[Invasive nasosinusal aspergillosis in an immunocompetent patient].

The authors describe a case of invasive nasosinusal aspergillosis in an immunocompetent patient. After a careful bibliographic review, they emphasize that in the present case the diagnosis was made by means of fungal culture as the clinical picture, imaging techniques and histopathological findings were aspecific. The pathogenetic agent resulted Aspergillus tamarii which belongs to the Aspergillus flavus group and is one of the most unusual agents in literature.

[Carotid body tumors: the clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects].

The authors discuss the epidemiology, histology, symptomatology, diagnosis and therapy of carotid body tumors, basing their discussion on three personal observations and on a case of cervical dermatocyst which showed clinical and radiological data consistent with diagnosis of a glomus tumor. Chemodectomas of the neck are more often seen in the carotid body and are considered histologically benign, although they might induce local or distant metastases. Clinical presentation is often non-specific and may only consist in a slowly growing mass in the higher jugular-carotid region.

Prolactin responses to domperidone in chronic schizophrenia.

The prolactin response to 20 mg of domperidone, a peripheral dopamine receptor antagonist, was evaluated in a group of 17 male, drug-free, elderly, chronic schizophrenic patients and 8 age-matched male normal control subjects. Both groups of subjects were receiving a variety of nonpsychotropic medications not known to affect the prolactin response to dopamine receptor antagonists. Basal plasma prolactin levels did not differ between the two groups.

Strategic facilities planning from the top down.

An institution's strategic plan can serve as a blueprint on which to build department goals. The authors discuss how they developed a master facilities plan that was closely coordinated with their institution's strategic plan.

Kinetic uptake of etanidazole in lung carcinoma and normal tissue in vivo.

Thirty-four patients affected by primary pulmonary carcinoma or in a state of recurrence after surgery were analyzed and 2g/m2 of etanidazole was administered intravenously. After 30 min (group A), 60 min (group B), and 120 min (group C), both the bronchus affected by the carcinoma and the contralateral bronchus were biopsied. Of the 34 patients, 24 had histologically proven carcinoma and were enrolled in the study.

Effects of the association of alpha and beta-blocking agents in glaucoma.

Twenty patients with POAG and early visual field changes, already under treatment with 0.5% timolol were randomly assigned to additional topical treatment with 0.5% dapiprazole or placebo.

Chemiluminescence dot blot hybridization assay for detection of B19 parvovirus DNA in human sera.

A chemiluminescence dot blot hybridization assay was used for the detection of B19 parvovirus DNA in human sera by using digoxigenin-labeled probes. The probes were revealed immunoenzymatically by use of anti-digoxigenin Fab fragments conjugated with alkaline phosphatase. The chemiluminescence signal was obtained by reacting the labeled probe-target complex with an enzyme-triggerable dioxetane substrate.

Chemiluminescent assay for the detection of viral and plasmid DNA using digoxigenin-labeled probes.

A dot-blot hybridization immunoenzymatic assay with a chemiluminescent endpoint was developed for the rapid and sensitive detection of viral and plasmid DNAs. Digoxigenin-labeled probes were used to detect cytomegalovirus, parvovirus B19, and plasmid pBR328 DNAs. Hybridized probes were immunoenzymatically visualized by anti-digoxigenin Fab fragments labeled with alkaline phosphatase, and adamantyl 1,2-dioxetane phenyl phosphate was used as chemiluminescent substrate.

Methodological problems of direct bioluminescent ADP assay in platelets and erythrocytes.

We have developed a method for ADP bioluminescent measurement in platelets and erythrocytes which complements our previous method for ATP assay. When the different parameters of the system under investigation are taken into account, a linea range between 10(-9) and 10(-7) g/ml can be obtained without incubation or troublesome extraction. This makes the method easy and useful for identifying any disease-induced alterations in ATP and/or ADP levels in these blood cells.

Bioluminescent flow sensor for the determination of L-(+)-lactate.

