[Genetic differences in enzymes of folic acid metabolism in patients with lip-jaw-palate clefts and their relatives]. / Genetische Unterschiede von Enzymen des Folsäurestoffwechsels bei Patienten mit Lippen-Kiefer-Gaumen-Spalten und ihren Angehörigen.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of folic acid supplementation in the periconceptional period for the prevention of cleft lip/cleft lip and palate (CLP) is contradictorily discussed. Genetically determined variants of enzymes of the folic acid metabolism could be part of the key to success or failure of folate supplementation. A mutation of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene is suspected to be a risk factor for CLP. METHODS: The blood samples of 66 CLP patients, their 88 relatives (without CLP), and 184 healthy controls were searched by polymerase chain reaction for mutations of MTHFR 677 C:T, MTHFR 1298 A:C and of the arylamine N-acetyltransferase (NAT1) gene [gene type NAT1 degree 4 (wild type) or not]. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the number of MTHFR gene mutations (for 677 C:T and 1298 A:C) between the three groups (p approximately 0.3), but for the NAT1 genes (p = 0.033). The homozygote mutation was found more than twice as often in CLP patients (10.5%) and their relatives (10.6%) than in the healthy controls (4.35%). DISCUSSION: Our results provide no evidence that the above MTHFR gene mutations are a risk factor for CLP.A NAT1 gene mutation instead could be a risk factor for CLP.

[Foreign body in paranasal sinuses]. / Fremdkörper in den Nasennebenhöhlen.

AIMS: All cases of the last 5 years requiring foreign bodies to be removed from the paranasal sinuses were investigated as to causes, special aspects in diagnostics and therapy, occurrence of pathologic germs and possible sequels. PATIENTS: 68 cases were evaluated: 43 patients were male, 25 female. Average age was 29 years in males and 37 years in females. RESULTS: In our patients foreign bodies in the paranasal sinuses were in more than 60% the result of medical or dental procedures followed by industrial accidents (25%). The maxillary sinus was affected in 75%, the frontal sinus in about 18%. Involvement of the ethmoid or sphenoid sinus was rare. The spectrum of pathologic microbes was dominated by mixed infections, the share of actinomyces and aspergillus was unexpected high. Most important acute complications were bleeding, compression of the optic nerve and liquorrhoe. Late complications consisted mainly of pain--often associated with disturbances of sensibility- and infections. CONCLUSIONS: A smear should be taken whenever the foreign body remained in the sinus for more than 4 days. Foreign bodies jammed in the posterior wall of the sinus require a sufficiently open view since the risk of heavy bleeding is especially high.

Sensitivity of influenza A/New Jersey/8/76 (Hsw1N1) virus to amantadine-HCl.

The appearance of a swine type of influenza A among recruits in Fort Dix, New Jersey, in 1976 prompted an evaluation of the sensitivity of this virus to amantadine - HCl. Well-tolerated levels of the drug effectively blocked replication of the influenza A/New Jersey/8/76 (Hsw1N1) virus isolate in three laboratory models: monkey kidney cells, embryonated eggs, and intranasally infected mice. On a comparative basis this virus would appear to be more sensitive to amantadine - HCl than human influenza A strains, including the recent Victoria (1975) strain. All strains of influenza A virus continue to be sensitive to amantadine - HCl.