Detection of glaucomatous damage using multifocal ERG

The first‐order kernel analysis in multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) using low contrast stimulation is suggested as a way to detect the inner retinal responses in animal studies. In this case report, this protocol is applied to human patients with glaucoma to demonstrate the possibility of using mfERG as a tool to detect glaucomatous damage. Two patients with glaucoma were recruited and had mfERG measurements with the 103‐scaled hexagonal stimulus pattern at low (50 per cent) contrast. Their responses were analysed and compared with those from normal subjects with the mfERG measured under the same condition. In the normal subjects, there were obvious oscillatory components on the ascending and descending limbs of the first‐order kernel response to 50 per cent contrast. In the glaucomatous patients, the oscillatory component on the descending limb was obviously diminished. In addition, this component was significantly diminished in the quadrant with a glaucomatous visual field defect. This suggests that the low‐contrast stimulation condition in mERG measurement may provide a good way to detect glaucomatous damage and this may help in clinical diagnosis of glaucoma.     

生理盐水肠道冲洗辅助治疗真菌性肠炎效果观察

目的 探讨生理盐水肠道冲洗辅助治疗真菌性肠炎的疗效。方法 将72例真菌性肠炎患者随机分为观察组和对照组各36例，对照组行常规治疗，观察组在此基础上予以温生理盐水（38～41℃）500～7000ml持续肠道冲洗，3～6h／次，1次／d，治疗1～3次。结果 观察组治疗后肠道pH值显著低于治疗前及对照组治疗后（均P〈0．01），治愈率显著高于对照组（P〈0．01）。结论 对真菌性肠炎腹泻患者在常规治疗的基础上，辅以温生理盐水肠道冲洗可显著改善肠道环境，提高治愈率。     

Anti-gal-C antibody in autoimmune neuropathies subsequent to mycoplasma infection

Four of 82 patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and 1 of 12 with multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN), who previously had had Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections, had serum antibody to galactocerebroside (Gal-C). Two patients with GBS without mycoplasma infection also had anti-Gal-C antibody, whereas none of the normal or the disease controls had it. As Gal-C is a major glycolipid antigen in myelin, anti-Gal-C antibody may function in the pathogenesis of autoimmune demyelinative neuropathies. Mycoplasma pneumoniae appears to be an important preceding infectious agent in autoimmune neuropathies with anti-Gal-C antibody. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: value of diffusion-weighted and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging for diagnosis and treatment control

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is caused by the replication of JC virus in oligodendrocytes of immunocompromised patients. Diagnosis usually relies on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based demonstration of JC virus DNA in the cerebrospinal fluid. As previous reports have suggested that some patients may benefit from antiviral therapy, non-invasive early diagnosis is highly desirable. Repetitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations (two to nine) were obtained in seven patients (aged 40–67 years, six males, one female) with classical clinical and imaging findings of PML. Five patients had underlying hematological disorders and two acquired immune deficiency syndrome. PCR of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimen was positive for JC virus DNA in six patients. MRI sequences included T2-, T1- and diffusion-weighted (DW) images in all patients and diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) in four cases. DTI was once performed at 3T, in the remaining patients at 1.5T. All patients received antiviral treatment with cidofovir in addition to the treatment of the underlying disorder. MRI showed areas of T2 hyperintensity with involvement of the subcortical U-fibers and restricted diffusion in all patients. Areas of diffusion abnormality correlated with disease progress. Contrast enhancement was encountered once after successful treatment and heralded clinical remission with virus elimination from the CSF. Hence, MRI including DW and contrast-enhanced images may be used to evaluate disease activity. Contrast enhancement may indicate an inflammatory response and thus herald immunologic virus elimination.     

Non-HIV-Related Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML): A Tertiary Cancer Center Experience

In the course of 1 year at a tertiary cancer center, 3 patients (2 men; 1 woman; age 51-75 years) were seen in neurological consultation (1.5% of all consultations). Clinical course in all patients was of a progressive neurologic disorder not consistent with either a primary or secondary malignancy. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was most informative with respect to diagnosis and subsequent management. Brain biopsy was performed in all patients to assist in both diagnosis and prognostication. All patients were determined to have progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) by brain biopsy.     

