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.

[Electrooculographic study on the movements of convergence (author's transl)]. / Etude électro-oculographique des mouvements de convergence.

Electrooculographic study on the movements of convergence among 53 young subjects clinically normal, in nine different conditions of symmetry, of laterality and of preponderance of the directing eye. The morphology of the graphs are described, the duration of latency, the velocities and the amplitudes were measured for the different types of response, and the statistical disturbances corresponding were compiled. For some of these characteristics were made unpublished acknowledgement.

[Lacrymal gland biopsy and dry-eye syndrome (author's transl)]. / Biopsie de la glande lacrymale et oeil sec.

The authors describe the "dry-eye syndrom" about 31 cases of lacrymal gland biopsy. There are several tests for diagnosis (Schirmer's and Rose Bengal's tests are more often used). The authors emphazised six types of histologic lesions. Moreover, some data are for them essentials: 1. the contrast between the functionnal signs and the anatomopathology; 2. the association keratoconjunctivitis sicca and rheumatism correspond with an important lesion of the lacrymal gland, in 80% of cases. The aspect is in favour of Gougerot's disease one time of two.

[The allergic conjunctivitis (author's transl)]. / Les conjonctivites allergiques. Etude de 51 cas.

The authors report the study of 51 cases of conjunctivitis which the allergic character has been showed. They emphasize: 1. the special frequency with the young person (between 20 and 30 years for allergic conjunctivitis, generally before 7 years for vernal conjunctivitis); 2. the importance of atopic ground; 3. the weak incidence of business; 4. the difficulty of diagnosis, because the monosensibilisations are uncommon; 5. the favourable result of treatment.

[Uveitis and multiple sclerosis: myth or reality?]. / Uvéite et sclérose en plaques: mythe ou réalité?

The authors have examined three hundred cases of sclerosis (prospective study of an hundred patients, retrospective study of two hundred observations) in order to assess the frequency of uveitis during the disease and to make out a possible relation between the two diseases. The percentage of uveitis is small: 2% and the frequency of uveitis in multiple sclerosis appears not different of that of a normal population. In spite of the simularity of the pathogenic hypothesis, it does not look that a correlation may be made between the two diseases.

[The child's vision and its measurement. Comparative results of different tests of visual acuity in children as a function of age]. / La vision de l'enfant et sa mesure. Résultats comparatifs de différents tests d'acuité visuelle chez l'enfant, en fonction de l'âge.

The authors describe a new test for determining the visual acuity in pre-school children. It is a picture-test which is composed by pictures of animals of varying sizes, the child being asked to name them in turn. The six pictures (duck, rabbit, cock, elephant, fish, and butterfly) with an homogeneous density, can be utilized according to several manners-appariement or verbal expression--and several distances: 2,50 m or 5 m. That test gave good results on children aged from three years upwards, however the performances could be increased by prectising exercises.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Aspergillosis from sphenoidal sinus (author's transl)]. / Aspergillose pseudo-tumorale du sinus sphénoïdal (ou l'étiologie d'une paralysie unilatérale du III).

The authors describe an exceptional case of aspergillosis from sphenoidal sinus showed by oculomotar palsy its follow up simulates a malignant tumour.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.