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Aim: Some studies have shown that abnormalities of the nm23 gene or its expression may be important in tumour dissemination, suggesting that the gene may have metastasis suppressing activity. This study set out to determine if nm23 protein expression is altered with progression and dissemination in oesophageal adenocarcinoma., Methods: Paraffin-embedded, archival tissues of surgical resection specimens of oesophageal adenocarcinoma (n=46), some of which were accompanied by tissue from areas with high-grade dysplasia (n=24) and from metastasis in regional lymph nodes (n=16) were studied. Histologically normal oesophageal glandular tissue (of cardiac-type) (n=32) obtained from areas of the resections located away from the primary tumour masses and archival tissues of Barrett's metaplasia obtained from endoscopic biopsies (n=77) were used as non-neoplastic controls. Sections were immunohistochemically stained by the labelled streptavidin-biotin method using NCL-nm23 antibody., Results: The total or overall amount of nm23 protein expression paralleled that of cytoplasmic expression and was increased in oesophageal adenocarcinomas (36/46 cases, 78%) when compared with normal oesophageal glandular epithelium (2/32, 6%), Barrett's metaplasia (8/77, 10%) and dysplasia (14/24, 58%). In metastatic carcinoma in regional lymph nodes, overall nm23 expression was similar in proportion (13/16, 81%) to that seen in primary carcinoma. In the analysis of the sequential development of oesophageal adenocarcinoma based on non-neoplastic, preneoplastic and neoplastic archival material, it was found that a high level of overall nm23 expression occurred firstly at the transition from Barrett's metaplasia (8/77, 10%) to dysplasia (14/24, 58%). Nuclear nm23 expression was low in dysplastic tissue (with none of the cases having a high level of nuclear nm23 expression) followed by increased levels as the lesion progressed to invasive adenocarcinoma (13/46, 28%) and metastatic carcinoma in regional lymph nodes (10/16, 63%). However, nm23 expression did not appear to correlate with sex, age, tumour size, extent of tumour infiltration into the oesophageal wall, presence of lymph node metastasis or overall patient survival., Conclusion: An overall increase in nm23 expression or increase in nm23 expression in the cytoplasm of cells may be important in the early development of oesophageal adenocarcinoma but increased levels of nuclear nm23 occur in its progression to metastatic disease.

Myositis Ossificans Progressiva (MOP) is a rare hereditary condition with ectopic ossifying. This case report demonstrates clinical picture of MOP and possibilities of diagnosis.

For over 2 years, we have had access to latest generation apparatus and software for planning and stereotactic treatment as well as for x-rays treatment. Until now, we have carried out over 100 procedures. These included 52 stereotactic biopsies of neoplasms, some of them located within the structures of the posterior fossa. In this report, we have discussed the possibilities and effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment of tumours located in different structures, including posterior cave. In the study, we used stereotactic methods. We have described biopsies of the following tumours: cerebellar hemisphere tumour (diagnosed as "metastatic atypic planoepitheliale carcinoma" in a patient with coexisting orbit lymphoma), a bifocal lesion (located in cerebellar hemisphere and cerebellar peduncle, diagnosed as pilocytic astrocytoma of WHO malignancy grade II/III), and lesion (located in the pons, diagnosed as pilocytic astrocytoma WHO grade II).

Myositis ossificans progressiva (MOP) is a rare hereditary connective tissue disorder. Skeletal abnormalities and progressive ectopic ossifications are features of this condition. Diagnosis is often delayed because of heterogenous picture of MOP. Treatment is unknown, so MOP leads to prolonged disability.

Background. MRIs were obtained from 24 patients with suspicion of small pelvis pathology, with no indication of hip joint pathology., Results and Conclusions. Based on the normal descriptive and topographical anatomy of the hip joint and its vicinity, the authors identified on the MRIs the main bony, muscular, vascular and nervous structures comprising and surrounding the hip joint. A clinical division of the muscles surrounding the hip joints is proposed.

Recently, a new class of soluble inorganic pyrophosphatase (type-C PPase) has been described that is not homologous in amino acid sequence or kinetic properties to the well-studied PPases (types A and B) found in many organisms from bacteria to humans and thought to be essential to the cell. Structural studies of the type-C PPases from Streptococcus gordonii and Bacillus subtilis reveal a homodimeric structure, with each polypeptide folding into two domains joined by a flexible hinge. The active site, formed at the interface between the N and C-terminal domains, binds two manganese ions approximately 3.6 A apart in a conformation resembling binuclear metal centres found in other hydrolytic enzymes. An activated water molecule bridging the two metal ions is likely poised for nucleophilic attack of the substrate. Importantly, the S. gordonii and B. subtilis enzymes have crystallised in strikingly different conformations. In both subunits of the S. gordonii crystal structure (1.5 A resolution) the C-terminal domain is positioned such that the active site is occluded, with a sulphate ion bound in the active site. In contrast, in the B. subtilis structure (3.0 A resolution) the C-terminal domain is rotated by about 90 degrees, leaving the active site wide open and accessible for substrate binding., (Copyright 2001 Academic Press.)

