Ethmoidal mucocoeles in children

Children presenting with ethmoidal mucocoeles are rare. Five children are presented with such findings, and the diagnosis, treatment and possible aetiology discussed. C.T. scanning was found to be the investigation of choice, while plain sinus X-rays correlated poorly with the presence of disease. Exenteration through an external approach was found to be satisfactory. In two cases drainage obstruction due to congenital abnormality was thought to be the underlying cause, while in four cases there was a strong history of atopy, indicating allergy as a possible reason for mucocoele formation.     

To what extent does IQ 'explain' socio-economic variations in function?

Background  

The aims of this study were to examine the extent to which higher intellectual abilities protect higher socio-economic groups from functional decline and to examine whether the contribution of intellectual abilities is independent of childhood deprivation and low birth weight and other socio-economic and developmental factors in early life.     

Discordant repeat size and phenotype in Kennedy syndrome

Previous reports in the literature have described correlation of increasing repeat length with severity of the phenotype, in Kennedy syndrome. We describe male siblings with different repeat lengths, with lack of expression of the phenotype in the sibling with the longer repeat length. The phenotype was identical to motor neurone disease. There is variability of expression in Kennedy syndrome and repeat length even in siblings cannot be taken as a conclusive indicator of severity. CAG repeat length cannot be used to predict the natural history of Kennedy disease. The diagnosis of Kennedy syndrome should be considered in male patients presenting with atypical motor neurone disease.     

Phase II trial of PALA in combination with 5-fluorouracil in advanced pancreatic cancer

Summary Phosphonacetyl-l-aspartate (PALA), an inhibitor of aspartate transcarbamylase that depletes uridine nucleotide pools, selectively potentiates the antitumor activity of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in preclinical models. Due to the promising results we obtained using PALA/5-FU in colorectal cancer, we performed a phase II trial in patients presenting with advanced pancreatic cancer. PALA was given intravenously at 250 mg/m² on day 1, followed 24 h later by 2,600 mg/m² 5-FU given by 24-h infusion. Treatments were repeated weekly. A total of 41 patients who had not previously undergone chemotherapy were entered in the trial; of these, 35 were evaluable for response. Toxicity was generally mild to moderate; neurotoxicity (13/35) and diarrhea (8/35) predominated. Among the 35 patients, 1 achieved a complete response and 4, a partial remission, for an overall response rate of 14%. The median survival was 5.1 months. Pretreatment with PALA alone was not sufficient to enhance the activity of 5-FU in pancreatic cancer.Supported in part by grant CA 06927 from the National Cancer Institute     

INTERFERONS IN ONCOLOGY

SUMMARY The interferons are natural glycoproteins secreted in response to various stimuli, including viral infection. They have antiviral, antiproliferative and immunomodulatory effects on different target cell populations. Since recombinant human interferons have become available, they have been tested in a wide range of malignancies. They are well established in the treatment of hairy cell leukaemia, chronic myelogenous leukaemia and multiple myeloma. Although they have documented activity against lymphoma, melanoma, renal cell cancer and carcinoid tumours, their role in the treatment of these tumours is less clear. In the common solid tumours, such as lung cancer and colorectal cancer, the use of interferons remains experimental. Here we will summarise their practice applications in oncology, using randomised studies where available to establish their place in multi-modality treatment. We will not discuss their use as antiviral or immunomodulating agents in viral and autoimmune diseases, multiple sclerosis or after organ transplantation.     

A single dose of endotoxin increases intestinal permeability in healthy humans

To investigate the effects of endotoxin on gut barrier function, we performed paired studies of intestinal permeability in healthy humans (N = 12) receiving intravenous Escherichia coli endotoxin (4 ng/kg) or 0.9% saline solution. Two nonmetabolizable sugars, lactulose and mannitol, which are standard permeability markers, were administered orally, 30 minutes before and 120 minutes after the test injection. The 12-hour urinary excretion of these substances after endotoxin/saline solution administration was used to quantitate intestinal permeability. After endotoxin administration systemic absorption and excretion of lactulose increased almost two-fold (mean +/- SEM, 263 +/- 36 mumol per 12 hours vs 145 +/- 19 mumol per 12 hours during saline studies). Similar but less marked alterations in mannitol absorption and excretion occurred after endotoxin injection (5.7 +/- 0.3 mmol per 12 hours vs 4.9 +/- 0.3 mmol per 12 hours). When individual 12-hour lactulose excretion after endotoxin administration was related to the magnitude of systemic responses, a significant relationship occurred between lactulose excretion and elaboration of norepinephrine and between lactulose excretion and minimum white blood cell count. These data suggest that a brief exposure to circulating endotoxin increases the permeability of the normal gut. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that during critical illness, prolonged or repeated exposure to systemic endotoxins or associated cytokines may significantly compromise the integrity of the gastrointestinal mucosal barrier.