The character of the infiltrate progressively changed from a neutrophilic-predominant to a mononuclear-predominant infiltrate supporting the theory of a dynamic process in cutaneous vasculitis. The previous reports that suggest that there are two distinct inflammatory cell types may be the result of performing the biopsy at one point in time during this transitory process.

Twenty percent of biopsy specimens from sun-exposed skin of normal young adults demonstrate positive immunofluorescence.

Fifty normal healthy adults, aged 18 to 41 years, without a history of systemic diseases, dermatoses, or photosensitivity and who were not receiving medication were studied. Paired 3-mm punch biopsy specimens were obtained from the sun-exposed and the non-sun-exposed skin. The data from the study revealed a bright continuous band of immunofluorescence (IF) along the dermoepidermal junction in 10 (20%) of 50 sun-exposed skin biopsy specimens, as compared with none from non-sun-exposed skin biopsy specimens with the use of polyvalent antisera. Fractionated monospecific immunoglobulin demonstrated a bright continuous band of IF composed of IgG alone in one patient, IgA alone in two patients, IgG and IgA in combination in two patients, and the combination of IgG, IgM, and IgA in five patients. There was a statistically significant increase in positive IF in men (seven of 15) vs women (three of 35). This information suggests that in the examination of a patient suspected of having lesions of cutaneous lupus erythematosus, positive IF from sun-exposed skin is nonspecific and adds little information to the clinical and histopathologic findings.

Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus in multiple members of a family with C2 deficiency.

Deficiency of the second component of complement (C2d) has been associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (LE)-like syndromes as well as recurrent infections. In particular, C2d has been associated with the LE subset of subacute cutaneous LE (SCLE), the presence of anti-Ro antibodies (anti-Ro or SS-A), and the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) types A25, B18, and DR2. A family with C2d in which three members have developed SCLE was observed and studied clinically, serologically, and immunogenetically. Deficiency of the second component of complement was present in all six family members, while anti-Ro was present in only two. There was a strong but incomplete association of C2d and SCLE with HLA-DR2, but the association was not complete with positivity of anti-Ro or antinuclear antibodies. Study of this family reconfirmed the close association of HLA-A25, -B18 and -DR2 with the C2 gene, but indicated a less close association of these loci with serologic markers.

Malignant atrophic papulosis of Degos. Report of a patient who failed to respond to fibrinolytic therapy.

A 21-year-old woman with eventually fatal malignant atrophic papulosis (Degos disease) was treated primarily with the fibrinolytic agents phenformin hydrochloride and ethylestrenol. In spite of therapy, primarily central nervous system manifestations led to the patient's death.

Biological effects of embedded depleted uranium (DU): summary of armed forces radiobiology research institute research.

The Persian Gulf War resulted in injuries of US Coalition personnel by fragments of depleted uranium (DU). Fragments not immediately threatening the health of the individuals were allowed to remain in place, based on long-standing treatment protocols designed for other kinds of metal shrapnel injuries. However, questions were soon raised as to whether this approach is appropriate for a metal with the unique radiological and toxicological properties of DU. The Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI) is investigating health effects of embedded fragments of DU to determine whether current surgical fragment removal policies remain appropriate for this metal. These studies employ rodents implanted with DU pellets as well as cultured human cells exposed to DU compounds. Results indicate uranium from implanted DU fragments distributed to tissues far-removed from implantation sites, including bone, kidney, muscle, and liver. Despite levels of uranium in the kidney that were nephrotoxic after acute exposure, no histological or functional kidney toxicity was observed. However, results suggest the need for further studies of long-term health impact, since DU was found to be mutagenic, and it transformed human osteoblast cells to a tumorigenic phenotype. It also altered neurophysiological parameters in rat hippocampus, crossed the placental barrier, and entered fetal tissue. This report summarizes AFRRI's depleted uranium research to date.

Purpura fulminans.

Purpura fulminans is the cutaneous manifestation of acute activation of the clotting mechanism resulting in massive hemorrhage due to an intravascular consumption coagulopathy. Peripheral necrotizing purpura is a warning signal, and early recognition of the clinical situation and heparin therapy may be lifesaving. Clinical manifestations and histologic features of this condition, along with its pathogenesis, treatment, and differential diagnosis are discussed.

Eczematous dermatitis caused by Dermanyssus americanus.

A patient is presented herein with an acute generalized eczematoid eruption. The onset occurred in late spring and was caused by the American bird mite, Dermanyssus americanus. A review of mite infestations is presented. We suggest that puzzling cutaneous eruptions be evaluated closely as being possibly caused by mites.

Detection of depleted uranium in biological samples from Gulf War veterans.

During the Persian Gulf War, soldiers may have inhaled, ingested, and/or experienced wound contamination by depleted uranium (DU), which is used in military projectiles and armor. DU is produced by depleting natural uranium of 234U and 235U during the uranium-enrichment process. Although the long-term effects of significant DU exposures require investigation, many veterans express fears about its impact on health. An assay by which DU exposure can be assessed would not only be a useful research tool, but the information could help mitigate the concerns of exposed individuals. In this study, urine samples from individuals enrolled in the Depleted Uranium Follow-Up Program at the Baltimore Veterans Administration Medical Center were examined for uranium content. Isotopic composition of urine uranium was determined by measuring the 235U/238U ratio, using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Using this method, natural and depleted uranium could be readily differentiated. By demonstrating the absence of DU in soldiers who suspect exposure by inhalation or ingestion, the assay should reduce psychological stress in these individuals.