Diffuse esophageal glycogenic acanthosis: an endoscopic marker of Cowden's disease.

Cowden's disease is a rare autosomal dominant condition characterized by multiple hamartomas of ectodermal, endodermal, and mesodermal origin affecting many organ systems. Gastrointestinal manifestation includes the formation of multiple polyps of various benign histopathological types throughout the alimentary tract. Recent literature suggests that the frequency of gastrointestinal involvement is approximately 70-85%.

Investigation of the influence of the Mm musculus MyoD1 allele on the efficiency of skeletal muscle regeneration.

MyoD1 alleles distinguish between the Mm musculus and Mm domesticus subspecies of Mus musculus. SJL/J mice, which belong to the Mm musculus subspecies, are able to regenerate skeletal muscle more efficiently than BALB/c mice which possess the Mm domesticus MyoD1 allele. Hence the possibility that regeneration responses are due to species-specific genetic differences including MyoD1 was investigated in this study.

Variation in the methylation profile and structure of Pax3 and Pax7 among different mouse strains and during expression.

Structural alterations within the myogenic and neurogenic developmental gene Pax7 which involve TaqI recognition sequences have previously been reported. These alterations are associated with differences in the efficiency of regrowth of damaged skeletal muscle. To identify other structural features of Pax genes which may influence skeletal muscle regrowth, variation in the structure and methylation status of Pax7 and the closely related gene Pax3 has been sought among different mouse strains and during gene expression using the restriction endonucleases MspI and HpaII.

Factors affecting socket fixation after cemented revision.

Factors influencing the radiographic outcome of revised cemented sockets have been investigated in 360 cases; 70 with radiological signs of failure were analysed. The acetabular bone stock at revision and preparation of the acetabular floor were the two factors which had a significant influence on the outcome. The thickness of the cement mantle around the socket also had an influence.

DNA methylation and developmental genes in lymphomagenesis--more questions than answers?

There is now considerable evidence suggesting that alterations in the DNA methylating machinery play an important role in tumorigenesis and tumour progression. For example, focal hypermethylation and generalised genomic demethylation are features of many different types of neoplasms. It is thought that tumorigenesis and tumour progression may be caused by hypermethylation induced mutational events and silencing of genes which control cellular proliferation and/or demethylation induced reactivation of genes which may only be required during embryological development.

Hypermethylation of the Myf-3 gene in human colorectal cancer.

Abnormal methylation of DNA is one of the earliest detectable changes in human tumors. We investigated hypermethylation of the Myf-3 gene, the human homolog of the mouse myogenic gene Myo-D1, in colorectal adenomas and adenocarcinomas. Histologically normal gut mucosa from colorectal cancer patients showed moderately higher levels of methylation than in other normal tissues.

Hypermethylation of the myogenic gene Myf-3 in human breast carcinomas.

The methylation status of Myf-3 was studied in 34 human primary breast carcinomas and 9 normal breast tissues. One third of the carcinomas contained hypermethylated Myf-3. All normal tissues contained unmethylated Myf-3.

Polymorphism of the mouse E2A gene due to an intronic deletion of 536 bp.

Examination of genetic polymorphism of the transcription factor-encoding gene E2A in laboratory and wild mice by Southern blotting has revealed the presence of two alleles. The most frequent allele is found in Mus musculus (Mm) musculus, as well as Mm domesticus. The less common allele is restricted to the Mm domesticus subspecies.

Iron, ascorbate and copper status of Sowetan Blacks with calcific chronic pancreatitis.

Vitamin C can be used to overcome oxidative stress and ease pain in chronic pancreatitis. But its use is deprecated in conditions of tissue iron overload, because its bioactive form, ascorbate, can accelerate free-radical reactions that are driven by transition metals. We measured iron, ascorbate and copper in Sowetan Blacks (RSA) with chronic pancreatitis, obtaining serum/plasma from 14 consecutive patients and 15 controls.

Association of an unusual form of a Pax7-like gene with increased efficiency of skeletal muscle regeneration.

Efficiency of regeneration of mechanically injured skeletal muscle is more pronounced in SJL/J mice, as compared to other laboratory strains in which regenerative properties of skeletal muscle are uniformly poor. Previously, we postulated that a small number of genes might differ between SJL/J and other mouse strains, and would be responsible for this variation in the efficiency of skeletal muscle regeneration. The results of initial experiments demonstrated that SJL/J mice have a unique form of the myogenic gene, Myo-D1, which partly influences efficiency of skeletal muscle repair, and that other genes were also involved.

Occurrence and impact of suspected delirium in hospitalized elderly patients.

