Circulating levels of placental protein 12 and chorionic gonadotrophin following RU 38486 and Gemeprost for termination of first trimester pregnancy

First trimester termination of pregnancy was successfully inducedin ten patients with RU 38486 followed 2 days later by a prostaglandin(Gemeprost) pessary. Human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) valuesremained unaltered until after the abortion. The levels of placentalprotein 12 (PP12) showed an immediate and significant fall followingRU 38486, then rose to values substantially higher than thoseat the initial visit after 2 days. These findings show thatRU 38486 has a direct inhibitory effect on tissues producingPP12 and confirm the progesterone dependency of this protein     

Probable mechanisms involved in the antipsychotic-like activity of methyl jasmonate in mice

Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology - Psychosis is a chronic neuropsychiatric disorder that affects millions of individuals worldwide and impairs the quality of life and productivity...     

Efficacy of the FIFA 11+ Warm-Up Programme in Male Youth Football: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial

The FIFA 11+ is a structured warm-up programme specially designed to prevent injuries among football players from age 14 years and above. However, studies to prove its efficacy are generally few and it is yet to be tested in male youth footballers and among African players. The purpose of the study was to examine the efficacy of the FIFA 11+ programme in reducing the risk of injuries among male youth football players of the Lagos Junior League. A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted. All the 20 teams (414 players aged 14 -19 years) in the Premier League division were block-randomised into either an intervention (INT) or a control (CON) group. The INT group performed the FIFA 11+ exercises as warm-up during training sessions and the CON group performed usual warm-up. Participating teams were prospectively followed through an entire league season of 6 months in which they were visited every week to assess injured players for time-loss injuries in both groups. The primary outcomes were any injury to the players, injuries by type of exposure and injuries specific to the lower extremities. The secondary outcomes were injuries reported by body location, aetiology, mechanism and severity. In total, 130 injuries were recorded affecting 104 (25%) of the 416 players. Team and player compliance with the INT was 60% and 74% respectively. Based on the primary outcome measures of the study, the FIFA 11+ programme significantly reduced the overall rate of injury in the INT group by 41% [RR = 0.59 (95% CI: 0.40 – 0.86; p = 0.006)] and all lower extremity injuries by 48% [RR = 0.52 (95% CI: 0.34 – 0.82; p = 0.004)]. However, the rate of injury reduction based on secondary outcomes mostly did not reach the level of statistical significance. The FIFA 11+ programme is effective in reducing the rates of injuries in male youth football players.

Key points

• The FIFA 11+ has only been tested in randomised controlled trials conducted on female youth football players; this study reports its efficacy in male youth football for the first time
• The FIFA 11+ programme significantly reduced the overall rate of injuries and lower extremity injuries in male youth football players
• Youth football administrators in Africa and other parts of the world should pursue the implementation of the FIFA 11+ in order to minimize the incidence of injuries among players

Key words: Injury prevention, neuromuscular training, FIFA, sports     

Circulating levels of placental protein 14 and progesterone following Mifepristone (RU38486) and Gemeprost for termination of first trimester pregnancy

Ten patients underwent successful termination of first trimester pregnancies with RU38486 (Mifepristone, Roussel Laboratories Ltd., Broadwater Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, United Kingdom) followed 2 days later by a prostaglandin (Gemeprost, May and Baker Ltd., Dagenham, Essex, United Kingdom) pessary. Four hours after administration of RU38486, the levels of progesterone (P) started to fall and continued to show a gradual decline until the abortion was completed, when a steep fall to follicular phase values was observed. Levels of placental protein 14 remained unaltered until 2 days after RU38486 administration, when levels were increased. The rise in placental protein 14 in association with falling P concentrations suggests that the decidual secretion of placental protein 14 might be independent of P. Fertil Steril 52:66, 1989.     

