[Severe hydroureteronephrosis associated to asymptomatic giant anterior sacral meningocele: a case report and review of the literature]. / Ureterohidronefrosis severa asociada a meningocele sacro anterior gigante asintomático: presentación de un caso y revisión de la literatura.

We present the case of a woman with Marfan's syndrome presenting with a clinical picture of acute gastroenteritis in whom severe bilateral hydroureteronephrosis associated to a neurogenic bladder and a giant anterior sacral meningocele was diagnosed incidentally. The importance of this case lies in the fact that the patient was asymptomatic despite the significant visceral repercussions already occurring that led to questioning of whether MRI follow-up would still be advisable even in the absence of symptoms.

Ureterohidronefrosis severa asociada a meningocele sacro anterior gigante asintomático: presentación de un caso y revisión de la literatura / Severe hydroureteronephrosis associated to asymptomatic giant anterior sacral meningocele: a case report and review of the literature

El caso que presentamos es el de una mujer con síndrome de Marfan, a la que tras acudir a su médico por un cuadro de gastroenteritis aguda se le diagnosticó casualmente una ureterohidronefrosis bilateral severa asociada a una vejiga neurógena y a un meningocele sacro anterior gigante. La importancia de este caso radica en que la paciente estaba asintomática, a pesar de las importantes repercusiones viscerales que ya se habían producido, lo que plantea si sería aconsejable el seguimiento de estos pacientes mediante resonancia magnética (RM) aun en ausencia de síntomas

We present the case of a woman with Marfan's syndrome presenting with a clinical picture of acute gastroenteritis in whom severe bilateral hydroureteronephrosis associated to a neurogenic bladder and a giant anterior sacral meningocele was diagnosed incidentally. The importance of this case lies in the fact that the patient was asymptomatic despite the significant visceral repercussions already occurring that led to questioning of whether MRI follow-up would still be advisable even in the absence of symptoms

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air particles in the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Concentration levels, seasonal variation and winter/summer ratios of 11 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the TSP of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria city were determined. The study area is under the influence of heavy traffic (80000 vehicles/day). Pyr/BaA, Pyr/Flt, B(ghi)P/I(cd)P and B(b+k)F/B(ghi)P ratios were calculated; the values of these two last suggest a strong influence of diesel fuel burning. Levels of TSP and TSP-bound PAHs were also established. The hazard potential of PAHs in terms of carcinogenicity of BaP is acceptable. Potential risk on the basis of TEFs is also studied.

Punciones de mama con aguja fina y gruesa: estudio con correlación radiológica y anatomopatológica / Thin and thick-needle breast aspiration: a study with radiologi and anatomicopathological correlation

Propósito: Las punciones de mama se realizan fundamentalmente con agujas gruesas (14 G). Realizamos punciones con agujas de calibre inferior (18G y 22G) analizando las cifras de sensibilidad y especificidad de la prueba. Material y métodos: Puncionamos 150 lesiones mamográficamente sospechosas de carcinoma de mama, usando en cada lesión, primero agujas de 22 G, y luego de 18 G. Analizamos los resultados, comparándolos con la cirugía final, que se realizó en 69 enfermas. Resultado: La sensibilidad, especificidad y resultados insuficientes con agujas de 22G fueron de 63,9 por ciento, 52,9 por ciento y 23,2 por ciento respectivamente; y las de 18 G de 67,5 por ciento, 90,4 por ciento y 11,5 por ciento. Los resultados conjuntamente fueron de 76,1 por ciento, 60,8 por ciento y 5,7 por ciento. Conclusiones: Puncionando lesiones mamarias con agujas de 22G, se obtienen resultados peores que con agujas de 18 G. Asociando ambas, se mejora la sensibilidad y la cifra de insuficientes, pero a costa de una disminución inaceptable de la especificidad (AU)

Cultured human decidual stromal cells express antigens associated with hematopoietic cells.

Although decidual stromal cells (DSC) have classically been considered to play a nutritional role during pregnancy, several reports have demonstrated that they can also exert different immune activities. Furthermore, some authors have occasionally found antigens on DSC normally expressed by immune cells. In this study, we isolated and cultured 12 human DSC lines and studied them with immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies against antigens associated with hematopoietic cells. Decidual stromal cells exhibited a constant phenotype: they were CALLA (CD10)-positive and DR-positive, although the expression of CD45, the leukocyte common antigen, was found to be very weak or negative. We also detected myelomonocytic antigens CD11b (CR3), CD13, CD16 (Fc gamma RIII) and CD36, although DSC lacked CD14, CD15 and CD33. B cell antigens CD20, CD21 (CR3), CD23 (Fc epsilon RII) and CD24 were expressed. DRC-1, an antigen detected on follicular dendritic cells (FDC), was also observed on DSC. When these cells were cultured in the presence of progesterone, they expressed desmin and prolactin (PRL), findings that confirmed their identity as DSC. The phenotype described, together with the immune activities reportedly carried out by DSC, suggest that DSC may play a role in the maternal-fetal immune relationship.

