Cellular blue nevus ("melanocytoma") of the spinal meninges: electron microscopic and immunohistochemical features

A primary cellular blue nevus (melanocytoma) of the spinal canal in a 21-year-old woman is reported. Light microscopic examination revealed a melanotic neoplasm with histological patterns resembling schwannoma, dermal nevi, and neuroblastic-like tumor. The ultrastructural features of the neoplastic cells were similar to those in dermal blue nevi and melanomas. There was no evidence of arachnoidal cell differentiation. Immunohistochemistry revealed positive reactions for S-100 protein and neuron-specific enolase in many cells and no reactions for glial fibrillary acidic protein, cytokeratins, epithelial membrane antigen, 70-kD neurofilament protein, or Leu-7. Vimentin was strongly positive in the melanocytic cells as well as in the arachnoidal cells of involved meninges. The ultrastructural and immunohistochemical features support the nevoid nature of this tumor, which is frequently mislabeled as "melanotic meningioma."     

The diagnostic use of the second oscillatory potential in clinical electroretinography

Of all the electroretinogram (ERG) components (a-wave, b-wave, and oscillatory potentials) only one oscillatory potential, OP₂, was found to be significantly correlated with the absolute intensity of the flash stimulus (i.e., the intensity of the stimulus irrespective of the state of retinal adaptation). Our finding was further confirmed in single cell recordings of lateral geniculate unit activity in rabbits in which peak time of OP₂ was found to correlate better with the geniculate activity. For these reasons we have identified OP₂ as the intensity coding oscillatory potential of the ERG. In order to investigate if this new feature could have some clinical significance, we examined photopic ERGs recorded from patients affected with various retinopathies. In most instances the peak time of OP₂ paralleled that of the b-wave, that is, in the ERG with delayed b-wave the peak time of OP₂ was also delayed, while in ERGs with normal b-wave peak time the peak time of OP₂ was also normal. However, in some conditions (especially in cone-rod diseases) a delayed OP₂ was found in ERGs with normal b-wave peak times.     

Two novel paradigms for the simultaneous assessment of conditioned taste aversion and food intake effects of anorexic agents

The conditioned taste aversion (CTA) is routinely used to assess the aversive consequences of anorexic agents, including potential pharmacological therapies for obesity. In a typical CTA paradigm, rats briefly sampling a novel tastant (e.g., saccharin) are acutely administered with toxin (e.g., lithium chloride, LiCl). After as few as one taste-toxin pairing, rats will reliably avoid the novel tastant. This paradigm is frequently used for the assessment of possible aversive consequences of drugs that are candidates for pharmacological therapies. The degree to which the drug supports development of a CTA is interpreted as an index of its aversive properties. Difficulties with previous work include the inability to assess affects on food intake and CTA simultaneously, particularly during chronic drug administration. We report here two novel CTA paradigms for the assessment of appetitive and aversive consequences of anorexic agents, simultaneously. In the first experiment, animals receive an intraoral infusion of a novel and highly palatable tastant immediately prior to administration of increasing doses of LiCl. In the second experiment, rats were implanted intraperitoneally with osmotic minipumps that chronically delivered a low dose of LiCl for 7 days. LiCl did not affect short or long term food intake in either experiment. However, LiCl did support the development of a CTA in both paradigms. These results suggest that both the appetitive and aversive consequences of anorexic agents can be assessed simultaneously during either acute or chronic drug administration.     

Impact of a patient education program on adherence to HIV medication: a randomized clinical trial

Patients' knowledge of their HIV condition and its treatment, which has been recognized as a factor that influences adherence to antiretroviral therapy, can be improved through educational programs. This prospective, randomized, controlled trial compared an experimental group that participated in an educational program and a control group with standard care. The study evaluated the impact of an educational intervention on adherence to antiretroviral therapy, patients' knowledge, quality of life, and therapeutic response in patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy. Three hundred twenty-six patients were analyzed at inclusion. A higher level of adherence was associated with patients who were older, had higher incomes, and did not smoke. CD4 cell count and plasma viral load were correlated with adherence at entry. The educational intervention had an impact on adherence and knowledge in the experimental group at 6 months, which was maintained at 12 and 18 months. A delayed increase in adherence was observed in the control group at 12 months. No significant impact on quality of life was observed over time. The patients' health status improved in 56% of the experimental group subjects and 50% of the control subjects. However, no significant impact was shown on CD4 cell count and plasma viral load. This study shows that an educational intervention improves adherence to antiretroviral regimens and health status and suggests that it should be initiated early in therapy.     

