Collagenous Colitis

ABSTRACT Collagenous colitis is a very rarely recognized disease characterized clinically by watery diarrhoea and histologically by a broad, band-like deposition of collagen under the surface epithelium of the colon and rectum. Two cases of collagenous colitis are reported in this paper. After treatment of one of the patients with metronidazole, the symptoms cleared up and biopsy specimens from the colon showed regression of the pathological picture. The pathogenesis of the diarrhoea is discussed. The aetiological agent seems to be infectious, but is still unknown.     

Early language screening in City and Hackney: work in progress

The paper describes the initial stages in the development of a screening instrument designed to identify children with impaired language development at the age of 2 1/2 years. The pilot study comprised 40 children seen for routine developmental surveillance at one of the Community Health Centres in City and Hackney District Health Authority. The screen was found to be both sufficiently sensitive and sufficiently specific to warrant further investigation. The discussion highlights a number of pertinent issues which have arisen from the study and which the authors consider to be of relevance to others considering the development of equivalent procedures.     

Morphological changes in tubal mucosa associated with the use of intrauterine contraceptive devices

Summary. We examined the endosalpinx of 28 healthy non–pregnant women, 12 of whom had an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) and 16 of whom had neither an IUCD nor used oral contraceptives. Measurements made on light– and scanning electron micrographs showed that the percentage area covered by ciliated cells was approximately 40% in non– IUCD users and only 20% in IUCD users.     

Polysaccharide production by cell free transferases in saliva in relation to salivary microflora

Abstract – The supernatant of centrifuged whole saliva was incubated with radiolabeled sucrose to measure polysaccharide production by cell free transferases and to examine whether water-insoluble polysaccharides were produced. Amounts of polysaccharides were considered to reflect the level of cell free transferases in saliva. Plating samples on blood agar, MS and MSB plates gave salivary counts of total CFU, total streptococci, S. salivarius and S. mutans. The capability of the cell free portion of saliva to produce polymers was confirmed and it appeared that the cell free transferases were able to produce water-insoluble polysaccharides. Significant correlations were found between the total and the insoluble polysaccharides from ¹⁴C-G’-sucrose and total CFU, total streptococci, S. salivarius and S. mutans, respectively. Heavily S. mutans infected subjects seemed to produce particularly large amounts of water-insoluble polysaccharides from ¹⁴C-G’-sucrose. The apparently water-insoluble ¹⁴C-F’-polysaccharides correlated significantly to the number of S. salivarius. It was thus concluded that the constitution of the oral microflora and particularly the levels of S. mutans and S. salivarius were of importance for the level of cell free transferase activity.     

Endometriosis and the Infertile Patient

Approximately one-third of all patients who suffer from endometriosis may not be able to conceive. More than 10% of infertile patients have endometriosis as the causative factor of their infertility. The stressful effect of infertility on the couple's life may be devastating. The infertility and endocrinology nurse may play a major role in alleviating the painful experience of such unfortunate patients. The pathogenesis, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and therapy of endometriosis are described. The important role of the nurse in the management of patients with endometriosis is emphasized.     

Local Active Suppression by Suppressor Cells in the Decidua: A Review

ABSTRACT: The immunological survival of the antigen-bearing mammalian feto-placental unit is determined by the functional properties of the tissues at the feto-maternal interface. Antigen-specific systemic suppressor mechanisms such as suppressor T cells and non-antigen-specific suppressive serum factors appear not to play a major role in protection of the fetus. A novel type of non-MHC specific suppressor cell accumulates locally in the decidua of successfully allopregnant mice. This decidua-associated suppressor is a small lymphocytic cell possessing cytoplasmic granules, lacks T cell markers, and is deficient in number and activity at the implantation sites of viable xenogeneic Mus caroli embryos gestating in the uterus of Mus musculus animals at the time that maternal lymphoid cells begin to infiltrate the xenoembryos. These Mus caroli embryos subsequently resorb. Further experimental studies suggest that the trophoblast cells associated with successful pregnancy recruit bone-marrow derived maternal non-T suppressor cells to the decidua and thus, by an indirect mechanism, may act to protect the fetus from effector cells of the mother's immune system.