Juvenile xanthogranuloma with bilateral ocular involvement: complete response after treatment with vinblastine: case report.

Purpose: To present an infant with bilateral ocular and skin involvement by juvenile xanthogranuloma and the results of treatment with vinblastine.

Methods: Analysis of the clinical and histopathologic data and the results of the treatment.

Results: After 14 months' evolution with no response to other treatments, the lesions responded to a course of vinblastine (6 mg/m2/weekly, corrected for weight), which was followed by a maintenance treatment for 52 weeks.

Neuroblastoma in a patient with Coffin-Siris syndrome.

We report the case of an 8-year-old boy with the phenotypic features of Coffin-Siris syndrome diffuse hypertrichosis, flat occiput, scant scalp hair, flat supraorbital arch, triangular eyebrows, horizontal palpebral fissure, anteverted nares, triangular philtrum, coarse lips, high-arched palate, micrognathia, low set and dorsaly rotated ears, short neck, wide thorax, widely set nipples, transverse palmar crease, psychomotor delay, urinary malformations (paraurethral diverticulum, hypoplasia of left kidney associated with vesicoureteral reflux grade 3-4), bilateral inguinal hernia, and dorsolumbar kyphoscoliosis. In the follow-up he presented a retroperitoneal neuroblastoma. Although this type of tumor has been referred to develop in several genetic and mutimalformative syndromes, it seems that present association has not been previously reported.

Phytosterol compounds having antiviral efficacy.

The present study is focused on the antiviral action patterns obtained in vitro with synthetic sterolester comprising compositions on virus-bearing host cell-lines. Appropriate cell-lines were infected with HIV-1, human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and Herpes simplex virus (HSV). There appears to exist a clear anti-infective efficacy for a selected number of such ester compounds, provided they are formulated into spontaneously dispersible concentrates, which in aqueous dilution engender ultramicro-emulsions having micelles in the lowest nanosize region.

Comparison of different in vitro tests for evaluating immune reactivity.

We performed some in vitro tests for the detection of the immune state and compared the results. In particular we studied the production of various cytokines obtained by stimulating peripheral blood mononucleated cells (PBMC) with different inducers, using optimal and suboptimal doses. This was compared with the results of blastic transformation of lymphocytes, and with the evaluation of the capping effect of macrophages, and of the Multitest Merieux.

Serum cytokine profiles in acute primary HIV-1 infection and in infectious mononucleosis.

Serum cytokine profiles, T-cell subsets, and general parameters of immune activation were evaluated in 15 patients with acute primary HIV-1 infection, and compared with those obtained from 18 patients with acute primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and from 18 control subjects in order to elucidate possible defects of immune response to HIV in early phases of virus-host interaction. Mean CD4+ cell count, serum concentrations of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, 5'-neopterin, and beta 2-microglobulin were significantly lower in acute HIV-1 infection than in EBV infection. Both acute HIV-1 and EBV infections were characterized by significantly higher mean CD8+ cell count and soluble CD8 antigen (sCD8) levels compared to control subjects, while acute HIV-1 infection was accompanied by the highest interferon (IFN)-gamma serum concentrations.