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In this paper, a predator–prey model with intraguild predation describing the evolution between three interacting species—namely prey, mesopredator and top predator—is investigated, with the aim to model a complete food web. In particular, the longtime behaviour of the solutions is analysed, proving the existence of an absorbing set, and the linear and nonlinear stability analyses of the coexistence equilibrium are performed.

The aim of this paper is to investigate a reaction-diffusion Leslie–Gower predator–prey model, incorporating the intraguild predation and both self and cross-diffusion. The longtime behaviour of the solutions is analysed, proving the existence of an absorbing set. The existence of patterns is investigated by looking for conditions guaranteeing that an equilibrium, stable in the absence of diffusion, becomes unstable when diffusion is allowed.

A spatial domain formulation of an indirect holographic technique, useful for antenna near‐field phase retrieval, is presented in this paper. The proposed approach is based on the adoption of three synthetic reference signals, giving three sets of amplitude‐only near‐field data. These are directly processed in the spatial domain to accurately retrieve the near‐field phase, from which the antenna radiation features can be subsequently computed. Despite the standard indirect holographic approach, no data processing is required in the spectral (Fourier transform) domain, thus completely avoiding the problem of spectrum overlapping which limits the accuracy of standard method. The effectiveness of the proposed technique is demonstrated by a numerical test on a linear dipole array, as well as by experimental results on a ridged‐horn antenna. A new formulation of the indirect holographic technique, fully working in the spatial domain, is presentedThe operation in the spatial domain avoids disadvantages of standard method, due to spectrum overlapping, thus avoiding data oversamplingThe new method maintains all advantages of standard approach in terms of low cost and simplicity of architecture

Thymic malignancies are rare tumors with few therapeutic options. The STYLE trial was aimed to evaluate activity and safety of sunitinib in advanced/recurrent type B3 thymoma (T) and thymic carcinoma (TC).

Abstract: In this paper, a model describing the castor three-dimensional dynamic behavior, is presented. A procedure, based on the Udwadia–Kalaba formulation has been implemented to write the castor non-linear motion equations. The model takes into account the flexural and lateral compliance of the castor frame and the phenomena related to the wheel rotation. To prescind from the wheel–road interaction parameters, the hypothesis of no sideslip of the wheel has been adopted but other tire models can be easily implemented. The non-linear system stability is evaluated integrating the motion equations and performing a fitting procedure on the natural steering oscillation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

OBJECTIVE: Since the availability of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) all children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) living in Belgium are offered rhGH treatment after approval by a peer-review board. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence and demographic features of childhood GHD in Belgium during the period 1986-2001 and we compared them with the data from other countries. METHODS: Diagnostic, demographic and baseline auxological data of 714 children diagnosed as having GHD between 1986 and 2001 were retrieved from the database of the Belgian Study Group for Paediatric Endocrinology. RESULTS: The prevalence of GHD in Belgium was estimated to be 1/5600. The origin of GHD was idiopathic (idGHD) in 41% of the patients, congenital (congGHD) in 20% and acquired (acqGHD) in 35%. During the first 4 years (1986-1989) more patients were classified as idGHD; thereafter the distribution between the three aetiology groups did not change. In all groups, boys outnumbered girls but this preponderance was especially pronounced in congGHD patients (male:female=4:1) with a central malformation that associates an anterior pituitary hypoplasia, a missing, fine or normal pituitary stalk and an ectopic posterior pituitary. Thirteen percent of the patients with idGHD, 50% with congGHD and 52% with acqGHD had multiple pituitary deficiencies. Patients with congGHD were the youngest (mean+/-s.d. age: 6.5+/-4.7 years) and were the shortest (-3.0+/-1.3 standard deviation score (SDS)) at the start of rhGH treatment. There was no time trend over the studied period for age and height at onset of GH therapy. CONCLUSION: In Belgium, the prevalence of childhood GHD can be estimated as 1/5600 which is comparable to other recent surveys. The yearly number of new patients for the different aetiologies and the auxological parameters have remained relatively constant over the last 16 years.

