Formaldehyde preservation for deferred measurements of alkaline phosphatase activities in marine samples.

Alkaline phosphatases are the main enzymes required by microorganisms to hydrolyse organic phosphorus into available phosphate in aquatic environments. The investigations of alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) usually generate numerous samples (size fractionation, Michaelis-Menten kinetics). Therefore, convenient and reliable preservation of incubated samples for a deferred analysis would be very useful when measurements cannot be performed right away. The APA of marine pond waters was measured using 4-Methylumbelliferyl phosphate (MUF-P) as the fluorogenic substrate modelling natural organic phosphorus compounds. Where typical inhibitors of other enzymatic activities, such as 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate, mercuric chloride, or buffered solutions of ammonium and glycine, failed to stop APA, the addition of formaldehyde efficiently inhibited APA. The effect of formaldehyde was the strongest with the highest concentration tested (4% final concentration) and in buffered (pH 8) solutions. Since a slow and gradual increase in APA may persist with time, the combination of the addition of 4% buffered formaldehyde with immediate freezing is the best method to entirely inhibit APA. The maximal rate of hydrolysis (Vmax) and the Michaelis constant (Km) of formaldehyde (4%)-inhibited samples did not significantly change during storage at -20 °C for 11 days. The method was successfully tested on samples with extremely high values of APA (15000-40000 nM h-1) that were preserved for 1 month at -20 °C (98% inhibition). This method is a reliable and useful means of preserving incubated samples, and it provides convenient controls for background fluorescence of water and substrate, without provoking abiotic hydrolysis of the substrate.

[Strabismus, hemianopsia and the sundial of Mawas and Franceschetti]. / Le cadran solaire de Mawas et Franceschetti.

UNLABELLED: THE ARTIFACT: The artifact is a light rectangular slate of black cardboard showing two white lines at 40 degrees angle. It provokes physiological diplopia in lateral vision. BACKGROUND: In normal subjects, the right oblique line stimulates the right nasal hemiretina, perceived as an oblique line, and the left temporal hemiretina, perceived as a vertical line, both lines being on the right hand side. Likewise, the left oblique line is seen as two lines on the left hand side. The 4 lines form and M and a W combined. The strabismus subject sees 3 lines for he neutralizes one; the alternating squint sees only 2; the heterophoric sees 4 lines, two of which blurred, and the hemianopic sees only part of the dial. RESULTS: The subject must select the image he sees from an array of possibilities shown on the back of the dial. From 5 years of age on, normal subjects select the [symbol: see text] or the "butterfly"; hemianopic subjects correctly describe the loss of either the left or right field. CONCLUSIONS: The sundial facilitates both the screening and the treatment of binocular vision disorders. Bangerter's hemifilter will be used in association with exercises for physiological diplopia at home under monthly orthoptic control. All this made it possible to obtain useful peripheral fusion in early onset strabismus.

Mapping of a congenital microcoria locus to 13q31-q32.

Congenital microcoria is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by a pupil with a diameter <2 mm. It is thought to be due to a maldevelopment of the dilator pupillae muscle of the iris, and it is associated with juvenile-onset glaucoma. A total genome search for the location of the congenital microcoria gene was launched in a single large family. We found linkage between the disease and markers located on 13q31-q32 (Zmax = 9.79; theta = 0). Haplotype analysis narrowed the linked region to an interval <8 cM between markers D13S1239 proximally and D13S1280 distally.

[Dural fistulae of the cavernous sinus and interventional neuroradiology. Apropos of 4 cases]. / Fistules durales du sinus caverneux et neuroradiologie interventionnelle. A propos de 4 cas.

PURPOSE: Our purpose was to show how difficult it is to diagnose a dural fistula of the cavernous sinus, which is an anomalous arteriovenous shunt within the dura mater extending from meningeal arteries to the cavernous sinus. CASE REPORT: A dural fistula was suspected in four female patients aged between 61 and 80, presenting with a red eye, dilated episcleral veins, exophthalmos and elevated intraocular pressure. A cerebral hyperselective angiography was performed in all cases. RESULTS: The cerebral angiography confirmed the diagnosis of a dural fistula in all cases, showing the early filling of the cavernous sinus followed by the draining vessel (posterior in case n. 4, anterior in cases n degrees 1, 2, 3). Case n degrees 2 was unilateral and cases n. 1, 3, 3 were bilateral. The blood flow was low in all cases. A successful embolization was performed in all patients with resolution of all symptoms. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of dural fistulas is often difficult because of misleading clinical signs. It is documented by a cerebral angiography showing the feeding vessels and helping to choose either venous or arterial embolization which is the most suitable treatment.

[Multiple pilomatricoma. Apropos of a case]. / Pilomatricomes multiples. A propos d'un cas.

Pilomatricoma is a benign, solitary tumor. The histopathologic findings of viable basaloid cells in the periphery, shadow cells in the central part and foci of calcification are characteristic of pilomatricoma. The microscopic aspect of multiple pilomatricomas was not different from solitary pilomatricomas. Though, some consider them as a pathognomonic sign of myotonic dystrophy. Complete surgical excision is the best management.

Association of congenital microcoria with myopia and glaucoma. A study of 23 patients with congenital microcoria.

