Puncture of unilateral renal cyst in utero.

Although most authors do not recommend prenatal puncture of a unilateral single cystic renal mass, in case the contralateral kidney is normal and there is sufficient amniotic fluid, this case report shows that the procedure, which can be done very carefully under ultrasonic guidance, can be helpful in establishing the presumed diagnosis.

Regulation of ferritin synthesis in malignant and non-malignant lymphoid cells.

The different amounts of H-rich and L-rich isoferritins found in malignant and non malignant lymphoid cells are accompanied by proportional variations in the relative quantity of messenger RNAs for the H and L subunits of ferritin. The correlation between levels of messenger RNAs and proteins suggests that the amount of messenger RNA plays an important role in ferritin biosynthesis in these cells. The enhanced expression of ferritin messenger RNAs in some neoplastic cells is not caused by gross alterations in the structure of ferritin genes.

Immunochemical characterization of human liver and heart ferritins with monoclonal antibodies.

A library of 27 murine monoclonal antibodies was obtained by using human liver and heart ferritins as immunogens. The specificity of the antibodies for the two ferritins and their subunits was studied with five different methods. The antibodies elicited by the liver ferritin bound preferentially the immunogen and were specific for the L subunit.

Effect of acidic and basic isoferritins on in vitro growth of human granulocyte-monocyte progenitors.

Acidic isoferritins have been previously found to be highly potent inhibitors of hematopoietic progenitors at concentrations of 10(-16) to 10(-18) mol/L, and it has been suggested that acidic isoferritin inhibitory activity plays a role in the regulation of normal hematopoiesis and also in the pathogenesis of leukemia. To characterize the ferritin species that affect the in vitro growth of human colony-forming unit-granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM), we tested different preparations of basic (L-subunit-rich) and acidic (H-subunit-rich) isoferritins. Three preparations of human liver (basic) ferritin did not show any effects on CFU-GM growth at concentrations up to 10(-9) mol/L, irrespective of the degree of glycosylation.

Ferritins in malignant and non-malignant lymphoid cells.

Lymphoid cells from peripheral blood, thymus, malignant and non-malignant lymph nodes were analysed for ferritin content using radioimmunoassays specific for the 'acidic' H-subunit-rich and for 'basic' L-subunit-rich isoferritins, and the data were compared with the immunological characteristics of the cells. All tissues with high proportion of T or 'null' cells contained the lowest concentration of L-subunit-rich isoferritins, while the H-subunit-rich forms increased from low levels in the quiescent peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), to higher values in the immature and proliferating thymocytes and lymphoblasts, malignant or not. B-cell lymphomas contained concentrations of both ferritin types higher than those found in PBL.

Pathological pregnancies. Results of amniotic fluid studies and fetal outcome.

Late amniocenteses (greater than 20 weeks' gestation) were performed in 114 pregnancies with no a priori genetic risk, but referred because of abnormal clinical and/or ultrasound findings suggesting fetal malformations. Reasons for referral included polyhydramnios (51 cases), oligohydramnios (15 cases), fetal growth retardation (FGR) (16 cases) and abnormal fetal ultrasound findings excluding anencephaly (32 cases). In 42 of these cases, referral was motivated by a combination of the above abnormal findings.

Exposure to fluoride in the chemical industry.

Industries that use fluoride-containing materials are usually aware of their toxicity and adopt adequate medical measures. It has been found that workers in factories who have not been considered as subjected to fluorine hazard and therefore have not been controlled had significantly elevated urinary fluoride levels. Most workers in a medically controlled fertilizer plant had normal urinary levels.

Multiple mechanisms of iron-induced ferritin synthesis in HeLa cells.

Iron administration to HeLa cells stimulates the accumulation of H-subunit and L-subunit rich isoferritins at similar extent. The increase in both types of isoferritins is accompanied by an increase in the amount of messenger RNAs specific for H and L subunits. The increase in the amount of these messenger RNAs, which occurs in the nucleus as well as in the cytoplasm, is proportionately lower than the increase in the protein.

Serum ferritin in type I diabetes.

The concentration and degree of glycosylation of serum ferritin was evaluated in type I male diabetic patients at different levels of glycaemic control. Serum ferritin did not appear to be affected by hyperglycaemia, but some patients undergoing photocoagulation had abnormally high levels of serum ferritin. The glycosylated, (concanavalin A binding), proportion of serum ferritin was essentially the same in the control and diabetic groups.

