PESI - a taxonomic backbone for Europe.

Background: Reliable taxonomy underpins communication in all of biology, not least nature conservation and sustainable use of ecosystem resources. The flexibility of taxonomic interpretations, however, presents a serious challenge for end-users of taxonomic concepts. Users need standardised and continuously harmonised taxonomic reference systems, as well as high-quality and complete taxonomic data sets, but these are generally lacking for non-specialists.

Fauna Europaea - all European animal species on the web.

Fauna Europaea is Europe's main zoological taxonomic index, making the scientific names and distributions of all living, currently known, multicellular, European land and freshwater animals species integrally available in one authoritative database. Fauna Europaea covers about 260,000 taxon names, including 145,000 accepted (sub)species, assembled by a large network of (>400) leading specialists, using advanced electronic tools for data collations with data quality assured through sophisticated validation routines. Fauna Europaea started in 2000 as an EC funded FP5 project and provides a unique taxonomic reference for many user-groups such as scientists, governments, industries, nature conservation communities and educational programs.

Potential effects of a low-molecular-weight fucoidan extracted from brown algae on bone biomaterial osteoconductive properties.

In this work, we first tested the influence of low-molecular-weight (LMW) fucoidan extracted from pheophicae cell wall on bidimensional cultured normal human osteoblasts' behaviors. Second, by impregnation procedure with LMW fucoidan of bone biomaterial (Lubboc), we explored in this bone extracellular matrix context its capabilities to support human osteoblastic behavior in 3D culture. In bidimensionnal cultures, we evidenced that LMW fucoidan promotes human osteoblast proliferation and collagen type I expression and favors precocious alkaline phosphatase activity.

Tissue engineering for full-thickness burns: a dermal substitute from bench to bedside.

Our aim was to obtain a viable and easily available dermal substitute (DS) for the definitive coverage of full-thickness burns. A DS composed of a collagen-glycosaminoglycan-chitosan dermal matrix (DM) colonized with foreskin fibroblasts (FF) is described. FF-colonized DS were compared to the DM seeded with adult dermal fibroblasts (DF).

[Chronic hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections. Hidtology-classification--examination].

Clinicians disagree over the need to perform liver biopsy in chronic infections with hepatitis B and C viruses, with opinions ranging from "useless" to "conditionally advisable" to "absolutely necessary." The frequency of liver biopsies has generally been declining, which entails decreased practical knowledge in the morphological examination of liver biopsies. As a result certain basic considerations must occasionally reemphasized.

[Pneumosinus dilatans. Long-term result of modelling osteoplasties].

Pneumosinus dilatans is a rare disease characterized by an evolutive hyperpneumatization of the sinuses. The frontal sinus is most often involved, but any other sinus of the face can be affected. Three cases of pneumosinus dilatans, including two in the frontal sinus and one in the maxillary sinus, are reported.

[Value of preserving mandibular continuity in transmandibular bucco-pharyngectomy. Apropos of 11 cases].

84 transmandibular bucco-pharyngectomies were carried out over 6 years between 1983 and 1988. Eleven, i.e.

[Rhinoplasty with the external approach. Report of 23 cases].

23 external rhinoplasties were carried out over a 4-year period between 1986 and 1989. In 19 cases, they related to major malformations or traumatic sequelae requiring a spindle or columella bone graft. In 14 out of these 19 cases, an iliac graft was used.

[Plexiform tumor of the uterus].

Uterine plexiform tumors are morphologically distinctive lesions. Usually they are incidental microscopic findings in hysterectomy specimens that have been removed for other reasons. The rarity and the complex histomorphology of the small intramyometrial tumors may cause confusion in the diagnosis.

[Malformation of the facial canal, meningitis and cerebrospinal otorrhea].

CSF fistulas into the middle ear due to labyrinthine or tegmental anomalies are well known. They predispose to recurrent meningitis if they do not receive appropriate surgical treatment. CSF fistulas due to facial canal anomalies are extremely rare and predispose to the same risk of meningitis.

The diagnostic significance of periportal hepatic necrosis and inflammation.

In this review the several types of cell damage and cell death which may be found in liver biopsy specimens are defined. We describe the different processes which occur at the portal/parenchymal or septal/parenchymal interface, viz. periportal spillover, periportal hepatitis, classic or lymphocytic piecemeal necrosis and biliary piecemeal necrosis.

[Perilymphatic fistula. Diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties].

The symptoms and signs of perilymphatic fistulae (PLF) are very varied and frequently misleading. The operative demonstration of a perilymph leak is not always obvious and the therapeutic results are sometimes disappointing. The study of 26 cases demonstrates certain concepts concerning the diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties.

Hepatoprotection by malotilate against carbon tetrachloride-alcohol-induced liver fibrosis.

Subchronic treatment of male rats with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4, twice weekly 0.2 ml/kg p.o.

Effect of subchronic cholestasis on microsomal mixed-function oxidases and the glutathione-conjugating enzyme system in rat liver.

Bile duct ligation in male rats for two weeks led to a marked increase in both serum sorbitol dehydrogenase activity and serum bile acid concentration indicating cholestatic liver injury. Furthermore, a rise in the hepatic hydroxyproline level indicating collagen accumulation was observed. As a consequence of these alterations, the hepatic microsomal mixed-function oxidase system was impaired as evidenced by a decrease in cytochrome P-450 content and in the activities of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and aminopyrine-demethylase.

[Conduction deafness and collapse of the auditory meatus. Value and limitations of the stapedial reflex in conduction deafness].

Collapse of the auditory meatus constitutes an audiometric trap provoking a false transmission deafness. It can also permanently affect audition, whether it be primary in origin or post-mastoidectomy. The association of conservation of the stapedial reflex and transmission deafness is noticed immediately, but this is in fact compatible with an interruption in the chain by incus luxation.

[Relevance of immunofluorescence microscopy for diagnosis and prognosis of chronic hepatitis B (author's transl)].

109 patients with hepatitis B infections had 162 biopsies of the liver. The specimens obtained were investigated microscopically; at the same time existence and pattern of distribution of HBs and HBc antigens were looked for by immunofluorescence microscopy. In cases with a histologically established diagnosis of chronic aggressive hepatitis (CAH) the following patterns could be found: (a) focal occurrence of HBc in all cases, (b) pure cytoplasmatic HBs fluorescence (HBs type I), (c) pronounced HBs fluorescence at the cell membrane (HBs type II), or (d) pronounced HBs fluorescence at the cell membrane combined with cytoplasmatic HBs fluorescence in focal areas (HBs type III).

[Influence of (+)-cyanidanol-3 on the course of acute viral hepatitis (author's transl)].

A double-blind study was conducted in four hospitals to test the effect of (+)-cyanidanol-3 (Catergen) on the course of acute viral hepatitis. Activities of a number of enzymes, bilirubin levels and gamma-globulin concentrations, as well as elimination of HBs antigen in blood were measured serially in 73 patients with viral hepatitis, 37 being treated with the drug, 36 patients receiving a placebo. In addition, liver biopsies before and after treatment were compared (19 patients treated, 23 patients on placebo).