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In this paper we describe the Kottamia Faint Imaging Spectro-Polarimeter (KFISP) that has been recently developed and designed to be mounted at the Cassegrain focus of the 1.88 m telescope at Kottamia Astronomical Observatory (KAO), Egypt. The optical design of KFISP is developed such that it can be used in various modes of operation. These are: direct imaging, spectroscopic, polarimetric imaging, and spectro-polarimetric. The KFISP is an all-refractive design to meet the polarimetric requirements and includes a focal reducer with a corrector section, collimator section, parallel beam section (containing various imaging components), and camera section. The corrector section gives an unvignetted Field-of-View of 8' × 8' and the collimator section has a focal length of 305 mm and matches the focal ratio of the input beam. The parallel beam section is 200 mm long and near the middle of it there is an image of the telescope pupil. The camera section includes 5 elements and has a focal length of 154.51 mm which gives an instrument effective final focal ratio of f/6.14 (acting as a telescope focal reducer of 1:2 ratio). The KFISP contains an internal calibration system which hosts the calibration light injection system, an integrating sphere equipped with the required calibration light sources. The opto-mechanical parts of KFISP contain a double-layered carbon fiber strut structure and comprises its subsystems of slit and guider assemblies, filter wheel drawer, grism wheel drawer, polarimetric components cubical box, and CCD camera which is integrated with camera optics. The CCD camera has 2048 × 2048 pixels with 13.5-micron square pixel size. The camera is cooled by liquid Nitrogen and is fixed to the KFISP through the integrated camera lens. The KFISP has been fully commissioned, mounted and is being tested in all modes of operation. In this paper we introduce the ambitious scientific goals, the optical setups of KFISP, its opto-mechanical implementation and the performance analysis of the instrument. In addition, we describe the camera system, its performance, and its software control. Finally, we present a sample of the first light observations obtained from the instrument.

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Marine demosponges (phylum Porifera) are rich sources for potent bioactive compounds. With the establishment of the primmorph system from sponges, especially from Suberites domuncula, the technology to cultivate sponge cells in vitro improved considerably. This progress was possible after the elucidation that sponges are provided with characteristic metazoan cell adhesion receptors and extracellular matrix molecules which allow their cells a positioning in a complex organization pattern. This review summarizes recent data on the cultivation of sponges in aquaria and--with main emphasis--of primmorphs in vitro. It is outlined that silicon and Fe(+++) contribute substantially to the formation of larger primmorphs (size of 10 mm) as well as of a canal system in primmorphs; canals are probably required for an improved oxygen and food supply. We conclude that the primmorph system will facilitate a sustainable use of sponges in the production of bioactive compounds; it may furthermore allow new and hitherto not feasible insights into basic questions on the origin of Metazoa.

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Elevated levels of serum lipids and lipoproteins are known to play a major role in the development of atherosclerosis and subsequent coronary heart disease (CHD). In controlled clinical studies, atorvastatin (Sortis), a new 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme-A (HMG-CoA)-reductase inhibitor, proved to be a very effective and safe lipid-lowering agent. The aim of this open-label, multicentre study (without a control group) was to confirm the efficacy and safety of atorvastatin in a private practice group, including 181 Swiss cardiologists, internists, and general practitioners. A total of 877 hyperlipidaemic patients requiring treatment participated in this study. To evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment with atorvastatin over a period of 12 weeks, total plasma cholesterol (TC), HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides (TG) were determined every 4 weeks. The initial atorvastatin dose was 10 mg in 78% of patients and 20 mg in 22%. The dose was doubled every 4 weeks until the target values of TC < or = 5.2 mmol/l and TC/HDL < or = 5 were reached. After 12 weeks of treatment with atorvastatin the mean reduction in TC, TC/HDL, LDL and TG compared to baseline levels was 33, 37, 42, and 25% respectively. At the same time the HDL concentration was increased by 9%. These results were evidenced in patients with existing coronary heart disease, in high risk patients without manifest coronary heart disease and in patients with significantly elevated lipid levels (TC > 7.8 mmol/l, TC/HDL > 6.5). After treatment with atorvastatin for 12 weeks, 59% of patients had reached the therapeutic target of TC < or = 5.2 mmol/l. The target of TC/HDL < or = 5 was reached by 79%. Atorvastatin was almost without exception well tolerated, the most frequently reported side effects being nausea, myalgia, and headache. In this open-label multicentre study atorvastatin was found to be effective and well tolerated. The observed reduction in the lipid and lipoprotein concentration is in accordance with the results of published controlled studies. The lipid and lipoprotein concentrations were decreased significantly in patients with slight to moderate elevation of lipid levels as well as in those with significantly raised values.

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Early diagnosis and treatment of AD is critical to maximize benefits for the patient and the caregiver. It is important to intervene early in the illness, before the quality of life of the patient and the caregiver has deteriorated to the point where treatment only prolongs an already difficult situation. If treatment begins early enough in the disease course, loss of functional independence may be delayed, just as nursing home placement was delayed in this study. In this way, quality of life is improved for both the patient and the caregiver.

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The new antiepileptic drugs represent a major part of the wider range of opportunities now available to treat epilepsy. Because of the way in which drugs are developed and the way in which product licences are granted, data sheet information does not necessarily reflect the optimum range of indications, dose escalation, maximum dose or degree of adverse events. Experience suggests that in most cases better results are obtained with slower dose escalations, and that often higher doses may be usefully achieved than those recommended in data sheets. All the new drugs are probably effective in monotherapy.

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Neurontin (Gabapentin) is indicated as an add-on treatment of partial epileptic seizures. Clinical studies demonstrating the efficacy of Neurontin as monotherapy are currently on going. This article describes the design of 2 clinical trials of Gabapentin as monotherapy for epileptic seizures.

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Gabapentin is a new antiepileptic for the combination therapy of partial seizures. It was introduced in January 1995 in Switzerland. This article describes briefly the ongoing clinical studies in Switzerland; meanwhile, these multicenter studies are conducted in different countries. An open study will evaluate the number of seizure-free patients under therapy with different dosages of gabapentin as add-on therapy. The efficacy and tolerance of gabapentin will be compared with carbamazepine as monotherapy. The last study examines the efficacy of gabapentin for the treatment of partial seizures in pediatric population.

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We present a case of melanotic neuroectodermal tumor in the maxilla that followed an aggressively malignant course. In the first biopsy the tumor showed a classical histological picture, while in the last biopsy only malignant undifferentiated cells were evident. The tumor recurred twice after excision, and in spite of radiotherapy and various chemotherapeutic measures the patient died within 16 months of onset. Similar cases reported in the literature are discussed.

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Fourteen cases of primary intracranial germ-cell tumors are presented. Histologically, there were eight germinomas, three teratomas, and three germ-cell tumors of more than one histological type. Immunohistochemical studies revealed alpha-fetoprotein in yolk-sac tumor components in two cases and beta human choriogonadotropin in syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells in one case. One teratoma contained an unusual pleomorphic sarcomatous portion with features of early myoblastic differentiation. Comparison of intracranial with gonadal germ-cell tumors shows that the same subtypes are found in both locations with comparable incidence and similar biological behavior. The detailed World Health Organization classification of testicular germ-cell tumors should be applied to the histopathological classification of intracranial germ-cell tumors. Despite the critical location of intracranial germ-cell tumors, a good outcome can be achieved by optimal surgical excision. A primary microsurgical approach provides a histopathological diagnosis, which is indispensable for the proper choice of postoperative management.

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