Ranid Herpesvirus 3 and Proliferative Dermatitis in Free-Ranging Wild Common Frogs (Rana Temporaria).

Amphibian pathogens are of current interest as contributors to the global decline of amphibians. However, compared with chytrid fungi and ranaviruses, herpesviruses have received relatively little attention. Two ranid herpesviruses have been described: namely, Ranid herpesvirus 1 (RHV1) and Ranid herpesvirus 2 (RHV2). This article describes the discovery and partial characterization of a novel virus tentatively named Ranid herpesvirus 3 (RHV3), a candidate member of the genus Batrachovirus in the family Alloherpesviridae. RHV3 infection in wild common frogs (Rana temporaria) was associated with severe multifocal epidermal hyperplasia, dermal edema, a minor inflammatory response, and variable mucous gland degeneration. Intranuclear inclusions were numerous in the affected epidermis together with unique extracellular aggregates of herpesvirus-like particles. The RHV3-associated skin disease has features similar to those of a condition recognized in European frogs for the last 20 years and whose cause has remained elusive. The genome of RHV3 shares most of the features of the Alloherpesviruses. The characterization of this presumptive pathogen may be of value for amphibian conservation and for a better understanding of the biology of Alloherpesviruses.

Discrepancies between HMPAO and ECD SPECT imaging in brain tumors.

Among several brain radiopharmaceuticals for SPECT imaging, 99mTc complexes of HMPAO and ECD are the most widely used. They are considered to be equal in their capacity to reflect regional cerebral blood flow; but discrepancies between HMPAO and ECD brain uptake have been reported in stroke patients. This paper reports our observations regarding discrepancies between HMPAO and ECD SPECT in 14 of 23 patients with suspected brain tumors or presumed metabolic cerebral abnormalities. We obtained similar conflicting results, namely focal HMPAO hyperactivities and isoactive ECD SPECT. The majority of these discrepancies were found in patients with brain tumors (10 of 13 patients), while only 4 of the 10 remaining patients with nontumoral process showed similar discrepant results. The physiopathology behind these observations is discussed here, and it is likely to be related to the specific response to cellular metabolic disorders rather than to perfusion disturbances.

Synovial cyst and degeneration of the transverse ligament: an unusual cause of high cervical myelopathy. Case report.

A case of cystic degeneration of the transverse ligament located posteriorly to the dens and causing compression to the lower medulla and upper cervical spinal cord is reported. The clinical, pathological, and radiological findings are described and compared to the literature to characterize this syndrome more fully. The advantages of a posterolateral surgical approach are stressed.

Non-union after a two-level anterior cervical decompression and fusion with Surgibonetrade mark.

Numerous alternative implants have been proposed for cervical fusion, including bovine bone. We report a case of a two level cervical interbody fusion for degenerative disc disease using bovine dowels of Unilab Surgibonetrade mark. We describe the clinical evolution and histological examination after failure of the procedure due to non-union of the Surgibone implants. Alternative grafting substitutes are discussed with respect to their immunological, cytotoxic and osteoinductive aspects. Based on a literature review we conclude that allografts have a significantly better cytological biocompatibility than Surgibonetrade mark and allow a higher fusion rate. The ideal graft remains autologous bone.

[Fractures of the sacrum and neurologic lesions. Apropos of a case]. / Fractures du sacrum et lésions neurologiques. A propos d'un cas.

Sacral fracture is a difficult diagnosis due to the lack of specific signs and the inaccuracy of conventional radiology. This kind of fracture affects either polytraumatised or aged patients, in whom the fracture can be diagnosed. However these fracture have to be recognized because of their potentially adverse consequences, particularly on neurological structures. The case of a 56 years old man who fell from his height is reported. Two weeks later, due to mild neurologic symptoms, an X-ray and CT of the pelvis were performed, showing a fracture of both sacral alae. A complex neurologic sensitive and motor impairement appeared involving S1 to S5 levels on the left side and L2 to S5 levels on the right side. Many investigations were done to rule out any other etiologic factor of this complex and progressive neurologic deficit. The probable cause was an iterative stretching of the lumbosacral roots ambulating with a floating sacrum fracture.

