Investigation of strategies with potential for producing a phosphorylcholine-free version of the filarial nematode immunomodulator, ES-62

Phosphorylcholine (PC) is found attached to N-type glycans of proteins secreted by filarial nematodes, where it appears to act as an immunomodulator. Based on information on the structure and biosynthesis of the PC-glycan of a major secreted protein, ES-62, strategies were designed with potential for preparing PC-free material to better understand the importance of PC in filarial nematode immunomodulation. The strategies involve either enzymatic removal of PC or inhibition of its attachment during ES-62 synthesis. No method tested was found to be 100% effective although approximately 70% removal was obtained by culturing worms in Et18OCH3. Reasons for failure to obtain complete absence of PC moieties are discussed in relation to the structure and synthesis of PC-glycans and in addition PC-glycan biosynthesis is briefly commented on as a target for chemotherapy.

Prostaglandin E1 increases in vivo and in vitro calcitriol biosynthesis in rabbits

INTRODUCTION

Prostaglandins have an anabolic effect on bone. Possible mediation of this effect is via calcitriol. This study determines in vivo and in vitro effects of PGE(1) on calcitriol synthesis.

METHODOLOGY

In vivo: rabbits received intravenous vehicle or prostaglandin E(1) (50 microg/day) for 20 days before measurements of serum total and ionic calcium, magnesium and phosphorus levels, total and bone-specific alkaline phosphatases, 25(OH)D(3), calcitriol, parathyroid hormone and calcitonin. In vitro: rabbit proximal renal tubules were incubated with 25(OH)D(3) (8 microM) together with PGE(1) (2.82 x 10(-6) M) and the prostaglandin receptor inhibitor AH6809 (10(-4) M) in selected samples. After 5 or 30 min incubation, calcitriol production was measured by radioimmunoassay and data analysed statistically.

RESULTS

In vivo, in groups receiving PGE(1), levels of total Ca, Mg and calcitriol increased significantly and 25 dihydroxyvitamin D(3), parathyroid hormone and calcitonin remained unchanged. In vitro, PGE(1) increased calcitriol biosynthesis and the prostaglandin inhibitor AH6809 reduced calcitriol levels significantly after prolonged incubation.

CONCLUSIONS

In vivo and in vitro results demonstrate that PGE(1) stimulates calcitriol synthesis. This study represent a major advancement in knowledge of bone metabolism.

[Predictive validity of the Scale of Prodromal Symptoms (SOPS)]

INTRODUCTION

We conduct an exploratory factor analysis with the Scale of Prodromal Symptoms (SOPS) items, to determine its psychometric characteristics and construct validity, as well as we analyze criterion or predictive validity of its clinical subscales in the conversion of high mental risk subjects from prodrome to psychosis in a 1 year follow-up period.

METHOD

The subjects were 30 patients referred for evaluation with the Structured Interview of Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS), which includes the SOPS, because of a suspected psychosis prodromal syndrome, a factor analysis with varimax rotation was carried out: Cronbach internal coherence indices were obtained, and predictive validity of the subscales comprising this instrument were analyzed using logistic regression.

RESULTS

Three first-order factors were found, one of them was a homogeneous component made up of negative symptoms, consistent with previous studies, and higher scores were observed in negative, disorganized and general symptoms in males. Cronbach's alpha indices were 0.880, in the recruitment phase of risk patients, and 0.952 one year later. With an incidence rate of psychosis of 26.67 % in the sample studied, during the 1 year follow-up period, an excellent positive predictive value of the SOPS subscales was found, with negative symptoms having the best specificity (95.5 %) and sensitivity (100 %) indices.

CONCLUSIONS

Diagnostic criteria based on the SIPS/ SOPS make it possible to identify persons at high risk of psychosis, and to make an accurate prediction of medium term psychotic episodes. It is a valid, economical and easy to use instrument in primary health care systems.

