Minor inflammatory lesions and sudden infant death: cause, coincidence, or epiphenomena?

Minor inflammatory changes are often found in tissues of infants who die suddenly. Recently it has been proposed that these infiltrates signal significant underlying infectious disease and are responsible for death. Currently there is no unanimity about the percentage of cases in which inflammatory infiltrates occur and no international consensus in regard to the minimal criteria required for their diagnosis or their significance. We recommend that the presence of minor inflammatory infiltrates should not detract from the diagnosis of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) until further study has determined otherwise.     

Mannolipid donor specificity of glycosylphosphatidylinositol mannosyltransferase-I (GPIMT-I) determined with an assay system utilizing mutant CHO-K1 cells

The microsomal enzyme glycosylphosphatidylinositol mannosyltransferase I (GPIMT-I) catalyses the transfer of a mannosyl residue from beta-mannosylphosphoryldolichol (beta-Man-P-Dol) to glucosamine-alpha(1,6)(acyl)phosphatidylinositol (GlcN-aPI) to form Man alpha(1,4)GlcN-aPI (ManGlcN-aPI), an intermediate in glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) synthesis. While the transfer of [3H]mannosyl units to endogenous GlcN-aPI was not seen when membrane fractions from normal Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) K1 cells were incubated with exogenous [3H]Man-P-Dol, GPIMT-I activity could be characterized with an in vitro enzyme assay system employing membrane fractions from Lec15 or Lec35 cells. These CHO cell mutants apparently contain elevated levels of endogenous GlcN-aPI due to the inability to synthesize (Lec15) or utilize (Lec35) beta-Man-P-Dol in vivo. The presence of a saturated alpha-isoprene unit in the dolichyl moiety is required for optimal GPIMT-I activity since beta-mannosylphosphorylpolyprenol (beta-Man-P-Poly), which contains a fully unsaturated polyisoprenyl chain, was only 50% as effective as beta-[3H]Man-P-Dol as a mannosyl donor. When beta-[3H]-Man-P-Dol and alpha-[3H]Man-P-Dol were compared as substrates, GPIMT-I exhibited a strict stereospecificity for the mannolipid containing the beta-mannosyl-phosphoryl linkage. beta-[3H]Man-P-dolichols containing 11 or 19 isoprenyl units were equally effective substrates for GPIMT-I. Membrane fractions from Lec 9, a CHO mutant that apparently lacks polyprenol reductase activity and synthesizes very little beta-Man-P-Dol, but accumulates beta-Man-P-Poly, synthesized no detectable Man-GlcN-aPI when incubated with beta-[3H]Man-P-Dol in vitro. This indirect assay suggests that GlcN-aPI does not accumulate in Lec 9 cells, possibly because it is mannosylated via beta-Man-P-Poly, or perhaps the small amount of Man-P-Dol formed by the mutant in vivo.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

T cell response to two immunodominant proteolipid protein (PLP) peptides in multiple sclerosis patients and healthy controls

Despite the fact that the neuroleptic drugs have been widely used for more than 40 years, one of their most common side-effects, akathisia, has been relatively neglected. There are still no universally agreed diagnostic criteria for akathisia, particularly chronic akathisia, and in this review article, we discuss the controversies surrounding the voluntary nature of its motor features and the importance of the dysphoric component. We also review the published epidemiological studies to show the great variation in frequency of occurrence. Finally, we discuss the possible neurotransmitters involved in the pathophysiology and treatment of this condition.     