[Pituitary adenoma secreting prolactin. Results of their surgical treatment]. / Les adénomes hypophysaires sécrétant de la prolactine. Les résultats de leur traitement chirurgical.

A retrospective study of 75 patients operated for pituitary prolactin-secreting adenomas between 1972 and 1992 is presented. 57 were women, 18 males. The major symptom was amenorrhea for women and impotence for men. Prolactinemia is correlated to the size of adenoma and thus permits a prediction of surgical results. Most of the patients with a prolactinemia under 300 ng/ml were cured by surgery alone. Surgical treatment alone at the-term follow-up cure 87% of the micro-adenomas, 17% of the enclosed adenomas, and none of the invasive adenomas. In this study there is only 7% of true recurrence. According to the high cure rate and low frequency recurrence after transphenoidal surgery for micro-adenomas we suggest this approach as the first choice treatment. On the other hand the best treatment for macro-prolactinomas is medicamentous.

[Vertebral arthroplasty: a new approach to spinal surgery]. / Arthroplastie vertébrale: une nouvelle approche de la chirurgie du rachis.

Surgical treatment of lumbar spine degenerative trouble was until recently limited to destructive techniques like discectomies for disk prolapse, laminectomies for narrow canal and the different way of lumbar fusion for more advanced degenerative troubles or unstable spine. Design of new materials and surgical techniques give spine surgeon an alternative to the usual techniques of surgical treatment of lumbar degenerative disk disease. They share a new concept of a more conservative surgical treatment and try to restore the function and mobility of lumbar segments, performing true arthroplasty of the lumbar spine. Here are described some of these new arthroplastic techniques, such as disk prosthesis or disk nucleus prosthesis.

Retroperitoneal bleeding after L4-L5 diskectomy in a patient with crossed-fused renal ectopia: treatment by selective embolization.

We present a complication of L4-L5 disk surgery and its treatment by interventional radiology which has not previously been reported. An accessory inferior polar artery of a crossed-fused renal ectopia was injured and the bleeding was successfully managed by selective embolization.

4-oxo-4H-quinolizine-3-carboxylic acids as Mg2+ selective, fluorescent indicators.

In this paper, we present the synthesis of a new series of substituted 4-oxo-4H-quinolizine-3-carboxylic acids and the evaluation of their fluorescent response upon complexation with Mg2+ and Ca2+. This has led to the development of the first Mg2+-selective, ratioable fluorescent indicators. We found that 4-oxo-4H-quinolizine-3-carboxylates are excellent fluorophores which show a strong fluorescent response to Mg2+ but not to Ca2; the latter metal ion often causing interference during Mg2+ measurements with previously described indicators. The dissociation constants of the studied fluorophores-around 1.0 mM-are of the same order of magnitude as is usually observed for intracellular Mg2+.

A new approach to the synthesis of APTRA indicators.

We have devised a general synthesis of Mg(2+) indicators which is based on the aminophenol triacetic acid (APTRA) structure. The key step is a palladium-catalyzed coupling reaction of a precursor of the APTRA ligand with a fluorescent group. This strategy resulted in new ratioable fluorescent APTRA indicators and the finding that the fluorescence response of these indicators is different for Mg(2+) and Ca(2+) in some cases. We believe that this represents a generally useful approach for combining fluorophore and chelator functionalities.

Surgical pain is followed not only by spinal sensitization but also by supraspinal antinociception.

