Isolated agenesis of the mastoid antrum

The first isolated case of agenesis of the mastoid antrum, previously only described in association with the congenital syndromes trisomy 13 and mandibulofacial dysostosis, is reported. The loss of this important surgical landmark may result in disorientation and iatrogenic trauma. The surgeon must be aware of its existence, and where it is suspected the middle fossa dura should be exposed and followed posteriorly until the lateral sinus is encountered.     

Temporomandibular disorders: what the neurologist needs to know

Temporomandibular disorders are a complex group of conditions which are common causes of orofacial pain and are frequently associated with headaches. Because a wide variety of diseases can ultimately cause symptoms that result in dysfunction of the masticatory system, it is important for the clinician to establish an accurate diagnosis and rule out any serious neurologic pathology. Serious extra-articular conditions often can simulate the nonspecific symptoms of a temporomandibular joint disorder. A careful history and clinical examination of the head, neck, and cranial nerves are important in establishing a differential diagnosis. Diagnostic imaging and consultation with specialists in several disciplines are often necessary to establish an accurate diagnosis and develop an appropriate therapeutic regimen.     

Fever and antipyresis in the lizard Dipsosaurus dorsalis

Lizards (Dipsosaurus dorsalis) were placed in a desertlike environment in which the ambient temperature (Ta) at night (1800-0600 h) was 12 degrees C and the day (0600-1800 h) Ta was between 30 and 55 degrees C depending on the location within the chamber. When dead Aeromonas hydrophila (4 X 10(9) organisms) was injected into nine lizards, an elevation in body temperature (Tb) of 2.7 degrees C was observed during the same day. On the day after bacterial injection the lizards' body temperatures averaged 41.6 degrees C, an increase of 4.2 degrees C over their control day Tb. Further investigations on the febrile response of D. dorsalis were conducted at the University of Wisconsin's Biotron, where there exists a simulated desert environment with the light intensity, temperature, and humidity closely parelleling a typical spring day in the southwestern desert of the United States (the natural habitat of Dipsosaurus). In this environment injection of dead bacteria into seven lizards led to an average febrile response of similar magnitude (Tb = 40.5 degrees C) but with a longer latency than that found at the University of Michigan. Injection of 13 lizards with live A. hydrophila (5 X 10(9) organism subcut.) in the simulated desert at Michigan led to a daytime fever averaging 2.3 degrees C (mean Tb = 40.6 degrees C) over a 5-day period. During the 6th and 7th day the lizards' body temperature returned to the normal or afebrile level. Injections of sodium salicylate along with dead A. hydrophila resulted in a dose-dependent attenuation of the febrile response. These results demonstrate that the reptilian febrile response is strikingly similar to avian and mammalian fever and suggest a common origin and perhaps function for the febrile mechanism.     

Obstructive jaundice due to a chlorinated hydrocarbon in breast milk

A 6-week-old breast-fed infant had obstructive jaundice and hepatomegaly. When a dry-cleaning solvent, tetrachloroethylene, was detected in the mother's milk and blood, breast-feeding was discontinued. Rapid clinical and biochemical improvement followed. The child grew normally and had normal liver function during 2 years of follow-up.     

Maturation of ribosomes in yeast. II. Position of the low molecular weight rRNA species in the maturation process

This paper describes a study of the physico-chemical and radioimmunological properties of three antialdosterone antisera which permitted practical conclusions to be drawn. By its high degree of specificity, anti-aldo-3-oxime-BSA constitutes the most useful antiserum for the clinical assay of aldosterone. The principal advantage of this antiserum is that it allows both urinary and blood aldosterone radioimmunoassay without the necessity of including a chromatographic step. No problems arise with the blanks. This work also includes the study of two anti-deoxycorticosterone antisera. The aldosterone and deoxycorticosterone values, obtained from normal subjects under various physiological conditions, are in agreement with the values given in the literature.     

Ultrasonography of renal sinus lipomatosis

Gray scale B-scans in renal sinus lipomatosis show a variety of features which must be differentiated from clinically significant pathological processes. Normal kidneys show dense homogeneous central echoes. In renal sinus lipomatosis, however, the central echoes are divided and become more sparse (Type I), interspersed with small relatively echo-free areas (Type II), or outline a single relatively echo-free area resembling a mass (Type III). In contrast to similar features in hydronephrosis or multiple cysts, the relatively echo-free areas in lipomatosis are ill-defined and do present several weak internal echoes.