[Unexpected chromosomal abnormalities in prenatal diagnosis. 4 case reports with preservation of the pregnancy].

Four unexpected karyotypes were found in prenatal diagnosis: 47,XXX; 47,XXY; double reciprocal translocation; Yq-. Supplementary biological studies (including specific Y-DNA probes) are carried out in order to help in the parents' decision. No induced abortion was performed.

Prenatal identification of a Y-chromosome deletion by Y-specific single copy DNA probes.

A sex chromosome deletion was identified in the course of prenatal diagnosis for maternal age. Ultrasound pictures revealed male fetal sex and a comparison with the father's Y chromosome suggested that the altered chromosome might be a de novo deletion of the Y chromosome. DNA hybridization with five human Y-specific probes shows that, among the Y-specific sequences recognized by the probes, only two of them are absent.

Oral high-dose medroxyprogesterone acetate versus tamoxifen. A randomized crossover trial in postmenopausal patients with advanced breast cancer.

In a prospective randomized multicenter study in previously untreated postmenopausal patients with advanced breast cancer, the response to treatment with oral medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) 300 mg three times daily was compared with tamoxifen (TAM) 20 mg twice daily. Of 61 patients treated with MPA, 27 (44%) had a partial or complete remission, 6 showed no change, and 28 had progressive disease. Of 68 patients treated with TAM, 24 (35%) showed a remission, 15 no change, and 29 progression.

Mosaic tetrasomy 12p.

Mosaic tetrasomy 12p is a dysmorphic syndrome which has been described under the name of Pallister mosaic syndrome and Teschler-Nicola/Killian syndrome and has sometimes been incorrectly interpreted as tetrasomy 21. Here we report the first case to be diagnosed prenatally and confirmed by enzyme assays, and we summarize the clinical and biological characteristics of all the cases reported so far under various names.

[Prenatal diagnosis of triploidy. I. Echographic, clinical and anatomic studies].

Three cases of triploidy have been diagnosed prenatally on ultrasonography and clinical features. A morphological and histological study of both foetus and placenta is made. The cases and a review of live-born triploid infants published in the literature allow a description of some characteristic malformations.

The nutritional regulation of T lymphocyte function.

Prostaglandin (PG) E1 plays a major role in the regulation of thymus development and T lymphocyte function and the evidence for this is reviewed. The production of PGE1 is dependent on nutritional factors with linoleic acid, gamma-linolenic acid, pyridoxine, zinc and vitamin C playing key roles. Inadequate intake of any one of these will lead to inadequate PGE1 formation and defective T lymphocyte function.

[Epilepsy, anticonvulsants and pregnancy].

A statistical study, using a computer, of 343 epileptic women with 775 pregnancies led to the following conclusions: 1. The influence of pregnancy on epilepsy is very variable: null once out of 2 times, pregnancy is more often favourable than unfavourable in the remaining 50% of the cases. 2.

[Consumption coagulopathies and severe postpartum hemorrhage].

15 patients were referred to the Intensive Care Unit immediately after delivery for severe post-partum haemorrhage. In 7 cases complications followed retroplacental haemotoma formation and in the other 8 cases they were due to secondary haemorrhages from the placental site and/or from tears of the cervix or vagina. It is a clinical picture that is associated with a state of shock, with continuing massive bleeding associated with failure of the blood to clot and which persists and becomes worse with the transfusion of stored blood and of the coagulation factors.

Some immunological properties of lymphoid cells from patients with acute lymphatic leukaemia (ALL).

The responses of lymphoid cells from the blood of children with acute lymphatic leukaemia to stimulation with phytohaemagglutinin, pokeweed mitogen, allogeneic lymphocytes and a cocktail of five different antigens were studied. In addition the stimulatory capacity in mixed lymphocyte culture was investigated as well as the formation of rosettes with sheep erythrocytes which were either uncoated or coated with antibody and complement. Whereas lymphocytes from acute lymphatic leukaemia patients in remission responded well to all stimuli tested, lymphoid cells from all seven patients in leukaemic stages with at least 80% lymphatic cells in the differential leucocyte count uniformly displayed strongly reduced or even absent responses.