Intrathecal vincristine: a fatal chemotherapeutic error with devastating central nervous system effects

Summary The devastating neuropathological changes wrought by the intrathecal administration of vincristine are reported, with a detailed account of the widespread lesions in the brain and spinal cord, found in post-mortem light- and electron-microscope studies.     

Identification and characterization of clinical isolates of members of the Staphylococcus sciuri group

A total of 28 staphylococcal isolates from human clinical specimens belonging to the Staphylococcus sciuri group were identified and characterized. The API Staph and ID32 STAPH correctly identified S. sciuri and S. lentus but not S. vitulinus strains. Identification to the subspecies level was possible only by a PCR-based method.     

Isolation of members of the Staphylococcus sciuri group from urine and their relationship to urinary tract infections

During a 3-year study period, 32,741 urine samples were analyzed for the presence of members of the Staphylococcus sciuri group (S. sciuri, S. lentus, and S. vitulinus), and 13 isolates were identified. They presented 0.79% of the total number of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated. One case of symptomatic urinary tract infection and five possible cases of asymptomatic bacteriuria caused by these bacteria were established. It is noteworthy, however, that over 50% of the isolates originated from hospitalized patients.     

Increased levels of intercellular adhesion molecules and vascular cell adhesion molecules in pre-eclampsia

Objective To investigate the correlation between soluble forms of the intercellular adhesion molecule (SICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM-1) and the severity of pre-eclampsia or its possible consequences for fetal growth.
Design Prospective observational study.
Setting Institute of Medical Genetics, University of Oslo, Department of Medical Genetics and Haematological Research Laboratory, Ullevål University Hospital; and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The National Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Participants Seventy-six women with normotensive pregnancies and 157 women with pre-eclampsia divided into three subgroups: mild, severe and pre-eclampsia with fetal growth retardation.
Methods ELISA-measurements of plasma SICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 were performed in a group of healthy pregnant normotensive women and three groups of women with varying degrees of pre-eclampsia.
Results SICAM-1 concentrations were higher in the pre-eclampsia group compared with the control group, but this difference was not statistically significant. Plasma concentrations of sVCAM-1 were significantly greater ( P < 0.0001) in all pre-eclampsia subgroups (835.34, 855.25 and 964.05 ng/mL) compared with the control group (667.62 ng/mL). Within the pre-eclampsia group, plasma concentration of sVCAM-1 was significantly higher in the subgroup exhibiting fetal growth retardation ( P = 0.03) compared with mild pre-eclampsia.
Conclusion The observed increases in plasma concentrations of sVCAM-1 suggest that measurements of this adhesion molecule may be useful in monitoring pregnancies with respect to the development of pre-eclampsia or fetal growth retardation.     

A systematic review investigating psychosocial aspects of egg sharing in the United Kingdom and their potential effects on egg donation numbers

This review aims to provide an up-to-date knowledge of the psychosocial aspects of egg donation from the perspectives of the egg share donor and their recipient. It explores the motives, experiences and attitudes of egg sharers and their views towards donor anonymity and disclosure. Conclusions are made on how these findings can guide clinical practice and improve egg sharing numbers. A systematic search of peer-reviewed journals of four computerized databases was undertaken. Eleven studies were included in the review. Psychosocial aspects towards donation were positive from the egg share donor and recipient. Concerns raised were whether participating in the egg sharing scheme would impact on their success rates, as well as frustration expressed by a minority regarding the lack of knowledge of egg sharing outside of fertility clinics. The 2005 legislative changes in the UK have not caused the anticipated dramatic decrease in egg donation; however, oocyte donation still falls short of demand. Egg sharing provides a practical option for more patients to access IVF, whilst also providing more donor oocytes. Improved information provision will result in greater awareness of egg sharing, with the potential to recruit more donors and meet the needs of recipients currently on long waiting lists.     

