A learned artisan debates the system of the world: Le Clerc versus Mallemant de Messange.

Sébastien Le Clerc (1637-1714) was the most renowned engraver of Louis XIV's France. For the history of scientific publishing, however, Le Clerc represents a telling paradox. Even though he followed a traditional route based on classic artisanal training, he also published extensively on scientific topics such as cosmology and mathematics.

[Sex reassignment surgery].

Israel is among the few countries in the world where sex reassignment surgery (SRS) is performed in public hospitals. Today, the only center performing SRS in Israel is the Sheba Medical Center. A multidisciplinary committee grants authorization permitting surgery after a follow-up period of two years.

Montmorillonite-phenyltrimethylammonium yields environmentally improved formulations of hydrophobic herbicides.

This study aimed to design formulations of hydrophobic herbicides, alachlor and metolachlor, by adsorbing them on the clay mineral montmorillonite preadsorbed by the small organic cation phenyltrimethylammonium (PTMA). An adsorption model that considers electrostatics and specific binding and the possibility of cation adsorption above the cation exchange capacity (CEC) could explain and yield predictions for PTMA adsorption in the presence of NaCl concentrations from 0 to 500 mM. Adsorption of alachlor and metolachlor from aqueous solution on a clay mineral preadsorbed by PTMA was determined by GC and modeled by Langmuir equation.

Salpingectomy by operative laparoscopy and subsequent reproductive performance.

Between January 1984 and August 1991, 511 cases of extrauterine pregnancies were diagnosed by laparoscopy in our department. In 374 cases salpingectomy was performed: 184 by explorative laparotomy, and 190 by operative laparoscopy. Patients were scheduled for salpingectomy if one or more of the following criteria were fulfilled: (i) a ruptured tube which was surgically unsuitable for conservation; (ii) no interest in future fertility; (iii) tubes with ectopic gestation previously operated on; (iv) a previous tubal pregnancy on the same side, which was treated expectantly.

Effect of pregnancy on renal function in amyloidosis of familial Mediterranean fever.

Objective: To study the effect of pregnancy on kidney function in patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) with amyloidosis.

Methods: A retrospective analysis relating kidney function at term to kidney function at conception and to blood pressure and colchicine treatment before and during pregnancy in 17 patients with 29 pregnancies found among more than 3000 patient files in our FMF clinic.

Results: Following pregnancy, 7 patients (24% of pregnancies) experienced a decline in renal function.