Angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia of the orbit associated with obstructive airway disease

Two patients with angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia isolated to the orbit had eyelid swelling, a superior orbital mass, and histories of intermittent obstructive airway disease. One patient later developed a transient peripheral blood eosinophilia as high as 36%. One lesion recurred 38 months postoperatively and responded to systemic corticosteroid therapy.     

Effects of the novel antidepressant S-adenosyl-methionine on alpha 1- and beta-adrenoceptors in rat brain

alpha 1- and beta-adrenoceptors were studied ex vivo in the brains of rats receiving repeated daily treatment with the standard antidepressant imipramine or the atypical antidepressant S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM), which has minimal effects on monoamine reuptake or turnover. Consistent with past studies, a decrease in the density of beta receptors at three weeks and an increase in the affinity of alpha 1 receptors for the agonist phenylephrine at one week of treatment was observed with imipramine. By comparison, an increase in the density of beta receptors and a decrease in the affinity of alpha 1 receptors for phenylephrine was observed at one week of treatment with SAM. These changes were no longer apparent at three weeks of treatment. The results suggest that treatment with SAM does lead to changes in adrenergic neurotransmission, but that down regulation of beta receptors or increased agonist affinity of alpha 1 receptors may not be necessary for the production of antidepressant effects.     

Choreoacanthocytosis in a Chinese patient--a case report

A 50-year old Chinese woman with the rare neurological disorder of Choreoacanthocytosis is described. Her illness is characterised by seizures, buccolingual dyskinesia, choreiform movements, arreflexia and mild sensorimotor polyneuropathy. Acanthocytes were present in her peripheral blood in large numbers but the serum lipid profile was normal. Her features are consistent with those so far described in Caucasian and Japanese patients. The disease differs from Huntington's chorea in that there are acanthocytes, peripheral neuropathy, and metal function remains relatively intact.     

Schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma mansoni in Baringo District, Kenya: case report

Schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma mansoni has not been reported in Baringo District of Rift Valley Province. The intermediate host (Biomphalaria species) though has been reported to occur along the shores of the lakes in this region. Three children from Baringo District were diagnosed to have schistosomiasis caused by S. mansoni by finding ova in their stools. They gave no history of visiting an endemic area. There are many dams being built for land reclamation, creating favourable conditions for the spread of the disease, in presence of the intermediate and definitive host. Studies on the current status of the disease and malacology should be undertaken in order to control the spread of the disease at an early stage.     

Evaluation of endorectal ultrasonography in the diagnosis of prostatic cancer using a high-frequency sectorial intracavitary probe

Endorectal ultrasonography was evaluated in the diagnosis of prostatic cancer, using a high frequency (7,5 MHz) mechanical sectorial endocavitary probe developed by the authors. In a first study, sonograms from a series of 213 patients were interpreted retrospectively without any knowledge of the clinical or pathological findings. Specificity for the diagnosis of cancer (true non-malignant/total non-malignant) reached 79%, whereas sensitivity (true malignant/total malignant) was only 48%. Pathology was available for 132 patients. In a second study, 72 ultrasonically guided biopsies were performed in patients presenting either with a suspicious induration without nodule (47 cases) or a palpable nodule (25 cases). Good quality biopsy specimens, and absence of complication were remarkable. However, the 10 cancer cases (5 diagnosed in each group) did not show sonographically clearly different from the remaining adenoma, prostatitis and normal cases.