Juvenile xanthogranuloma: A clinical, histopathologic and immunohistochemical study

Juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXC) is a benign histiocylic proliferation of uncertain histogenesis which usually resolves spontaneously. Histopathologically, classic lesions are characterized by diffuse proliferations of foamy histiocytes, many of which may be multinucleated (Toulon cells), admixed with lymphocytes and eosinophils. Histologic variants of JXG, perhaps representing evolving lesions, may lack these typical histopathological features, showing diffuse infiltrates of non-foamy mononuclear histiocytes without Toulon cells, posing problems in differentiation from other histiocylic or melanocylic proliferations. Immunohistochemically, JXG is characterized by variable expressions of several histiocytic markers as well as the absence of staining for SI00 protein. To assess better the spectrum of histopathological and immunohistochemical features of JXG, we studied nine cases of classic or histologic variant of JXG. The cases were evaluated by light microscopy and with an extensive battery of antibodies. All 9 cases, regardless of their light microscopic appearance, showed markedly positive staining with histiocytic markers including CD68, HAM56, cathepsin B and vimentin, but did not stain for S100 protein. Antibodies to factor XIIIa stained positively in 8 cases while staining for other markers was variable. Our results suggest that the histiocytes in JXG lesions have macrophagic differentiation, probably representing a reactive process to an unknown stimulus.     

Treatment of resistant distal intestinal obstruction syndrome with a modified antegrade continence enema procedure

We report a case of a patient with CF who had a long history of recurrent distal intestinal obstruction syndrome. She had been treated with conventional treatment including gastrografin, n-acetyl cysteine, Klean prep and Picolax. She underwent a modified antegrade continence enema procedure. She currently irrigates her conduit every 2-3 days. She has had no further symptoms of distal intestinal obstruction syndrome.     

Isovergence surfaces: the conjugacy of vertical eye movements in tertiary positions of gaze

Conjugate gaze is often defined as the equal angle rotation of the two eyes. For fixation at far distances, the optical axes are parallel and conjugacy is defined irrespective of the coordinate system. For nearby or finite fixation distances, the evaluation of conjugacy for many gaze postures depends on the coordinate system used to measure it. For example, if the eye is elevated or depressed and the eye is rotated about a vertical axis, the intersections of lines of sight with a tangent screen will describe either straight lines for arcs depending on whether the vertical axis is fixed with respect to the head or to the eye. Because of the horizontal separation of the two eyes, the binocular fixation of near targets at tertiary positions of gaze will require a vertical vergence component for head-referenced but not eye-referenced measurements. The vertical gaze alignment of three human subjects was measured as they viewed targets placed at secondary and tertiary eye positions at two different distances. Vertical vergence was either held open or closed-loop. The lines of sight were found lo intersect (i.e. vertical gaze was aligned) regardless of target position or viewing condition.     

Appearances of posterior osteophytes after sound anterior interbody fusion in the cervical spine: a high-definition computed myelographic study

Summary Whether posterior osteophytes in the cervical spine resorb after anterior interbody fusion is controversial. Previous studies have only used plain films. In order to study remodelling, a retrospective study of 53 patients using high-definition CT was performed. There was no evidence of remodelling or resorption of osteophytes and persistent osteophytes continued to deform the spinal cord for up to 12 years after fusion. The importance of this in relation to cervical spinal surgery is that every effort should be made to remove posterior osteophytes during anterior interbody fusion.     

Free-feeding and free-drinking patterns of male rats following treatment with opiate kappa agonists.

Three experiments investigated the effects of PD117302 and U50,488H on the patterns of food and water intake by male rats. Experiment 1 demonstrated early dose-related suppression of food and water intake after PD117302 (0, 1.25, 2.5, 5 mg/kg). The initial suppression of drinking was followed by a sustained increase 4-12 h after drug administration. Experiment 2 demonstrated that 2.5 mg/kg PD117302 failed to increase food intake whether given at the beginning of the night (high baseline food intake) or the beginning of the day (low baseline food intake). Experiment 3 showed that 0.5 mg/kg U50,488H significantly enhanced meal size but, at doses of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/kg, had no effect on overall food intake. U50,488H also produced delayed, dose-related increases in water intake. The results suggest kappa receptors may have limited importance in modulating ad lib food intake and demonstrate the behavioural characteristics of increased drinking after excessive urine output.     

Malignancy may adversely influence the quality and behaviour of oocytes

A case series of eight cycles of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in five women diagnosed with malignant disorders is presented. These patients chose to defer definitive treatment for a chance for preservation of potential fertility. The response of these patients to ovarian stimulation, and the outcome, was compared with 17 IVF cycles in 12 age- matched patients with isolated tubal infertility. An apparent adverse influence of malignant disease on the quality and behaviour of oocytes was observed. Despite a comparable total number of oocytes per cycle in the two groups, a significantly reduced percentage of mature oocytes was retrieved per cycle from patients with malignant diseases. The oocytes from patients with malignant disorders were of a poorer quality and exhibited a significantly impaired fertilization rate compared to the controls. We propose that neoplastic processes, irrespective of the site or cell of origin, may have a detrimental impact on the biology of oocytes, an effect akin to that seen on spermatozoa in men with certain malignancies.      

Microglial inflammation in the parkinsonian substantia nigra: relationship to alpha-synuclein deposition

Background  

The role of both microglial activation and alpha-synuclein deposition in Parkinson's disease remain unclear. We have tested the hypothesis that if microglia play a primary role in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis, the microglial "activated" phenotype should be associated with histopathological and/or clinical features of the disease.