Atlas occipitalisation associated with other anomalies in a 16th century skeleton from Sardinia (Italy).

Archaeological excavations carried out in the plague cemetery of 16th century Alghero (Sardinia) brought to light the skeleton of a male aged 35-45 years, showing anomalies of the atlas. A macroscopic and radiological study has been carried out. The first cervical vertebra is fused with the skull base, resulting in an occipitalisation of the atlas. Absence of the costal element of the left foramen transversarium, resulting in an open anterior foramen transversarium, and posterior arch defect are also observed. The atlanto-occipital junction is a complex structure, susceptible to develop different patterns of congenital defects. These anatomical variations of atlas should be considered in modern clinical practice in order to formulate a correct diagnosis and to conceive an appropriate treatment. Osteoarchaeological cases are important as, beside to ascertain the presence of congenital defects in past populations, allow an in-depth study in dry bones, which can help modern medicine in interpreting anatomical variations. We present an association of congenital anomalies of the atlanto-occipital junction, a condition rarely documented in ancient and modern human skeletal remains.

[The Sardinian archives for malaria history]. / Gli archivi Sardi per la storia della malaria (1861-1950).

The paper makes some references to the documentary funds for malaria history retained in state and private archives. The most important are seven: the State archives of Cagliari, Sassari, Nuoro, the Provincial administration archive of Sassari, the ERLAAS (Ente regionale per la lotta antianofelica in Sardegna) archive. The private archives are deposited in town libraries of Iglesias and Olzai. The documentation available allows to carry out a lot of research on various courses; a) activity of land reclamation on marshy zones between XIX and XXth century; b) issues of the anti-malarial legislation in the early twentieth century for peculiar social classes such as railwaymen and miners. They were the first to assay the quinine for preventive treatment; c) the anti-anopheles struggle during the Fasciste regime (it was carried out with oil and Paris green and with the predator fish of the genus Gambusia as well) d) organization of anti-anopheles campaign of ERLASS after World War II.

[Not Available]. / Contesta urbano, epidemie e organizzazione sanitaria nella Sardegna pre-unitaria. Il caso di Bosa.

The aim of the essay is to clarify the demographic, social, and economic effects brought about by epidemics from mid-18th to mid-19th century, in an urban context. The case in question is that of Bosa, a port town in Northwestern Sardinia, surrounded by walls and divided by the river Temo, in which the waste of oil mills and the filthy waters of tanneries were poured. The inobservance of sanitary rules, together with the poor health conditions of the population (the town lacked aqueducts and drains) resulted in a series of epidemics such as those of tiphus in 1776 and 1816, of smallpox in 1829, and of cholera in 1855. On the basis of the numerous archive documents consulted (including the reports of health officers sent by the Protomedicato Generale di Sardegna) it was possible to identify on the one hand the defensive strategies planned by the sanitary institutions and the therapeutic interventions of the recognized medical doctors; on the other hand, the effects of the epidemics on the demographic, social and economic set-ups.

Inseminaçäo intratubária por via vaginal (VITI): uma alternativa viável para reproduçäo assistida / Vaginal intratubal insemination (VITI): a viable alternative for assisted reproduction

Este estudo apresenta os resultados obtidos em nossa clínica com o uso de uma nova técnica de Reproduçäo Assistida, a inseminaçäo intra-tubária por via vaginal, sob controle ultrassonográfico (VITI). Estudaram-se os resultados obtidos com 82 pacientes que se consultaram em nossa Clínica e que apresentavam infertilidade devido a: a) Fator masculino (n=40): oligoastenospermia, teratospermia; b) Fator feminino (n=12): endometriose, distúrbios ovulatórios, obstruçäo tubária unilateral e sem outra causa aparente de infertilidade; c) Fatores masculino e feminino combinados (n=10); d) Esterilidade sem causa aparente (n = 20). A ovulaçäo foi induzida usando-se um protocolo combinado de citrato e gonadotrofina coriônica humana(hCG). Foram utilizados espermatozóides capacitados de amostras seminais frescas ou congelados (Banco de Semen). As pacientes foram monitorizadas e o diagnóstico de gravidez foi controlado pela dosagem de B-hCG e ultrassonografia. Em todas as 82 pacientes estudadas foi feita pelo menos uma tentativa de VITI, sendo que em algumas, de 2 a 6 tentativas. Um total de 13 gestaçöes clínicas foram conseguidas nessa série, com uma taxa geral de gestaçöes de 15,8%. Nenhuma das pacientes que se submeteram a somente uma tentativa (n=22) conseguiu engravidar no primeiro ciclo do tratamento. As taxas de gravidez para 2, 3 ou mais tentativas foram de 21,6% e 24,4%, respectivamente. Esses resultados indicam que a VITI pode ser aplicada com sucesso como técnica de reproduçäo assistida. Resta ser avaliado se esse método tem vantagens sobre outras técnicas, em particular sobre a IUI (Inseminaçäo Intrauterina)

Inseminaçäo tubária indireta com alto volume de esperma humano capacitado (ITI) / Indirect fallopian insemination with high volume of washed human sperm

Os autores descrevem uma técnica para inseminaçäo tubária indireta com alto volume de esperma humano capacitado injetado através de uma cânula especial. O procedimento foi aplicado para o tratamento de infertilidade em sete mulheres com no mínimo uma trompa permeável na histerossalpingografia e resultou em duas gestaçöes normais em evoluçäo