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M Spengos

Publications and source records attributed to M Spengos.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio in ageing skeletal muscle.

In order to investigate possible changes in the nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio of the muscle fibres during ageing, samples of quadriceps femoris from 15 normal individuals whose age ranged from 17 to 82 years were studied (autopsy material). The mean lesser diameter and the number and size of the muscle fibre nuclei were calculated using a planimetric technique. It was found that nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio increased significantly after the age of 60 years. This was due to a decrease in the mean fibre size whilst the number and the size of myonuclei remained unchanged. The resemblance of this finding to denervation atrophy changes is noted.

Adolescent

Cataract and gamma-glutamyl cycle in myotonic dystrophy.

Gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT) may be responsible for the rapid catabolism and low levels of lenticular glutathione often associated with cataract formation. Elevated levels of serum gamma-GT in patients with myotonic dystrophy suggest that since the defect could be present in all tissues it might be responsible for the cataracts frequently observed in this genetic disease.

Adult

[Radiological study of the cervical spinal column in some neurological degenerative diseases (author's transl)].

This study presents the findings from a neuroradiological investigation of the cervical spinal canal in a number of diseases of the nervous system. It concerns the measurement of the sagittal and transversal diameters of the spinal canal at levels C3 through C6. The material for this investigation was made up of two main groups: A) 400 controls and B) 110 patients. The second group consisted of the following: 1) 20 patients suffering from Friedreich's Ataxia, 2) 14 patients with Steinert's disease, 3) 44 patients with lateral amyotrophic sclerosis, 4) 14 patients suffering from Charcot-Marie-Tooth's disease, and 5) 18 patients with muscular dystrophy. The results are as follow: 1) In patients with Friedreich's Ataxia both the sagittal and transversal diameters are smaller than those of the controls. 2) On the contrary, in Charcot-Marie-Tooth's disease the sagittal diameter is larger than the controls. 3) The transversal diameter in patients with muscular dystrophy is smaller than the controls and 4) the sagittal diameter of the vertebral canal decreases from the top (C3) downwards (C6) while the transversal diameter increases.

Adult

Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. Elevated activity in myotonic dystrophy.

gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase, a membrane-bound enzyme playing an important role in the active amino acid transport across cellular membranes, is shown to be elevated in the serum of patients with myotonic muscular dystrophy. No increase of AP, LAP, GOT and GPT activities in the sera of some of the patients studied is observed. Possible interpretations in relation to the pathogenesis of myotonic dystrophy are discussed.

Adolescent

Skeletal mass conversions in hepatolenticular degeneration.

The influence of hepatolenticular degeneration, a hereditary disease, and the skeletal mass, has been studied in the present work by determining various parameters of the skeletal mass. As such, the results of the morphometric observation on the second left metacarpal have been considered. The results have shown: a significant decrease of the skeletal mass (osteoporosis), an increased innter diameter (d) which reveals an equally increased osteal absorption (osteolysis) and no connection of the sex, type and duration of the disease with the skeletal mass.

Adolescent