Auditory and somatosensory evoked potentials in a case of "locked-in" syndrome: a clinical and pathological study

Brainstem auditory evoked potentials were bilaterally normal, and somatosensory evoked potentials were unilaterally abnormal in a patient with a large pontine infarct causing a "locked-in" syndrome. In the post mortem examination, the lesion extended unilaterally into the pontine tegmentum, partially involving the left medial lemniscus. The P14 potential was absent and the N20 potential was diminished in amplitude with right median nerve stimulation. The origin of the P14 potential has been debated in the literature. This case provides evidence for the P14 generator being located at the pontine level, in relation to a lemniscal area above the decussation of the somatosensory pathway. Evoked potentials can help to determine the tegmental extension of the pontine infarcts in the "locked-in" syndrome, especially in patients unable to cooperate with clinical examination.     

High sensitivity to autoxidation in neonatal calf erythrocytes: possible mechanism of accelerated cell aging

The suspension viscosity, formation of methaemoglobin and production of malondialdehyde (MDA) associated with the non-enzymatic oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids during auto-oxidation conditions in vitro have been compared in erythrocytes from young calves (2, 4 and 6 weeks of age) and mature cattle. The autoxidation conditions were designed to simulate the oxidative stress to which neonatal erythrocytes are exposed in vivo. Characterisation of lipid peroxidation was also undertaken by a combination of lipid fluorescent measurements and quantification of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities of the erythrocytes. The results demonstrated that high SOD activities in the erythrocytes of the neonatal calf was insufficient to afford protection against the increased autoxidation of haemoglobin and subsequent accumulation of lipid peroxidation products. High levels of methaemoglobin formation and lipid peroxidation were able to provide an explanation for an observed reduction in rheological adaptability (increased suspension viscosity) and an accelerated aging of the neonatal cells under in vivo conditions.     

Incidental finding of mammary carcinoma in lumpectomy specimens

More and more breast lumpectomies are being performed due to mammographic screening, and both in situ and invasive breast carcinomas are being detected earlier and smaller in size. The objective of this study was to determine the presence of incidental microscopic breast carcinoma in mammography-guided lumpectomy specimens. A prospective study was carried out by processing in surgical pathology approximately 9,000 breast lumpectomy specimens during a 2.5-yr period so that the entire specimens were embedded for microscopic examination. Excluded from the study were cases with grossly or microscopically identified carcinomas greater than 10 mm2, and non-invasive carcinomas diagnosed in association with invasive carcinoma. Cases with multifocal carcinomas, prior diagnosis of breast cancer, or prior history of breast biopsy were also excluded. Carcinomas present in the same tissue blocks as the clinically suspected lesions such as palpable nodules, microcalcification, or other mammographic abnormalities were excluded as well. Fifty cases of incidental microscopic mammary carcinoma were found including 8 infiltrating ductal carcinomas (IDC), 2 infiltrating lobular carcinomas (ILC), 21 intraductal carcinomas (DCIS), and 19 lobular carcinomas in situ (LCIS). All of the lesions were solitary, located in indistinct loosely arranged fibrous and adipose stromal tissues, and the majority of them were near or at the inked excisional margins. Physicians who care for patients with breast cancer should be aware of the existence of these minute breast carcinomas that are often near or at the surgical margins. The significance of these microscopic findings for therapeutic strategy and prognosis should be determined by long-term follow-up.     

Cross-Sectional Associations between Mothers and Children’s Breakfast Routine—The Feel4Diabetes-Study

Positive influences of family members have been associated with a high probability of children’s daily breakfast consumption. Therefore, the aim of this study was to scrutinize the association of breakfast routines between mothers and their children. The baseline data of the Feel4Diabetes-study was obtained in 9760 children (49.05% boys)–mother pairs in six European countries. A parental self-reported questionnaire gauging the frequency of breakfast consumption and of breakfast´ foods and beverages consumption was used. Agreement in routines of mothers and their children’s breakfast consumption was analyzed in sex-specific crosstabs. The relationship of breakfast routine and food groups’ consumption between mothers and their children was assessed with analysis of covariance. The highest proportion of children who always consumed breakfast were those whose mothers always consumed it. Children consuming breakfast regularly had a higher intake of milk or unsweetened dairy products and all kind of cereal products (low fiber and whole-grain) than occasional breakfast consumers (p < 0.05). The strong similarity between mothers and children suggests a transfer of breakfast routine from mothers to their children, as a high proportion of children who usually consume breakfast were from mothers also consuming breakfast. All breakfast foods and beverages consumption frequencies were similar between children and their mothers.     

