Does Gestrinone Antagonize the Effects of Estrogen on Endometrial Implants Upon the Peritoneum of Rats?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of estrogen treatment in combination with gestrinone on an experimental rat model of endometriosis. METHODS: Uterine transplants were attached to the peritoneum of female Wistar rats via a surgical autotransplantation technique. The implanted area was measured during the proestrus phase and after hormonal treatment. We performed morphometric analysis and examined the macroscopic and morphometric alterations of endometrial implants after hormonal treatment in ovariectomized rats. RESULTS: The high dose of estrogen caused macroscopic increases in the endometrial implant group compared with other groups, which were similar to increases in the proestrus phase. The low dose showed morphometric development of implants, such as an increase in number of endometrial glands, leukocyte infiltration and mitosis. Gestrinone antagonized both doses of estrogen. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that gestrinone antagonizes estrogen's effects on rat peritoneal endometrial implants.     

Unbiased Species-Level Identification of Clinical Isolates of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci: Does It Change the Perspective on Staphylococcus lugdunensis?

Unbiased species-level identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) identified Staphylococcus lugdunensis to be a more commonly isolated CoNS in our laboratory than previously observed. It has also highlighted the possibility of vertical transmission.     

Does pay-for-performance influence the quality of care?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize studies of pay-for-performance programmes designed to address clinical quality of care markers in ambulatory settings at the level of the physician group or individual physician. RECENT FINDINGS: Seven randomized controlled trials and 15 nonrandomized studies were reviewed. Less than half of the randomized controlled trials showed positive results, whereas all but one of the nonrandomized studies showed positive or mixed results. Characteristics of the quality measures, incentives, providers, patients, and concurrent interventions probably influenced the results. Study methodology problems such as small sample sizes, selection bias, and inadequate control for confounders were common. Asthma quality of care markers were included in three nonrandomized studies, two of which showed positive results and one of which was negative. SUMMARY: The data reviewed in this article suggest that pay-for-performance programmes can improve markers of quality, though not always. Even when studies suggest positive effects, the designs often do not permit assurance that the effects are due to the incentives as compared with other factors. More and better-designed studies are needed to determine the actual effectiveness of incentives themselves isolated from other factors, circumstances that promote effectiveness, effectiveness relative to other strategies, and cost-effectiveness.     

Does the emergence of antibiotic resistance announce the return of the dark ages?

Antibiotic revolution changed the course of modern medicine, by decreasing mortality due to bacterial infections. However, bacteria have developed several ways of resistance against all antibiotics used. In view of the rise of resistance and of its dissemination to different bacterial families, new effective antibiotics are scare and the return in the pre-antibiotic era seems to be a reality for some parts of the world. This review revises the worrying phenomenon of antibiotic resistance focusing on some examples of "superbugs", which represent a daily challenge for the medical profession, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, extended spectrum ?-lactamae-producing Enterobacteriaceae as well as carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Facing the emergence of the multiresistant strains, the priority is obviously to control the spread of these microorganisms. It is only through the prudent use of antimicrobial drugs and the introduction of new and effective antibiotics that the antibiotic resistance will be slowed down and that we continue to treat bacterial infections.     

Can the Structures of Semicrystalline Polymers be Controlled Using Interfacial Crystallographic Interactions?

Polymer epitaxy defines the crystallographic orientation of overgrowing polymer. It controls several aspects of the structure of semicrystalline polymers, such as fixed mutual chain orientation, certain crystal structures of polymorphic polymers, and the spatial arrangement of planar backbone molecular chains. Therefore, epitaxial crystallization provides a simple and efficient way to fabricate special structures with improved properties and even introduce new functionality for polymeric materials. Besides achieving structural control of single polymer systems, technical development in the field of structural and morphological manipulation of multiphase and multicomponent polymer systems is another important and challenging issue for the advanced application of polymeric materials.     

Does proprioception contribute to the sense of verticality?

