[Eight year history of neuroblastoma in an adult patient. Value of 123I-MIBG and 111In-DTPA-D-Phe-octreotide scintigraphy]. / Neuroblastoma de 8 años de evolución en paciente adulto: valor de la gammagrafía con 123I-MIBG y con 111In-DTPA-D-Phe-octreótido.

A case of a 30 year old male with an eight year history of neuroblastoma and whose general health was good is presented. After his last check-up, which included a CT scan and 99mTc-MDP bone scintigraphy, a 123I-MIBG and 111In-DTPA-D-Pheoctreotide scintigraphy was performed and provided us with complementary data that contributed to a more precise diagnosis of the location and extension of the neuroblastoma and to the biological features of the tumor. Thus, this report deals with an adult neuroblastoma patient whose general health is good in whom the exact extension of the lesion was determined by a combination of diagnostic imaging techniques.

Treatment of ataxia in isolated vitamin E deficiency caused by alpha-tocopherol transfer protein deficiency.

Dysfunction of the alpha-tocopherol transfer protein causes ataxia with isolated vitamin E deficiency. A 14-year-old male patient presented with ataxia and mental symptoms caused by a homozygous (552G-->A) alpha-tocopherol transfer protein mutation. After initiation of high-dosage alpha-tocopherol therapy, the organic mental syndrome disappeared and cognitive function improved rapidly. Neurologic recovery, however, was slow and incomplete.

Influence of pretectal lesions on tectal responses to visual stimulation in anurans: field potential, single neuron and behavior analyses.

Investigating the fine structure of the anuran's optic tectum (OT), Székely and Lázár suggested that a focal tectal excitation would spread across the tectal network if there were no control by thalamic pretectal (TP) inhibitory influences. Disconnecting OT from TP by lancet lesions in toads, we show that visual prey-catching is hyperexcited and stimulus discrimination nearly abolished. Functional recovery exists. Micro-administration of the axon sparing excitotoxins kainic acid (KA) or ibotenic acid (IBO) confirm that the TP region is actually involved. Recordings from prey-selective tectal neurons in immobilized frogs reveal a KA-induced impairment of stimulus discrimination and an increase in spontaneous firing. Following TP-lesions, in freely moving toads a correlation is observed between any moving stimulus, enhanced neuron firing, and pray-catching. Tectal field potentials evoked by diffuse light on- and off-stimuli before and after administration of the conduction-blocking drug procaine (PRC) suggest that populations of tectal neurons are affected by pretectal inhibitory influences. Considering previous work on physiologically identified pretecto-tectal projection cells, three different kinds of pretecto-tectal influences are discussed. A working hypothesis suggests a loop by which striatal influences are controlling TP, thus gating and tuning the visual information processing in OT.

A comparison of premeal subcutaneous insulin infusion and injection in type I diabetic patients under continuous basal subcutaneous insulin delivery.

Blood glucose control under continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) was assessed in five type I diabetic patients by measurement of mean blood glucose and M-values. These results were compared with the data obtained from treatment with constant basal subcutaneous insulin delivery supplemented by injection of regular insulin before meals into changing sites of the anterior abdominal wall. CSII treatment gave significantly (P less than 0.05) better results. It might be assumed that this is due to the more reliable insulin absorption from an unchanged site.

Studies on the pituitary "Fettstoffwechselhormon". VIII. Radioimmunoassay of the lipolytic factor P-LF II D.

A radioimmunoassay of the lipolytic peptide P-LF II D from porcine pituitaries is described. The assay is performed with 125-iodine labeled P-LF II D and with antisera either from guinea pigs or from rabbits. Bound antigen is separated from the free by double antibody technique. No cross reaction is observed with gamma lipotropin, peptide B, secretin, glucagon, isoproterenol. Due to contamination P-LF II C, beta lipotropin and human growth hormone displace the tracer when added at large doses. Complete cross reaction is observed between porcine 1-39 ACTH and P-LF II D. Specificity of this reaction is demonstrated by the increase of cross reaction, when ACTH fragments of increasing length of the polypeptide chain are used (1-23 ACTH, 1-24 ACTH and 1-28 ACTH).