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The influence of chronic administration of ambroxol on the phospholipid-(PL-) content and ultrastructure of lungs has been studied and compared with the effect of chlorphentermine (chlph.). Both drugs are amphiphilic substances. The causative factor of the well-known chlph. induced phospholipidosis-like alterations was suggested to be an inhibition of enzymatic degradation of PL. Rats were intraperitoneally treated five times per week for two weeks with chlph. (0,2 mMol per kg b.w.) and ambroxol (0.2 mMol per kg b.w.), respectively. Lung, heart, liver, kidney and spleen were light microscopically examined, and the lung was studied by electron microscopy. Furthermore, the PL-content of the whole lung tissue, the proportion of phosphatidylcholine (PC), the lung weight/body weight ratio (LM/KM) as well as the dry weight/wet weight ratio (TM/FM) of the lung was calculated. The application of chlph, induced an excessive PL-storage in the lung as indicated by an increase of the PL-content, of the PC-proportion as well as of the LM/KM and TM/FM ratio. The accumulated PL are detectable by electron microscopy, mainly in the lysosomes of macrophages appearing as lamellar or crystalloid inclusions. On the contrary, chronic application of ambroxol does not cause any substantial changes especially no abnormal lysosomal PL-inclusions. Therefore, it is suggested that ambroxol does not interfere with the PL-metabolism in a way comparable to that of the chlph. action.

A biopsy taken from the right m. gastrocnemius of a sporadic case of central core disease has been investigated by electronmicroscopy. Both longitudinal and cross sections show cores, which are partially in the centre and partially near the sarcolemma of the muscle fibres. These cores are more or less sharply delimited from the intact areas of the muscle fibres. A zone showing a severe destruction of the regularly fibrillar structure is observed in the centre of each core. This destruction zone is surrounded by a transition zone, in which a partial lesion of the fibrillar structure is found whereas the sarcomeric segmentation is preserved. The width of the interfibrillar sarcoplasm is reduced, frequently, however, mitochondria containing cristae of normal structure are observed. The cores are foundlimited by target fibres. Pathogenetically, the damages of z-lines are assumed to be dominant in the formation of the cores.

A desmoplastic fibroma of the left humerus with a pathological fracture in a 9-year-old girl is presented. The postoperative course was uncomplicated: no recidive occurred. The histological picture of this rare bone tumor (76 similar cases were reported in the literature) is identical both with aggressive fibromatosis and with the desmoid tumor. It contains areas with abundant collagen fibers and densely packed areas composed of fibrocytes, fibroblasts as well as myofibroblasts. Myofilaments have been detected by electron microscopy in the latter cell type.

Intrauterine asphyxia has been induced in immature and mature newborn rabbits by means of experimental shock of the pregnant doe. Typical changes of clotting parameters and morphological alterations in different organs specific for shock were used as criteria of the maternal shock. For the detection of asphyxia conditioned neonatal organ lesions, liver, lung, kidney and heart muscle were studied light microscopically. Special attention was devoted to liver alterations, i.e. changes of hepatocyte structure, glycogen content and microcirculation disturbances as well as to alterations of the hematopoietic system. The asphyxia related effects were vacuolic degeneration of hepatocytes, centroacinar hyperemia and persistence of hematopoietic cells in the neonatal liver. The alterations of the hepatocytes as well as of the hematopoietic system were more conspicuous in mature then in immature asphyxiated rabbits. On the contrary, the microcirculatory changes are similar in both animal groups.

A sporadic case of central core disease in a 5 1/2-year-old girl is reported. Clinically, a retarded motor development existed, furthermore, a muscle weakness and hypotonia of the extremities and trunk, contractures of the hip- and knee-joint,and luxation of both hip-joints. Biopsy specimens are taken from both Mm. gastrocnemii. Muscle fibres show, by morphologic examination, 95 per cent cores, which are characteristic for this myopathy. A further abnormality is seen inthe histochemical preparations for phosphorylase, succinate dehydrogenase, NAD diaphorase tetrazolium reductase, myofibrillar ATPase as well as AS-reaction with and without diastase digestion. With these techniques the muscle fibres show an uniform reaction pattern in which the activities of the oxidative andglycolytic enzymes correspond to the type I fibres of healthy persons. The cores show a lack of a activity of the oxidative and glycolytic enzymes as well as are ATPase- and PAS-negative. By reason of this histochemical behaviour it is suggested that the cores are predominantly unstructured. The cause of this disease might be complex disturbances in the neuro-muscular system manifested in the fetal period.

A report is given on a premature stillborn with severe congenital spinal muscular atrophy, arthrogryposis multiplex congenita and hydrops fetalis. During delivery the head was spontaneously pulled off. The neuromuscular disease was the cause of this unusual complication. No alterations of collagenous fibres were found by light and electron microscopy in dermis, aorta or in the Achilles tendon. The hydrops fetalis was not of immunological nature.