Chronic orbital hematic cysts: a case for craniofacial correction

Chronic hematic cysts are rare conditions that usually present to the ophthalmic surgeons with displacement of the globe. There is usually no, or minimal, bone involvement. Two patients with unusual presentations of chronic orbital hematic cysts are reported. These cysts resulted in significant expansion and erosion of the bony orbits. The presentation, operative findings, and reconstruction are reported and discussed.     

Comparison of single-dose oral grepafloxacin with cefixime for treatment of uncomplicated gonorrhea in men. The STD Study Group

In a randomized open study, 351 male patients with uncomplicated gonorrhea were given single oral doses of grepafloxacin (400 mg) or cefixime (400 mg). In the 299 microbiologically evaluable patients, urethral infections were cured in 99% (147 of 149) of those receiving grepafloxacin and 97% (145 of 150) of those given cefixime. Eradication rates for both regimens were 100% in the 16% (47 of 299) of participants who were infected with penicillin-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae and 97% in the 21% (62 of 299) of participants infected with tetracycline-resistant strains. Grepafloxacin is a well-tolerated alternative to cefixime for treatment of uncomplicated gonorrhea in males.     

Lung transplantation in children

The first lung transplantation in the Netherlands was carried out in 1990. Since, the operation has been performed in over one hundred adults and two children (up to 16 years) with chronic respiratory insufficiency. Most lung transplantations in children are performed because of cystic fibrosis. After referral, the patient is given information about the operation and the pre- and postoperative periods, and the transplantation team advises on the time of screening. Some one-third of the children referred ultimately undergo transplantation; the others refrain from the operation, are rejected or die during the waiting period. Owing to a shortage of donor lungs the waiting period for transplantation may last over one year. A possible but controversial solution is donation of a pulmonary lobe by a close relative. Undergoing lung transplantation places a heavy (psychic) burden on the patient and his parents. Every patient after lung transplantation goes through an average of two or three periods of acute rejection. Chronic rejection occurs in 20-40%. Other complications are connected to medication (infections, renal dysfunction) or to the underlying disease (diabetes mellitus in cystic fibrosis). The percentages of survival for 1, 2 and 4 years are approx. 60-70, 55-60 and 30-50, dependent in part on the type of lung transplantation (unilateral, bilateral or combined heart-lung transplantation). A reasonable condition of the patient owing to timely referral is a positive prognostic factor.     

RNA-protein interactions within the 3 ' untranslated region of vimentin mRNA

Several functions have been attributed to protein binding within the 3'untranslated region (3'UTR) of mRNA, including mRNA localization, stability, and translational repression. Vimentin is an intermediate filament protein whose 3'untranslated sequence is highly conserved between species. In order to identify sequences that might play a role in vimentin mRNA function, we synthesized32P-labeled RNA from different regions of vimentin's 3'UTR and assayed for protein binding with HeLa extracts using band shift assays. Sequences required for binding are contained within a region 61-114 nucleotides downstream of the stop codon, a region which is highly conserved from Xenopus to man. As judged by competition assays, binding is specific. Solution probing studies of 32P-labeled RNA with various nucleases and lead support a complex stem and loop structure for this region. Finally, UV cross-linking of the RNA-protein complex identifies an RNA binding protein of 46 kDa. Fractionation of a HeLa extract on a sizing column suggests that in addition to the 46 kDa protein, larger complexes containing additional protein(s) can be identified. Vimentin mRNA has been shown to be localized to the perinuclear region of the cytoplasm, possibly at sites of intermediate filament assembly. To date, all sequences required for localization of various mRNAs have been confined to the 3'UTR. Therefore, we hypothesize that this region and associated protein(s) might be important for vimentin mRNA function such as in localization.     

Sex differences in olfactory identification and Wisconsin Card Sorting performance in schizophrenia: relationship to attention and verbal ability

We investigated the hypothesis that different prefrontal brain systems (i.e., dorsal vs. ventral) and sex contribute differentially to cognitive deficit in schizophrenia. Performance was assessed among clinically stable, chronic schizophrenic outpatients and matched normal control subjects on olfactory identification [on the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT)] and on executive functions [using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST)]. Patients were impaired on both tests compared to controls, and male schizophrenics were impaired on the WCST compared to female schizophrenics. The pattern of results suggests that gender differences on the UPSIT are mildly accentuated in schizophrenia. The data support our previous study indicating that UPSIT performance is largely independent of the executive or attentional deficits typically associated with schizophrenia, with the exception of verbal ability. Further research with larger samples is required to test the hypothesis that there is a severely impaired subgroup of male patients with diffuse prefrontal dysfunctions.