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.     

Imaging spectrum in disseminated histoplasmosis: Case report and brief review

The clinical manifestations of chronic disseminated histoplasmosis are non-specific and resemble those of other chronic infections and malignancies. We report the radiographic, sonographic and contrast-enhanced CT appearances of histoplasmosis in an adult male with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, who was HIV negative and presented with weight loss and pyrexia. Imaging studies simulated tuberculosis with mediastinal lymphadenopathy, bilateral fibrotic lung lesions, hepatomegaly and bilateral hypoattenuating adrenal enlargement, without clinical or laboratory evidence of hypoadrenalism. Computed tomography-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy of adrenal glands revealed Histoplasma capsulatum. We report our experience to increase awareness of the imaging spectrum of disseminated histoplasmosis and its similarity to tuberculosis as, with increasing incidence of AIDS, the chances of these infections are likely to increase. Moreover, awareness of this entity is important because it is known that untreated disseminated histoplasmosis is fatal.     

Purification of Hageman factor (factor XII) on columns of popcorn- agarose

Purification of Hageman factor (HF, factor XII) from human plasma is a tedious procedure and the product is not always in the precursor form. Hojima has described a protein derived from corn kernels that inhibits the enzymatic properties of HF. This inhibitor binds to the precursor form of HF. Rapid purification of HF was achieved by using as the major purification step adsorption of this clotting factor to popcorn inhibitor bound to agarose. The product had a specific activity of 50.0 to 67.1 coagulant units of HF per milligram protein, and the yield was 33% to 40% of the HF content of the starting plasma. The purified protein displayed a single band upon unreduced or reduced sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and less than 0.1% was in an activated form, as measured in coagulant assays. The technique described is more rapid and reliable than methods described earlier.     

EARLY CARCINOMA TONGUE – SURGICAL OPTIONS

A retrospective analysis of 127 surgically treated cases of T-1, T-2 carcinoma of oral tongue during the period 1987-1990 was undertaken. 68.5 per cent (87) underwent hemiglossectomy and 31.5 per cent (40) underwent wide excision. There were loco-regional recurrences in 22 per cent (27). In the hemiglossectomy group 9 per cent (8 of 87) had local recurrences compared to 25 per cent (10 of 40) of wide excision group, (P = 0.01). Mean disease free survival was 40 months and 33 months for hemiglossectomy group and wide excision group respectively, (P = 0.006). It is seen that local recurrences are significantly less for the hemiglossectomy group compared to the wide excision group.KEY WORDS: Disease free survival, Early cancer, Recurrence, Surgery, Tongue     

表皮生长因子在生后小鼠肾脏的免疫组织化学定位

用抗小鼠ＥＧＦ抗血清作第一抗体，用ＡＢＣ免疫组织化学方法对生后３、６、９、１２、１５、２１ｄ龄和成年ＢＡＬＢ／ｃ小鼠肾脏内ＥＧＦ的定位进行了研究。实验表明，ＥＧＦ样免疫反应均定位于远端小管，且多集中于上述部位细胞的顶部。新生幼鼠和３ｄ龄鼠的肾脏切片上ＥＧＦ样免疫反应为阴性。６ｄ龄切片上ＥＧ免疫反应甚弱。随年龄增长，ＥＧＦ样免疫反应亦增强。２１ｄ龄小鼠肾脏较其他年龄组和成年鼠有较强的免疫反应。本研究