The Role of Electron Microscopy in the Assessment of Dermatomyositis: A Retrospective Pilot Study on Skeletal Muscle Biopsies

Aims: To assess the contribution of electron microscopy in the process of muscle biopsies evaluation for dermatomyositis. Study Design: Retrospective review of muscle biopsy cases. Place and Duration of Study: Pathology Department of King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from January 2008 to January 2012. Methodology: Samples from cases suspected to have dermatomyositis were reviewed for light and ultrastructural morphological examination. Tubuloreticular inclusions (TRI) were considered present if these undulating tubules were detected in the endothelial cells of the capillaries. Results: Out of ten cases that were suspected for dermatomyositis, three cases showed classical light microscopic features of dermatomyositis, two of which showed TRI. Among four cases with non-specific light microscopic features that can be seen in dermatomyositis, TRI were detected in two of these four cases. Among three cases with non-contributory light microscopy, TRI were found in all of these three cases. Conclusion: Electron microscopy -if feasible- may be useful in the screening of muscle biopsies, when clinically or morphologically suspected inflammatory myopathies are considered. Further studies to assess the significance of TRI with a larger number of cases, clinical data correlation and immunostains are needed

Neuronal Differentiation in a Pituitary Macroadenoma with Focal Small Blue Round Cell Morphology: Report of a Rare Pattern

Ganglion cell-containing pituitary adenomas that are neurofilament protein-positive are the exceedingly rare form of pituitary ganliocytomas. We report a case of a 23-year-old male patient who presented with a clinical picture of acromegaly in addition to raised prolactin level. Histopathology showed areas exhibiting pseudopapillary and solid proliferation of round and monotonous blue cells. The immunohistochemistry showed strong reactivity for synaptophysin and growth hormone and focal reactivity to prolactin. Fibrous bodies are confirmed using cytokeratin immunostain, in keeping with sparsely granulated somatotroph component. The patient remained free of recurrence after one year of radiological follow-up

Cystic panfolliculoma of the scalp: Report of a very rare case and brief review

Panfolliculoma is an exceeding rare follicular benign neoplasm with differentiation toward both upper and lower segments of the hair follicle. In this report, we present a case of cystic panfolliculoma in the occipital region of the scalp of a 19-year-old female. We describe the histopathological and immunohistochemical features of the tumor and briefly discuss the differential diagnoses of this rare entity

Unilateral Heliotrope Rash in Juvenile Dermatomyositis: An Unusual Presentation of an Underlying Serious Disease

Background. Heliotrope rash is one of the characteristic skin manifestations of juvenile dermatomyositis. It is a reddish-purple rash on the upper eyelids that is usually bilateral. Case Presentation. We report a boy who presented with unilateral heliotrope rash, Gottron’s papules, and muscle weakness. Muscle biopsy was consistent with inflammatory myositis. Patient was started on prednisolone and methotrexate with an excellent response in both the skin and muscles. Conclusion. Unilateral heliotrope rash can occur in patients with juvenile dermatomyositis. Being a paraneoplastic condition caution should be taken not to miss any underlying malignancy

Photovoltaic Cooling Utilizing Phase Change Materials

A theoretical analysis based on mathematical formulations and experimental test to a photovoltaic system cooled by Phase Change Material (PCM) is carried out and documented. The PCM is attached to the back of the PV panel to control the temperature of cells in the PV panel. The experimental tests were done to solar systems with and without using PCM for comparison purposes. A PCM of paraffin graphite panels of thickness15 mm has covered the back of the panel. This layer was covered with an aluminum sheet fixed tightly to the panel frame. In the experimental test, it was found that when the average cell temperature exceeds the melting point temperature of the PCM, the efficiency of the system increases. However, when the cell temperature did not exceed the melting temperature of the PCM, the use of the PCM will affect negatively the system efficiency

Metformin Rescues the Myocardium from Doxorubicin-Induced Energy Starvation and Mitochondrial Damage in Rats

Clinical use of doxorubicin (DOX) is limited by its cardiotoxic side effects. Recent studies established that metformin (MET), an oral antidiabetic drug, possesses an antioxidant activity. However, whether it can protect against DOX-induced energy starvation and mitochondrial damage has not been reported. Our results, in a rat model of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity, show that DOX treatment significantly increased serum levels of LDH and CK-MB, indicators of cardiac injury, and induced expression of hypertrophic gene markers. DOX also caused marked decreases in the cardiac levels of glutathione, CoA-SH and ATP, and mRNA expression of catalase and NQO-1. These biochemical changes were associated with myocardial histopathological and ultrastructural deteriorations, as observed by light and electron microscopy, respectively. Cotreatment with MET (500 mg/kg) eliminated all DOX-induced biochemical, histopathological, and ultrastructural changes. These findings demonstrate that MET successfully prevents DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in vivo by inhibiting DOX-induced oxidative stress, energy starvation, and depletion of intramitochondrial CoA-SH