The representation of the vertical can be assessed by measuring the visual, tactile or perception of the postural vertical (PV). It is well accepted that visceral graviceptors and Golgi tendon receptors contribute to perception of the PV, whereas the role of muscular proprioception (Ia muscle spindles) remains to be clarified. The objective of this study was to analyze whether or not muscular proprioception contributes to the representation of verticality. We hypothesized that the modulation of proprioception by appropriate tendinomuscular vibration may tilt the PV. We present two experiments that explore this hypothesis. PV was firstly measured in the pitch plane in twelve healthy subjects in two conditions: baseline and vibration of both Achilles tendons during six minutes, according to a counterbalanced presentation. PV orientation (mean) and dispersion (standard deviation) were calculated on the six measurements per condition. Vibration of the Achilles tendons induced a systematic backward tilt of PV (2.7° ± 0.8° on average; P < 10⁻³), and no significant changes regarding PV dispersion. A clear post-effect was found for PV orientation in subjects who started the experiment with the condition vibration on. The possibility that PV could also be modulated by a much shorter duration of vibration (less than 8 s of vibration) was analyzed in a second experiment using a similar general procedure but a simplified experimental plane in other subjects. Again a backward PV tilt was induced by the vibration, but with a magnitude lower than that found in the first experiment, and with no post-effect. Since body geometry was unchanged, these two studies mean that proprioception contributes to the representation of the vertical. In conclusion, this study brings new insights to our understanding of the sense of verticality and contributes to the interpretation of backward falls induced by vibration. The induced backward fall is partly due to alignment of the erect posture with a backward-tilted referential of verticality.     

Does 3D ultrasound offer any advantage in the pretreatment assessment of ovarian reserve and prediction of outcome after assisted reproduction treatment?

BACKGROUND: This study compared the predictive value of the antral follicle count (AFC) measured from stored 3D data by three methods including a '2D equivalent technique' and two 3D techniques, the 'multiplanar view' and 'rendered inversion mode', as a test of ovarian reserve and treatment outcome. METHODS: One hundred consecutive subjects aged<40 years with basal FSH levels<12 IU/l underwent transvaginal ultrasound in the early follicular phase prior to their first cycle of assisted reproduction treatment. The relationship between the AFC made with each method and outcome was evaluated. RESULTS: The AFC as measured by the 'inversion mode' method (r=0.777) showed a higher, but statistically insignificant, correlation with the number of retrieved oocytes than did comparable measurements made with the '2D equivalent' (r=0.665) and '3D multiplanar' (r=0.687) techniques. Multiple regression analysis showed the AFC measured using any of the three methods was a significantly better predictor of the number of oocytes retrieved (P<0.001) than age, FSH or ovarian volume. AFC was not predictive of non-conception regardless of the measurement technique. CONCLUSIONS: For predicting ovarian respone and outcome, the AFC measured using techniques based on 3D ultrasound offers no statistically significant advantage over a measurement which is limited to information available with conventional 2D imaging.     

Does estrogen enhance the antidepressant effects of fluoxetine?

BACKGROUND: While hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has not been shown to be an effective treatment for major depression, preliminary studies suggest that estrogen may potentiate the effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. METHOD: In an ongoing study, perimenopausal women diagnosed with major depression were randomly assigned to one of three treatment conditions: (1) fluoxetine 10-20 mg alone, (2) estradiol patch 0.1-0.2 mg alone or (3) the combination of fluoxetine 10-20 mg and estradiol patch 0.1-0.2 mg. RESULTS: In the five cases presented here, the combination of fluoxetine and estradiol was most effective, followed by fluoxetine alone and then estradiol alone. LIMITATIONS: These are selected cases from an ongoing study and do not represent statistically significant data. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary cases suggest that estrogen can enhance the efficacy of antidepressant medication in menopausal women and this adjunctive treatment strategy may be superior to antidepressant or estrogen alone. Further research is needed in elucidating the mechanisms by which estrogen may enhance antidepressant action in perimenopausal women.     

Can 3D bioprinting solve the mystery of senescence in cancer therapy?

Tumor dormancy leading to cancer relapse is still a poorly understood mechanism. Several cell states such as quiescence and diapause can explain the persistence of tumor cells in a dormant state, but the potential role of tumor cell senescence has been met with hesitance given the historical understanding of the senescent growth arrest as irreversible. However, recent evidence has suggested that senescence might contribute to dormancy and relapse, although its exact role is not fully developed. This limited understanding is largely due to the paucity of reliable study models. The current 2D cell modeling is overly simplistic and lacks the appropriate representation of the interactions between tumor cells (senescent or non-senescent) and the other cell types within the tumor microenvironment (TME), as well as with the extracellular matrix (ECM). 3D cell culture models, including 3D bioprinting techniques, offer a promising approach to better recapitulate the native cancer microenvironment and would significantly improve our understanding of cancer biology and cellular response to treatment, particularly Therapy-Induced Senescence (TIS), and its contribution to tumor dormancy and cancer recurrence. Fabricating a novel 3D bioprinted model offers excellent opportunities to investigate both the role of TIS in tumor dormancy and the utility of senolytics (drugs that selectively eliminate senescent cells) in targeting dormant cancer cells and mitigating the risk for resurgence. In this review, we discuss literature on the possible contribution of TIS in tumor dormancy, provide examples on the current 3D models of senescence, and propose a novel 3D model to investigate the ultimate role of TIS in mediating overall response to therapy.     

