The concurrence of multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

We report the clinical and pathological findings of the unusual combination of two idiopathic central nervous system diseases, multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a 56 year old physician with a twenty-seven year history of a disease initially characterized by relapses and remissions, followed by an eight year quiescent period. During the last year of life there was rapid deterioration with development of generalized weakness, atrophy, weight loss and fasciculations of body and tongue, and associated difficulty with swallowing and sudden respiratory failure. The autopsy confirmed characteristic "burned out" plaques of multiple sclerosis and anterior horn cell and axonal degeneration of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.     

Migraine-like headaches associated with nickel allergy requiring removal of atrial septal defect closure device

There is a deficit of literature regarding the association between nickel allergy–induced symptoms and implanted devices. This report describes a case of nickel allergy causing debilitating migraine-like symptoms, failing to resolve with medical therapy, requiring surgical removal of the device and repair of the defect.     

Higher mortality rates associated with rheumatoid arthritis in Saskatchewan,Canada, 2001–2019

ObjectivesTo estimate provincial all-cause mortality rates of Saskatchewan people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for comparison with the general population over time and between different geographic regions.MethodsSaskatchewan provincial administrative health databases (2001–2019) were utilized as data sources. Two RA case definitions were employed: (1) ≥ 3 physician billing diagnoses, at least 1 from a specialist (rheumatologist, general internist or orthopaedic surgeon) within 2 years; (2) ≥ 1 hospitalization diagnosis (ICD-9 code 714, and ICD-10-CA codes M05, M06). Data from these definitions were combined to create an administrative data RA cohort. All-cause mortality rates across geographic regions, between rural/urban residences and between sexes were examined.ResultsOver an 18-year span, between fiscal-year 2001–2002 and fiscal-year 2018–2019, age- and sex-adjusted mortality rates ranged from 17.10 to 21.04 (95% CI 14.77, 19.44; 18.03, 24.05)/1000 RA person-years, compared with mortality rates for the general Saskatchewan population without RA, which ranged from 9.37 to 10.88 (95% CI 9.23, 9.51; 10.72, 11.05)/1000 person-years. Fiscal-year mortality rate ratios ranged from 1.82 to 2.13 (95% CI 1.56, 2.13; 1.83, 2.46). Provincial mortality rates were higher in men than in women for both general and RA populations. Northern Saskatchewan mortality rates were significantly higher in the general population but did not achieve significance compared with other provincial regions for the RA population. Regression analysis identified age, male sex, RA and geographic region as factors contributing to increased mortality. A trend towards lower mortality rates over time was observed.ConclusionHigher mortality rates were observed in the RA population overall. Men had higher mortality rates, as did residents of Northern Saskatchewan compared with residents of other regions for the general population.     

Interphase nucleolar organizer region distribution in the tissues of oral leukoplakia, oral submucous fibrosis and oral cancer

The AgNOR technique, was applied to oral tissue sections of 185 oral cancer, 42 oral leukoplakia, 37 oral submucous fibrosis and 10 normal subjects to investigate whether any correlation held good in these different tissues. Compared to the AgNOR counts in normal oral epithelium, there was a gradation in increase in the mean AgNOR counts from oral leukoplakia to oral submucous fibrosis to oral carcinoma (P<0.01). This suggests that AgNOR count parallels with the degree of neoplastic transformation of oral epithelium. Three oral submucous fibrosis patients who showed very high AgNOR counts as that of oral cancer patients, later developed oral carcinoma. Among the oral cancer tissues, the moderately and poorly differentiated subtypes showed higher AgNOR counts and scattered distribution pattern than the well differentiated subtype which showed a clustered distribution pattern. These results suggest that AgNOR technique can be utilised as a diagnostic and prognostic indicator in premalignant and malignant oral tissues.     

