Localized polyarteritis nodosa: cases involving the lower extremities and the breast

Summary Two patients with cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa with nodules in the lower extremities and another patient with an unusual presentation of polyarteritis nodosa involving only the arteries of the breast are reported.     

Complex Acetylenes from the Roots of Ferula communis

The benzene extract from the roots of FERULA COMMUNIS afforded the coumarin ferulenol ( 1) and the structurally related acetylenes named ferulinolone [3-(1,2-dihydrofalcarinolonyl)-ferulenol] ( 4) and decarboxyferulinolone [2-nor-3-(1,2-dihydrofal-carinolonyl-ferulenol] ( 7). The structures of these substances were deduced from their spectral data and those of their derivatives, mainly from the (1)H- and (13)C-NMR 1D and 2D spectra (one bond and long-range correlations). Methoxylatifolone ( 10) was also isolated from this extract.     

Birth outcomes of Korean women in Hawaii.

Since the end of the Korean War, immigration of Koreans to the United States has increased rapidly. In 1990, 11.6 percent of all Asians in the United States were of Korean ethnicity, and it is projected that Koreans will outnumber all other Asian groups, except Filipinos, in the United States by the year 2030. Despite the growing size of this population, very little is known about their health status. This study, using 1979-89 Hawaii vital record data, investigates the relationship between maternal sociodemographic characteristics, prenatal care utilization factors, and birth outcomes among Koreans as compared with Caucasians. The ethnic term "Caucasian" is used in Hawaii''s vital records and is synonymous with non-Hispanic whites. Korean mothers were more likely to be older and have lower educational attainment, and less likely to be adolescent, single, or to have received adequate prenatal care than Caucasian mothers. More than 80 percent of the Korean mothers were foreign born. Significantly higher risks for very preterm delivery (less than 33 weeks) and very low birth weight births were observed for Koreans as compared with Caucasians. Nativity had no effect on birth outcome in this population. The results of this study suggest that prevention of preterm birth is an important focus for improving pregnancy outcomes in this growing ethnic group.     

Cholinesterases colocalize with sites of neurofibrillary degeneration in aged and Alzheimer's brains

Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase have been associated with structures undergoing neurofibrillary degeneration, as well as with all types of senile plaques, in non-demented aged and Alzheimer's brains. At the electron microscope level, the reaction product of both enzymes, appeared to decorate paired helical filaments, straight filaments and A4 amyloid fibrils. Recent studies showed that cholinesterases were associated with amyloid at early stages, e.g., in diffuse plaques. In the present study, the interrelationship of cholinesterases to structures undergoing neurofibrillary degeneration was analyzed further. Tau immunoreactivity was compared to the staining pattern observed with the two esterases. Double protocols consecutively performed on the same sections, and counterstaining with thioflavin-S, confirmed the presence of cholinesterases in all structures with neurofibrillary degeneration. The conclusion that cholinesterases consistently colocalize with both neurofibrillary bundles and A4 amyloid fibrils at all stages of their accumulation, allows us to speculate on the possible role that these enzymes may play in either the formation or the consolidation of fibrillary aggregates.Supported by Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias de la Seguridad Social No. 93/0198, Spain     

Organizing for nursing home quality

This article explores the relationship between job, work group, and organizational design and the quality of nursing home care. Contingency theorists contend that effective organizations develop structures that support the nature of their production processes and complement their environment. Within the same facility, units with differing care requirements should be structured differently to achieve quality outcomes. Efforts to improve quality can be integrated through the practice of total quality management and facilitated by using the Health Care Financing Administration Minimum Data Set.     

Changes in the craniomandibular relations of acromegaly patients

The dishomeostazical theory (etiopathogenic integrative concept) allows an ample and complex vue on the stomatognathic system dysfunctional syndrome, because it begins from the perception of the stomatognathic system (SS) as a whole in which the alteration of each element can induce the disfunction of the entire system. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that the neuroendocrine suprasystemic factor (STH hypersecretion on adult organism) disturbs every element of the SS and induces an important alteration of the fundamental cranio-mandibular relations.     

Prolongation of survival of rat cardiac allografts by T cell vaccination.

Administration of attenuated, activated autoimmune T lymphocytes to syngeneic mice and rats has been shown to prevent or induce remission of experimental autoimmune diseases specific for the autoimmune T cells. The process has been termed "T cell vaccination." In a recent study, T cell vaccination was done using T cells sensitized to rat alloantigens. The procedure produced a significant reduction of the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) against allogeneic cells. The reduction in MLR was not specific: Vaccination with T cells specific for stimulator cells of one allotype led to a reduced MLR stimulated by cells of another allotype. The present study was undertaken to examine whether T cell vaccination can induce tolerance to transplantation antigens in vivo. We used the model of heterotopic cardiac transplantation in rats. We now report that vaccinating rats with syngeneic, activated, alloantigen-primed T lymphocytes significantly prolonged survival of rat cardiac allografts. The effect of T cell vaccination was most evident when the T cells had been obtained from rats specifically sensitized against the donor rats: Brown-Norway (BN) allografts in control Wistar rats survived 8.5 +/- 0.4 d while BN allografts survived 29.2 +/- 7.1 d in Wistar rats that had been vaccinated with Wistar anti-BN cells. Vaccination of Wistar rats with Wistar anti-hooded T cells prolonged survival of BN heart allografts to a lesser but significant degree (13.0 +/- 1.1 d). Thus, T cell vaccination of recipients can prolong survival of allografts.     

Physical symptoms and depressive symptoms among individuals with HIV infection.

The authors investigate the importance of physical symptoms as a correlate of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts in a large (N = 881) community-based sample of persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus. The study overcomes limitations of prior research by minimizing overlap in measures of affective and physical symptoms, studying a more diverse population, and including correlates such as measures of social support, function, employment, insurance coverage, and cognitive impairment in the analysis. The authors' data support the notion that in diagnosing depression in the medically ill, concern over isolating physical symptoms as either "affective" or "physical" may be exaggerated.     

Liver candidiasis

Liver candidiasis is characterised by small abscesses spread throughout the organ at random. These lesions may be identified sonographically. In the active phase of the disease, hepatomegaly is seen together with the wheel in wheel phenomenon, the wagon wheel appearance and/or the bull's eye lesion. Later on, hypoechoic defects develop. When the echogenic foci are revealed, the healing phase is initiated. These manifestations are demonstrated in 4 pediatric oncology patients. The sonographic patterns as well as its differential diagnosis from primary liver tumors, metastatic infiltrations or other abscess formations are discussed.