A new provisional serovar of Shigella dysenteriae.

Bacterial isolates obtained in Israel from stool cultures of 17 sporadic cases of acute diarrhea during the years 1972 to 1980 and from 14 patients involved in an institutional outbreak in 1984 are described. These cultures gave the biochemical reactions and pathogenicity tests characteristics of the genus Shigella but failed to agglutinate, living or boiled, in any of the recognized or provisional Shigella antisera. All 31 cultures were biochemically and serologically identical, and owing to their inability to ferment mannitol, it is proposed that they be regarded as belonging to a new provisional serovar of Shigella dysenteriae.

Analysis of morbidity and outcome of infants weighing less than 800 grams at birth.

To ascertain the morbidity, outcome, and prediction of survival of infants weighing less than 800 gm at birth, we reviewed all newborn and follow-up records for this group who were treated at The Medical Center between 1978 and 1981. Of the 71 infants in this category, 12 survived and underwent comprehensive evaluations between six and 36 months of age. Nine of the 12 infants had no abnormalities on neurologic examination; ten had developmental quotients greater than 70; one was severely visually impaired; and three had evidence of growth retardation.

[Normal and pathological ultrasonography of the fetal brain].

Advanced ultrasonic technology enabled the bidimensional imaging of fetal brain throughout pregnancy. The number of visible structures increases with gestational age. In order to certify the described items they were compared to similar anatomical sections available from brain specimens or an atlas of anatomy.

[Fetal biometry: review and application of sex determination].

Diagnostic ultrasound was introduced in the practice of obstetrics through its ability to measure accurately the biparietal (DBP) diameter of the foetus. The development of bidimensional and grey tone images expanded the possibility of fetal biometry. One of its most important uses is the estimation of gestational age.

New aspects of fetal dynamics with a special emphasis on eye movements.

During the last few years, special attention has turned to the recording of human fetal dynamic phenomena. These are movements of the whole body as well as breathing, cardiac and ocular movements. All of them can be observed and recorded simultaneously through real-time echography and Doppler systems.

[Value and indications for ultrasonographic determination of fetal sex].

From the end of the first trimester of pregnancy it is possible to recognize the sex of the fetus. The percentage with which this can be done rises progressively with the age of the fetus (from 29% at 18 weeks to 72% at 24 weeks), and with the experience of the operator. Errors are few; about between 1 and 2%.

Activation of latent collagenase by serum proteinases that interact with immobilized immunoglobulin G.

It has been previously observed that collagen destruction occurs in the vicinity of immune complexes present in articular cartilages of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. When IgG is covalently linked to Sepharose it behaves as if it has reacted with an antigen to form an immune complex, in that it binds the complement component C1 from human serum. Other serum components also interact with this matrix, though their interaction may not be specific for IgG.

Fetal biometric data obtained in a sole population with emphasis to sex differences.

Several biometrical parameters have been studied on an homogeneous population sample of 7548 fetuses. The measurement of numerous body and organ sizes on a sole population of fetuses is the only method of considering fetal biometry as a whole and allowing study of the clinical value of some ratios, indices and products of dimensions (not discussed here). The possibility of referring to separate norms for male and female fetuses increases the discriminant power of biometry in detecting fetal growth.

Neurological maturation of the human fetus.

The study of body movements (gross, eye, breathing movements) by realtime echography and their computerized analysis the assessment of the maturation of the behavioural patterns in the human fetus in utero. From the 28 weeks of gestation, 3 patterns can be defined; they are comparable to the sleep stages described in the premature and fullterm newborn. Pathological cases are discussed separately.

Isolation and characterization of plasma membranes containing LH sensitive adenylate cyclase from a Leydig cell tumour.

An LH sensitive adenylate cyclase from a tumour Leydig cell has been investigated. The plasma membranes, prepared by a 2 phase (dextran-polyethylene glycol) centrifugation method were found to have the following properties: In the presence of LH plus p(NH)ppG (guanosine 5'-beta, gamma-imido triphosphate) or fluoride ions, maximum adenylate cyclase activity was obtained in the plasma membranes with 4 to 6 mM Mg2+ plus 0.33 to 2 mM ATP.