AbstractBackground: Most girls with Turner syndrome (TS) are intensively followed by paediatricians, but are lost to follow-up when they reach adulthood. To gain insight into the adult medical and psychosocial situation, we performed a survey in young adult TS patients. Patients and Methods: A questionnaire concerning current health status, education, occupation and living situation was sent to 160 young adult TS women, all treated during childhood with GH and oestrogen if needed. Results: We received 102 completed questionnaires. Mean ± SD age at reception of the questionnaire was 23.4 ± 3.3 years, height 153.3 ± 5.2 cm, body mass index 23.7 ± 4.9 kg/m². Age and auxological parameters were comparable between responders and non-responders. Thirteen (12.7%) responders were not under regular medical care; 15 (14.7%) were seen by a general practitioner, while 28 (27.4%) needed several specialists. Forty-one (40.2%) patients reported health problems. The most frequently reported problem was hypertension (10.7%), followed by hypothyroidism (5.8%) and back problems (4.9%). Twenty-four (23.5%) of the 41 patients were taking medication for the indicated health problems. Twenty-six (25.5%) women had undergone spontaneous puberty; 16 of them reported spontaneous menstruations while 10 received oestrogen replacement therapy. Of the 76 women with induced puberty, 11 (14.5%) were not taking any oestrogen anymore. Compared with the general population, more TS women attended university and more obtained higher education. Forty-six women (45.1%) were working full-time, 7 (6.9%) were unemployed, and 4 (3.9%) received an allocation. Seventy (68.6%) patients were still living with their parents, while 18 (17.6%) were living together or married, and 14 (13.7%) were living alone. Conclusions: The transition of adolescents with TS to adult medical care is not optimal in Belgium. Although 40.2% of these young women reported health problems, 12.7% did not consult any physician. Many TS women did not take oestrogen replacement therapy. A specialized multidisciplinary approach for adults with TS is needed in order to optimize health and psychosocial status in these women.Copyright © 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel

Background:The growth response to recombinant hGH (rhGH) treatment and final height of 61 Belgian children (32 boys) with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency (GHD) were studied. Patients/Methods:Two patient groups were compared: Group 1 with spontaneous puberty (n = 49), Group 2 with induced puberty (n = 12). The patients were treated with daily subcutaneous injections of rhGH in a dose of 0.5–0.7 IU/kg/week (0.17–0.23 mg/kg/week) from the mean ± SD age of 11.9 ± 3.1 years during 5.1 ± 2.1 years. Results: rhGH treatment induced a doubling of the height velocity during the first year and resulted in a normalisation of height in 53 (87%) patients. Final height was –0.7 ± 1.1 SDS, being 170.4 ± 7.2 cm in boys and 158.0 ± 6.4 cm in girls. Corrected for mid-parental height, final height was 0.0 ± 1.1 SDS. Ninety-two percent of the patients attained an adult height within the genetically determined target height range. Although height gain during puberty was smaller in the patients with induced puberty (boys: 17.1 ± 7.0 cm vs. 27.5 ± 6.6 cm (p < 0.005); girls: 9.6 ± 7.4 cm vs. 22.2 ± 6.1 cm (p < 0.005)), no differences in final height after adjustment for mid-parental height were found between patients with spontaneous or induced puberty. Conclusions: We conclude that patients with idiopathic GHD treated with rhGH administered as daily subcutaneous injections in a dose of 0.5–0.7 IU/kg/week reach their genetic growth potential, resulting in a normalisation of height in the majority of them, irrespective of spontaneous or induced puberty.

A technique for the power synthesis of planar arrays, taking into account the mutual coupling between the elements of the array, is presented. This technique, which accounts for the mutual coupling by introducing the port admittance matrix, is based on a generalised projection algorithm and allows constraints on the excitation coefficients to be considered. To alleviate the difficulty related to the trapping of the solution algorithm by a local minimum of the objective functional, the squared amplitude of the co-polar, cross-polar far field components and of the excitation voltages are exploited in defining the objective functional. This choice makes it possible to manage a projection algorithm handling sets whose geometrical properties result in being favourable with respect to the trapping problem. Numerical results show the effectiveness of the approach and the crucial role played by accounting for mutual coupling in order to ensure the reliability of the synthesis procedure.

