Skeletal changes associated with vascular malformations

Five hundred and eighty birthmarks were reviewed; 356 were hemangiomas and 224 were malformations. Bony alterations occurred in association with only 1 percent of hemangiomas, in contrast with 34 percent of patients with vascular malformations. These alterations in bone development were classified according to size, shape, and density changes. Hypertrophy and distortion were typical of lymphatic malformations. Hypoplasia and demineralization were characteristic findings in the extremity venous malformations. Destructive and intraosseous changes were more commonly noted in the arterial or high-flow lesions. Possible mechanisms of altered skeletal growth include mechanical, physiological, and developmental processes.     

Characteristics of patients found not to have multiple sclerosis.

Of 400 consecutive patients referred to Dalhousie University''s multiple sclerosis research unit 52 (13%) were found not to have multiple sclerosis. Forty-one (79%) of the patients were female and 11 (21%) were male. About half of the patients had raised the suspicion of multiple sclerosis, and about half had either a medical background or a close association with a patient with the disease. Although in many cases a diagnosis was made at the initial visit, in difficult cases the most effective diagnostic technique was repeated assessment of the patient over a long period. It is important to keep an open mind when assessing patients suspected of having multiple sclerosis and to apply the recognized criteria for diagnosis of the disease.     

The adverse effect of iron repletion on the course of certain infections.

The incidence of infections was studied in 137 iron-deficient Somali nomads, 67 of whom were treated with placebo and 71 with iron. Seven episodes of infection occurred in the placebo group and 36 in the group treated with iron; these 36 episodes included activation of pre-existing malaria, brucellosis, and tuberculosis. This difference suggested that host defence against these infections was better during iron deficiency than during iron repletion. Iron deficiency among Somali nomads may be part of an ecological compromise, permitting optimum co-survival of host and infecting agent.     

The ecological interdependence of diet and disease in tribal societies.

Observations among nomads suggest there is a strong ecological interdependence of diet and disease in tribal societies which favors survival of man. This relationship may be disrupted by changes in diet to conform to the highly productive technology of the West. Such changes may result in intensification of indigenous disease and in the transfer of disease characteristics of Western societies. To prevent these consequences, relief feeding and long-term attempts to upgrade nutrition should be carried out with traditional foods wherever possible.     

Non-specific induction of increased resistance in mice to Trypanosoma congolense and Trypanosoma brucei by immunostimulants.

Administration of the immunostimulants Corynebacterium parvum, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) or Bordetella pertussis prior to, or at the same time as, challenge with Trypanosoma congolense significantly increased survival times in mice, both of trypano-susceptible (A/J) and trypano-resistant (C57Bl) strains. The increased survival time was associated with significant alterations in parasitaemia, which included lengthening of the pre-patent period, a delay in the time taken to reach the first peak of parasitaemia and a reduction in the level of parasitaemia. Similar results were obtained when these strains of mice were challenged with Trypanosoma brucei following pre-treatment with C. parvum. Thus, by the use of immunostimulants it was possible to reduce the susceptibility of mice to trypanosomiasis and the hope is that this can also be achieved with domestic livestock.     

A generalized diffusion model for growth and dispersal in a population

A reaction-diffusion model is presented in which spatial structure is maintained by means of a diffusive mechanism more general than classical Fickian diffusion. This generalized diffusion takes into account the diffusive gradient (or gradient energy) necessary to maintain a pattern even in a single diffusing species. The approach is based on a Landau-Ginzburg free energy model. A problem involving simple logistic kinetics is fully analyzed, and a nonlinear stability analysis based on a multi-scale perturbation method shows bifurcation to non-uniform states.Part of this work was done while at the Mathematical Institute, Oxford University as a Senior Visiting Fellow supported by the Science Research Council of Great Britain under grant GR/B31378     

Evaluation of antibody inhibition assays of melanoma antigens in sera to monitor tumor growth in melanoma patients

Summary It was reported previously that melanoma leukocyte-dependent antibody (LDA) in the sera of melanoma patients was inhibited by small-molecular-weight (small-mol.-wt.) glycoproteins which were similar to cell surface antigens identified in cell membrane extracts of melanoma cells. The present study was to determine whether measurement of the levels of these factors in sera may be a useful monitor of tumor growth in melanoma patients. Small-mol.-wt. fractions were obtained by gel filtration or membrane chromatography of acidified sera and tested for their ability to inhibit LDA in ⁵¹Cr release cytotoxic assays. A panel of LDA was used, consisting of three antisera from melanoma patients, which appeared relatively specific for melanoma, and three non-melanoma antisera against carcinoembryonic antigen, ₂ microglobulin, and fetal antigens. The results showed that in patients with melanoma, approximately 70% had melanoma LDA-inhibitory activity detected in the small-mol.-wt. fractions of their sera when these were tested against the panel of melanoma LDA. The specificity of the inhibitory activity for melanoma LDA was shown by failure of the serum fractions to inhibit non-melanoma LDA and by absence of inhibitory activity in equivalent serum fractions from non-melanoma carcinoma patients for melanoma LDA. The levels of melanoma LDA-inhibitory activity in the serum fractions appeared to correlate with tumor growth, as shown by clearance of the inhibitory activity after surgical removal of melanoma and reappearance in the serum of patients who subsequently developed recurrent melanoma. The 30% false-negative rate indicated that the assays could not be used to reliably exclude melanoma, but the close correlation with tumor growth and the low number of false-positive results suggested that in 70% of patients detection of these small-mol.-wt. antigens would be of value to detect recurrence from melanoma and to monitor the effectiveness of therapy.     

Drug convertarule.

A convenient pocket ruler has been developed that allows conversion between metric and molar measurements of many of the drugs for which therapeutic monitoring in the circulation is commonly used. The ruler also gives information to the clinician on suggested therapeutic ranges for the incorporated drugs.