A case-control study of brain gliomas and occupational exposure to chemical carcinogens: the risk to farmers

During 1983 and 1984, 240 newly diagnosed cases of brain glioma and 742 controls (465 non-glioma nervous system tumors and 277 patients with other neurologic diseases) were recruited and interviewed in the neurologic and neurosurgical departments of two hospitals in Milan, Italy. The occupational histories of cases and controls were compared, and relative risk estimates, adjusted for sex, age, residence, and socioeconomic status, were computed using the Mantel-Haenszel method. A statistically significant risk increase was found for farmers (relative risk (RR) = 1.6, p = 0.0025). This risk increase was attributable to those farmers who reported the use of chemicals (insecticides or fungicides, herbicides, and fertilizers). Among the three groups of investigated agrochemicals, only the use of insecticides or fungicides was associated with a significant increase in relative risk (RR = 2.0, p = 0.006). Many farmers exposed to fungicides reported the use of commercial compounds of copper sulfate. Some of these compounds contain methyl urea, which has a specific carcinogenic effect on the nervous system in animals. These data suggest that the occupational exposure of farmers to agrochemicals might be responsible for the observed excess risk of brain glioma in farmers.

Microsurgical anterior cervical disk removal without interbody infusion

A series of 57 patients with root syndromes or compressive myelopathy were operated upon by a modified Cloward technique. No bone grafts were used. The patients were observed for 6 months to 5 years after surgery. Of the 47 patients with radiculopathy, 44 were cured and three complained of minor pains in their arms. Of the 10 patients with myelopathy, three were greatly improved, five were slightly improved, and two remained unchanged. In 100% of these cases, immobilization of the involved interspace occurred within a year. The surgical technique is discussed.

Intraventricular and intravenous use of amphotericin B in a case of non-surgical cerebral aspergillosis

After a short review of the literature regarding aspergillosis, the authors report a case of a 7-year-old child suffering from cerebral aspergillosis with disseminated lesions. The authors emphasize the use of amphotericin B both intraventricularly and intravenously to obtain a longer survival when surgery is impossible because of the presence of multiple abscessual lesions in central nervous system. Authors' experience shows that the intraventricular administration of amphotericin B is well tolerated and does not cause collateral effects of the parenteral way.

[Suture of the diaphragm with collagen: histological study in the rat]

The Authors evaluated the histological aspects on 2nd, 7th, 21st day of diaphragma of rat sutured by collagen. In result they proved that collagen produced a small inflammatory acute and chronic reaction and the absorbment was complete on 7th day.