[Recent findings on pathology caused by Campylobacter and Yersinia. Preliminary results of an epidemiologic study on a pediatric population in Florence]. / Recenti acquisizioni sulla patologia da Campylobacter e Yersinia. Risultati preliminari di una indagine epidemiologica nella popolazione pediatrica di Firenze.

The authors, after a review of the literature concerning Campylobacter and Yersinia infections, report the preliminary results of an epidemiologic study carried out in florentine territory based on the stool-cultures of children with acute diarrhoea in the years 1984-85-86. From the dates results that in florentine territory too, Campylobacter isolation is second only to Salmonella isolation, as we can find in other searches++ of literature. Therefore the conclusion is that these two microorganisms, from "emergent" have become as interesting as to be investigated as routine practice.

[Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia]. / Displasia ectodermica ipoidrotica.

The authors report a case of Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (Christ-Siemens-Touraine syndrome). Diagnosed at the age of 2 months.

[Evaluation of the respiratory function in patients with Duchenne's muscular dystrophy]. / Valutazione della funzionalità respiratoria in pazienti affetti da distrofia muscolare di Duchenne.

The purpose of this investigation was to compare the respiratory function of patients with different clinical stages of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Twenty-three DMD patients who were followed at Paediatric Department of Florence, were studied. We found a good correlation between the subject's functional capacity and normal predicted values for forced vital capacity (FVC) as well for forced volume at first second (FEV1). Subjects whose FVCs ranging from 10% to 20% were considered mildly involved; subjects with FVCs ranging from 20 to 30% were considered moderately involved, severe involved subjects with FVCs ranging from 30% to 40%. When the FVCs were less than 40% of the predicted values, the subjects were considered to have very severe respiratory impairment. In our study 83% of patients wheelchair bound was characterised by a very severe deterioration of pulmonary function.

[Robinow syndrome. Description of a case with diaphragmatic relaxation]. / La sindrome di Robinow. Descrizione di un caso con relaxatio diaframmatica.

The authors report a case of Robinow Syndrome in a child 22 months old, who presented a relaxatio diaphragmatic too. This is the first case, among about twenty cases indicated in literature, in whom this type of malformation is present.

[Otitis media in the child. Follow-up study and control of 104 cases]. / L'otite media nel bambino. Studio e controllo a distanza di 104 casi.

The authors report a case-study on 104 children admitted for many reasons to the I Department of Pediatrics of the A. Meyer Hospital in the period 1979-81. During their hospitalization, otitis media was diagnosed in all these cases. The children later underwent two check-ups including otorhinolaryngologic and tympanometric tests and in some cases an audiometric examination. A correlation between otitis media and enlarged adenoids was noticed and the results of the present case-study are compared with other international publications, following the short bibliography.

[Infection by Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Epidemiologic investigation and statistical clinical study of 122 children admitted to the Institute of Pediatrics of the University of Florence during the period 1 January 1977 to 31 December 1983]. / L'infezione da Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Indagine epidemiologica e studio clinico statistico su 122 bambini ricoverati presso l'Istituto di Pediatria dell'Università di Firenze nel periodo 1 gennaio 1977-31 dicembre 1983.

We carried out an epidemiologic research about M. Pneumoniae infection from 1977 to 1983: determination of CF antibodies has been performed by the Bacteriology and Virology Laboratory (Prof. Lamanna, USL 10/D, Florence). Serum samples were collected by the laboratory itself and by hospitals and university departments of Florence and neighbouring communes. Our research confirms cyclic behaviour of M. Pneumoniae infection: we could follow up a 3 years long epidemic after a previous 2 years long endemic disease. We found a major sera-positive rate for M. Pneumoniae in children than in adults. In the same period we carried out a clinical-statistical study on 122 children (80 males and 42 females) admitted to the Pediatric Institute "A. Meyer" in Florence because of an infection due to M. Pneumoniae. The most affected age range sems to be included between 5 and 10 years. Pneumonia is the commonest clinical feature of M. Pneumoniae infection (85.2%): furthermore, we must point out some cases in 0-2 years-old subjects. In our patients, clinical features, X-ray findings and laboratory tests strictly agree with those reported by other authors. We treated all our patients with erythromycin: in three weeks we obtained thee normalization of clinical patterns and X-ray findings in all cases.

[Blood myoglobin in children with progressive muscular dystrophy and in carriers]. / La mioglobinemia in bambini affetti da distrofia muscolare progressiva e portatrici.

We studied the behaviour of serum myoglobin in 32 children affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy, in 30 mothers (10 definite carriers and 20 possible carriers), in 5 sisters (possible carriers) and in 40 healthy women (control). The serum myoglobin was always increased in the patients affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy; the greatest values were in the patients who were still ambulant, with a behaviour similar to creatine kinase. In the carriers the myoglobinemia showed a significant increase in definite carriers, while there was no significant difference between the possible carriers and the controls.