Coordination of erythropoiesis by the transcription factor c-Myb

The involvement of the transcription factor c-Myb in promoting the proliferation and inhibition of erythroid cell differentiation has been established in leukemia cell models. The anemia phenotype observed in c-myb knockout and knockdown mice highlights a critical role for c-Myb in erythropoiesis. However, determining the reason for the failure of erythropoiesis in these mice and the precise function of c-Myb in erythroid progenitors remains elusive. We examined erythroid development under conditions of reduced c-Myb protein levels and report an unexpected role for c-Myb in the promotion of commitment to the erythroid lineage and progression to erythroblast stages. c-myb knockdown erythroid colony-forming unit (CFU-E) stage progenitors displayed an immature phenotype and aberrant expression of several hematopoietic regulators. To extend our findings, we analyzed the response of normal enriched erythroid progenitors to inducible disruption of a floxed c-myb allele. In agreement with the c-myb knockdown phenotype, we show that c-Myb is strictly required for expression of the c-Kit receptor in erythroid cells.

[Risk factors in experimenting with and consumption of tobacco by 12-14 year-old school students. Attitudes to tobacco in pressure groups]

INTRODUCTION

Tobacco is the first addictive substance that adolescents and school-children have contact with. The presence of family members and friends as smokers in their environment is related to tobacco experimentation.

OBJECTIVES

To describe experimentation and consumption of tobacco in secondary school students (ESO); to identify the attitudes related to smoking; and to study the relationship between smoking by family members, friends and teachers and students' own experimentation and consumption.

METHODS

Observational, prospective study at the "Los Cantos" secondary school, Bullas, Murcia, Spain.

POPULATION

students from the first, second and third years of ESO, analysed in December 2000 and 2001. The variables studied were collected with the FRISC questionnaire.

RESULTS

The population had 529 students, 293 of them boys, with average age 13.2. A total of 328 had smoked sometime (62%) and 19.1% smoked habitually. Attitudes related with smoking were: "smoking makes you feel better" (P<.001), "smoking is fun" (P<.001), "smoking helps to make friends" (P<.001) and "I'd accept a cigarette from a friend" (P<.001). Tobacco experimentation was related to friends/companions smoking (OR=2.402; 95% CI, 1.591-3.628), to the presence of a mother and older siblings smoking (OR=2.703; 95% CI, 1.574-4.642), and to the presence of friends/companions smoking (OR=6.342; 95% CI, 3.102-12.964).

CONCLUSION

Experimentation and consumption of tobacco in the population studied is very high. The most important risk factors for students smoking are the conduct of friends and of older siblings.

The transcription factor B-Myb is essential for S-phase progression and genomic stability in diploid and polyploid megakaryocytes

The cell-cycle-regulated Myb-family transcription factor B-Myb is crucial during S phase in many diploid cell types. We have examined the expression and function of B-Myb in megakaryocytic differentiation, during which cells progress from a diploid to a polyploid state. In contrast to terminal differentiation of most haematopoietic cells, during which B-myb is rapidly downregulated, differentiation of megakaryocytes is accompanied by continued B-myb RNA and protein expression. Overexpression of B-Myb in a megakaryoblastic cell line resulted in an increase in the number of cells entering S phase and, upon induction of differentiation, the fraction of cells actively endoreplicating increased. By contrast, reduction of B-Myb levels using short interfering (si)RNA resulted in a decline in S-phase progression during both normal and endoreplicative DNA synthesis. This effect correlated with aberrant localisation of initiation of DNA replication within the nucleus and an increased fraction of cells in mitosis. Chromosomal fragmentation and other aberrations, including shorter, thicker chromatids, end-to-end fusion, and loss of a chromatid, suggest that reduced B-Myb activity is also associated with structural chromosomal instability.

Generation of a conditional allele of the B-myb gene

B-Myb is an essential transcription factor involved in control of the cell cycle and the regulation of tissue-specific gene expression in a wide range of cell types. Loss of both alleles results in early embryonic lethality at E4.5-6.5. To address the function of B-Myb in later stages of embryogenesis and in specific adult tissues, a floxed B-myb allele (B-mybF) was generated. Cre-mediated deletion in vivo was demonstrated by breeding with a transgenic GATA-Cre mouse line. An intermediate allele produced in the creation of the floxed allele, in which the PGK-neo(R) cassette is present in intron 3 (B-myb(loxneo)), was deduced to be a weak hypomorph based on the later embryonic death of homozygotes compared to B-myb(-/-) embryos. To demonstrate the efficiency and possible consequences of B-myb inactivation, we performed conditional deletion in cultured MEFs and observed decreased growth that correlated with aberrant nuclear DNA replication.