Comparison of the proportions of leukocytes in early and term human decidua.

The percentages of cells expressing immune markers were determined with immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry in early and term human decidua. Although we found no variation in the proportion of cells of bone marrow origin (CD45+), the percentages of T cells and CD16+ lymphocytes were significantly higher in term decidua. On the contrary, CD56+ lymphocytes, the most abundant leukocyte type in early decidua, decreased at term. These variations may reflex the immunological adaptations of decidua during pregnancy.

Expression of adhesion molecules by endothelial cells of early human decidua.

The expression of adhesion molecules by endothelial cells (EC) of early human decidua was studied with monoclonal antibodies and the immunoperoxidase technique. Although E-selectin, INCAM-110 and VCAM-1 were poorly detected on decidual EC, ICAM-1, P-selectin and DR antigens were highly expressed by these cells, some of which showed high endothelial venule-like morphology. Our results suggest that decidual EC are activated, and are probably involved in the active recruitment of leucocytes.

Expression of class II HLA molecules by endothelial cells of human decidua.

Many authors have documented a high level of expression of class II HLA molecules by decidua. Although macrophages appear to be responsible for this, we show in this article that endothelial cells (EC) of the venules and capillaries of human decidua also strongly express class II molecules, whereas EC of chorionic villi do not. We discuss this finding in the context of the maternal-fetal immune interaction.

[Focal sclerosing and segmentary nephropathy in children]. / Nefropatía esclerosante focal y segmentaria en niños

The cases of 23 nephrotic children in whom percutaneous renal biopsies or postmortem studies showed focal and segmentary sclerosis were reviewed. It was more common in males and the average age at the onset was 6 years. The main symptoms were edema, hematuria and unspecific general manifestations. On admission, nephrotic syndrome was present in 91% of the cases and in a lesser proportion, edema hematuria and high blood pressure were found. The lesion was diagnosed at the first biopsy in 19 cases and in 4, subsequent biopsies or postmortem studies supported the diagnosis. Only 9 out 21 patients treated showed response to steroids and 5 of the resistant cases were given cyclophosphamide, but only one responded. They were checked at different periods of time ranging from 7 months to 10 years and by the end of the study, 11 patients were still under control showing normal renal function in six of them; 4 other cases showed mild renal insufficiency and in the remaining one, there was moderate renal insufficiency. Two died. A good correlation was evident between response to steroids and conservation of renal function. The findings are compared to those from other authors and emphasis is placed on the need to suspect the entity when a nephrotic syndrome with minimal changes is resistant to steroids, or when persistent hematuria is present; also, in cases showing initial lesions of tubular atrophy or interstitial fibrosis.

Behaviour of lymphocytes from cancer patients and normal individuals cultured with phytohaemagglutinin.

Blood lymphocytes from cancer patients with solid tumours without any previous immunosuppressive treatment and from normal individuals, were cultured in vitro with a wide range of phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). Sixty two per cent of all the cancer patients studied show a minimal of no response to PHA in comparison with the normal population. The rest (38%), show a quantitative identical response than normals. However, the maximal response in these patients occur in the high PHA doses, while the normal individuals show their maximal activity with low PHA doses. The low or no PHA response showed by the 62% of patients, may indicate they have impaired cellular immunity. The high response showed by the other 38%, may indicate that the patients of this group have high cellular immunity capacity. This immunity, however, higher PHA doses are required to reach the maximal response compared with the seems to be different from that of normal individuals, since higher PHA doses are required in cancer patients to reach maximal response. These results also suggest that a large range of PHA doses may be important to detect the degree of cellular immunity in cancer patients compared with the normal population. One or two random PHA doses, may not show a distinction.

Familial occurrence of persistent Mullerian structures in otherwise normal males.

Eight cases of males with persistent Müllerian structures are reported in four pairs of unrelated siblings. A genetically inherited failure to produce or to respond to the Müllerian-inhibiting substance elaborated by the fetal testis is postulated.