Tall stature

The term tall stature simply means that the child’s height is above the 97th percentile (corresponding to a standard deviation score (SDS) of +1.88). It says nothing about the underlying cause and is not itself a growth abnormality; indeed, most children with tall stature are normal. Although as many children have heights greater than 2 SD above the mean as have heights greater than 2 SD below the mean, tall stature in childhood usually generates less anxiety than shortness and, therefore, referral for tall stature is less common than it is for short stature.

The DNA form of a retroviroid-like element characterized in cultivated carnation species

Carnation small viroid-like RNA (CarSV RNA) is a small (275 nt), circular molecule which is unique among plant viroid-like RNAs in having a tandemly repeated homologous DNA. This DNA form was found fused to DNA sequences of carnation etched ring caulimovirus (CERV) in certain Spanish carnation plants. The observation of a growth abnormality consisting of extensive shoot proliferation in cultivated carnations in Hungary prompted the molecular analysis of these plants, in which both CarSV RNA and DNA forms were detected. Several CarSV DNA sequences were characterized in various Dianthus caryophyllus cultivars which were symptomless or showed different symptoms. CarSV DNA forms showing minor sequence heterogeneities and deletions occurred in the same plant. Unit-length CarSV DNA sequences were proven to accumulate in the plant cell nucleus. The plants studied here were not infected by any of the viruses (including CERV) or other cellular pathogens described previously in carnation.

Preferential hematopoiesis by paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria clone engrafted in SCID mice

In paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), little is known about the molecular events leading to the clinical manifestations except for the hemolysis. To unfold the complex pathophysiology, it is necessary to elucidate the nature of the PNH clone. PNH exhibits an acquired stem cell disorder, a clonal expansion of affected cells, concomitant depression of normal hematopoiesis in bone marrow (BM), and, although infrequently, the development of leukemia. The PNH clone is thus expected to exhibit some neoplastic features. We report here that CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells of PNH-BM yielded blood cells of three lineages with PNH phenotype alone when transplanted into sublethally irradiated severe combined immunedeficient mice. The hematopoiesis persisted for more than 10 months and did not always need human cytokines. In contrast, the hematopoiesis by control grafts obtained from healthy volunteers required an intense cytokine treatment. This in vivo model defines the preferential hematopoiesis of pluripotent PNH progenitor cells, indicating the intrinsic growth abnormality of PNH clone.

Developmental Disorders Limiting Productivity in Poultry

The success of the poultry industry since the end of the Second World War has been based very considerably upon the introduction of increasingly productive strains of birds. This has been achieved by intensive selection for productive characteristics such as growth rate, meat yield and egg productivity. However this emphasis on production attributes seems to have resulted in birds that have pronounced weaknesses in other characteristics that become manifest in a range of metabolic disorders. The severity and impact of these disorders is such that there needs to be a re-evaluation of the basis for continued genetic development of poultry stock.The main metabolic disorders affecting modern poultry are those involving skeletal and cardiac systems. There are three main types of skeletal disorder: bone growth abnormality in meat poultry, bone fragility in laying hens and cartilage disorders in heavy breeding birds. The main cardiac disorders are ascites and sudden death syndrome.

Clinodactyly of the Little Finger: A Simple Operative Technique for Reversal of the Growth Abnormality

The traditional approach to clinodactyly has been either to accept the deformity or to perform an osteotomy. As an alternative to osteotomy, a resection of the mid-zone of the continuous epiphysis along with the underlying physis and its replacement by a fat graft (physiolysis) is simpler and allows further growth hi the phalanx. Twelve of these operations have been reviewed with a maximum follow-up of six years. Excellent functional and cosmetic results have been obtained. The renewed growth is manifest not only by an increase in length, but also by a decrease in the angular deformity and improvement of the articular surfaces. Osteotomy at maturity has only been necessary in one patient.