Mediastinal lymphosarcoma simulating pericarditis

A case of lymphosarcoma of the heart in a 10-year-old boy is presented. The clinical picture simulated a pericarditis. Prednisolone had a remarkably good temporary effect. Post-mortem examination showed a highly differentiated lymphosarcoma invading the pericardium and myocardium from a primary mediastinal localisation. Cytologic examination for malignant cells in the pericardial fluid must not be forgotten in a case of unexplained pericardial effusion.

A new factor in the blood of patients with peptic ulcer. Distribution in blood fractions

Previous work on a factor in the blood of patients with peptic ulcer which contracts smooth muscle was confirmed and the work extended to investigation of the activity of blood fractions. Whole heparinized blood and its fractions were tested on a strip of guinea pig ileum and height of contraction and latent period were used as criteria of activity. Whole heparinized blood of ulcer patients had significantly higher activity than that of normal controls. Differences between the fractions of ulcer patients and controls were less significant. With the lysed buffy coat, however, while the differences between the height of contraction between the groups did not differ statistically, the speed of the reaction (shorter latent period) was significantly greater in the ulcer patients. The cellular alterations causing this response are unknown.

The influence of carbenoxolone on steroid-induced ulcer and mucus secretion in the rat

In rats, gastric mucus was decreased by starvation. The administration of carbenoxolone sodium, prednisolone, or their combination to starved rats brought the level of gastric mucus to that of nonstarved controls. Concomitant treatment with carbenoxolone sodium did not prevent prednisolone-induced ulceration of the glandular stomach in starved rats. The ulcerations of the prostomach (squamous spithelium)induced by starvation were prevented by carbenoxolone sodium, prednisolone, or the combination of the two.

Primary syphilis in the oral cavity

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Influence of age and ABO blood groups in the precipitation of bleeding peptic ulcers

In a series of patients admitted to hospital for bleeding duodenal ulcer, the mean age at onset for patients belonging to blood group O was significantly lower than for those of blood group A. This raises the question of the significance of age and ABO blood group substances in increasing the liability to, or protecting against, bleeding.

Facial skin complaints and work at visual display units. A histopathological study

Facial punch biopsies from 83 patients with skin complaints with or without skin lesions and supposedly associated with work at visual display units (VDUs) were compared to biopsies from 51 subjects with no VDU exposure with or without skin lesions. Coded slides were assessed by three independent observers regarding hyperplasia of sebaceous glands, occurrence of telangiectases, intensity of inflammatory infiltrate, degree of hydropic degeneration of basal cells, occurrence of demodex folliculorum, number of mast cells and degree of degenerative changes in elastic fibers. No parameter was significantly more common in exposed subjects than in non-exposed persons with equivalent skin signs. The controls without skin lesions also showed various degrees of histologic changes. Hyperplasia of sebaceous glands was more common in men and in young persons. Degenerative changes in elastic fibers increased with age, but were also obvious in some persons under 35 years of age. In this study no characteristic histologic changes in facial skin were found in individuals with skin symptoms claimed to be associated with exposure to VDUs.