Diffusion-weighted imaging study of patients with essential tremor.

The pathophysiology of essential tremor (ET) is unknown. PET and fMRI studies have revealed bilateral activation and (1)H-MRS studies metabolic abnormalities in the cerebellum and other functionally related brain structures in ET. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was used to search for evidence of tissue integrity abnormalities in these areas in ET patients and 10 matched controls by calculating water apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs). Regions of interest included the left and right cerebellum, red nucleus, thalamus, caudate, putamen, pallidum, and frontal white matter. Histograms of ADCs were generated for all pixels in the infratentorial compartment and manually segmented areas corresponding to brainstem, vermis, and cerebellar hemispheres. ADC values were similar in all brain areas in patients and controls. Our study did not detect changes affecting the investigated brain regions in ET patients. These findings argue against major structural damage in the ET brain, although more subtle neurodegenerative changes cannot be ruled out.     

Energy metabolism in migraine

Neurological Sciences - Over the last two decades magnetic resonance spectroscopy has been extensively used to investigate the role of energy metabolism impairment in the physiopathology of...     

Anterior chamber aspirate cultures in small incision cataract surgery.

BACKGROUND--Anterior chamber aspirates on completion of extracapsular cataract surgery contain significant numbers of organisms, particularly coagulase negative staphylococci, an important cause of endophthalmitis. METHODS--Culture rates were compared in 50 patients after phacoemulsification surgery, which allows the possible benefits of a small, self sealing wound and maintenance of positive intraocular pressure, with a similar number of extracapsular cases. RESULTS--A culture positive rate of 20% and 24% respectively was found, an insignificant difference. CONCLUSION--Small incision surgery has no proved advantage over extracapsular surgery in terms of reducing the intraoperative bacterial inoculum. The significance of this result in terms of causation of endophthalmitis is discussed.     

3,5-甾二烯化合物的合成及抗早孕活性

以18-甲基-17β-羟基-17α-乙炔基-雌甾-4-烯-3-酮(18-甲基炔诺酮),17β-羟基-17α-乙缺基-雌甾-4-烯-3-酮(炔诺酮),17β-羟基-17α-乙炔基-雄甾-4-烯-3-酮(妊娠素)和17a-羟基孕甾-4-烯-3,20二酮(17α-羟基黄体酮)为原料,经NaBH,还原、脱水、双键转位和酯化等反应合成一系列3,5-甾二烯化合物,用¹HNMR和MS证明了它们的结构。动物筛选结果表明,17β-丙酰氧基-17α-乙炔基-雌甾-3,5-二烯(IV_b2有明显的抗早孕活性。中断早期妊娠的作用似与其雌激素活性有关。     

Clinical considerations in Buschke-Ollendorff syndrome

This brief report describes a mother and two daughters with the rare Buschke-Ollendorff syndrome. That the typical dermal connective tissue naevi lesions may become less obvious with time and that the condition is not always so "benign" are important clinical features not well recognised. Incorrect diagnosis may lead to embarkation upon hazardous management.     

Evaluation of encephalic ventricular volume from the magnetic resonance imaging scans of thirty-eight human subjects

Summary Accurate volume determination of the encephalic ventricles is of importance in several clinical conditions, including Alzheimer's presenile dementia, schizophrenia, and benign intracranial hypertension. Previous studies have investigated the accuracy with which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used in clinical practice to evaluate the encephalic ventricles. However, adequate evaluation of pathological conditions depends on a sufficient amount of morphometric data from normal subjects. To begin establishing this data base for normal subjects, we evaluated the MRI scans of 38 subjects found to have no apparent pathology and calculated the ventricular volume in each case by using methods previously developed in our laboratory. The results were then compared with published volumes determined from studies that used either ventricular casts or computerized tomographic scans. The average total ventricular volume for all 38 subjects was 17.4 cm³, while that for males was 16.3 cm³ and that for females was 18.0 cm³. A small but significant correlation was found between age of subject and ventricular volume, with ventricular size increasing with age.

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Evaluation du volume des ventricules cérébraux à partir des images obtenues en résonance magnétique nucléaire chez 38 sujets humains

Résumé La détermination exacte du volume des ventricules cérébraux est importante en clinique comme par exemple dans la démence présénile d'Alzheimer, la schizophrénie et l'hypertension intracrânienne bénigne. Des études antérieures ont étudié la fiabilité de la résonance magnétique nucléaire en pratique clinique pour évaluer le volume des ventricules cérébraux. Toutefois une évaluation correcte dans les conditions pathologiques implique une bonne connaissance des données morphométriques du sujet normal. Pour établir ces données sur « le sujet normal », nous avons étudié les coupes obtenues en IRM chez 38 sujets apparemment indemnes de toute pathologie; nous avons calculé le volume ventriculaire dans chaque cas en utilisant des méthodes mises au point auparavant dans notre laboratoire. Les résultats ont été ensuite comparés avec ceux obtenus par d'autres études utilisant soit des moules ventriculaires, soit des coupes tomographiques computérisées. Le volume ventriculaire total moyen chez 38 sujets est de 17,4 cm³, mais il est chez les sujets masculins de 16,3 cm³ et chez les sujets de sexe féminin de 18 cm³. Une corrélation faible mais significative a été trouvée entre l'âge du sujet et le volume ventriculaire, étant entendu que la taille du ventricule augmente avec l'âge.

     

Endometrial assessment in a group of infertile women on stimulated cycles for IVF: immunohistochemical findings

An immunohistochemical assessment of the endometrium was carried out in a group of IVF patients on stimulated cycles, in order to evaluate this technique against standard histological methods and to consider its application in a clinical situation. Monoclonal antibodies to the two cycle-dependent proteins: pregnancy associated endometrial alpha 2-globulin (alpha 2-PEG) and 24K (a protein originally isolated from an oestrogen-dependent breast tumour line, MCF-7) were used in the experiment. Immunohistochemical results concerning the effect of drug stimulation, age and date of biopsy on the secretory state of the endometrium revealed trends which were consistent with previous histological data, helping to confirm the value of this new technique. In addition, several specimens were found to have a normal, i.e. in phase, histological appearance but to have an atypical pattern of protein secretion. These observations suggest that biochemical monitoring of the uterus should be used in conjunction with routine histological dating.