Plasma N-terminal Pro-atrial Natriuretic Peptide Predicts Death after Premature Myocardial Infarction,but not as well as Radionuclide Ejection Fraction. A Ten-year Follow-up Study

Objective –To assess N-terminal pro-atrial peptide (N-ANP) as a predictor of total and cardiac death in patients with previous premature myocardial infarction (MI). Design –In this prospective cohort study, we measured plasma N-ANP by ELIZA assays and ejection fraction (EF) by radionuclide ventriculography in a cohort of 247 patients (193 men and 54 women) who had had MI at a relatively young age (males: first MI at age &#104 55; females &#104 60). Results –After 10 years 44 patients had died, 36 from cardiac causes. After using a stepwise procedure to adjust for other prognostic factors (i.e. plasma total homocysteine (tHcy), C-reactive protein and age), the relative risk (RR) was 2.00 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-3.80) ( p = 0.03) for death of all causes and 2.32 (95% CI 1.19-4.55) ( p = 0.01) for cardiac death when the top quartile was compared to the three lower quartiles of N-ANP. When radionuclide EF entered the Cox model, N-ANP became insignificant as a predictor of mortality. Conclusion –N-ANP was a significant predictor of total death and cardiac death in young survivors of MI, but radionuclide EF was a more independent prognostic variable.     

Stomatin‐like protein 2 overexpression in papillary thyroid carcinoma is significantly associated with high‐risk clinicopathological parameters and BRAFV600E mutation

Stomatin‐like protein 2 (SLP‐2), a member of the stomatin protein family, has emerged as a potential molecular hallmark of tumor progression in several human malignancies. The aim of this study was to analyze SLP‐2 expression pattern in benign and malignant thyroid tumors (n = 210) and to examine its relationship with clinicopathological parameters and BRAFV600E mutation in thyroid cancer. SLP‐2 immunohistochemical expression was not detected in benign adenomas and was absent/weak in follicular and anaplastic carcinomas. High expression levels of SLP‐2, found only in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), particularly in the classical variant, were significantly associated with adverse clinicopathological parameters: lymph node metastasis (p = 0.002), extrathyroid invasion (p < 0.001), pT status (p < 0.001), and advanced tumor stage (p = 0.001). Additional genotyping of PTC cases for the BRAFV600E mutation revealed for the first time a close relation between SLP‐2 overexpression and the presence of BRAF mutation (p = 0.02) with high positive rates of lymph node metastasis (70%) and extrathyroid invasion (80%) in these cases. The significant association of SLP‐2 overexpression with unfavorable clinicopathological characteristics and BRAFV600E mutation indicates that SLP‐2 may have a role in aggressiveness of BRAF‐mutated PTC and that SLP‐2 evaluation could be clinically useful in identification of high‐risk PTC patients.     

Lack of association between low HDL-cholesterol and elevated circulating cellular adhesion molecules in normolipidemic CAD patients and healthy subjects

High plasma HDL-cholesterol (HDL-c) is a well-established protective factor in coronary artery disease (CAD). One of its potential protective mechanisms is the inhibition of the cytokine-induced upregulation of expression of cellular adhesion molecules (CAMs). High sCAM levels were found to be associated with low HDL-c in some studies performed mostly in hyperlipidemic subjects, but this association has not yet been investigated in CAD patients. In addition, conflicting results were obtained from in vitro studies that explored the proposed HDL effect on cytokine-induced CAM expression. The aim of the present case-control study was to investigate whether low HDL-c values are associated with CAM overexpression in normolipidemic CAD patients and healthy individuals, matched according to age and gender. Plasma HDL-c, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, and sE-selectin were measured in 37 normolipidemic patients with angiographically verified coronary artery disease and in 52 healthy normolipidemic subjects. The sCAM values obtained in the subjects (patients or controls) with low HDL-c levels (< 1.03 mmol/L) were compared with the values in the subjects with high HDL-c (>or= 1.03 mmol/L). No significant difference was found between sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, and E-selectin values obtained in subjects with low and high HDL-c, either among the patients or the healthy controls. In conclusion, low HDL-c levels are not associated with CAM overexpression in normolipidemic CAD patients and healthy subjects.