Does 'imprinting' with low prenatal vitamin D contribute to the risk of various adult disorders?

Hypovitaminosis D is a candidate risk-modifying factor for a diverse range of disorders apart from rickets and osteoporosis. Based on epidemiology, and on in vitro and animal experiment, vitamin D has been linked to multiple sclerosis, certain cancers (prostate, breast and colorectal), insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and schizophrenia. I hypothesise that low pre- and perinatal vitamin D levels imprint on the functional characteristics of various tissues throughout the body, leaving the affected individual at increased risk of developing a range of adult-onset disorders. The hypothesis draws from recent advances in our understanding of the early origin of adult disease and proposes a 'critical window' during which vitamin D levels may have a persisting impact on adult health outcomes. Methods to test the hypothesis are outlined. If correct, the hypothesis has important implications for public health. Careful attention to maternal vitamin D status could translate into diverse improvements in health outcomes for the following generation.     

Does the state of dentition effect the type of stylohyoid chain calcification pattern?

Introduction

The human stylohyoid chain calcification patterns (SCP) present considerable anatomic variability. This study was performed to investigate the calcification on SCP in the dentate and total edentulous population and its relation to mandibular protrusive movement.

Materials and methods

The study analyzed 1.234 SCP in digital panoramic radiographs of 617 subjects. The SCP were classified according to Mac Donald-Jankowski. The amount of mandibular protrusion movement limitation was evaluated for each subject. The data were analyzed using one-way Anova, Kruskall Wallis, Mann–Whitney U, and Chi-squared tests with significance set at p = 0.05.

Results

Among the 617 subjects evaluated there was symmetry of the SCP between the left and right sides in 87.3 % of the cases. In the study population 501 subjects were dentate (Class I, Class II, Class III molar relationship) and 116 subjects were total edentulous. There were significant differences among dentate and total edentulous patients for the distribution of SCP (p < 0.05). Elongated group was more prevalent in total edentulous subjects while in subjects with Class I occlusion normal SCP was observed. Although mandibular protrusive movement range was within normal limits for all the groups, calcified and elongated groups have numerically less protrusive movement compared to normal groups (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Among dentate and total edentulous subjects, similarity in SCP for right and left side was observed. The elongation of SCP was more common in the total edentulous group. Further studies conducted on larger populations are necessary to establish the effect of the state of dentition on the SCP.

     

Does the current consent process minimize the risks of genetics research?

Completion of the human genome project is expected to lead to an increase in the number of individuals who participate in genetics research. The current informed consent process—developed prior to widespread genetics research—may not be sufficient to minimize the research risks that these individuals face. The current consent process focuses on informing individuals of the risks of research participation prior to their research enrollment. However, the risks of genetics research often are influenced by what subjects disclose to others after their research participation has ended. To assess whether the current consent process helps subjects remember the risks of future disclosures and, thereby, minimize the risks of genetics research, we interviewed 130 individuals who had previously participated in genetics research. Nineteen percent recalled that their samples would undergo genetic testing; 16% recalled that samples might be used for future research; 15% recalled that release of research records could affect their insurance status. These data suggest that current consent practices may not minimize the risks of genetics research. To address this concern, Institutional Review Boards and investigators should consider implementing supplemental mechanisms to help subjects remember when forgetting aspects of their research participation could place them at increased risk. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Does the current consent process minimize the risks of genetics research?

Completion of the human genome project is expected to lead to an increase in the number of individuals who participate in genetics research. The current informed consent process-developed prior to widespread genetics research-may not be sufficient to minimize the research risks that these individuals face. The current consent process focuses on informing individuals of the risks of research participation prior to their research enrollment. However, the risks of genetics research often are influenced by what subjects disclose to others after their research participation has ended. To assess whether the current consent process helps subjects remember the risks of future disclosures and, thereby, minimize the risks of genetics research, we interviewed 130 individuals who had previously participated in genetics research. Nineteen percent recalled that their samples would undergo genetic testing; 16% recalled that samples might be used for future research; 15% recalled that release of research records could affect their insurance status. These data suggest that current consent practices may not minimize the risks of genetics research. To address this concern, Institutional Review Boards and investigators should consider implementing supplemental mechanisms to help subjects remember when forgetting aspects of their research participation could place them at increased risk.