Pseudo dominant-lethal response in female mice treated with plant oils

Corn oil, sesame oil, peanut oil, or olive oil, injected intraperitoneally to female mice prior to insemination, increased the number of deciduomata. In many plant oil-treated females the number of implantation sites was markedly higher than corpora lutea count. These effects were not observed among females that were treated similarly with mineral oil or among females that were given corn oil via oral administration. Evidence indicates that these effects did not arise from induced dominant-lethal mutations but from decidual responses resulting from traces of oil reaching the uterine lumen.

A "new" lethal multiple congenital anomaly syndrome: joint contractures, cerebellar hypoplasia, renal hypoplasia, urogenital anomalies, tongue cysts, shortness of limbs, eye abnormalities, defects of the heart, gallbladder agenesis, and ear malformations

Three cases of a lethal malformation syndrome with severe visceral anomalies were seen in two families and include one pair of sibs. The predominating external manifestations are mesomelic dwarfism, micrognathia, V-shaped upper lip, microglossia, thick alveolar ridges, ambiguous genitalia, webbed neck, highly arched palate, clubfeet, fused fontanelles, inclusion cysts of the tongue, four-finger creases, digital anomalies, apparently low-set ears, widely spaced nipples, and dislocated thighs and forearms. The internal findings include oligopapillary renal hypoplasia, severe congenital heart defect, cerebellar hypoplasia, pulmonary hypoplasia, hypoplastic larynx, and hypoplastic gallbladder. Other findings from the two autopsies and one clinical investigation not documented in all three patients include unilobar lungs, hydrocephalus, cataracts, microphthalmia, polydactyly, islet cell hyperplasia, suprapubic skin crease, urethral anomalies, and a decreased number of turns of the cochlea. The hypoplasia seen in the several affected organs is similar to the disordered development seen in experimental models of branching epithelial morphogenesis in which mesenchymal-epithelial interaction has been disrupted.

Differential diagnosis and clinical approach to the patient with acute chest pain

Chest pain syndromes are diverse and often enigmatic. Most chest pain is of a benign nature and poses no serious threat to life. However, when presented with the patient complaining of acute chest pain, the clinician must make decisions concerning management of potentially lethal disease while considering the emotional and financial implications of overtreatment of less serious disorders. In general, life-threatening chest pain syndromes involve some form of vascular compromise (myocardial ischemia, aortic stenosis, dissection of the aorta, pulmonary embolus), and particular emphasis must be placed on detecting these entities. We have reviewed the major causes of chest pain with a perspective on newer methods for distinguishing these entities. The skilled clinician will apply this information in a judicious, systematic manner to afford the most prudent management of the patient.

Fatal acute splenic sequestration at 4 months of age

A patient with homozygous sickle cell anemia is the youngest known to have died from acute splenic sequestration crisis. A cord blood screening program might have prevented this infant's death.

Spontaneous occurrence of localized pulmonary interstitial and endolymphatic emphysema in infancy

Two infants are described with persistent pulmonary interstitial and endolymphatic emphysema of the localized, bullous type, occurring apparently spontaneously. Roentgenographically, the process simulated congenital lobar emphysema in the first patient and bilateral post-infectious pneumatoceles in the second. The histologic features of the lesion were identical to those seen in localized pulmonary interstitial emphysema caused by positive pressure ventilation in newborns with hyaline membrane disease.

Hypobaric hypoxia-induced intrauterine growth retardation

2-week-pregnant New Zealand White rabbits were placed into a hypobaric chamber and maintained at 3,657 m (12,000 ft). Upon delivery (31 +/- 1 days) or at cesarean section (on day 30), all newborns were sacrificed and organ weights were compared to those of control pups maintained at 128 m (420 ft). Significant findings in the hypobaric animals included a diminished birth weight, placental weight, and liver weight per body weight. Placental weight per body weight was similar in both groups. The brain weight per body weight, brain to liver ratio, and right ventricle to left ventricle plus intraventricular septal weight ratio were significantly increased in the hypobaric pups.

The hazard of ingested alkaline disk batteries in children

We have treated eight cases of childhood ingestion of alkaline disk batteries, one resulting in an esophagotracheal fistula. These batteries are capable of rapid tissue destruction on contact with moist membranes. We recommend that packaging include proper warning of this hazard and urge that retained batteries be promptly removed from the esophagus and stomach by endoscopy or laparotomy. If the battery has reached the small intestine, further transit should be monitored carefully by roentgenographic studies until recovery. Perforation is possible after eight-hour retention at a specific site.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a component of subacute necrotizing encephalomyelopathy

Twelve patients, ranging from the neonatal period through adolescence, with subacute necrotizing encephalomyelopathy (Leigh disease) were studied. Autopsies of these patients demonstrated an associated hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in seven; of these, four had asymmetric septal hypertrophy. In two patients, the cardiac lesion was observed by premortem echocardiograms. The common occurrence of a cardiac lesion emphasizes the probable systemic nature of SNEM and may serve to segregate these patients into two groups. Because of the involvement of the two systems, we suggest that SNEM may have some relation to a variety of other cardioneurologic syndromes.

The solitary renal calyx and papilla in human kidneys

Three cases of unipapillary and unicalyceal kidneys are presented together with a review of 7 isolated cases taken from the literature. This anomaly is rare in humans and usually associated with other significant morphological or functional abnormalities of the urinary system, most frequently absence of the contralateral kidney.