Retroperitoneal sarcomas: A review of disease spectrum,radiological features,characterisation and management

Retroperitoneal sarcomas are a rare disease. The overall 5‐year survival rate for these lesions remains low, and surgical management offers the only option for effective treatment and potential for cure. Radiotherapy is increasingly being employed in addition to standard surgical treatment. Improvements in cross‐sectional imaging have also facilitated better characterisation of lesions, preoperative planning and long‐term follow‐up. This article reviews the current literature and documents the various types of retroperitoneal sarcomas with a particular approach to their imaging features. We also highlight the pathology, diagnostic methods and most current management of these tumours.     

Joining the dots: a plea for precise estimates of the maternal mortality ratio in sub-Saharan Africa

Monitoring of maternal mortality levels in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to assess the achievements of safe motherhood programmes and for MDG-5 has been made difficult because of the lack of precise estimates of the maternal mortality ratio (MMR). Projections based on the slow rate of decline of the MMR indicate that MDG-5 may not be reached before the end of this century in this region. Measurements done using demographical and health surveys, statistical modelling and censuses are imprecise and do not allow trends in individual countries to be established. SSA countries should be encouraged to measure mortality levels from their own resources, using methods that produce precise estimates such as population-based surveys. Establishment of the trends will lead to country-specific program targets. The less frequent but more precise measurements can be afforded by SSA countries, as a case study from Zimbabwe shows.     

Rapid and simultaneous typing of hemoglobin S, hemoglobin C, and seven Mediterranean beta-thalassemia mutations by covalent reverse dot-blot analysis: application to prenatal diagnosis in Sicily

The molecular lesions causing beta-thalassemia in Sicily can be subdivided into two groups. One that occurs at a 71% frequency and consists of the beta 39, IVS 1,110 and IVS 1,6 mutations and the other group at a 20% frequency comprising the -87, beta s, IVS 1,1 and IVS 2,745 mutations. The identification of all these mutations by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and conventional dot-blot hybridization has been time consuming and expensive. In this article, we describe the implementation of the reverse dot-blot (RDB) hybridization as a rapid nonradioactive method for the identification of the nine most frequent molecular lesions in the beta-globin gene (-87, beta s, beta c, IVS 1,1, IVS 1,6, IVS 1,110, beta 39, IVS 2,1, IVS 2,745) in Sicily. Sixty prenatal diagnoses were performed by this RDB assay, each of which was confirmed by dot-blot/ASO hybridization; thus demonstrating the accuracy of the RDB. The main advantage of this assay is the rapid typing of an individual's DNA for many mutations in a single working day. Because the mutations in this assay are representative for the Mediterranean region, this mutational panel can also be extended to the screening of beta-thalassemia from other Mediterranean regions.     

合欢皮中三萜皂甙元的研究

合欢皮中三萜皂甙元的研究陈四平张如意（北京医科大学植化教研室，北京１０００８３）中药合欢皮（Ａｌｂｉｚｚｉａｅｃｏｒｔｅｘ）为合欢（ＡｌｂｉｚｚｉａｅｊｕｌｉｂｒｉｓｉｎＤｕｒａｚｚ）树皮。具解郁安神，活血消肿功能。用于心神不安，忧郁失眠，肺痈疮肿...     

AUTACOID INTERACTIONS IN THE REGULATION OF BLOOD FLOW IN THE HUMAN PLACENTA

1. Interactions between autacoids may play important roles in the regulation of blood flow in the foetal placenta. In order to investigate this aspect of placental haemodynamics, human normal-term placentae were perfused in vitro and the responses of the foetal vessels to various combinations of vasoactive agents were determined. 2. Vasoconstriction responses to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) were potentiated in the presence of endothelin-1 (ET-1), the thromboxane A₂-mimetic U46619 and a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, N-nitro-l -arginine (NOLA), but not in the presence of angiotensin II. 3. N-Nitro-l -arginine caused vasoconstriction of the perfused placenta and indomethacin attenuated this effect and blocked the potentiation of the 5-HT response by NOLA. 4. Indomethacin did not affect ET-1-induced pressure increases and infusion of U46619 had no effect on release of ET-Iike immunoreactivity into the foetal placental circulation. 5. The present study provides evidence of interactions between several autacoids in human perfused placentae in vitro. These interactions may play important roles in foetal placental haemodynamics in normal or pathological situations.     

L’embrochage centro-medullaire dans les fractures du col du radius de l’adulte

Fractures of the neck of the radius (Mason’s type IV) are rarely seen in the adult although they are the most frequent in the child. There is no satisfactory treatment at the present time and the authors present 2 cases treated by intramedullary nailing with good results. This technique was described by Metaizeau and al for the child. The first case was a woman 46 years old presenting a dislocation of the left elbow with a radial neck fracture Mason’s type IV. The angulation between the radial head and the diaphysis was 55°. The dislocation was spontaneously reduced and an intramedullary nailing was performed on the radial neck fracture. Six months later the mobility of the elbow was normal except 10° loss of extension. The X-rays showed a radial head with no evidence of necrosis, and no residual angulation. The second case is a 25-year-old man with a Mason’s type IV radial neck fracture. The angulation was 50°. At 6 months of follow up the elbow still had 15° loss of extension. The X-rays appearances were the same that for the first case. The procedure is detailed. The entry point is at the distal metaphysis. A kirschner wire is curved at its extremity and pushed into the medullary canal. The radial head is pinned by the sharp curved extremity of the wire. A rotating motion of the wire allows reduction and fixation of the fracture. The authors experience and the 6 cases presented by Keller shows that intramedullary nailing seems a good solution for fixation of the radial neck fractures.     

Induction of an anomalous blue-green wavelength discrimination by reduced viewing time

Wavelength discrimination was studied on three colour-normal human observers for open viewing and for reduced time viewing. All three observers show a loss of blue-green wavelength discrimination when viewing time is reduced to 3.75 msec. This loss is shown to be an effect of viewing time alone and not of reduced retinal illuminance. The results confirm those reported by Foster, Scase and Taylor¹ although the target size and methodology are different.