Segmental intestinal muscular thinning: a possible cause of intestinal obstruction in the newborn

Intestinal obstruction proximal to a transition zone without an interposed physical barrier usually indicates Hirschsprung disease. The authors report one case of focal small bowel muscular thinning just distal to a transition zone that produced clinical and radiographic findings that simulated long-segment Hirschsprung disease in a 2-day-old infant.     

Introducing a new cannula: a versatile cannula for use with the machine and with the syringe

Summary A new liposuction cannula which can be used both with the syringe and with the machine has been produced by the author.     

Green hair: clinical, chemical and epidemiologic study. Apropos of a case

A 36-year-old blond woman suddenly developed green tinted hair following exposure to swimming pool water. This was the first green discoloration she noticed, although she had been an active swimmer for several years. Clinical examination showed green tinting toward the distal ends of the most superficial strands of hair. The copper content of plucked green hair measured by atomic absorption was elevated to 3,900 ppm and the copper concentration in water from the swimming pool implicated was 9.94 ppm. Following renewal, the latter value decreased to 107 ppb. Hair examination under polarizing light was normal, and a scanning electronmicroscopic study of hair samples showed a total loss of cuticle with micropits scattered over the hair shaft surface mimicking a "dead tree trunk". Epidemiological investigations showed that the increased copper content of swimming pool water was due to added algaecides without adequate replacement of the water. Hair damage resulting from repeated waving and/or bleaching of the hair turns out to be an important factor in the deposition of copper by inducing an increase in keratin content of cysteic acid and related anionic sulfonate groups which participate in copper adsorption. On the ocassion of this case-report, epidemiological data published by others, together with the chemical and therapeutic aspects of green hair are reviewed.     

Spectrum of NSD1 mutations in Sotos and Weaver syndromes

Interestingly, mental retardation was consistently more severe in patients with NSD1 deletions. Macrocephaly and facial gestalt but not overgrowth and advanced bone age were consistently observed in Sotos syndrome patients. We suggest therefore considering macrocephaly and facial gestalt as mandatory criteria for the diagnosis of Sotos syndrome and overgrowth and advanced bone age as minor criteria.     

Application of reflectance spectroscopy to the estimation of uric acid, urea and glucose: an evaluation of the Ames Seralyzer

An original approach to the measurement of analytes in clinical chemistry has now become available, in which dry reagent strip technology is linked to measurement by reflectance spectroscopy. The present studies have evaluated the performance of the first of these test systems—for uric acid, urea and glucose, in serum—by comparison with conventional liquid chemistry methods. Satisfactory performance in terms of both precision and accuracy was obtained for all three test systems, the current “state-of-the-art” performance criteria being met; the Seralyzer system proved reliable and easy to use in the hands of trained operators. It should find a place as a “Stat” analyser in the laboratory, in specified wards and in Health Centres.