The amount of L-lactate in biological fluids (serum, plasma and cerebrospinal fluid) was determined by monitoring the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) produced by immobilised lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), with bacterial bioluminescent enzymes immobilised on a separate nylon coil. The LDH catalysed the reaction of L-lactate with NAD; this reaction took place in a nylon coil that preceded the coil for the bioluminescent detection. The co-immobilisation of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) with LDH improved the lactate transformation by 117-183%.

Natural distribution and occurrence of coenzyme Q homologues.

The knowledge of coenzyme Q levels in tissues, organs, and subcellular compartments is of outstanding interest. A wide amount of data regarding coenzyme Q distribution and occurrence was collected in the last decades; nevertheless the data are often hard to compare because of the different extraction methods and different analytical techniques used. We have undertaken a systematic study for detecting the ubiquinone content in subcellular compartments, cells, and whole-tissue homogenates by a previously standardized HPLC method performed after an extraction procedure identical for all samples.

Methodological problems of direct bioluminescent ATP assay in platelets and erythrocytes.

Direct bioluminescent ATP determination in platelets and erythrocytes involves the study of different parameters which are discussed here. Some parameters are linked to the bioluminescent reaction and to the analyte (ATP); others have regard to the biological matrix. The composition of bioluminescent reagents and the preparation and conservation of the ATP standard, also in the presence of excipients, are among the first given.

Continuous-flow bioluminescent determination of ATP in platelets using firefly luciferase immobilized on epoxy methacrylate.

Firefly luciferase was immobilized on epoxy methacrylate beads and used for a continuous-flow assay of ATP extracted from platelets. The immobilized luciferase had a half-life of 3 days at 25 degrees C; there was a 25% recovery of luciferase activity upon immobilization, and ca 50 reactors were made from 1 mg of commercial enzyme. The sensitivity of the assay was 0.

[Presentation of a case of spinal osteoid osteoma causing dorsal scoliosis. Role of high resolution CT].

A case of vertebral osteoid osteoma in a 19 years old female is described. The tumor was located at D7 right peduncle and was responsible for a mild left convex curve dorso-lumbar scoliosis. The patient had been complaining for 3 years because of a stablike pain at medio-dorsal level.

Viability of Listeria monocytogenes in Milk Treated with Hydrogen Peroxide.

The susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes to hydrogen peroxide in sterilized and raw milk was studied. In raw milk, L. monocytogenes was less susceptible to HO than milk microflora.

Growth and enterotoxin A production by Staphylococcus aureus S6 in Manchego type cheese.

Milk (from cow, goat and sheep) was inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus strain S6, which is generally considered to be a strong enterotoxin B producer and a weak enterotoxin A producer. It was then used to make Manchego type cheese as prepared industrially. Two concentrations of starter culture (1% and 0.

Dosimetric study of microwave cataractogenesis.

A closed waveguide method has been used to induce opacities in the rabbit eye. A 30-min exposure to 2.45-GHz radiation such that 8.

Spectroscopic properties of ubiquinones in model systems.

In order to achieve a better elucidation of the physico-chemical properties of ubiquinones (Qs) in natural membranes, we have investigated the UV spectral features of Q-homologs in different model systems. In phospholipid monolamellar vesicles the UV spectra of physiological ubiquinones resemble those in isooctane, whereas in detergent micelles the spectra appear similar to those of the hydrophilic Q1 in water. For short-chain Qs it is possible to describe a linear dependence of the absorption parameters upon the polarity of the media.

[Anatomo-topographical and structural aspects of the dorsal nucleus (Clarke's nucleus) in humans].

There is fairly plentiful old and recemt literature on the dorsal nucleus (Clarke's nucleus), but the research reported is mainly in animals. The present study covers human material (9 spinal cords), considered mostly from the morphological-topographical aspects. In man, Clarke's column is not perfectly symmetrical, is "clublike" in shape, and reaches from the eighth cervical to the second lumbar segment.