Serum levels of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) in Parkinson's disease.

To elucidate the possible role of vitamin E in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), we compared serum levels of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), measured by high-performance liquid chromatography, and the vitamin E/cholesterol ratio of 42 Parkinson's disease (PD) patients using their spouses as the control group. The serum levels of vitamin E did not differ significantly between the groups (13.84 +/- 0.56 micrograms/ml for PD and 14.80 +/- 0.57 micrograms/ml for controls), nor did the vitamin E/cholesterol ratio (0.64 +/- 0.03 for both groups). There was no influence of antiparkinsonian therapy on vitamin E or the vitamin E/cholesterol ratio. Serum levels of the vitamin E and vitamin E/cholesterol ratio did not correlate with age, age at onset, scores of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale or the Hoehn and Yahr staging in the PD group. These results suggest that serum vitamin E concentrations do not play a role in the pathogenesis of PD.     

Regional expression of c-fos and heat shock protein-70 mRNA following hypoxia-ischemia in immature rat brain.

Cerebral ischemia induces the expression of a number of proteins that may have an important influence on cellular injury. The purpose of this study was to compare the regional effects of hypoxia-ischemia on the expression of the proto-oncogene, c-fos, and the heat shock protein-70 (HSP-70) gene in developing brain. Unilateral hypoxia-ischemia was produced in the brain of immature rats (7, 15, and 23 days after birth) using a combination of carotid artery ligation and systemic hypoxia (8% O2). After recovery for 2 and 24 h, the regional expression of c-fos and HSP-70 mRNA was determined using in situ hybridization. Littermates were permitted to recover for 1 week for assessment of histologic injury. Hypoxia-ischemia increased the expression of both c-fos and HSP-70 mRNA, but the topography of expression varied with the age of the animal as well as the mRNA species. In the 7-day-old group, expression of c-fos at 2 h increased in multiple regions of the ipsilateral hemisphere in nearly one-half of the animals, while HSP-70 mRNA was not expressed until 24 h and, then, predominantly in the hippocampus. In 15- and 23-day-old rats, expression of c-fos was increased at 2 h in the entorhinal cortex and in the dendritic field of the upper blade of the hippocampal dentate gyrus, while HSP-70 mRNA was prominently expressed in neocortex and the cell layers of the hippocampus. Interestingly, the strong expression of HSP-70 mRNA in dentate granule cells did not occur in the innermost layer of cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Cases of buprenorphine abuse in India.

Buprenorphine was introduced as a potent analgesic with low abuse potential. Reports of buprenorphine abuse by opiate abusers have accumulated over the years, highlighting its use as a cheap alternative to heroin. The lower potency compared with heroin is being compensated by using a cocktail of buprenorphine with benzodiazepines or cyclizine. This study of 18 cases seen over 3 years broadly confirms these findings. Four cases reported haematemesis during acute withdrawal, a symptom not reported in earlier studies.     

Surgical technique and approaches in orthotopic liver transplantation]

The first clinical experience with orthotopic transplantation of the liver was summarized. Within the period of from February 1990 to May 1991, 8 operations were performed, including one retransplantation of the liver. The peculiarities and variants of surgical technique, general principles of the performance of operation, methods for vascular and biliary reconstruction are presented. After the operation, 3 patients are alive, no surgical complications were observed.     

Imaging findings in patients with clinical anophthalmos.

PURPOSETo review the intracranial and facial imaging features in children with congenital anophthalmos.METHODSWe retrospectively studied eight children with anophthalmos with respect to intraorbital, intracranial, and craniofacial anomalies (six had CT examinations, including the face, orbits, and brain, and four had MR imaging, including the orbits and brain).RESULTSThree patients had primary bilateral anophthalmos on CT (n = 1) and MR (n = 3) studies. In these patients, MR images showed hypoplasia of the optic chiasm and posterior visual pathways (n = 3), agenesis (n = 1) or dysgenesis of the corpus callosum (n = 2), and a mass in the tuber cinereum region (n = 1). One patient had incontinentia pigmenti. Five patients had unilateral anophthalmos on CT (n = 5) and MR (n = 1) studies. One of these patients had a contralateral congenital cystic eye and one had contralateral severe microphthalmia and absent optic chiasm. All had craniofacial anomalies that consisted of midline facial clefts (n = 2) and concomitant hemifacial hypoplasia (n = 2). One had a craniosynostosis. All five had normal-appearing brains.CONCLUSIONPatients with bilateral anophthalmos represent a distinct group from those with unilateral anophthalmos. In our patients, bilateral anophthalmos was associated with absence of the optic chiasm, diminished size of the posterior optic pathways, and agenesis or dysgenesis of the corpus callosum. Patients with unilateral anophthalmos had severe craniofacial anomalies. Imaging of the face is helpful in patients with unilateral anophthalmos.     

Experimental study of the role of the local infectious focus in development ofPseudomonas aeruginosa septicemia

Department of Pathological Anatomy, Clinical-Biological Laboratory, and Laboratory of Immunology, Bacteriology, and Clinical Pharmacology, A. V. Vishnevskii Institute of Surgery, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR D. S. Sarkisov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 111, No. 3, pp. 285–287, March, 1991.     

Posttransfusion hepatitis. A prospective study

This prospective study was carried out on thirty patients transfused with blood or blood products, by ten (33.3%) posttransfusion hepatitis was diagnosed; this is 15.75 cases per 1,000 U transfused. Four patients developed jaundice; six remained asymptomatic. In nine patients (90%) non-A, non-B hepatitis was diagnosed and one (10%) case was classified as hepatitis B. Two patients with non-A, non-B hepatitis developed chronic hepatitis, corroborated through percutaneous liver biopsy.     

Recombinant human erythropoietin reduces free erythrocyte protoporphyrin levels in patients on chronic dialysis.

We studied the significance of free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) in relation to iron status, aluminum levels and anemia in uremic patients on chronic dialysis. All but 1 patient showed high FEP values closely related to the degree of anemia. Increased FEP levels are due to a defective heme synthesis, not related to iron deficiency or aluminum overload. Treatment of anemia with recombinant human erythropoietin reduced FEP values. We therefore hypothesize that recombinant human erythropoietin ameliorates an enzymatic defect in heme synthesis.