[Merkel cell carcinoma of the skin]. / Carcinome de la peau à cellules de Merkel (merkélome).

This study reports five cases of Merkel-cell carcinoma of the skin. Then the authors review the present state of the art from the data already available in the literature concerning this malignant primary skin tumor. A part from local excision, no standard procedures are described. The literature provides a lot of discrepancies concerning the additional treatments such as lymph mode excision, radio and chemotherapy. The prognosis of this tumor remains poor because of a high incidence of local recurrence, a frequent spread to regional lymph modes and the development metastases.

The brown bear in Europe: its plight and dental needs.

The brown bear is one of the most persecuted animals in the world. In Greece, Turkey, Pakistan and India they are used as dancing spectacles by gypsies. The mother is killed so that the cubs can be captured at a very early age and subjected to training that involves extreme cruelty: starvation, beatings and red-hot metal plates, as well as rings and chains through their noses and lips, are used to make the animals stand on their hind feet and mimic a dance routine so that their handlers can collect money in the streets. The author describes the treatment of the first bears to benefit from the facilities at the new Bear Protection Centre set up by Arcturos.

[Clinical analysis of the sodium-fluoride and sodium-monofluorophosphate content of Colgate toothpaste]. / Nátrium-fluorid és nátrium-monofluorofoszfát tartalmú Colgate fogpaszta klinikai vizsgálata.

After six weeks use of Colgate toothpaste (1000 ppm MFP and 450 ppm NaF) in case of 50 individuals (25 test and 25 control persons) both the Plaque Index of Silness and Löe and the modified Sulcus Bleeding Index--"bleeding on probing" (Mühlemann and Son) mean values showed a significant decrease. According to the results of cytological testing the effect of toothpaste containing MFP and NaF proved favourable. The investigation of the ionisable plaque fluoride content produced statistically significant rise in plaque fluoride content.

[Pharmacokinetic study of various fluoride compounds in rats]. / Különbözö fluorvegyületek farmakokinetikai vizsgálata patkányokon.

The fluoride excretion of 40 rats has been monitored after the consumption of drinking water containing NaF, CaF2 and CaF2 + alum (KRl/SO4/2. The fluoride excretion of the animals containing NaF and CaF2 + alum increased in a significant extent. No significant difference could be found in the fluoride excretion of the two groups. Statistically no significant increase has been observed in the fluoride ion excretion after the consumption of CaF2. These results suggest that by systemic intake of CaF2, no CaF2 absorbtion can be observed. So those undesirable gastric mucosa side effects that can be observed or presumed by the intake of NaF and CaF2 + alum are presumably neglibile.

[Association of a secreting oncocytic tumor of the kidney and a parathyroid adenoma]. / Association d'une tumeur oncocytaire sécrétante du rein et d'un adénome parathyroïdien.

An unusual association of a secreting renal oncocytoma and a parathyroid adenoma is described. The high level of hypercalcemia and of blood parathormone (PTH 44-68), partially reduced by nephrectomy and totally normalized by parathyroidectomy, as well as the renal tumor PTH evaluation and the ultrastructural features showing secretory granules in oncocytic cells of kidney, advocate for a double site of PTH secretion. Removal of both tumors permits a complete recovering.

[Mucinous cystadenocarcinoma of the appendix. Apropos of a case]. / Cystadénocarcinome mucineux de l'appendice. A propos d'un cas.

A case of mucinous cystadenocarcinoma discovered into a voluminous benign mucocele of the appendix, is presented. The clinical feature is a tumor of the right iliac fossa. The identification of a limited area of epithelial degenerescence in the cyst wall--by peroperative microscopic examination--permits immediate enlargement of the cystectomy by a right hemicolectomy. The prognosis of the tumor is generally excellent as soon as the diagnosis is early and the removal large enough.

[Reduction of mammaplasty scars: from a short inframammary scar to a vertical scar]. / Réduction des cicatrices de plastie mammaire: de l'ancre courte à la verticale.

A better understanding of the vascular anatomy of the breast has drastically reduced the risk of postoperative necrosis in breast reduction. Scars however remain a major concern, and techniques to reduce these have often been considered to be less satisfactory in terms of the shape and stability of the result. Our experience with more than 1,000 breasts operated on between 1984 and 1989 with a short inframammary scar technique has proved the contrary. The next step was to eliminate the inframammary scar, as proposed by Lassus, and to leave just a periareolar scar and a lower vertical scar which does not cross the inframammary fold. One hundred and four breasts, in sixty four patients--17 to 60 years old--have been operated on according to this vertical technique between April and September 1989. Twenty seven cases of ptosis correction in seventeen patients, and seventy seven reductions in forty seven patients, with a median excision weight of 460g, have been performed. By means of an individualized preoperative drawing and several technical devices, the results have proved that vertical mammaplasty is an excellent technique particularly indicated for women with elastic skin and a firm gland. Recent experience with liposuction at the beginning of the operation, has given new possibilities for breast modelling. In fatty juvenile hypertrophies, liposuction alone may even be adequate to reduce the volume, retaining a satisfactory shape for the breast with minimal scarring.

Observations on the treatment of necrobacillosis in wallabies.

Clinical experience of 73 cases of necrobacillosis in red-necked wallabies (Macropus rufogriseus) over a 6-year period is reviewed. Diagnostic methods and the medical and surgical treatment options are detailed. It is suggested that survival curves are necessary to assess the outcome of treatment.

Comparison of the effects of NaF and CaF2 on rat gastric mucosa. A light-, scanning- and transmission electron microscopic study.

Rat stomachs were studied after intragastrically administered, repeated doses of 0.1 N HCl, 100 mmol/l NaF, 50 mmol/l CaF2 in 0.1 N HCl, respectively. NaF produced extensive desquamation and cell injury, while CaF2 caused some desquamation and a slight decrease in secretory activity as revealed by light microscopic, SEM and TEM examinations.

The determination of urinary fluoride/creatinine ratio (Q) in monitoring fluoride intake.

Linear correlation (r = 0.6811, p less than 0.001) was found between the 24 hour urinary excreted fluoride quantity and fluoride/creatinine ratio (Q) of the morning urine sample of 21 school children living in a children's home in Hungary. The mean value of fluoride/creatinine ratio (Q) in groups of children from eight different parts of Hungary, also showed linear correlation (r = 0.9720, p less than 0.001) with the measured fluoride concentration of drinking water. The urinary fluoride/creatinine ratio (Q) seems sufficiently informative for controlling fluoride intake in the course of caries preventive field studies.

Effect of amine fluoride/stannous fluoride-containing toothpaste and mouthrinsings on dental plaque, gingivitis, plaque and enamel F-accumulation.

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of an amine fluoride/stannous fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash on dental plaque and gingivitis, plaque F- accumulation, F- content and acid solubility of dental enamel. Participants in the 12-week double-blind study were 92 schoolchildren, with a mean age of 12.4 years, randomly distributed to four groups: (1) AmF/SnF2 toothpaste, (2) placebo toothpaste, (3) AmF/SnF2 toothpaste plus AmF/SnF2 mouthwash, (4) placebo toothpaste plus AmF/SnF2 mouthwash. Analyzing the results, the mean values of dental plaque (Silness-Löe index) and of the sulcus bleeding index decreased statistically significantly in all groups except the placebo toothpaste users. Plaque F- and enamel F- content increased considerably only in the two groups using the AmF/SnF2 toothpaste. A decrease in acid solubility was significant only in the group of both test toothpaste and test mouthwash users. Thus the clinical efficacy of the tested AmF/SnF2 toothpaste might be increased by the combined use of mouthrinsings containing the same substances.