Training response to 8 weeks of blood flow restricted training is not improved by preferentially altering tissue hypoxia or lactate accumulation when training to repetition failure.

Despite compelling muscular structure and function changes resulting from blood flow restricted (BFR) resistance training, mechanisms of action remain poorly characterized. Alterations in tissue O2 saturation (TSI%) and metabolites are potential drivers of observed changes, but their relationships with degree of occlusion pressure are unclear. We examined local TSI% and blood lactate (BL) concentration during BFR training to failure using different occlusion pressures on strength, hypertrophy, and muscular endurance over an 8-week training period. Twenty participants (11 males/9 females) trained 3/wk for 8 wk using high pressure (100% resting limb occlusion pressure, LOP; 20% one-repetition maximum (1RM)), moderate pressure (50% LOP, 20%1RM), or traditional resistance training (TRT; 70%1RM). Strength, size, and muscular endurance were measured pre/post training. TSI% and BL were quantified during a training session. Despite overall increases, no group preferentially increased strength, hypertrophy, or muscular endurance (p > 0.05). Neither TSI% nor BL concentration differed between groups (p > 0.05). Moderate pressure resulted in greater accumulated deoxygenation stress (TSI% × time) (-6352 ± 3081, -3939 ± 1835, -2532 ± 1349 au for moderate pressure, high pressure, and TRT, p = 0.018). We demonstrate that BFR training to task-failure elicits similar strength, hypertrophy, and muscular endurance changes to TRT. Further, varied occlusion pressure does not impact these outcomes or elicit changes in TSI% or BL concentrations. Novelty: Training to task failure with low-load blood flow restriction elicits similar improvements to traditional resistance training, regardless of occlusion pressure. During blood flow restriction, altering occlusion pressure does not proportionally impact tissue O2 saturation nor blood lactate concentrations.

Familial properdin deficiency associated with chronic discoid lupus erythematosus.

A large family comprised of 18 members is described. Four male members are properdin-deficient, all are healthy bar the index patient who presented with chronic discoid lupus erythematosus. Serum from properdin-deficient males had a reduced ability to lyse rabbit erythrocytes via the alternative pathway or solubilize pre-formed immune complexes. Addition of purified properdin restored these activities. Classical pathway activity was normal. Definite, probable and possible female carriers had normal classical and alternative pathway activities.

Jessner and Kanof's lymphocytic infiltration of the skin: a familial variant.

We describe an otherwise healthy mother and son who have developed Jessner/Kanof's lymphocytic infiltration of the skin. This is the first description of this condition occurring in a parent and child in this fashion.

An annular erythema of infancy.

An unusual annular and arciform erythema in an infant is reported. Skin lesions appeared when the child was 4 days old, and multiple lesions have been present during the subsequent two years. Individual lesions gradually enlarge over a period of a few weeks, and they resolve spontaneously without any residual cutaneous abnormality. This annular erythema is clinically and histologically distinct from previously described annular erythemas of infancy, with which it is compared.

Benign chronic bullous disease of childhood in an Indian child.

An Indian atopic child presented with benign chronic bullous disease of childhood (BCBDC). HLA grouping did not show the typical finding of HLA B8 which questions the value of HLA typing in this condition.

Studies on a new case of xeroderma pigmentosum (XP3BR) from complementation group G with cellular sensitivity to ionizing radiation.

XP3BR is a fibroblast strain derived from a xeroderma pigmentosum patient exhibiting severe mental retardation in addition to the typical changes in the skin. No tumours have been observed by 6 years of age. Cells from this patient had no detectable excision repair of u.v. damage. The defect in daughter strand repair was also characteristic of excision-defective XP's. The material was assigned to complementation group G and is the second (unrelated) example from this group. XP3BR cells were more sensitive than normal cells to the lethal action not only of u.v. but also of gamma irradiation, in contrast to all other XP cells tested to date including XP2BI, the other representative of complementation group G. The u.v. sensitivity was similar to that of strains from complementation groups A and D, confirming the correlation between extreme u.v. sensitivity and the presence of neurological defects. Following treatment with u.v., XP3BR, and other XPs gave more 6-thioguanine resistant mutants than normal cells whether the comparison was made per unit of dose or per lethal event. After low doses of gamma irradiation XP3BR cells were more mutable than normal or XP2BI cells.

Body infestations.

The common body infestations, their incidence, diagnosis and treatment are discussed. Pediculosis capitis still has a high incidence in Britain. The louse could probably be effectively eradicated provided a national campaign of treatment and education were undertaken. Intensive therapy with a malathion containing preparation should be used before the louse develops resistance to this new organophosphorus insecticide. Similarly, scabies can be effectively treated. All doctors should be aware of the signs and symptoms of this common dermatosis and its treatment.

Dermatitis herpetiformis in association with treated coeliac disease.

The paper describes an adult patient with coeliac disease who developed classical dermatitis herpetiformis while receiving a gluten-free diet. The dermatitis is controlled by sulphapyridine but relapses when this is withdrawn, even though the patient continues with the diet, indicating that a gluten-free diet plays little or no part in controlling the skin condition.