The effectiveness and tolerance of betablockers in elderly patients (> or = 70 years) with heart failure.

Unlabelled: The beta blockers (BB) being less prescribed in elderly patients (P) with heart failure (HF), the aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness and tolerance of BB (meteoprolol, bisoprolol or carvedilol) given on the top of the conventional therapy in HF due to LV systolic dysfunction in P > or = 70 year (n=57, group 1) and < 70 year (n=101, group 2). Differences in baseline clinical characteristics between the 2 groups were not significant. The BB doses given in group 1 P was lower but the difference was significant for bisoprolol only.

Homozygous WNT3 mutation causes tetra-amelia in a large consanguineous family.

Tetra-amelia is a rare human genetic disorder characterized by complete absence of all four limbs and other anomalies. We studied a consanguineous family with four affected fetuses displaying autosomal recessive tetra-amelia and craniofacial and urogenital defects. By homozygosity mapping, the disease locus was assigned to chromosome 17q21, with a maximum multipoint LOD score of 2.

Determinants for the syncytium-inducing phenotype of HIV-1 subtype F isolates are located in the V3 region.

The HIV-1 syncytium-inducing phenotype is determined by virus replication and the presence of cytopathic effects in MT-2 cells. There is a strong correlation between the syncytium-inducing/MT-2-tropic phenotype and positively charged amino acids at positions 306 and 320 in the V3 loop for HIV-1 subtypes A, B, D, and E. In contrast, a lack of correlation between signature amino acids and syncytium formation in MT-2 cells for subtype F viruses from Romania has been reported.

HIV-1 diversity in Romania.

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence and the dynamics of HIV-1 subtypes in Romanian adults and children, and to investigate the origins of the nosocomial epidemic.

Design: A total of 1000 serum and plasma samples, from adults (n = 579) and children (n = 421) who were diagnosed as being HIV-1-infected during 1990-1997 in 39 of the 41 Romanian districts, were serotyped. Viral DNA was isolated from blood samples of 84 patients and the viruses were genotyped.

Characterization of HIV type 1 from Romanian children: lack of correlation between V3 loop amino acid sequence and syncytium formation in MT-2 cells.

The biological properties and amino acid sequences of the third variable domain (V3 loop and flanking regions) of the env region of 34 HIV-1 isolates obtained from Romanian children were analyzed. Unambiguous nucleic acid sequences were obtained from 31 isolates. The derived V3 amino acid sequences were highly homologous (93-100%) and clustered with the HIV-1 subtype F Romanian consensus.

Perinatally lethal short rib-polydactyly syndromes. 1. Variability in known syndromes.

Thirteen newborns with lethal short rib-polydactyly (SRP) have been reviewed, 11 with SRP type III (Verma-Naumoff) and 2 with SRP type II (Majewski). In the former group there were three sets of siblings. The excess of males with SRP type III (Verma-Naumoff) is confirmed in this present study.

[Diagnosis and therapy of candidiasis in the premature infant].

Extension of intensive care seems to have increased the risk of systemic candida infection. We report the incidence of systemic candida infection in 8 low-birth-weight infants (gestational age 27-32 weeks, birth weight 710-1,550 g). All infants required respiratory treatment.

Effect of nutrition on tissue carnitine concentrations in infants of different gestational ages.

To investigate the effect of nutrition on tissue carnitine concentrations in infants of different gestational ages, specimens of muscle, heart, liver and kidney obtained at autopsy from 62 infants were analyzed for total acid-soluble carnitine content. Immature infants had smaller carnitine tissue reserves than term infants. Parenterally alimented premature infants (greater than 10 days old) had lower carnitine levels in heart, liver and kidney than those dying within 24 h after birth.

[Kimura' disease with localization at the neck (author's transl)].

This disease is discussed in the past mostly in the dermatological literature, the ENT specialist is little aware of its existence. The condition is characterized by subcutaneous, painless nodules occurring most frequently in the region of the ear, parotid gland, cheek and lateral neck. The lesion must be differentiated from disease of the lymph nodes, especially malignant tumours.

[A case of olfactory neuroblastoma and Marcumar therapy (author's transl)].

Although nasal polypectomy is a frequently performed procedure in ENT Clinics, tissues taken may only seldom be histologically examined. We have recently uncovered an esthesioneuroblastoma during a routine polypectomy, and believe that even slightly changed "polyps" or fleshy or pinkish-gray appearing "polyps" seen with dicumarol therapy may mask tissue malignancy.

[Pure gonadal dysgenesis. Case report with unusual anatomical and endocrine findings].

The syndrome of pure gonadal dysgenesis (PGD) cannot always easily be distinguished from other disorders of gonadal development. Relations are evident with Turner's syndrome, females with hypoplastic ovaries, male pseudohermaphroditism, mixed gonadal dysgenesis and the vanishing testes syndrome. The case is reported of a 40 year old female with primary amenorrhea, alopecia, eunuchoid features, XY karyotype with normal breast development and sexual hair after estrogen therapy.

[Early diagnosis of carcinoma of the Fallopian tube by cervical smear (author's transl)].

A case of primary carcinoma of the Fallopian tube was discovered on routine mass screening of cervical smears. There were no symptoms and gynaecological findings were unremarkable. Atypical glandular epithelia in the smear may not, therefore, be adenocarcinoma of the cervix or body of the uterus, but could also be from an extrauterine carcinoma, especially if cervical scrapings are negative.