T-cell-mediated response in Dupuytren's disease.

The cause of Dupuytren's disease is unknown, but inflammatory cells might have a role. Enzymatic digestion of diseased tissue permits identification and immunofluorescent labelling of a cell subset displaying inflammatory cell morphology. Cytofluorimetry of this cell population demonstrated the presence of CD3-positive lymphocytes and expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II proteins.

Abnormal growth factor and cytokine expression in Dupuytren's contracture.

Aim: To analyse patterns of gene expression for peptide regulatory factors in patients with Dupuytren's contracture.

Methods: Tissue samples (palmer fascia) from 12 patients with Dupuytren's contracture and 12 controls were studied using the reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR) technique.

Results: Tissue from patients with Dupuytren's contracture expressed a higher percentage of peptide regulatory factors than that of controls: interleukin-1 alpha (83% v 16%; p < 0.

Audit of closed tibial fractures: what is a satisfactory outcome?

We performed an audit of closed non-articular tibial fractures that presented to a teaching hospital during 1 year. A total of 52 fractures in 51 patients was seen. We found that the great majority of fractures occurred in the third quarter of the tibia.

From hospital to community: a follow up of community placement of the long term mentally ill.

Aim: To evaluate the planned movement of long stay patients with chronic mental disorders from Sunnyside Hospital into staffed residential accommodation in the community.

Method: Sixty-nine long stay psychiatric patients were followed up over 18 months to assess their social functioning, psychiatric symptomatology, resource use, relapse rate, satisfaction with their care, and impact on the community.

Results: Social functioning and psychiatric symptomatology scores on the social behaviour schedule remained stable overall.

Transient synovitis of the hip joint.

A review of 286 children who presented with transient synovitis of the hip over a 6-year period shows that the condition remains a benign disease of the paediatric hip which settles quickly with simple symptomatic treatment. We have not found any obvious causal agent for the condition despite intensive laboratory investigation. There was only one subsequent case of Perthes' disease in association with transient synovitis, causing doubt on any relationship between the two conditions.

Lesions in the rat soleus muscle following eccentrically biased exercise.

Morphological changes in skeletal muscle related to lengthening (eccentric) contractions have been noted by several laboratories. However, a systematic examination of skeletal muscle following repetitive eccentric contractions is lacking. This study was undertaken to study lesions and determine their relative densities in rat soleus muscle 30 min following level or downhill treadmill exercise.

Pathways of insulin degradation in isolated adipocytes: evaluation by gel filtration and differential precipitation.

Insulin degradation by isolated rat adipocytes was evaluated using gel filtration and a new technique of differential precipitation to fractionate the sample by molecular size using polyethylene glycol and trichloracetic acid. At 37 degrees C, 125I-insulin bound to adipocytes was rapidly degraded into small fragments or iodotyrosine. 125I-insulin in the medium was also degraded into iodotyrosine, as well as fragments intermediate in molecular weight between insulin and iodotyrosine.

Clinical disorders associated with autoantibodies to the insulin receptor. Simulation by passive transfer of immunoglobulins to rats.

Patients with autoantibodies to the insulin receptor (Anti-R) may exhibit either fasting hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia and extreme insulin resistance. Occasionally, both these phenomena are observed in the same patient at different times in the clinical course. In an effort to understand what determines the patient's response to Anti-R, we developed an animal model of these clinical disorders by passive transfer of Anti-R IgG to rats.