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General Pathology

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease)
a. Characterized by the rapid degeneration of motor neurons in the spinal cord and corticospinal tracts.
b. More common in men in their 50s.
c. Clinically, the disease results in rapidly progressive muscle atrophy due to denervation. Other symptoms include fasciculations, hyperreflexia, spasticity, and pathologic reflexes. Death usually occurs within a few years from onset, usually by respiratory failure or infection.

Seborrheic dermatitis is a scaly dermatitis on the scalp (dandruff) and face.
 - due to Pitysporium species
 - can be seen in AIDS as an opportunistic infection

Immunoglobulins. (Ig)

 These are made up of polypeptide chains. Each molecule is constituted by two heavy and two light chains, linked by disulfide (S-S) bonds. The h~ chains are of 5 types, with corresponding, types or  immunoglobulin. IgG (gamma), IgM (mu µ ), IgA(alpha α), IgD(delta ), IgE(epsilon)

Each of these can have light chains of either kappa (k) or lambda type.Each chain has a constant portion (constant for the subtype) land a variable portion (antigen specific).

Enzyme digestion can split the Ig molecule into.2 Fab (antibody binding) fragments and one Fc (crystallisable, complement binding ) fragment.

Primary vs. secondary disorders - Most nutritional disorders in developed countries are not due to simple dietary deficiencies but are rather a secondary manifestation of an underlying primary condition or disorder.

• Chronic alcoholism
• Pregnancy and lactation
• Renal dialysis
• Eating disorders
• Prolonged use of diuretics
• Malabsorption syndromes
• Neoplasms
• Food fads
• Vegans
• AIDS 

THROMBOSIS 
Pathogenesis (called Virchow's triad):
1. Endothelial* Injury ( Heart, Arteries)
2. Stasis
3. Blood Hypercoagulability

- Endothelial cells are special type of cells that cover the inside surface of blood vessels and heart.

CONTRIBUTION OF ENDOTHELIAL CELLS TO COAGULATION

Intact endothelial cells maintain liquid blood flow by: 

1- inhibiting platelet adherence
2- preventing coagulation factor activation
3- lysing blood clots that may form.

Endothelial cells can be stimulated by direct injury or by various cytokines that are produced during inflammation.

Endothelial injury results in:
1- expression of procoagulant proteins (tissue factor and vWF)→ local thrombus formation.
2- exposure of underlying vWF and basement membrane collagen  →  platelet aggregation and thrombus formation. 

RESPONSE OF VASCULAR WALL CELLS TO INJURY( PATHOLOGIC EFFECT OF VASCULAR HEALING) 

Injury to the vessel wall results in a healing response, involving:
- Intimal expansion (proliferating SMCs and newly synthesized ECM). This involves signals from ECs, platelets, and macrophages; and mediators derived from coagulation and complement cascades.

- luminal stenosis & blockage of vascular flow 

Causes of Endothelial injury
1. Valvulitis
2. MI
3. Atherosclerosis
4. Traumatic or inflammatory conditions
5. Increased Blood Pressure
6. Endotoxins
7. Hypercholesterolemia
8. Radiation
9. Smoking 

Stasis

- Stasis is a major factor in venous thrombi
- Normal blood flow is laminar (platelets flow centrally in the vessel lumen, separated from the endothelium by a slower moving clear zone of
plasma)
- Stasis and turbulence cause the followings:

Disuption of normal blood flow 
prevent dilution of activated clotting factor
retard inflow of clotting factor inhibitor
promote endothelial cell injury

Causes of Stasis
1. Atherosclerosis
2. Aneurysms
3. Myocardial Infarction ( Non-cotractile fibers)
4. Mitral valve stenosis (atrial dilation)
5. Hyper viscosity syndromes (PCV and Sickle Cell anemia)


Hypercoagulability
A. Genetic (primary):
- mutations in the factor V gene and the prothrombin gene are the most common
B. Acquired (secondary):
- multifactorial and more complicated 
- causes include: Immobilization, MI, AF, surgery, fracture, burns, Cancer, Prosthetic cardiac valves 

MORPHOLOGY OF THROMBI 

Can develop anywhere in the CVS (e.g., in cardiac chambers,  valves, arteries, veins, or capillaries).

Arterial or cardiac thrombi→ begin at sites of endothelial injury; and are usually superimposed on an atherosclerotic plaque. 

 Venous thrombi → occur at sites of stasis. Most commonly the veins of the lower extremities (90%)

 Thrombi are focally attached to the underlying vascular surface; arterial and venous thrombi both tend to propagate toward the heart.
→ The propagating portion of a thrombus is poorly attached → fragmentation and embolus formation

LINES OF ZAHN

Thrombi can have grossly (and microscopically) apparent laminations called lines of Zahn; these represent pale platelet and fibrin layers alternating with darker erythrocyte-rich layers. 

Such lines are significant in that they represent thrombosis of flowing blood. 

Mural thrombi = Thrombi occurring in heart chambers or in the aortic lumen.

Causes: -Abnormal myocardial contraction (e.g. arrhythmias, dilated cardiomyopathy, or MI) -endomyocardial injury (e.g. myocarditis, catheter trauma)

Vegetations ->Thrombi on heart valves 

1- Bacterial or fungal blood-borne infections - (infective endocarditis,). 

2- Non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis occur on sterile valves.

Fate of thrombi 

1. Propagation → Thrombi accumulate additional platelets and fibrin, eventually causing vessel obstruction 

2. Embolization → Thrombi dislodge or fragment and are transported elsewhere in the vasculature 

3. Dissolution → Thrombi are removed by fibrinolytic activity (Usually in recent thrombi) 

4. Organization and recanalization → Thrombi induce inflammation and fibrosis. - recanalization (re-establishing some degree of flow) - Organization = ingrowth of endothelial cells, smooth cells and fibroblasts into the fibrin rich thrombus.

5. Superimposed infection (Mycotic aneurysm)

Venous thrombi → most common in veins of the legs 

a. Superficial: e.g. Saphenous veins. - can cause local congestion, swelling, pain, and tenderness along the course of the involved vein, but they rarely embolize

a. Deep: e.g. Popliteal, Femoral and iliac vein. - more serious because they may embolize - can occur with stasis or hypercoagulable states
 

Measles (rubeola) 

-incubation period 7 to 14 days 

-begins with fever (up to 40 degrees C), cough, conjunctivitis (photophobia is first sign), and coryza (excessive mucous production)Æfollowed by Koplik's spots (red with white center) in the mouth, posterior cervical Lymphadenopathy, and a generalized, blanching, maculopapular, brownish-pink rash (viral induced vasculitis) beginning at the hairline and extending down over the body which gradually resolves in 5 days with some desquamation. 

Seborrheic keratosis
1. A round, brown-colored, flat wart.
2. Most often seen in middle-aged to older adults.
3. A benign lesion.

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