Outbreak of Pitch Canker Caused by Fusarium circinatum on Pinus spp. in Northern Spain

During the winter of 2003-2004, dieback symptoms were observed on Pinus radiata and P. pinaster in pine nurseries in Asturias (northern Spain). Small groups of affected seedlings appeared randomly distributed throughout the nurseries. The seedlings died rapidly, showing basal needle dieback, stem lesions, resin exudations, and wilting. Isolations from infected material onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) supplemented with 0.5 mg/ml of streptomycin sulfate and Komada's medium consistently yielded Fusarium sp. cultures. The isolates were transferred to PDA and Spezieller Nährstoffarmer agar and incubated at 25°C for 10 days with a 12-h photoperiod. The cultures were identified as Fusarium circinatum Nirenberg & O'Donnell (= Fusarium subglutinans Wollenweb. & Reinking), causal agent of pitch canker disease, on basis of the presence of polyphialides and characteristic sterile, coiled, hyphae (2). To further confirm their identity, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) based on histone H3 gene sequences (4) and a test based on the F. circinatum-specific primers, CIRC1A-CIRC4A, which amplifies a 360-bp DNA fragment of the intergenic spacer region of the nuclear ribosomal operon (3), were used. Results obtained with both techniques confirmed the morphological identification of the cultures. A representative culture has been placed in the Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures (CBS 117843). The pathogen was isolated only from seedlings of P. radiata and P. pinaster. Other species such as P. nigra, P. sylvestris, and Pseudotsuga menziesii, which were also grown in these nurseries, did not show symptoms. Pathogenicity was confirmed by inoculating 6- to 9-month-old P. radiata and P. pinaster seedlings. Small strips of bark (10 × 1 mm) were cut from the stems and similar sized pieces of PDA colonized by F. circinatum were placed in contact with the open wounds and covered with parafilm. Basal needle dieback was observed 10 days after inoculation that resulted in wilting of the seedlings. F. circinatum was reisolated from the affected stems fulfilling Koch's postulates. Later in the year, symptoms of pitch canker were also observed on 20-year-old P. radiata in one forest plantation in Cantabria (northern Spain). Infected branches and shoots of the trees exudated abundant resin, resulting in resinous cankers. The needles, distal to branch tip infections, wilt, fade to yellow then red, and fall from the tree. Affected trees showed noticeable crown dieback. The isolations from the cankers also yielded F. circinatum cultures that were identified as described above. Although a nonrefereed report appeared in 1998 (1), to our knowledge, this is the first report of F. circinatum on P. radiata and P. pinaster in Spain and in Europe. References: (1) L. D. Dwinell et al. Int. Congr. Plant Pathol. 7th. 3:9, 1998. (2) H. I. Nirenberg and K. O'Donnell. Mycologia 90:434, 1998. (3) W. Schweigkofler et al. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70:3512, 2004. (4) E. T. Steenkamp et al. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65:3401, 1999.

Decrease of body temperature after aglepristone treatment in bitches

Body temperature responses and the timing of abortions were evaluated in pregnant bitches with the anti-progestin aglepristone. Fifteen purebred and crossbred, 25-45 days pregnant, were included in this study and seven untreated bitches at the same stage of pregnancy served as controls. Treated bitches were administered two applications of aglepristone (10 mg/kg SC) 24 h apart for pregnancy termination. Pregnancy termination was confirmed by ultrasonographic assessment. Body temperature was rectally measured three times a day for 6 days beginning 24 h before treatment or pregnancy diagnosis in the treated and control bitches, respectively. Additionally, serum progesterone concentrations were assessed at time points during the study in the treated bitches. Pregnancy was terminated in 14 treated bitches in a mean+/-S.E.M. of 4.3+/-0.7 days after treatment. Control bitches remained pregnant. In the treated bitches, but not in the controls, body temperature significantly decreased 24 h after the beginning of the treatments (P < 0.01) and then gradually returned to pre-treatment values. Correlation between the day of mean minimum body temperature and the day of pregnancy termination was low (0.07; > 0.05). Progesterone did not show significant change throughout the study. Body temperature does not seem to be a suitable variable to clinically monitor the aborting effect of aglepristone. Decrease of body temperature after aglepristone treatment could represent further evidence of its hypothalamic effects.