Acute necrotizing esophagitis: a case report

Acute necrotizing esophagitis is rare. The exact etiology is unknown in most cases. The esophagus appears black, necrotic and ulcerated on the upper endoscopy, thus the term "black esophagus" is used. Histologically, there is necrosis of the esophageal mucosa and submucosa. Here, we present a patient with cholangiocarcinoma who had upper gastrointestinal bleeding and was found to have acute necrotizing esophagitis on the upper endoscopy.     

Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory property of the extract of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Combretum micranthum</Emphasis> G. Don (Combretaceae)

A methanol extract of Combretum micranthum leaves was studied for anti-inflammatory activity in rats and mice using the carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema and the acetic acid-induced vascular permeability in mice. The effect of the extract on cellular-type inflammation was also investigated in the cotton pellet granuloma in rats. The extract (50, 100 mg/kg) significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited oedema production induced by carrageenan in rats. Increased vascular permeability caused by acetic acid injection was also inhibited by the extract, within the same dose range. C. micranthum extract (100 mg/kg) inhibited granuloma formation in rats to a similar degree as indomethacin (5 mg/kg). These results provide evidence for the anti-inflammatory property of C. micranthum leaves.     

Left ventricular mass measured by myocardial perfusion gated SPECT. Relation to three-dimensional echocardiography

PURPOSE: The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether left ventricular mass (LVM) assessed from myocardial perfusion gated SPECT (GSPECT) data corresponds with echocardiographic estimates, and whether mass accuracy decreases as relative myocardial wall thickness increases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Myocardial perfusion tomograms were selected retrospectively for 37 patients, of whom 18 had Tl-201 and 19 had Tc-99m sestamibi GSPECT poststress data collections, which were subsequently processed using quantitative gated SPECT software (Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA). These patients also had clinically indicated echocardiograms for assessment of wall thickness and possible valvular involvement. In addition, LV internal diameter and posterior wall thickness were measured at end-diastole by two-dimensional guided M-mode echocardiography to assess relative myocardial wall thickness, and LVM was measured by three-dimensional echocardiography using an acoustic spatial locator device. RESULTS: LVM values were not significantly different between GSPECT and three-dimensional echocardiography (153 +/- 39 g versus 146 +/- 35 g, respectively; P = NS). GSPECT correlated significantly (r = 0.63, P < 0.0001) with three-dimensional echocardiography, with a mean difference of 7 +/- 32 g but a substantial root mean squared error of 31 g. Results were similar for similar mass ranges when subgrouped by isotope and by the presence of significant myocardial perfusion defects. Results were independent of relative myocardial wall thickness determined by two-dimensional echocardiography. The two methods yielded similar results in the highest mass range of 400 to 500 g. CONCLUSIONS: GSPECT and three-dimensional echo LVM correlated significantly, but given the large spread of statistical errors, these two techniques should not be considered interchangeable. Because gamma camera resolution is limited, GSPECT LVM should be viewed as an approximation.     

Anti-inflammatory properties of Bridelia ferruginea stem bark. Inhibition of lipopolysaccaride-induced septic shock and vascular permeability

The anti-inflammatory activity of the aqueous extract of Bridelia ferruginea stem bark was further evaluated in models which are mediated by tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha). The effect of the extract on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced septic shock was evaluated by measuring the number of deaths and the levels of serum alanine and aspartate aminotransferases following intraperitoneal injection of LPS (1 microg/kg) into D-galactosamine-primed mice. LPS-induced vascular permeability on the back skin of mice was measured by the local accumulation of Evan's blue after subcutaneous injection of LPS. Pre-treatment with Bridelia ferruginea extract (10-80 mg/kg) produced a dose-dependent inhibition of the septic shock syndrome in mice, with 80 mg/kg of the extract exhibiting comparable activity as pentoxifylline (100 mg/kg). LPS-induced dye leakage in the skin of mice was also suppressed by the extract (10-80 mg/kg). Our study suggests that one of the mechanisms of the anti-inflammatory effects of Bridelia ferruginea possibly involve the suppression of TNFalpha up-regulation.     

Challenges of surgical repair of hypospadias in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Objective  

To document the presentation, outcome and challenges of management of hypospadias in a resource-limited setting.