Expression of epidermal growth factor and its receptor in gestational trophoblastic diseases

Gestational trophoblastic diseases (GTD) is an abnormal condition of the placenta, the incidence of which is very high in the State of Kerala, India. Placentae of normal (50) and molar pregnancy (122) including 52 showing persistent disease were used for the study. EGFR and EGF expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies. EGF receptors were quantitated using the I-125 EGF-binding assay and that of EGF was quantitated using isotope labelled antibody to EGF. Tumours with histological diagnosis of invasive moles and choriocarcinoma showed very strong binding of both EGF and EGFR. The present observations also suggest the possibility of presence of mutated EGF receptors in persistent trophoblastic disease.     

Number and size spectra of non-myelinated axons of human premolars

The aim of this study was to determine the number and size of apical non-myelinated (C) axons of healthy human premolars. The material was derived from a large collection of specimens prepared for a previous quantitative investigation on the myelinated (A) axons of human premolars. A total of 16 teeth (six maxillary first and five each of mandibular first and second premolars), removed from adolescents for orthodontic reasons, were used. Root discs of about 0.6 mm thickness were prepared at about 2 mm cervical to the root apex and processed for light and electron microscopy. The number of non-myelinated axons was determined by taking a total census of such fibres that could be identified and reconstructed by standardized composite electron micrographs from each root disc. The measurement of axons was done on a statistically representative sample of axons (n=1810) using an electronic image processing unit. The 16 teeth had an average of 2000 ± 1023 non-myelinated axons at the juxta-apical level (range 534–3912). The average diameter of the non-myelinated axons was found to be 0.5 ± 0.4 m (range 0.05–2.4 m).     

Risk factors for cervical dysplasia in Kerala, India

A study in Kerala, India, confirmed the importance of genital hygiene in the fight against infections that have a role in the development of cervical dysplasia and cancer. Many women cannot afford sanitary pads, while adequate facilities for washing after coitus are often unavailable. Health education, satisfactory living standards, and the empowerment of women are prerequisites for reducing the incidence of cervical dysplasia.     

Ovarian carcinoma relapsing as a cerebellopontine angle tumour

Involvement of the central nervous system in epithelial ovarian carcinoma is rare. A 46-year-old woman with ovarian carcinoma relapsing with brain metastasis is described. She received radiotherapy for the metastasis and survived for 18 months.     

Analysis of the symptoms of depression--a neural network approach

The purpose of this study is to determine the individual contribution, or importance number, of the symptoms to an analysis of depression, utilizing a neural network model. In addition, the presence of hopelessness and somatic complaints was examined, to determine their relevance to depression. Using Wave 1 data from Duke University's contribution in the Epidemiological Catchment Area (ECA) study, we created a mathematical model, a neural network, to map the relationship of nine symptoms of major depression, hopelessness and somatic complaints to the presence or absence of the formal diagnosis of depression, and performed a contribution analysis. The contribution analysis using the neural network revealed that the symptoms with the greatest impact on the occurrence of depression, or with the largest importance number for depression, were sadness, loss of interest, tiredness and sleeping trouble, in that order. The most frequently reported symptoms, though, were sadness, sleeping trouble, suicidal ideation, tiredness and poor concentration, in that order. Hopelessness and somatic symptoms were the lowest in their contribution to the diagnosis of depression. The study thus provides the hierarchy of the symptoms of depression and supports the DSM classification of major depression.     

Spirometric impairments in undernourished children

The present study elucidates the effect of undernutrition on pulmonary functions in children. The study was carried out in healthy normals, wasted, wasted and stunted children. Spirometry was performed with Vitalograph Compact-II spirometer. Wasted, wasted and stunted children showed lower lung volumes, forced mid expiratory flow time and inspiratory flow rates than healthy normals. Wasted and stunted children had lower VC, FVC and FIF50% than wasted children. The reduction in lung volumes and flow rates in wasted children may be due to ventilatory muscle wasting. But in wasted and stunted children along with muscular wasting diminished skeletal growth is also a reason for lower lung functions. No airflow limitation was observed in undernourished children.