Ten patients with multiple sclerosis and treated with interferon-β1b(IFN-β1b) were followed-up for 1 year with quantitation of serum VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 levels, mean fluorescence intensity of HLA-DR, VLA-4, CD11a, and CD18 on peripheral blood monocytes and lymphocytes, and adhesion of peripheral blood monocytes and CD45+cells on endothelial cell monolayers. Adhesion molecule expression and adhesion of peripheral blood monocytes to endothelium were also monitored in healthy controls. No differences in adhesion were detected between MS patients before treatment and healthy controls, while after 1 year a marked decrease in the number of monocytes and mononuclear cells adhering to human umbilical vein endothelial cell monolayers was observed in patients treated with IFN-β1b. After 1 year of treatment a significant increase in HLA-DR on peripheral blood monocytes was also detected. Our findings regarding lowered adhesion add information to available evidence of the mechanisms of action of IFN-β1bin MS.

In this study the growth curves of 229 children (145 boys, 84 girls) with idiopathic short stature (ISS) were analysed in three ways: (1) we compared the results of longitudinal modelling by means of Karlberg's ICP model with those of a cross-sectional analysis; (2) we studied to what extent an individual changes his/her height standard deviation score (SDS) position during childhood; and (3) we constructed height velocity curves for children with ISS using Cole's LMS method, and compared these with the British references. During childhood the difference between the average longitudinal and the cross-sectional height curves was less than 1 cm and the spread was almost identical. The average change in height SDS during childhood was not different from zero, indicating that in general growth of children with ISS was well canalized. The individual change in height SDS position during childhood was within 0·6 SDS for a follow-up of 1 year, increasing to 1·9 SDS for a follow-up of 7 years. During childhood mean height velocity was about 1 cm/year lower than that of the British reference. With respect to the pubertal growth spurt the maximum height velocity took place 1 year later, and was 0·6 cm/year lower than the British reference in boys as well as girls. We conclude that spontaneous growth of children with ISS is adequately described by a cross-sectional curve.

After the successful exploitation of electron cooling in several heavy ion storage rings the possibility of generating crystalline ion beams gained the interest of particle accelerator physicists. New cooling methods, such as laser cooling, give further opportunity to reach ultra cold system of particles necessary for the state transition to the crystalline configuration. Crystalline beams will give insight into a completely new research field, reaching higher standards in precision measurements and techniques. The applicative potentialities of crystalline beams justify a careful investigation on this subject. The conceptual design of a low-energy heavy-ion storage ring, called CRYSTAL, proposed for the experimental demonstration of crystalline beams at Legnaro LNL is presented.

Growth data on 100 patients with Turner syndrome are reported. Seventeen had spontaneous puberty. Between the ages 11 and 13 years, height and height velocity were higher in these girls than in those with induced puberty. Final adult height, however, was not different. Patients disomic for Xp chromosome were taller than the monosomic ones, and the majority of them had spontaneous puberty. Significant positive correlations were found between height of Turner syndrome patients and corrected mid parental height, mother's height and father's height from the age of 6 years. It is concluded that in patients with Turner syndrome spontaneous puberty and parental height should be accounted for in the evaluation of linear growth.

As Northern Europeans are currently the tallest people in the world, specific growth charts for girls with Turner's Syndrome from this area are needed. Based on height and weight measurements from 598 girls with Turner's Syndrome (372 from the Netherlands, 108 from Denmark, 118 from Sweden) not treated with growth‐promoting substances and without signs of spontaneous puberty, we constructed growth charts for height‐for‐age, height‐velocity‐for‐age, weight‐for‐age, weight‐for‐height and Body Mass Index for age. Reference tables and regression equations for mean and standard deviation are provided allowing calculation of Standard Deviation Scores. The height and height velocity curves show a low birth length, gradual deviation from the normal percentile curves without pubertal growth spurt, and a prolonged growth until the early 20s. Mean adult height was 146. 9 ± 7. 8 cm. Mean weight‐for‐age was lower than in normal reference children but height‐adjusted weight was higher, except in infancy and early childhood. Further studies are required on the factors influencing the weight‐height relationship in Turner's Syndrome.

