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Biomedical subjects

A Herbert

Publications and source records attributed to A Herbert.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Wilms's tumour and aniridia: clinical and cytogenetic features.

A survey carried out to detect children with aniridia/Wilms's tumour syndrome identified 8 living and 3 dead children. The incidence of aniridia was found to be 1 in 43 among Wilms's tumour patients in the UK. The clinical features included complete bilaterial aniridia, cataracts, glaucoma, mental retardation, hyperkinesis, hypospadias, and undescended testes. A high incidence of bilateral tumours (36%), male sex, presentation at a young age, and advanced maternal age appeared to be associated with the syndrome. The 8 living children each had a deletion on the short arm of chromosome 11. In contrast, although 2 patients with sporadic aniridia without Wilms's tumour had other malformations, neither had genitourinary anomalies, and the only additional problems in patients with familial aniridia were cataracts. Among 49 children with Wilms's tumour without aniridia ony one had bilateral tumours. No chromosome abnormalities were detected in patients with familial aniridia, nor were they detected in patients with Wilms's tumour without aniridia or in those with sporadic aniridia without Wilms's tumour. While many infants with the Wilms's tumour/aniridia syndrome are clinically diagnosable at birth, chromosome analysis using the elongated chromosome method is especially valuable to confirm the diagnosis in girls with sporadic aniridia and in boys who lack the genitourinary malformations. The presence of an 11p13 deletion confirms the diagnosis of the Wilms's tumour/aniridia syndrome and indicates a very high risk for the development of Wilms's tumour.

Child, Preschool↗

Pleural biopsy in the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma.

In an attempt to distinguish reactive from neoplastic mesothelial proliferation, the histological material and clinical records of 153 patients on whom open or closed pleural biopsies were performed during 1976 were reviewed. In six of the 10 patients subsequently shown to have malignant mesothelioma the specimens from closed pleural biopsy had been reported as negative or equivocal but in retrospect showed changes not observed in reactive pleurisy. These included papillary mesothelial proliferation, exfoliated papillae, sheets of atypical mesothelial cells, and abnormal fibroblastic proliferation. In contrast, in inflammatory conditions the mesothelial lining was usually replaced by granulation tissue, although sheets or clumps of exfoliated mesothelial cells were often present in the corresponding pleural fluid clot. Some multilayering of parietal mesothelium was occasionally seen in chronic pleurisy and around metastases.

Adolescent↗

Interpretation of pleural biopsy specimens and aspirates with the immunoperoxidase technique.

In pleural biopsy specimens and histological sections from the fibrin clots of pleural fluid aspirates it may be difficult to distinguish reactive mesothelial cells from malignant mesothelial cells and metastatic carcinoma. Reactive pleurisy with effusion is usually associated with loss of cohesion and exfoliation of mesothelial cells, which is consistent with the hypothesis that they act as facultative histiocytes. A series of biopsy specimens and sections of clots from benign and malignant pleural effusions have been stained by the immunoperoxidase technique for the histiocytic markers alpha 1-antitrypsin, alpha 1-antichymotrypsin, and lysozyme (muramidase). Eight cases of mesothelioma were included. Mesothelial cells when seen as a monolayer lining the pleural surface were negative. Reactive mesothelial cells, usually seen as exfoliated cells, were consistently strongly positive for alpha 1-antichymotrypsin and more variably for alpha 1-antitrypsin and lysozyme. Malignant cells, whether from carcinoma or from mesothelioma, were usually but not always negative. Consequently immunohistochemical staining for alpha 1-antichymotrypsin is often helpful in distinguishing reactive mesothelial cells from malignant cells.

Biopsy↗

Reactive mesothelial proliferation: a necropsy study.

To establish a histological standard against which surgical biopsy material could be compared, the degree of mesothelial proliferation was studied in 100 unselected necropsies. A minor degree of mesothelial hyperplasia was identified in 10 cases, usually close to areas of fibrous adhesions. Pleural plaques were present in 33 patients but there was no evidence of associated mesothelial proliferation. No mesothelial changes were noted in patients with empyema or pleural metastases. These findings indicated that the degree of mesothelial hyperplasia in common disorders of the pleura is relatively slight. Significant mesothelial proliferation in needle biopsies should therefore be viewed with considerable suspicion and, where clinically appropriate, be followed by further investigation.

Aged↗

The pathology of cot deaths.

An examination of the pathological features of 12 consecutive cases of sudden death in infancy was undertaken with particular reference to the lung changes used a combined radiological and pathological study of formalin vapour-inflated lungs. Certain common features in the cases in which there are no post mortem changes to explain death (typical cot deaths) are described and compared with cases with an acceptable cause of death and with control cases. It was concluded that severe dehydration is a potentially avoidable factor underlying cot deaths and many other sudden infant deaths with no explainable causes; that petechial haemorrhages are a constant feature of cot deaths and indicate a respiratory/hypoxic mode of death; that absence of petechiae indicates some other explanation for death. It is suggested that the minor respiratory or other infections which are usually present at autopsy in cot deaths may sometimes exaggerate a preexisting state of dehydration and that the dehydration may contribute more directly to death than the infection.

