A new test for the detection of linear trends of arbitrary length in normally distributed time series is developed. With this test it is possible to detect and estimate gradual changes of the mean value in a candidate series compared with a homogeneous reference series. The test is intended for studies of artificial relative trends in climatological time series, e.g. an increasing urban heat island effect. The basic structure of the new test is similar to that of a widely used test for abrupt changes, the standard normal homogeneity test. The test for abrupt changes is found to remain unaltered after an important generalization.

We prospectively studied 17 consecutively treated patients (15 men and 2 women) who had surgically treated subcutaneous, complete and acute Achilles tendon ruptures. The patients underwent a new postoperative regimen that allowed free ankle motion in a patellar tendon bearing plaster cast with a protecting frame under the foot making weightbearing possible immediately after surgery. Evaluation was done using a patient questionnaire and a clinical examination recorded at 6 weeks (when the mobile ankle cast was removed), 3 months, and 1 year. Measurements of isokinetic and functional strength compared with the uninjured leg were performed at the final followup. No rerupture or other complications occurred. At 1 year, our patients were graded according to the Arner-Lindholm rating scale and there were 15 (88%) excellent, 2 good, and no poor results. Six patients had an excellent result already at 3 months, and there were no poor results at any evaluation. The patient evaluations showed range of motion, strength, and recovery time comparable with or better than results of previous studies. Early free ankle motion after repair of Achilles tendon ruptures proved safe with very satisfactory clinical results, which justified a randomized, prospective study (now in progress) comparing it with traditional ankle immobilization.

P o s t -m o r t e m a n g i o g r a p h i e s t u d y in a d u l t s a n d n e w b o r n infants by ANDERS MOBERG Ischaemic heart disease is to-day one of the major health problems in western countries. Of all the smaller blood vessels of the body scarcely any are more essential for life than the coronary arteries. These arteries were once considered to be end-arteries but in 1938 SCHLESINGER showed the existence of intercoronary anastomoses. He proposed that these developed 'where and when needed'. Later, however, LAURIE & WOODS (1958) and FULTON (1963) found that anastomoses are also present in healthy hearts from both infants and adults. Study of the intracardial coronary anastomoses, which nowadays can be demonstrated by coronary angiography in living subjects (PAULIN 1964), has expanded our knowledge and understanding of the pathogenesis of ischaemic heart disease and myocardial infarction.An intimation of the importance of extracardial anastomoses emerged from the report by LEARY & WAERN (1928) who described two patients with total occlusion of the two coronary ostia. The occlusions were long-standing, This investigation was supported by grants from the Loo and Hans Osterman Fund and from the Swedish National Association against Heart and Chest diseases.

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The annual incidence of Perthes' disease in Uppsala County, Sweden, was computed for the years 1978-1989 and further analyzed as regards age and sex distribution. The annual incidence was 8.5 per 100,000 in children 0-14 years of age.