Five new Penicillium species in section Sclerotiora: a tribute to the Dutch Royal family.

Current literature accepts 17 species in Penicillium section Sclerotiora. Several produce colonies in bright yellow to orange colours and have monoverticillate conidiophores, apart from P. herquei, P. malachiteum and P. nodositatum, which are biverticillate. The focus of this paper is to refine the concepts of the species currently accepted in the section and introduce five new species, named after the Dutch Royal family as P. vanoranjei, P. maximae, P. amaliae, P. alexiae and P. arianeae. Penicillium vanoranjei produces orange (Dutch = oranje) colonies in culture, and is named after Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand, 'Zijne Koninklijke Hoogheid de Prins van Oranje' (translated from Dutch as: 'His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange') and his family, to coincide with his coronation. We review the current taxonomic positions of P. lilacinoechinulatum and P. nodositatum, both currently considered to be synonyms of P. bilaiae. Sequence data generated in this study show that both species are phylogenetically distinct. Penicillium lilacinoechinulatum is closely related to P. amaliae sp. nov., whereas P. nodositatum does not belong to Penicillium sensu stricto. All species were compared morphologically and phylogenetically, based on ß-tubulin and calmodulin DNA data. A table summarising the morphological characters of all species is included, together with photomicrographs and recommended DNA markers for identification.

A biometric study on the relationships between the deep palmar arch and the superficial palmar arch, the distal wrist and palmar creases.

The topographical localisation of the palmar arches is important in hand surgery. The aim of this study was to contribute with biometric data on their positions and to correlate this with the size od the palm. We studied 60 hands of 30 adult fixed cadavers, of Brazilian origin, from both sexes and between the ages of 21 and 70 years. The arteries of 54 hands were injected with latex Neoprene. Before dissection the distance between distal wrist crease (DWC) and the proximal palmar digital crease of the middle finger (PDMC) was measured. Also, we recorded the distance between the DWC and the proximal and distal palmar creases (PPC, DPC). After dissecting the superficial palmar region, the distance between the superficial palmar arch (SPA) and the DWC was recorder. We then dissected the deep palmar arch (DPA). The average distance between the DPA and DWC was always measured in the midline of the palm. The average distance DWC-DPA was 33.7 +/- 2.6 mm in the female and 36 +/- 4.0 mm in the male. The difference was statistically significant. The average distance between DPA and the PPC was 24.2 +/- 3.0 mm in the female and 27.1 +/- 4.1 mm in the male; this difference was significant. In 83% of cases the DPA was proximal to the SPA and in 14.9% was distal to it. The linear regression test for the relation between DWC-PDMC and DWC-DPA was significant in the male and this fact allowed us to obtain the linear equation to predict the distance DWC-DPA. Other parameters were also considered. The results may be useful as a reference to radiologists as well as to surgeons.

Anti-tubercular treatment in patients with hepatitis.

Sixty seven patients with coexistent tuberculosis and hepatitis were given a 3 drug regimen of streptomycin (SM), isonicotinic acid hydrazide (INH) and ethambutol (ETB) and observed for a period of 15 days. Total bilirubin as well as SGPT were repeated weekly and these showed a significant drop in a majority of patients when observed over this period. No patient developed any signs of fulminant hepatic failure. We conclude that a regimen of SM, INH and ETB can be given to patients who suffer from combined pathologies of pulmonary tuberculosis and active hepatitis without incurring the danger of increasing hepatocellular dysfunction/damage.

Fibrochondrogenesis: lethal, autosomal recessive chondrodysplasia with distinctive cartilage histopathology.

Fibrochondrogenesis is a rare, neonatally lethal rhizomelic chondrodysplasia distinguished from other forms of lethal dwarfism by broad long-bone metaphyses, pear-shaped vertebral bodies, and by microscopic changes of cartilage with unique interwoven fibrous septa and fibroblastic dysplasia of chondrocytes. We report the second and third well-documented cases of this apparently autosomal recessive disorder and discuss the differential diagnosis.