Agmatine, a metabolite of L-arginine, reverses scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment in rats

Agmatine (l-amino-4-guanidino-butane), a metabolite of L-arginine through the action of arginine decarboxylase, is a novel neurotransmitter. In the present study, effects of agmatine on cognitive functions have been evaluated by using one trial step-down passive avoidance and three panel runway task. Agmatine (20, 40, 80 mg/kg i.p.) was administered either in the presence or absence of a cholinergic antagonist, scopolamine (1 mg/kg i.p.). Scopolamine significantly impaired learning and memory in both passive avoidance and three panel runway test. Agmatine did not affect emotional learning, working and reference memory but significantly improved scopolamine-induced impairment of learning and memory in a dose dependent manner. Our results indicate that agmatine, as an endogenous substance, may have an important role in modulation of learning and memory functions.     

Recurrence of brain tumours in patients treated with growth hormone: analysis of KIGS (Pfizer International Growth Database)

Background: Growth hormone (GH) has been used successfully in the treatment of short stature secondary to GH deficiency in survivors of childhood brain tumours. There has been concern that GH might increase the risk of recurrence. Aim: To analyse KIGS (Pfizer International Growth Database) with respect to tumour recurrence in patients with brain tumours. Methods: Data for tumour recurrence were analysed retrospectively in 1038 patients with craniopharyngiomas, 655 with medulloblastomas, 113 with ependymomas, 297 with germinomas, and 400 with astrocytomas or gliomas. All patients had received recombinant human GH (Genotropin®, Pfizer Inc.). Results: Recurrence-free survival rates were 63% at a follow-up of 10.3 y in craniopharyngioma, 69% in 9.1 y in the glial tumours, 71% in 7.4 y in germinomas, 92% in 4.6 y in medulloblastomas and 89% in 2.5 y in ependymomas. Dose of GH and treatment modalities did not differ significantly between patients with and without recurrence.
Conclusion: Tumour recurrence rates in surviving patients with brain tumours receiving GH treatment do not appear to be increased compared with published reports. However, longer follow-up regarding recurrences and secondary neoplasms remains essential.     

Paradoxical intracranial tuberculoma requiring surgical treatment

Paradoxical enlargement of intracranial tuberculomas or development of new ones during adequate antituberculous chemotherapy is an uncommon event. Treatment of such cases is controversial. Steroid therapy is usually advocated without change in the antituberculous drug program. However, in some patients whose lesions fail medical treatment, or who have superficially located large lesions, surgical therapy may be required. A 15-year-old girl with pulmonary miliary tuberculosis, tuberculous meningitis and multiple intracranial tuberculomas is presented. While her pulmonary lesions and intracranial tuberculomas except one were healed with chemotherapy, one tuberculoma increased in size 1 month after starting chemotherapy. She was followed with dexamethasone treatment in addition to antituberculous therapy for 2 months. Then, the lesion was removed because it had increased in size in spite of appropriate chemotherapy.     

Constitutional delay of growth and puberty: from presentation to final height

This retrospective study evaluated clinical characteristics of patients with constitutional delay of growth and puberty (CDGP) at presentation, during puberty and at final height. The records of 151 children (105 boys, 46 girls) with CDGP were reviewed and the results were evaluated with respect to findings in healthy Turkish schoolchildren. CDGP was twice as frequent in boys as in girls. Height and weight deficit and short sitting height of the children were evident at presentation and continued up to final height. Mean age of onset of puberty was retarded by 2.5 years in girls and by 3 years in boys. The time between onset of puberty and pubertal growth spurt was shorter in both girls and boys than in the controls. Peak growth velocity was compromised in both girls and boys. Forty-one patients (30 boys, 11 girls) reached final height (FH). Mean FH was shorter than both target height and predicted adult height. The Bayley-Pinneau method was found to be a better predictor of FH than either the Tanner-Whitehouse method or target height. FH also showed correlation with the father's height. There was no effect of testosterone treatment on final height. Height deficit at onset of puberty, shorter duration between onset of puberty and pubertal growth spurt, compromised peak growth velocity and short upper segment due to delayed puberty, are findings which may explain the decreased final height of children with CDGP.     

