Familial Alzheimer disease: first report from India

Kept under observation were eight patients with Sweet's syndrome--six men and 2 women aged 25-60. The syndrome was accompanied by fever in 8 patients; in 6 it was preceded by common cold, respiratory diseases; neutrophilia was present in 7 patients. Rash presented as inflammatory spots, 10 am in diameter, was located predominantly in the upper part of the body. Helpful in the treatment of the condition were corticosteroid therapy and potassium iodide.     

Double superior gemellus together with double piriformis and high division of the sciatic nerve

We report a case with double superior gemellus and double piriformis mm. associated with the sciatic n. dividing high and passing between the two piriformis mm. in the same lower extremity. This abnormality has not previously been described in the literature. As many musculoskeletal structures may be involved in sciatica, the supernumerary superior gemelli and piriformis mm. may exert pressure on the sciatic n. and this should be taken into account by clinicians.     

Expressed emotion and relapse in alcoholic patients

Although family members' expressed emotion (EE) predicts patients' elevated relapse rates in schizophrenia and mood disorders, little is known about the relationship between EE and relapse in alcoholism. For 86 alcoholic patients (78 men, 8 women), the association between the spouse's EE and the alcoholic patient's subsequent relapse status in the 12 months after the couple began an outpatient behavioral marital therapy (BMT) program for alcoholism was examined. Alcoholic patients with high EE spouses, when compared with their counterparts with low EE spouses, were more likely to relapse, had a shorter time to relapse, and drank on a greater percentage of days in the 12 months after starting BMT. EE continued to be associated with relapse after patients' age, education, and alcohol problem severity were taken into account. Greater use of Antabuse and more sessions of BMT were associated with reduced relapse for alcoholic patients with high EE spouses.     

Detection of targeted GFP-Hox gene fusions during mouse embryogenesis

The ability to use a vital cell marker to study mouse embryogenesis will open new avenues of experimental research. Recently, the use of transgenic mice, containing multiple copies of the jellyfish gene encoding the green fluorescent protein (GFP), has begun to realize this potential. Here, we show that the fluorescent signals produced by single-copy, targeted GFP in-frame fusions with two different murine Hox genes, Hoxa1 and Hoxc13, are readily detectable by using confocal microscopy. Since Hoxa1 is expressed early and Hoxc13 is expressed late in mouse embryogenesis, this study shows that single-copy GFP gene fusions can be used through most of mouse embryogenesis. Previously, targeted lacZ gene fusions have been very useful for analyzing mouse mutants. Use of GFP gene fusions extends the benefits of targeted lacZ gene fusions by providing the additional utility of a vital marker. Our analysis of the Hoxc13(GFPneo) embryos reveals GFP expression in each of the sites expected from analysis of Hoxc13(lacZneo) embryos. Similarly, Hoxa1(GFPneo) expression was detected in all of the sites predicted from RNA in situ analysis. GFP expression in the foregut pocket of Hoxa1(GFPneo) embryos suggests a role for Hoxa1 in foregut-mediated differentiation of the cardiogenic mesoderm.