Relationships between striatal dopamine denervation and frontal executive tests in Parkinson's disease

Indirect evidence from human and monkey investigations supports the idea that impaired frontal tasks in Parkinson's disease (PD) may result from striato-frontal disruption caused by dopamine (DA) denervation of the caudate nucleus. To directly investigate this hypothesis, we used PET with 11C-S-Nomifensine (11C-S-NMF), a sensitive marker of striatal DA denervation, in 10 non-demented PD patients in whom two frontal executive tests, the object alternation (OA) and the conditional associative learning (CAL) tasks, thought to reflect mainly set-shifting/inhibition and planning, respectively, were given. In addition, the central executive function of verbal working memory was assessed with the Brown Peterson paradigm (BPP). We found a highly significant correlation between right caudate 11C-S-NMF specific binding and OA performance, less significant and reverse-direction correlations between CAL performance and putamen 11C-S-NMF binding, and no significant correlation with BPP performance. Thus, caudate DA denervation may subtend poor set-shifting/inhibition process in PD. Our results also point to distinct and complex relationships between striatal DA and specific frontal tasks.     

Lymphoma arising in an adenolymphoma

A malignant lymphoma that originated in association with an adenolymphoma (Warthin's tumor) of the parotid salivary gland is reported. The occurrence of lymphomas in salivary glands is discussed briefly.     

Pontine veins. MRI cross-sectional anatomy

Summary The pons is covered by a rich venous network offering numerous vascular landmarks in MRI and during surgery. We present an original study of the veins as they appear on MR multiplanar scans after gadolinium IV injection. This prospective study is based on 40 consecutive patients with normal posterior fossa structures. One of the major venous collectors follows the pons: the superior petrosal v. was identified on MRI in 95% of our cases. Its hooklike extremity drains into the superior petrosal sinus. The inferior petrosal v. was never identifiable. The superficial pontine venous network are identified in 72.5% of cases in the axial plane and were organised in longitudinal and transverse collectors, whose MR aspects are presented here.

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Les veines du pont. Anatomie sectionnelle en IRM

Résumé Le pont, enveloppé des citernes subarachnoïdiennes, est parcouru à sa surface par de nombreux vaisseaux qui constituent autant de points de repère topographiques en IRM que de rapports chirurgicaux. Nous présentons une étude de l'anatomie veineuse en coupe telle que l'IRM la révèle après injection de Gadolinium. Cette étude prospective comporte 40 patients indemmes de lésion de la fosse crânienne postérieure. Le pont est longé par un des collecteurs majeurs du tronc cérébral : la v. pétreuse supérieure, identifiée dans 95 % des cas. Elle se jette par un crochet caractéristique dans le sinus pétreux supérieur. La v. pétreuse inférieure n'a jamais été reconnue. Les vv. pontiques forment un réseau maillé visible dans 72,5 % des cas en coupes axiales et comportant des axes transversaux et longitudinaux dont les critères d'identification sont présentés selon le plan de coupe.

     

Evaluation of a computerized appointment system in general practice.

Computers have gained rapid acceptance in general practice. A recent development has been the use of computers to run practice appointment systems. This study demonstrates the benefits of installing a computerized appointment system, with improved service for patients, and more efficient use of time by both doctors and receptionists.     

Identical abnormality of the short arm of chromosome 18 in two Philadelphia-positive chronic myelocytic leukemia patients with erythroblastic transformation,resulting in duplication of BCR-ABL1 fusion

Two patients with Ph-positive chronic myelocytic leukemia in erythroblastic transformation and rearrangement of the short arm of chromosome 18 are reported. Fluorescence in situ hybridization studies showed that the 18p rearrangement resulted from translocation of the main part of chromosome 22 long arm to 18p, including BCR-ABL1 fusion. The 18p abnormality resulted, thus, in loss of 18p and duplication of BCR-ABL1 in both patients. The possible relation to the erythroblastic type of blastic phase is briefly discussed. In addition an apparently intact germline ABL1 gene was duplicated and inserted into chromosome 6 at band p21 in one of these patients.     

