Crossed quadrant homonymous hemianopsia in a case of multiple sclerosis.

We describe the first report of crossed quadrant hemianopsia (CQHH) occurring in a patient with a well documented clinical history of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The visual field studied by a Humphrey Field Analyzer (Mod.630, 30-2 program) showed a CQHH, involving right superior quadrants and left inferior ones. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed two lesions located in both left and right trigone area, corresponding to the geniculocalcarine pathways. CQHH is a very rare visual field defect commonly caused by vertebro-basilar ischemia and attributed to bilateral injury of the calcarine fissure. In the absence of lesions in the primary visual cortex, a direct relationship between the quadrantonopic defect and two small demyelinating lesions in posterior periventricular white matter, corresponding to the geniculocalcarine pathways, is implied.

Two methods of examining protein deposits on hydrophilic contact lenses.

Our aim in these studies has been to develop spectroscopic techniques for quantitative analysis of the early phases of protein deposition on soft contact lenses. We produced protein deposition in vitro by soaking lenses in a 0.025% chloral hydrate lysozyme solution at 37 degrees C. Two groups of lenses were so treated: one for 15 days and the other for 6 months. The study of in vivo deposits was carried out on lenses used by healthy wearers. From the same six patients we obtained two consecutive groups of 12 lenses: one group worn for 8 hours and the other group worn for 7 days. We tested the lenses by an indirect (destructive) method (based on a colorimetric assay of amino acid complexes obtained by basic hydrolysis) and by a direct (non-destructive) method consisting of spectrophotometry performed on intact lenses. Using the indirect method we found that the lenses absorbed in vitro for 6 months had lysozyme deposits of 5 +/- 1 micrograms; while the lenses adsorbed for 15 days supplied an average of 0.8 +/- 0.3 micrograms of lysozyme. Lenses worn by healthy volunteers show protein deposition equivalent to a lysozyme quantity ranging from 0.8 to 1.6 micrograms. We found a lower limit of detection with the direct method of approximately 5 micrograms, limiting its applicability.

Use of bendazac lysine to limit protein deposition on soft contact lenses in vitro.

We used the heat denaturation of lysozyme to induce the in vitro formation of protein deposits on 60 poly-HEMA contact lenses (38.6% water). Each lens was individually placed in 20 mL of a 0.04% lysozyme solution. The lenses were divided into two equal groups. In the first group (30 lenses), bendazac lysine (100 mg) was added to the lysozyme solution. The second group of lenses was used as control. Quantitative analysis of protein deposits on the lenses of both groups was carried out by a colorimetric test. In the lenses where deposit formation occurred in the presence of bendazac lysine, a mean protein level of 7.17 +/- 3.42 micrograms per lens was found; in the control group the mean value was 30.6 +/- 8.22 micrograms per lens. Student's t-test showed this difference to be significant (P less than 0.001).

[Does a iatrogenic damage caused by dacryography exist?]. / Esistono danni iatrogeni da dacriografia?

This study was aimed at investigating the changes in corneal epithelium caused by dacryocystography. Such changes can be either chemical--from iodate contrast media (iodized oil and water-soluble non-ionic cm)--or physical--from needle or catheter. Twenty-five patients (50 eyes) were studied using BUT, Schirmer tests, biomicroscopy, and pachymetry. Follow-ups immediately after dacryocystography demonstrated superficial keratitis, which was less severe with water-soluble non-ionic cm. Such lesions were hardly ever observed in patients who had been treated with dacriosol ointment on the cornea just before the X-ray exam. Follow-ups at 24 hours showed the superficial keratitis to have disappeared in all patients, independent of the kind of cm employed and of the ophthalmic ointment applied to the cornea.

Influence of autologous serum on in vitro reactivity of peripheral lymphocytes of patients with breast cancer.

The influence of autologous serum on DNA synthesis and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or pokeweed mitogen (PWM) stimulation of peripheral blood lymphocytes from mammary tumor-bearing women has been studied. Blood samples were collected from patients at the 4 stages of the TNM classification who had not undergone any therapeutic treatment. Lymphocyte functions were significantly reduced only in patients with the largest tumors and in the latest stage of disease. Autologous cancer sera inhibited spontaneous DNA synthesis of lymphocytes and did not inhibit lymphocyte stimulation by mitogens. It is possible that unrecognized inhibiting and stimulating factors, possibly acting in synergism with mitogens, are present in mammary cancer sera.

Stimulation of lymphocytes by cholinergic receptor in myasthenia gravis.

Lymphocytes from 13 myasthenic patients were incubated in vitro with membranes enriched in nicotinic cholinergic receptor obtained from Torpedo marmorata electric organ. When autologous serum was present in the incubation medium, the lymphocytes were highly stimulated. In contrast, no stimulation occurred when lymphocytes were cultured in presence of AB serum. These results suggest that an immune response against the Ach cholinergic receptor is present in myasthenic patients and give further support to the hypothesis that an autoimmune response against muscular receptors may be involved in Myasthenia Gravis pathogenesis.

[Susceptibility of leukemias with increased antigenicity to immunological lysis]. / Suscettibilità di leucemie con accresciuta antigenicità alla lisi immunologica

Leukaemic sublines obtained following in vivo treatment with antineoplastic drugs present increased antigenic properties and these are transmitted in heredity after suspension of treatment. The pharmaco-altered sublines are rejected by compatible animals with related lymphoma. Susceptibility to humoral and cellular immunological lysis on the part of pharmaco-altered sublines with respect to related lines has been studied. Lymphocytes of C3HC57Bl/10 mise and non-inbred rats immune to histocompatibility antigens of mouse DBA/2 exert the same lysis action towards related cells as towards pharmaco-altered cells. The same susceptibility to lysis on the part of various cell populations was observed with cytotoxic antisera obtained in the same animals. Nor did the immunitary response obtained by inoculating the tumours show any different "fragility" to immunological lysis. Rejection of the pharmaco-altered sublines does not appear to be even partially due to increased fragility with respect to immunitary functions.

[Pharmacological alteration of the antigenic properties of experimental leukemias detected by lymphocyte transformation]. / Alterazione farmacologica delle proprieta antigeniche di leucemie sperimentali evidenziate dalla blastizzazione linfocitaria

It has previously been demonstrated that an in vitro antineoplastic treatment may induce new antigenic specificities in murine lymphomas. L1210 leukemia has been altered by DIC (L1210/DIC); drug-treated L1210 subline has been rejected by syngeneic animals. Here spleen cells from mice, normal or immune to L1210/DIC, have been stimulated in vitro by the L1210/DIC cells as measured by 3-h-thymidine uptake. Spleen cell stimulation did not occur with other syngeneic tumor cells and, as expected, spleen cells have been triggered by allogeneic cells. DIC-induced antigens stimulating syngeneic lymphocytes, as allogeneic cells did, have been demonstrated on L1210/DIC cells.