The Green Bay cesarean section study. IV. The physician factor as a determinant of cesarean birth rates for the large fetus

OBJECTIVES: Our purpose was to determine those factors affecting the route of delivery decisions and the effect of delivery route on maternal and newborn outcomes with the macrosomic fetus. Do higher cesarean rates result in improved newborn outcomes? STUDY DESIGN: A 10-year (1985 to 1994) retrospective data set was used to analyze patients with newborns weighing > or = 4536 and 4000 to 4535 gm at two Green Bay hospitals. Patients with newborns weighing 2500 to 3999 gm were similarly analyzed for comparison purposes. Individual and obstetrician group cesarean rates and newborn and maternal outcomes were identified. RESULTS: Cesarean birth rates for the fetus weighing > 4000 gm were low and varied from 12.8% in the low obstetrician cesarean rate group to 24.0% in the high group. Higher obstetrician group cesarean rates did not result in improved newborn outcomes. Newborn morbidity and mortality were very low but significantly higher for cesarean birth newborns. Maternal complications were fairly low with cesarean birth and rare after vaginal delivery. CONCLUSION: Patients with a suspected macrosomic fetus should be given the same opportunity to achieve a vaginal delivery as patients with smaller fetuses.     

Hypophosphatemia and the development of rickets in osteopetrotic (op/op) mice

Our previous work has shown that op/op mice hyperabsorb dietary calcium in the vitamin D-deficient state and shunt that calcium into bone. Under these conditions, the op/op mice are hypocalcemic. The purpose of this study was to examine calcium metabolism and bone mineralization in vitamin D-deficient op/op mice. First, the op/op mice and their normal littermates were placed on a vitamin D-deficient, low phosphorus diet to limit bone mineralization. Under these circumstances, op/op mice survived, even when calcium was also removed from the diet. If the diet contained phosphate, op/op mice died from hypocalcemic tetany when calcium was also removed from the diet. Furthermore, serum calcium levels became similar to wild type in the op/op mice administered the vitamin D-deficient, low phosphorus diet, and op/op mice were able to increase serum calcium in response to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. The op/op mice developed rickets when their serum phosphorus level was too low to support bone mineralization. The op/op mice became hypophosphatemic on regimens in which normal mice were able to maintain normal serum phosphorus levels. It appears that the op/op mouse simply requires a higher dietary calcium and phosphorus level to prevent rickets and hypocalcemic tetany since the bone is not available as a source of these minerals. However, the ability of the op/op mouse to mineralize bone at low serum calcium and phosphorus levels remains unexplained.     

Survival of patients with carcinoma of the esophagus treated with combined-modality therapy

Since 1985, 229 cases of carcinoma of the esophagus have been considered for entry into a protocol with the use of preoperative chemotherapy and radiation therapy followed by surgical intervention as the primary element of treatment. One hundred sixty-five patients (93 with adenocarcinoma and 72 with squamous cell carcinoma) had esophagogastrectomy. The 5-year survival of the protocol patients who underwent resection was 25% for both groups--squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Of the protocol patients with squamous cell carcinoma who underwent resection, 40% had a sterilized specimen, whereas of those with adenocarcinoma, 20% had a sterilized specimen. If the patient had a sterilized specimen, the 5-year survival was approximately 60% for adenocarcinoma and 40% for squamous cell carcinoma. Those patients with adenocarcinoma and Barrett's esophagus had a 5-year survival of 55%. Of the patients who underwent only esophagectomy and esophagogastrectomy and had not been entered into the protocol, none lived beyond 3 years. The operative mortality rate for those who had esophagogastrectomy was 5%. Sixty-four patients completed the radiation therapy and chemotherapy but did not undergo surgical procedures because of progressive disease or refusal. Of those patients who completed chemotherapy and radiation therapy without surgical intervention, 5-year survival was 18% in patients with squamous cell carcinoma, whereas no patients with adenocarcinoma survived beyond 3 years. The finding of a sterilized specimen after esophagectomy is a favorable prognostic factor in patients with adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma. The finding that patients with Barrett's esophagus and adenocarcinoma have an improved chance for survival is perhaps related to an earlier diagnosis. It is clear that some patients with squamous cell carcinoma who did not undergo surgical procedures did have a sterilized specimen, because the survival in this group approached 20% at 5 years.     

Unusual gunshot injuries

Ectopic meningioma outside the skull and spinal column is uncommon. We report a cutaneous meningioma of the scalp in a 77-year-old man. A review of types and their management options are discussed. We also highlight that in certain carefully selected cases, these lesions can be treated conservatively.