BACKGROUND: Congenital microcoria, a bilateral condition of the iris dilatator, is defined as a pupil with a diameter of less than 2 mm when looking at a distant object. Although it is usually a hereditary condition resulting from autosomal dominant transmission with no marked difference between the sexes, it is sometimes sporadic. The ocular abnormalities associated with this condition (myopia, astigmatism, and glaucoma) have never been linked to the malformation. METHOD: Forty-two members of a family were examined: 23 had microcoria and 19 did not. The two groups were studied to identify symptoms of the condition and its associated abnormalities. RESULTS: There was a very strong correlation between microcoria and myopia (Fisher's exact test, P < 0.00001), between microcoria and astigmatism (Fisher's exact test, P < 0.0001), and between microcoria and glaucoma (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: There is a statistical correlation among myopia, glaucoma, and microcoria, and the disorders are associated with the condition in a nonfortuitous way. The functional prognosis for microcoria appears to be extremely poor because of refractive disorders and, particularly, a link between microcoria and glaucoma that is difficult to explain.

[Langerhans cell granulomatosis of the orbit. Apropos of an anatomo-clinical case]. / Granulomatose à cellules de Langerhans monotissulaire de l'orbite. A propos d'une observation anatomo-clinique.

Langerhans' cell granulomatosis of the orbit was observed in a 7-year-old boy successfully treated by a simple biopsy. Recovery can be established one year after the biopsy on the basis of bone defect healing on the standard X-ray of the skull.

[Orbital rhabdomyosarcoma in children. Apropos of 2 cases]. / Rhabdomyosarcome orbitaire de l'enfant. A propos de 2 observations.

Rhabdomyosarcoma accounts for 5% of childhood malignant tumours; in 10% it occurs in the orbit where it is the most frequent malignant tumour. Rhabdomyosarcoma is a mesenchymatous tumour with striated muscular differentiation. However, this myogenous differentiation is sometimes undiscernable on standard histological examination and requires immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies to be shown. Treatment depends on the assessment of local extension, principally based on tomodensitometry. When the tumour is limited to the orbit, survival rate may reach 100% with todays therapeutic protocols. When the orbital walls are invaded the tumour is parameningeal and recovery can only be achieved by increasing chemotherapy at the cost of long-term side effects. Hence, this tumour must be diagnosed and treated very early. The authors report two cases of rhabdomyosarcoma dealing with the two main histological forms of the tumour and with their evolutive risks.

[Keratomycosis, from head injury to aspergillosis]. / Kératomycose, du traumatisme initial à la tête aspergillaire.

Keratomycosis due to Aspergillus fumigatus occurs most often in immuno-competent patients who live and work in a fungus-rich atmosphere. Previous trauma with epithelial lesion are reported by most authors. While the new antifungal drugs may be effective, corneal graft is the most effective solution in uncontrolled cases. When performed early, good visual recovery was observed in most cases as reported in the literature and in our case.

[Comparative study of propofol versus thiopental-halothane in the occurrence of oculocardiac reflex and postoperative vomiting after surgery for strabismus in children]. / Etude comparative propofol versus thiopental-halothane dans la survenue des réflexes oculocardiaques et des vomissements postopératoires lors de la chirurgie du strabisme chez l'enfant.

Strabismus surgery in children is associated with side-effects, intraoperative oculocardiac reflexes in relation with muscular tractions and postoperative vomiting. Studies with propofol anaesthesia in this surgery have shown a lower incidence of these side-effects. So, a prospective study compared these incidences with propofol (P) versus thiopental/halothane (T+H) anaesthesia. Propofol appears to be efficient in reducing postoperative vomiting but might be associated with more frequent OCR.

[Hair dysplasia in oculo-dento-digital syndrome. Apropos of a mother-daughter case]. / Dysplasie pilaire au cours du syndrome oculo-dento-digital. A propos d'un cas mère-fille.

Oculo-dento-digital syndrome (SODD) as defined by Meyer-Schwickerath in 1957 is a rare entity (84 cases) which belongs to ectodermal dysplasias. It consists of: the characteristic features (long face, pinched nose); syndactyly; ocular, dental and bone abnormalities. This entity is usually transmitted on the autosomal dominant mode. We report two cases (a mother and daughter) with polymalformations which we classed as SODD. Furthermore, agenesis of lacrimal duct and genitourinary abnormalities were noted. The mother had a very particular complex hair shaft dysplasia (incomplete pili torti, "tiger tail" aspect, fractures) with alopecia since she was fifteen years old. The daughter's hair was normal at birth. In SODD, fine and sparse hair is often observed (44 p. 100). Only one patient had hair shaft investigation under polarized light: pili annulati and monilethrix were described but not found in our cases. These two reports incite to the systematic hair shaft study in SODD as other ectodermal dysplasia syndromes.

[Alprazolam as premedication in ophthalmologic surgery]. / Alprazolam en prémédication orale en chirurgie ophtalmologique.

Oral premedication with alprazolam was studied in 83 patients before eye surgery. Alprazolam appears to be an excellent anxiolytic drug, with minor cardiovascular and respiratory side effects. A double blind study should be carried on to assess these properties.

[The ophthalmologist and child victims of abuse]. / L'ophtalmologiste et les enfants victimes de sévices.

Among clinical manifestations of the battered child syndrome, ophthalmic manifestations play a prominent role in the recognition of this syndrome. From personal cases, the authors describe different ocular findings, specially intraocular hemorrhages with the important risk of sequelae. They show the role of the ophthalmologist among several situations. As the ophthalmologist may be the first to examine these traumatized infants his prompt recognition is important to take all necessary steps.