Currently, definite peripheral markers for the in vivo diagnosis of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) are not available. Here, we report the presence of pathological prion protein in the olfactory mucosa of a case with sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Prion protein immunoreactivity was detected in an olfactory biopsy performed 45 days after the disease onset, suggesting that the involvement of olfactory epithelium is an early event in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

The aim of the study was to determine the levels of interleukin (IL)-10, IL-2, IL-4, and interferon-gamma in the saliva of patients with Sjögren's syndrome and to correlate them with laboratory and clinical parameters of disease activity. The levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and interferon-gamma were measured in salivary samples, obtained directly from the Stenone duct of 14 Sjögren's syndrome patients and 26 healthy controls by ELISA. A significant elevation of IL-10 was found in salivary fluids of Sjögren's syndrome patients compared with healthy controls (P=0.007). Elevated interferon-gamma levels were found in some patients. IL-2 and IL-4 were undetectable in all saliva samples. In patients, IL-10 levels significantly correlated with the degree of xerophthalmia and xerostomia (P=0.02 and P=0.01, respectively) and with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P=0.006). Our data suggest that elevated IL-10 levels are detectable in the saliva of Sjögren's syndrome patients and correlate with the severity of the disease.

Between May 1987 and November 1988, 505 early amniocentesis within the 15th week of gestation were performed at the First Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 'L. Mangiagalli' of the University of Milan and at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of 'Gaslini' hospital in Genoa. A total number of ten abnormal fetal karyotypes were diagnosed. In addition, one case of pseudomosaicism (not confirmed on fetal blood) and one case of osteogenesis imperfecta type II (observed at ultrasound examination) were also detected. Eleven pregnancies were therefore terminated because of an abnormal fetus. Out of 494 pregnancies (excluding terminated pregnancies) there were 16 fetal losses within the 28th week; ten of these occurred in the 2 weeks following the procedure. There were 475 live-births, of which 447 were term deliveries and the other 28 deliveries occurred before the 37th week of gestation.

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