Antibodies, Viral↗

[Ttoal hip arthroplasty after arthrodesis (desarthrodesis)].

A report is given on 24 cases of desarthrodesis of the hip long after arthrodesis, in one case after 73 years, the patient being a woman of 84, and in several cases after 40 years. In all cases the results were satisfactory and recovery was excellent despite the long duration of the arthrodesis. Desarthrodesis is therefore a valuable operation which may be indicated in cases where position is poor or lumbalgia inhibits the function.

Adult↗

Regional differences in the sensitivity of cholinergic neurons to dopaminergic drugs and quipazine in the rat striatum.

Marked differences were found in the activity of choline acetylase (ChAc) in various discrete areas of the rat striatum. The richest cholinergic innervation was observed in the centrolateral part of the structure. A similar distribution was obtained by measuring acetycholine (ACh) levels in punches taken from frozen frontal serial slices. As revealed by the analysis of the topographical distributions of ChAc activity, ACh, 5-HT and DA, the regional cholinergic innervation differed markedly from that of aminergic terminals. Changes in ACh levels induced by drugs could be estimated in microdiscs of tissues punched from frozen slices. Apomorphine and haloperidol, which increased and decreased ACh levels respectively, induced similar effects in the various striatal areas examined. By contrast quipazine, a drug acting on 5-HT uptake and release and on serotoninergic receptors, selectively increased ACh levels in some areas of the striatum but not in others. The regional changes in ACh levels induced by quipazine were satisfactorily correlated with the regional distribution of 5-HT but not with that of DA. These results suggest that a limited population of striatal cholinergic neurons is under the inhibitory control of serotoninergic neurons. They also indicate that some striatal cholinergic neurons influenced by dopaminergic neurons are not controlled by serotoninergic neurons.

Acetylcholine↗

Morphological basis of radiological band shadows on chest radiographs.

Lungs of unselected cadavers were fixed at necropsy using a formalin vapour technique. "Band shadows" were identified in the excised lungs and these were correlated with in vivo radiographs and with the morphological changes in the lung. Persistent shadows were produced by pulmonary infarction, subsegmental atelectasis, and septal fibrosis singly and in combination. Potentially transient shadows were seen in association with atelectasis and pulmonary oedema.

Adult↗

[Indications and possibilities of total prosthesis of the hip].

If all the non-traumatic coxopathies are considered, it can be said that there is practically no limit to the possibilities of operations for total prostheses fo the hip. In particular, all the technical problems posed by certain forms of coxopathy can be solved. Only grave deterioration in the general condition of the patient and non-tubercular infections constitute contra-indications. This is, of course, not new and is valid for all orthopaedic surgery. Only the future will show if this concept is true.

Hip↗

Intralobar septal oedema: 'D' lines.

A combined radiological and autopsy study of pulmonary oedema enables recognition of oedema lines other than Kerley 'A', 'B' and C lines. These have been designated 'D' lines. At least three varieties have been noted: (i) thick, long often angular lines seen mainly anteriorly overlying the heart shadow on the lateral film. These may also appear as horizontal or vertical band shadows, on the frontal view. (ii) Short and straight lines, occurring basally and often slightly thicker at the pleural surface, which on autopsy lung radiographs are associated with puckering of the pleura. They have also been recognised on lateral films where they resemble the pleural end of a fissure but have been seen in positions where fissures do not mormally occur, or in addition to the normal fissure. (iii) A subpleural reticular pattern surrounding spaces 1-2 cm in diameter. This has been noted only on autopsy-inflated lungs and not detected on in vivo chest radiographs. The long 'D' lines or D(i) lines occur in areas where 'B' lines are inconspicuous or absent and vice versa. Whereas 'B' lines are most prominent in areas of macroscopic alveolar pulmonary oedema, D(i) lines occur where macroscopic alveolar pulmonary oedema is often inconspicuous. The recognition that lines other than 'A', B and 'C' occur in case of pulmonary oedema greatly assists in the interpretation and diagnosis of the shadows on chest radiographs associated with pulmonary oedema.

Autopsy↗

Pulmonary oedema at necropsy: a combined pathological and radiological method of study.

Fixation of lungs at necropsy by inflation with formaldehyde vapour was used in a combined radiological and pathological study of pulmonary oedema. Pulmonary oedema was found in 79% of lungs examined. The earliest phases affect the interstitial tissue with oedematous connective tissue planes and distension of pulmonary lymphatics. These changes may be associated with reduction in the compliance of the lung. Alveolar filling is a late stage in the accumulation of oedema fluid in the lungs.

Adult↗