Sturge Weber Syndrome with Concomitant Infantile Vein of Galen Aneurysmal Malformation: Role of Multi-modality Imaging in Diagnosis

IntroductionSturge Weber syndrome is a neurocutaneous disorder, characterised by vascular malformation with capillary venous angiomas. Though it presents with vascular anomalies, association with vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation is rare.ReportA 2-year-old girl presented with delayed developmental milestones, head enlargement and convulsions. Examination revealed an ill-looking child with head enlargement, hypotonia and bilateral blindness. Computed tomographic angiography revealed gyriform cerebral calcifications with vein of Galen aneurysmal dilatation, showing multiple feeding arteries. Findings were also corroborated by ultrasound.DiscussionThis experience underscores the value of imaging in revealing this complex angio-architecture, which is necessary in the diagnosis and management.     

Akutbehandlung des isch?mischen Schlaganfalls

Ischemic stroke is a medical emergency requiring fast and effective collaboration of neurologists and radiologists. Currently there are promising new developments in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke with efforts being made to reduce the door-to-needle time and to improve recanalization of occluded vessels by new endovascular techniques. Clinical trials have also demonstrated the efficacy of thrombolysis up to 4.5?h and confirmed the importance of the time to treatment for positive outcome.     

Klinik und Differenzialdiagnose intrakranieller Stenosen

Intracranial arterial stenoses clinically present as acute, fluctuating or recurrent neurological deficits which are caused by hemodynamically impaired perfusion of the corresponding area of the brain. The type and the extent of the deficit, however, are not only determined by the location of the stenosis but also depend on the individual anatomical conditions of the patient, such as the degree of collateralization and variants of the circle of Willis.     

IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL,HISTOLOGICAL AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF LEPTIN ON TESTES IN MICE

This study was undertaken to examine the effects of leptin on testes in mice. For this purpose, 12 male mice were divided into two groups. Animals in Group I were designated as control. Mice in Group II were injected daily with leptin for 5 days. All animals were decapitated at the end of the experiment. The testes were removed and weighed out. Testicular tissue specimens were processed for light and electron microscopic examination and semi-quantitative evaluation of immunohistochemical testosterone staining. Intensity of immunostaining was determined on a scale between 0 (no staining) and 5 (heavy staining). For morphometric comparison, diameters of seminiferous tubules from each group were measured. In the leptin injected group, testicular weights and diameters of seminiferous tubules were significantly increased in comparison to control values. In light microscopic examination, an increase in secretory granules in the cytoplasm of Leydig cells was observed after leptin treatment. In the same group, distinct changes indicative of increased cell activation were seen in the ultrastructure of Leydig cells. Amount of mitochondria, lysosomes and cytoplasmic secretory granules were increased. Furthermore, an increase in extensiveness of rough endoplasmic reticulum was noted in this group. Immunohistochemical testosterone staining of the cytoplasm of Leydig cells was heavy (5 +) in the leptin treated mice compared to mild score (2 +) in the control mice. Additionally, heavy immunostaining of testosterone was also observed in the interstitial space after injection of leptin. The present findings indicate that testicular functions and synthesis of testosterone increase after administration of leptin.     

Plasma Concentrations of Isoniazid and Rifampin Are Decreased in Adult Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

Plasma isoniazid and rifampin concentrations, but not pyrazinamide and ethambutol concentrations, were decreased by about 50% (P < 0.05) in diabetic pulmonary tuberculosis patients. The prevalences of subnormal plasma isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol concentrations were 49% or 100% (P < 0.01), 66% or 100% (P < 0.05), 30% or 50% (P = 0.198), and 32% or 21% (P = 0.742) in nondiabetic or diabetic tuberculosis patients, respectively. These data show that plasma concentrations of isoniazid and rifampin were greatly reduced in diabetic tuberculosis patients.     

Inhibition of In Vitro TNF-α Production by Anisomeles malabarica R.Br. Reinforces Its Anti-Rheumatic and Immunomodulatory Properties

In-vivo studies have suggested the anti-rheumatic and immunomodulatory properties of the methanolic extract of the plant Anisomeles malabarica R.Br. However, the mechanism of action of this plant in the modulation of inflammation using the various in vitro models has not been explored earlier. Hence, the current investigation was undertaken to study the anti-rheumatic and immunomodulatory role of aerial parts, leaves and roots in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mediated signaling in macrophage and mouse connective tissue cell cultures. It was observed from the present study that by employing tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) bioassay, all the three extracts viz., aerial parts, leaves and roots inhibited TNF-α production in LPS (1 μg/mL) stimulated RAW-32 cells. 38.75 % inhibition of TNF-α was observed at 200 μg extracts of the aerial parts of the plant followed by 17.64 and 14.94 % by the roots and leaves respectively. Taken together, these findings from the present in vitro studies suggest the anti-rheumatic and immunomodulatory properties of the methanolic extracts of A. malabarica.     

Giant arachnoid granulation in a patient with benign intracranial hypertension

We report magnetic resonance (MR), computed tomography (CT) and angiographic imaging of an unusual giant arachnoid granulation in the superior sagittal sinus in a man with headache and vertigo. Intrasinus pressure measurements revealed a significant pressure gradient across the lesion. MR imaging is useful to identify giant arachnoid granulation and dural sinus thrombosis, whereas dural sinus pressure measurement in certain cases of giant arachnoid granulations can be used to evaluate the lesion as the cause of the patient's symptoms.