Giant fibroadenoma of the breast in an Arab population

In a retrospective study of giant breast masses over a period of 20 years (1980–2000), we encountered 18 patients with fibroadenomas. Most of them were adolescents and young adults. The bimodal age incidence seen in Caucasians was not observed. The masses ranged from 6 to 15 cm in size and in the youngest patient, they were bilateral. All 18 patients were examined by mammography and 10 of them by ultrasonography (US) as well. The right breast was involved in 12 patients and the left in six. The diagnosis was confirmed pathologically in all patients, by excision biopsy in 17 patients and by fine needle aspiration cytology and excision biopsy in one patient. The radiological findings were the same as those previously described. All patients were treated by simple enuculation. There was only one recurrence over a follow‐up period from 2 months to 3 years.     

Epithelioid sarcoma of the forearm

A case of epithelioid sarcoma of the forearm is described. The radiological and pathological features, natural history of the tumour and its treatment are reviewed.     

Effects of the duration of individual or group housing on behavioural and adrenocortical reactivity in male mice

Male ‘TO’ strain mice were individually or group-housed for different durations (7–196 days). Behavioural reactivity was assessed over 3 days in each category in a novel arena and an emergence test. Plasma samples were later collected after 5 min exposure to ether vapour, these generated stress corticosterone values. Basal corticosterone titres were obtained from similar untested and unanaesthetized categories of mice. Ether stress values were obtained from a limited number of mice subjected to ether anaesthesia but no behavioural testing. The basal adrenocortical activity of these two housing categories did not differ. With longer periods of isolation stress corticosterone values were higher than in comparable grouped animals. Individually-housed mice had significantly lower defaecation scores and exhibited higher levels of exploratory rearing in a novel arena than grouped mice. At about the time an isolated mouse became increasingly aggressive, it became less active in the open-field, and adrenal reactivity increased. Although the relationship is only correlational in nature, it is possible these measures have a common basis.     

Generation and use of three types of iron-oxide aerosol

Three distinct submicrometric aerosols of iron oxide can be reproducibly generated by combustion of iron pentacarbonyl vapors under varying conditions. Each aerosol was sized with a concentric aerosol spectrometer and was examined with an electron microscope; the specific surface area of each aerosol type was also determined. The "feathers" hematite has a man median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) of 0.17 micrometer and a large surface area because it is an agglomerate of units 0.005 micrometer in diameter. The "birdshot" hematite has a MMAD of 0.31 micrometer, but has a smaller surface area because the subunits are 0.03 micrometer in diameter. The third aerosol, "gamma-oxide," has a MMAD of 0.73 micrometer and has crystalline subunits 0.2 micrometer in diameter; it is a magnetic form of hematite, gamma-Fe2O3. These aerosols are well suited for studies of deposition and clearance in animal lungs because the particles can be visualized in both light and electron microscopy and can be quantified colorimetrically. The magnetic properties of gamma-Fe2O3 permit enhancement of deposition and noninvasive detection.     

Surgical management of hiatal herniae and oesophageal strictures in systemic sclerosis

Brain, R. H. F. (1973).Thorax, 28, 515-520. Surgical management of hiatal herniae and oesophageal strictures in systemic sclerosis. The clinical manifestations of 10 patients with systemic sclerosis whose oesophageal complications were managed by surgery are reported. Ninety per cent had a severe ulcerating type of oesophagitis and all had hiatal herniae demonstrable by contrast radiology. All but two had fibrous strictures.