The records of 95 consecutive people older than 65 years and admitted to a community hospital were retrospectively reviewed to determine the prevalence of undiagnosed delirium in hospitalized elderly patients. Chart review focused on identification of patients with documented diagnosed delirium according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, third edition, revised (DSM-III-R) criteria and patients with unrecognized delirium. Unrecognized delirium was considered present when information contained in a patient's chart met some or all criteria for delirium as described in DSM-III-R, but the physician's progress notes failed to indicate delirium as a diagnosed clinical entity.

The huckstep nail. Stable fixation of mechanically deficient femoral bone.

A Huckstep intramedullary nail was used to treat 23 fractures in which the femur was mechanically deficient due to pathologic fracture, nonunion, or complex fracture in osteoporotic bone. All nailings were performed by open surgery, and in some cases this was augmented by corticocancellous bone grafting. The Huckstep nail allows the use of multiple cross screws at 15-mm intervals, providing immediate and adequate stability with successful early postoperative weightbearing.

Polymorphism of the murine inhibitor of differentiation-controlling gene, Id.

The structure of Id was examined by Southern analysis in inbred mouse lines which included five subspecies of Mus musculus. No variation was detected within this species. The species Mus cookii shares the same form found in mice of M.

Studies on the polymorphism of the fifth component of complement in laboratory mice.

The fifth component of complement C5, as well as C3, plays an important role in the inflammatory response. Since our previous studies have implicated polymorphism of C3 in disease pathogenesis, similar studies were undertaken on C5 using inbred and outbred laboratory mice. Consistent with previous findings, male mice were shown to have higher serum C5 concentrations than female mice.

Evidence for adenine methylation within the mouse myogenic gene Myo-D1.

Previous studies have indicated that there may be uncleavable TaqI sites (TCGA) within the mouse myogenic gene, Myo-D1. Fragments of DNA bearing most of the presumed insensitive TaqI sites have been reproduced using PCR. The presence of each of the originally uncleavable TaqI sites has been confirmed and each TaqI site has been shown to be sensitive to TaqI hydrolysis in PCR-synthesized genomic DNA.

Making homework work at home: the parent's perspective.

This article views homework through the eyes of parents in a rural area whose children with disabilities spent a majority of their time in general education classrooms. The qualitative analysis of data from individual interviews, focus groups, and parent action research logs yielded five themes: (a) Parents felt ill-prepared to help their children with homework; (b) parents wanted more information about the classroom teachers' expectations of their child and of their roles as parents in helping with homework; (c) parents wanted their children to be given individualized homework assignments; (d) parents valued hands-on homework and projects in which the whole family could participate; and (e) parents wanted a two-way communication system that would allow them to become partners on their child's instructional team.

Heightened free radical activity in blacks with chronic pancreatitis at Johannesburg, South Africa.

Four indices of free radical activity were measured in fasting serum/plasma samples from 14 consecutive blacks with clinically quiescent chronic pancreatitis and 15 outwardly healthy hospital personnel at Soweto, the township near Johannesburg in South Africa. The patients had higher serum levels than did controls of lipid isomerisation (P < 0.002) and peroxidation (P < 0.

Fixation of closed metacarpal shaft fractures. Transverse K-wires in 22 cases.

22 patients who had closed displaced metacarpal shaft fractures, treated by transverse percutaneous K-wire fixation were reviewed. In 11 cases, 1 distal and 1 proximal wire were inserted and in the rest, 2 distal and 1 proximal wire were used. The results in patients treated with a single distal wire were unsatisfactory due to pivoting of the distal fragment on the wire with consequent angulation and cosmetic deformity.

Activity and socket wear in the Charnley low-friction arthroplasty.

A clinical study was undertaken to assess the influence of patient-related factors on wear of the socket in Charnley low-friction arthroplasty. One hundred nine arthroplasties in 79 patients were reviewed at an average of 10.3 years.

Southern blot analysis of lymphoproliferative disorders: use and limitations in routine surgical pathology.

Antigen receptor gene rearrangement studies are a sensitive means of determining lineage and clonality in lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs) which remain difficult to classify after assessment of morphology and immunohistochemistry (IHC). This study investigates the utility of genotyping LPDs in a surgical pathology laboratory servicing a large teaching hospital. Ninety-eight specimens with detailed frozen (FS) and/or paraffin section IHC were studied, including 65 B-cell lymphomas, 14 T-cell lymphomas, 2 biopsies of T-zone dysplasia, one unclassifiable lymphoma, 8 Hodgkin's disease (HD) and 8 reactive nodes.