Sudden death caused by hydatid embolism

An 18-year-old man died on the spot during a foot race. Previously, he had been in a healthy condition. Since the cause of his sudden death was unknown, a forensic autopsy was carried out. The autopsy revealed hydatid cysts in the right ventricle of the heart some of which had embolized the pulmonary arteries. In case of sudden death in endemic areas the possibility of a hydatid disease should be taken into consideration.

Vena occlusive disease simulated by a metastasis of gastric cancer during pregnancy

A 20-year-old woman was treated because of her complaint and symptoms which were thought to be the results or complication of her pregnancy. Based on the cardinal symptom inferior cavography was carried out, and the diagnosis of occlusion of inferior vena cava was established. The woman was treated accordingly but died after a short period. The patient's family supposed neglection and therapeutic misadventure and raised an objection to the medical treatment. Forensic autopsy was carried out to clear up the case. Autopsy showed her basic disease to be gastric cancer with several metastases in the liver. One of them was in the lobus caudatus Spigeli and compressed the inferior vena cava. The compression caused a turbulence in the given contrast material so that thrombosis was suggested. The diagnosis was based on this misleading sign. Negligence was not verified.

[Treatment of senile maculopathy with etaretin]

The results of parenteral treatment with Etaretin in 40 patients (79 eyes) suffering from senile maculopathy are reported. In 84% of the cases there was a degeneration of the dry type and in 16% a disciform exudative maculopathy. The cases of dry maculopathy responded well within a floow-up period of 8 to 18 months.

A caliber-persistent artery of the gastric wall resulting in fatal haemorrhage

A 12-year-old girl was admitted to hospital with haematemesis. Her family suffered from histidinaemia. Due to her numerous injuries the police suspected a crime. After a short period of clinical treatment she died. Autopsy showed the left ureter to be narrowed and a consecutive abscedens pyelonephritis. Pyloric ulcer caused erosion of a caliber-persistent artery which led to death with haemorrhage. The death had nothing to do with violence. Adequate surgical treatment could have saved the patient's life.

Increase of alcohol dehydrogenase and protein content of liver following chronic ethanol administration

Increased alcohol tolerance following chronic alcohol administration has been explained by increased mitochondrial oxidation of NADH and or increased activation of MEOS. According to our experiments this increased tolerance after chronic alcohol consumption is connected with an increased activity of ADH.

[Nevus of the arrector muscle of hair]

We report on a 14-year-old boy who, at the age of 6 months, developed groups of pin head-sized protuberances on a bay leaf-shaped area of the skin above and below the left clavicle. These skin eruptions become more prominent in response to heat and cold, but cause no complaints. The histological picture shows longitudinal and cross sections of mm. arrectorum pilorum in large numbers.

[Ashy-dermatosis--a case with spontaneous disappearance of the cutaneous lesions]

A 14-years-old girl suddenly developed typical dermal signs of ashy-dermatosis at the time of menarche. After one year, the signs began to fade and had disappeared completely two years later. The direct immunofluorescence and the ultrastructure resemble lichen planus. Endocrine factors may have played a part in the presented case, considering the sudden onset at the time of menarche.

Increased killer cell activity in aged humans

Natural cell-mediated cytotoxicity (NCMC) against a cell line (K-562) and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) against the same target and against chicken red blood cells were investigated in two age groups (20--45 and 70--98 years old). Proliferative response to PHA and to allogenic cells as well as some subpopulation determinations were also carried out only lymphocytes of the same subjects. In contrast to the significantly decreased proliferative responses, NCMC showed a moderate, and the two ADCC values a highly significant increase in the group of aged subjects. These increased values showed some similarities with the quantitative changes within the T-lymphocyte subpopulations. The incidence of serum samples of NCMC inhibitory activity was only moderately increased in the group of aged subjects as compared to that of the young individuals. On the basis of these results, we concluded that the immune system of healthy aged subjects seems altered or inbalanced rather than depressed to that of the young individuals.

Dysfunction of natural killer cells in multiple sclerosis: a possible pathogenetic factor

Natural killer (NK) cell activity, antibody-dependent cytotoxicity (ADCC) and the effect of interferon on NK activity was investigated in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. NK activity measured against K-562 tumour cell line was found to be significantly low in MS patients, and this was most pronounced in the group of male patients with definitive disease. The response of NK cells to interferon proved to be impaired and almost no activation could be demonstrated in response to polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C). Preliminary data obtained by the determination of interferon production in several definitive MS cases reflect a defect in the interferon producing capacity of lymphocytes. The possible involvement of impaired NK cell function in the aetiopathogenesis of MS is discussed.

Correlation between effector lymphocytes in natural and antibody-mediated cytotoxicity

Human sera enhanced spontaneous cell-mediated cytotoxicity (SCMC), while anti-IgG (Fab') 2 treatment decreased this cytotoxic activity of human lymphocytes for an in vitro growing cell line (K--562). Trypsin treatment of the effector cells considerably decreased the cytotoxic potential. However, a significant cytotoxic activity could always be found in serum-free medium. While these findings suggest the involvement of antibodies in the SCMC, they also reflect the existence of serum-indpendent (sui generis) SCMC activity of lymphocytes. Removal of SCMC of Fc receptor bearing effector cells was performed by target cell adherence (rosetting). Separation of the target cell-bound lymphocytes was done by centrifugation on special Ficoll gradient. The depletion of SCMC effector cells resulted in a 62% reduction of SCMC and in a 39% reduction of ADCC. On the other hand, removal of Fc bearing effector cells showed a similar reduction in both ADCC (66%) and SCMC (78%). Our results suggest that SCMC represents a complex activity, arising partly from the interactions of certain serum-derived or lymphocytes surface-bound antibodies and partly from a spontaneous cytotoxic function of the effector cells. It is possible that the effector cells involved in both SCMC and ADCC derive from the same lymphocyte population and the differences are due mainly to the lower number of SCMC effector cells.

Experiences with the Fox technique for the repair of senile entropion

The author reports on the advantages of Fox's technique in the surgery of senile entropion on the basis of experiences with 30 interventions on 26 patients. In the evolution of senile entropion the structural changes in the orbicularis oculi muscle plays a decisive role, which leads to the malfunction of the muscle. The degenerative changes of the muscle are shown with electron microscopy. The author recommends the Fox technique because this type of intervention aims to abolish the cause of the aging process and not only the consequences of it as other methods do.

Recent experiences on the ophthalmologic complications of oral contraceptives

I have added 16 cases to the preciously reported 4 cases where ophthalmologic complications occurred in connection with oral contraceptives. In some cases, occlusion of the central retinal artery, prethrombosis of the central retinal vein, prolonged narrowing of the retinal arteries, perivasculitis, hemorrhage in the macular region, and inflammations of the anterior segment of the eye, resistance to therapy developed, and in some cases, lesions of the optic nerve causing visual loss of different degree and papillitis occurred. In the background of the different clinical entities, common pathologic origin might be supposed,--the disturbance of the chorooretinal circulation. In patients taking the pill for the longest time interval, delicate lenticular opacities developed.

Metastatic tumor of the orbit

Metastatic tumor occurred in the right orbit of a 50-year-old woman 5 years following bilateral mastectomy. The tumor caused enophthalmus, ptosis and restriction of the ocular movements. The tumor consisted of nondifferentiated cells. Transmission and scanning electron microscopic appearance of the tumor is also reported.