Biomedical subjects
M N Goldstein
Publications and source records attributed to M N Goldstein.
Clear plastic cups: a childhood choking hazard.
The disposable plastic beverage cup is not usually regarded as hazardous to young children. Certain varieties of these products however, are manufactured from a brittle, clear plastic that easily cracks and fragments. While most conscientious parents keep their children safe from peanuts, balloons, and other known choking hazards, a child can surreptitiously bite a cup edge and aspirate the fragment. We report two cases of foreign body aspiration involving clear plastic cups that went undetected one of which remained 21 months following a negative rigid bronchoscopy. Diagnostic difficulties are related to the transparency and radiolucency of these objects. When suspicious of foreign body aspiration in children, otolaryngologists should inquire about the availability of clear plastic cups in the household and be mindful of the diagnostic pitfalls. Further investigations including CT scanning and repeat bronchoscopy may be helpful in cases of suspected missed foreign bodies. An educational campaign aimed at prevention and placement of product package warning labels should be established.
Vasoactive intestinal peptide: a growth promoter in neuroblastoma cells.
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a neuromodulator, growth regulator and secretagogue for neuronal survival factors. Moreover, VIP has been suggested to be a mitogenic factor for embryonic neurons in the sympathetic nervous system. We now show that VIP had mitogenic activity in a human neuroblastoma cell line (NMB), as measured by cell number and thymidine incorporation. This mitogenic activity was dose dependent and was decreased with culture maturation. Northern blot analysis revealed VIP mRNA transcripts in this cell line suggesting an autocrine role for VIP in neurogenesis.
Evidence for mu-, delta-, and kappa-opioid receptors in a human neuroblastoma cell line.
Human neuroblastoma cells were tested for the presence of opioid receptors. [3H]Diprenorphine binds to NMB cell membranes with a KD value of 0.46 +/- 0.13 nM and Bmax of 534 +/- 22 fmol/mg protein. The presence of mu, delta, and kappa opioid receptors was tested by displacing [3H]diprenorphine specific binding by the selective agonists DAMGO, DPDPE, and U50,488H, respectively. Using this procedure, the data suggest that the NMB neuroblastoma cells express the three opioid receptor types with the abundance of delta receptors (about 60%) and minor, yet substantial populations of mu and kappa receptors (about 20% each).
Extrapelvic compression of the sciatic nerve. An unusual cause of pain about the hip: report of five cases.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Office evaluation and management of the sore throat.
Most sore throats are caused by viral infections; bacterial infections should be ascertained by laboratory testing and treated aggressively. The wide variety of etiologies demands a thorough history and physical examination to identify unusual causes of sore throat.
Sphenoid sinus mucocele masquerading as a skull base malignancy.
Mucoceles of the sphenoid sinus are rare. Only occasional reports have appeared in the medical literature since they were first described by Berg in 1889. The sphenoid sinus lies deep within the skull at the crossroads of 13 sensitive structures. The presence of a sphenoid sinus mucocele may be accompanied by a wide variety of signs and symptoms depending upon which of these structures are involved. The majority of these lesions are initially misdiagnosed as malignancies leading to increased patient morbidity and possible mismanagement. We present two cases of sphenoid sinus mucoceles which presented with a variety of neurological signs and symptoms. The radiographic findings were felt to be consistent with skull base malignancies. The diagnosis was corrected only after surgical exploration of the sphenoid sinus revealed a mucocele.
NMB: a human neuroblastoma cell line with specific opiate binding sites.
The human neuroblastoma cell line designated NMB (Brodeur et al., 1977, Cancer 40: 2256) has been shown to have specific opiate binding sites. These sites are highly stereospecific. Two characteristic delta specific peptides, D-Ala2-D-Leu5 enkephalin and D-Thr2-D-Thr6 enkephalin, have high affinity for the binding sites. Morphine binds specifically but with a much lower affinity. Dextrorphan and the mu specific peptide morphiceptin (Tyr-Pro-Phe-Pro-CO-NH2) do not bind to the site. The binding sites are heat and trypsin sensitive. Sodium ions specifically lower agonist binding to the sites. Approximately 14,000 binding sites per cell are found. The binding characteristics of these sites are very similar to those of the delta sites characterized on mouse neuroblastoma cell lines.
Chondroid chordoma of the skull base: a better prognosis based on histologic criteria.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
A destructive maxillary cemento-ossifying fibroma following maxillofacial trauma.
The cemento-ossifying fibroma, a mesodermal type of non-odontogenic tumor, is rarely discussed in the otolaryngologic literature. It is a tumor that is seen more in blacks than in whites, appears largely in the elderly, is chiefly located in the mandibular molar or premolar area and is generally neither aggressive nor excessively destructive. The triggering mechanism for its derivation from aberrant periodontal membrane growth or development from endosteal fibrous tissue remains controversial. We report a case of cemento-ossifying fibroma in a 26-year-old Hispanic male which was located in the posterior portion of the maxilla which destroyed the maxillary bone, orbital floor, and the lateral wall of the nose. One year prior to discovery of the lesion the patient sustained severe facial trauma resulting in facial bone fractures. It may be speculated that the trauma sustained was the critical triggering factor allowing for unchecked growth and destruction associated with an otherwise non-aggressive tumor, which may have been present prior to the traumatic incident.
