Magnetic resonance imaging in full-term infants with repetitive focal seizures.

We report two full-term infants who developed repetitive focal seizures within the first 48 hours of life. Neither infant had predisposing factors and there were no abnormalities on a computed tomography (CT) scan performed on day 2 of life. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed during the second week of life showed a focal hemorrhagic infarction in both patients. We conclude that either an MRI or a contrast-enhanced CT scan should be obtained within 1 week in patients in whom the initial imaging technique failed to reveal a focal lesion, at which time a cerebral infarction can be diagnosed with greater sensitivity.     

Protection of mouse oesophageal mucosa against gamma rays injury.

The alterations in the oesophageal epithelium were studied in mice after a single whole-body exposure to 7.5 Gy of Co-60 gamma rays in presence or absence of 2-mercaptopropionyl glycine. The epithelium showed an increase in the thickness which reached a maximum on the third day and then decreased gradually up to seventh day after irradiation in the non-drug treated group. In the 2-mercaptopropionyl glycine treated animals the epithelial thickness remained in the normal range except on the day 7 when it was significantly lower than normal. The total cell population registered a steady decline from one to seven days post-irradiation in both groups, but the number of cells was more in the 2-mercaptopropionyl glycine treated group. The number of pycnotic nuclei showed an inverse relationship to the total cell population, it increased continuously up to seven days in both the protected and non-protected groups. However, pycnotic nuclei were significantly lower in the protected group on days 3, 5 and 7 in non-protected group.     

Proliferative characteristics of intestinalized mucosa in the distal esophagus and gastroesophageal junction (short-segment Barrett's esophagus): a case control study

Intestinalized epithelium in traditional long-segment Barrett's esophagus (BE) shows increased proliferative activity, which is postulated to be an early step in the metaplasia-dysplasia-carcinoma sequence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the proliferative activity of intestinalized epithelium of the distal esophagus and gastroesophageal junction (IMEGEJ). Tissue sections from 78 consecutive patients (20 with IMEGEJ, 58 without IMEGEJ) who had elective upper gastrointestinal endoscopy over a 6-month period were immunohistochemically stained with MIB-1, the Ki-67 proliferation-antigen-associated marker, for evaluation of the crypt MIB-1 proliferation index (PI), size of the proliferative zone (PZ), and the presence of surface epithelial staining. Data from the IMEGEJ and non-IMEGEJ groups, and from 15 age-matched patients with traditional long-segment BE (>3.0 cm), were compared statistically. IMEGEJ patients showed a statistically significant increase in the mean crypt PI compared with non-IMEGEJ controls (21.9+/-19.5 v 14.3+/-9.3; P=.01). In addition, IMEGEJ cases showed an increase in the mean crypt PZ (52.3+/-16.4 v 45.2+/-17.2; P=.05), and a trend toward an increase in the percentage of cases with MIB-1-positive surface epithelial cells (50% v 33%, P=.18). Patients with IMEGEJ did not differ from patients without IMEGEJ with respect to any other clinical or histological feature, including signs or symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease and presence or absence of esophagitis or carditis. The MIB-1 results of the patients with long-segment BE (MIB-1 PI = 22.6+/-20.5, MIB-1 PZ = 51.8+/-19.6, proportion of cases with MIB-1-positive surface cells = 66%) were similar to those with IMEGEJ. Intestinalized epithelium in the distal esophagus or gastroesophageal junction shows increased proliferative activity in comparison with patients without intestinalized epithelium. This finding supports an increased risk of carcinogenesis in patients with IMEGEJ.     

Immune regulation during allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis

Allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis (ABPM) is a devastating pulmonary disease that results from an aggressive allergic response to fungal colonization in the airways. Animal models using either fungal antigen or live infection reproduce most of the clinical features seen during ABPM in humans. Results from these studies have facilitated a detailed analysis of the key factors involved in the afferent as well as efferent phase of the disease. This review focuses on allergic bronchopulmonary disease caused by two different fungi (Aspergillus fumigatus and Cryptococcus neoformans): allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and allergic bronchopulmonary cryptococcosis. Observations from both models underline the importance of initial innate immune responses and their translation into appropriate adaptive responses. In addition, data derived from knockout studies give emphasis to targeting cytokines and chemokines as a therapeutic strategy in the treatment of ABPM.     

Histochemical similarities between human and animal globoid cells in Krabbe's disease: a lectin study

Summary Lectin-histochemical studies were performed on paraffin-embedded brain tissue sections to identify the specific sugar residues of undegraded stored substances in the cytoplasm of globoid cells from patients with globoid cell leukodystrophy. We studied brain tissues from six human patients with galactosylceramide lipidosis (i. e., Krabbe's disease) and compared them to brain tissues from animals with a similar enzyme deficiency including seven Twitcher mice, three dogs and two cats. The globoid cells in all 18 cases studied stained with succinylated-wheat germ agglutinin (S-WGA), but did not stain withDilichos biflorus agglutinin, soybean agglutinin orUlex europaeus agglutinin-I.Bandeirea simplicifolia agglutinin-I stained the globoid cells in Twitcher mice, dogs and cats but not those in humans.Concanavalia ensiformis agglutinin, wheat germ agglutinin andRicinus communis agglutinin-I all stained each of the globoid cells in the mouse, dog and cat tissues, but only in some of the human cases. Peanut agglutinin, however, variably stained globoid cells in the mouse and dog cases but not at all in the human and cat cases. These results demonstrate a common terminal carbohydrate residueN-acetyl glucosamine, which binds S-WGA in the undergraded material stored within the globoid cells in galactoceramide lipidosis. These cells also contained various other stored molecules with sugar residues whose nature is determined by species or individually.Supported by grants NS21765 and HD05515 from the National Institutes of Health