Inactivation of cytomegalovirus and Semliki Forest virus by butylated hydroxytoluene.

Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) is an antioxidant that is widely used in foods because it prevents spoilage by delaying degradation of lipid components. This hydrophobic compound inactivated human and murine cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Semliki Forest virus (SFV). Both human and murine CMV were inactivated more than 90% by 40 microgram of BHT/ml after incubation for 1 hr at 37 C. Under the same conditions, SVF was inactivated about 75%, whereas poliovirus, which does not contain lipid membrane as a part of its structure, was not inactivated at all. Vaccinia virus was less sensitive to BHT than was CMV or SFV.     

Dopamine receptor-mediated depression of spinal monosynaptic transmission

The effects of the dopamine agonists apomorphine, lisuride and lergotrile were evaluated on cat spinal cord monosynaptic transmission by stimulating the dorsal root and recording the ventral root compound action potential. All 3 agonists decreased the area of the monosynaptic response. This effect was prevented by pretreatment with the dopamine antagonists haloperidol and metoclopramide, but not with the alpha-adrenergic antagonist phentolamine. These results suggest the existence of spinal cord dopamine receptors which can modulate motor output.     

What is the minimal uterine cavity needed for a normal pregnancy? An extreme case of Asherman syndrome.

There are no reports on the subsequent anatomic findings in women with intrauterine adhesions who conceived and delivered after therapy, but our experience indicates that most of these women menstruate and conceive normally. The recurrence of intrauterine adhesions, together with preserved fertility in this patient, suggest that fertility, while usually correlated with subsequent resumption of normal menstruation and anatomy, may sometimes be independent of these features.     

Spinal dissemination following operation on cerebral oligodendroglioma

Summary This paper concerns two cases of cerebral oligodendroglioma (intraventricular in one case, right temporal in the other), with spinal dissemination (cervical and upper thoracic respectively), manifested clinically 2 years and 14 months respectively after removal of the cerebral tumour. Anatomical examination confirmed the diagnosis of disseminated oligodendroglioma in the leptomeninges in both cases and also in the parenchyma in the second case.