Nasal glioma (neuroglial heterotopia) mimicking an astrocytoma: case report

Nasal glioma is a rare benign tumor that usually occurs during infancy. We report a case of nasal glioma in a 6-month-old boy in which the histomorphologic features resembled those of an anaplastic astrocytoma.     

Immunosuppressive activity of a molecule isolated from Artemisia annua on DTH responses compared with cyclosporin A

Artemisia belongs to the family of Compositea; there are different Artemisias in Iran, of which Artemisia annua L. is grown in the north of Iran. In this study, Artemisinin was extracted and purified from the whole plants. The purification of Artemisinin was performed using column chromatography in different polarities of solvents and the results were evaluated by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC). (1)H-NMR (NMR-500) spectroscopy was used to characterize the purified Artemisinin. The immunosuppressive activity of Artemisinin was investigated on Balb/c mice by DTH response in comparison to cyclosporin A (CsA). The data indicated that Artemisinin could suppress the delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) against sheep blood capsule in Balb/c mice. Also its inhibitory effect on calmodulin (CaM) structure was determined by fluorescence spectroscopy. The data indicated an inhibitory effect of that on the activity of calmodulin by increasing the fluorescence emission of calmodulin. Both in vivo (DTH response) and in vitro (spectrofluorometry) studies indicated the activity of Artemisinin as an immunosuppressive agent and that the fluorescence emission of calmodulin is more than cyclosporin A.     

The prediction of methylmercury elimination half-life in humans using animal data: a neural network/rough sets analysis

Artificial neural networks and Rough Sets methodology have been utilized to predict human pharmacokinetic elimination half-life data based on animal data training sets. Methylmercury (Hg) pharmacokinetic data was obtained from 37 literature references, which provided data on species, gender, age, weight, route of administration, dose, dose frequency, and elimination half-life based on either whole-body Hg analysis or blood Hg analysis. Data were categorized into various formats for analysis comparisons. Rough Sets methodology was utilized to identify and remove redundant independent variables. Artificial neural networks were used to produce models based on the animal data, which were in turn used to predict and compare to the human elimination half-life values. These neural network predictions were compared to allometric graphical plots of the same data. The best artificial neural network prediction was based on a "thermometer" categorical representation of the data.     

COLD PRESSOR TEST DEMONSTRATES RESIDUAL SYMPATHETIC CARDIOVASCULAR ACTIVATION IN FAMILIAL DYSAUTONOMIA

Objectives: Patients with polyneuropathy and antibodies to myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) and sulphated glucuronyl paragloboside (SGPG) differ from chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) because of a slower, progressive course, symmetrical and predominantly sensory involvement of legs, predominantly distal slowing of motor conductions, and poorer response to therapy. We studied whether a wide set of electrophysiologic parameters may differentiate these two neuropathies. Methods: We reviewed the electrophysiological studies of 10 patients with anti-MAG/SGPG antibodies and 22 with CIDP examining: (1) motor conduction velocity and distal compound muscle action potential amplitude; (2) conduction block (CB) and temporal dispersion; (3) distal motor latency and terminal latency index (TLI); (4) F wave and proximal conduction time; and (5) sensory conduction and occurrence of abnormal median with normal sural sensory potential. Results: Anti-MAG/SGPG neuropathies showed: (1) more severe involvement of peroneal nerves; (2) more frequent disproportionate distal slowing of motor conductions (TLI less than or equal to 0.25) and absent sural potential; and (3) no CB. However 3/22 CIDP patients also had at least two nerves with TLI 0.25 and no CB. Conclusions: Electrophysiologic findings suggest in anti-MAG/SGPG neuropathy a length-dependent process with a likely centripetal evolution. A disproportionate slowing of conduction in distal segments of motor nerves suggests the diagnosis of anti-MAG/SGPG neuropathy, although it is not pathognomonic.     

Characterization of novel platelet and endothelial cell target antigens in a family with genetic susceptibility to autoimmunity.

This report describes a French Canadian family whose members exhibit a high incidence of allo- and autoantibodies to antigens present on both platelets and endothelial cells. This is correlated with various HLA specificities known to be associated with autoimmunity, such as A1, B8, DR3, and, in some cases, with clinical disorders, including nephritis, hypertension, and thrombocytopenia. Immunoblot analysis using platelet and endothelial cell lysates showed serum antibodies to a 75 kDa endothelial cell surface polypeptide and to polypeptides with apparent mass of 115 kDa and 26 kDa found on both platelets and endothelial cells. This 115 kDa internal platelet protein was also found in a variety of other cell types, such as mononuclear cells, and increased following cell activation. Monoclonal antibody immunobilization assays were used to characterize the 26 kDa polypeptide; in three of the four patients tested, an antibody to leukocyte differentiation antigen CD9 was identified. The asymptomatic child of the propositus also exhibited an autoantibody against an 80 kDa platelet protein which was sensitive to thrombin digestion, suggesting that this polypeptide may be platelet glycoprotein V. In addition, P1A1 alloantibody was identified in one sister who had given birth to a severely thrombocytopenic boy and who herself had a severe vascular rejection to a cadaver kidney 2 years prior to this study. The propositus also developed hypertensive renal disease following a pregnancy and became dialysis dependent. Thus, members of this family have developed a variety of antibodies, particularly to platelet and endothelial cell antigens. Some subjects have remained asymptomatic in spite of having autoantibodies. However, others have been seriously ill, and their immune response to these antigens is believed to have played a role in the pathogenesis of their neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenic purpura, hypertensive renal disease, renal graft rejection, and thrombocytopenia.