Intra-articular arteriovenous malformation of the knee

Two young men with longstanding suprapatellar masses are presented. The initial clinical diagnosis was of a synovial or soft tissue tumour. Magnetic resonance imaging showed the features of an arteriovenous malformation (AVM). Surgical exploration and biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. AVMs, although rare, should be considered as a possible diagnosis of a peri-articular swelling of the knee.     

Effect of dithranol therapy on membrane, basement membrane and nuclear markers in psoriasis lesions

We investigated the effects of anti-psoriatic therapy with dithranol (1/20-1%) in salicylic acid (0.5%) in white petrolatum on lesional skin. FITC-labeled lectins and pemphigus vulgaris antibodies (PV) served as analytical means to study the glycocalyx. Antibodies of bullous pemphigoid (BP) were used as basal membrane markers. Nuclear antigens were recorded according to the binding of speckled, anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) as well as antibodies to dsDNA. With some lectins, dithranol therapy resulted in pronounced fluorescence of the lower parts of the basal cells. ConA was fixed by the basal cell layer. To a lesser degree, ANA were fixed by nuclei of keratinocytes. PV antibodies were not fixed at all.     

Liver operations in Sweden in 1987-99.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Liver surgery is developing with new techniques and treatment modalities. The aim of this study is to describe liver surgery over a long period of time in a country with a public health care system. PATIENTS AND METHOD: A register study including adult patients admitted for liver resection in Sweden (population 8.8 million) selected from the Inpatient Register 1987-99. Additional data were collected from the Swedish Cancer Register and the Cause of Death Register. Analyses of the patients, indications, mortality and causes of death are presented. RESULTS: 2,405 operations were performed (21 per million per year). The most frequent indication was colorectal metastases (27%). The 5-year survival after an operation for primary liver cancer and colorectal liver metastases was 27% and 26%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Few patients were admitted for liver operations compared to expected figures. The survival rates are in conformity with those previously published. With an increasing awareness of the relatively favourable prognosis and the introduction of new methods, the volume of liver operations will probably increase in Sweden.     

Stress-induced changes in cholecystokinin and substance P concentrations in discrete regions of the rat hypothalamus

The effects of acute stress exposure upon cholecystokinin (CCK) and substance P (SP) concentrations in discrete hypothalamic regions of the adult male rat brain were studied. Animals were exposed to foot shock stress for periods of 2, 4, 10, 30 or 60 min duration; immediately afterwards they were decapitated; brains were frozen and subsequently microdissected. CCK and SP concentrations were assayed by a specific RIA, as were serum levels of ACTH, corticosterone, PRL, GH, LH and testosterone. Stress had no effect upon SP concentrations in the anterior or posterior parts of the arcuate nucleus (ARC), but led to elevated CCK levels in the posterior ARC following 60 min of exposure. In both the ventromedial and dorsomedial hypothalamic areas, stress induced depletions of both neuropeptides. In the anterior (but not the posterior) portions of the lateral hypothalamic area, CCK and SP concentrations were reduced by stress exposure. These studies demonstrate that discrete hypothalamic CCK and SP neuronal systems are responsive to stress. This suggests that endogenous hypothalamic CCK and SP participate, along with other neurotransmitters/neuromodulators, in the integrated hypothalamic stress response, and mediate stress-neuroendocrine interactions.     

Activating effect of substance P on nerve tissue in culture

The effect of substance P on organotypic culture of rat sympathetic ganglia and spinal cord was studied. Substance P was able to stimulate the fibre outgrowth from explant, to increase the numbers of glial and fibroblasttypic cells in ganglia growth zone. The effect was observed in the range from 10(-5) to 10(-12) M (for sympathetic ganglia) and from 10(-5) to 10(-14) M (for spinal cord culture). It is suggested that substance P can be used as a nonspecific growth factor for peripheral and central nervous tissue.     

An epidemic of cirrhosis in Danish women revisited

Between 1944 and 1947 the mortality statistics for the Danish population show an epidemic increase of liver diseases: subacute necrosis and cirrhosis. The epidemic only affected female mortality rates. Mortality due to cirrhosis remained at a higher rate for women than men until 1970 as a result of an excess mortality in the cohort of women who in 1945 were over the age of 45. Up to 1981 this group showed an excess of 4,000 fatalities. A reevaluation of medico-statistical data shows that the disease cannot be explained by the epidemic hepatitis occurring in 1942-1944 or by increased consumption of alcohol. Possible causes could be pharmaceutical products or additives, perhaps hormone preparations.