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The method parameters of an almost one century old method for analyzing nickel as dimethylglyoximate were critically examined for the analysis of nickel raw materials and many of the method parameters were observed to have a significant effect on the Ni recovery. Thus, because the Ni precipitation method parameters vary a lot in analytical literature and also in practice, the obtained Ni results by different methods are not comparable. During this study it was found that the double precipitation worked out perfectly in eliminating the effects of impurity elements. The residual Ni content in the filtrates should also be measured to obtain accurate and precise Ni results. In complexing the impurity elements, tartaric acid, stabilized by acetic acid, turned out to be effective, and when added to the sample solution before ammonium addition, the best pH conditions for homogenous Ni precipitation with dimethylglyoxime were obtained. The optimized Ni determination method described was found to be accurate and highly reproducible when tested with Ni concentrates and standard reference materials containing high Ni concentrations.

We describe a young woman with Burkitt's lymphoma, treated with intravenous adriamycine and cyclophosphamide and intrathecal cytarabine. She developed a reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (RPLS) with typical MRI findings. Diffusion-weighted images during the first days after the onset of symptoms predicted a small irreversible lesion in the frontal lobe, verified on T2-weighted images 1 month later. The patient showed full recovery after high-dose steroid treatment.

Two cases are presented with a long clinical history of multiple sclerosis (MS) before the diagnosis of an intracranial brain tumor. In the subsequent brain autopsy, however, both cases presented a diffusely growing anaplastic astrocytoma, only, and no changes similar to MS were seen. Diffuse tumor growth was noted in periventricular brain tissue and extended down to pons or medulla. Immunohistochemically, a positive staining for glial fibrillar acidic protein was observed in both cases and in the second case, which presented an increased amount of cerebrospinal fluid IgG, also a positive staining for immunoglobulins was seen. These case histories and subsequent neuropathological findings are presented as examples of diagnostic difficulties in MS, especially in cases with diffusely growing gliomas.

In a survey of all malignant soft tissue tumors in the extremities and limb girdles in Finland between 1960 and 1969, only one alveolar soft part sarcoma was found among 246 tumors (0.4%). Another alveolar soft part sarcoma, diagnosed in 1976, was more thoroughly studied. There was evidence that the characteristic crystals of alveolar soft part sarcoma are formed from the dense granules. Both were PASM-positive at ultrastructural level. No monoamines were detected in the cells by formaldehyde-induced fluorescence. This is a further fact to nullify the theory of the paraganglionic origin of alveolar soft part sarcoma, but the question of the histogenesis of the tumor still remains open.

Concentrations of prolactin were assayed from human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Samples were taken from lumbar CSF space (n=105 neurological patients) and from lateral ventricles (n=31 neurosurgical patients). Ventricular CSF samples were taken from operatively treated subarachnoidal hemorrhage (SAH) patients during the monitoring of intraventricular pressure. More voluminous and frequent sampling was obtained from six patients undergoing diagnostic pneumoencephalography (PEG) procedure. Prolactin concentrations in lumbar CSF ranged between undetectable and 2.8 ng/ml with a mean value of 0.78±0.54 (SD) ng/ml. Some fluctuation was seen in the fractionated samples taken at PEG, but no definitive gradient was noticed. Ventricular CSF concentrations of prolactin (n=18) were 0.85±0.67 (SD) ng/ml at operation (range : undetectable − 2.5 ng/ml). Somewhat lower values were recorded in the 3-day postoperative period, prolactin mean concentrations being 0.3 − 0.6 ng/ml. The CSF prolactin concentrations in the lateral ventricles and lumbar sac are practically identical with no concentration gradient between these compartments.

In a survey of all malignant soft tissue tumors in the extremities and limb girdles in Finland between 1960 and 1969, only one alveolar soft part sarcoma was found among 246 tumors (0.4%). Another alveolar soft part sarcoma, diagnosed in 1976, was more thoroughly studied. There was evidence that the characteristic crystals of alveolar soft part sarcoma are formed from the dense granules. Both were PASM-positive at ultrastructural level. No monoamines were detected in the cells by formaldehyde-induced fluorescence. This is a further fact to nullify the theory of the paraganglionic origin of alveolar soft part sarcoma, but the question of the histogenesis of the tumor still remains open.