A Case of Possible Monosodium Glutamate-Dependent, Exercise-Induced Anaphylaxis.

A 24-year-old Asian-American male presented to the Emergency Department with his third episode of anaphylaxis in a one-year period. Based on the clinical history provided by the patient regarding each of these episodes, the trigger for the patient's anaphylaxis appears to be the consumption of monosodium glutamate followed by physical exertion within the subsequent two to three hours. The case presented here represents a rare, but life-threatening, disorder.

Model-free causality analysis of cardiovascular variability detects the amelioration of autonomic control in Parkinson's disease patients undergoing mechanical stimulation.

We tested the hypothesis that causality analysis, applied to the spontaneous beat-to-beat variability of heart period (HP) and systolic arterial pressure (SAP), can identify the improvement of autonomic control linked to plantar mechanical stimulation in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). A causality index, measuring the strength of the association from SAP to HP variability, and derived according to the Granger paradigm (i.e.

Entropy-based complexity of the cardiovascular control in Parkinson disease: comparison between binning and k-nearest-neighbor approaches.

Entropy-based approaches are frequently used to quantify complexity of short-term cardiovascular control from spontaneous beat-to-beat variability of heart period (HP) and systolic arterial pressure (SAP). Among these tools the ones optimizing a critical parameter such as the pattern length are receiving more and more attention. This study compares two entropy-based techniques for the quantification of complexity making use of completely different strategies to optimize the pattern length.

[Psychosocial aspects of breast cancer].

In occidental countries, breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in women. In the last 30 years, the therapeutical progresses have improved the prognosis and the survival rate. However, despite this hope of recovering, women continue to face the fear of death and vulnerability.

In vitro activity of the new ketolide telithromycin compared with those of macrolides against Streptococcus pyogenes: influences of resistance mechanisms and methodological factors.

One hundred and seven clinical isolates of Streptococcus pyogenes, 80 susceptible to macrolides and 27 resistant to erythromycin A (MIC >0.5 microgram/ml), were examined. The erythromycin A-lincomycin double-disk test assigned 7 resistant strains to the M-phenotype, 8 to the inducible macrolide, lincosamide, and streptogramin B resistance (iMLS(B)) phenotype, and 12 to the constitutive MLS(B) resistance (cMLS(B)) phenotype.

Solvation study of the non-specific lipid transfer protein from wheat by intermolecular NOEs with water and small organic molecules.

Intermolecular nuclear Overhauser effects (NOEs) were measured between the protons of various small solvent or gas molecules and the non-specific lipid transfer protein (ns-LTP) from wheat. Intermolecular NOEs were observed with the hydrophobic pocket in the interior of wheat ns-LTP, which grew in intensity in the order cyclopropane (saturated solution) < methane (140 bar) < ethane (40 bar) < acetonitrile (5% in water) < cyclohexane (saturated solution) < benzene (saturated solution). No intermolecular, NOEs were observed with dioxane (5% in water).

Solution structure of Ace-AMP1, a potent antimicrobial protein extracted from onion seeds. Structural analogies with plant nonspecific lipid transfer proteins.

The three-dimensional solution structure of Ace-AMP1, an antifungal protein extracted from onion seeds, was determined using 1H NMR spectroscopy and molecular modeling. This cationic protein contains 93 amino acid residues and four disulfide bridges. Its structure was determined from 1260 NOE-derived distance restraints and 173 dihedral restraints derived from NOEs and 3JCaHNH coupling constants.

[Wartenberg's disseminated sensory neuropathy].

We studied ten cases of disseminated sensory neuropathy. Both sexes were similarly involved. Except in one case, the first symptoms appeared between ages 20 and 50.

Idiopathic recurrent myoglobinuria and persistent weakness.

The case of an adolescent with idiopathic recurrent myoglobinuria is reported. The following features are emphasized: (1) persistence of limb weakness and elevated CK levels between the attacks, (2) a constant myopathic pattern in EMG, and (3) chronic morphologic abnormalities of myopathy in two muscle biopsies. All known causes of myoglobinuria were investigated and ruled out.

[Ultrastructural elementary lesions in muscular pathology (author's transl)].

The authors present and illustrate most of the ultrastructural abnormalities encountered in skeletal muscle in cases of neuromuscular disease. The diagnostic significance of the changes are discussed but emphasis is laid on the nonspecific character of most of them. For diagnostic purposes, examination by light microscopy remains the preferred approach, but electron microscopy enables the nature and origins of the lesions to be better defined and is a very valuable technique in exploring the pathogenesis of muscular diseases.

[Mononeuritis multiplex in a case of primary macroglobulinemia (author's transl)].

A case of Waldenström's disease with peripheral nerve involvement resembling mononeuritis multiplex is described. The various etiopathogenic mechanisms generally cited in connection with peripheral neuropathies observed in cases of macroglobulinemia, most often of the polyneuritic type, are discussed in turn : nerve infiltration by lymphocytes, intervention of an immunologic mechanism through the agency of paraprotein links with amyloidosis. However, the reported case differs from habitual cases on account of the asymmetry of the nerve involvement and the discovery of vasculitic lesions on muscle biopsy.

Histochemical and ultrastructural analysis of the mitochondrial changes in a familial mitochondrial myopathy.

Two familial cases of progressive external ophthalmoplegia with involvement of pharyngeal and distal muscles are presented. 'Ragged-red' fibres were found in both cases. Excessive amounts of RNA, as evidenced by the acridine orange-induced fluorescence, were noted in many muscle fibres, mostly in the 'ragged-red' fibres.