To investigate whether bile within the abdominal cavity changes the morphologic expression of peritonitis, rats received intraperitoneal injections of saline, bile, Escherichia coli (3 × 108 colony-forming units), or E. coli and bile (n = 10 in each group). Specimens were taken from the parietal and visceral peritoneum for light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, 10 h after induction of peritonitis. Bile alone increased the number of inflammatory cells, especially of the monocytic type. After E. coli alone the monocytic cell response was less pronounced, whereas the polymorphonuclear leukocyte response was comparatively large in the visceral peritoneum. Addition of bile in E. coli peritonitis caused a substantial increase in polymorphonuclear leukocytes, especially in the visceral peritoneum, and in the depth of the inflammatory cell reaction. At scanning electron microscopy mesothelial cells appeared normal after bile alone, had reduced numbers of microvilli after E. coli alone, and were denuded or separated, without microvilli, after E. coli and bile. It is concluded that the inflammatory effects of E. coli are greatly enhanced in the presence of bile.

OBJECTIVES: To study final height in girls with Turner's syndrome treated with once or twice daily injections of growth hormone (GH) in combination with low dose ethinyl oestradiol. DESIGN: Until final height was reached, the effect of fractionated subcutaneous injections given twice daily was compared with once daily injections of a total GH dose of 6 IU/m2/day. Twice daily injections were given as one third in the morning and two thirds at bedtime. All girls concurrently received low dose oestradiol (0.05 microgram ethinyl oestradiol/kg/day, increased to 0.10 microgram/kg/day after 2.25 years). PATIENTS: Nineteen girls with Turner's syndrome aged > or = 11 years (mean (SD) 13.6 (1.7) years). MEASUREMENTS: To determine final height gain, we assessed the difference between the attained final height and the final height predictions at the start of treatment. These final height predictions were calculated using the Bayley-Pinneau (BP) prediction method, the modified projected adult height (mPAH), the modified index of potential height (mIPHRUS), and the Turner's specific prediction method (PTSRUS). RESULTS: The gain in final height (mean (SD)) was not significantly different between the once daily and the twice daily regimens (7.6 (2.3) v 5.1 (3.2) cm). All girls exceeded their adult height prediction (range, 1.6-12.3 cm). Thirteen of the 19 girls had a final height gain > 5.0 cm. Mean (SD) attained final height was 155.5 (5.4) cm. A "younger bone age" at baseline and a higher increase in height standard deviation score for chronological age (Dutch-Swedish-Danish references) in the first year of GH treatment predicted a higher final height gain after GH treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Division of the total daily GH dose (6 IU/m2/day) into two thirds in the evening and one third in the morning is not advantageous over the once daily GH regimen with respect to final height gain. Treatment with a GH dose of 6 IU/m2/day in combination with low dose oestrogens can result in a significant increase in adult height in girls with Turner's syndrome, even if they start GH treatment at a relatively late age.

Experiments are presented on electromagnetic scattering by hyperbolic reflectors peripherally loaded by epoxid resin melted to graphite powder, made in the X-bande range in an anechoic electromagnetic room. The results are compared with the theoretical prediction carried out using both the Uniform Theory of Diffraction (UTD) extended to surface impedances and Physical Optics (PO).The effectiveness of the behaviour of a lossy material layer as a surface impedance as well as the effectiveness of such loading technique applied to the subreflector in order to control the radiation diagram, have been verified. The good agreement between experimental and computed data confirms the conclusions obtained theoretically.

The evaluation of the electromagnetic field diffracted by a collection of similar metallic objects is obtained using the Characteristic Modes for the single scatterer as basis and weighting functions in the MoM solution of the whole scattering grid. Due to their resonant behaviour, only a few characteristic modes are required for an accurate representation of the current distribution even in presence of mutual coupling. Characteristic modes has been numerically evaluated for cylindrical scattered of different shapes and successfully applied to the computation of current density and scattered far field. Several numerical results are presented and computational advantages of. this approach over classical MoM are discussed.