Epithelioid malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour in a dog

An unusual morphological variant of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour, in which the cells exhibited a predominantly epithelial morphology, was diagnosed in a dog. The animal had a history of progressive ataxia. Post-mortem examination revealed an infiltrative growth in the sublumbar region, encroaching on the L1 and L2 vertebral bodies; additional masses were observed in the kidneys, liver and lungs. Histologically, the subcutaneous mass was composed of a dense population of spindle-shaped cells arranged in fascicles. The internal masses were composed of epithelioid cells arranged in a nodular pattern. Immunohistochemically, the spindle-shaped cells of the subcutaneous mass were positive for S-100, and the epithelioid cells of the internal growths exhibited weak S-100 immunoreactivity.

[Severe hypophosphataemia after starting parenteral nutrition in a patient with an intestinal fistula]

Hypophosphataemia is a complication that may appear in undernourished patients who are given nutrition by either enteral or parenteral means. It is associated with several clinical manifestations, including cardiological, neurological and haematological conditions of note, and may potentially be even life-threatening. It is therefore mandatory to ensure prevention and follow-up in those patients at risk of suffering this condition, taking into account the considerable morbidity and mortality associated with it.

An intersubspecific genetic map of Lens

A Lens map was developed based on the segregational analysis of five kinds of molecular and morphological genetic markers in 113 F(2) plants obtained from a single hybrid of Lens culinaris ssp. culinaris x L. c. ssp. orientalis. A total of 200 markers were used on the F(2) population, including 71 RAPDs, 39 ISSRs, 83 AFLPs, two SSRs and five morphological loci. The AFLP technique generated more polymorphic markers than any of the others, although AFLP markers also showed the highest proportion (29.1%) of distorted segregation. At a LOD score of 3.0, 161 markers were grouped into ten linkage groups covering 2,172.4 cM, with an average distance between markers of 15.87 cM. There were six large groups with 12 or more markers each, and four small groups with two or three markers each. Thirty-nine markers were unlinked. A tendency for markers to cluster in the central regions of large linkage groups was observed. Likewise, clusters of AFLP, ISSR or RAPD markers were also observed in some linkage groups, although RAPD markers were more evenly spaced along the linkage groups. In addition, two SSR, three RAPD and one ISSR markers segregated as codominant. ISSR markers are valuable tools for Lens genetic mapping and they have a high potential in the generation of saturated Lens maps.

[Congenital neuroblastomas]

BACKGROUND

We consider congenital neuroblastomas (CN) those detected in pregnancy or at the very first hours of life. Due to perinatal sonography, its incidence has increased in the last years. We present herein our experience in the treatment of this condition and we try to find out any different clinical pattern from those neuroblastomas diagnosed later in life.

METHODS

We review the CN treated in our hospital from 1990 to 2003, analyzing diagnosis, localization, tumor staging, N-myc amplification, treatment and evolution.

RESULTS

Among the 107 neural tumors managed during this period (89 neuroblastomas, 18 ganglioneuromas), 8 were congenital neuroblastomas (7 girls, 1 boy). Two patients had prenatal diagnosis and 6 tumours were detected in routine exploration or casual findings upon neonatal examination. Six were abdominal, 1 thoracoabdominal and 1 abdominopelvic with dumbbell invasion. Three tumours were classified like stage 1, 1 stage 2, 1 stage 3, 1 stage 4 and 2 stage 4S. Although most of them had unfavorable histology, we didn't find N-myc amplification in any tumor. All patients were operated upon, with preoperative chemotherapy in 2 of them. Resection was complete in 7 out of the 8 tumors. The patient who presented neurological symptoms at birth recovered neither motility nor bladder function after resection. All of them survive after 60+/-53 months of follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

The outcome in this group of neuroblastomas is better that expected, probably because of its abdominal location. On the contrary in dumbbell neuroblastomas, neurological damage at birth seems to be irreversible.