Brain and kidney of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy patients contain identical rearrangements of the JC virus promoter/enhancer

The kidneys of six progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) patients were examined by PCR amplification for the presence of JC virus. Amplification of three different areas of the viral genome from multiple samples of each kidney revealed three that were positive for the virus. The use of a PCR-based typing assay on all tissue samples, and cloned sequences from the viral coding region from each positive kidney showed that the same viral genome was present in the kidney as in the brain of the patient. Regulatory region clones all had the archetypal promoter/enhancer structure. However, when PCR fragments from the regulatory region were digested with a restriction enzyme which cuts in region D, the region most often deleted in PML-type promoters, a low level of undigested DNA remained. This DNA refractory to digestion had a rearranged sequence identical to that of the unique rearranged promoter in the brain of each patient. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

腹泻灵外敷治疗急性肠炎的临床观察和实验研究

以丁香、肉桂、细辛等组成的腹泻灵外敷脐部(神阙穴)治疗急性肠炎106例,痊愈率为91.5%。并随机设立痢特灵、庆大霉素、山莨菪碱西药对照组100例,痊愈率为88%。两组相比,腹泻灵组对各项观察指标的改善情况均明显优于西药组(p<0.01)。动物实验证明,腹泻灵内用无急性毒性反应及过敏反应,长期外用无蓄积性毒性作用,对球结膜与完好皮肤及破损皮肤均无刺激作用。     

Early pathological changes in progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy: a report of two asymptomatic cases occurring prior to the AIDS epidemic

Serial sections of formalin-fixed, paraffinembedded blocks from two asymptomatic, non-AIDS cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) were stained with a double-label immunocytochemical method for detection of glial fibrillary acidic protein and JC virus (JCV) capsid proteins and with luxol fast blue/hematoxylin-eosin. In case 1 small, rounded lesions of about 1-mm diameter were seen within a restricted area in the posterior part of the superior frontal gyrus of both cerebral hemispheres, suggesting an early manifestation of the disease. Fully developed demyelinated lesions of the classical type with JCV-infected oligodendrocytes appeared in the white matter and along its border with the cortex. Lesswell-developed lesions, believed to be precursors to the fully developed ones, were seen in the gray and white matter. Of special interest were areas which contained small collections of enlarged, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive astrocytes without capsid antigen and which seemed to lack destruction of myelin as judged from the appearance of matching serial sections stained for myelin. Large lesions in the brain of case 2 showed the well-known features of advanced PML. The close relation between some astrocytes and oligodendrocytes with viral antigen raises the possibility of early intercellular passage of virus. Vacuolation, seen within or near lesions in both cases, has previously been noted in the CNS infected by HIV, but not in PML. It is suggested that PML, a disease of both oligodendrocytes and astrocytes, may actually begin in astroglial cells which, under the influence of a restricted JCV infection, become reactive, express GFAP and pass on virus to the more highly susceptible oligodendrocytes with which they are in contact.Supported in part by a grant N.S.07596 from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The work was carried out in the Laboratory of Experimental Neurophathology, NINDS, and in the Department of Pathology II, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm     

扩散张量成像和三维脑白质束示踪在多发性硬化中的临床应用

目的 探讨多发性硬化（MS）患者的MS斑块、斑块旁脑白质和T2WI上表现为正常的脑白质区（NAWM）的扩散张量成像（DTI）特点，并探讨DTI和三维脑白质束示踪技术对MS的应用价值。方法 对32例MS患者和32名与MS患者年龄性别配对的正常人进行头部DTI检查，生成表观扩散系数图（ADC）和部分各向异性图（FA），分别选取MS斑块、斑块旁脑白质区、NAWM区和对照组正常人相应脑白质区测量ADC值和FA值，并使用示踪技术做出三维脑白质束图像。结果 MS斑块、斑块旁脑白质区、NAWM区和对照组的ADC平均值分别为（1．233±0．119）、（0．973±0．098）、（0．748±0．089）×10^-3mm^2／s和（0．620±0．094）×10^-3mm^2／s，FA平均值分别为0．225±0．052、0．311±0．050、0．421±0．070和0．476±0．069。对MS斑块、斑块旁脑白质、NAWM数据进行随机区组方差分析最小显著差法检验，差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。MS斑块、斑块旁脑白质、NAWM分别和对照组配对t检验，差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。用三维脑白质束图像可以观察到MS斑块。结论 使用DTI检查生成的ADC图和FA图可以有助于评价MS中各部位脑白质的改变。通过三维脑白质束示踪图像可以立体直观地显示MS斑块区白质束的异常。