Abstract: Endothelia from the brains of four patients undergoing neurosurgery, including one multiple sclerosis (MS) patient, were studied in vitro to determine cytokine and chemokine production; the release of soluble adhesion molecules was also investigated. The same procedure was repeated on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in order to detect possible district-specific differences. After isolation, the endothelium was cultured and stimulated with γ-interferon (IFN), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and LPS. The results showed that brain endothelium, in our experimental conditions, does not produce interleukin (IL)-10 and produces lower amounts of IL-1β and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) than HUVECs do; no differences were detected in soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) production. MCP-1 mRNA was detected both without and after stimulation with TNF-α and γ-IFN in HUVECs and MS human brain endothelial cells (HBECs), while in non-MS-HBECs it was found only after γ-IFN stimulation.

Serum levels of pregnancy zone protein were measured in children with growth hormone deficiency and in girls with Turner syndrome, before and during treatment with recombinant human growth hormone and in healthy controls. The pregnancy zone protein serum levels in growth hormone deficiency patients before treatment were significantly higher than in controls (median value 2420 μg/l vs 434 μg/l; p≤0.001). In Turner syndrome patients they were within the normal range. The administration of rhGH to both growth hormone deficiency and Turner syndrome patients resulted in a significant decrease in the serum pregnancy zone protein levels by approximately 50%. The addition of 50 ng·kg−1·d −1ethinylestradiol to the growth hormone treatment in Turner syndrome patients led to an increase in pregnancy zone protein concentrations in four out of five patients. Elevated pregnancy zone protein levels were also found in two children with growth hormone resistance (Laron type dwarfism). In one patient with placental growth hormone deficiency, pregnancy zone protein serum levels during pregnancy were within the normal range. These results suggest that the serum pregnancy zone protein levels are down-regulated by growth hormone.

The alleged possibility that testosterone propionate (TP) has a protective effect on hemopoietic cells submitted to the damaging effect of antitumoral drugs was studied. The bone marrow content and the proliferating fraction of CFUswere determined following a single dose of 450 mg/kg of TP. At selected times after TP injection (2 and 4 days), TP-treated mice received a single dose of azathioprine, hydroxyurea, vinblastine, cyclophosphamide, BCNU and doxorubicin. The bone marrow CFUswere determined 24 h after drug administration. The CFUs-surviving fraction in all cases appeared similar to or lower than that found in controls not treated with TP. It seems therefore that in this experimental setting TP does not reduce the toxic effect of anticancer drugs on hemopoietic pluripotent stem cells. However, this finding does not exclude a possible protective effect of TP at different levels of hemopoiesis or when the steroid is administered with a different schedule.

Growth before and during treatment with biosynthetic human growth hormone (hGH) was studied in 13 patients with Turner syndrome (TS) and a growth hormone (GH) response of less than 10 μg/l to two standard provocative tests. During 1 year of treatment with hGH (0.15 IU/kg per day) height velocity (mean±SD) increased significantly (P<0.001) from 3.7±1.8 cm/year to 7.6±1.5 cm/year. The auxological data in these girls before and during treatment with hGH were similar to those observed in TS patients with a normal response of GH to pharmacological stimuli. It is concluded that in girls with Turner syndrome GH testing should only be performed when height velocity is below the Turner norm. In TS patients with residual growth potential a clinically significant growth acceleration can be obtained with a higher-than-replacement dose of hGH, i.e. 0.15 IU/kg per day, regardless of GH testing.

Growth from birth to the age of 19 years was studied in a patient with the neonatal form of Bartter syndrome. The initial modes of therapy (extra fluid, potassium supplements and triamterene) resulted in satisfactory but not optimal growth. Treatment with spironolactone together with potassium led to impressive catch-up growth. When the patient reached the age of 9 years, indomethacin therapy was started, which resulted in a second growth acceleration and was also accompanied by a significant reduction of both polyuria and hypercalciuria. Puberty developed normally, menarche occurred at 12 years 4 months and a normal adult height of 162 cm was reached at the age of 14 years. Treatment with prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors seems to be the best therapy for children with the neonatal form of Bartter syndrome.

