Host response and tumour biological behaviour in the two histological types of gastric carcinoma

It appears that there is validity in categorizing gastric carcinoma into two histologic types, intestinal and diffuse. The local host tissue response in 92.5% of cases of the intestinal type of gastric carcinoma was of an exudative nature. Diffuse gastric carcinoma in 70% of cases incited a dense productive fibrosis. Pools of mucin and large number of 'signet-ring' cells were mostly encountered in the intestinal type of carcinoma. Applying Dukes' parameters the tumour was found to be more than three times more invasive in cases of diffuse carcinoma. The prognostic bearing of the two histologic types, different host tissue response, behaviour of the tumour in terms of mucous production and local extension are discussed and it is suggested that diffuse gastric carcinoma carries a worse prognosis than the intestinal type. Study of a larger series of cases and longer follow-up with controlled treatment is essential to confirm this assessment.

Effect of maternal anaemia on the placenta and the newborn infant

Foetal birthweight, placental morphometry and maternal, cord blood and placental haemoglobin and iron levels were studied in 69 anaemic mothers (haemoglobin less than 110 g/l) and 16 mothers without anaemia (haemoglobin greater than or equal to 110 g/l). The birthweight, placental weight and number of placental cotyledons were significantly reduced in the severely anaemic mothers (haemoglobin less than or equal to 60 g/l) and had direct relationships with the maternal haemoglobin levels. However, placental volume and surface area showed no constant relation to maternal haemoglobin. The haemoglobin and iron levels in the cord blood and placental tissue were found to have linear correlations with the maternal haemoglobin levels. The low levels of placental and cord serum iron in the severely anaemic mothers suggest that iron supply to the placenta and the foetus is affected in maternal anaemia and the foetus takes iron in direct proportion to the levels available in the mother.

Immunoglobulins in leprosy

Serum immunoglobulins IgG, IgA and IgM were estimated in 22 lepromatous (LL) patients, 28 tuberculoid (TT), 9 borderline tuberculoid (BT), and 8 borderline lepromatous (BL), and compared with 50 normal healthy adult males belonging to a low socio-economic class. Immunoglobulin IgM was invariably significantly raised in TT, BT and LL subgroups of leprosy patients compared to the control but variation among different subgroups was statistically insignificant. Mean serum IgA levels were also raised in TT, BL and LL subgroups but statistically the rise was not significant. In the BT subgroup, significantly low IgA levels were observed both compared to the control and the other leprosy subgroups. Immunoglobulin G levels were significantly raised only in the LL subgroups compared to the control and the other subgroups of leprosy patients. It is proposed that persistently raised gamma globulins and immunoglobulin G, A and M levels observed in lepromatous leprosy patients could be caused by macrophage blockade hindering the suppressor T-cell mediated homeostatic control for immunoglobulins.

Anaemia of pregnancy in northern India. Nature and therapeutic follow-up

Investigations on 114 anaemic pregnant women revealed that megaloblastosis occurred in more than half. A therapeutic follow-up approach clearly indicated that vitamin B12-deficiency was fairly common in such patients; the need of iron supplementation in many of them for achieving complete remission emphasized the poor status of iron stores. All patients with normoblastic marrow achieved full remission with iron therapy alone. The deficiency of haematinic factors appears to be largely due to poor nutrition.

Precipitation of abstinence-like syndrome in morphine-dependent mice by pargyline

In mice rendered morphine-dependent by pellet implantation for 3 days, the administration of pargyline 6 hours after pellet removal intensified narcotic abstinence behavior, particularly the narcotic withdrawal jumping response. Pargyline, 75 mg/kg i.p., caused a 6- to 9-fold increase in the incidence of jumping in mice withdrawing from morphine 6 hours after removal of the pellet, whereas this effect was not observed: 1) 1 hour after the injection of pargyline or 2) in animals still implanted with the morphine pellet. The median effective dose (ED50) of pargyline required to elicit withdrawal jumping in mice implanted with morphine decreased with increasing physical dependence. The ED50 for 72 hours was about one-sixth that after 24 hours of implantation. Additionally, pargyline potentiated naloxone-precipitated withdrawal jumping as evidenced by a reduction of the naloxone ED50 by approximately one-half. Administration of other monoamine oxidase inhibitors such as pheniprazine, iproiazid or tranylcypromine failed to alter the indicence of jumping in dependent mice undergoind abrupt morphine with drawal. Further, dopamine receptor stimulation by amphetamine, pheniprazine or amantadine antagonized the pargyline-induced jumping response. These data suggest that the increased incidence of withdrawal jumping observed after pargyline in morphine-dependent mice is not related to monoamine oxidase inhibition but rather to a possible pargyline-induced decrease in dopaminergic activity.

Avulsion injury of uterovaginal prolapse and bladder

A 40-year-old postmenopausal female with complete uterine prolapse received an avulsion injury when her sari was caught in the fast-moving belt of a flour mill machine. Part of the prolapsed anterior vaginal wall with underlying bladder wall was torn off. Primary repair together with vaginal hysterectomy led to an uneventful recovery.

Primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the heart: a case report, with autopsy

A case of rhabdomyosarcoma of the heart in a 45-year-old man is reported. The diagnosis was suspected because of refractory congestive cardiac failure, a bulge on the left cardiac border, and was confirmed histologically at necropsy.

Placental morphometric and morphologic alterations in maternal undernutrition

Placentas, mothers, and neonates belonging to different socioeconomic groups were examined for morphometric and gross morphologic changes to assess the effect of maternal undernutrition. The mean maternal caloric intakes for socioeconomic Groups I, II, and IIII + IV are 2,919, 2420, and 1,589 calories per day, respectively, and differences were significant (P less than 0.001). The mean protein intakes were respectively, 76.1, 67.3, and 52.0 Gm. per day for socioeconomic Groups I, II, and III + IV, respectively (p less than 0.001). The birth weight, placental weight, volume, surface area, and number of cotyledon showed significantly decreasing trends (P less then 0.001) with the fall in socioeconomic group and maternal dietary intakes. Placentas of socioeconomic Group I had significantly higher incidence of well-defined cotyledons and central cord attachment. In lower socioeconomic groups and small-for-dates placentas there was significantly higher incidence of hemorrhages. There were no changes in incidences of placental infarcts, calcifications, and degeneration in various socioeconomic groups.