Corticonigral degeneration with neuronal achromasia and basal neurofibrillary tangles.

A man, aged 58 years, suffered from progressive dementia, parkinsonism, and gaze paralysis for 30 months. Autopsy revealed severe degeneration of the substantia nigra, numerous swollen chromatolytic neurons within the cerebral cortex, scattered basal neurofibrillary tangles, and gliosis of the cerebral white matter and basal ganglia. Unusual globular inclusions positive for tau protein were detected within neurons of the upper cortical layers.

Pityriasis versicolor--epidemiological and therapeutical study.

Seventy-six patients with extensive pityriasis versicolor were divided into 3 groups and treated orally with ketoconazole, 200 mg daily, for 10, 20 or 30 days respectively. 50 patients out of this number completed the study. After 6 months, 46 patients were checked up.

Effect of combined low dose praziquantel and oxamniquine on different stages of schistosome maturity.

Combined low doses of praziquantel and oxamniquine were tested against different stages of Schistosoma mansoni in infected Swiss albino mice. The effect of combination therapy (1/3 the curative dose of praziquantel plus 1/3 the curative dose of oxamniquine) was compared with the effect of each drug alone, in reduced or full dose. Comparison with infected untreated controls was also made.

Determination of the elastic properties of the cervix.

The elastance of the uterine cervix of nonpregnant women was measured by placing a 3- or 4-cm compliant balloon in the cervical canal and determining its pressure-volume characteristic while filling with up to 5 mL of sterile water at a rate of 12 mL/minute. The mean elastance for 247 patients who had previously suffered either one or more spontaneous midterm pregnancy losses, preterm birth, or three or more early spontaneous abortions was significantly lower than that of 42 controls who did not meet these criteria. Elastances were significantly lower in groups having a clinically observed patulous cervix or laceration, or a clinically diagnosed incompetent cervix, than in the normal cervix group.

Primary carcinoma of the fallopian tube in an adolescent.

Only three cases of adenocarcinoma of the fallopian tube in an adolescent have been reported previously in the literature, and we report the fourth such case. The main presenting symptom in those patients was lower abdominal pain. Type of therapy and outcome of these four cases is reviewed.

Study of T cell subsets in patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis.

The proportion of T lymphocyte populations was assessed using monoclonal antibodies (OKT3, OKT4, OKT8) and spontaneous E-rosette tests with SRBC (for total and active TE cells) in 36 patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis subdivided according to the clinical variety. The T cell profile was normal in patients with simple cutaneous leishmaniasis of early ulcerative type whereas active TE cells and OKT4 positive cells were reduced in some cases of late ulcerative type. A significant reduction of active TE cells and of OKT4 positive cells (helper/inducer phenotype) and increase of OKT8 positive cells (suppressor/cytotoxic phenotype) was observed in peripheral blood of all patients with persistent active lesions and leishmaniasis recidivans.

Improvement of the Botstein-Zacharopolous radiation applicator.

The Botstein-Zacharopolous afterloading radiation source has been modified to facilitate its application to patients receiving intracavitary irradiation therapy. A new clamp assembly, in which each ovoid and the tandum can be separately controlled, has been designed and implemented. A study of 74 patients who alternately received the original or the modified applicator showed the time of the application procedure to be significantly less (p less than 0.

Cisplatin ototoxicity in gynecologic cancer patients. A preliminary report.

The ototoxicity associated with long-term cisplatin therapy in gynecologic cancer patients was investigated. Twenty-three of 31 patients developed hearing loss and 21 patients reported the onset of tinnitus. The hearing loss was bilateral, cochlear, and permanent.

Parametrial needle biopsy: follow-up of pelvic malignancies.

A total of 95 patients had 150 parametrial biopsies with all patients receiving follow-up for a period of 2-10 yr. The analysis of these patients revealed that needle biopsy was successful in differentiating between recurrent, persistent, and/or radiation changes in 97% of the patients. The biopsy was helpful in planning definitive treatment and follow-up in 93% of the patients with minimal complications.

Familial continual skin peeling.

A clinical picture of familial continual peeling of the skin is described and discussed together with light and ultramicroscopic manifestations in one of the probands. The pattern of splitting distinguishes this condition from keratolysis exfoliativa. The ultramicroscopy exhibited mainly predominance of low-density keratocytes in the corneal layer, abnormalities in distribution of lamellar granules and disrupted coating of the cells in the intercellular spaces of the corneal layer.

Utilization of fodder yeast and agro-industrial by-products in production of spores and biologically - active endotoxins from Bacillus thuringiensis.

A number of newly-devised fermentation media were evaluated with respect to their ability to support sporulation and biosynthesis of endotoxins by strains of Bacillus thuringiensis that are biologically active against Spodoptera littoralis, Heliothis armigera, and Spodoptera exigua. Fodder yeast from dried cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae could be used as a complete mono-component medium for production of highly active spore-delta-endotoxin complexes from B. thur.

Effects of ambient temperature on brain acetylcholinesterase activity and protein content in three Egyptian vertebrates.

Exposure to cold caused an increase in AChE activity of the different brain regions of both Arvicanthis and Columbia and a decrease in the enzyme activity of Scincus midbrain. Heat exposure provoked variable changes in AChE activity of the various brain regions of the three experimental species. The changes in AChE activities may be one of the mechanisms by which birds and mammals tend to acclimatize themselves to various forms of stress.

Ambient temperature effects on brain and spinal cord acetylcholinesterase activity of two poikilotherms.

The changes in AChE activity and protein content following cold or heat exposure and heat death were determined in the brain and spinal cord of both Rana ridibunda and Chalcides ocellatus. Cold exposure (10 degrees C) caused a decrease in the enzyme activity and protein content of both animals. Exposure to heat (36-40 degrees C) increased markedly the AChE activity and the amount of protein in the two experimental animals.

Richner-Hanhart syndrome (tyrosinaemia-II) (report of four cases without ocular involvement).

Four cases of tyrosinaemia with cutaneous manifestations, but without ocular involvement, are reported in a family with consanguineous parents. The tyrosine levels in the serum and in the urine were normal in both parents, while in the offsprings the tyrosine levels were elevated 7 1/2-13 times in the serum and 3-13 times in the urine. Although the serum tyrosine levels in our cases were higher than most of the cases reported in the literature the eyes of all our patients were normal.

Cryosurgery for intraepithelial neoplasia of the cervix.

Cryosurgery was used as the means of therapy in 203 patients with intraepithelial neoplasia of the cervix. One hundred and ten patients were diagnosed by colposcopy, directed biopsy, and endocervical curettings. The histological diagnosis varied between mild dysplasia and carcinoma in situ.