An electron cooling device for cooling proton (or antiproton) beams at intermediate energies is in preparation. An inhomogeneous waveguide supporting a slow wave is proposed as pickup (PU) to measure the transverse electron cooling temperature. A synchronous pickup is essentially a structure in which the phase velocity of the propagating wave coincides with the beam velocity. The design of the pickup and the sensitivity and laboratory results are presented. A design procedure for finding the PU dimensions is indicated, and an example of such a design is reported. The validity of the principle of the slow-wave PU has been demonstrated theoretically as well as experimentally. A reasonable agreement between measurements on the PU device and the theory developed here has been obtained.<>

Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is associated with truncal obesity. We aimed at identifying factors that determine the body mass index (BMI) of untreated GHD children and the changes in BMI during 2 years of GH therapy in 348 Dutch GHD children registered in the National GH Registration Database. BMI was expressed as a standard deviation score (SDS). Before GH therapy, the mean (95% CI) BMI-SDS in all GHD children (0.09 (–0.05 to 0.24) SDS) was comparable to normal children. Patients with GHD due to a cranial tumour have a higher BMI (1.03 (0.69–1.36) SDS; p < 0.0001) as well as those with multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies (0.35 (0.14–0.57) SDS; p = 0.005) and patients who are in puberty at start of GH therapy (0.60 (0.13–1.08) SDS; p = 0.036). During GH therapy BMI initially decreased to reach a nadir of –0.28 (–0.35 to –0.21) SDS at 6 months. Thereafter BMI progressively increased to –0.09 (–0.18 to –0.04) SDS after 24 months. A higher initial BMI-SDS resulted in a larger decrease in BMI-SDS. We showed that this can be sufficiently explained by a regression to the mean effect.

In an experimental setting, 4'-deoxydoxorubicin (4'-deoxy-DX) shows minimal cardiotoxicity as well as the marked antitumoral activity shown by doxorubicin, its parent compound. In this experimental study, the haematologic toxicity of the new anthracycline was investigated by haematopoietic precursor cell (HPC) assays using in vivo (colony-forming units - spleen, CFUs) and in vitro (CFUc-culture) methods with (C57B1 X C3H)F1 mice. Dose-survival curves and time response of HPC in situ following 4'-deoxy-DX administration were determined. In the time-related experiments, the effects of a single dose, an intermittent treatment (Days 0, 2, and 5) and a prolonged biweekly administration were studied. All dose-survival curves were exponential, with statistically significant differences between the effects on the various cell classes. CFUc appeared more sensitive than CFUs. In time-related experiments, 4'-deoxy-DX toxicity for HPC seemed to be relatively mild. However, CFUc sensitivity was again high in comparison with other populations assayed. In long-term administration, the 4-deoxy-DX effects on the haematopoietic system were also rather slight.

Serum levels of insulin-like growth factor I are reduced in patients with Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus. To evaluate the role of the hepatic growth hormone receptor in the decreased serum concentrations of insulin-like growth factor I, serum levels of the high affinity growth hormone-binding protein, which is qualitatively and quantitatively related to the hepatic growth hormone receptor, and of insulin-like growth factor I were measured in 70 children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes and 105 healthy control children. Analysis of variance revealed a significant negative effect of Type 1 diabetes on serum levels of the growth hormone-binding protein and of insulin-like growth factor I. In the diabetic patients, serum levels of the growth hormone-binding protein were positively related to body mass index and to insulin dose per kg body weight, and were not influenced by pubertal stage, gender, or plasma levels of haemoglobin A1c. Serum levels of insulin-like growth factor I increased during early puberty reaching peak levels at midpuberty and decreasing thereafter. No relationship was found between serum levels of growth hormone-binding protein and of insulin-like growth factor I. Our data suggest that decreased liver somatogenic receptor levels, as reflected by the concentrations of circulating growth hormone-binding protein, play a minor role in the suppressed concentrations of circulating insulin-like growth factor I. Post-growth hormone receptor defects or changes in the insulin-like growth factor binding proteins probably contribute more to the lower serum levels of insulin-like growth factor I.

