Photoexacerbation of cutaneous lupus erythematosus due to ultraviolet A emissions from a photocopier.

This report describes a woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (LE) who worked as a photocopy technician and developed cutaneous LE of the hands, neck, face, and chest. Her skin lesions improved when she discontinued her employment. Testing of several photocopy devices showed emission of small quantities of ultraviolet A (UVA), but no UVB. Phototesting of the patient with UVA and UVB induced skin lesions that were clinically and histopathologically consistent with LE. Thus, the action spectrum of cutaneous LE may be within the UVB range, the UVA range, or both ranges of the solar spectrum, and repeated exposure to short bursts of light may induce clinical disease. This case suggests that occupational sources of UV light should be considered as possible exacerbating factors in LE.

Trichothiodystrophy and associated anomalies: a variant of SIBIDS or new symptom complex?

Trichothiodystrophy is characterized by sparse, short, sulfur-deficient hair. Numerous symptom complexes have been described in which the hair abnormality represents a constant feature. We report a boy with trichothiodystrophy, ichthyotic skin changes, onychodystrophy, chronic neutropenia, osteosclerosis, hypothyroidism, nystagmus, growth and mental retardation, and microcephaly, who developed a progressive encephalopathy with ataxia and optic atrophy at 2.5 years of age. In addition to a deficient cystine level identified on a hair sample, a disturbance in the composition of other amino acids was present. Although features were reminiscent of osteosclerosis, ichthyosis, brittle hair due to trichothiodystrophy, impaired intelligence, decreased fertility, and short stature (SIBIDS) and could represent a variant of this disorder, findings in our patient may reflect a new trichothiodystrophy symptom complex that carries a poor prognosis for survival beyond childhood.

Comments on "International Development Perspectives for the 90s".

PIP: Comments on the UN paper on the Development Decade of the 1980s and the next decade of the 1990s by Gamani Corea are presented. Corea's statements about the future are considered fair, but negative and lacking in quantitative input. As an econometrician and a quantitative economist, the author feels that the shortterm and mediumterm economic prospects are that 1988 was a good year, 1989 all right, and 1990 was recessionary for some countries. Recovery is anticipated by 1992. The Gulf crisis of 1990-91 caused fluctuations in energy prices and uncertainty or fear in people, which is hoped to be transitory and without major impact on economic matters. Positive expansion in the world economy after 1992 is anticipated, in spite of the recessions in the UK and some Nordic countries. Western Europe slowed, but the advent of the Single Market is favorable to an upswing. The Asia/Pacific arena is strong, and achievements in South Korea are considerable. Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, and Chile are promising. Other economic problems in Latin America are only temporary. South Asia has done well. The Middle East and North Africa may have more lasting consequences of the Gulf war. Sub-Saharan Africa is in trouble with the race between population growth and food supplies, and negative or near zero growth rates/capita. Developing countries are experiencing severe recessionary adjustment periods in world economic malaise. With the collapse of socialism, there is no viable "Second World," and there are industrialized and developing countries. Eastern Europe and the USSR have a skilled population with the potential for producing world class goods and services. Primary commodity markets are expected to rise again which will strengthen export earnings in the developing world. Macroeconomic visions of hope are based on contingencies: financial fragility, issues related to the Gulf crisis, poor financial conditions in the US and to a certain extent in Japan and other financial centers. Trade negotiations in the Uruguay Round are in difficulty, which restricts free trade, and dilutes strong and vigorous activity which helps development. The economic restructuring of Europe is moving more slowly, but the Arms race is still extant in Third World countries such as Iraq. Price stabilization efforts may be futile attempts when underlying behavior patterns of production and consumption take over. Europe is the primary growth area. The Peace Dividend has been reduced because of Iraq's postures. South/South trade may be an option for developing countries. There is potential for expansion in e.g., and electronics, medical care, telecommunications, bioengineering, metallurgy, software construction. Technology and economics and international cooperation and coordination are hopeful prospects for the future.^ieng

Immunolabelling by a newt retinal pigment epithelium antibody during retinal development and regeneration.

