Cholescintigraphy in the detection of cholelithiasis: a review of 23 cases and a case report demonstrating the sequential evolution of the appearance of the gallbladder defect

Cholescintigraphy of cholelithiasis has been reported as a defect or photon deficient area in the gallbladder. We present the case of a patient with gallstones whose cholescintigraphic study showed a sequential evaluation of the scan appearance from a defect, to a septation, a hole, and finally a filled-in appearance. Cholescintigrams and histopathologic findings after cholecystectomy of another 22 patients with cholelithiasis were also retrospectively reviewed. The results of the study concluded that: cholelithiasis is rarely demonstrated by cholescintigraphy and nonvisualization of the gallbladder may be due to acute or chronic cholecystitis associated with cholelithiasis.     

Assessment of genetic and nongenetic influences on pulmonary function. A twin study

To better understand the extent to which familial similarities in pulmonary function (PF) are attributable to genetic rather than to shared environmental influences, we studied the twinship aggregation of PF in 256 monozygotic (MZ) and 158 dizygotic (DZ) adult twin members of the Greater Boston Twin Registry. Genetic influences on various spirometric measures were estimated with twinship intrapair correlations adjusted using a regression model to control for similarities in the anthropomorphic characteristics of twins, and for the effects of a number of environmental factors that included childhood respiratory illness, occupational dust exposure, and smoking history. A significant influence of smoking on all air-flow measures was observed in this population for whom genetic similarities were adjusted. However, highly significant adjusted intrapair correlations for all spirometric measures, ranging from 0.52 to 0.76, were observed for the MZ twins. The intrapair correlations for the DZ twins were approximately one-half the magnitude of those for the MZ twins. These data suggest that a large proportion of the measured variability in PF may be accounted for by genetic influences other than those associated with body size.     

Site-directed mutagenesis of the conserved N-glycosylation site on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits.

The role of the conserved N-glycosylation site on each subunit of the Torpedo acetylcholine receptor (AChR) in the biogenesis and function of the receptor was examined by expressing site-directed mutant subunits in Xenopus oocytes. Different mutant subunits caused different effects. The most striking effect was seen with the mutant gamma subunit which, when co-expressed with alpha, beta, and delta subunits, caused degradation of all the subunits. N-Glycosylation of the other subunits appears to contribute to stability of the subunits and/or efficient insertion of the receptor into the plasma membrane, but is not required for assembly. The AChRs containing the mutant alpha subunit formed functional ion channels in the plasma membrane and their activity could be blocked by alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha-BuTX). Thus, attachment of a carbohydrate moiety at the conserved N-glycosylation site is not an absolute requirement for the formation of ACh and alpha-BuTX binding sites.     

Problems of the diagnosis and differential treatment procedures in congenital dacryocystitis

The paper analyses effectiveness of treatment for dacryocystitis in 223 children, aged from 1 months up to 15 years. In 35 children the process was bilateral. In 232 cases dacryocystitis was congenital, in 26--acquired. Complex examination of lacrimal and upper respiratory tracts has revealed pathology in 53% of cases. In these cases preliminary sanation of upper respiratory tracts was made. A scheme of a staged treatment for congenital dacryocystitis is proposed, and results after treatment by retrograde catheterization in 161 children aged to 1.5 year and by endonasal dacryorhinostomy in 62 children above 2.5 years of life are analysed.