A 390 million-year-old hyper-compound eye in Devonian phacopid trilobites.

Trilobites, extinct arthropods that dominated the faunas of the Palaeozoic, since their appearance c 523 million years ago, were equipped with elaborate compound eyes. While most of them possessed apposition compound eyes (in trilobites called holochroal eyes), comparable to the compound eyes of many diurnal crustaceans and insects living today, trilobites of the suborder Phacopina developed atypical large eyes with wide lenses and wide interspaces in between (schizochroal eyes). Here, we show that these compound eyes are highly sophisticated systems-hyper-compound eyes hiding an individual compound eye below each of the big lenses. Thus, each of the phacopid compound eyes comprises several tens, in cases even hundreds of small compound eye systems composing a single visual surface. We discuss their development, phylogenetic position of this hyper-compound eye, and its neuronal infrastructure. A hyper-compound eye in this form is unique in the animal realm.

[Value of 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy in diagnostic localization of hyperparathyroidism. A prospective study]. / Zum Stellenwert der 99mTc-MIBI-Szintigraphie bei der Lokalisationsdiagnostik des Hyperparathyreoidismus. Eine prospektive Studie.

We evaluated the sensitivity of praeoperative parathyroid imaging using 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy in planar as well as SPECT technique to detect and localize abnormal parathyroid glands in 36 patients with hyperparathyroidism. Seven out of these patients had been previously operated in the thyroid area. With a sensitivity of 76% (22/29) solid adenomas could be localized correctly. Surgical success was estimated by the weight of the adenomas, by histology and postoperative laboratory findings. Compared to other imaging procedures 99mTc-MIBI-scintigraphy seems to be most sensitive in detecting and localizing abnormal parathyroid glands, especially in previously operated patients. Praeoperative standard in nuclear medicine up to now is Tl-Tc-subtraction scintigraphy, which is technically more difficult, sensitive to artefacts and exposes the patient to more radiation. Based on our experience we would therefore suggest to screen all previously operated patients with 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy on a routine basis.

[Special problems of primary hyperparathyroidism in pregnancy]. / Zur besonderen Problematik des primären Hyperparathyreoidismus in der Schwangerschaft.

In cases of premature, persistent nausea and vomiting, or if these conditions continue past the 14th week of pregnancy, the possibility of primary hyperparathyroidism should be considered and the condition eradicated in order to avoid serious complications for mother and child. Judging from our experience and according to current literature, starting in the 12th week of pregnancy the effects of primary hyperparathyroidism on both mother and child can be prevented through surgery.

[Surgical consequences of anomalous arterial blood supply and aneurysms in the epigastric region (authors' translation)]. / Chirurgische Bedeutung der Varianten und Aneurysmen der Oberbauchgefässe.

Abdominal angiography was performed in patients with occlusive disease of the iliofemoral arteries. In 85 of 389 patients, the anomalous arterial blood supply of the upper abdomen was detected accidentally: 81% of the variations were related to the hepatic artery, 19% to the celiac artery. The possible surgical consequences are discussed if these variations are disregarded. Four patients with aneurysms of the visceral arteries (three aneurysms of the hepatic artery, one aneurysm of the superior mesenteric artery) and one patient with a celiac artery compression syndrome were also detected. The latter diseases represent clear indication for operation with high chances of success if treated in time.