Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob [corrected] disease: the second case in Portugal and in the same geographical region.

We present the second variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob patient in the same district of northwest Portugal as was previously reported. A 14-year-old previously healthy girl had unexplained pain in the left leg, as well as psychiatric disturbances. This was shortly followed by progressive cognitive impairment, ataxia and generalised choreoatethosis. Neuropsychological assessment revealed severe frontal and medial temporal dysfunction, the posterior cortices being spared. An electroencephalogram was normal. CSF 14.3.3 protein was slightly positive. Magnetic resonance imaging showed the "hockey stick sign" and hyperintensities in the periaquedutal grey matter and in the right parietal cortex, the last with restriction to water molecule movement. SPECT revealed perfusion defects in the left frontotemporal and right parietal regions. PRNP gene sequencing showed no mutations, the patient being homozygous to methionine in codon 129. Five months after onset, immunocytochemical and immunoblotting analysis confirmed deposition of prion protein and a PrP4t electrophoretic pattern. The patient never travelled outside Portugal or received blood transfusions. She had surgical herniorrhaphy in 1998 (when catgut was used) and 2003. This is the second case in Portugal in a 2-year period and 20 km apart from each other, with no known common exposure apart from ingestion of cow meat. We discuss these case peculiarities and underline its epidemiological significance.

Cavernous malformation of the trigeminal nerve.

A cavernous malformation involving the Gasserian ganglion, 2nd and 3rd divisions of the trigeminal nerve on the left side was resected via an extradural route in a 54 year old male. Cavernous malformations of the cranial nerves are rare. Specific origin from the trigeminal nerve has not been previously reported.

Cavernous malformation of the trigeminal nerve

Una malformación cavernosa afectando el ganglio de Gasser, la segunda y tercera divisiones del nervio trigémino fue resecada por vía extradural en un varón de 54 años. Las malformaciones de los nervios craneales son raras. Su origen específico en el nervio trigémino no ha sido descrito previamente

A cavernous malformation involving the Gasserian ganglion, 2nd and 3rd divisions of the trigeminal nerve on the left side was resected via an extradural route in a54 year old male. Cavernous malformations of the cranial nerves are rare. Specific origin from the trigeminal nerve has not been previously reported

Skull osteosarcoma: illustrated review.

A case of conventional intramedullary osteosarcoma (epithelioid subtype) with 10 years of evolution and another of high grade surface osteosarcoma of the chondroblastic type, both in the skull, gave rise to several diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties. Key points concerning the definition, classification, imaging, clinical series data and treatment options available for skull osteosarcoma are highlighted.

Schwannoma of the abducens nerve in the cavernous sinus.

Six cases of cavernous abducens nerve schwannoma have been reported. A new case of a 39 year old female with abducens nerve paresis, exophtalmos, chemosis and headache due to a 1,36 x 2,58 cm cystic right cavernous abducens nerve schwannoma is presented and discussed. The cavernous sinus was opened between the trochlear and ophthalmic nerves. A portion of the tumor capsule adherent to the internal carotid artery was not resected. No deficits were added by surgery. After 30 months of follow up there is no evidence of relapse and only abducens nerve paresis persists.

[Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. Role of imaging in its diagnosis. Perspectives]. / Leucoencefalopatia Multifocal Progressiva. Reflexões sobre o papel da imagem no seu diagnóstico. Perspectivas.

We review five cases of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML), confirmed by biopsy in three cases and by LCR JC virus research by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) in two cases. We analysed the lesions and different forms of imagiological presentation, concerning location, mass effect, contrast enhancement and progress, and emphasize the importance of some atypical patterns. Reference is also made to the role of imaging in its diagnosis and new techniques, such as Spectroscopy and Transfer Magnetization, to avoid brain biopsy.

[Atypical meningioma]. / Meningeomas invulgares.

One case of intradiploic meningioma, causing partial occlusion of the superior longitudinal sinus, with subsequent visual trouble and another of lipomatous meningioma with great fat content and very calcified, that was found in a LCR fistula study of the cranial anterior stage, are described by the authors as atypical meningiomas.

[Dementia as a result of dural vascular malformation]. / Demência resultante de malformação vascular dural.

A case of dementia can result from encephalopathy caused by venous hypertension, produced by a dural vascular malformation (DVM). The authors describe one tentorial DVM with sinusal venous drainage and retrograde reflux to the cerebral veins (type II), that originated a leukoencephalopathy, and a progressive demential symptomatology. This demential status partially regressed after surgical treatment.

[Early infantile ceroid lipofuscinosis -- role of nuclear magnetic resonance in the diagnosis]. / Lipofuscinose Ceroide Infantil Precoce--o papel da Ressonância Magnética Nuclear no diagnóstico.

The authors report a case of Infantile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis and emphasize the role of MRI in the diagnosis and follow-up of the disease describing a severe progressive cerebral atrophy. Clinical findings and laboratory data were reviewed and the importance of palmitoyl-protein thiosterase activity is described.

[Trajectory and campaign of the Brazilian Nurses Association in Minas Gerais]. / Trajetória e luta da Associação Brasileira de Enfermagem em Minas Gerais.

The present article describes the trajectory, the work and the achievements of the Brazilian Association of Nursing (ABEn) in Minas Gerais. It describes some contributions of the association for the growth and development of the nursing profession in Minas Gerais and in the whole country. The facts and events reported in this investigation were taken from meeting minutes, newspaper articles, journals of the association, records and summaries of events, and oral interviews. The study initially outlines the origin of the association in Brazil, establishing connections with the foundation and development of ABEn Minas Gerais. It also describes the most important events, struggles and achievements promoted by the twenty-two administrations of the association, which consolidated ABEn-Minas Gerais. The conclusion of the study is that the solidification of this branch was achieved due to the effort and involvement of people who really valued and wanted to develop the nursing profession.

[Funeral rites in memory of the elderly]. / Ritos de morte na lembrança de velhos.

This a phenomenologial study rites in the memory of elderly people, originated from the discomfort lived by the authors in their professional life dealing with death and dying. Verbal information from elderly people was collected with the objective of recovery and decoding mortuary rites. Nine themes originated from these informations: feelings and meanings in relation to death, the time of death, the annunciation death, the body's preparations, the watcher, the funeral procession, the grave, the return to home, the remembered death. The results gave the authors opportunity to understand better the attitudes of health professionals in caring for patients and their families in this existential experience of to-be-for-death. The death rationalized by scientific knowledge and nonpersonal technological care hides new rites, transmuted by new representations which the society built.

[Teaching communication in the nursing graduation course at the nursing school of the Minas Gerais Federal University]. / Ensino de comunicações no curso de graduação em enfermagem da escola de enfermagem da universidade federal de Minas Gerais.

Facing the importance of the communication in all nursing activities, in this paper the authors try to verify how has been occurring the teaching-learning process related to the communication subject during the undergraduate nursing course in the Nursing School at Federal University of Minas Gerais. The data were collected by interviewing professors and students from the undergraduate course. The results showed that the basic problem in this process is not "what" to teach but "how" to teach the subject.