Validation of the PAM-13 instrument in the Hungarian general population 40 years old and above

The European Journal of Health Economics - Patient activation comprises the skills, knowledge and motivation necessary for patients’ effective contribution to their care. We adapted and...     

Apophyseal injuries of the proximal tibial tubercle

Avulsion fractures of the tibial apophysis are rare. Seven cases were treated between 1993 and 1998 in our department. The treatment was conservative in 1 case, in the other 6 open reduction and internal fixation was used. The results after an average of 23 months were good. There were no growth disturbances.

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Résumé  L’avulsion fracture de l’apophyse tibiale est rare. Sept cas ont été traités entre 1993 et 1998. Dans un cas le traitement était conservateur. Dans les autres cas, une réduction ouverte avec fixation interne a été utilisée. Les résultats après une moyenne de 23 mois étaient bons. Il n’y avait pas de trouble de la croissance.

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Accepted: 12 May 2000     

Influence of food on the oral bioavailability of deramciclane from film-coated tablet in healthy male volunteers.

The effect of a high-fat meal on the oral bioavailability of deramciclane 30 mg tablet was evaluated in 18 healthy male volunteers in a randomised, single dose, two-way crossover study. The drug was administered following an overnight fast or a standardised high-fat breakfast. The plasma concentrations of deramciclane and N-desmethylderamciclane were determined by using a validated HPLC-MS -MS/MS method. An effect of food on the bioavailability was indicated if the 90% confidence interval (CI) for the ratio of geometric means of fed and fasted treatments was not contained in the equivalence limit of 0.8-1.25 for AUC and C(max). The ratios of the mean C(max) and AUC(0-infinity) values of deramciclane were 1.24 (90% CI 1.12-1.38) and 1.31 (90% CI 1.21-1.41) in fed versus fasted subjects, which overlapped but exceeded the equivalence limit. In contrast to the parent compound, the 90% CI of the mean ratios for AUC(0-infinity) and C(max) of N-desmethylderamciclane were within the predefined range. The 24 and 31% increase in C(max) and AUC(0-infinity) of deramciclane, respectively, under fed condition is modest and probably has no clinical significance since it is relatively small compared to the inter-individual variability of these parameters.     

Liposomes for Topical Use: A Physico-Chemical Comparison of Vesicles Prepared from Egg or Soy Lecithin

Developments in nanotechnology and in the formulation of liposomal systems provide the opportunity for cosmetic dermatology to design novel delivery systems. Determination of their physico-chemical parameters has importance when developing a nano-delivery system. The present study highlights some technological aspects/characteristics of liposomes formulated from egg or soy lecithins for topical use. Alterations in the pH, viscosity, surface tension, and microscopic/macroscopic appearance of these vesicular systems were investigated. The chemical composition of the two types of lecithin was checked by mass spectrometry. Caffeine, as a model molecule, was encapsulated into multilamellar vesicles prepared from the two types of lecithin: then zeta potential, membrane fluidity, and encapsulation efficiency were compared. According to our observations, samples prepared from the two lecithins altered the pH in opposite directions: egg lecithin increased it while soy lecithin decreased it with increased lipid concentration. Our EPR spectroscopic results showed that the binding of caffeine did not change the membrane fluidity in the temperature range of possible topical use (measured between 2 and 50 °C). Combining our results on encapsulation efficiency for caffeine (about 30% for both lecithins) with those on membrane fluidity data, we concluded that the interaction of caffeine with the liposomal membrane does not change the rotational motion of the lipid molecules close to the head group region. In conclusion, topical use of egg lecithin for liposomal formulations can be preferred if there are no differences in the physico-chemical properties due to the encapsulated drugs, because the physiological effects of egg lecithin vesicles on skin are significantly better than that of soy lecithin liposomes.