Nociception can produce segmental spinal sensitization or descending supraspinal antinociception. We assessed both types of sensory change after surgery during isoflurane-nitrous oxide anaesthesia with or without fentanyl before nociception. Patients undergoing back surgery received fentanyl 3 micrograms kg-1 (n = 15) or placebo (n = 15) before anaesthesia in a prospective, randomized, blinded study. Sensation, pain detection and tolerance thresholds to electrical stimulation were measured before operation at the arm, incision and herniated disc dermatomes (HDD) and 1, 2, 4, 6, 24 h and 5 days after operation, together with pain scores and patient-controlled morphine consumption (duration 24 h). For segmental effects, thresholds were normalized to the thresholds at a distant dermatome (arm). Raw pain thresholds were increased after operation (fentanyl > placebo) and were maximal at 4 h (pain tolerance in HDD: fentanyl +5.2 mA (+62.7%), placebo, +3.8 mA (+44.2%); P < 0.05 vs baseline for both). Normalized sensation thresholds decreased for placebo only (HDD/4 h: placebo, -1.8 (-44.8%), P < 0.05; fentanyl, +0.1 (+5.5%) ns). All changes returned to baseline by 24 h except for the placebo group normalized HDD sensation (d5: placebo, -2.4 (-59.7)%, P < 0.05; fentanyl -0.1 (-5.5%) ns). Pain scores and morphine consumption were similar. The study demonstrated both supraspinal analgesia and spinal sensitization after surgery. Fentanyl administration before operation augmented the former while decreasing the latter, and hence sensitization, especially if neuropathic, may particularly benefit from pre-emptive analgesia.

Transcription of Staphylococcus aureus fibronectin binding protein genes is negatively regulated by agr and an agr-independent mechanism.

The production of cell surface proteins in Staphylococcus aureus is generally down-regulated in the postexponential growth phase by the global regulator agr. The effector of this regulation is the RNAIII molecule, which is encoded within the agr locus. RNAIII seems to regulate most target genes at the level of transcription, but it also has an effect on the translation of some genes. To study the role of agr on the expression of fibronectin binding proteins (FnBPs), we investigated the transcription and translation of fnb genes in agr mutant strain WA250 and its parent strain, 8325-4. The results show that fnb genes are negatively regulated by agr and also by an agr-independent mechanism that restricts fnb mRNA synthesis to the early exponential phase of growth. Transcription and Western blot analysis of cell-associated FnBPs demonstrated that synthesis of both FnBPA and FnBPB in the wild-type and agr mutant strains took place preferentially during the first hour of growth and rapidly decreased after the second hour. We also confirmed previous results showing that the agr mutant strain has an increased capacity to bind fibronectin compared to its parent agr+ strain. However, while the concentrations of fnb mRNAs and proteins differed by a factor of 16 between the strains, the difference in fibronectin binding was only twofold, indicating that the binding of fibronectin to the bacteria is not proportional to the amount of FnBPs on their surface.

Decreased amounts of cell wall-associated protein A and fibronectin-binding proteins in Staphylococcus aureus sarA mutants due to up-regulation of extracellular proteases.

Data have been presented indicating that Staphylococcus aureus cell surface protein can be degraded by extracellular proteases produced by the same bacterium. We have found that in sarA mutant cells, which produce high amounts of four major extracellular proteases (staphylococcal serine protease [V8 protease] [SspA], cysteine protease [SspB], aureolysin [metalloprotease] [Aur], and staphopain [Scp]), the levels of cell-bound fibronectin-binding proteins (FnBPs) and protein A were very low compared to those of wild-type cells, in spite of unaltered or increased transcription of the corresponding genes. Cultivation of sarA mutant cells in the presence of the global protease inhibitor alpha(2)-macroglobulin resulted in a 16-fold increase in cell-bound FnBPs, indicating that extracellular proteases were responsible for the decreased amounts of FnBPs in sarA mutant cells. The protease inhibitor E64 had no effect on the level of FnBPs, indicating that cysteine proteases were not involved. Inactivation of either ssp or aur in the prototype S. aureus strain 8325-4 resulted in a threefold increase in the amount of cell-bound FnBPs. Inactivation of the same protease genes in a sarA mutant of 8325-4 resulted in a 10- to 20-fold increase in cell-bound protein A. As the serine protease requires aureolysin to be activated, it can thus be concluded that the serine protease is the most important protease in the release of cell-bound FnBPs and protein A.