Neuroblastoma and Poland syndrome in a 15-year-old boy

A 15-year-old boy with neuroblastoma associated with Poland syndrome is presented. He was admitted with a 2-month history of progressive back pain and a 3-day history of weakness of the lower extremities, encopresis and enuresis. On physical examination, in addition to paraplegia, absence of the pectoralis major muscle was diagnosed on the right side of his chest. A large heterogeneous mass in the right side of the thorax was revealed on computerized tomography. Neuroblastoma was diagnosed on histopathological analysis of the mass. To the authors' knowledge this is the first case of neuroblastoma associated with Poland syndrome in the literature.     

Enzyme activities in the isolated enamel organ from the rat incisor during the two main stages of amelogenesis

abstract – The enamel organ from the rat incisor was dissected out. The amount of connective tissue in the samples was checked by light microscopy. Samples representative of the stage of enamel matrix formation and of enamel maturation were taken and the activities of the following enzymes were estimated: aldolase, pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase. The enzyme activities were related to the amount of tissue protein and the amount of DNA. All the enzymes, except alkaline phosphatase, showed an increase in measured activity during the stage of enamel maturation. The significance of these changes in in vitro activities is discussed.     

Incidence and prognosis of acute myocardial infarction among men below age 40 in Goteborg, Sweden

All cases of acute myocardial infarction occurring in the communityof Goteborg in certain age groups have been registered in anInfarction Register for more than a decade. All survivors havesystematically been followed-up at a special PostmyocardialInfarction Clinic. Sixty-one cases of myocardial infarctionbelow the age of 40 were registered through the years 1968–78.Fifteen men died either outside hospital or in hospital in theacute stage. The annual incidence of a first myocardial infarctionwas low — 6.1 and 29.4 per 100 000 males in the age groups30–34 years and 35–39 years, respectively. However,the incidence among Finnish immigrants was significantly higherthan among other groups, the figures being similar to thosereported from Helsinki. Compared with older patients, the survivorsbelow the age of 40 seemed to have larger and more complicatedinfarcts. During an II-year follow-up the mortality was significantlylower among patients below the age of 40 than in older age groups.The incidence of non-fatal reinfarctions and the prevalenceof angina pectoris did not differ between the groups. The non-fatalreinfarctions could not be predicted from primary or secondaryrisk factors.