Bacterial nitration of 4-chlorobiphenyl.

In the course of a study dealing with the biodegradation of 4-chlorobiphenyl by strain B-206, we noticed that the gram-negative bacterium accumulated different metabolic intermediates depending on the nitrogen source of the medium. Hence, in the presence of nitrate, strain B-206 produced four compounds which were identified as 2- and 4-hydroxy-4'-chlorobiphenyl and 2- and 4-hydroxy-mononitro-4'-chlorobiphenyl. The accumulation of these compounds in the culture medium indicated the presence of a monooxygenase in strain B-206 leading to the production of arene oxide intermediates.

Solitary breast metastasis: first manifestation of an occult carcinoid of the ileum.

A metastasis to the breast was the first manifestation of a clinically occult ileal carcinoid in a 53 year old woman. Modified radical mastectomy was perfomed after the breast neoplasm had been interpreted clinically and pathologically as a primary carcinoma. Permanent sections demonstrated the tumor to be composed of sheets of small uniform cells subdivided into lobules by delicate vascular septa.

Surgery in oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy.

Oculpharyngeal muscular dystrophy is an autosomal dominant inherited condition seen mainly in patients of French Canadian origin. Fifteen patients with an established diagnosis of the disease were evaluated clinically, manometrically and radiologically before and after cricopharyngeal myotomy. All patients presented with oropharyngeal dysphagia to solids and liquids, pharyngooral and pharyngonasal regurgitation, frequent aspiration at mealtime and chronic aspiration of saliva during the night.