Pulmonary embolism from a parasitic cardiac clot secondary to hepatic alveolar echinococcosis

An exceptional form of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis with metastasis of the right atrium is reported. This cardiac location of the parasitosis was revealed by attacks of pulmonary embolism which produced secondary pulmonary lesions. This case suggests that pulmonary metastases of alveolar echinococcosis of the liver might be due to the migration of parasitic clots from the hepatic veins.     

Über die Bildung von granulierten Leukozyten im Karzinomgewebe

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Endovascular treatment of a cervical paraspinal arteriovenous malformation via arterial and venous approaches.

We describe a cervical congenital paraspinal arteriovenous malformation (AVM) drained by paraspinal and epidural ectatic veins, which caused massive erosion of the C6 and C7 vertebral bodies, threatening the cervical stability and necessitating treatment. During the first session, six arterial embolizations were performed to reduce the size and the flow of the AVM. Two months later, a venous approach was used to occlude the remnant venous exit of the AVM and achieve a complete cure. All embolizations were performed using N-butylcyanoacrylate.     

The prevention of natural motoneuron cell death by dibutyryl-cyclic GMP in the spinal cord of White Leghorn chick embryos

The effect of dibutyryl-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (db-cGMP) treatment of White Leghorn chick embryos on the extent of natural motoneuron cell death in the lumbar spinal cord was examined. A dose of 1.59 mumol of db-cGMP effected an increase in motoneuron survival of 26.7%. No effect on motoneuron survival was observed with equimolar doses of 8-bromo-cGMP, db-cAMP, GMP, guanosine, or butyric acid.     

Characterization of glucocorticoid receptors in whole and cellular subfractions of embryonic chick spinal cord

Steroid-specific binding sites for tritiated corticosterone have been localized, via autoradiography, to motoneurons in the lateral motor columns of the adult rat spinal cord. Binding sites in adult rat spinal cord have been characterized biochemically and shown to possess the properties of a putative glucocorticoid receptor. The presence of receptors for glucocorticoids in embryonic chick spinal cord was determined and their characterization undertaken as a prelude to the study of the functions under regulation by glucocorticoids during development. Assay conditions were defined and binding of [3H]dexamethasone [( 3H]Dex) to cytosols of 6- and 10-day embryonic spinal cord and cellular subfractions of 6-day spinal cord determined. Saturable, high-affinity binding of [3H]Dex to cytosols prepared from both whole 6- and 10-day spinal cords and cells of all 3 cellular subfractions of 6-day spinal cords was observed. The binding component in 10-day cytosols was (1) proteinaceous, as binding was eliminated by heating cytosols, and (2) a macromolecular species, as it displayed a sedimentation coefficient of 8S upon centrifugation in sucrose gradients. The putative receptor displayed binding specific for glucocorticoids in a competition assay, with the exception that some inhibition of binding by the androgen ligand, methyltrienolone (R1881) was observed. The binding affinity decreased as the values for KD increased from 3.4 +/- 0.9 nM on day 6 to 15.7 +/- 1.8 nM on day 10, while the values for Bmax increased from 270 to 855 fmol/mg protein over the same period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Spinal angiolipomas: CT and MR aspects

Spinal angiolipomas are rare benign tumors containing vascular and mature adipose elements. In greater than 90% of the cases they are located in the epidural space. The clinical symptomatology is nonspecific, but CT and particularly MR studies allow for a precise diagnosis. Computed tomography (four cases in the literature plus one explored in our department) showed a hypodense lesion in 80% of the cases. In one case the angiolipoma was isodense to the cord. Magnetic resonance (three cases in the literature plus two explored in our department) showed a more or less homogeneous mass with a signal in T1- and T2-weighted images close to that of the subcutaneous fat. The infusion of gadolinium (one case in the literature plus one of ours) is helpful as an indicator to the degree of vascularization of the angiolipoma.     

Human leukocyte antigens antibodies after lung transplantation: Primary results of the HALT study

Donor‐specific antibodies (DSA) to mismatched human leukocyte antigens (HLA) are associated with worse outcomes after lung transplantation. To determine the incidence and characteristics of DSA early after lung transplantation, we conducted a prospective multicenter observational study that used standardized treatment and testing protocols. Among 119 transplant recipients, 43 (36%) developed DSA: 6 (14%) developed DSA only to class I HLA, 23 (53%) developed DSA only to class II HLA, and 14 (33%) developed DSA to both class I and class II HLA. The median DSA mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) was 3197. We identified a significant association between the Lung Allocation Score and the development of DSA (HR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.001‐1.03, P = .047) and a significant association between DSA with an MFI ≥ 3000 and acute cellular rejection (ACR) grade ≥ A2 (HR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.04‐4.27, P = .039). However, we did not detect an association between DSA and survival. We conclude that DSA occur frequently early after lung transplantation, and most target class II HLA. DSA with an MFI ≥ 3000 have a significant association with ACR. Extended follow‐up is necessary to determine the impact of DSA on other important outcomes.     

Variations of the concentrations of certain glycoproteins in maternal serum, fetal serum and amniotic fluid during pregnancy (author's transl)]

The authors investigated systematically the variations during normal pregnancies of the concentrations of alpha-1-antitrypsin, orosomucoid, transferrin and alpha-fetoprotein simultaneously in maternal serum, fetal serum and amniotic fluid. The role of certain factors such as the gestational age birth weight, placental weight and pairty were studied with regard to variations in the concentrations of each of these proteins. This research permitted the definition during pregnancy of the normal concentrations for these four proteins and allowed us to learn more about protein exchanges between fetal blood, maternal blood and amniotic fluid. There exists a difference between the concentrations of alpha-1-antitrypsin and of orosomucoid found for primigravidae and for multigravidae. The role of these glycoproteins in preventing the mother from rejecting the fetus (insofar as the fetus may be considered as an allograft) is discussed.     

Ultrasonic study of venous patterns in the right hypochondrium: An anatomical approach to differential diagnosis of obstructive jaundice

Through real time ultrasonography, it is possible to display the splenic vein, the superior mesenteric vein, the vena porta, and the intrahepatic portal and systemic veins. In jaundice, it is of the utmost importance to carefully identify the vena porta before making a diagnosis of common bile duct enlargement. It is also necessary, when confronted with a pattern of apparently enlarged intrahepatic ducts, to conduct a thorough study of possible confluences of the ducts with the vena porta or vena cava to be certain that the ducts are not part of the portal or systemic venous network. Without such differentiation, portal enlargement caused portal hypertension, systemic venous enlargement caused cardiac insufficiency, or even nonpathological wide veins may lead to an erroneous diagnosis of obstructive jaundice.