Multiple generalized glomus tumors. Morphologic and biochemical findings

A 54 year-old woman developed approximately 150 generalized glomus tumors since she had been 23 years old. Painful tumors showed more glomus cells than those being not painful. Furthermore, the patient suffered from persisting congenital capillary hemangioma (strawberry mark). Histological examination revealed that glomus cells were located in the vessel walls. The large amount of Dopa found in the glomus tumor tissue supports the assumption that it may be innervated by adrenergic efferent nerves.     

Aspergillus brain abscess. A case report

The history and findings in a patient with erythroleukaemia who developed a fungal brain abscess during the agranulocytic phase of induction treatment is reported. The radiological features of fungal infection are reported, with emphasis on the importance of clinical judgement in making the diagnosis. The autopsy findings further illustrate the increasing importance of this previously very rare condition.     

Lung cancer and prior tuberculosis infection in Shanghai

In a population-based case-control study of lung cancer in Shanghai involving interviews during 1984-86 with 1,405 cancer patients and 1,495 controls, a significant 50% elevation in the risk of lung cancer, adjusted for cigarette smoking, was observed among persons who had a history of tuberculosis. Among those diagnosed with tuberculosis within the past 20 years, the risk exceeded 2.5-fold. In males the lung cancers tended to occur on the same side as the previous tuberculosis infection. For both sexes, the effect of recent tuberculosis was most apparent for adenocarcinoma and peripheral tumours. No relationship was found between lung cancer risk and the type of tuberculosis therapy, including use of isoniazid. The findings suggest that tuberculosis may predispose to lung cancer, with the association most apparent among recent survivors of the infection.     

Axonal transport of dopamine D1 receptors in the rat brain

Binding of a specific dopamine D₁ receptor antagonist,¹²⁵I-SCH 23982, was measured in rat brain sections by quantitative autoradiography at various time intervals, following a knife cut through the striatonigral pathway. Twenty-four hours after lesioning, accumulations of D₁ receptor binding sites were found in sagittal sections both rostral and caudal to the lesion site. No other regions studied (caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens, olfactory tubercle, and substantia nigra pars reticulata) showed any change in D₁ receptor binding 24h after the lesion. In brain sections obtained 10 days after lesioning, only the substantia nigra pars reticulata had a significant decrease in D₁ receptors ipsilateral to the lesion. These findings suggest the possibility of a presence of bidirectional axonal transport of D₁ receptors in rat striatonigral pathway.     

Anti-Trypanosoma-cruzi-proteinase antibodies and immunoprotection in experimental Chagas' disease.

To verify whether anti-Trypanosoma-cruzi-proteinase antibodies are able to play a role in the development of Chagas' disease, CBA/J and C57BL/6 mice were immunized with purified proteinase fractions: antibody production was studied and passive immunization experiments were carried out. No significant differences were observed in the titre, isotype composition and specificity of the antibodies produced by the mouse strains. Immune sera produced in one strain was able to protect mice of both strains, provided that the challenge did not exceed the number of parasites corresponding to 30-fold the LD50. The data presented suggest that anti-proteinase antibodies may play a role in immunoprotection.     

Biochemical, clinical and genetic analysis of various aminoacidopathies (non-ketotic hyperglycemia, maple syrup urine disease, histidinemia, tyrosinemia)]

The genetical types were classified according to the clinical findings and biochemical results in cases of 13 newborn/children suffering from various aminoacidopathies. The genetical types were: 3 neonatal and 4 infantile types were found out of 7 non-ketotic disease (MSUD) patient was infantile type with 9.1 per cent keto acid decarboxylase activity in leukocyte homogenate. Among the 3 histidinemic patients 1 was severe neonatal type and 2 cases were chronic types. The 2 treated tyrosinemic children proved to be type III. (chronic with rickets).     

Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure profiles in pediatric patients after renal transplantation

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was applied in 27 pediatric patients aged 6.3 – 24.3 (median 15.0) years who had been transplanted 1.5 – 8.4 years previously. Daytime values were compared with the mean of 10 concomitant casual blood pressure recordings. At the time of the study, antihypertensive drugs were given to 17 patients. Inulin clearance ranged from 18 to 116 (median 66) ml/min per 1.73 m². Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring confirmed hypertension or normotension determined by casual blood pressure measurements in 63% of patients. The physiological nocturnal dip in blood pressure was attenuated or reversed in 8 of 27 patients. It was reduced in all 3 patients with renal artery stenosis of the graft, in 3 of 4 patients with chronic rejection, in the only patient with recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, and in 1 of 6 patients with past acute rejection. The dipping was not related to inulin clearance. In conclusion, casual blood pressure measurements do not accurately reflect blood pressure in pediatric patients transplanted more than 1.5 years previously. A reduced nocturnal dip in blood pressure may indicate an underlying renovascular or renoparenchymal pathology. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring should regularly be applied in patients with renal transplants. Received May 23, 1995; received in revised form June 18, 1996; accepted June 20, 1996     

Electrodermal and microcirculatory activity in patients with fibromyalgia during baseline, acoustic stimulation and cold pressor tests.

The peripheral sympathetic activity was studied in 27 patients with fibromyalgia and 29 healthy controls through simultaneous measurements of electrodermal variables and blood flow at palmar skin sites during baseline, acoustic stimulation, and cold pressor tests. Compared to the controls, the patient group showed a significantly larger overall increase in the skin electrical conductance and less vasoconstriction during acoustic stimulation and cold pressor tests. These findings imply an increased activity of cholinergic and decreased activity of adrenergic components of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system in patients with fibromyalgia.