RAR-Related Orphan Receptor Gamma T (RoRγt)-Related Cytokines Play a Role in Neutrophil Infiltration of the Central Nervous System After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Neurocritical Care - How inflammatory cells are recruited into the central nervous system is a topic of interest in a number of neurological injuries. In aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH),...     

Cancer incidence in a rural population of South Africa, 1998–2002

Cancer incidence rates and patterns are reported for a rural population, living in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa for the period 1998–2002. The population‐based cancer registry has operated for 20 years, using both active and passive methods for case finding, through collaborations with 19 health facilities: 11 district hospitals, 7 referral hospitals and 1 regional laboratory. The age standardized incidence rates for all cancers were 73.1 per 100,000 in males and 64.1 per 100,000 in females. The leading top 5 cancers for males were oesophagus (32.7 per 100,000), lung (5.8 per 100,000), prostate (4.4 per 100,000), liver (4.4 per 100,000) and larynx (2.5 per 100,000) whereas for females they were cervix (21.7 per 100,000), oesophagus (20.2 per 100,000), breast (7.5 per 100,000), ovary (0.9 per 100,000) and liver (0.9 per 100,000). The incidence of Kaposi sarcoma was low, and higher for males (1.6 per 100,000) than females (0.3 per 100,000). Lung cancer in both males and females was relatively low compared to the high incidence of oesophagus cancer.     

Comparison of the fertilizing capability of spermatozoa from ejaculates, epididymal aspirates and testicular biopsies using intracytoplasmic sperm injection

A prospective study was carried out to compare the fertilizing capability and pregnancy outcome following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using spermatozoa obtained from ejaculates, or surgically from epididymis or seminiferous tubules. A total of 77 ICSI cycles (one per patient) was included. In all, 28 patients had severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, 19 patients had obstructive azoospermia and 30 patients had non-obstructive azoospermia. The main outcome measures were fertilization rate per injected metaphase II oocyte and the clinical pregnancy rate per embryo transferred back to the female recipients. In patients with severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, the fertilization and pregnancy rates were 79 and 25 %. In patients with obstructive azoospermia, for whom epididymal spermatozoa were used, these were 75 and 28%, and in the non-obstructive group for which testicular spermatozoa were used for injection, they were 69 and 21% respectively. These rates were not significantly different in the three groups (P = 0.85 and P = 0.14 respectively), suggesting that spermatozoa from the ejaculates and epididymal or testicular biopsies are able to fertilize equally by using ICSI. Live birth per embryo transfer was significantly reduced in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia compared to the other two groups. The high abortion rate (50%) in the group in which testicular spermatozoa were used raises doubts about the developmental competence of such embryos.      

The coeliac iceberg in Italy. A multicentre antigliadin antibodies screening for coeliac disease in school-age subjects

Background : Recent studies suggest that coeliac disease (CD) is one of the commonest, life-long disorders in Italy. The aims of this multicentre work were: (a) to establish the prevalence of CD on a nationwide basis; and (b) to characterize the CD clinical spectrum in Italy. Patients and methods : Fifteen centres screened 17201 students aged 6–15 years (68.6% of the eligible population) by the combined determination of serum IgG- and IgA-antigliadin antibody (AGA) test; 1289 (7.5%) were IgG and/or IgA-AGA positive and were recalled for the second-level investigation; 111 of them met the criteria for the intestinal biopsy: IgA-AGA positivity and/or AEA positivity or IgG-AGA positivity plus serum IgA deficiency. Results : Intestinal biopsy was performed on 98 of the 111 subjects. CD was diagnosed in 82 subjects (75 biopsy proven, 7 not biopsied but with associated AGA and AEA positivity). Most of the screening-detected coeliac patients showed low-grade intensity illness often associated with decreased psychophysical well-being. There were two AEA negative cases with associated CD and IgA deficiency. The prevalence of undiagnosed CD was 4.77 × 1000 (95% CI 3.79–5.91), 1 in 210 subjects. The overall prevalence of CD, including known CD cases, was 5.44 × 1000 (95% CI 4.57–6.44), 1 in 184 subjects. The ratio of known to undiagnosed CD cases was 1 in 7. Conclusions : These findings confirm that, in Italy, CD is one of the most common chronic disorders showing a wide and heterogeneous clinical spectrum. Most CD cases remain undiagnosed unless actively searched.     

Reduced upper airway nitric oxide in cystic fibrosis

PURPOSE: Incidence data for severe aplastic anaemia (SAA) in children are scanty and vary. Few population based studies have been reported. A retrospective and prospective study was conducted to determine the incidence and course of SAA. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All children with a diagnosis of SAA in the Nordic countries from 1982 through 1993 were registered and have been followed up since 1987. RESULTS: A total of 101 children were diagnosed with SAA. The mean annual child population was 4.31 million. A constant incidence of 1.95/million children/year was found: 2.4 for boys and 1.5 for girls. A non-significant increase of cases occurred from November to March. Possible aetiological agents were noted in 29%. The actuarial survival was 79% after one year and 68% after five years without significant difference between boys and girls. CONCLUSION: The incidence of SAA in the Nordic countries remains stable with a preponderance among boys. SAA has still a high initial mortality and a risk of late deaths.     

Visual impairment in severe and profound sensorineural deafness

The frequency of reversible and irreversible visual impairment was determined in children with severe and profound sensorineural deafness, as subnormal vision can adversely affect their educational and social development. Eighty three of 87 such children attending an audiology service were examined to assess the incidence and severity of visual impairment. Each child underwent a detailed ophthalmic assessment. The criteria for visual impairment were visual acuity < 6/9 Snellen or equivalent and/or abnormal binocular vision. Forty five had a normal ophthalmic examination (54.2%). Twenty nine had visual impairment (34.9%) and nine had ophthalmological abnormalities that did not interfere with vision (10.9%). A higher proportion of children with risk factors for visual pathology demonstrated visual impairment than those in whom there were no risk factors. None the less, 44% of visual impairment was among patients without risk factors. The results underline the need to examine all children with severe and profound sensorineural deafness soon after diagnosis and indicate that children with multiple handicaps have a greater likelihood of visual impairment (11 of 14 cases).