Abdominal zygomycotic thromboangiitis in a patient with AML and t(1;13;14)

 The case report of a 61 year-old man with AML M2 FAB, t(1; 13; 14) and zygomycotic mesenterial thromboangiitis is presented. Two induction cycles of chemotherapy were administered due to primary drug resistance. They were complicated by pneumonia, colonic pseudo-obstruction and perforation with peritonitis. The patient died on the 40th day of therapy, 4 days after undergoing palliative surgery. Zygomycotic thromboangiitis, which very probably contributed to the intestinal perforation, was confirmed morphologically at necropsy. The novel complex chromosomal translocation t(1; 13; 14) (q31; q32; q24) and the problems connected with the diagnosis of invasive fungal infections are discussed. Received: 26 January 1996 / Accepted: 12 June 1996     

Monoclonal antibodies against transferrin. Precipitating mixtures and lack of inter-species cross-reactivity

Five stable hybridoma lines were prepared using the myeloma cell line P3-X63-Ag.653 and spleen cells of mice hyperimmunized by pig transferrin. All hybridomas grew well in mouse peritoneal cavity and produced antibodies of the IgG₁ subclass. Antibody preparations obtained from ascitic fluids tested for their capacity of antigen precipitation. No precipitation was obtained with single antibodies and with pairs of antibodies. Three out of 10 possible triads gave clear and sharp precipitation zones and rings in immunodiffusion tests performed in agar gel. All 5 antibodies were shown by quantitative enzyme-immunoassay to be specific for pig transferrin: no cross-reaction was obtained with mouse, human, horse and sheep transferrins.     

The relation between lymphocyte profile in BALF and the course of sarcoidosis based on short term observation

The aim of this study was to assess how the extent of the number and percentage of lymphocytes in BALF and also the CD4 to CD8 ratio can help to predict the short outcome in sarcoidosis. Material consisted of 74 patients, 39 men and 35 women in the age from 23 to 58 years. 11 patients had chest lesions in stage I, 43 in stage II and 20 in stage III. Clinical markers of activity (fever, erythema nodosum) were present in 22 cases. Extrathoracic lesion were present in 31 and abnormal pulmonary function in 30. In all patients BAL was done before treatment and lymphocyte count, percentage and CD4/CD8 ratio was calculated. 50 patients were treated with corticosteroids and 24 were observed without treatment. After 6-12 month of observation regression of sarcoid lesions was observed in 46 of 50 patients treated with corticosteroids and in 17 out of 24 patients observed without treatment. There were no differences in lymphocyte count and percentage in BALF and in the short term outcome between group treated with corticosteroids and without treatment. The patients in whom regression of lesions was observed have however significantly higher CD4/CD8 ratio than others.     

Inheritance of nasal dermoid sinus cyst and evidence for association with third ventricle colloid cyst

Purpose  

The purpose of this paper is to study the possible inheritance of nasal dermoid sinus cyst in the Finnish population.     

Influence of physical activity on vertebral strength during late adolescence

Background contextReduced vertebral strength is a clear risk factor for vertebral fractures. Men and women with vertebral fractures often have reduced vertebral size and bone mineral density (BMD). Vertebral strength is controlled by both genetic and developmental factors. Malnutrition and low levels of physical activity are commonly considered to result in reduced bone size during growth. Several studies have also demonstrated the general relationship between BMD and physical activity in the appendicular skeleton.PurposeIn this study, we wanted to clarify the role of physical activity on vertebral bodies. Vertebral dimensions appear to generally be less pliant than long bones when lifetime changes occur. We wanted to explore the association between physical activity during late adolescence and vertebral strength parameters such as cross-sectional size and BMD.Study designThe association between physical activity and vertebral strength was explored by measuring vertebral strength parameters and defining the level of physical activity during adolescence.Patient sampleThe study population consisted of 6,928 males and females who, at 15 to 16 and 19 years of age, responded to a mailed questionnaire inquiring about their physical activity. A total of 558 individuals at the mean age of 21 years underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.MethodsWe measured the dimensions of the fourth lumbar vertebra from the MRI scans of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 and performed T2* relaxation time mapping, reflective of BMD. Vertebral strength was based on these two parameters. We analyzed the association of physical activity on vertebral strength using the analysis of variance.Results and conclusionsWe observed no association between the level of physical activity during late adolescence and vertebral strength at 21 years.     

Phenotypic and population differences in the association between CILP and lumbar disc disease

Background

Lumbar disc disease (LDD) is one of the leading causes of disability in the working‐age population. A functional single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), +1184T→C, in exon 8 of the cartilage intermediate layer protein gene (CILP) was recently identified as a risk factor for LDD in the Japanese population (odds ratio (OR) 1.61, 95% CI 1.31 to 1.98), with implications for impaired transforming growth factorβ1 signalling.

Aim

To validate this finding in two different ethnic cohorts with LDD.

Methods

This SNP and flanking SNPs were analysed in 243 Finnish patients with symptoms of LDD and 259 controls, and in 348 Chinese subjects with MRI‐defined LDD and 343 controls.

Results and conclusion

The results showed no evidence of association in the Finnish (OR = 1.35, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.87; p = 0.14) or the Chinese (OR = 1.05, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.43; p = 0.71) samples, suggesting that cartilage intermediate layer protein gene is not a major risk factor for symptoms of LDD in Caucasians or in the general population that included individuals with or without symptoms.Lumbar disc disease (LDD) is one of the leading causes of disability in the working‐age population. Radiological changes indicative of LDD are common, but only a proportion develops complications such as disc herniation and sciatica. Although the aetiology of LDD is not well understood, there is strong evidence for the involvement of both genetic and environmental factors.^1,2A recent study reported an association between LDD and a functional single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (rs2073711), +1184T→C, in exon 8 of the cartilage intermediate layer protein gene (CILP) in a Japanese group (odds ratio (OR) 1.61, 95% CI 1.31 to –1.98).³ The allelic change resulted in amino acid substitution Ile395Thr. CILP is expressed widely in intervertebral discs and its expression increases as disc degeneration progresses.³ CILP interacts directly with transforming growth factor (TGF)β1, inhibiting the TGFβ1‐mediated induction of extracellular matrix proteins such as aggrecan and collagen II.³ Functional studies showed that the C allele (coding for Thr395) increased binding and inhibition of TGFβ1, suggesting that regulation of TGFβ1 signalling by CILP plays a crucial role in the aetiology and pathogenesis of LDD.³Argument for a causal role would be strengthened if the same association could be replicated in a distinct population, and in clinical cases of LDD defined by MRI changes indicative of LDD in general. Therefore, we investigated the association between CILP polymorphisms and LDD in a Finnish sample with symptoms of LDD, and in a Chinese sample with only MRI‐defined LDD. These samples were informative in previous studies demonstrating association of LDD with the vitamin D receptor gene⁴ and the Gln326Trp (Trp2) allele of COL9A2⁵ in Chinese and the Arg103Trp (Trp3) allele of COL9A3 in Finns.⁶ Thus, the Chinese sample is comparable with the Finnish dataset, and a correlation can then be drawn with the Japanese dataset.