The effect of ethanol intake on tendon healing: a histological and biomechanical study in a rat model

Introduction  

Ethanol has a suppressive effect on inflammation and the immune system, but the effect of ethanol on tendon healing in vivo has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to investigate the histological and biomechanical effects of ethanol intake on tendon healing in a rat tendon injury model.     

Acute leriche syndrome due to paradoxical embolism.

Paradoxical embolism, describing the passage of venous or right-sided cardiac thrombus into the arterial or systemic circulation through patent foramen ovale, is an uncommon cause of acute arterial occlusion. Here, we report acute Leriche syndrome in a young woman attributable to paradoxical embolism. Ischaemia, patent foramen ovale, and venous thrombosis were the triad of evidence for paradoxical embolism.     

Bedeutung molekular-zytogenetischer Befunde bei Speicheldrüsentumoren am Beispiel des Mukoepidermoidkarzinoms

Chromosomentranslokationen in Tumoren führen nicht selten zur Ausbildung von Fusionsgenen, die für Proteine mit onkogenen Eigenschaften codieren können. Mukoepidermoidkarzinome sind charakterisiert durch eine Translokation t(11;19), die in 60% der untersuchten Tumoren vorkommt. Diese chromosomale Umlagerung führt zu einem Fusionsgen, das aus dem Exon 1 des MECT 1-Gens und den Exons 2–5 des MAML 2-Gens zusammengesetzt ist. In der Folge bildet sich ein Fusionstranskript, wodurch unabhängig von Notch-Liganden eine Aktivierung der Transkription von HES 1, einem Notch-Zielgen, erfolgt. Durch die veränderte Funktion von MAML 2 kommt es zur Unterbrechung des NOTCH-Signaltransduktionsweges, was einen neuen Mechanismus in der Tumorgenese vermuten lässt. Der Nachweis der Translokation mittels FISH und/oder RT-PCR könnte von erheblichem diagnostischem und möglicherweise auch prognostischem Interesse sein. Zuvor müssen allerdings die molekularen Ereignisse, die einem scheinbar identischen chromosomalen Rearrangement in Warthin-Tumoren zugrunde liegen, geklärt werden. Warthin-Tumoren sind gutartige Speicheldrüsentumoren mit einer vom Mukoepidermoidkarzinom abweichenden Histomorphologie und Histogenese.     

Auriculo-ventricular block and distal myopathy with rimmed vacuoles and desmin storage.

A young patient had an auriculo-ventricular block and a distal myopathy with muscle biopsy findings suggestive of inclusion body myositis. What was most unusual was the presence of numerous sarcoplasmic bodies identified as desmin by electron microscopy and immunocytochemistry. The nosological situation of this condition is discussed.     

The influence of the helmet respirator on peak flow rate in aluminum potroom

The efficiency of the Racal Airstream helmet respirator in improving peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR) and symptoms (dyspnea, wheezing, and cough) in aluminum potroom workers with respiratory complaints was assessed in 19 workers. Peak expiratory flow readings and symptom recording from a 2-week working period with use of the respirator were compared with a period when the 3M 9906 disposable mask was used. The study was designed as a randomized, parallel, cross-over study with five or six daily measurements of PEFR and daily symptom recording. A significant number of workers (15) had a higher mean peak flow in the helmet period than in the nonhelmet period (p less than 0.01); symptoms did not improve significantly in the helmet period. Objective evidence of respiratory protection was observed for the group of workers as a whole, but the effect on symptoms as well as individual effect on peak flow was minor in the majority of the workers.     

Digoxin-like factor in infants of diabetic mothers not receiving digoxin therapy

Serum digoxin-like factor was detected in infants of diabetic mothers who were insulin-dependent or diet controlled. No statistical difference was found between the serum digoxin-like factor levels of the infants of diabetic mothers and the controls.