Combined neurosurgical-otolaryngologic operative approach to a massive nasoethmoidal encephalomeningocele

Frontal encephaloceles are uncommon yet challenging therapeutic problems that require careful planning and cooperation between the disciplines of neurosurgery and head and neck surgery. A case presentation is discussed together with the embryology, differential diagnosis, and surgical approach to the problem.     

Alpers'' disease

Observations on skin reflectance were made on 309 endogamous Indian families, for constitutive (medial upper arm) and facultative skin colour (forehead) to investigate which of the two colours is under a rigid control of genetic action. An assessment of data by coefficient of correlation "r" show that facultative colour is inherited more strictly than the constitutive colour.
Received 4 July, accepted 3 October 1983     

Evaluation of osteopontin as biomarker for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a deadly disease with an overall 5-year patient survival of less than 5%. This dismal prognosis of pancreatic cancer is largely due to the advanced stage of the disease at presentation. If pancreatic cancer could be diagnosed more readily and accurately using serum markers, patient survival could theoretically be improved by enabling more patients to avail of surgical resection. One candidate tumor marker recently identified by global gene expression analysis of pancreatic cancer is the secreted glycophosphoprotein osteopontin (OPN). In this study, we evaluate OPN as a serum marker of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. METHODS: In situ hybridization for OPN was performed on a pancreatic adenocarcinoma tissue microarray. Serum OPN levels were determined in preoperative sera from 50 patients with pancreatic cancer and 22 healthy control individuals by competitive ELISA. RESULTS: In situ hybridization for OPN performed on a tissue microarray revealed strong OPN mRNA signal in tumor-infiltrating macrophages in 8 of 14 pancreatic adenocarcinomas. In contrast, OPN expression was not seen in the pancreatic cancer cells themselves, nor was it seen in normal pancreatic tissue or in the macrophages distant from the infiltrating cancer. Serum OPN levels, as measured by ELISA, were elevated in the sera of 50 patients with resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma compared to 22 healthy control individuals (mean +/- SD for OPN was 482 +/- 170 ng/ml and 204 +/- 65 ng/ml, respectively; P < 0.001). Using a cutoff level of 2 SD above the mean for healthy individuals, elevated OPN had sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 97% for pancreatic cancer. In contrast, only 62% of these patients with resectable pancreatic cancer had elevated CA19-9. CONCLUSIONS: Serum OPN may have utility as a diagnostic marker in patients with pancreatic cancer.     

Sialadenitis in children

Sialadenitis in children has been discussed. A literature review highlighting salient points in sialadenitis is presented. Classification of sialadenitis is discussed using the categories of several authors. An unusual case involving acute suppurative parotitis in a child is presented. The development of contralateral disease while treatment was in progress was unusual. In this case, association with mumps parotitis was strongly suspected despite previous immunization. Progression of disease with abscess formation is also unusual. Mumps virus parotitis has been rarely reported in association with acute suppurative parotitis. Immunization affords protection, but a definite failure rate exists. Based upon histologic examination, mumps parotitis would seem to be a predisposing factor for bacterial infection.     

Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx Arising in Multifocal Pharyngolaryngeal Oncocytic Papillary Cystadenoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

We report on a rare case of a laryngeal carcinoma arising in a multifocal pharyngolaryngeal oncocytic papillary cystadenoma (OPC). The disease of a 63-year-old man is well documented by computed and positron emission tomography, histology, and electron microscopy. We could show that an OPC can even develop in the pharynx. The coexistence of both tumors makes this a challenging diagnosis for pathologists. Treated by surgery and radiotherapy, both lesions dissolved. Based on the literature available, we discuss the theory that the laryngeal carcinoma might be the result of a true metaplasia facilitated by chronic irritation and recommend a regular follow-up for OPC too. As in benign oncocytic lesions, we could show that the detection of numerous mitochondria is a diagnostic indicator for malignant variants as well.     

亮度知觉效应与视觉加工方式研究

目的:利用微持续与微间隔时间技术,设计了两组相关的实验,对亮度知觉效应和视觉加工方式进行探讨。方法:实验于2006-06在中南民族大学物理楼脑认知实验室进行,所有受试者为年龄20～25岁的大学本科生,视力(含矫正视力)正常,均为右利手。①实验1:被试为10名(男5名,女5名),要求被试分别对n屏依次呈现的亮块的明度和n 1屏依次呈现的亮块的明度进行比较(n≤17)。②实验2:被试为28名(男13名,女15名),实验涉及两个刺激物,先呈现的刺激物由左右两个大小相同、亮度不同的亮块a和b组成,后呈现的刺激物把a和b的位置进行对调,当这两个刺激物依次显示时,要求被试报告左右两边的明度是否存在差异,存在何种差异。结果:①实验1∶1≤n≤3时,100%的被试报告,n 1屏的明度大于n屏的亮度,即n 1>n;4≤n≤10时,70%～90%的被试报告n 1>n;n>10时,50%～70%的被试报告n 1>n;随着n值的增加明度差异也在减小,大约在n=17时达到稳定,n屏和n 1屏的明度区别将很难被看出。②实验2:在L(a)b a,随着a和b的亮度差异减小,左右两边呈现的明度越相似;同样当L(a)相似文献   

The rational design of TAP inhibitors using peptide substrate modifications and peptidomimetics

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-encoded transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP) translocates peptides from the cytosol into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. This step precedes the binding of peptides to MHC class I molecules and is essential for cell surface expression of the MHC class I/peptide complex. TAP has a broad sequence specificity and a preference for peptides of around 9 amino acids. To synthesize inhibitors for TAP, we studied various alterations of the peptide substrate. The results indicate that TAP is stereospecific and that peptide bonds engineered into isosteric structures can improve translocation of the peptide. Furthermore, TAP is able to translocate peptides with large side chains that correspond to a peptide of ～ 21 amino acids in extended conformation. Peptides with longer side chains compete for the peptide binding site of TAP but fail to be translocated. Therefore, they represent the first rationally designed inhibitors of TAP.     

Randomised primary health center based interventions to improve the diagnosis and treatment of undifferentiated fever and dengue in Vietnam

Background  

Fever is a common reason for attending primary health facilities in Vietnam. Response of health care providers to patients with fever commonly consists of making a presumptive diagnosis and proposing corresponding treatment. In Vietnam, where malaria was brought under control, viral infections, notably dengue, are the main causes of undifferentiated fever but they are often misdiagnosed and inappropriately treated with antibiotics.     

三康胶囊对高原移居者运动后NO乳酸及血氨的影响

目的探讨三康胶囊对高原人体运动后一氧化氮(NO)及其合酶(NOS)、乳酸(BLA)、血氨(Ammo)的影响.方法选择进驻海拔3 700 m高原1年的10名健康青年,口服三康胶囊15 d,在服药前后分别采用功量自行车进行渐增负荷运动,测定其血清 NO、NOS、BLA及Ammo含量.结果服药后较服药前运动后NO水平[(101.02±6.49) Vs (77.10±8.11)]和NOS活性[(71.40±7.23) Vs (56.29±6.28)]均增高, BLA[(7.58±0.79)Vs (6.13±0.74)]和Ammo[(80.11±9.44)Vs (69.38±8.86)]降低,有非常显著性差异(P＜0.01).结论 三康胶囊能增强高原移居者运动后NOS活性,加速乳酸清除,减缓运动疲劳的发生.