When muscular atrophy develops in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, its etiology may vary from benign to serious. We describe an individual with a 24-year history of MS who developed amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The literature is reviewed with particular attention to the clinical and electrophysiologic characteristics of patients with MS and muscular atrophy and to those rare patients with concurrent MS and ALS. Circumstances warranting a heightened suspicion for concurrent ALS are discussed and careful evaluation of similar patients is encouraged.

In the single-fiber-composite (SFC) test, a fiber imbedded in a matrix is loaded in tension, resulting in a fragmentation of the fiber. In the conventional version of this test, the final fiber fragmentation length distribution is used with a micro-mechanical model to determine the average fiber/matrix interfacial shear stress. In the enhanced version of this test, one also determines the applied stress at each fiber fracture, and from this, one can evaluate the strength of the fiber at short gage lengths. In our measurement system, we utilize an acoustic emission (AE) technique to detect the fiber fractures and to locate the fiber breaks and so determine both the fiber failure stresses as well as the fiber fragmentation lengths while the test is in progress. Critical to the success of this test is a broadband AE system that utilizes point-like AE sensors, procedures for evaluatingin situ, the wavespeed of the first wave arrival and signal processing techniques for determining the arrival time of this signal as precisely as possible for a broad range of wave shapes. Here we describe the application of such an enhanced SFC test procedure to investigate the failure of a Nicalon™ fiber in an epoxy matrix.

A case of acute human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection manifested by a rapidly fulminating, necrotizing, demyelinating encephalopathy that led to brain death in 5 days is reported. Autopsy demonstrated predominant white matter lesions, acute neuronal damage, and scanty cellular response. Cultures of cerebrospinal fluid were positive for HIV, suggesting an acute infection.

The clinical findings in a group of 32 rheumatoid patients with symptomatic myelopathy are described. The myelopathy appeared in late middle age after many years of rheumatoid disease (average duration, 18 years). The most common radiological abnormality was anterior subluxation of C1. Other patterns occurred in about half the cases. The most common neurological findings were those of a mild to moderate spastic paraplegia, often with atrophy of muscles of the hands and sensory changes in the hands. Symptoms originating above the foramen magnum (nystagmus, diplopia, slurred speech) appeared to have a vascular cause and were sometimes associated with upward as well as posterior movement of the odontoid process. Root pain into the arms was not present, and its absence helped to distinguish these disorders from cervical spondylosis. Root pain into the territory of the C2 root was common. Medical or conservative therapy was not effective, and the preferred approach was use of a halo traction device followed by posterior fusion, with or without laminectomy. Pathologically, in 2 autopsy cases, the maximal change had occurred in the central gray matter and adjacent posterior and lateral columns. We postulate that direct pressure caused intermittent compression and narrowing of distal transverse branches of the anterior spinal artery.

The accuracy of CT scan diagnosis can best be studied by comparing the postmortem scan to the corresponding pathologic specimen. To be valid, this comparison must be made in a precise manner: the CT image plane and the pathologic slice plane must correspond anatomically and must be juxtaposed in a specific point-to-point manner. A new method is described which correlates postmortem CT scans and postmortem pathologic specimens. Also considered are the utility and the limitations of matching CT absorption values to homogeneous pathologic lesions such as neoplasms, infarcts, hemorrhage and edema.

Cardiac performance was studied in 23 healthy young male subjects following ingestion of isocaloric (13.8 calories/kg. BW), isovolumetric meals of carbohydrate, fat and fat with intravenous heparin. In physically unfit individuals there was an insignificant difference in performance after carbohydrate and after fat meals. In physically fit subjects performance following a fat meal was significantly impaired when compared to that following a carbohydrate meal. This performance was not improved after significant heparin-induced lipolysis. Nevertheless, at moderate levels of work (600 kp.M./min.) the product of heart rate and systolic blood pressure (HR × SBP), an indirect measure of myocardial oxygen utilization, was unchanged after carbohydrate, fat, or fat and intravenous heparin. Thus, it appears that the poor performance of the physically fit subject in the lipemic state can be explained neither by high levels of serum turbidity nor by altered myocardial oxygen utilization. It may be that other peripheral factors, including reduced glycogen stores and the relatively inefficient oxidation of fat, are responsible for this poor response to exercise following ingestion of fat.

The main Macedonian lakes are Ohrid, Prespa and Dojran. Lake Ohrid, is a natural tectonic lake. It is the deepest lake in Europe and one of the oldest in the world. One third of its surface is shared with Albania. It possesses a unique flora and fauna and the lake contains many relic and endemic species including the famous Ohrid trout. In 1998 a conference was held at Ohrid with the title The biology, ecology and conservation of the Balkan fauna (BIOECCO 2). It was clear from this meeting that some research networks already exist between scientists from the Balkans and other parts of the world and some of these dealt with the Macedonian lakes. In this paper examples are chosen which illustrate existing collaborative links between teams of scientists from Macedonia and Albania with those from EU countries and North America. Amongst the topics considered will be work on invertebrates, diatoms, biodiversity and conservation, and esecially on freshwater fish parasites.