Peripheral retinal neovascularization and rubeosis iridis after a bilateral circular buckling operation

This report describes a young high-myopic patient who developed rubeosis iridis with peripheral retinal neovascularization one year after a circular buckling operation. Subsequently, vitreous bleeding and exudation led to traction retinal detachment which was treated successfully by anterior vitrectomy and cryopexy. It is suggested that this case represents a mild form of anterior-segment ischemia, combined with peripheral retinal ischemia.     

Case report: A man with breast dysphoria

A 31-year-old married man with normal male characteristics requested hormonal treatment to enlarge his breasts and nipples. He did not feel himself to be homosexual or transsexual but considered himself incomplete without female breasts and nipples. Petting of his nipples resulted in sexual excitement and he presumed that feminization of his breasts would improve this function. His wife supported his wish. After treatment with 0.150 mg ethinylestradiol per day for 9 months, moderate breast enlargement occurred and the nipples became the size of normal female nipples. One year afterwards he remained satisfied with his female-type breasts and in particular with the increased sexual function of his nipples. Stimulation of his nipples resulted in erection and ejaculation.     

Dual-source-Computertomographie des Herzens

In a newly developed dual-source computed tomography system (DSCT) the relation of heart rate and image quality and the possible advantages of the system’s superior temporal resolution in the evaluation of left ventricular parameters as compared to results of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were assessed. Coronary CT angiography was performed using a DSCT (Somatom Defintion, Siemens Medical Solutions, Forchheim, Germany) in 21 patients (mean age 62±8; 15 male, 6 female). Image quality of the coronary arteries, the heart valves, and the left ventricular myocardium was assessed using a three-point grading scale. Ten of these patients also underwent cardiac MRI for the assessment of left ventricular function, using a SSFP (steady-state free precession) sequence. Left ventricular ejection fractions (LV-EF), the end-systolic volumes (ESV), and the end-diastolic volumes (EDV) were measured employing MRI and DSCT datasets. The image quality ratings for the coronary arteries at the optimal reconstruction interval were diagnostic even in patients with high heart rates (1.42±0.49). Analysis of global LV function using DSCT quantified from CTA datasets showed a good correlation with results of cardiac MRI [EF: r=0.75 (p=0.01); ESV: r=0.72 (p=0.19); EDV: r=0.71 (p=0.02)]. The dual-source CT system offers robust image quality of the coronary arteries, independent of the heart rate, and provides combined diagnostic imaging of coronary arteries, the heart valves, the myocardium, and the global left ventricular function.     

Lipid-drug conjugate nanoparticles of the hydrophilic drug diminazene-cytotoxicity testing and mouse serum adsorption.

Sleeping sickness is a widely distributed disease in great parts of Africa. It is caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and rhodiense, transmitted by the Tse-Tse fly. After a hemolymphatic stage, the parasites enter the central nervous system where they cannot be reached by hydrophilic drugs. To potentially deliver the hydrophilic antitrypanosomal drug diminazene diaceturate to the brain of infected mice, the drug was formulated as lipid-drug conjugate (LDC) nanoparticles (NP) by combination with stearic- (SA) and oleic acid (OA). To estimate the in vivo compatibility, the particles were incubated with human granulocytes. Because as potential delivery mechanism the absorption of specific serum proteins (ApoE, Apo AI and Apo AIV) was found to be responsible for the delivery of nanoparticles to the brain, demonstrated using PBCA nanoparticles coated with polysorbate 80 (LDL uptake mechanism) the nanoparticles were incubated with mouse serum and the adsorption pattern was determined using the 2-D PAGE technique. As a result of this study, the cytotoxic potential was shown to decrease when diminazene is part of the particle matrix compared to pure fatty acid nanoparticles and the mouse serum protein adsorption pattern differs from the samples studied earlier in human serum. Especially, the fact concerning Apo-E that could be detected when the particles were incubated in human serum is absent after the mouse serum incubation, potentially, is a critical point for the delivery via the LDL-uptake mechanism but the data demonstrate that LDC nanoparticles, with 33% (wt/wt) drug loading capacity possess the potential to act as a delivery system for hydrophilic drugs like diminazene diaceturate and that further studies have to demonstrate the usability as a brain delivery system.     

Streptococcus sanguis bacteremia and colorectal cancer: A case report

Streptococcus sanguis, usually considered a nonpathogen of the oral cavity, was isolated from blood cultures from a patient who was subsequently found to have a cecal adenocarcinoma. Further studies are needed to determine if Streptococcus sanguis infections have diagnostic implications similar to those of Streptococcus bovis. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Therapeutic effects of bezafibrate and gemfibrozil in hyperlipoproteinaemia type IIa and IIb

Fifty-nine patients with hyperlipoproteinaemia Type IIa and IIb who had failed to respond to 1-month's dietary therapy were treated over a 4-month period with either bezafibrate (600 mg/day) or gemfibrozil (1200 mg/day) in addition to their diet. Fasting serum lipid (cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides) and blood glucose levels were measured on entry and at monthly intervals, and routine laboratory investigations were carried out before and after treatment to monitor hepatic, renal and haematic tolerance. The results showed that whilst both drugs produced significant reductions from baseline in total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels from Day 30 onwards, the reductions were more marked in the bezafibrate group. There was a trend for HDL-cholesterol levels to increase. Fasting blood glucose levels decreased significantly in the bezafibrate group and to a greater extent than in patients on gemfibrozil. Only 1 patient on bezafibrate did not tolerate bezafibrate whereas 13 patients on gemfibrozil reported side-effects, mainly gastro-intestinal, and 4 had to withdraw from the study during the first or second month.