The serum and synovial fluid concentrations of alpha2 macroglobulin and alpha2 neuramino glycoprotein of patients with rheumatoid arthritis have been studied. For, both protein fractions have antiprotease activity and inhibit, though to different degrees, many factors concerning inflammation. Even though both fractions have certain activities in common, in rheumatoid arthritis, we neither see a parallel increase nor antagonistic actions in the case of alpha2 macroglobulin and alpha2 neuramino-glycoprotein.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Use of automatized treponemic (TPHA) and cardiolipinic (ART) test in the serologic screening of syphilis].

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Antibody Formation↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Diagnostic methods and therapeutic options in vasculogenic impotence].

Until a few years ago, the main cause of men's genital impotence was reputed to be psychogenic. On the other hand, the development of diagnostic techniques has been in aid in isolating the most frequent cause of impotence among the organic forms, and in particular those of vascular origin. The authors herein examine the diagnostic methods of vasculogenic impotence and evaluate the therapeutic options in relation to the various causes identified.

Humans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Hyperthyroidism and carcinoma of the thyroid gland].

The incidence of thyroid carcinoma in hyperthyroidism varies considerably from as low as 0.3% to as high as 16.6% with a higher rate in toxic nodular goiters. Occult thyroid carcinoma (< 1.5 cm or microscopic foci) is the rule and only a few tumors are suspected preoperatively with ultrasonography or fine needle aspiration or 131 I scan. In 408 patients who underwent surgery for hyperthyroidism in our Surgery Department from January 1967 through December 1994 the incidence of thyroid carcinoma was 5.6% (23 cases). In detail, a neoplasm occurred in 5 cases of Graves' disease (specific incidence: 3.8%), in 13 cases of toxic nodular goiter (12.5%) and in 5 cases of hyperfunctioning adenomas (2.8%). 19 cancers were papillary (12 in toxic nodular goiter, 3 in Graves' disease, 4 in hyperfunctioning adenomas), three were follicular (1 in Graves' disease, 1 in toxic nodular goiter, 1 in hyperfunctioning adenomas) and 1 medullary in Graves' disease. A papillary carcinoma was diagnosed preoperatively on fine needle aspiration with ultrasonography in only two patients with Graves' disease and confirmed by postoperative histological examination on permanent section. We do not believe in the frozen-section examination intraoperatively because it's not diagnostical for follicular lesions and evaluates rarely capsular invasion. Twenty patients received total thyroidectomy and four of them also lymphoadenectomy. Three patients received emithyroidectomy: in two cases for occult papillary carcinoma and in the last case for local cancer invasion (T4N0M0). Twenty patients are alive and with no evidence of cancer recurrence. Mean follow-up is 59.6 months. Our retrospective study shows a progressive increase of the incidence of coexisting thyroid malignancy and hyperthyroidism especially in toxic nodular goiter, probably related to extended surgical indications. Our findings do confirm that, even in the presence of hyperthyroidism, all thyroid nodules require careful diagnostics for exclusion of malignancy.

Adenocarcinoma, Follicular↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Transmission and molecular epidemiology of tuberculosis.

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DNA Fingerprinting↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Microbiology and diagnosis of tuberculosis.

Major features of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as the slow metabolism and the large amount of lipid in the outer layer of the cell wall, shown by acid-fast staining, are responsible for its peculiar morphology and pathogenicity. For correct diagnosis of M. tuberculosis infection, direct microscopy of the pathological sample, isolation and identification on suitable culture media of the microorganism and in vitro tests of antituberculous drug sensitivity are required. Alternative time-sparing methods have been proposed: the radiometric system is the most important; other manual or automated systems as indicators of mycobacterial growth have been developed, while the new methods of rapid identification as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) cannot be used as a routine for the high cost of equipment.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Polymerase chain reaction and other molecular techniques used in the diagnosis of tuberculosis.

The new techniques of molecular biology using nucleic acid probes and genic amplification as the ligase chain reaction and the polymerase chain reaction, are routinely used for the detection and rapid identification of M. tuberculosis. The higher costs of these methods as compared to the conventional biochemical test is compensated for because rapid identification allows early implementation of prevention measures.

DNA Probes↗