Immunoreactive somatostatin-28(1-12) is increased in Huntington's disease

Somatostatin-28(1-12) concentrations were measured in Huntington's disease (HD) postmortem tissue using a specific radioimmunoassay. Concentrations of immunoreactive somatostatin-28(1-12) were significantly increased in the caudate and putamen but were unchanged in cortical areas A9 and A17. Since somatostatin-28(1-12) terminates with the amino acids Arg-Glu-OH, we examined whether this dodecapeptide compound might exert a neurotoxic effect. Injections of somatostatin-28(1-12) into rat striatum showed no evidence of histologic damage.     

Intraventricular insulin and leptin reverse place preference conditioned with high-fat diet in rats

The authors hypothesized that insulin and leptin, hormones that convey metabolic and energy balance status to the central nervous system (CNS), decrease the reward value of food, as assessed by conditioned place preference (CPP). CPP to high-fat diet was blocked in ad-lib fed rats given intraventricular insulin or leptin throughout training and test or acutely before the test. Insulin or leptin given only during the training period did not block CPP. Thus, elevated insulin and leptin do not prevent learning a food's reward value, but instead block its retrieval. Food-restricted rats receiving cerebrospinal fluid, insulin, or leptin had comparable CPPs. Results indicate that the CNS roles of insulin and leptin may include processes involving memory and reward.     

Patterns of spontaneous unitary discharge in thalamic ventro-basal complex during wakefulness and sleep

Summary Influences of the wake-sleep states on spontaneous activity of thalamic ventro-basal neurons have been studied in the chronic cat using the following analyses for cell discharges: mean firing rate, interspike histogram and joint interval histogram (J.I.H.). While slow wave sleep is accompagnied by a characteristic firing pattern it is more difficult to compare spontaneous unit activity during wakefulness (W) and desynchronised sleep (D).A detailed analysis (especially of the J.I.H.) of the same neuron during the three states indicates marked differences between W and D; on the contrary, the intraburst pattern shows definite similarities between D and S. The greatest stability in the firing pattern of a given neuron is found during S on long recording. During D the variability in the firing pattern is mainly due to phasic activity but may also be related to tonic changes.     

Cytogenetic analysis of a mesenchymal hamartoma of the liver

Cytogenetic analysis of a mesenchymal hamartoma of the liver in a 3-year-old child revealed a balanced translocation between chromosomes 15 and 19 as the sole chromosome change.     

Recurrent cystitis and crenotherapy. 302 cases

This article analyzes a series of 302 female patients prone to cystitis. The fact that these women were seen in a urological crenotherapy center highlights the very evolutive nature of the disease. The high rate of E coli present in the urine should be noted. Most of the women had a normal intravenous urogram and a normal endoscopy. The "classic" causes are rarely responsible for attacks of cystitis, but sexual intercourse and pregnancy seem to play a part. Several of the women took estroprogestative pills, or wore an intra-uterine device. The rate of bowel symptomatology-colopathy or constipation--should be noted. The article assesses the evolution of cystitis before and after crenotherapy at La Preste.     

Treatment of malignant gliomas in adults with BCNU plus metronidazole

Summary Twenty-six adult patients with astrocytomas were treated with BCNU (1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea) 180–240 mg/m² 1.V. every 6–9 weeks, with metronidazole 1.5 g/m² p. o. 12 h and 1 h before BCNU and again 6 h and 24 h after BCNU. Of twenty-two evaluable patients, 9 (41%) responded with evidence of reduced tumor size on CT scan, 3 (14%) stabilized and 10 (45%) failed. Patients with no prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy, good performance. status, low grade tumors, and age 50 years had the highest response rates, although differences were not statistically significant. Median survival and duration of response have not been reached with a median follow-up time of ten months. Hematological toxicity was dose-limiting and was probably not augmented by the metronidazole. There was one death from infection that was possibly drug-related. Gastrointestinal toxicity was substantial, and was probably increased by the metronidazole.While the combination of BCNU and metronidazole were tolerable, the response rate seen was no higher than that noted for BCNU alone, and further studies using this dose-schedule are not recommended in astrocytomas.Presented at the 13th International Congress of Chemotherapy, Vienna Austria, August 1983.