First trimester maternal serum concentrations of fetal antigen 2 in normal pregnancies and those affected by trisomy 21

Serum concentrations of fetal antigen 2 (FA-2), the amino-propeptide of the alpha1 chain of collagen type I, were measured in peripheral blood from women with normal (n = 234) and trisomy 21 affected (n = 14) pregnancies between 9 and 11 weeks gestation. Serum FA-2 concentrations were seen to be stable throughout this period, and though raised FA-2 concentrations were seen at the 10th week of gestation, a statistically significant difference between normal and trisomy 21 affected pregnancies was not found overall. Therefore it seems unlikely that FA- 2 has a role in first trimester screening for trisomy 21, despite the fact that significantly higher FA-2 concentrations in trisomy 21 and significantly lower concentrations in trisomy 18 had been previously demonstrated in amniotic fluid in the second trimester.      

Sonohysterographic evaluation of uterine abnormalities noted on hysterosalpingography

Transvaginal sonohysterography was performed on 40 consecutive patients with infertility or recurrent pregnancy loss and uterine abnormalities on hysterosalpingography. The findings were correlated with the hysterosalpingogram and subsequent diagnostic and/or operative hysteroscopy. Hysterosalpingography was incorrect in nine cases. Sonohysterography was more accurate than hysterosalpingography and provided more information about uterine abnormalities. Sonohysterography was in complete agreement with hysteroscopy. Diagnostic hysteroscopy can therefore be avoided if the sonohysterogram is normal. Sonohysterography also provides additional information on the relative proportion of the intracavitary and intramyometrial components of submucus myomas, as well as extracavitary myomas and the adnexae. This may help in planning the surgical procedure.      

A study of the lateral pterygoid muscle: anatomic sections and CT appearances

Summary The authors have studied the relationship between anatomic and CT sections of the lateral pterygoid muscle in 39 anatomic specimens. Good superimposition of the images was found, which seems important in neoplastic invasion of the infratemporal fossa and which may lead to a pathogenic interpretation of the algo-dysfunctional syndrome of the masticatory apparatus.

---

Etude anatomo-radiologique (TDM) du muscle ptérygoïdien latéral

Résumé Les auteurs ont étudié, sur 39 pièces anatomiques, la corrélation entre coupes anatomiques et tomodensitométriques (TDM) du muscle ptérygoïdien latéral. Il apparaît une bonne superposition des images ce qui semble intéressant dans les envahissements de la fosse infratemporale en carcinologie et qui pourrait déboucher sur une interprétation pathogénique du syndrome algo dysfonctionnel de l'appareil manducateur.

     

The role of nicotinic receptors and calcium channels in mipafox induced inhibition of catecholamine release in bovine chromaffin cells

Depolarization induced catecholamine release from chromaffin cells was decreased 28% by N,N′-diisopropyl diamido-phosphorofluoridate (mipafox), an organophosphorus compound (OP) causing neurotoxic effects, while secretion stimulated by nicotinic agonist was inhibited 65%. The reversibility of this effect and the fact that calcium-dependent secretion from digitonin-permeabilized cells was unaffected by mipafox suggest that this compound affects the ionic currents implicated in catecholamine release. Patch-clamp experiments showed that the activity of voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCC) was inhibited 35% by mipafox being this effect reversible whereas only minor effects were detected on Na⁺ and K⁺ currents. Finally, we studied the effect of mipafox on nicotinic ionic currents in chromaffin cells. In this case, the OP was able to cause reversible inhibition reaching maximal effects of 50–60%. In conclusion, nicotinic receptors and VDCC should be considered as potential targets in order to understand the neurotoxicity of these chemicals.     

贴耳穴治疗慢性鼻炎35例的疗效

０　引言　慢性鼻炎是一种常见的多发病．中医认为,人体卫气不固之时感受外邪而发病．由于四时气候变化不同及人体差异,而有夹寒、夹热、夹暑、夹湿之别,以风寒、风热为多见．肺合皮毛,开窍于鼻,病邪侵袭致使卫气闭郁,肺气不宜,而恶寒发热,鼻塞、流涕．如急性期不及时治疗、鼻塞加重,鼻分泌物增多．西医可诊断为,单纯性鼻炎,肥厚性鼻炎,慢性鼻窦炎等．目前,对慢性鼻炎治疗效果不佳．我科采用贴耳针治疗本病,取得了较满意效果．１　对象和方法１．１　对象　１９９２～１９９８我科收治慢性鼻炎患者３５例．均作者简介：孙　静…     

Mechanisms of orientation of the pelvifemoral base during static loading of the lumbar spine in weight-lifters

Summary Under static loading during weight-lifting, the lumbosacral spine essentially exhibits horizontalisation of the base of the sacrum (superior plateau of S1). We have attempted to elicit the mechanism of this horizontalisation by means of radiographs. These do not demonstrate any movements of the sacroiliac joints or plasticity of the hip bones. However, a symmetrical rotation of the hip joints conditions a retroversion of the pelvic girdle which explains the horizontalisation of the upper sacral plateau. This fixation of the block of the pelvic girdle is under muscular control, so that this mechanism can be improved by appropriate training.

---

Mécanismes d'orientation du socle pelvi-fémoral au cours de la mise en charge statique du rachis lombaire chez l'haltérophile

Resumé Sous charge statique, chez l'haltérophile, le rachis lombosacré présente essentiellement une horizontalisation du plateau supérieur de S1. Par radiographies, nous avons tenté de déterminer le mécanisme de cette horizontalisation. Les mouvements au niveau de la sacro-iliaque et la plasticité des os coxaux ne peuvent pas être mis en évidence sur les radiographies. Par contre, une rotation symétrique des coxo-fémorales détermine une rétroversion de la ceinture pelvienne permettant d'expliquer l'horizontalisation du plateau sacré. Ce verrouillage du bloc de la ceinture pelvienne est sous la dépendance des muscles et en conséquence, ce mécanisme peut être amélioré par un entraînement approprié.

     

Identification and characterization of a de novo partial trisomy 10p by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH)

We report the characterization of a de novo unbalanced chromosome rearrangement by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) in a 15-day-old child with hypotonia and dysmorphia. We describe the combined use of CGH and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to identify the origin of the additional chromosomal material on the short arm of chromosome 6. Investigation with FISH revealed that the excess material was not derived from chromosome 6. Identification of unknown unbalanced aberrations that could not be identified by traditional cytogenetics procedures is possible by CGH analysis. Visual analysis of digital images from CGH-metaphase spreads revealed a predominantly green signal on the telomeric region of chromosome 10p. After quantitative digital ratio imaging of 10 CGH-metaphase spreads, a region of gain was found in the chromosome band 10p14-pter. The CGH finding was confirmed by FISH analysis, using a whole chromosome 10 paint probe. These results show the usefulness of CGH for a rapid characterization of de novo unbalanced translocation, unidentifiable by karyotype alone.