Ophthalmic findings with partial trisomy (duplication) of the long arm of chromosome 7

BACKGROUND: The sensitivity of diagnostic imaging of processes in the parotid gland has been increased by improved spatial resolution, yet specificity remains unchanged. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the low-flow color duplex technique alters the specificity of B-mode ultrasonography. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients with tumors of the parotid gland were examined by color duplex echography as well as histologically. Twenty-eight of the 41 patients had benign tumors and 13 had malignant disease. In 17 of 41 patients, color duplex ultrasonography failed to detect any vascularization within the tumor. Histopathological examination showed that 3 of these 17 tumors were malignant and 14 of 17 were benign. Intranodal vascularization was detected in 24 cases. Ten of these patients were found to have malignant tumors of the parotid gland; 14 had benign parotid tumors. RESULTS: Our present findings show that marked intratumoral vascularization especially appears in malignant tumors. In contrast to lymph nodes, the location and texture of intranodal blood vessels do not provide information about the nature of the neoplasm. CONCLUSIONS: Low flow duplex ultrasonography does not increase the specificity of preoperative examination in tumors of the parotid gland.     

Eosinophil markers in seasonal allergic rhinitis. Intranasal fluticasone propionate inhibits local and systemic increases during the pollen season

BACKGROUND: The purpose was to study activation markers of the eosinophil granulocytes in seasonal allergic rhinitis, and the impact of topical steroid therapy thereupon. METHODS: Sixty-three rhinitis patients with monoallergy to grass were examined before and at peak pollen season. Blood eosinophil count, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), and eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) in serum and nasal lavage fluid were measured. During the season, patients were randomized to treatment with intranasal fluticasone propionate 0.1 mg o.d. (n=26), 0.2 mg o.d. (n=25), or placebo (n=12). Six healthy persons served as controls. RESULTS: During the season, all parameters, except nasal lavage ECP, increased in the placebo group (P<0.001-P<0.05). Significant differences were seen between the steroid groups and the placebo group for all parameters (P<0.001-P<0.05). Higher eosinophil count (P<0.05), serum EPO (P<0.02), and nasal lavage EPO (P<0.05) were found in patients before season than in controls. The following winter, 44 patients returned for repeated measurement. Lower levels of nasal lavage EPO were observed for patients than levels at the beginning of the season (P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Intranasal fluticasone propionate reduced inflammation of the nasal mucosa, demonstrated locally by nasal lavage ECP and EPO, and systemically by blood eosinophils, serum ECP, and serum EPO. EPO seemed more sensitive than ECP as indicator of allergic inflammation. EPO demonstrated some perennial eosinophil activity in hay fever patients, increasing locally during spring.     

GlycineB antagonists as potential therapeutic agents. Previous hopes and present reality

It is not clear what therapeutic application is most likely for agents blocking glycine site of the NMDA receptors (glycineB). Majority of the studies to date used either glycineB antagonists with doubtful brain penetration or partial agonists. Following systemic administration to rats of our newly developed glycineB antagonists (MRZ 2/570; 2/571 and 2/576) and L-701,324 (MSD) as a reference agent the following behavioural effects were observed: weak (if any) antiparkinsonian-like effects, lack of anxiolytic activity, inhibition of physical and motivational aspects of morphine dependence and neuroprotective activity in global ischaemia. The side effects include: sedation, ataxia, and myorelaxation. We detected neither vacuolisation in the cingulate cortex nor impairment of pre-pulse inhibition indicating lack of psychotomimetic potential.     

Correlation of histopathologic characteristics of primary tumor and uninvolved regional lymph nodes in Dukes' class C colonic carcinoma with prognosis

Ninety-two patients with Dukes' class C colonic carcinoma, divided equally into those who survived 5 years or more and those surviving less than 5 years after resection for cure, underwent evaluation of multiple histopathologic characteristics of the primary tumor and the uninvolved regional lymph nodes. These characteristics were analyzed by the chi-square test for correlation with survival. A statistically significant correlation (P less than 0.05) in the group who survived 5 years or more was observed for Broders' grades 1 and 2, tumor not involving serosa, and a pushing tumor margin. Of the 14 patients who had a pushing tumor margin and tumor not involving serosa, 12 (86%) survived 5 years or more. Seven patients had an infiltrating tumor margin and peritumor venous invasion, and of this group, only one (14%) survived 5 years or more. Histopathologic characteristics of host immune reaction at the tumor or in the uninvolved regional lymph nodes did not correlate with survival.     

Determining subsea permafrost characteristics with a cone penetrometer — Prudhoe Bay,Alaska

Sediments beneath the Beaufort Sea near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, were probed at 27 sites using a static cone penetrometer to determine engineering properties and distribution of material types, including ice-bonded sediments. The probe, designed and constructed at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, provided both point and casing resistance data and thermal profiles. At five sites these data were correlated with information from adjacent drilled and sampled holes. These control data and the quality of the probe information permitted profiles of sediment type and occurrence of ice-bonded material to be developed along three lines that included various geological features and depositional environments.Material properties were quite variable in the upper 14 m of sediments probed. In general, softer, finer-grained sediments occurred in the upper layers, while penetration refusal was met in stiff gravels 10 to 12 m below the seabed.Seabed temperatures during the study were all below 0°C. However, because of uncertainties in freezing point values caused by brines, evaluation of the penetration resistance data was required to identify the occurrence of ice-bonded sediments. The coupling of thermal and penetration resistance data revealed that seasonally ice-bonded sediments occurred where the sea ice froze back to or near the seabed. Deeper, perennially frozen sediments also appeared to be present at several probe sites.     

Vitamin C elevates red blood cell glutathione in healthy adults

Pre-transplant nephrectomy was done in a 25-year-old man for calculous pyelonephritis using a retroperitoneal laparoscopic approach with a newly devised ligature applicator-dissector- kidney retractor.