Effects of in vivo and in vitro administration of neuro-Behcet’s disease IgG

Antibodies directed against membrane antigens of neuronal axonal processes (neuropil) have been recently identified in neuro-Behcet’s disease (NBD) patients. To delineate the potential pathogenic action of these antibodies, pooled sera from seven NBD patients with neuropil antibodies and seven healthy controls were divided into purified IgG and IgG-depleted serum (IgG-DS) fractions and each fraction was administered into lateral ventricles of rats. NBD IgG-injected rats showed reduced locomotor activity in the open field test as compared to NBD IgG-DS, healthy control IgG, healthy control IgG-DS and PBS injected rats (n = 10 for each group). There were no significant differences among treatment groups by means of anxiety-like behaviors (assessed by elevated plus maze test) and learning/memory functions (assessed by passive avoidance test). Administration of NBD IgG on cultured SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells induced significantly increased cell death and apoptosis (as measured by nucleosome levels in the supernatants) as compared to other treatment groups. Our results suggest that IgGs isolated from sera of neuropil antibody-positive NBD patients have a neurotoxic action, which is presumably mediated by apoptotic mechanisms. Motor deficits frequently observed in NBD patients might at least partially be caused by the pathogenic action of anti-neuronal IgG.     

Leptin: does it have any role in childhood asthma?

BACKGROUND: Although there is evidence of a positive association between asthma and obesity in adults and children, very little is known about the role of leptin in asthmatic children. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to evaluate the relation between leptin and parameters of atopy and asthma in children. METHODS: Body mass index (BMI) and serum leptin levels were measured in 102 (37 female, 65 male; mean age, 5.9 +/- 3.4 years) asthmatic and 33 (14 female, 19 male; mean age, 6.1 +/- 3.4 years) healthy children. Skin prick tests, total serum IgE, and pulmonary function tests were performed and were completed. RESULTS: A significant difference was observed in serum leptin levels between asthmatic and healthy children. Median (interquartile range) levels were 3.53 (2.06-7.24) ng/mL and 2.26 (1.26-4.71) ng/mL, respectively (P=.008). Subgroup analysis revealed that this difference in leptin levels was confined entirely to boys: 3.09 (1.99-7.51) ng/mL in boys with asthma versus 1.52 (1.06-3.17) ng/mL in boys without asthma (P=.003). By logistic regression analysis, we found that leptin was a predictive factor for having asthma (odds ratio, 1.98; CI, 1.10-3.55; P=.021), whereas sex, age, or BMI were not. In a stepwise multiple regression analysis including sex (P=.001), age (P=.016), BMI (P <.001), and asthma (P=.022), all of these variables were found to affect log leptin levels (R2=0.404). There was no significant sex difference in serum leptin levels among asthmatic children, whereas healthy boys had significantly lower leptin levels than healthy girls (P=.019). Atopic asthmatic subjects had significantly higher leptin levels than nonatopic asthmatic subjects (P=.038) with similar BMI. A significant, but weak, correlation was observed between leptin levels and IgE in the overall group of asthmatic children (r=0.231; P=.019). Again, this correlation was confined entirely to boys (r=0.319; P=.010). There was no relation between leptin levels and skin prick tests, pulmonary function tests, passive smoking, birth weight, and duration of breast-feeding. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that leptin may play a role in atopic asthma. High serum leptin levels in asthmatic boys may partly explain the higher prevalence of childhood asthma in male sex.     

Ocular findings in posterior microphthalmos

Aim

To report a critical case series of six patients with posterior microphthalmos (PM).

Lumbar extradural infiltrating angiolipoma: a case report and review of 17 previously reported cases with infiltrating spinal angiolipomas

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Spinal extradural angiolipomas are rare benign tumors, and most of them are noninfiltrating tumors located in the extradural space. However, there are 17 cases with extradural infiltrating spinal angiolipomas extending into the vertebral bodies or posterior vertebral arches in literature. These 17 tumors are mostly located at the thoracic region, and anterior or in the anterolateral extradural space, and they generally infiltrate only one vertebra. Only two of them are located at the lumbar region, four are mainly located in the posterior extradural space, and three infiltrate more than one vertebra. PURPOSE: To present an exceptional case with infiltrating extradural spinal angiolipoma involving two lumbar segments and mainly located in the posterior extradural space. STUDY DESIGN: A case report. METHODS: A 41-year-old woman with infiltrating spinal angiolipoma was treated by incomplete surgical removal of the tumor. RESULTS: There were no complaints nor recurrence after 18 months follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Outcome after surgery for spinal angiolipomas is very good overall even in the cases with infiltrating tumors. Although complete removal is certainly preferred, outcomes remained favorable despite incomplete resections.