A method to accurately inject tumor cells into the caudate/putamen nuclei of the mouse brain

OBJECTIVE: To improve currently used techniques to implant tumor cells into the parenchyma of the mouse brain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The stereotactic injection of 0.5 to 5 microl of indigo carmine over 5 to 40 minutes into the caudate/putamen nuclei of the mouse was done followed by sacrifice and examination of the brain injection site. 1 microl containing 10(5) U87MG glioma cells were stereotactically implanted into the caudate/ putamen nuclei over 20 minutes. The animals were sacrificed from one hour to 63 days after implantation and the brain examined and tumor size measured. RESULTS: An injection of 1 microl of indigo carmine over 20 minutes produced a spherical deposit of dye within the caudate/putamen nuclei. Larger volumes of indigo carmine or shorter injection times resulted in dye spreading along the injection tract or into the ventricles or subarachnoid space. Using the results of the dye studies, the same parameters were used to successfully inject and confine the glioma cells to the caudate/putamen nuclei in 30 of 32 mice. No tumor was found in 2 animals and appears to be explained by obstruction of the injection cannula. The tumor cells appeared viable an hour after injection. However by day three, considerable necrosis of tumor cells were noted, the effects of which resolved by day five. On day six, the injection site was comparable to that at one hour. In the early phase, until the fifth week, tumor volume doubling time was ten days while afterward it was only five days. CONCLUSION: The technique described allows the highly accurate and reproducible introduction of a given number of cells into a specific area of the mouse brain. This should reduce the intragroup variability, be it control or therapeutic, allowing better assessment of outcome with fewer number of mice.     

Fertility potential of women with congenital ampullary atresia of the fallopian tube

OBJECTIVE: To determine the fertility potential of women with congenital ampullary atresia of the fallopian tube. DESIGN: Case report and review of literature. SETTING: University-affiliated tertiary care infertility clinic. PATIENT(S): Six infertile women with congenital ampullary atresia of the oviduct. INTERVENTION(S): Salpingostomy and fimbrial approximation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Pregnancy. RESULT(S): Of six reported cases of congenital ampullary atresia of the fallopian tube who underwent surgery, four women conceived intrauterine pregnancies (IUP) and another, a pregnancy of undetermined site. CONCLUSION(S): Salpingostomy and fimbrial approximation is a therapeutic option for infertile women with congenital ampullary atresia of the fallopian tube.     

A clinical comparison of glass ionomer,resin-modified glass ionomer and resin composite restorations in the treatment of cervical caries in xerostomic head and neck radiation patients

Controversy exists as to whether there is less secondary caries at the margins of glass ionomer restorations compared with other materials that do not release fluoride. This study examined the incidence of secondary caries for three types of restorative materials in Class V restorations in xerostomic patients. The study group consisted of 45 high caries-risk adult patients who had undergone head and neck irradiation for the treatment of cancer. All were substantially xerostomic and in need of at least three restorations in the same arch. Every patient received a restoration with each of the test materials, a conventional glass ionomer (GI), a resin modified glass ionomer (RMGI) and a resin composite (C). Patients were instructed in the daily use of a neutral pH sodium fluoride gel in custom trays. Recall appointments were made at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months, and the restorations were examined for material loss, marginal integrity and recurrent caries at the restoration margin. Fluoride compliance was determined at each recall period and recorded as the percentage of recommended use during that interval. Patients were categorized at the end of the study as fluoride non-users if their average compliance was 50% or less. Those with greater than 50% compliance were categorized as fluoride users. In the latter group, no recurrent caries was found for any of the restorations, whereas a material-dependent incidence of recurrent caries was found in the fluoride non-user group. None of the GI, one RMGI and eight C restorations failed due to recurrent caries. For the fluoride non-user patients, Fishers exact test (p=0.05) showed no statistical difference between GI and RMGI but statistical differences were found among those materials and resin composite at each recall period. Recurrent caries reductions for GI and RMGI relative to C were greater than 80% in xerostomic patients not using topical fluoride supplementation.     

Diagnosis of occlusal caries: Part I. Conventional methods

Accurate diagnosis of the presence or absence of disease is a fundamental requirement in health care. The diagnosis of non-overt occlusal decay is challenging and can be highly subjective, and its inherent uncertainties can lead to widely differing treatment decisions. The development of more sensitive, specific and reproducible diagnostic tools for occlusal surfaces would contribute greatly to more precise planning of preventive and operative therapy. The purpose of this 2-part paper is to review current knowledge concerning conventional and new diagnostic methods for occlusal caries. Part I looks at established diagnostic methods for occlusal surfaces. Conventional visual, tactile and radiographic examinations provide less-than-ideal diagnostic sensitivity. Neither fissure discolouration (black or brown) nor the use of an explorer has been shown to improve diagnostic accuracy. However, the combination of careful visual examination with optimal radiographic examination affords better diagnostic performance. The best visual indicators involve precise features associated with the presence of disease, such as opaque fissure demineralization and the presence and extent of localized breakdown of the enamel. For best results, teeth should be clean, thoroughly dry and well illuminated. Part II will examine new and emerging technologies, including the DIAGNOdent laser fluorescence device, which are being developed for the diagnosis of occlusal decay.     

