Treatment of a giant orbitofacial vascular malformation and ophthalmic artery aneurysms with intralesion glue injections: case report

We describe a giant left orbital vascular malformation that was treated with both percutaneous and transarterial embolization. Feeder artery aneurysms thrombosed as a result of retrograde reflux of embolic material into the distal ophthalmic artery. In this presentation, we emphasize the efficacy of percutaneous embolization and retrograde thromboses of two intradural saccular ophthalmic artery aneurysms.     

Coordination-related changes in the rhythms of breathing and walking in humans

Coordination of the respiratory rhythm with the rhythm of limb movements has often been observed during rhythmical exercise (e.g. in locomotion). It is usually associated with changes in the respiratory time course, but not in the locomotor rhythm. Therefore, we hypothesised that in walking, the extent of coordination-related changes (CRC) in respiratory parameters would increase with closer coordination. With respect to the controversially discussed question of a possible energetic advantage due to coordination, we devoted particular interest to the CRC in oxygen uptake (V˙O₂). In addition, we investigated the incidence and the extent of CRC in the stepping rhythm. We examined 18 volunteers walking on a treadmill at three different workload levels, which were adjusted by altering either the velocity or slope of the treadmill. Each walking test was carried out twice, once with spontaneous breathing and once with breathing paced by a step-related acoustic signal to enhance the coordination between breathing and walking. No correlation was found between the CRC in the analysed parameters and the degree of coordination. However, the extent of CRC of ventilation and V˙O₂ decreased with increasing workload. With the transition to coordination, increases and decreases of V˙O₂ occurred about equally often. From this we conclude that energetic economisation in walking, as reflected by a reduction in V˙O₂, is rather a side-effect of coordination, and is probably due to a more precise regulation of the breathing pattern. The economisation was more pronounced at higher work loads than at lower work loads. Our results revealed that coordination is also associated with changes in the stepping rate, which occurred more frequently when the variability of breathing was restricted by acoustic pacing of the breathing rhythm. This finding suggests that the choice of walking rhythm is not completely free, but can be influenced by the breathing rhythm. CRC in the walking rhythm might contribute to the avoidance of excessive CRC in the respiratory time course, which would entail an inefficient breathing pattern and thus, an energetic disadvantage. Accepted: 29 March 2000     

Akrozephalosyndaktylie I (Apert-Syndrom)

A fourteen years old girl showed the classic signs of acrocephalosyndactyly I: dysostosis craniofacialis with hypertelorism, exophthalmus, strabism, amblyopia and cleft palate as well as syndactyly of the fingers and toes. The feet showed on both side a 6 cm long horny band. Since the twelfth year of life, she had suffered from papulo-pustular acne with many comedomes. Her menstruation started one year later. Intellectual development was normal. At time of her birth, her father was 54 years old, and her mother 36 years old. Two elder siblings are healthy. The inheritance of acrocephalosyndactyly I is usually autosomal dominant, but sporadic cases are frequent.     

Akute Exazerbation einer hereditären Pankreatitis

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Gefahren und Risiken der Reproduktionsmedizin

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is now routinely performed worldwide to help many motivated couples give birth to healthy infants. A broad spectrum of techniques has become available, and most procedures are considered to be safe. The use of newer techniques may bring new hazards, especially those requiring more biologic manipulation than artificial insemination and other, older ART methods. Patients must be counselled about the possible risks of ART procedures. Vaginal and abdominal bleeding, infectious complications and injury of pelvic structures after oocyte retrieval are rare. Severe to very severe pain is expected in about 3% of patients. There is no evidence of a higher risk of malignancies or benign gynaecological diseases after hormonal stimulation for in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The risk of thrombotic complications in young and healthy women is also quite rare. The safety aspect of assisted reproduction at the epigenetic level has not been well studied, especially after in vitro maturation (IVM). More clinical experience with pregnancies and birth is necessary to address this question.     

Ecthyma gangrenosum.

Case 1. An 18-year-old white man with AML-M3 received allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in August 1997. On the seventh day of BMT, he developed chills, fever (39.1 °C), anorexia, and perirectal pain. On physical examination, a hemorrhagic bulla and “punched out” ulceration were observed on the perirectal region. Subsequently, the ulcer was surrounded by a red, swollen, tender, cellulitic plaque ( Fig. 1 ).

Figure 1 Open in figure viewer PowerPoint The ulceration on the perianal region of the first patient     

Activity of O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase in mononuclear blood cells of formaldehyde-exposed medical students

A recent study reported that exposure of student embalmers in Cincinnati to high concentrations of formaldehyde (2 mg/m³) reduced the activity of the DNA repair protein O⁶-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT). Reduction in a DNA repair enzyme may strongly increase the cancer risk not only with respect to the repair-enzyme causing agent but with respect to all carcinogens causing lesions subject to repair by the enzyme in question. Thus, we examined whether formaldehyde exposure of 57 medical students during their anatomy course at two different Universities in Germany influenced MGMT activity in mononuclear blood cells. Mean formaldehyde exposure of 41 students was 0.2 ± 0.05 mg/m³ for 6 h per week. MGMT activity was 133.2 ± 14.9 fmol MGMT/10⁶ cells before the beginning of the formaldehyde exposure, 131.1 ± 15.8 fmol MGMT/10⁶ cells after 50 days (P = 0.56) and 128.2 ± 19.0 fmol MGMT/10⁶ cells after 111 days of exposure (P=0.92). Similarly, no significant influence of formaldehyde exposure was observed, when smoking habits, alcohol consumption, allergic disease and sex of students were considered. In addition no significant difference was obtained in MGMT activity between 16 students with mean formaldehyde exposure of 0.8 ± 0.6 mg/m³ and students without formaldehyde exposure (n=51; P=0.37). In conclusion, exposure of the medical students in western Europe to formaldehyde did not decrease MGMT activity in mononuclear blood cells. Received: 22 September 1998 / Accepted: 4 November 1998     

The effect of different anxiolytics on the anxiety state occurring in rats after stopping the electrical stimulation of the dorsal hippocampus

The work shows growing anxiety of rats after electrical stimulation of the hippocampus during a conflict and according to the findings of multimetric testing. Various anxiolytics (diazepam, melatonin, and propranolol) completely relieved the symptoms of hippocampal hyperactivity.     

Der Stellenwert des SISI-Tests in der überschwelligen audiometrischen Diagnostik

Summary The efficiency of SISI test for audiological evaluation of hearing impairment is investigated by a retrospective study of 604 subjects. In addition to the dependence of SISI scores on the age of the subjects the influence of sound pressure level and frequency is discussed. Comparing SISI results with those of other special tests (Fowler, Langenbeck) we find that SISI test tends to indicate haircell lesions even though other tests exhibit a different site of the lesion. Particularly in cases of complex hearing impairments (noise plus other causes) SISI test frequently shows false-positive results. Therefore SISI scores should be interpreted carefully, especially with regard to legal examination of noise induced hearing loss.