We analyzed MRI results from 36 patients referred for testing to assess the degree of advancement of non-traumatic avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head in adults (24 cases) or for diagnosis in difficult cases (12 cases). 32 patients were found to have AVN of the femoral head with various degree of advancement, mostly stages III and IV. In three cases the MRI did not show any pathology within the hip joint, and in one case the MRI picture was consistent with a metastatic lesion. This suggests that the value of the MRI as a sensitive diagnostic tool in the early diagnosis of AVN in adults is underestimated.

An analysis of certain clinical and laboratory findings of 80 patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms was done. All of them underwent an operation in acute stage. The following prognostic factors were analysed: age of patient, sex, number of previous subarachnoid hemorrhages (SAH), clinical status according to the Hunt-Hess scale, CT finding according to Fisher scale, location and number of aneurysms, time of operation, Nimodipine treatment, body temperature, serum sodium level, white blood count just before operation, mean blood pressure, coexistence of heart and kidney disease. A special computer programme was used to analyse the value of the above factors on follow-up and the final results of the ruptured intracranial aneurysms treated surgically in acute stage.

The cellular localization of Thy-1 in the chick retina was investigated by selectively destroying certain populations of neurons with toxins. In control retinae four weeks after intravitreal injection of vehicle, there was strong immunoreactivity for Thy-1 in the nerve fibre layer, ganglion cell layer and inner plexiform layer. By contrast, 4 weeks after intraocular injection with 1.25 nmol of colchicine, virtually all ganglion cells had been destroyed, but most amacrine cells remained. Very little Thy-1 immunoreactivity was evident in these retinae. Four weeks after intraocular injection of 2 mumol of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA), a large proportion of amacrine cells had been destroyed, but most ganglion cells remained. In these retinae Thy-1 immunoreactivity was present in the nerve fibre, ganglion cell and inner plexiform layers, in the latter with greater intensity than in controls. We conclude that in chicks the Thy-1 antigen is principally, if not exclusively restricted to ganglion cells.

The cellular localization of the Thy-1 antigen during development of the chick cerebellum has been investigated using a monoclonal antibody SB1-20.11. Improved cellular morphology and retention of both membrane and intracellular antigenicity was achieved by the immunohistochemical labelling of polyester wax sections using an indirect peroxidase visualization protocol. A parallel histological investigation was carried out using a modified silver staining procedure based on that of Bodian. Immunoreactivity was found throughout development in the soma and dendritic tree of the Purkinje cell, in the internal granular layer, white matter and elements of the deep cerebellar nuclei. The antigen's expression closely correlates to the morphological maturation of Purkinje cell population. Furthermore, it appears to reflect the formation of glomeruli and the basket cell interaction with the Purkinje cell. An association of Thy-1 with climbing fibres, as reported previously in rodent species, cannot be unambiguously shown in the chick because of the high levels of Thy-1 expressed throughout development on the Purkinje cell dendrites in the molecular layer. The spatial and temporal pattern of expression in the chick cerebellum suggests that Thy-1 contributes to the definition of synaptic fields.

Previous investigations into the occurrence of Thy-1 in the chick retina have not clearly defined when the antigen first appears and have not adequately described its expression during the relatively early phases of retinal ontogeny. We have investigated these issues, using improved immunohistochemical procedures and show that Thy-1 is associated with the retinal ganglion cells from the time they begin to differentiate by extending their axonal projections. In addition, we have found that its expression reflects the growth of the optic fibre layer and the elaboration of the ganglion cell dendritic processes into the inner plexiform layer. For the first time we describe the appearance and the developmental expression of Thy-1 in the chick tectum. We have found that Thy-1 is associated with retinal axons from the time of their arrival at the tectum and that its expression reflects the elaboration of the stratum opticum. Within the tectum proper Thy-1 appears first in 3 distinct layers all of which are plexiform in nature. By the time that tectal histogenesis is essentially complete the antigen is expressed by all the layers of the tectum. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of the development of the individual tissues and with respect to the elaboration of the retinotectal pathway.