Intestinal ganglioneuromatosis. A manifestation of overproduction of nerve growth factor?
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Frontal sinusitis and its intracranial complications.
Although there has been a significant decrease in the incidence of frontal sinus disease since the advent of antibiotics, frontal sinus infection still occurs and may follow a clinical course not unlike that seen during the preantibiotic era. Secondarily to cranial and intracranial invasion the following complications may occur: osteomyelitis, cavernous sinus thrombosis, meningitis, extradural, subdural and cerebral abscess. The proximity of the frontal sinus to both the dura and the marrow of the frontal bone, as well as a rich communicating venous system, lends support to the facility of intracranial extension. Classically, frontal sinusitis presents with headache or pain usually following an upper respiratory infection. Purulent nasal discharge may be noted on physical examination. Roentgenographic studies will show opacification or an air-fluid level within the sinus. We present 4 cases of intracranial complications of frontal sinusitis seen in male adolescents. It is our contention that this disease bears a notable preponderance in males; a postulation that appears to be substantiated in the literature. Frequently even the classic signs and symptoms of frontal sinusitis may be undetected, which indicates that certainly the more subtle presentation of this disease may escape diagnosis during the course of examination. The use of CT scanning has proved an invaluable tool in the diagnosis of both frontal sinusitis and intracranial involvement. The importance of its incorporation into the diagnostic workup of the patient with frontal sinus disease cannot be overemphasized. We advocate aggressive medical and surgical management for all adolescents presenting with frontal sinusitis in an attempt to avoid possible intracranial complications.
The use of the tidal breathing flow volume loop in laryngotracheal disease of neonates and infants.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Drug-induced differentiation of human neuroblastoma: transformation into ganglion cells with mitomycin-C.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The surgical treatment of the carpal-tunnel syndrome correlated with preoperative nerve-conduction studies.
The diagnosis of carpal-tunnel syndrome was made clinically in 124 cases (101 patients) and in each instance it was confirmed by nerve-conduction studies. Surgery was carried out with a uniform technique. Retrospective analysis of the series suggests that nerve-conduction studies can be used as a prognostic factor. Those patients with motor abnormalities appeared to have a more favorable result than those with only sensory abnormalities. Neurolysis was found to be a valuable adjunct to the release of the volar carpal ligament. Preoperative duration of symptoms did not appear to significantly influence the results of the operation.
Drug-induced differentiation of a rat glioma in vitro: II. the expression of S-100, a glial specific protein and steroid sulfatase.
Amethopterin and 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR) were used to induce morphological changes in cloned rat glioma (C6). The expression of S-100 protein, an acidic protein localized in glial cells, and steroid sulfatase, an ubiquitously distributed enzyme found in high concentration in glial cells, were followed during cell growth, from subculture to well into the stationary phase of control and drug-treated cultures. Amethopterin and BUdR differed in their effects on glioma morphology and in the expression of the biochemical parameters. Amethopterin coordinately stimualted both the production of S-100 protein and steroid sulfatase activity when cell division was inhibited during early logarithmic growth phase. BUdR stimulated steroid sulfatase activity but repressed production of S-100 protein. The results are discussed with respect to the mechanism of regulation of the differentiated state of tumor cells.
Prognostic value of the stress response following stroke.
The systemic metabolic response following intracranial vascular damage was measured in 65 consecutively seen patients (56 with cerebral infarction and nine with subarachnoid hemorrhage). Significantly (P less than .01) greater mortality and eventual disability occurred in patients excreting more than 200 microgram of urinary norepinephrine and epinephrine daily early in their acute illness. These patients also had significantly (P less than .001) elevated plasma cortisol levels; this measurement may prove useful in predicting prognosis after stroke. Cardiac abnormalities resulting from the elevated catecholamine levels may contribute to the excess mortality in those patients with an intense stress response.
Chromosomal aberrations in human neuroblastomas.
Six human neuroblastomas were analyzed by Giemsa and fluorescence banding techniques to identify chromosomal aberrations. Two neuroblastomas were primary tumors from untreated children, and four were well lines established from human neuroblastomas. Five of the six tumors studied were diploid or near diploid; one was near tetraploid. A 1p- was found in three of the neuroblastomas examined. The 1p-was present in both primary tumors, and in one it was the only abnormality detected. This deletion was also found in the cells of an established line, in addition to other abnormalities. Giant markers of different origins were found in the four cell lines, and no double-minute chromosomes were found in the primaries or the cell lines studied. Thus, a 1p-deletion was the most consistent abnormality found in the six human neuroblastomas examined in this study. We attempt to correlate this finding with Knudson's hypothesis on the origin of childhood cancer. Additional studies of primary tumors should clarify whether this specific chromosomal abnormality is related to the the acquisition of malignant behavior in human neuroblastomas.