Serum levels of immunoreactive inhibin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) were determined in 112 fetal cord blood samples obtained at birth between 26 and 40 weeks of gestation. High levels of inhibin immunoreactivity were detected in all samples. Between the gestational age of 26 and 28 weeks, the levels (mean ± SE) were higher (p < 0.05) in male (21.6 ± 1.0 U/ml; n = 12) than in female (12.8 ± 0.2 U/ml; n = 12) fetuses. With ongoing gestation, the serum inhibin immunoreactivity decreased and was found to be similar in male (12.1 ± 0.3 U/ml; n = 13) and female (9.1 ± 0.7 U/ml; n = 8) fetuses at term. Serum FSH and LH levels were elevated at the beginning of the 3rd trimester of pregnancy and decreased with ongoing gestation to undetectable values at term birth. Between 26 and 32 weeks of gestation, the FSH levels were higher in females (p < 0.02), whereas the LH levels were higher in males (p < 0.01). These observations suggest that in the human fetus the pituitary-gonadal axis is active and presents sexual dimorphism; both characteristics are pronounced early during the 3rd trimester of gestation and decrease towards term.

Serum interleukin 10 (IL10) levels were assessed in patients with multiple sclerosis who were either in a stable or active clinical condition. The levels were compared with values in healthy controls. Lower IL10 levels than in controls were seen in multiple sclerosis patients, regardless of clinical disease activity. Low IL10 levels were also seen in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. No clear-cut relationships emerged between IL10 levels and those of tumour necrosis factor alpha and transforming growth factor beta, or between IL10 and lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood.

An integrated probe performing phaseless near-field measurements on a polar surface is presented. The unknown near-field phase is computed by an interferometric technique used in conjunction with the minimisation of a suitable functional. A microstrip patch antenna for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) applications is considered to validate the method.

Three patients with congenital toxoplasmosis and hypothalamo-pituitary dysfunction are reported. All three children were growth hormone (GH) deficient, two were gonadotropin deficient and one had precocious puberty in addition to central diabetes insipidus (DI). It is suggested that congenital toxoplasmosis might result in a neuro-endocrine disturbance and thus be an organic cause of hypopituitarism. Pituitary function and growth should be monitored in children with congenital toxoplasmosis.

The generalised eigenproblem Ax¯ = λBx¯ is very often encountered in computational electromagnetics. Its solution is easily obtained when the matrices A and B are Hermitian and B is positive definite. However, the errors introduced by the discretisation process can deteriorate the properties of the matrices A and B in such a way that common techniques can no longer be used. The Higham-Cheng algorithm is proposed as a method to solve the generalised eigenproblem in these last cases. A brief account of the method is given and the algorithm is applied to two classical electromagnetic problems.

In the mothers of two girls with Turner syndrome due to a deletion of the short arm of an X chromosome, the same chromosomal anomaly was detected. Both mothers and daughters had short stature but normal pubertal development. Short parents and normal pubertal development do not exclude Turner syndrome in a girl with small stature.

No abstract.

A boy was admitted at the age of 5 months with convulsions, irritability, dullness and hypotonia. Developmental age was about 2 months. He also showed hyperventilation from birth on. His parents were unrelated. Gestational age was 37 wks and birthweight 2.5kg. There was no peripartal asphyxia. Antiepileptic therapy could not completely control the convulsions. Plasma alanine and blood pyruvate and lactate levels were normal, also after glucose loading, but CSF alanine (48 μmol/L;nl<30), pyruvate (0.9mmol/L;nl< 0,15) and lactate (10mmol/L; nl< 1.5) were markedly increased. Amino acid and organic acid analysis was otherwise normal. Protidorhachia, funduscopy, EMG, nerve conduction velocity, EEG, brain evoked responses and CAT-scan of the brain were normal. Peroral thiamine (3×100mg/day) caused a striking clinical improvement and complete biochemical normalisation within a few days. Antiepileptic therapy could be discontinued. Thiamine therapy was stopped after two months. Symptomatology has not returned now six months after discontinuation and psychomotor development is satisfactory. Conclusion : this patient suffered from a defect of pyruvate oxidation (probably pyruvate dehydrogenase) limited to brain. Temporary thiamine therapy apparently cured this defect that is tentatively attributed to "immaturity". The finding of normal CSF thiamine levels before therapy excludes thiamine deficiency.