Teratogenesis after acute alcohol exposure in cultured rat embryos

In order to investigate whether alcohol has teratogenic properties, rat embryos were cultured in vitro during their organogenetic period and exposed to ethanol at 200-800 mg% culture medium for the 48 hours of culture (0-24 somite stage) or to 600-800 mg% for 24 hours, or 6-hour periods. Exposure to alcohol throughout the entire 48-hour culture period or the first 24-hour period (0-12 somites) produced marked growth retardation, particularly of the head region in a dose-dependent manner, but did not prevent neural tube closure. Exposure to high levels of ethanol during specific 6-hour periods of early organogenesis (three to nine somites) prevented closure of the neural tube in 30% of cultured rat embryos, indicating a direct teratogenic action of ethanol. These results implied an effect of ethanol on embryonic development, independent of maternal metabolism. The 6-hour exposure experiments demonstrated that high doses of ethanol during specific periods of organogenesis can be teratogenic.     

Radiological findings in Hallermann-Streiff syndrome: report of five cases and a review of the literature.

Hallermann-Streiff syndrome (HSS) is a rare disorder with an associated constellation of radiological findings that may aid in the diagnosis of affected individuals. We reviewed the skeletal surveys of 5 affected individuals and noted some characteristic and constant findings. Radiological findings can include a large, poorly ossified skull with decreased ossification in the sutural areas. There was an increase in the number of Wormian bones. Severe mid-facial hypoplasia was present along with a prominent nasal bone. The skull films also showed an abnormally obtuse or nearly straight gonial angle. The teeth appeared small. The long bones were thin and gracile in appearance and often showed poor demarcation of the cortex from the medullary portion. Abnormal bowing of the radius and ulna was seen neonatally in 2 cases. There was widening at the metaphyseal ends of the long bones. The ribs were thin, but normal in length. The vertebral bodies were noted to be small and 3 cases had platyspondyly. There was a decreased number of sternal ossification enters. The metacarpals were also thin and gracile in appearance with metaphyseal widening. We conclude that these characteristic radiological findings in the newborn with HSS can aid in the diagnosis, and a skeletal survey in suspected individuals may be valuable in confirming the diagnosis.     

Fuhrmann syndrome of right-angle bowed femora, absence of fibulae and digital anomalies: two further cases.

We describe 2 patients with bilateral right-angle bowing of femora, absence of fibulae, and reduced, flattened and nail-less toes and symmetrical fingernail deficiency in a consanguineous family of ethnic South Vietnamese Baptists and a non-consanguineous Polish family. These cases are similar to those reported by Fuhrmann et al. (in "Skeletal Dysplasias," New York: Alan R. Liss, Inc., pp 519-524), indicating possible autosomal recessive inheritance of this rare non-lethal limb malformation syndrome.     

Novel approach for specific detection of herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 antibodies and immunoglobulin G and M antibodies

Recently a few new herpes simplex virus (HSV) type-specific serological diagnostic tests have been introduced to the commercial market, but these tests have some limitations. Moreover, it is not yet clear which commercial test can be regarded as a "gold standard" for the serodiagnosis of HSV infections. In order to improve the clinical diagnostic value of serological tests for the detection of HSV infections, we developed novel, competition-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the specific determination of HSV type 2 antibodies (SeroHSV2) and HSV type 1 antibodies (SeroHSV1) and two complementary tests for the detection of HSV immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antibodies (SeroHSV IgM and SeroHSV IgG). These four new kits were evaluated in comparison with some commercial kits for the detection of HSV antibodies that are commonly used at present in Israeli clinical laboratories. The results indicate that SeroHSV2 is highly sensitive (>92%) and highly specific (>94%). SeroHSV2 does not cross-react with other alphaherpesvirus antibodies. SeroHSV1 is highly sensitive (>94%) and specific (>91%) compared to four commercial available kits. SeroHSV IgM is highly specific (>92%) in comparison with other commercial HSV IgM tests. The sensitivity of SeroHSV IgM ranges between 50 and 70% compared to these tests. Further investigation of the discrepant results obtained by using in-house competition tests indicated that SeroHSV IgM is more sensitive. SeroHSV IgG was also found to be highly sensitive (>94%) and highly specific (>92%) compared to the other commercial HSV IgG tests.