Clinicopathological study of familial late infantile Hallervorden-Spatz disease: a particular form of neuroacanthocytosis

The cases of two sisters with late infantile Hallervorden-Spatz disease are reported, one of whom has died. Autopsy of the deceased patient showed typical pallidal lesions, such as axonal spheroids and iron deposits, without involvement of the substantia nigra. Ultrastructural examination revealed that pallidal axonal enlargements consisted of collecition of mitochondria, dense bodies, vesicles and amorphous material. In the living patient, brain MRI showed the classical tiger's eye appearance of the globus pallidus. Retinitis pigmentosa, acanthocytosis and slight neuromuscular involvement with an increase in serum creatine kinase were observed in both subjects. The appearance of the globus pallidus on MRI was in line with the pathological abnormalities. Ultrastructural differences between the principal disorders characterized by neuroaxonal dystrophy are compared and the clinical spectrum and similarities of the different forms of neuroacanthocytosis analysed.     

Role of mesenchymal-epithelial interactions in mammary gland development

The mammary gland is a hormone-target organ derived from epidermis and develops as a result of reciprocal mesenchymal-epithelial interactions. The induction of mammary differentiation from indifferent epidermal cells by mammary mesenchyme implies induction of the complement of hormone receptors characteristic of normal mammary epithelium in cells of the epidermis. Considering the facts that mammary epithelial differentiation is induced by mammary mesenchyme and that certain aspects of hormone response (androgen-induced mammary regression) are inextricably linked to mesenchymal-epithelial interactions, it is evident that the biology of the mammary gland arises from and is maintained via cell-cell interactions. As a corollary, perturbation of stromal-epithelial interactions in adulthood may play a role in mammary carcinogenesis and in turn may provide opportunities for differentiation therapy.     

Caustic ingestion in childhood: current treatment possibilities and their complications

In a review of 15 pediatric patients who had ingested caustic substances, the authors describe the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures to be followed as well as the complications that may occur with their use. The cases reported include 1 esophageal rupture caused by balloon dilatation and 1 recurrent stenosis treated with a silastic tutor.     

Headache and oral contraceptives (author's transl)

175 patients using oral contraceptives (OCs) for periods from 2 months-6 years were studied. A survey was made of the secondary effects of the treatment. Among the total group, 101 of them had not presented headache before the use of contraceptives, and the remaining 75 patients had previously complained of chronic headaches which were considered due to different etiologies. 50 patients from the group without previous headache claimed that OC treatment marked the initiation of the headaches. 25 had vascular headaches and 25 had tension headaches. Among the 75 patients included in the other group as complainers of chronic headache prior to treatment, 30 had a worsening of the symptoms after use of the OCs. The authors compare their results with those referred to in the literature. (author's)     

Effects of heroin,alone or in combination with other drugs,on the locomotor activity in two inbred strains of mice

The locomotor activity of C57B1/6J and DBA/2J mice was studied, under the influences of heroin, amphetamine, strychnine, or ethanol, and of combinations of the opiate with each one of the other drugs. Heroin treatment was followed by the typical running fit in the C57 mice, while the DBA strain was unaffected. Amphetamine enhanced the activity in the C57 strain only. The combination of heroin with amphetamine or ethanol increased the locomotor activity only in the DBA strain, while heroin + strychnine exerted a clear stimulating effect on the activity of the C57 mice. The strychnine + heroin mixture was more toxic than heroin alone when the lethal doses (LD50) were determined in the 2 strains.