Pigmented lesions in newborn infants

1058 newborn infants were examined. Forty-one (3-9%) had clinically discernible pigmented lesions compatible with melanocytic naevi. Biopsy was performed on thirty-four of the forty-one and of these; eleven, representing 1-01% of the infants, proved to be melanocytic naevi. No giant (garment) naevi were seen in this series. Two of the eleven naevi pathologically examined showed histological changes similar to those that have been reported in some giant naevi, but the remaining nine were not only different from criteria usually assigned to giant naevi, but they also differed from the usual adult naevi, in that most were predominantly junctional. None of the melanocytic naevi in this series showed any suggestion of malignant change. In newborn infants it is often impossible clinically to distinguish naevi from other types of pigmented lesions, as only eleven out of the thirty-four pigmented lesions were melanocytic naevi. Seven of the eleven melanocytic naevi were under 1-5 cm in diameter. No pigmented lesions were found on the palms, soles or genitalia.     

A reappraisal of the stereoselective metabolism of nicotine to nicotine-1'-N-oxide

1. The cis and trans 1'-N-oxide metabolites of (2'R)-(+)-nicotine have the absolute configuration (1'S; 2'R) and (1'R; 2'R), respectively, and not the reverse as previously published. 2. Reinterpretation of metabolic data in the light of this reassignment reveals that N-oxidation of nicotine leads preferentially to the (1'R)-N-oxide, with little dependence on the configuration of the 2'-centre. 3. It is proposed that (2'S)-(-)-nicotine and (2'R)-(+)-nicotine bind to the same enzymic site by two distinct modes of binding; each of these modes involves the more basic centre (in this case the pyrrolidine ring) as the governing binding moiety.     

Some aspects of the relationship between body weight and sexual behaviour with particular reference to massive obesity and anorexia nervosa

There is some evidence for the existence of a precise weight/fat threshold for puberty. Following puberty, body weight and shape take on important new psycho-social significances for both males and females. Adolescent females usually strive to reduce their 'fatness' even it is not excessive from a biological standpoint. Super-obesity and anorexia nervosa are two human disorders of weight and fatness, more common in women, and importantly related to disturbances of sexual behavior, metabolic, social and experiential. These latter aspects sometimes at least reflect the presence of several factors which have contributed to the development of the disorders. Anorexia nervosa in particular reflects the adaptive psychosocial needs of the person concerned. Attention to this aspect during treatment will often allow the patient to tolerate the major weight gain required for recovery, thereby at the same time providing a paradigm for aspects of the pubertal process which can then be studied. The results of some such investigations together with related studies of the super-obese are reported here.     

Reliability and validity of the measurement of position sense in women with osteoarthritis of the knee

OBJECTIVE: We examined the test-retest reliability and the construct validity of the measurement of knee position sense for describing the functional weightbearing performance of women with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. METHODS: For the purpose of this study, position sense was defined as the error occurring when subjects attempted to reproduce a criterion angle in standing with visual cues eliminated. Five such tests were recorded photographically on 3 different occasions. On each occasion the 10 subjects also completed a self-paced walking test over a 13 m indoor walkway. RESULTS: The photographic measurements were reproducible (r = 0.90) and there was no change in positioning accuracy across sessions. There was a significant (p < 0.05) inverse correlation of 0.70 between the standard deviation of the mean individual measurements of position sense (precision of the test) and those of walking speed. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates good measurement reliability and a comparable mean angular error with repeated tests. It also suggests the amplitude of the variability of this error is a strong determinant of an individual OA patient's functional performance in walking.     

Interactions in the complement-mediated lysis of blood group AB erythrocytes sensitized simultaneously with anti-A and anti-B monoclonal antibodies

The lysis of group AB erythrocytes by human complement was studied by different anti-A and anti-B IgM monoclonal antibodies (mabs) in a 51Cr-release assay. The concentration of membrane-bound immunoglobulin was detected by ELISA, and the amount of C1q and C3 bound to sensitized red cells was measured by using purified, 125I-labelled molecules. We have demonstrated that there is an exponential relationship between the concentration of the sensitizing IgM mabs and C1q binding to the sensitized AB cell. The efficiency of binding was related to the number of antibodies bound; thus, anti-A sensitized cells bound 3-6 times more C1q than anti-B sensitized cells did. AB cells, on the other hand, bound similar amounts of C3 whether anti-A or anti-B was present. The lytic efficiencies of the various IgM mabs during short incubation times were different, suggesting that the complement activation rates vary widely with different antibodies on the AB cell membrane. The binding of C1q to an antibody-sensitized target activates a cascade, whose components may migrate away from the sensitizing antibody; interactions between the activation processes generated by the anti-A and anti-B antibodies may thus occur. Choosing appropriate pairs of anti-A and anti-B mabs for the simultaneous sensitization of AB cells has indeed resulted in stimulation in some and inhibition in other combinations of mabs. It is suggested that stimulation is observed when the activated intermediates are produced in excess, whereas inhibition occurs when a shortage of activated intermediates prevents mutual utilization.     

Effects of nadolol on hemodynamic and hemostatic responses to potential mental and physical triggers of myocardial infarction in subjects with mild systemic hypertension

Exposition of results and complications in 7,162 consecutive sessions with Shockwave Extracorporeal Lithotripsy (SWEL) applied to 3,950 lithiasis located at all levels of the urinary tract. These procedures have been performed without sedation or anaesthesia. Diuresis was not forced during or after treatment with serotherapy, mannitol, or diuretics. Treatment was conducted in an outpatients clinic in all cases. The treatment/lithiasis ratio in this initial series was 1.7. Following therapy, 7.09% of patients treated attended the emergency unit due to colic pain/fever. 3.60% of patients treated required hospitalization due to major complications: subcapsular-retroperitoneal haematoma, 9 cases; ureteral obstruction, 120 cases; septicemia, 22 cases; renal function annulment, 11 cases and death, 2 cases.