Embryotoxicity of cobalt ferrite and gold nanoparticles: a first in vitro approach.

Nanoparticles (NPs) are emerging as promising biomedical tools thanks to their peculiar characteristics. Our purpose was to investigate the embryotoxicity of cobalt ferrite and gold NPs through the Embryonic Stem Cell Test (EST). The EST is an in vitro standard assay, which permits to classify substances as strongly, weakly or non-embryotoxic.

References intervals for fetal biometrical parameters.

Objective: To establish normal reference intervals for biparietal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference, and length of femur, a cross-sectional study.

Study Design: Five hundred singleton fetuses for each week at gestations between 23 and 41 weeks with a total of 9500 fetuses. Antenatal ultrasound measurements from all consecutive pregnant women referred to the ultrasound unit for scanning of fetal condition are prospectively entered in a data bank.

Usefulness of urinary nuclear matrix protein 22 (NMP22) as a marker for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate an immunoassay for urinary nuclear matrix protein, NMP22, as a novel marker for urothelial cancer.

Patients And Methods: NMP22 values were determined for 71 patients and 21 healthy volunteers. Each subject provided a single (3 voids) urine sample for analysis at the time of entry into the study.

[Prostatic abscess: diagnosis and treatment].

Prostatic abscesses are an infrequent pathology, probably due to a better and early management of prostatic infections. Predisposing factors in this pathology are diabetes mellitus, urethral catheterism or manipulation, and immunodepressed states like AIDS. Nowadays, ultrasonography is an excellent diagnostic method of this pathology, and serves as a guidance of directed drainage.

Markers of hepatitis C infection among hemodialysis patients with acute and chronic infection: implications for infection control strategies in hemodialysis units.

To evaluate strategies for screening patients on hemodialysis (HD) for markers of acute and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, we studied sixty-nine patients at a single center over a 36-month period. Serum samples were tested for alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, anti-HCV and HCV RNA at 3-4 month intervals. Anti-HCV was tested for by EIA1, EIA2, and RIBA2.

[Bladder lavage cytology in the diagnosis and follow-up of superficial bladder cancer].

Classical mictional cytology (MC) has a series of widely recognized limitations for the diagnosis and follow-up of surface vesical carcinoma (SVC). A prospective study was conducted in 171 patients with suspected signs and symptoms or a background of SVC using cystoscopy, MC and vesical lavage cytology (LC). Overall sensitivity was 98.

[Intermittent hydronephrosis].

Intermittent hydronephrosis is a frequent cause of obstruction in the ureteropelvic junction in the adult. Diagnosis is based on intravenous pyelography, echography and renal scintigraphy with or without hyperdiuresis. We report a case of intermittent hydronephrosis successively affecting both kidneys.

Late seroconversion of C virus markers in hemodialysis patients.

We examined the prevalence of the IgG C virus C 100-3 antibody (anti-HCV) in a group of 43 patients on hemodialysis in our center during three periods: A: 1988; B: 1989; C: 1990. During period A, the anti-HCV prevalence was 30% (13 of 43 patients), these patients being regarded as chronic carriers of these antibodies. In period B, two patients displayed seroconversion, and another seven during period C, all of whom had tested negative during period A.

Carboplatin, methotrexate, vinblastine and epirubicin (Carbo-MVE) for transitional cell bladder carcinoma.

Background: MVAC is considered the most effective chemotherapy regimen for transitional cell bladder carcinoma. However, due to its significant toxic effects we substituted carboplatin for cisplatin and epirubicin for adriamycin in an attempt to produce the same response with less toxicity.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-seven patients with invasive transitional cell bladder carcinoma received Carbo-MVE: carboplatin (300 mgr/m2 d2), methotrexate (30 mgr/m2 d1, 15, 22), vinblastine (3 mgr/m2 d2, 15, 22) and epirubicin (30 mgr/m2 d2) every 4 weeks.

Urinary schistosomiasis with cutaneous lesions.

We report a case of urinary schistosomiasis with simultaneous presence of cutaneous lesions in a white male. The literature is reviewed, and the frequency, characteristics and physiopathology are discussed.

[Testicular and epididymal malacoplakia. Presentation of a case and review of the literature].

A case of testicular malacoplakia and epididymis in a 62 year old man is presented. A literature review is made (only 6 cases describing epididymal malacoplakia have been reported), commenting on the clinical, diagnostic, anatomopathological, pathogenic and therapeutic aspects of malacoplakia.

[Mycobacterium fortuitum in patients with chronic renal insufficiency: apropos of 2 cases].

Mycobacterium fortuitum is a rapidly growing mycobacteria recovered from human infections such as skin, soft tissue, skeletal and pulmonary infectious diseases. We report 2 cases of M. fortuitum isolation from clinical samples from two patients placed on dialysis program.

[Pyonephrosis as a cause of acute peritonitis. Review of the literature and report of a case].

We report on a 52-year-old patient with spontaneous intraperitoneal rupture of pyonephrosis. The diagnostic features, preoperative findings and treatment are discussed and the literature reviewed.

[Calcified kidney masses. Study of 23 cases].

We consider the presence of calcifications in a series of 107 renal masses by means of simple X-ray, echography and CAT, in which 23 cases (21.4%) were found. The most effective exploration for revealing them was CAT (in 13% of the cases, the only one).

[Physical exercise and serum potassium in renal insufficiency].

In order to study the effect of physical exercise on serum potassium in renal failure, twelve patients currently on chronic dialysis were subjected to physical exercise by means of an ergometric bicycle. The initial serum potassium was 5.2 +/- 0.