Obstructive sleep apnea treatment with dental appliance

The case of a 40-year-old male patient with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is reported, with emphasis on treatment with a dental appliance. This therapeutic approach, which has been focused on recent research, has as its objective, the posturing of the mandibule and, consequently, the tongue more anteriorly, thus in turn leading to an increase in the posterior oropharyngeal airway space (PAS). Cephalometry contributed determining in this case whereby enlargement limits were observed in the PAS with mandibular displacement. Clinical and polysomnographic controls showed subjective reduction of the excessive daytime sleepiness and objective decrease in apneas intensity to normal limits. Eight months follow-up evidenced the steady improvement.     

Filariasis and erisipela in Santo Domingo

Protein complexes present different degrees of stability. We have previously described a glycoprotein from Bacillus thuringiensis that appeared as a multimer unable to be dissociated by the usual SDS-containing sample buffers of pH 6.8. In order to dissociate the complex, a SDS-containing sample buffer of pH 9 was described. In the present report three additional protein complexes with different degrees of stability and the effect of that dissociating sample buffer are described. The study of SDS critical micellar concentration values as a function of pH explains the improvement of dissociating properties at pH 9.     

Mutations in haemophilia A

In the present study DNA from 281 unrelated haemophilia A patients including 15 inhibitor patients has been analysed by Southern blotting technique. Using various restriction enzymes, cloned factor VIII cDNA probes and genomic fragments we have identified 14 mutations. Six of the mutations are novel partial factor VIII gene deletions. One deletion affects exon 1, two deletions concern exon 6, another deletion, of which breakpoints are sequenced, takes part of exon 16 and two deletions affect exon 26. Besides the deletions, eight point mutations have been found at the TaqI restriction sites of exons 18, 24 and 26. Five C-->T mutations resulted in nonsense mutations, one in exon 18, one in exon 26 and three in exon 24. Two G-->A mutations caused a missense mutation in exon 24 leading to an arginine/glutamine exchange. Although two patients showed this mutation, their clinical phenotypes were different, possibly due to an additional unidentified sequence polymorphism. A G-->T mutation in exon 26 substituted the arginine with leucine. All deletions and seven of the point mutations are associated with severe disease with a detectable inhibitor in the patient with the TaqI-point mutation in exon 18. One of the G-->A mutations is associated with mild haemophilia but the patient also has developed an inhibitor. Amongst these mutations the origin of the mutation could be determined in four kindred, one of which showed maternal mosaicism.     

Methods and technique of investigations in the course of sport activities of children (author's transl)

In order to carry out investigations in the course of sport activities of children an efficient telemetering device is essential, which can also be used on children. The Kinderspital Salzburg has developed a telemetry system in cooperation with the Technische Versuchs- und Forschungsanstalt der Technischen Hochschule Wien and the Messerschmitt-B?lkow-Blohm-Werke München. For the first time in this field a Pulse Code Modulation (P.C.M.) System was utilized, implying high accuracy on data transmission and recovery as required for scientific examinations. The children's physical capacity is determined on a bicycle ergometer, and the performance measured in this fashion is then compared with the performance achieved in sport.     

Prolonged and monosymptomatic dysphasic status epilepticus

Dysphasic seizures are an infrequent form of epilepsy, and their serial appearance as a partial status epilepticus is quite exceptional. The young patient reported here had a partial dysphasic status epilepticus of 3 weeks' duration without other temporal lobe seizures. Simultaneous serial electroencephalograms, tape recordings of the seizures, and repeated neuropsychologic ictal examinations permitted studies of increased impairment of neuropsychologic function on testing and the appearance of new irritative discharges on encephalography.     

Disulfiram-induced acetonemia in the rat and man

Disulfiram treatment caused marked elevations of circulating blood acetone levels in rat and man. In the rat, disulfiram (0.59 g/kg, p.o.) given singly or for three consecutive days increased the fasting blood acetone levels 5- and 25-fold, fespectively. Circulating acetone levels were also estimated noninvasively in man by measuring acetone in the expired air. A 15-fold increase in the expired air acetone levels was observed in a group of five male non-fasting subjects taking disulfiram (250 mg daily) for a minimum of one month, when compared to control subjects.     

Command neurons in the unconditioned reflex arc of the grape snail

Independent intracellular activation of any one of the five identified neurones elicits a behavioral act of pneumostome closing. Similar closing is evoked by adequate stimulation of different modalities. Comparison of unconditioned reflex properties and characteristics of responses of the studied cells leads to the conclusion that neurones under discussion are command elements for the unconditioned reflex. Command neurones respond to all sensory stimuli which can evoke reflex closing. There is a lot of synchronous EPSPs in their spontaneous activity, but no action potentials. A spike discharge of command neurones evoked by an adequate stimulus always precedes the effector movements but there is no action potentials during the pneumostome closing. Conclusion is made that the functional role of command neurones in the unconditioned reflex arc consists in evaluating the sensory input and in triggering motor programmes.