Immunohistochemical and functional evidence for a noradrenergic regulation in the horse penile deep dorsal vein

Our aim was to study the presence of noradrenergic nerves and to characterize the alpha-adrenergic receptors involved in the contractions to electrical field stimulation and to alpha-adrenergic agonists of the horse penile deep dorsal vein. Noradrenergic fibres were visualized by immunohistochemistry using an antibody against dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH). For functional studies, the responses of the venous rings to electrical field stimulation and to alpha-adrenergic agonists (noradrenaline, phenylephrine and BHT 920) were studied in the absence and the presence of noradrenergic transmission- and neuronal sodium channel-blockers (guanethidine and tetrodotoxin, respectively) and of alpha1- and alpha2-adrenergic antagonists (prazosin and rauwolscine, respectively). DBH-immunoreactive fibres were present in the adventitia and in the media layer of the venous rings. Electrical field stimulation (0.5-32 Hz) caused frequency-dependent contractions that were abolished by guanethidine (10(-6) M) and tetrodotoxin (10(-6) M) and reduced by prazosin (10(-9)-10(-7) M) and rauwolscine (3 x 10(-8)-3 x 10(-7) M). Noradrenaline, phenylephrine and BHT 920 induced equipotent contractions of the rings. Prazosin and rauwolscine competitively antagonized the contractions to phenylephrine and BHT 920, respectively. In conclusion, DBH-immunoreactive nerve fibres are present in the horse penile dorsal vein. Both transmural nerve stimulation and alpha-adrenergic agonists induce contraction of the venous rings through a heterogeneous population of alpha1- and alpha2-adrenoceptors.

[Vascular Aspergillus infection in two recipients of kidneys from the same donor]

We describe a clinical case of two patients who received a cadaveric renal graft from the same donor in a multi-organ extraction procedure. The donor was a 39-years-old woman who died of intracranial tumour. A benign ganglioma was shown in biopsy. The two recipients received the same immunosuppressive regimen. Induction comprised cyclosporin A, steroids and basiliximab while cyclosporin A and steroids were used in maintenance immunosuppression. The A patient was a 53-year-old woman with chronic renal failure due to chronic pyelonephritis. She had been undergoing periodic haemodialysis for five years. She was hospitalised for sciatic pain refractory to rest and analgesics 35 days after transplantation. Two days later, her graft function deteriorated. Ultrasonography ruled out a urinary tract obstruction. Cyclosporine levels was normal. It was interpreted as an acute rejection episode and was treated with boluses of methylprednisolone (500 mg for 3 days). At the same time, her right leg began to show paraesthesia, coldness and a decreased arterial pulse. A spinal magnetic nuclear resonance was performed. It showed an aneurysm of right common iliac artery (fig. 1). An arteriography confirmed the existence of a pseudoaneurysm and an arteriovenous fistula to inferior vena cava (fig. 2). The B recipient was a 56-year-old woman with chronic renal failure due to chronic pyelonephritis. She required haemodialysis for two years. In the 4th month after transplantation her graft function deteriorated. Graft biopsy did not show acute cellular rejection, so she was kept on immunosuppressive treatment. A second graft biopsy was taken and no changes with the previous one was observed. Renal function deteriorated and haemodialysis was required. During the 6th month she began to show paraesthesia, coldness and decreased arterial pulse in her right leg. Ultrasonography showed pyelocaliectasis with an adjacent solid-liquid mass, abdominal CT scan confirmed. Arteriography proved the presence of a pseudoaneurysm of the right common iliac artery (fig. 3). Transplantectomy and pseudoaneurysm resection was performed in the two cases. Culture analysis revealed fungi identified as Aspergillus in both pseudoaneurysms. Medical treatment was started immediately with liposomal amphotericin B. The clinical evolution of the two recipients were different. While recipient A died, B patient recovered, requiring haemodialysis.

Expression of αv, α4, α5 and β3 integrin subunits, fibronectin and vitronectin in goat peri-implantation

Integrins are glycoprotein heterodimers located in the cell membranes that stimulate intercellular adhesion and act as extracellular matrix (ECM) protein receptors. Although integrins have been detected in the implantation sites of various species, little is known about their participation in ruminant non-invasive placentation. The objective of this study was the detection of alphav, alpha4, alpha5, beta1 and beta3 integrin subunits and of two of their ligands, fibronectin and vitronectin, to determine their participation in the caprine peri-implantation process. On Day 21 post-coitum (pc), endometrial epithelium and trophoblastic cells showed an intense alphav and beta3 integrin subunits expression and moderate staining for alpha4 and alpha5. On Day 23 pc, integrin expression decreased noticeably and only a weak staining of alpha4 and beta3 integrin subunits were observed. No beta1 integrin subunit expression was detected on either of the days studied. Fibronectin (FN) expression in trophectodermic and endometrial epithelium was weak or moderate on the days studied while vitronectin (VN) expression in the same tissues was moderate or strong on Day 21 pc but decreased on Day 23 pc. These results suggest that alphavbeta3 integrin, alpha4 and alpha5 subunits, VN and FN are expressed in caprine endometrium and blastocyst and may play a role in the cascade of the implantation process.

