Immunohistochemistry: a useful adjunct in the evaluation of malignant cutaneous spindle cell tumors

We used immunohistochemistry to evaluate four cytologically malignant cutaneous neoplasms on the face or neck of elderly individuals. All four lesions were composed of a dermal proliferation of spindle and pleomorphic giant cells. Differential diagnosis included spindle cell carcinoma, atypical fibroxanthoma, malignant melanoma, leiomyosarcoma, and angiosarcoma. All four neoplasms were strongly immunoreactive for vimentin and negative for cytokeratin, S100 protein, desmin, and factor-VIII-related antigen. Focal immunoreactivity for lysozyme and/or a1-antichymotrypsin was seen in the giant cells of each lesion. These results supported the diagnosis of atypical fibroxanthoma in each instance. Immunohistochemical staining can provide useful information for distinguishing among malignant cutaneous spindle cell tumors.     

Osteoblastoma: experience with 23 patients.

A retrospective review of 23 patients with osteoblastoma was undertaken in an attempt to answer questions concerning the aggressiveness and potential malignancy of this tumour. Demographic information confirmed that recorded in the literature. There was no suggestion of malignant potential, but, significantly, one tumour persisted, with local recurrence after 11 operations over a period of 27 years. A second tumour, a spinal lesion, occurred (still in a benign form) after a symptom-free period of 17 years. Recognition of aggressive features clinically, radiologically and histologically suggests the need for more aggressive surgical treatment, and late recurrence indicates the need for a more guarded prognosis and longer follow-up.     

Do symptoms reflect a change in left ventricular function after aortocoronary bypass grafting in patients with depressed left ventricular function?

Seventy-nine patients with moderate to severe left ventricular dysfunction who underwent aortocoronary bypass grafting between 1971 and 1977 had follow-up heart catheterization at a mean interval of 3 years. Thirty-three patients (42%) had angiographic improvement in left ventricular function at follow-up and 18 (25%) had a decrease in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Fifty-eight patients (73%) had improvement in angina of at least one New York Heart Association class at follow-up. There was no correlation between late improvement in left ventricular function and improvement in angina. Improvement in left ventricular function did not correlate with preoperative indices of severity of coronary disease or with indices of completeness of surgical repair.     

Chemistry of maduramicin. II. Decarboxylation, abnormal ketalization and dehydration

The behavior of the free acid and ammonium salt of maduramicin towards heat and alcohols is examined. In refluxing lower alcohols the free acid material is decarboxylated. In addition a bisketal decarboxylated compound as well as an A-ring monoketal decarboxylated derivative are formed. Heating the ammonium salt of the ionophores in suspension in water, or dissolved in inert solvents such as heptane or xylene can cause decarboxylation as well as concomitant dehydration of the F-ring. Reaction of dansyl chloride with the free acid of maduramicin can cause dehydration of the B-ring under very mild conditions.     

Intakes and major dietary sources of cholesterol and phytosterols in the British diet

Cholesterol intakes in Britain have been re-estimated by analysing Total Diet samples taken in 1991 and from 1993 National Food Survey records. The Total Diet samples contained only 284 mg/day compared with 319 mg/day in 1987 and 337 mg/day in 1981, while the National Food Survey showed intakes had fallen to 238 mg/day from 259 mg/day in 1990 and 405 mg/day in 1970-75. More details of the intakes by adults in 1986/87 are given, and compared with the results from the other methods. Daily intakes of eight phytosterols were also estimated, the main ones being β-sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol and 57-stigmastenol whose intakes were 104, 49, 10 and 4 mg/day, respectively, in 1991. These intakes had increased since 1981, reflecting the rising consumption of vegetable oils.     

Comparison of transdermal nitrate and isosorbide dinitrate in chronic stable angina.

The effects of transdermal nitrate (TN) (Transiderm-Nitro TTS, Geigy Pharmaceuticals, one 10 cm2 patch daily) and oral isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) (Sorbitrate, Stuart Pharmaceuticals, 10 mg three times daily) were compared in a group of 20 patients with chronic stable angina pectoris. Treadmill exercise duration was prolonged from a median time of 365 s to 428 s after ISDN (P less than 0.05), but was unchanged after TN. The difference between the active treatments was not significant. Weekly consumption of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) increased during treatment with TN from a median value of 5.5 to 6.3 (P less than 0.05). A decrease was observed after ISDN (7.8 to 3.9, P = NS), and the difference between the drugs was significant (P less than 0.01). Systolic arterial pressure was significantly lower during the ISDN than during the TN treatment period in both the supine (135 +/- 5 vs 128 +/- 5 mm Hg; P less than 0.05) and standing positions (134 +/- 5 vs 122 +/- 5 mm Hg; P less than 0.05). No change in weekly attack rate, the degree of ST depression at angina on treadmill testing, or the number of episodes of ST depression recorded during a 24 h period by Holter monitoring was observed after either drug. In this study, an antianginal effect was demonstrated for ISDN but not for TN. It is suggested that the dose of TN may have been inadequate to demonstrate such an effect, and further studies using a higher dose schedule will be required.     

Surgical resection for metastatic melanoma to the lung

From 1971 through December 1986, the courses of 47 patients who underwent thoracotomy for pulmonary metastases from melanoma were retrospectively reviewed to determine the efficacy of this approach in the management of selected patients with melanoma. The overall five-year survival rate was 25% (median survival, 19 months). Thirty-eight patients were free of disease following thoracotomy. These patients fared significantly better than those who had residual disease following thoracotomy, with a five-year survival rate of 31% (median survival, 24 months) compared with 0% (median survival, six months). Survival was not influenced by the addition of adjuvant therapy or duration of time before the development of metastases (less than 12 months vs greater than or equal to 12 months). In selected patients with melanoma metastatic to the lung, thoracotomy with complete excision of the metastatic deposits results in improved survival and should be considered the treatment of choice.