The composition of the scalp microflora was assessed quantitatively in normal individuals and in patients with dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, disorders characterized by increasing scaling. Three organisms were constantly found: (1) Pityrosporum, (2) aerobic cocci, and (3) Corynebacterium acnes. Pityrosporum (mainly Pityrosporum ovale) made up 46% of the total microflora in normals, 74% in dandruff, and 83% in seborvheic dermatitis. The geometric mean number of organisms per cm-2 in non-dandruff subjects was 5.04 times 10-5; 9.22 times 10-5 in dandruff subjects; and 6.45 times 10-5 in those with seborrheic dermatitis. The cocci were dominantly Baird-Parker type SII and no quantitative or qualitative change occurred in the scaling disorders. C. acnes comprised 26% of the flora on the normal scalp, 6% in dandruff, and only 1% in seborrheic dermatitis. These results differ significantly from previous reports which describe a much more complex microflora and suggest an etiologic role for microorganisms in dandruff.

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This pilot study has demonstrated that omega-3 fatty acids can suppress natural cytotoxicity and reduce disease activity in patients with distal procto-colitis. These findings suggest a therapeutic strategy for managing patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Seventy-six cancers with involved lymph nodes but with limitation of direct spread in continuity to the bowel wall (Astler-Coller C1 cases) were matched with Astler-Coller C2 cases for clinical variables, macroscopic appearance of tumor, grade of differentiation, and number of positive lymph nodes. Despite this stringent matching, spread was shown to be an important prognostic variable in univariate survival analysis. Estimated five-year survival for Astler-Coller C1 cases was just below 80 percent, equivalent to B2 (Dukes' B) cases. When spread was analyzed in the presence of additional prognostic variables (character of invasive margin and lymphocytic infiltration) by multivariate modeling, its independent prognostic status was maintained. Improved survival for C1 cases was not explained by a lower incidence of local pelvic recurrence. Mechanisms to account for the better prognosis are proposed. This study reaffirms the importance of multivariate techniques of analysis in the assessment of prognosis of patients with rectal cancer.

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