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Three cases with eosinophilic infiltration of fascia and muscle are described. In every case at least one relapse occurred. One patient exhibited clinically the definite features of eosinophilic fasciitis. About two cases a tentative diagnosis of Shulman's syndrome is discussed. In these patients, all known causes of eosinophilic myositis had been excluded.

The myofibroblast morphology is analyzed from the literature. The absence of the specific structural characters previously used for identification is emphasized and the physiological properties are analyzed. The different conditions which influence the appearance of this cell under normal and pathological conditions are reviewed and shown to be associated specially with inflammatory processes. As a conclusion, the evolution of the cell is described to the perspective of mesenchymal dynamics.

A three-year old child was anaesthetized by halothane. Cardiac arrest occurred soon after the injection of suxamethonium. Signs of rhabdomyolysis associated with hyperkalemia were present. The diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy was obtained afterwards.

Spontaneous cerebellar hematoma is a well-defined radio-clinical entity. It may occur, not only in patients with risk factors (hypertension for instance), but also in those who have no specific etiologic factors. Onset is usually sudden. The characteristic clinical triad consists of alterations in consciousness, peripheral facial palsy and various oculomotor disorders. Poor prognosis factors related to the size and localization of the hematoma can be determined by computed tomography. We believe that surgery is indispensable in hydrocephalus as well as in increasing or secondary onset of alterations in consciousness.

Thalamic hematomas occur chiefly in hypertensive patients aged 50 to 70; characteristic presentation is a triad associating a sensory syndrome, oculomotor disorders, and alterations in consciousness; computed tomography not only establishes diagnosis but provides additional information, particularly on the size and volume effect of the hematoma which may, according to some authors, indicate surgical removal.

A peculiar case of neuro-sarcoidosis is reported. Clinical symptoms associated ocular dysfunction, hypopituitarism due to hypothalamic disorders, hypersomnia and alveolar hypoventilation. Dynamic tests have proved hypothalamic involvement. The patient died swiftly and suddenly. Neuropathological examination showed typical granuloma consistent with sarcoidosis mainly distributed to the area of the third ventricle and spread hyperplastic gliosis of pons and medulla.

The direct immunofluorescent technique may be easily improved by the use of the Nomarski optics. This contrast allows accurate identification of fluorescent CSF cells and structures in formalin fixed paraffin embedded brain tissues; in the latter, the combined optical procedure is fruitfull in order to avoid fluorescent artifacts misinterpretation. Furthermore, it is emphazised that the conditions in which routine neuropathological specimens are removed and stored usualy does permit the application of the immunofluorescent technique.

Twelve patients were treated with op'DDD over a 9-year period. All presented with mild neurological symptoms, and half of them had major complications. There was no relation between the occurrence of these symptoms and the dose or duration of op'DDD therapy. The mechanisms of this neurological toxicity, both central and peripheral, are not well known, but they appear to be similar to those of certain op'DDD-related chemicals used in industry.

The authors have reported the case of a 65 year old woman followed for almost 4 years with an akineticrigid Parkinsonian syndrome which responded well to levodopa. Waning of response finally occurred and despite the addition of a peripheral dopa decarboxylase inhibitor the patient died suddenly. Autopsy examination revealed pure nigro-striatal degeneration without any additional pathology. The report deals primarily with purity of the Parkinsonian picture and especially with the conspicuous and prolonged effect of levodopa.

In 32 cases of human neurological disorders, including 19 cases of Multiple Sclerosis, an analysis was performed on formalin fixed paraffin embedded brain tissue by using fluorescein labelled antibodies and Nomarski optics. This method, which allows the reduction of technical artifarcts, permitted to establish the presence of intracytoplasmic immunoglobulin binding lymphoid cells with IgG and IgA, more rarely IgM, in the majority of the multiple sclerosis cases. This supports the theory of the intrathecal secretion of antibodies within the central nervous system but does not allow to explain the function of those B. Lymphocytes. The same immunological picture was found in Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis. On the contrary, it was different in Progressive Multifocal Leucoencephalopathy.

The pathological findings in four nerves and muscles and in one skin biopsies from four patients treated with perhexiline maleate for angina pectoris are reported. In every case, a muscular denervation atrophy and a decrease in the large diameter myelinated fibers were observed. Only one case showed a decrease of the total number of myelinated fibers, on quantitative studies. The electron microscopic study of each nerve displayed findings consistent with a predominant schwannian degeneration, associated with a few onion bulbs formations and, in two cases, with a mild wallerian degeneration. The most striking finding consisted in the presence of polymorphous membrane-bound inclusions reminding the morphology of lysosomal complex lipids. These structures were very abundant in Schwann cells, but they were seen also in fibrocytes, endothelial and pericytic cells. Similar inclusions were present in the single muscle and skin biopsies studied by electron microscopy. In the muscle, they were seen in muscular cells as well as in endothelial and pericytic cells. In the skin, similar inclusions were observed in endothelial, smooth muscle and sweat gland cells. These inclusions were difficult to identify in one micron thick sections, emphazing the need of ultrastructural study for diagnostic purposes.