[Granulocyte function in Duchenne's progressive muscular dystrophy]. / La funzionalità granulocitaria nella distrofia muscolare progressiva di Duchenne.

We studied the in vitro function of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in 14 patients affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy, aged 2-14 years, especially the chemotaxis and the bactericidal activity. The chemotaxis appeared significantly reduced, while the bactericidal activity was sometimes reduced, sometimes increased. In this disease the polymorphonuclear leukocytes seems to have a reduced capacity of movement; probably this phenomenon is connected with an alteration of the muscular cellular apparatus, which perhaps is related with an electrolytic intercellular inequality. These findings are consistent with the definition of Duchenne muscular dystrophy as a systemic disease of the membrane with alterations not only of striped muscular fibers, but of various cells and tissues.

[Viscera larva migrans syndrome in children: description of a case]. / Sindrome da "visceral larva migrans' in età pediatrica: descrizione di un caso.

The AA describe a case of Larva Migrans Visceral syndrome in a two year-old boy in systemic form with negative outcome. The autoptic examination showed a "granulomatous hepatitis with marked component of eosinophil cells'. The presence of "eosinophil granuloma' in liver has led to the diagnosis of Visceral Larva Migrans Syndrome; other possible causes of Ipereosinophilous Syndrome have been excluded on the basis of anamnestic, clinic and laboratory data. The discovery in the medical history of frequent contacts with a dog which was affected by a serious toxocara canis infections, has led to the diagnosis of Larva Migrans Syndrome from Toxocara canis.

[The incidence of the X-linked progressive muscular dystrophies in Tuscany from 1966 to 1974 (author's transl)]. / L'incidenza della distrofia muscolare progressiva X-legata in Toscana negli anni 1966-1974.

An investigation was carried out to establish the incidence of X-linked progressive muscular dystrophies in Tuscany from 1966 to 1974. 52 cases were identified, the incidence being 23,95 X 10(-5) with reference to live-born males. The frequency of new mutations calculated according to Haldane's method was 7,97 X 10(-6). These data practically correspond to those reported by other AA. in Italy and abroad. There was also a remarkable variability in the incidence among individual districts with values ranging from 7,60 X 10(-5) to 41,91 X 10(-5). It was noticed that the number of new cases tended to decrease in the last few years.

[Cellular immunity deficiency and chemotaxis deficiency in children with rheumatoid arthritis]. / Deficit dell'immunitá cellulare e della chemiotassi in bambini con artrite reumatoide.

Some immunological parameters have been examined in eleven children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. A quantitative and functional defect in T lymphocytes has been observed associated with defective chemotaxis of neutrophils. High levels of circulating immune-complexes were detected in sera of 5 out 11 patients. 1 patient showed high levels of antinuclear antibodies and positivity for the rheumatoid factor. Immunological pathogenesis of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is discussed.

[Structural and ultrastructural features of the skeletal muscle in Werdnig-Hoffmann disease]. / Aspetti strutturali ed ultrastrutturali del muscolo striato nella malattia di Werdnig-Hoffmann.

In researches performed on striated muscles of individuals affected by various myopathies, fragments of gastrocnemius muscle in course of Werdnig-Hoffmann disease have been studied. The light microscopic observations demonstrate the presence of numerous, very thin, atrophic fibres with many irregularly lobated and packed nuclei alternating with apparently normal fibres with lighter and larger nuclei. The connective part of the muscle appears to be remarkably increased and replaces the atypical contractile tissue. The electron microscope shows, in the atrophic fibres, remarkable alterations of the sarcoplasmatic elements, and a complete disarrangement of myofibrils and myofilaments, some of which are anchored to fragments of the Z bands, irregularly arranged. Even the normal orientation of the sarcomeres often with indefinite bound, is upset. The numerous lobated nuclei totally occupy the irregular protrusions of the sarcoplasm, rich in peripheral microvesicles. In respect of other examined myopathies, in which the muscle fibres alterations affect limited parts of the contractile elements, in these cases the modifications seem to be of greater entity and to affect completely single muscle fibres.

[Immunological disorders in a patient with Whitaker syndrome (author's transl)]. / Alterazioni immunologiche in un caso di sindrome di Whitaker.

Some immunological parameters have been examinated in a 13-year-old girl with Whitaker syndrome and in her closest blood-relatives. Absolute and percentage values of T and B lyphocytes were normal, whereas mitogen responsiveness was over normal range before therapy had begun. This phenomen did not appear if the cultures were carried out in presence of autologous serum. Neutrophil function was defective in responsiveness to chemotactic stimulation, but NBT reduction as well as bactericidal activity were normal. Defects both in mitogen responsiveness and chemotaxis have been pointed out in the parents and in the patient's twin brother. The immunologic disorders observed are discussed in the light of the clinical and functional pecularities of Whitaker's syndrome.