Fine-needle aspiration in the diagnosis of head and neck growths: the pitfalls of false-positive diagnosis.

The results of fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNA) performed on 235 patients with head and neck growths were analyzed. The accuracy rate was 83%. The FNA was nondiagnostic in 9%, false negative in 7% and false positive in 1% of the cases.

Rabbit articular chondrocytes in alginate gel: characterisation of immobilized preparations and potential applications.

Primary cultivated rabbit articular chondrocytes were immobilized in calcium alginate beads. Both free and entrapped cells were allowed to grow under normal conditions. After long-term immobilization, the cells still exhibited metabolic activities, patterns of division, synthesis and secretion of extracellular matrix macromolecules such as type II collagen and proteoglycans.

Diagnosis of cerebellopontine angle tumors.

Between 1980 and 1990, 9,176 patients suffering from otoneurological disorders were investigated in our clinic. Sixty-six (0.72%) internal auditory canal or other cerebellopontine angle tumors (CPAT) were diagnosed.

Penetrating wounds of the ear with oval window fistulas. Reports of 2 cases.

In 2 patients with penetrating wounds of the ear lesions involved the tympanic membrane and the ossicular chain. The long process of the incus was lying on the fallopian canal and the stapes was deeply depressed into the vestibule. In spite of a large oval window fistula, cochleovestibular signs were minimal.

Phosphate-dependent sodium transport in S. faecalis investigated by 23Na and 31P NMR.

Na+ movements in S. faecalis were studied by 23Na NMR. They proved to be dependent on phosphate concentration in the buffer during the de-energization step.

Ultrastructure of cat superior vestibular commissural neurons.

The ultrastructure of the feline superior vestibular commissural neurons (CNs) was studied after labeling by contralateral injection of horseradish peroxidase. These small spindle-shaped cells are found in clusters oriented in a rostrocaudal, dorsoventral or lateromedial direction. The CNs have a cleft nucleus, with the majority of nerve terminals contacting the CN near the emergence of polar dendrites.

[Thoracic pain and esophageal motility disorders].

These last years the clinical relevance of oesophageal disorders in the problem of chest pain has been more accurately defined. After exclusion of cardiac diseases with appropriate tests and of organic lesions of the oesophagus with upper endoscopy, the physician should look for: a gastro-oesophageal reflux disease with a 24-hour pH-metry, if possible coupled with a 24-hour oesophageal manometry. An oesophageal motor disorder, for example a diffuse spasm, with manometry with a provocation test.

Fine-needle aspiration in the diagnosis of head and neck growths: is it necessary?

The results of fine-needle aspiration cytology performed on 150 patients at the Geneva Clinic of Otolaryngology were analyzed. The accuracy rate was 80%. The study was nondiagnostic in 10% of the cases and falsely negative in another 10%.

[Epiglottitis in adults].

From 1987 to 1989, 14 adults with acute epiglottitis were seen and treated at the ENT clinic of Geneva. All patients presented with a severe sore throat as primary symptom. An indirect laryngoscopy, which bears no risk in adults, was performed and revealed a swollen, cherry-red epiglottis.

Nonallergic rhinitis with eosinophilia syndrome a precursor of the triad: nasal polyposis, intrinsic asthma, and intolerance to aspirin.

Fifty-two cases of perennial rhinitis were studied, leading to the diagnosis of seven cases of nonallergic rhinitis with eosinophilia syndrome (NARES) a frequency of 13.5%. Symptoms of nasal hyperreactivity involving sneezing, rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction and pruritus were more severe than in other types of rhinitis.

Wegener's granulomatosis with otological disorders as primary symptoms.

Otological symptoms as initial manifestations of Wegener's granulomatosis have been observed in 3 patients. In one of them, symptoms consisted of a bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, improved by corticoid therapy. No other organ system was involved and laboratory tests remained within normal limits for 2 years after the onset of otological signs.

Metabolism of metapramine in vitro by chemical model systems and rat liver microsomes.

Metapramine (Timaxel) was oxidised by hepatic microsomes from rat and by biomimetic chemical systems; vanadyl acetylacetonate-iodylbenzene, phthalocyanin-iron II-iodosylbenzene, meso tetraphenyl porphyrine-iron III chloride-iodosylbenzene and Fenton's reagent. The major metabolite in all cases was the monodemethylated product formed by oxydative removal of the methyl group on the endocyclic nitrogen atom.

Study by NMR of the mode of action of monensin on Streptococcus faecalis de-energized and energized cells.

Streptococcus faecalis was used as a bacterial model for studying the mode of action of monensin by NMR investigations. Experiments were carried out in two states, characterized by several complementary methods: (i) the resting (de-energized) cell which was considered as an inert biological membrane, on which cationic transport induced by the ionophore alone can be investigated; (ii) the active (energized) cell where the ionophore-sensitive response of the living organism, particularly the cation pumps and the glycolysis, is probed. Studies of resting cells were performed, with changing external ionic concentrations, in the presence of monensin, which is preferentially a sodium carrier.

[Screening for colorectal tumors using fecal occult blood studies].

Guaiac tests such as Hemoccult are widely used but are affected by several factors. Occult blood testing does uncover subclinical colorectal cancer often at early stage, but a favorable effect on survival remains to be proven. The sensitivity for the detection of malignancies is from moderate to good, but it is poor for benign polyps.

Reactogenicity and immunogenicity of rotavirus WC3 vaccine in 5-12 month old infants.

Rotavirus is a major cause of acute gastroenteritis in infants worldwide and there is need for an effective vaccine. Rotavirus Wistar calf 3 (WC3) is a strain of bovine origin attenuated by 12 passages in cell culture. A lyophilized candidate vaccine containing 1 x 10(7) PFU of WC3 has been developed.

Laryngeal pathologies observed in microlaryngoscopy.

A retrospective analysis of 738 consecutive microlaryngoscopic procedures, performed in 655 patients at the Geneva Clinic of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery between 1981 and 1987, was undertaken. The 4 most frequent laryngeal pathologies were polyps, hyperplastic chronic laryngitis, Reinke's edema and laryngeal cancer accounting for 76.6% of all encountered pathologies.

Gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric analysis of 19-nortestosterone urinary metabolites in cattle.

Gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric method is used to confirm the administration of 19-nortestosterone to cattle. The most abundant metabolites detected were 19-norepitestosterone and 5 alpha-oestrane-3 beta,17 alpha-diol.

Acoustic trauma caused by the telephone. Report of two cases.

Two patients with acoustic trauma resulting from the use of telephones have been evaluated. Both patients used a particular type of telephone which had the ringing device located in the ear receiver and no automatic gain control in the circuit. The output of the bell recorded on one of these telephones was in the 139-dB range on the A scale.

Identification of a flunixin metabolite in the horse by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

The main metabolite of flunixin, a hydroxylated product, has been identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and 1H NMR spectroscopy in equine urine and plasma. The method also permits the qualitative monitoring of the urinary elimination of the drug and its metabolite. The two products are detected up to 175 and 54 h, respectively, after a single intravenous administration at the dose of 1 mg/kg.

The temporal bone anomaly in CHARGE association.

Examination of the temporal bones from a patient with the CHARGE association revealed an unusual form of dysplasia. Mondini dysplasia of the pars inferior with complete absence of the pars superior was observed in both temporal bones. A review of the literature revealed four previous descriptions of this unique anomaly in patients whose clinical picture resembled the required components of CHARGE.