Hans Olivecrona

FURTHER STUDIES ON THE DIFFERENTIATION OF THE EPITHELIUM IN THE MOUSE VAGINAL ANLAGE

SummaryThe authors have studied the occurrence of PAS positive substances during the differentiation of the vaginal epithelium in fetuses and neonatal mice. The material consists of normal mice, mice that have received estradiol injections for the first five days after birth, and mice that have received both estradiol and colchicine injections. The cranial 3/5 of the mouse vaginal epithelium is formed from the pseudostratified columnar müllerian epithelium. This undergoes a differentiation and divides into two zones: a superficial zone and a basal zone. The latter arises from cells migrating basally from the superficial zone. Later the two zones merge and the typical prepuberal vaginal epithelium arises. The results of this investigation point to the cell divisions in the superficial zone being of particular importance for the cell differentiation, even though other possibilities cannot be excluded. The effect of estradiol administration on the epithelium in the vaginal anlage is discussed. The circumstance that estradiol may change the determination of the cells is pointed out.

Long-term results after carotid artery surgery

This study presents the results from a follow-up after 414 carotid reconstructions performed on 352 patients during the years 1971-82. At the end of the follow-up period 267 patients were alive (75.8%) and 253 patients remained asymptomatic. The median follow-up time was 35 months (6 months-12 years). Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) had a significantly lower survival than patients without signs of CAD. Coronary artery disease was significantly more frequent among patients with bilateral carotid lesions compared to patients with unilateral lesions. The actuarial stroke frequency, operative morbidity included, on the operated side was 2.5%/year. However, from 6 months postoperatively up to 8 years the stroke frequency was 1%/year. In the stroke frequencies all neurological deficits of more than 24 h duration are accounted for. Although there was a trend toward higher stroke rates among older patients there were no significant differences between age groups. Assuming a 10% stroke frequency during the first year after a TIA and a 6% annual stroke rate thereafter our results would cross even such a natural course curve at 18 months.

The activity of acid and alkaline phosphatase during the development of the vaginal anlage in rat and mouse

SummaryThe authors have studied the activity of alkaline and acid phosphatase in the rat and the mouse vaginal anlage. The activity is high in the epithelium of the müllerian vagina and low or uncertain in that of the sinus vagina. When a lumen is formed in the latter, there appears in rat an activity of both phosphatases of the same intensity as seen in the müllerian vagina. In mouse, the epithelium of the müllerian vagina transitory loses its activity of alkaline phosphatase when the epithelium undergoes transformation. The whole vagina is then surrounded by a zone of high stromal activity of alkaline phosphatase. The epithelium lacks activity except in the fornix region where the activity remains in a zone close to the lumen Thereafter the activity disappears in the subepithelial strorna and instead apears in the basal layer of the epithelium. The activity of acid phosphatase increases in the mouse sinus vagina at the same time as lumen is formed, being of the same intensity here as in the müllerian vaginal part.

Risk factors in carotid artery surgery: An evaluation of 414 operations

Four hundred and fourteen carotid reconstructions performed on 352 patients during the years 1971-82 were analysed retrospectively. Fifty-eight percent of the patients were operated on because of hemispheric transient ischaemic attacks (TIA). Twenty-eight percent had suffered a stroke before surgery. The overall combined mortality and morbidity was 7.7%. The procedure mortality was 2.9% with a slightly higher mortality i.e. 5.9% in the stroke group although not significantly higher than among non-stroke patients with a mortality of 1.4%. Patients of more than 70-years had a significantly higher operative mortality (11.1%) than the rest of the patients (1.7%). Non-fatal strokes occurred in 20 patients (4.8%). No correlation was found with the degree of stenosis of the contralateral artery.

ROENTGEN IRRADIATION AT 200 kV OF NEOPLASMS OF THE NASOPHARYNX Technique and dose distribution

hlalignant tumours of the nasopharynx have usually been treated by conventional roentgen therapy. In recent years y-radiation from 6oCo sources and high energy roentgen rays from 35 MeV betatrons have also been employed; an attempt was made by SNELLING in 1954 to estimate the dose distribution for some different types of treatment techniques. This paper presents an analysis of the dose distribution in the nasopharynx and adjacent structures obtained by roentgen irradiation at 200 kV with a 4-field technique in the treatment of tumours limited to the nasopharynx. Technique. A sketch is first made of the contour of the face at the level of the nasopharynx and a lateral roentgenogram is obtained of the skull. The enlargement of the roentgenogram in the sagittal plane can be determined by means of a measuring stick fixed on the forehead and nose of the patient. The true depth of the nasopharynx and the site of the tumour are established and transferred to the previously drawn sketch.

The dehydrogenase activity in the human vaginal anlage

SummaryThe authors have studied the activity of succinate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase in the vaginal plate (the anlage of the vaginal epithelium), the sinus epithelium, the müllerian epithelium and the wolffian epithelium from eight human female fetuses. The vaginal plate has a very low activity of succinate dehydrogenase compared with that in the other epithelia. The low activity in the vaginal plate might be explained by its origin from the differentiated epithelium (a wolffian derivate) covering the müllerian tubercle. In case of the other enzymes, no differences in activity could be found between the epithelia studied.