The binding of RPE-1, a mouse monoclonal antibody selective for newt retinal pigment epithelium, was followed in eyes undergoing embryonic development and retinal regeneration. Using the indirect immunofluorescence technique on frozen sections, we observed bright and continuous labelling exclusively in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) of normal adult newts, but labelling became diminished near the ora serrata region and stopped abruptly at the ciliary margin. During development, labelling was not detected in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) until the formation of photoreceptor outer segments and was not observed in any other ocular tissue. There was no correlation between the appearance of pigment in retinal pigment epithelial cells and their labelling with the RPE-1 antibody. Furthermore, albino salamander embryos showed the same pattern of labelling with RPE-1 as that seen in age-matched pigmented animals. During retinal regeneration, RPE cells were labelled less intensely, but heavy labelling was observed in the newly formed retinal cells. With time, labelling in regenerated retina receded, so that by the end of regeneration, labelling by RPE-1 was once more restricted to the RPE cells. The identification of RPE-1 as a marker for postmitotic retinal neurons about to undergo differentiation provides a promising approach for further studies of regeneration with the help of molecular tools.

Cutaneous mast cell quantity in pruritic and nonpruritic hemodialysis patients.

Pruritus remains a significant complication of end-stage renal disease. Its cause in hemodialysis patients is not known. It has been postulated that increased numbers of mast cells occur in these patients and may account for the presence of pruritus. Our objective was to determine if there is a difference in the number of cutaneous mast cells between pruritic and nonpruritic patients. A 3-mm punch biopsy specimen was obtained from pruritic (n = 7) and nonpruritic (n = 6) hemodialysis patients. We observed no significant difference in the quantity of cutaneous mast cells in pruritic and nonpruritic hemodialysis patients. We conclude that the etiology of pruritus in hemodialysis patients is not related to an increase in the number of cutaneous mast cells.

Components of competitiveness.

There are various ways of looking at economic competitiveness. Some of the popular conceptions of America's relative position are clarified by examining the concept in terms of wage cost, productivity, profit margins, and exchange rates. A quantitative approach is laid out and examined in relation to similar measures for other countries. Also some relationships between competitiveness and the external deficit on current account for the United States are analyzed.

Comparison of collagen degradation and synthesis in the peripheral and central areas of experimental corneal grafts.

The distribution of collagen degradation and synthesis (turnover) between the central and peripheral areas of clear corneal allografts was determined, following transplantation of 6-mm [3H]proline-labelled corneal buttons from extensively pre-labelled, young rabbits into 13 nonradioactive mature rabbits. Control, contralateral 6-mm corneal buttons of each radioactive pair were frozen at -70 degrees C after being trephined into a central 3-mm button and a peripheral ring of cornea. The grafts were removed 10-100 days after the operation and trephined similarly to the paired controls. The central and peripheral areas of the graft and control corneal buttons were analysed separately for total hydroxyproline and radioactivity. A significant degradation of old collagen (as seen by the loss of total radioactivity) occurred early in both the central (19.4 +/- 6.1%) and peripheral (12.3 +/- 7.5%) areas of the grafted corneas, compared to the corresponding areas of the contralateral controls. A significant increase in new, non-radioactive collagen occurred in both the central (22.0 +/- 7.6%) and peripheral areas (30.6 +/- 6.1%); however, a significant net increase in total collagen occurred only in the peripheral area (18.3 +/- 11.4). Loss of original (old) collagen was significantly greater in the central area than in the peripheral area; whereas, the increase in new collagen was significantly greater in the peripheral area than the central area, accounting for a significant increase in total collagen. There was no correlation in collagen turnover with time after surgery. Collagen turnover occurs acutely throughout the clear corneal graft and thereafter is stable.

Effects on bone of vascular interruption. Turnover and morphology in isotope-prelabelled rats.

The effects of bone devascularization were evaluated histologically and metabolically in rats prelabelled with 45Ca, 3H-tetracycline and 3H-proline by quantifying cortical bone resorption and formation. The interruption of blood supply to bone without invading its integrity resulted in a marked increase in bone turnover (resorption and formation) during the first and second months. The stimulated increase in bone resorption and formation did not affect the resultant mass of collagen and calcium. Thus, the increase in bone resorption was compensated by an equivalent increase in bone formation.

Analysis of procainamide hydrochloride and acecainide hydrochloride in rat feed.

An extraction and GLC assay procedure was developed for quantitation of procainamide hydrochloride and acecainide hydrochloride in rat feed. 4-Amino-N-[2-(dipropylamino)ethyl]benzamide hydrochloride was synthesized and utilized as an internal standard. The assay has good precision and accuracy and was used to establish the stability of acecainide hydrochloride and procainamide hydrochloride in rat feed.