Genetic diversity in wild Spanish populations of Thinopyrum junceum and Thinopyrum junceiforme using endosperm proteins and PCR-based markers

The genetic variation of sixteen wild, Spanish populations of Thinopyrum junceum and Thinopyrumjunceiforme and their interspecific relationships were analyzed. The relationships between these species and the diploids T. bessarabicum and T. elongatum were also investigated. The number of phenotypes and the composition of bands yielded by the electrophoretic separation of endosperm proteins were used to estimate intra- and interpopulational variability. DNA polymorphism generated by 24 arbitrary 10-mer primers and 14 specific 20-mer primers was used to determine interpopulational variability and interspecific relationships. Jaccard's coefficient of similarity was used to analyze presence and absence data in the DNA polymorphism and endosperm protein determinations of individual plants. Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient was used to analyse interpopulational variation using endosperm protein band frequency data. Dendrograms were constructed using an unweighted pair group method with arithmetical average (UPGMA). The high level of intrapopulational variability found in T. junceum and T. junceiforme was inconsistent with the traditional classification of these species as self-pollinating. The level of interpopulational variation varied according to the degree of polymorphism of the corresponding markers. The endosperm proteins and random amplified polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs) proved to be the most polymorphic markers to those used although only the former were able to distinguish between the different populations. Interspecific relationships were consistently confirmed by all the PCR-based markers, and were also in agreement with the results of other authors.

Analysis of the morphogenetic cluster and genome of the temperate Lactobacillus casei bacteriophage A2

The genes that encode the morphogenetic proteins of bacteriophage A2 are clustered and expressed as a single operon which originates a late transcript of more than 20 kb. This DNA stretch is analyzed in the context of the whole phage genome, which presents the following peculiarities: a) the head presents two major proteins that share their NH(2) termini, i.e.: both are translated from a single gene (orf5), b) these two proteins suffer a proteolytic maturation process before being incorporated into the capsid, rendering a 123 NH(2) terminal putative polypeptide that is postulated to be the scaffolding protein of the phage, c) similar maturation processes occur at the portal and tail length determination proteins, having all in common a Pho-Pho-Arg downward arrow sequence (where Pho stands for any hydrophobic amino acid) at the processing point, d) the genes encoding the subunits of the terminase (orf61 and orf2) are separated by the cohesive ends, e) two genes that might mediate lysogenic conversion ( orf19 and orf22) have been identified and f) the genome presents a dispensable region (which covers at least 10 orfs, as judged from analysis of deletion mutants) that might be involved in maintaining its size between the packaging limits of the capsid.

[Allergic contact eczema caused by henna tattoo]

INTRODUCTION

Henna dye is obtained from the leaves of an indigenous tree, Lawsonia inermis. Contact dermatitis to henna is rarely reported. It is usually related to additives, especially oils or paraphenylenediamine. We report the case of a 9-year- old boy who developed an eczematous reaction at the site of application of a henna tattoo.

CASE REPORT

A henna tattoo was applied on the arm of a healthy 9-year-old boy on a Mediterranean beach. Four days later, the child noted pruritus followed multiple small papules and vesicles overlying the pattern of tattoo. He was treated with topical mometasone for 20 days, which produced gradual improvement and resolution.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Two months later, a patch test (True test) was performed on the upper back. The results were observed after 48 and 96 hours and showed positive reactions to p-phenylenediamine, PPD mix (black rubber mix) and paraben mix and was negative to natural henna.

DISCUSSION

Skin painting with henna is traditionally performed in Muslims or Hindus. The painting is usually performed on the hair, palms, soles of the feet and nails with henna that gives a red color. The addition of p-phenylenediamine to the henna mixture darkens the color. The mixtures used by the "artists" contained natural henna (a rare sensitizer) and chemical coloring agents: diaminotoluenes and diaminobenzenes such as paraphenylenediamine. Today, paint-on tattoos drawn on the skin by street or beach artists are very fashionable among Europeans in holiday resorts. Because of the worldwide fashion of skin painting, future cases of sensitization to p-phenylenediamine are expected.