Larynx lymphoepithelioma

We present a case of lymphoepithelioma of the larynx, a very rare tumour in this location. The relationship between lymphoepithelial carcinoma of the larynx and Epstein-Barr virus, is still controversial. We describe one new case of this tumour involving the supraglottis, and it's surgery and radioterapic treatment. The diagnostic problems and therapy associated with this rare tumour are discussed.     

Progress in the control of HIV infection and AIDS in Navarre, 1985-2003

The epidemiological situation of HIV infection and AIDS in Navarre in 2003 is reviewed. Up until December 2003, 1,610 HIV infections had been diagnosed in residents of Navarre, of whom 41% had died. The new diagnoses of HIV fell by some 81% between 1993 and 2003, a year in which 28 cases were diagnosed (4.8 per 100,000 inhabitants). The fall basically occurred in infections in injection drug users, since the cases due to sexual transmission had remained stable. Over half of the infections diagnosed in the period 2000-2003 (58%) were attributable to heterosexual transmission, 18% occurred in parenteral drug users and 12% in homosexual men. Thirty-three percent were persons originally from other countries. The incidence of AIDS fell from 75 cases in 1996 to 20 in 2003, and mortality from 65 to 8 cases, respectively. In the 2000-2003 period, the average annual incidence of AIDS was 4.2 per 100,000 inhabitants and the average annual rate of mortality was 1.6 per 100,000 inhabitants. At the end of 2003, there were 902 living persons with a diagnosis of HIV monitored by the health system (1.6 known infections per 1,000 inhabitants). In 2003, 65% of the youths aged between 15 and 29 referred to coital sexual relations, a higher percentage than in previous years, but their level of information on the prevention of AIDS was acceptable. It is necessary to insist on prevention and to adapt this to the new situation.     

Progression of pregnancy-dependent mouse mammary tumors after long dormancy periods. Involvement of Wnt pathway activation

Mouse mammary tumor virus (LA) induces pregnancy-dependent mammary tumors that progress toward autonomy. Here we show that in virgin females, pregnancy-dependent tumor transplants are able to remain dormant for up to 300 days. During that period, these tumors synthesize DNA, express high levels of estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER+PR+) and are able to resume growth after hormone stimulation. Surprisingly, in a subsequent transplant generation, all these tumors are fully able to grow in virgin females, they express low levels of ER and PR (ER-PR-) and have a monoclonal origin; i.e., show all of the features we have described previously in pregnancy-independent tumors. Histologically, mouse mammary tumor virus (LA)-induced tumors are morphologically similar to genetically engineered mouse (GEM) mammary tumors that overexpress genes belonging to the Wnt pathway. Interestingly, in the virus-induced neoplasias, pregnancy-independent passages arising after a dormant phase usually display a lower level of glandular differentiation together with epithelial cell trans-differentiation, a specific feature associated to Wnt pathway activation. In addition, dormancy can lead to the specific selection of Int2/Fgf3 mutated and overexpressing cells. Therefore, our results indicate that during hormone-dependent tumor dormancy, relevant changes in cell population occur, allowing rapid progression after changes in the animal internal milieu.     

Dual effect of ethanol on cell death in primary culture of human and rat hepatocytes

AIMS: In-vivo and in-vitro studies have shown that ethanol induces hepatocyte damage. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a broad range of ethanol concentrations on apoptosis and necrosis in primary culture of human and rat hepatocytes. METHODS: Human and rat hepatocytes were isolated from human hepatectomies and male Wistar rats (200-250 g) using the classical collagenase perfusion method. After stabilization of cell culture, ethanol (0-10 mmol/l) was administered and the parameters were measured 24 h after ethanol addition. Apoptosis was studied by DNA fragmentation, iodide propidium-DNA staining, caspase-3 activity and annexin V binding in hepatocytes. Necrosis was evaluated by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and GSH/GSSG were used as parameters of oxidative stress. RESULTS: Ethanol enhanced dose-dependently all the parameters associated with apoptosis in human and rat hepatocytes. Low or high ethanol concentrations induced an opposite action against cell necrosis in cultured hepatocytes. Low concentrations of ethanol (1-2 mmol/l) reduced LDH release from human and rat hepatocytes. However, the highest ethanol concentration (10 mmol/l) induced a sharp increase in cell necrosis. The effect of ethanol on cell necrosis was related to lipid peroxidation in hepatocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Ethanol differentially regulates apoptosis or necrosis in cultured hepatocytes. Although ethanol exerted a dose-dependent induction of apoptosis, low ethanol concentrations were able to reduce basal lipid peroxidation and necrosis in hepatocytes. The highest ethanol concentration (10 mmol/l) induced apoptosis and necrosis in human and rat cultured hepatocytes.     

