Median cleft lip with bimanual hexadactyly and bilateral accessory toes. Report of two cases in the same family

The present paper presents two brothers with a median upper lip cleft, associated with postaxial hexadactyly of both hands and feet. Very few similar cases have previously been reported in the literature by various workers. The similarity between the cases reported in the literature and the two cases presented here indicates the existence of a median cleft lip-hexadactyly-syndrome.     

Duodenal carcinoids in patients with and without neurofibromatosis. A comparative study

Nine duodenal carcinoids from patients with von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis (VRNF) were investigated for their morphologic, immunocytochemical, and ultrastructural characteristics, and were compared with seven similar tumors from patients without VRNF. Strong similarities were found between tumors in each group. Irrespective of their association with VRNF, duodenal carcinoids arose in adults and usually produced jaundice, upper intestinal bleeding, or obstruction. Tumors larger than 2.0 cm had already metastasized when first detected. All tumors showed a mixed architectural pattern; five tumors associated with VRNF were of the psammomatous type, as opposed to two of those without VRNF. While no tumors showed argentaffinity, stray argyrophil cells were present only in the three tumors not associated with VRNF. All of the tumors showed immunocytochemical evidence of somatostatinomas, and only one VRNF-associated tumor showed immunoreactivity for an additional regulatory substance, as opposed to three of those not associated with VRNF. Thus, while VRNF-associated duodenal carcinoids are not otherwise distinctive, they tend to be pure somatostatinomas (eight of nine cases), whereas similar tumors unassociated with VRNF are frequently multihormonal (three of seven cases). While many more duodenal carcinoids need to be investigated systematically for their immunocytochemical profile, detection of a pure somatostatinoma in the duodenum should alert one to the possibility of coexistent VRNF.     

Rhinophycomycosis—Report of two cases with review of literature

Rhinophycomycosis is a rare disease. Presentation, diagnosis and treatment of two cases have been highlighted with review of literature.     

Detection of neutrophil inhibition factor (NIF) in patient with carcinoma of larynx using skin-window technique

Tumour antigen-induced leucocyte inhibition was studied in vivo in patients with laryngeal carcinomas (squamous-cell type in 13 and transitional cell type in 1 case) and benign tumours (squamous cell papilloma in 2, fibroepithelial polyp in 1 and mixed mesenchymal tumour in 1 case). All the patients were biopsied and autologous tumour-antigen (ATA) was used in vivo skin window test. Release of of ATA-induced neutrophil inhibition factor (NIF) was detected in 12 of 14 (85.7%) malignant cases. Basophilic chemotaxis occurred in 4 malignant cases, following exposure to ATA. Furthermore, 4 other malignant cases also gave positive ATA-induced delayed hypersensitivity (DH) response. Results of this study suggest possible role of immunological factors in limiting tumour dissemination.     

Influence of age on hair cell loss in the rabbit cochlea

The surface preparation technique was used for a study of cochlear hair cell loss as a function of age in rabbits 1 week, 6 months, 1 year, and 4 years old. Cytocochleograms from these animals were prepared which indicated damaged or missing hair cells over the entire spiral organ from the apical to the basal coil. The loss in the mean percentage of total outer hair cells (OHC) and inner hair cells (IHC) appeared to increase linearly with increasing age, with a statistically significant correlation. The cell loss was similar in all three rows of OHC in each of the age groups. In animals up to 1 year of age, areas of OHC loss were localized in the apical and basal coils. In 4-year-old rabbits, OHC degeneration had become progressively accentuated and widespread. The pattern of IHC loss was somewhat similar to that of OHC. Age-related hair cell loss in the rabbit is comparable to that in the rat, monkey, and human cochlea.     

Age related cochlear toxicity from noise and antibiotics--a review

Laboratory experimental evidence indicates that there is an age related susceptibility to cochlear damage from noise exposure and ototoxic antibiotics. In some rodents there is a critical period of auditory development during which there is greater vulnerability to such damage and, in some species, noise induced damage is influenced by genotype. Available data from patients are inconclusive in this regard. Further careful studies are indicated in this area. All available evidence emphasizes that caution should be exercised in the use of ototoxic drugs during pregnancy, in neonates, young children, and older people.     

A double-blind comparison of 2% ketoconazole and 1% clotrimazole in the treatment of pityriasis versicolor

Forty adult patients of pityriasis versicolor were treated with either topical 2% ketoconazole cream (20 patients) or topical 1% clotrimazole cream (20 patients). In global assessment of treatment after 2 weeks, 18 (90%) out of 20 patients treated with ketoconazole cream were cured while 2 cases had considerable residual lesions. In clotrimazole treated group, 17 (85%) out of 20 patients were cured and 3 still had considerable lesions. No significant difference was observed in response rates in the two groups. No side effects were reported in either groups.