Metabolic complications of HIV and AIDS

Nutritional problems in the patient with HIV/AIDS may include both wasting and the more recently described lipodystrophy syndromes, which are complex disorders of body composition and metabolism associated with antiretroviral therapy. In this paper we review the pathophysiology and treatment options for both wasting and lipodystrophy.     

Reflecting upon the left superior mediastinum

Pathology developing within the confines of the superior mediastinum may produce changes that appear quite subtle on conventional radiographs. The zone of contact of lung with the left superior mediastinum is represented radiographically as a series of interrelated pleural reflections. These reflections may be altered by mediastinal disease, and an understanding of this anatomy can facilitate detection of abnormalities.     

POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF KANAMYCIN AND INCUBATION IN NEWBORN CHILDREN WITH LOW BIRTH WEIGHT

ABSTRACT: In an acoustico-vestibular follow-up investigation of 91 four- to six-year-old children with birth weight below 2 000 g, the same incidence of sensorineural hearing loss (19 %) was found in 54 children treated with kanamycin in the neonatal period as in a group of 37 infants not treated with kanamycin. When comparing a group of children treated with both kanamycin and incubator (54 children) with a group treated with incubator only (16 children), no definite signs of synergism between incubator noise and kanamycin were found. However, the 5 cases of moderate or severe hearing loss all belonged to the group treated with both incubator and kanamycin. These 5 children had more severe neonatal complications, especially apnea, cyanotic spells and hyperbilirubinemia, which may increase the severity of the hearing loss.
Among 56 incubator treated children with normal hearing (ISO standards) 52% had an audiogram pattern suggesting minor noise-provoked cochlear lesions. Among 18 non-incubator treated children with normal hearing only one child (6%) had a similar pattern. It should be stressed, however, that these children had no clinical symptoms of hearing loss.     

Menkes's syndrome. Report of a patient treated from 21 days of age with parenteral copper

In an infant with Menkes's steely-hair syndrome, early treatment (from 21 days of age) with parenteral copper failed to halt the disease. In addition to urinary tract abnormalities, panlobular emphysema was present a finding not previously noted in the syndrome.     

INTERRELATION BETWEEN FATTY ACID OXIDATION AND CONTROL OF GLUCONEOGENIC SUBSTRATES IN SMALL-FOR-GESTATIONAL-AGE (SGA) INFANTS WITH HYPOGLYCEMIA AND WITH NORMOGLYCEMIA

ABSTRACT. Twelve SGA infants were studied from 4 hours after birth (day 1), before and for 4 hours after injection of 0.5 g of fat/kg b. w. (Intralipid®, IL). Eight infants were restudied after 24 hours (day 2). A positive correlation was found between initial samples of FTA and glucose on day 1 (n= 11, r 0.71, p < 0.02) and between FFA and β-hydroxybutyrate (n= 12, r 0.62, p < 0.05), suggesting low FFA mobilization and oxidation in SGA infants with low blood glucose. After IL infants with low blood glucose had a more pronounced defect of intravascular lipolysis. Four infants had initial hypoglycemia (HG), with blood glucose 0.4-1.3 mmol/l, and 8 were normoglycemic (NG). In the NG group initial levels of lactate and alanine were within normal limits, and no changes occurred after IL. An early peak of glycerol was seen. In the HG group initial lactate and alanine levels were higher than in the NG group, while glycerol did not differ. After injection of IL, glucose increased at 60 and 120 min in the HG group. A close correlation was found between mean levels of lactate and alanine and a negative correlation between lactate and glucose, while no correlation was found between glycerol and glucose levels. The infants with the lowest initial glucose and the highest lactate levels had the steepest rise in glucose and the fastest decrease in lactate per unit increase in β-hydroxybutyrate after IL. On day 2 the initial levels of lactate and alanine were lower than on day 1 and all infants were normoglycemic. A glucose peak corresponding to the glycerol peak was seen after IL, but lactate and alanine levels did not change. These data were consistent with reduced lipolytic capacity, low fatty acid oxidation and reduced gluconeogenesis in SGA infants on day 1, especially in those with HG. The glucose and β-hydroxybutyrate levels were rapidly increasing and lactate levels decreasing after IL, suggesting improving gluconeogenesis concomitantly with increasing fatty acid oxidation.