Conservative treatment in epithelial ovarian cancer: results of a multicentre study of the GCCLCC (Groupe des Chirurgiens de Centre de Lutte Contre le Cancer) and SFOG (Société Francaise d'Oncologie Gynécologique)

BACKGROUND: Results of conservative management of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remain controversial in the literature. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical outcomes and fertility following fertility-sparing surgical management of EOC in a retrospective multicentre study. METHODS: A multicentre retrospective study was performed by members of two French groups. Six inclusion criteria were defined: (i) Histological review by the same pathologist; (ii) age < or =40 years; (iii) conservative management; (iv) complete peritoneal staging; (v) delivery of a platinum-based chemotherapy in stage > or = IC; and (vi) follow-up >1 year. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria: 30 had stage IA disease; three had stage IC and one had stage IIA. Eleven patients had recurrence: 10 patients had invasive disease and one had borderline recurrence. Among 10 patients with invasive recurrence, initial stage and grade were: stage IA G1, n = 1; stage IA G2, n = 4; stage IA G3, n = 1; and stage> or = IC, n = 4. All patients with stage > IA had recurrence. Ten pregnancies were observed in nine patients. CONCLUSION: Conservative surgery for patients with EOC could be considered in young patients with stage IA G1 disease. This procedure should not be performed in patients with FIGO stage > IA.     

Interaction of B7RP-1 with ICOS Negatively Regulates Antigen Presentation by B Cells

Stimulation of T cells through the T cell receptor is insufficient for optimal T cell activation. A second activation signal is necessary, being usually provided by the costimulatory molecule CD28. Recently, additional costimulatory pathways have been identified, including inducible costimulator (ICOS) and its ligand B7RP-1. We have examined the role of the B7RP-1/ICOS costimulatory pathway on antigen presentation by B cells, using the I-A^k and I-E^k-positive CH27 B cell line and several different T cell lines. We found that CH27 expressed B7RP-1 and PD-L1 whereas the T cell lines expressed ICOS and PD-1. In the presence of HEL, the T cell hybridomas C10 and 3A9 released IL-2, which is indicative of antigen-specific T cell activation by the CH27 cells. Unexpectedly, blocking antibodies for B7RP-1 and ICOS enhanced the IL-2 response in both T cells. As expected, an increase in the production of IL-2 was seen when blocking antibodies for PD-1 were used. Blocking with antibodies for I-A^k, CD28, B7.1, and B7.2 lead to a decrease in IL-2 production. Additionally we tested a Th1 and a Th2 T cell clone. Blockade of B7RP-1/ICOS lead to an increased IFN- response in Th1 cells (A.E7) and an increased IL-4 response in Th2 cells (D10.G4.1). Intracellular staining also showed an increase in cytokine production when the B7RP-1/ICOS pathway was blocked. In conclusion, the B7RP-1/ICOS pathway is negatively regulating T cell activation by B cells and may play a role similar to that of the PD-L1/PD-1 pathway.     

Differential histochemical peanut agglutinin stain in benign and malignant human prostate tumors: Relationship with prostatic specific antigen immunostain and nuclear DNA content

The histochemical binding pattern of the peanut (Arachis hypogaea) lectin (PNA) was quantitatively described by means of computer-assisted microscope analysis in 28 benign prostatic hyperplasias (BPH), 15 prostatic intraepithelial neoplasias (PIN), and 119 prostatic adenocarcinomas. PNA exhibits noninunune but selective binding to glycoproteins with β-D-galactosyl(1,3)-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine residues. We also investigated whether a relationship existed between the number of histochemical-related PNA acceptors and the histochemical prostate-specific antigen (PSA) stain intensity, and between the number of PNA receptors and DNA ploidy level. The results show that neoplastic prostate tissues and high-grade intraepithelial prostatic neoplasias (PIN2_3) exhibit a significantly higher number of PNA acceptors than benign prostatic hyperplasias and low (PIN1) grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasias. A statistically significant correlation was observed between the number of histochemically related PNA acceptors and PSA immunostain intensity. Lastly, diploid prostatic tumors, whether benign or malignant, exhibited a significantly higher number of PNA acceptors than aneuploid ones. These results suggest that PNA acceptors play an important role in the biology of prostate tumors.     

Mutational pattern of influenza B viruses adapted to high growth replication in embryonated eggs

Improved replication of influenza viruses in embryonated chicken eggs (CE) permits increased vaccine production and availability. We investigated the growth properties of influenza B viruses in relation to specific mutations occurring after serial passage in CE. In serial passage experiments yielding high growth variants of B/Victoria/504/2000, mutations predicted to alter amino acid (AA) composition occurred only near the receptor-binding pocket of the hemagglutinins (HA) and in no other genes. Two B/Victoria/504/2000 high growth variants had the same AA substitutions in HA (R162M and D196Y), but the higher yield variant had a third substitution (G141E), which also altered antigenic characteristics. In a serial passage experiment yielding a high growth variant of B/Hong Kong/330/2001, mutations predicted to alter AA composition occurred only in PB2 and NP in domains predicted to relate to RNP formation and function. Our results indicate that adaptation of influenza B viruses to high-yield replication by serial passage in CE requires few mutations either in internal or external genes. Specific modifications of genes or a combination of genes could be used to optimize or create influenza B viruses for specific growth substrates.