Myopathies of the lower extremities

The myopathies that can manifest themselves within the lower extremity are reported here and can serve as a guideline for clinicians in the early diagnosis of these disabling conditions. The classification of these disease entities based on signs and symptoms is significant if correlated with the age of the patient at the time of onset, the evolution and course, and the type of familial inheritance. This article can also aid the practitioner in assessing and planning the course of treatment for a particular patient.     

Pharmacological analysis of the interaction between Bay K 8644 and 5-HT in rabbit aorta

Bay K 8644 potentiated and augmented 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-induced contractions in the rabbit, isolated aorta preparation, as manifested in leftward shift and increase in the asymptote of 5-HT E/[A] (effect vs concentration) curves. The operational model of agonism (Black & Leff, 1983) was used to analyse this interaction and the concomitant effects of irreversible receptor alkylation by phenoxybenzamine. The competitive effects of spiperone in the presence and absence of Bay K 8644 were also examined. From these analyses it is concluded that Bay K 8644 elicits its potentiating effects by increasing the efficacy of 5-HT at the 5-HT2 receptor with no alteration in affinity. This is consistent with the known effect of Bay K 8644 of causing an increase in the functional concentration of plasmalemmal calcium channels coupled to the 5-HT2 receptors in this preparation. The positively co-operative shape of the 5-HT E/[A] curves obtained in the aorta and the quantitative nature of their potentiation by Bay K 8644 indicated that the coupling of 5-HT2 receptor occupancy to intracellular calcium concentration is linear and that the co-operativity resides in the subsequent relation between intracellular calcium and pharmacological effect. Bay K 8644 may serve as a probe for differentiating between the types of calcium channels that transduce 5-HT receptor-mediated effects in different systems. Such information would be useful in the classification of agonist interactions with 5-HT receptors.     

Socio-economic burden of permanent incisor replantation on children and parents

Abstract – This study describes the socio‐economic burden and attitudes of children and their parents following replantation of avulsed incisors. Records of 80 patients with 99 avulsion injuries treated in a teaching hospital clinic from 1988 to 1999 were reviewed. Mean age at time of injury was 10.6 years (range = 6.6–17.7 years). Complete records for a minimum of 1 year were obtained for 43 patients with 60 replanted incisors. Mean treatment procedures provided during the first year included 5.5 diagnostic periapical radiographs, 1.9 occlusal radiographs, 1.3 pulpectomies, and 2.7 pulp medicament applications. The mean estimated treatment cost and direct time (dentist) for first‐year post‐trauma management was $1465 CAD and 7.2 h, respectively. Treatment costs were significantly higher during the first year post‐trauma for patients who had their incisors extracted (P = 0.04), but there was no significant difference in direct treatment time between the two groups (P = 0.19). Twenty‐one patient–parent pairs were surveyed for a number of qualitative factors. Ninety per cent of patients and 86% of parents reported that school and work time was lost. Even after having gone through the painful experience of replantation, the demands of recall, and in some cases, extraction, the majority of patients (67%) and parents (81%) stated that they would have still made the same (replantation) decision. Patient and parent responses were not statistically different (P = 0.453). Almost half the parents stated they would be willing to pay over $2000 CAD to save an incisor. Patients rated retention of an incisor as significantly more important than infraocclusion. This is the first study to quantify the treatment burden of replantation of avulsion injuries exclusively in the pediatric population. This study describes the socio‐economic burden and responsibilities of patient/parent and dentist and their role in informed consent.     

Primary lymphoma of prostate: transrectal ultrasonic appearance

In the case presented, primary lymphoma of the prostate was diagnosed by ultrasonically guided transrectal biopsy. Primary lymphoma of the prostate should be included in the differential diagnosis of a hypoechoic lesion found on ultrasonic evaluation of the prostate in a young adult.     

Drugs and the bone marrow

Some drugs have a predictable suppressive effect upon the bone marrow and are used in the treatment of malignant disease. Others are unpredictable and may cause unanticipated side effects to bone marrow during the treatment of non-malignant pathologies. In this article, bone marrow maturation is discussed and both the defined and potential effects of drugs upon the bone marrow are considered.