[Degree of parietal penetration of gastric cancer in relation to medium- and long-term survival]

The Authors analysed their experience about gastric carcinoma, with particular reference to short, middle and long time survival in relation to the degree of parietal penetration. In the patients without remote metastases, the survival till 5 years depends mainly on this factor, whereas the lymphonodal spreading plays a secundary rôle, especially in the cases where the tumour deeply infiltrated the gastric wall. Lymphoadenectomy, therefore, seems essential in cases of neoplasm with low degree of parietal penetration, whereas in those with high degree it does not seem determinant on the remote results.

[Validity of distal subtotal gastroresection in the treatment of tumors of the lower 1/3 of the stomach]

The Authors analysed the results of a casuistry of 75 patients subjected to radical subtotal gastroresection for carcinoma of the distal third of stomach, with the purpose to verify the validity of such operation, as compared to the total gastrectomy on principle. The postoperative mortality reached 8% and morbidity 8.7%. The survival after 5 years reached 42%. 85% of the patients, at checkings, resulted in good or excellent conditions (Visik 1-2). On the basis of these data, the Authors conclude the distal subtotal gastric resection should be considered the choice treatment for tumours of the lower third of stomach.

[Two new cases of triploidy in premature liveborn infants (author's transl)]

Two liveborn triploid infants are described. The phenotype agrees, in the first case, with that reported in the other observations of the literature. In the second case, hydranencephaly was associated with ambiguous genitalia. Cytogenetic studies, made on cultivated leucocytes, showed triploid number of morphologically normal chromosomes; and constitution 69, XXY in the first case. Mosaicism were found in the second child, with constitution 46XY/69XXY. It is remarked the usefulness of an early diagnosis in order to the genetic counseling.

Behaviour of intestinal lactase after irradiation

The behaviour of intestinal lactase has been studied in rats after irradiation. The significant increase of activity is not immediate, but slowly and progressively starting from 4 hrs after irradiation. The modifications of the activity are slow and gradual also during the reduction phase. This disaccharase does not show a return to normal values even after three weeks. We suggest that hypothesis that the increase could be due to a modification of the normal synthesis of enzymes caused by irradiation.