The volume of the cerebral ventricles in vertebrates

The relative volume of the brain ventricles in Vertebrates decreases from fishes to mammals and from embryos to adults. The comparison of Chondrichthyans and Teleosteans shows that the high encephalization of the former is not only due to the difference between the relative volume of the ventricular spaces.     

Congenital serous cyst of the orbit with anophthalmos

The authors reported a case of orbital congenital serous cyst with anophtalmos. It was a third type of Duke Elder classification. Although it looked sporadic, this malformation is hereditary and due to a disharmony between optic cup growth and differenciation. Ultrasonography and scanner could confirm the diagnosis and helped to discard orbital and eyelid angioma and meningocele. After excision, a prosthesis must be adapted in the orbit.     

Buprenorphine and midazolam act in combination to depress respiration in rats.

High dose buprenorphine is used as substitution treatment in human heroin addiction. Deaths have been reported in addicts using buprenorphine, frequently in association with benzodiazepines. In the current study, we observed the effects of buprenorphine and midazolam alone and in combination on arterial blood gases. Four groups of 10 male Sprague-Dawley rats received a parenteral injection of aqueous solvent, buprenorphine (30 mg/kg, iv), midazolam (160 mg/kg, ip), or buprenorphine (30 mg/kg, iv) plus midazolam (160 mg/kg, ip). Serial blood gases were obtained over 3 hours. There was a mild but significant effect of buprenorphine alone in comparison with the aqueous solvent on PaCO2 at 60 min (6.24 vs. 5.65 kPa, p< 0.01). There was also a mild but significant effect of midazolam alone in comparison with aqueous solvent on arterial pH at 90 min (7.33 vs. 7.41,p< 0.001) and PaCO2 at 60 min (6.52 vs. 5.65 kPa,p< 0.01). The combination of midazolam and buprenorphine produces a rapid, profound, and prolonged respiratory depression, as demonstrated by an increase in PaCO2 at 7.65 +/- 0.12 kPa at 20 min and a decrease in arterial pH at 7.25 +/- 0.02 at 20 min, with appearance of delayed hypoxia with a decrease in PaO2 at 8.74 +/- 0.20 kPa at 120 min. These data show that high doses of midazolam and buprenorphine alone have limited effects on arterial blood gases in rats while midazolam and buprenorphine appear to act in an additive or synergistic fashion to depress ventilation in rats.     

Human IgE responses to rSm22.6 are associated with infection intensity rather than age per se, in a recently established focus of Schistomiasis mansoni

In studies of schistosomasis mansoni-endemic communities, individuals with IgE responses to a 22 kD adult worm antigen (rSm22.6) suffered lower intensities of reinfection after treatment. It is of interest to define the factors that lead to the production of rSm22.6-specific IgE because it is a marker for resistant individuals and it may be involved in the development of resistance to reinfection. In endemic populations rSm22.6-specific IgE increases linearly with age. However, it is not possible to distinguish between age per se and 'history of infection' in endemic populations because individuals are exposed to the parasite at an early age. We have, therefore, quantified pre- and post-treatment isotype responses to rSm22.6 in a comparatively 'epidemic' Senegalese community where the patients were infected at different ages and where pre-treatment intensity of infection can be taken as a reasonable measure of antigen exposure. Post-treatment isotype responses to rSm22.6 correlated positively with pre-treatment intensities of infection but were not shown to be related to age. IgG1, IgG4 and IgE responses to rSm22.6 were significantly higher after treatment with the difference increasing with the pre-treatment level of infection. These results from a recently established focus of infection suggest that isotype responses to rSm22.6 are antigen-exposure dependent rather than dependent on age per se .     

Intracardiac rhabdomyomas in neonates: report of three cases

Three cases of intracardiac rhabdomyomas in neonates are presented. All were diagnosed by ultrasound, one prenatally and two directly after birth. Two of the patients were operated on during the neonatal period. The operations were carried out on the ultrasound findings alone. One patient was considered inoperable and died at three weeks of age. The two surviving patients have no cardiac symptoms and involution of the tumors has taken place. Two of the three patients have shown signs of tuberous sclerosis.