Ante- and post-mortem MRI and detailed pathological examination were performed in a patient with a typical acute traumatic central cord syndrome (ATCCS) after a minor hyperextension injury to the neck who died 60 h later from heart failure. T2-weighted MRI showed a central hyperintense area at C3-4. There were disc protrusions, but no vertebral fracture or displacement. Histopathology disclosed severe axonal swelling and oedema in the dorsolateral fasciculi and, to a lesser degree, in the dorsal columns. In addition, an area of recent necrosis was found in the right anterior horn at C4-5. These findings suggest that the pathological hallmark of typical ATCCS is mechanical axonal disruption at a segmental level, but that more severe trauma may be accompanied by tissue destruction.

A bovine pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (bPAG) of 67 kDa has previously been isolated from bovine fetal cotyledons. The objective of this study was to determine the cytological localization of that protein in the placentomes and possibly the cells responsible for its production. Highly specific antisera raised against pure bPAG were used to demonstrate the cellular localization of the protein in bovine placentomes by light and electron microscopic techniques. Strong immunostaining was observed exclusively in the cytoplasm of large binucleate cells present predominantly in fetal cotyledonary tissue (villi). Some smaller weakly immunostained cells were also present in caruncular epithelium. By ultrastructural immunogold procedures, the protein was detected only within amorphous cytoplasmic granules. Granules of identical size, but weakly labeled, were found on the maternal side. All cells containing labeled granules were binucleate. These results suggest that bPAG is probably synthesized by trophoblast binucleate cells and stored in granules prior to delivery into the maternal circulation after cell migration.

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Kufs' disease is the adult form of a group of disorders referred to as neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis or Batten's disease. We report here the clinical and anatomopathological features of two young brothers presenting with a progressive myoclonic epilepsy corresponding to type A of the disease according to Berkovic. The first clinical manifestations occurred before 20 years of age. Diagnosis was made in the older brother at autopsy and in the younger brother from a rectal biopsy. In addition to characteristic electron microscopic findings, enlarged neurons showed strong immunoreactivity against subunit c of mitochondrial ATP synthase which has been reported previously in only a few adult cases of neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis. An extensive review of the published cases underlines the rarity of this condition, particularly when onset is early.