Changes in taste bud volume during taste disturbance.

On-line mapping and serial volume measurements of taste buds with confocal laser scanning microscopy provide information on the peripheral gustatory organ over time. We report the volumetric measurements of four selected fungiform papillae over 8 weeks in a 62-year-old man with taste disturbance, which was more apparent on the right than on the left side. In the two papillae on the right side, no taste buds were detected within the fungiform papillae in the sixth and eighth week.

Change of the human taste bud volume over time.

Objective: The specific aim of this study is to measure the taste volume in healthy human subjects over a 2.5-month period and to demonstrate morphological changes of the peripheral taste organs.

Material And Methods: Eighteen human taste buds in four fungiform papillae (fPap) were examined over a 10-week period.

Volumetry of human taste buds using laser scanning microscopy.

Objective: In vivo laser scanning confocal microscopy is a relatively new, non-invasive method for assessment of oral cavity epithelia. The penetration depth of approximately 200-400 microm allows visualisation of fungiform papillae and their taste buds.

Materials And Methods: This paper describes the technique of in vivo volumetry of human taste buds.

[Primary thrombophilia. Report of 93 cases and 12 asymptomatic relatives].

Background: Thrombophilia is defined as an altered hemostasis that predisposes to thrombosis. It can be primary when there is a family clustering of the disease or secondary, when it is associated to an acquired risk factor.

Aim: To report clinical features in a series of patients with primary thrombophilia.

[Extra meningeal cryptococcosis in a patient with AIDS].

We report a young homosexual male with AIDS that presented a systemic Cryptococcus neoformans infection. He had skin, lymph node and colonic involvement but the central nervous system was spared. Treatment was started with amphotericin B, achieving a good remission of skin lesions.

[Etiologic diagnosis of pneumonia in HIV-AIDS patients. Usefulness of fibrobronchoscopy].

Aim: to assess the usefulness of fiberoptic bronchoscopy in the etiologic diagnosis of pulmonary infiltrates in patients with AIDS.

Patients And Methods: in 25 patients with AIDS and pneumonia, 31 fiberoptic bronchoscopies with bronchoalveolar lavage were performed; in 11 occasions, a transbronchial biopsy was also performed.

Results: in 24 of the 31 procedures (77%) an etiologic diagnosis was made.