Radiographic assessment of the condylar position after Le Fort I osteotomy in patients with asymptomatic temporomandibular joints: a prospective study.

PURPOSE: A prospective radiographic study analyzed condylar position in patients who had undergone orthodontic treatment and isolated maxillary advancement after Le Fort I osteotomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eleven patients were selected and radiographic images were taken in the immediate preoperative, immediate postoperative (1-2 weeks), and late postoperative periods (minimum of 6 months). Tracings were done on acetate paper for the submento-vertex radiograph, to measure the axial angulation of the condyles, and for the tomographic images of both sides, in the maximal intercuspation, rest position, and maximal opening, for the 3 periods. Linear measurements were taken for the tomograms over the posterior, superior, and anterior articular spaces. These images with the tracings were digitized and measured by means of computer software (UTHSCSA Image Tool 3.0; University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX), after it had been adequately calibrated. RESULTS: The analysis of variance (ANOVA; 5% of significance) demonstrated 1) that there was no statistically significant difference for the linear measurements of the articular spaces in any of the periods, and 2) also not for the angular measure of the condyles (P > .05). In the maximal opening, there was a significant difference for the immediate postoperative period for both sides (P = .003). CONCLUSION: Le Fort I osteotomy for maxillary advancement did not cause any significant changes in this specific group of patients evaluated.     

High-dose infliximab prophylaxis in endotoxin-induced uveitis.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study to analyze the preventive effect of high-dose infliximab in endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) in rabbits. METHODS: An experimental study was conducted on 64 rabbits. Salmonella typhimurium lipopolysaccharide endotoxin was intravitreally injected. Infliximab was intravenously (i.v.) injected 24 h before the intravitreal injection (20 mg/kg). The animals were randomly assigned to five groups: group A, saline intravitreal injection; group B, Infliximab i.v. group C, infliximab + saline; group D, intravitreal endotoxin and group E, infliximab i.v. + intravitreal endotoxin. With two masked observers, a microscopic examination of aqueous humor (cells, tumor necrosis factor [TNF] alpha) and aqueous protein level were performed 24 h after an endotoxin injection and 48 h after an infliximab infusion. RESULTS: Infliximab treatment, at a dose of 20 mg/kg, significantly improved all the parameters. Inflammatory cell infiltration was significantly reduced in the iris, ciliary body, and anterior chamber (U Mann-Whitney test, P = 0.01). Associated with a lower level of TNF-alpha and protein exudate in aqueous humor (U Mann-Whitney test, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Infliximab, at a dose of 20 mg/kg, is effective in the prophylaxis of the EIU.     

Blood Flow Increase by Cervical Spinal Cord Stimulation in Middle Cerebral and Common Carotid Arteries

The effect of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) on cerebral blood flow (CBF) has, in the past, been evaluated by semiquantitative techniques, but has not been used to treat CBF diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of cervical SCS on regional blood flow by both semiquantitative and quantitative methods. Thirty‐five patients with cervical SCS‐implanted devices were enrolled. The following parameters were measured before and after cervical SCS: systolic and diastolic velocity (cm/s) in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) by transcranial Doppler (TCD) and volume blood flow quantification (ml/min) in the common carotid artery (CCA) by color Doppler. During cervical SCS there was a significant and bilateral increase in systolic (21%) and diastolic (26%) velocity in the MCA and in CCA blood flow (50%). We conclude that cervical SCS increases blood flow in the middle cerebral artery and common carotid artery. The consistent increase supports the potential usefulness of cervical SCS as an adjuvant treatment for cerebral blood flow diseases.     

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the skin: A light-microscopic and immunohistochemical study

Cutaneous carcinoma histopathologically resembling nasopharyngeal carcinoma has been termed lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the skin. We present an additional example of this rare cutaneous neoplasm that was located on the left temple of an 83-year-old woman. Serology for Epstein-Barr virus was negative, and exploration of the nasopharyngeal region disclosed no abnormalities. Histopathologically, the neoplasm consisted of a relatively well-circumscribed, dermal-hypodermal nodule composed of irregular aggregates of epithelial cells with vesicular nuclei, some of them in mitosis, and scant cytoplasm. A dense lymphocytic infiltrate was present within the neoplastic aggregates, obscuring the epithelial component, and at scanning magnification, the lesion closely resembled cutaneous lymphoma or pseudolymphoma. There was local sebaceous differentiation. Immunohistochemistry showed positivity in the epithelial component for AE1/AE3 and AEB-903 cytokeratins and negativity for 8–18 cylokeratins. The inflammatory infiltrate was positive for leukocyte common antigen, UCHL-1, L-26, Leu-22, and OPD-4 in variable proportions. Scattered cells within this inflammatory infiltrate were also positive for S-100 protein, vimentin, HAM-56, and MAC-387. In situ hybridization investigations for the presence of Epstein-Barr virus genomic DNA yielded negative results. Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the skin is a distinct cutaneous neoplasm of unknown histogenesis, although some foci of adnexal differentiation have been found in some specimens. The possibility of cutaneous metastasis from occult nasopharyngeal carcinoma should be ruled out.
Requena L, Sánchez Yus E, Jiménez E, Roo E. Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the skin: A light-microscopic and immunohistochemical study.     

Estimating neuron dendritic length in 3D from total vertical projections and from vertical slices

The recently developed method of total vertical projections is illustrated to estimate the total dendritic length of a human Substantia Nigra neuron. Next, the length of the different orders of dendritic branches, and the mean segment length for each order - commonly regarded as important parameters in neuron physiology - are also estimated. Finally, it is shown how to estimate the mean dendritic length in a population of neurons from vertical slices of arbitrary and unknown thickness. Being unbiased and highly efficient, the proposed methods offer interesting alternatives to current procedures used for the metric analysis of neuron arborizations.