Antenatal differentiation of the human intervertebral disc

Summary To study the antenatal differentiation of the human intervertebral disc, the columns of forty eight embryos and fetuses were examined histologically. The primitive disc is composed of two structures: the notochord which shows a progressive expansion into the disc, and the fibrocartilaginous perinotochordal disc. No histological sign of interaction between notochordal and perinotochordal cells, which may explain the notochordal expansion into the discs, was seen. On the other hand, the notochordal intervention in the cartilaginous differentiation of the inner zone is probable.

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Différenciation anténatale du disque intervertébral humain

Résumé Cette étude de la différenciation anténatale du disque intervertébral humain repose sur l'examen de coupes histologiques de quarante huit colonnes vertébrales d'embryons et de foetus. Le disque primitif est composé de deux structures : la notochorde, qui présente une expansion progressive de son diamètre au sein du disque, et le disque périnotochordal, d'abord mésenchymateux puis fibrocartilagineux. Il n'a pas été mis en évidence de signe histologique témoignant d'une interaction entre les cellules notochordales et les cellules périnotochordales qui puisse expliquer l'expansion de la notochorde au sein des disques. Le rôle de la notochorde dans la différenciation cartilagineuse de la zone centrale est par contre probable.

     

Prophylactic chemotherapy with fosfomycin trometamol during transurethral surgery and urological man?uvres. Results of a multicentre study

The aim of the present open prospective study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of fosfomycin trometamol in the chemoprophylaxis of urinary tract infections following transurethral diagnostic and/or therapeutic manuvres. 712 patients were enrolled in 72 urological surgical centres. All the enrolled patients received an initial dose of fosfomycin trometamol (Monuril® sachet containing 3 g of active drug in powder) 3 h before and a second dose 24 h after the transurethral manuvres. Clinical and microbiological examinations were carried out before the intervention, and then on the second and seventh days after the manuvres. 94 patients with positive baseline tests were excluded from the microbiological follow-up for noncompliance with the main inclusion criteria. Out of 618 patients with sterile urine or with bacteriuria <>⁵ ml on baseline screening, 20 (3.2%) developed UTI on the second day and 22 (3.6%) on the seventh day after treatment. Clinical follow-up is in agreement with these microbiological data. Overall, a total of 24 side effects were observed (3.3%), 16 of which were associated with Monuril® treatment. The results of this open study agree with the preliminary observations in the controlled studies.In der vorliegenden Studie wurde die Wirksamkeit und Sicherheit von Fosfomycin Trometamol in der Chemoprophylaxe bei diagnostischen und therapeutischen transurethralen Eingriffen geprüft. In 72 urologischen Zentren wurden 712 Patienten in die Studie aufgenommen. Alle Patienten erhielten drei Stunden vor dem Eingriff eine initiale Einzeldosis von 3 g Fosfomycin Trometamol (Monuril® Beutel mit 3 g Wirkstoff in Pulverform). Nach 24 Stunden wurde eine zweite Dosis verabreicht. Vor dem Eingriff sowie am zweiten und siebten Tag nach dem Eingriff wurden die Patienten klinisch untersucht und mikrobiologische Tests durchgeführt. Wegen Verletzung der Einschlußkriterien wurden 94 Patienten mit positiven Befunden zu Studienbeginn aus der mikrobiologischen Verlaufsbeurteilung ausgeschlossen. 20 der 618 Patienten, die vor dem Eingriff einen sterilen Urin oder eine Bakteriurie mit weniger als 10⁵ Keimen/ml hatten, wiesen am zweiten Tag eine Harnwegsinfektion auf (3,2%); am siebten Tag nach dem Eingriff waren 22 (3,6%) der Patienten an einer Harnwegsinfektion erkrankt. Diese mikrobiologischen Daten stimmen mit den klinischen Befunden bei den Verlaufskontrollen überein. Insgesamt traten in 24 Fällen unerwünschte Wirkungen auf (3,3%), davon wurden 16 mit Monuril® in Zusammenhang gebracht. Die Ergebnisse dieser offenen Studie stimmen mit vorläufigen Ergebnissen kontrollierter Studien überein.     

Prognostic factors affecting survival in multiple myeloma

70 patients suffering from multiple myeloma were observed by authors in the last 15 years and three months. In the meantime fifty-two out of them have died, and 18 patients are under permanent care. 43 IgG, 17 IgA, 6 Bence-Jones, 2 IgD types were diagnosed according to the paraprotein distribution, one patient proved to be nonsecretory, and an other one to osteosclerotic form as well. The median survival time was 27 months in the group of deceased patients. In the group followed-up 50.8 months survival time was observed up to the closing of the study. Several prognostic factors were investigated. According to the classification by Durie and Salmon the survival time was 60 months in the patients with stage I, 33 months in stage II., and 9 months in stage III respectively. The prognosis is much poorer in patients into the "B" category: the survival time was 14 months. Classified in the basis of the type of the myeloma-cell, the cases with well matured cells have had the best prognosis with survival time of 46 months, while the most unfavourable prognosis was observed in patients with blast-cell type, with a median survival time of 10 months. The greatest number of patients suffered from multiple myeloma of IgG paraprotein type, in this group the serum IgA level was found to be significantly decreased in the patients died due to inevitable infections. The survival was injured significantly by the occurrence of concomitant severe diseases, to.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

