A western route of prehistoric human migration from Africa into the Iberian Peninsula.

Being at the western fringe of Europe, Iberia had a peculiar prehistory and a complex pattern of Neolithization. A few studies, all based on modern populations, reported the presence of DNA of likely African origin in this region, generally concluding it was the result of recent gene flow, probably during the Islamic period. Here, we provide evidence of much older gene flow from Africa to Iberia by sequencing whole genomes from four human remains from northern Portugal and southern Spain dated around 4000 years BP (from the Middle Neolithic to the Bronze Age). We found one of them to carry an unequivocal sub-Saharan mitogenome of most probably West or West-Central African origin, to our knowledge never reported before in prehistoric remains outside Africa. Our analyses of ancient nuclear genomes show small but significant levels of sub-Saharan African affinity in several ancient Iberian samples, which indicates that what we detected was not an occasional individual phenomenon, but an admixture event recognizable at the population level. We interpret this result as evidence of an early migration process from Africa into the Iberian Peninsula through a western route, possibly across the Strait of Gibraltar.

Development of primers to amplify mitochondrial DNA control region of Old World porcupines (subgenus Hystrix).

Eight primers were developed for the amplification of mitochondrial DNA control region of Old world porcupines (subgenus Hystrix). Successful amplifications of low-quality DNA extracted from old (12 years old) and recent quills were performed, thus facilitating field sampling. Successful cross-species amplifications were obtained for Hystrix africaeaustralis, H. cristata and H. indica. Length and structure of mitochondrial DNA control region were analysed and its usefulness as genetic marker for interspecific and population investigation was discussed.

[Malignant non-functioning adrenal cortex carcinoma. Apropos of a case]. / Le cortico-surrénalome malin non fonctionnel de la surrénale. A propos d'un cas.

A rare case of non-functional carcinoma of adrenal cortex is reported. After a review of the relevant literature, clinical characteristics and diagnostic methods are discussed and surgical treatment and chemotherapy prescribed in this case outlined. Based on personal experience, limitations of diagnostic imaging technics are presented and the importance of conventional radiologic investigations (urography and selective arteriography) re-evaluated, while emphasizing the reciprocal complementarity of all these methods for exploration of retroperitoneal lesions.

[Association of leiomyosarcoma and bladder papillomatosis]. / L'association entre le léiomyosarcome et la papillomatose vésicale.

The authors report one case of leiomyosarcoma associated with the papillomatosis of the bladder. After reviewing the literature, in which the exceptional nature of such tumoral associations is underlined, as are the infrequency and marked malignancy of leiomyosarcomas of the bladder, the authors illustrate the pathological and clinical characteristics of this neoplastic disease and discuss the pathogenic theories concerning this association.

[A rare cause of bladder neck obstruction: cervico-trigonal cysts. Report of 2 clinical cases]. / Une cause rare d'obstruction du col de la vessie: les kystes cervico-trigonaux. Présentation de deux cas cliniques.

Two rare cases of cervico-urethral obstructive lesions are described, illustrating two typical examples of the twofold pathogenic possibilities of the affection. The first patient had a probably congenital cervico-trigonal cyst due to a ureteral bud in the bladder wall. The second case presented different symptoms and signs, and this together with histology findings suggested an acquired nature of the lesion from cystic transformation of an infected glandular structure. The published literature is reviewed and diagnostic difficulties are emphasized, particularly differentiation from a prostate median lobe lesion.

Transurethral microwave thermotherapy in the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia.

One hundred and forty-four patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia were treated by transurethral microwave thermotherapy between January and December 1991. Before entering the study, all patients had a Boyarsky symptom score > or = 8, peak flow rate < or = 15 ml/s and postvoiding residual urine < or = 200 ml. Transurethral thermotherapy with the Prostatron (Technomed) was carried out as a single session (60 min) without any analgesia or sedation. Acute urinary retention occurred in 19.4% of the patients after treatment requiring catheterization for 2-3 weeks; morbidity rate was 5.5%. Six months after treatment, Boyarsky symptom score decreased from 11.73 +/- 4.97 to 4.40 +/- 3.21 (mean values +/- SD); peak flow rate increased on average from 8.97 +/- 4.18 to 13.07 +/- 4.87 ml/s and postvoiding residual urine decreased from 135 +/- 17.9 to 63 +/- 34.7 ml. Slight further improvement was shown, in a few patients, at the 1-year follow-up visit.