Neonatal striatal grafts prevent lethal syndrome produced by bilateral intrastriatal injection of kainic acid

It is reported that unilateral grafts of neonatal striatal tissue protect the recipient from the lethal aphagia and adipsia produced by bilateral intrastriatal injection of 10 nmol of kainic acid in rats. It is shown that neither adult striatum nor neonatal tissue from other sites have the same lifesaving effect and that the salutary effect of the graft is dependent upon graft survival. Grafts from a histoincompatible donor are apparently rejected, leading to the death of the recipient. Cyclosporine inhibits rejection thereby enabling recipient survival. It is postulated that the graft exerts a neurohumoral influence that protects the striatum from the toxic effect of kainate.     

A retrograde fluorescent-labeling study of direct relationship between the limbic (anterodorsal and anteroventral thalamic nuclei) and the visual system in the albino rat

Injecting different fluorescent tracers into the right anterodorsal (AD)/anteroventral (AV) or AD/AV and the primary visual nuclei of dorsal lateral geniculate (dLGN) or superior colliculus (SC), a direct projection from the left retina to these anterior thalamic nuclei was ascertained in the central part of ventro-nasal retinal quadrant. Single-labeled cells were of small type. No double-labeled cells were demonstrated.     

Herpes simplex virus and human papillomavirus infection in cervical disease in Argentine women.

The aim of the present study was to determine that prevalence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 and 2 in cervical samples from Argentine women and to assess the role of HSV-2 in cervical cancer. A sample of 79 normal and 200 neoplastic cervical tissues (35 invasive cervical carcinomas, 75 high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, 79 low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions and 11 abnormal squamous cells of undermined significance) was analyzed for herpes simplex and human papillomavirus DNA using the polymerase chain reaction method. Viral genotyping was performed by single strand conformation polymorphisms and restriction fragment length polymorphisms. The overall prevalence of HSV was 21.5% in controls and 29% in cases. Among women with normal cytology, herpes simplex prevalence in HPV positive (20.8%) women was approximately the same as in negative (21.8%) women. HPV- and age- adjusted ORs of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions and invasive cervical carcinomas for HSV-2 were 1.4 (p = 0.6) and 1.6 (p = 0.5), respectively. The obtained results indicated that herpes simplex virus may not be involved in cervical cancer development. Future investigations are needed to provided conclusive evidence on the role of this pathogen in cervical cancer.     

Imaging of orbital floor fractures

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of plain films and computed tomography (CT) in defining inferior orbital fractures and any muscle involvement. Forty-four patients with final diagnosis of orbital floor fractures in the period 1990–94 were retrospectively studied. Computed tomography was performed in 28 patients, 20 being direct coronal acquisitions and eight being fine axial acquisitions with coronal reconstructions. Water's view radiographs were performed in 34 patients. Fourteen fractures on plain films were associated with soft tissue opacities to suggest inferior rectus (IR) muscle involvement, but only two required surgical elevation of the orbital floor. The remaining patients were successfully treated conservatively. Three patients had IR entrapment on direct coronal CT, all requiring surgical elevation of the orbital floor. Seven patients had IR muscle displacement on direct coronal CT and all had conservative management. In four patients with axial acquisition and coronal reconstructions, the CT images were of inadequate quality to determine the presence or absence of a fracture. One patient who had no IR muscle involvement identified on reconstructed coronal CT required surgical elevation of the orbital floor on clinical grounds. We conclude that: (i) soft tissue opacities on plain films are not an accurate indicator of clinically significant IR involvement; (ii) axial CT is not efficacious in detection of fractures or IR involvement; and (iii) direct coronal CT is the most efficacious imaging modality.     

Evaluation of the diagnostic power of 3 methods for assaying free T4. Results in the diagnostic strategy of hyperthyroidism

The free thyroxin (FT4) tests of Amersham, Clinical Assay and Corning Medical were evaluated in 240 patients who were suspected of hyperthyroidism. The diagnostic performances of the Corning method were of less value while those of the other methods were equivalent to that obtained with the free thyroxin index for an average cost reduced. Furthermore our results show that T3 determination is better than T4 determination in patients who remained doubtful after FT4. However the development of ultra-short methods of measurement of total thyroid hormone blood levels using fluorescence polarization could lead to reconsider the diagnostic strategy of hyperthyroidism.     

Beta 2-microglobulin amyloidosis in a patient treated exclusively by continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

The histological demonstration of beta 2-microglobulin (B2M) amyloidosis in a 75-year-old man treated exclusively by continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) for 87 months is reported. Amyloid deposits were detected in all joints from which synovial specimens were obtained at autopsy. It is of note that the patient had never undergone hemodialysis and had suffered only one episode of peritonitis. Both features are of interest, as the few reports of dialysis-related amyloidosis (DRA) in CAPD include patients who have been hemodialyzed and have suffered repeated episodes of peritonitis, both conditions being incriminated in the genesis of B2M amyloidosis. We conclude that DRA may develop in the absence of artificial membranes or frequent peritonitis episodes.