人急性白血病淋巴细胞HSP70及 HSP70 mRNA的表达研究

目的：检测急性白血病病人血淋巴细胞热休克蛋白70（HSP70）及其mRNA的表达。方法：ELISA法检测HSP70,RT－PCR法检测HSP70 mRNA。结果：化疗前急性白血病病人淋巴细胞HSP70及mRNA明显低于正常人;而化疗后,急性白血病病人淋巴细胞HSP70及mRNA明显高于正常人（P＜0．01）,结论：HSP70与急性白血病癌细胞关系密切,对癌细胞起保护作用。     

小鼠胚胎干细胞体外分化为神经前体细胞的研究

目的 探索小鼠胚胎干细胞（Embryonic stem cell,ES cell）体外分化为神经前体细胞（Neural precursor cells,NPC）的无血清培养条件,比较人胚胎成纤维细胞（Human embryonic fibroblasts,HEF）与小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞（Mouse embryonic fibroblasts,MEF）对小鼠ES细胞生长的作用。方法 在MEF或HEF饲养层上培养ES细胞,培养液中含白血病抑制因子。采用无血清方法培养NPC,免疫组化方法检测巢蛋白（Nestin）,用硝基四氮啖蓝/5-溴-4-氯-吲哚基磷酸（NBT/BCIP）显色检测碱性磷酸酶。结果 无血清培养可以获得86%的NPC。HEF与MEF-样能维持ES未分化状态。结论 无血清培养方法有利于ES细胞向NPC分化,HEF可用于小鼠ES细胞的培养,而且比MEF优越。     

长沙地区疱疹病毒性脑炎的病原研究

目的 :探讨长沙地区病毒性脑炎与疱疹病毒感染的关系。方法 :应用间接免疫荧光技术 (IFA)检测病毒性脑炎患者脑脊液或血清中疱疹病毒特异性IgG ,IgM。结果 :92 1例病毒性脑炎患者中有 1 33例 (1 4 4% )诊断为单纯疱疹病毒性脑炎 ,1 0岁以下年龄为发病高峰 ,9例 (0 98% )诊断为巨细胞病毒性脑炎 ,1 2例 (1 3 % )为水痘 带状疱疹病毒性脑炎。结论 :长沙地区疱疹病毒性脑炎病原以单纯疱疹病毒最常见 ;IFA法对疱疹病毒性脑炎具有诊断价值     

Schwannoma of the nasal septum: a case report with review of the literature

Schwannomas are neurogenic neoplasms rarely found in the sinonasal tract, where localization to the nasal septum is exceedingly rare (only 11 cases have been described in the western literature). We report the case of a 29-year-old white male with a schwannoma completely filling the left nasal fossa and arising from the bony part of the septum. A computer tomography (CT) scan and a biopsy suggestive of benign schwannoma were obtained before the lesion was removed by a degloving approach. The preoperative diagnosis of nasal septum schwannoma was confirmed. The patient is asymptomatic and without endoscopic evidence of recurrence 7 years after surgery. A review of the literature with particular emphasis on the clinical presentation, histological features, differential diagnosis and therapeutic options for such a rare lesion is included. Received: 11 June 1999 / Accepted: 10 February 2000     

不同来源精子单精子卵胞浆内注射治疗不育症

目的：采用不同来源精子行单精子卵胞浆内注射术（ＩＣＳＩ）治疗不育症并进行疗效对比观察,方法：女性行常规超促排卵和经阴道超声引导下取卵。比较采用精液、附睾和睾丸精子行ＩＣＳＩ后的卵子损伤率、受精率、卵裂率、胚胎质量和临床妊娠率。结果：５３对不育夫妇共行６２仆ＩＣＳＩ周期。２７例临床妊娠,周期临床妊娠率为４３．５％,分别有３６、１２和１４个周期采用精液、附睾和睾丸精子,三组的卵子损伤率、受精率、卵裂率     

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus genotypes in southern Italy

HCV is ubiquitous. In 50% of all cases it causes chronic hepatitis that often evolves into liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Recently HCV has been classified in 5 genotypes by Okamoto. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of 5 genotypes in Campania, a region of Southern Italy, where the prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies ranges from 0.87 to 4%, and to evaluate the correlation between the HCV genotypes and the severity of histological damage. One hundred and thirty-five anti-HCV positive patients were enrolled and tested by PCR to identify HCV-RNA. One hundred and twenty-four patients resulted HCV-RNA positive. Genotyping was performed as described by Okamoto et al. with minor modifications of the specific primer to type III proposed by Silini et al. Eight patients were negative for all genotypes. Eight patients were positive for type I(1a), 61 for type II(1b), 39 for type III(2a), 11 for type IV(2b) and 1 for type V(3a). In 4 cases two different genotypes were present in the same sample [II(1b)-IV(2b), III(2a)-II(1b) twice, III(2a)-IV(2b)]. Histological evaluation of liver damage showed: CPH (22 cases), minimal CAH (56), severe CAH (31) and liver cirrhosis (15). There was no statistically significant correlation between the 5 genotypes and the severity of histological damage. Data on the prevalence of genotype II(1b) in Italy are similar to those reported for other European countries. The prevalence of genotypes in Southern Italy is similar to that reported in the population of Northern Italy.