Expression of two androgen-induced proteins (pepsinogen C and apolipoprotein d) in epithelial skin cancers of the eyelids.

By immunohistochemistry, we investigated pepsinogen C (pepC) and apolipoprotein D (apoD) expressions in 23 basal cell (BCC) and 25 squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the eyelids and analyzed the possible relationship to clinicopathological parameters. A total of 3 (13%) BCC and 7 (28%) SCC stained positively for pepC, whereas 11 (47.8%) BCC and 6 (24%) SCC stained positively for apoD.

[Polycystic ovary syndrome and valproic acid].

Introduction: The reproductive functions of epileptic females often display alterations. This dysfunction can be due to psychological, physiological or pharmacological factors. These women have been described as having, for example, a higher incidence of anovulatory cycles, infertility, alterations affecting the hypothalamic or pituitary hormones and the peripheral sex hormones.

[Bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma].

Two cases of non-Hodgkin's endobronchial or bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma are reported; such cases are either extremely rare or underestimated. We emphasize the need to perform endoscopic examination in patients with lymphoma and clinical findings that suggest bronchial disease.

Apolipoprotein D expression in retinoblastoma.

The presence of apolipoprotein D (apoD) synthesis in brain suggests that this protein could play a major role in mediating neuronal degeneration and regeneration in the central nervous system (CNS). For instance, apoD is overexpressed in neural tissues in Niemann-Pick's type C disease, after acute CNS injury and cerebral ischemia, Alzheimer's disease and by a number of different tumors such as breast, prostate, ovarian and endometrial carcinomas. Recent data have raised the possibility that apoD expression could be a marker of cellular differentiation and growth arrest.

[Neurotrophic factors: basis for their clinical application].

Neurotrophic factors are molecules that regulate neuronal survival, nervous system plasticity and many other physiological functions of neuronal and glial cells, as well as some non-neuronal tissues. They have been involved in the etiopathogenesis of some neurodegenerative disorders, and some of them have been proposed as potential treatments for these diseases on the basis of in vitro experiments and animal models. The main neurotrophic factor families with potential therapeutic applications include the family of neurotrophins (NGF, BDNF or NT-3), GDNF and related neurotrophic factor, CNTF and the members of the IGF family.

[Painful ophthalmoplegia secondary to larynx carcinoma].

Case Report: We present a case of metastatic larynx cancer in the cavernous sinus. It presented itself as a right sixth cranial nerve palsy which progressed into a painful ophthalmoplegia with normal CT and RNM in its early stages.

Discussion: We must suspect a cavernous sinus invasion in patients with cranial nerve palsies and with a history of malignancy, despite negative radiologic findings.

[Efficacy and tolerability of long term topiramate in drug resistant epilepsy in adults].

Objective: With the objective of evaluating the efficacy and tolerability of topiramate (TPM) in resistant epilepsy, we did a retrospective, open, multicentric analysis of 56 patients aged over 15 years in whom TPM was given as the second, third or fourth drug. All patients had already been on treatment for at least 18 months when topiramate was started. The average follow up was 27.

Shoulder arthroplasty for proximal humeral malunions: long-term results.

Between 1976 and 1997, 50 shoulders with proximal humeral malunions in 50 patients were treated with hemiarthroplasty or total shoulder arthroplasty and followed up for a mean of 9 years (range, 2-21 years) or until the time of revision surgery. Of these, 13 had a 4-part malunion, 24 had a 3-part greater tuberosity malunion, 6 had a 2-part greater tuberosity malunion, and 7 had a 2-part head segment malunion. Articular incongruity resulted from an articular surface step-off in 5 shoulders, from osteonecrosis in 19, and from secondary degenerative arthritis in 26.

[Community-acquired pneumonia in the elderly: prognostic factors].

The incidence and mortality rates of community-acquired pneumonia are far higher in the elderly than among younger populations. However, the explanation may lie in the presence of comorbidity rather than in age itself. We performed a retrospective study of 226 patients over the age of 65 years who were admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia over a period of 36 months, with the objective of identifying factors predicting mortality and to describe clinical features.

[The efficacy of the valproic acid-ethosuximide combination in the continuous slow point wave syndrome during sleep].

Continuous spikes and waves during slow sleep (CSWS) is a syndrome with a serious prognosis due to the frequent association with neuropsychological dysfunction. It is mandatory to consider this syndrome if an epileptic child suffers from behavioral changes, dysarthria or learning difficulties. We report on two patients with CSWS syndrome with focal abnormalities on the nondominant hemisphere and a proportion of generalized spike-waves discharges in more than 85% of their NREM sleep on the EEG.

[Benign myoclonic epilepsy in childhood. A case report].

Introduction: Benign myoclonic epilepsy of childhood is a rare syndrome which appears at between 4 months and 3 years of age. The prognosis is good if diagnosed and treated early. It is characterized by many short crises (usually of 3 seconds and not more than 5-10 seconds long), proximal and cephalic jerking movements without falling to the ground, and at no particular time of the day.

[Fragile X syndrome and epilepsy].

Fragile X syndrome is the most frequent cause of genetically related mental retardation. Epilepsy, occurring in 20 to 40% of cases, is considered a minor sign. Age- and sex-dependent EEG patterns analogous to partial idiopathic epilepsy with rolandic paroxysms have been described.

[Calcified gastric adenocarcinoma].

A case of calcified gastric adenocarcinoma is presented. It is of clinical interest because of its rareness. Histologically a mucus-secreting adenocarcinoma with lakes of intercellular mucin was found.