Congenital nasolacrimal mucoceles: CT evaluation

A congenital nasolacrimal mucocele, a lacrimal sac mucocele with intranasal extension, is an uncommon mass arising in the medial canthal region of the orbit. The authors describe four infants who presented with medial canthal masses and nasal airway obstruction. All underwent computed tomographic (CT) evaluation, which revealed the triad of cystic dilatation of the lacrimal sac, dilatation of the nasolacrimal duct, and an intranasal cystic mass. Appropriate therapy was determined following identification of the intranasal cystic component. Relevant discussions of the embryology, clinical presentation, and the characteristic CT findings of infants with congenital nasolacrimal mucoceles are included.     

Age of menarche in various categories of Indian sportswomen.

Data on the age of menarche has been collected on 264 Indian sportswomen, and 108 girls forming the control group, all hailing from the Punjab, Haryana, chandigarh and Delhi. Outstanding athletes and players of hockey, basketball and volleyball were included. The combined mean age at menarche for sportswomen is 15.21 years and for the control sample is 14.05 years. The differences in the two series are statistically significant. The mean age at menarche in hockey, basketball, volleyball and athletes is found to be 15.15, 15.40, 15.05 and 15.27 years respectively. The differences in these groups, however, are not found to be statistically significant.     

Evaluation of a rosette inhibition test for pregnancy diagnosis in pigs

A rosette inhibition test was developed using pig lymphocytes and sheep red blood cells. Antilymphocyte serum (ALS) in the presence of complement inhibited rosette formation by greater than 95% at 1/250 declining to no inhibition at 1/8000. Sera obtained from a total of 14 pregnant sows before and 1, 2, 3 and 4 wk after mating were tested for their ability to augment the rosette depression caused by ALS. In one experiment in which the responses of 4 pregnant sows were compared to 4 non-pregnant sows by discriminant analysis, sera were classified correctly in 83% of the samples taken from either pregnant or non-pregnant sows. When the more usual method of calculating the rosette inhibition titre was used, the responses of sera from pregnant pigs were classified with 31% accuracy and those from non-pregnant pigs with 80% accuracy. In a second experiment, sera from 10 pregnant sows were classified with 25% accuracy using the rosette inhibition titre. Thus 4 of these pigs were classified as non-pregnant by this method. Data from the second experiment were not suitable for discriminant analysis. It was concluded that there was some factor present in the sera of pregnant pigs, particularly by 3 or 4 wk post-mating, which could be detected by the rosette inhibition test. However, the test is not sensitive enough to allow specific diagnosis of early pregnancy in pigs.     

Dyspnea and dysphagia in a child due to an antrochoanal polyp

A 3-year-old girl with complaints of dyspnea and dysphagia due to a huge antrochoanal polyp is presented. On examination of the left nostril a huge polyp occupying whole of the nostril was seen with mucoid discharge. It was so huge that it was reaching the laryngopharynx and causing dyspnea and dysphagia (11 cm in length and 3 cm in diameter). The tracheostomy was avoided by performing an emergency polypectomy.     

Pharmacological profile of 1-methylsulphonyl-3-(1-methyl-5-nitro-2-imidazolyl)-2-imidazolidinone (Go-10213), a new antiprotozoal agent, in comparison with metronidazole

A new antiprotozoal agent, 1-methylsulphonyl-3-(1-methyl-5-nitro-2-imidazolyl)-2-imidazolidinone (Go-10213) has a distinct advantage over metronidazole when their respective neuropharmacological effects on central and peripheral nervous functions are compared in different animal species. The results show that at equivalent dosage schedules with repeated high dosages, Go-10213 is devoid of adverse central and peripheral neural effects in monkeys; cats and dogs, whereas unequivocal evidence of metronidazole neurotoxicity was obtained in all the three species. Go-10213 compares favourably with metronidazole in animal tests for cardiovascular tolerability.     

Treatment of periodic limb movements in sleep with selegiline HCl.

Thirty-one patients undergoing treatment with selegiline HCl for periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS) were examined with respect to specific sleep composition in a retrospective study. Pre- and post-treatment overnight polysomnographs revealed a highly significant decrease in the number of PLMS per hour of total sleep time (P < 0.0005). The alerting effect associated with selegiline was not found to have significant effect on patients' sleep efficiency or sleep-onset latency (P > 0.10). As controversy continues regarding the medicated treatment of PLMS, our findings with selegiline point to an alternative for clinicians to consider.     

Sialic acid in mature megakaryocytes: detection by wheat germ agglutinin

The characteristics of the surface of guinea pig megakaryocytes were investigated with wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). Purified guinea pig megakaryocytes and platelets were incubated with WGA conjugated with rhodamine, cytocentrifuged, and then exposed to Chromomycin A3 for the assessment of ploidy. The fluorescence emission of the DNA-Chromomycin complex was similar to that of fluorescein, and thus both rhodamine-WGA and Chromomycin A3 fluorescence could be analyzed in the same cell. Ploidy was assessed by microdensitometry of Chromomycin A3 fluorescence. Eight hundred megakaryocytes were analyzed by four parameters: (1) labeling by WGA, (2) ploidy, (3) morphological stage, and (4) size. The results were analyzed by a computer-assisted program. Although all platelets had reacted with WGA, only about half of the isolated megakaryocytes had been labeled by the lectin. The analysis of the megakaryocytes that had reacted revealed that 72% of stage III and 77% of stage IV megakaryocytes as compared with 35% of stage I and 29% of stage II cells had been labeled by the lectin. WGA reacted with 44% of 8N megakaryocytes and 60% and 59% of 16N and 32N cells. However, WGA labeling was independent of megakaryocyte size. The digestion of 15% and 48% of megakaryocyte sialic acid with neuraminidase from Vibrio cholera resulted in a 67% and 89% decrease in the binding of rhodamine- WGA, respectively, as determined by microdensitometry. The study indicated that sialic acid serves as a receptor for WGA and that sialoglycoproteins and possibly gangliosides become exposed on the surface of mature megakaryocytes. WGA can recognize mature megakaryocytes by biochemical criteria and the assessment of lectin binding could complement the morphological staging of megakaryocytes.     

Three successfully treated cases of nonamoebic liver abscess

Three previously healthy children developed nonamoebic liver abscess. Diagnosis was aided by liver scan, ultrasound assessment, and computed tomography. A variety of surgical procedures were successful in achieving proper drainage, resection of chronic lesions, and resolution of associated cholangitis.