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Background/Aim. The optic nerve is anatomically observed in four segments: intrabulbar, orbital, canalicular, and cranial. According to the literature, the surface of the transversal cut of the nerve is different through it. The aim of this study was to evaluate the fascicular organisation of the optic nerve, throughout its three segments from the eye. Methods. Five pairs of optic nerves, obtained from the autopsies were examined. Using Heidenhain's (azan) staining, the cuts were prepared for microscopy. Morphometric analysis was performed using the stereological methods for morphometric cytology -- the Weible's testing system M42. The following measures were established: the surface of the transverse cut of the nerve, the entire surface of fasciculi, the entire surface of connective tissue and blood vessels, the number of fasciculi, the surface of a single fasciculus. Results. The surface of the transverse cut of the nerve was found to grow from the orbital to the cranial segment, as well as the entire surface of fasciculi. While their number is significantly lower in the cranial segment, the number of fasciculi varied slightly between the orbital and the canalicular segment. The surface of a single fasciculus grows from the bulb to the chiasma. There is probable a cause to believe that this may be due to fusion of the "small" fasciculi in the orbitocranial direction. Conclusion. There are significant differences among the examined parameters of the different parts of the optic nerve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To discover a gastric antisecretory agent more potent than existing proton pump inhibitors, novel pyrrole derivatives were synthesized, and their H+,K+-ATPase inhibitory activities and inhibitory action on histamine-stimulated gastric acid secretion in rats were evaluated. Among the compounds synthesized, compound 17a exhibited selective and potent H+,K+-ATPase inhibitory activity through reversible and K+-competitive ionic binding; furthermore, compound 17c exhibited potent inhibitory action on histamine-stimulated gastric acid secretion in rats and Heidenhain pouch dogs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium associated with upper gastrointestinal diseases in humans. However, only a small proportion of infected people become sick. Although several studies have tried to establish an association between known virulence markers and clinical outcomes, in many cases the results have been conflicting. The aim of this study was to investigate the importance of virulence markers to predict clinical outcome in Brazil. Mixed infections by genetically unrelated strains detected by vacA genotyping were found in 18% of the patients. The cagA and cagE genes and the vacAs1 genotype were associated with the development of peptic ulcer disease (PUD). The cagAvacAs1m1 genotype was associated with PUD and duodenal ulcer (DU). Conversely, jhp947 was not associated with DU or PUD, indicating that this gene is not a universal virulence marker. These results also show that a high proportion of the patients were simultaneously infected by cag-positive and cag-negative H. pylori types. This finding suggests the existence of a dynamic equilibrium between the loss and gain of the cag pathogenicity island, probably depending on the physiologic conditions of the patient''s stomach. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that has documented this finding in Brazil. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Heidenhain variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease with an occipito-parietal focus.It initially presents with visual disturbances such as visual agnosia or cortical blindness ( Kropp et al., 1999 ).After presentation of early visual symptoms, rapid progression of dementia and death follows.While the Heidenhain variant matches neuropathological criteria of CJD, differential diagnosis from other neurological disorders using biomarkers from electroencephalography (EEG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) reveal low sensitivity and specificity.As a consequence, these tools may lead to an erroneous diagnosis of the Heidenhain variant. We report about a 81-year old female who was transferred to the intensive care unit due to a generalized tonic-clonic seizure followed by prolonged somnolence, additionally exhibiting myoclonic jerks of the distal legs, left horizontal gaze palsy and horizontal nystagmus to the right.A history of cognitive decline including short-term memory and word-finding difficulties as well as visuospatial and visuoconstructive deficits over the last few weeks was reported. Initial EEG revealed 1.5 Hz left lateralized periodic sharp-wave and polyspike-wave complexes of high amplitude and triphasic morphology suspicious for CJD. Brain MRI showed a hyperintense lesion in the left occipito-parietal lobe on diffusion-weighted and FLAIR sequences, respectively.Protein 14-3-3 was positive in CSF (ELISA). However, RT-QuIC confirmatory test was negative.Other serum and CSF parameters including anti-neuronal antibodies were negative.Given this information, is it reasonable to consider the Heidenhain variant of CJD? The patient suffered from a cardioembolic stroke due to atrial fibrillation affecting the parietal branches of the middle cerebral artery.Edoxaban had been removed three weeks previously because of repeated falls.During ICU treatment, the patient developed a prolonged nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) characterized by deep coma without significant motor phenomena.EEG was refractory to an initial antiepileptic drug treatment, but finally returned to normal with valproate monotherapy.The patient, however, remained comatose until transfer to rehabilitation, but she regained consciousness two weeks later. This case points out that a parietal stroke with complicating NCSE may mimic the Heidenhain variant of CJD, particularly by under-recognition of so-called CJD red flags: First, the occurrence of 14-3-3 proteins is known to be positive after either acute stroke or seizures.Secondly, though increased intensity on DWI in CJD is discussed as a noninvasive biomarker, such signal abnormalities – particularly if sparing the basal ganglia – are not specific to CJD. Thirdly, NCSE patients with altered consciousness often present with localized or lateralized sharp waves of triphasic configuration.These atypical triphasic waves are considered to be of epileptic origin if they disappear following antiepileptic drug treatment as in our case ( Trinka and Leitinger, 2015 ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]