Search for ethnic, geographic, and other factors in the epidemiology of Down syndrome in South America: analysis of data from the ECLAMC project, 1967-1997

We have analyzed data on 3,157 cases of Down syndrome (DS) from nine South American countries in consecutive series of hospital live births over a 30-year period, with particular emphasis on possible ethnic or geographic variations in maternal age-adjusted incidence. The data constitute the largest series of DS cases assembled to date from an area lacking advanced health care systems. Absolute incidence rates were estimated from total hospital live births; relative rates were estimated from matched case-control data using conditional logistic regression. Maternal age-adjusted rates were closely similar to those reported elsewhere, and showed little or no dependency on other factors investigated, including paternal age, birth order, ancestral origin, country of birth, maternal educational level, maternal ABO and Rhesus blood groups, interval to and outcome of mother's previous pregnancy, and parental consanguinity. The absence of an effect of high birth order was particularly notable because of the relatively large number of grand multipara resulting from high fertility in this population. The study adds to a body of evidence suggesting that maternal age-adjusted DS rates vary little across human populations, and are therefore unlikely to be greatly influenced by genetic or environmental factors that differ between them. An unusual finding was of a markedly lower sex ratio (98 males per 100 females) than has been reported in other DS samples.     

复方葆春袋泡茶质量标准研究

目的：制订复方葆春袋泡茶质量标准。方法：双波长薄层扫描法测定了五味子乙素的量,对淫羊藿,五味子,女贞子进行了薄层色谱鉴别。结果;加样回收率平均为９７．１５％（ＲＳＤ＝１．２％,ｎ＝５）,标准曲线ｒ＝０．９９９１,重复性ＲＳＤ＝１．４％（ｎ＝６）精密度ＲＳＤ＝２．３％（ｎ＝６）,结论,方法稳定,可靠,可作为该制剂的质量控制方法之一。     

肝炎肝硬变患者血清层粘连蛋白水平与食管静脉曲张的关系

0引言食管静脉曲张破裂出血是肝硬变的严重并发症之一．近年研究表明,血清LN水平与食管静脉曲张关系密切．我们分析了108例肝炎肝硬变病例,就LN水平与食管静脉曲张程度的关系做一分析．回对象和方法1．l对象选择肝炎肝硬变连续住院患者108（男gi,女17）例,年龄43．75岁士16．92岁,慢性肝炎患者62（男sl,女11）例,年龄38．20岁士13．20岁,均测定血清1。N水平,并行电子胃镜检查．诊断标准均符合1995－05月北京第五届全国传染病和寄生虫病学术会议修订的病毒性肝炎诊断标准．1．2方法采用放射免疫法测定I。N水平;用电子胃镜确定食…     

Volumetric rendering techniques: applications for three-dimensional imaging of the hip

Volumetric rendering is a new approach to three-dimensional (3D) imaging that overcomes many of the drawbacks of currently available surface-rendering systems. Its application on the Pixar Imaging System in two cases of acetabular fracture was assessed to illustrate the features of the technique. The fast-computing architecture and large memory of this system allow rapid generation of a series of high-quality 3D images in each plane of rotation (x or spinal axis, z or somersaulting axis) that can be viewed as independent static images or as an animated real-time video loop. Editing to remove the normal contralateral hemipelvis enhances appreciation of acetabular abnormalities. Every pixel of computed tomographic data is preserved, allowing representation of both soft tissue and bone as translucent overlap. The presentation of data also allows detection of subtle abnormalities and features and minimizes the artifact generation common in surface-rendered images.     

Prevalence rates of microtia in South America

A high frequency of microtia in Quito (Ecuador) was detected by the Latin American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations (ECLAMC), and the data available on file were used to define the cluster and to test some potential risk factors. The Quito material consisted of 46 041 livebirths from two hospitals. The rest of the sample consisted of 553 068 livebirths from 58 hospitals located in 24 cities of six other South American countries. The observed prevalence rate for microtia was over five times higher in Quito (17.4/10 000) than in the other cities (3.2/10 000). The microtias from Quito were mostly represented by isolated forms (without other anomalies except for preauricular tags and/or sinuses), and the proportion of severe microtia was higher than in the rest of the sample. Neither seasonal, nor secular variations were observed in Quito or the rest of the sample; data suggesting the geographical cluster did not arise in recent years. Case-control analysis of familial, prenatal and perinatal history data in 184 cases with isolated microtia (68 from Quito and 116 from the rest) and in 184 matched non-malformed control newborn babies, identified prenatal drug exposure, high birth order, and elevated paternal age as risk factors for the microtias born in Quito.