variables and inline tags

Having problems with variables, applying templates and parsing
strings. Been working on it all day and can't seem to wrap my mind
around it.

Here is my simplified xml:

<definition>
  <term>recognized</term>
  <def>, under the <em>Company Act</em></def>
</definition>

What I need to do is substring the def information when it starts with
a comma, ie:

with comma
<p class="def">"recognized", under the <em>Company Act</em></p>

without comma
<p class="def">"recognized" under the <em>Company Act</em></p>

Ok, there's the background. I'm having problems because I'm using a
variable to parse out the unwanted space in the with comma example
above, then to get the variable I use a value-of statement which
promptly drops the <em> tags. Any suggestions or advive would be
appreciated.


Here's my simplified xsl:

<!-- Defintion -->
<xsl:template match="definition" mode="contentsection">
	<p class="def">
	<xsl:choose>
	<xsl:when test="substring(def, 1, 1)=','">
		<strong>"<xsl:apply-templates
select="term"/>"</strong>,&#160;<xsl:variable name="uncommadef">
			<xsl:apply-templates select="def"/>
		</xsl:variable>

                 <!-- Problem is here -->
		<xsl:value-of select="substring($uncommadef, 2)"/>
	</xsl:when>
	<xsl:otherwise>
		<strong>"<xsl:apply-templates
select="term"/>"</strong>&#160;<xsl:apply-templates select="def"/>
	</xsl:otherwise>
	</xsl:choose>
	</p>
 </xsl:template>
 <xsl:template match="term">
 	<xsl:apply-templates select="text()|strong|em|sup|sub|u|insert|br|eacute"/>
 </xsl:template>
 <xsl:template match="def">
 	<xsl:apply-templates select="text()|strong|em|sup|sub|u|insert|br|eacute"/>
 </xsl:template>
<!-- End of Definition -->