Atypical pattern of acute severe shoulder pain: contribution of sonography

A patient presented with an atypical pattern of acute severe shoulder pain. Sonography elucidated the mechanism of the pain and allowed effective treatment. The patient was unable not only to move her shoulder but also to flex and to extend her elbow. Sonography showed a calcific deposit in the subscapularis tendon with local edema displacing the long head of the biceps tendon out of the bicipital groove. Local injection of a glucocorticoid under ultrasonographic control was followed within 7 days by subsidence of the subscapularis tendon edema and by a return of the long head of the biceps tendon to its normal position in the bicipital groove.     

The anti-inflammatory response dominates after septic shock: association of low monocyte HLA-DR expression and high interleukin-10 concentration

The diminished expression of HLA-DR on monocytes has been proposed as a reliable marker of immunosuppression occuring during septic shock. The objective of the present observational study was to establish the time-dependent relation between plasma cytokines interleukin (IL)-10, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and monocyte HLA-DR expression in 38 adult patients with septic shock. All patients (mortality at 28 days: 42%, mean admission SAPS II score: 54) had decreased HLA-DR expression. This expression was significantly lower in non-survivors at all time points. All patients had elevated IL-10 concentrations, the highest values were found in non-survivors. IL-10 was the sole cytokine to significantly correlate with HLA-DR expression (r: -0.6, p<0.001). TNF and TGF values did not provide any prognostic information. TGF levels from septic patients were even found to be decreased in comparison with normal values which suggested that IL-10 is likely more important than TGF regarding the immunosuppressive properties of septic patients' plasma. This preliminary work showed that, at the systemic level, the anti-inflammatory response dominated after septic shock. Monocyte HLA-DR expression and IL-10 measurement deserve to be determined in parallel in a larger longitudinal study. They might constitute helpful indicators for staging patients and making a decision about whether to institute a therapy with molecules able of reversing sepsis-induced immunosuppression.     

Hematological parameters and cobalamin status in infants born to smoking mothers

Hematological parameters, serum cobalamin and folate levels, and the concentrations of the functional markers plasma methylmalonic acid and total homocysteine were determined in 173 newborns and 46 infants at 6 weeks to see whether maternal smoking influences the hematological parameters and the vitamin status of the newborn. At birth, there was a strong inverse correlation between the number of cigarettes smoked per day during pregnancy and red blood cell count (r = -0.56, p = 0.001) and hemoglobin level (r = -0.52, p = 0.003) in the newborns. Neonates born to smoking mothers had lower red blood cell counts and lower hemoglobin and serum cobalamin levels as compared with infants born to nonsmoking mothers. At 6 weeks, maternal smoking significantly predicted the methylmalonic acid and total homocysteine levels, suggesting an influence from smoking on the cobalamin function in these infants.     

BUB1 infrequently mutated in human breast carcinomas

The BUB1 gene is a key player in the mitotic spindle checkpoint machinery that monitors proper segregation of sister chromatides during mitosis. It has been suggested that mutations in BUB1 may disrupt the spindle checkpoint and thereby cause chromosomal instability, which is a hallmark of solid tumors including those from the breast. From a series of breast carcinomas we selected 20 cases with genomic instability, as scored by Comparative Genome Hybridization (CGH), and without somatic TP53 (p53) mutations, and sequenced the entire coding region of the BUB1 gene. Two different constitutional sequence variants were found; a base substitution in exon 5, c.481G>A (CAG>CAA, a synonymous change encoding Gln144) in two samples, and a base substitution 8 bp upstream of exon 10, c.1007-8T>C in two other samples. No somatic mutations were detected. These results indicate that genomic instability scored as copy number alterations by CGH in TP53 wild type breast carcinomas is not caused by somatic mutations in the BUB1 gene.     

Biological and serological variability, evolution and molecular epidemiology of Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV, Potyvirus) with special reference to Caribbean islands

Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV, Potyvirus) emerged as an important pathogen of cucurbits within the last 20 years. Its origins and mechanisms for evolution and worldwide spread represent important questions to understand plant virus emergence. Sequence analysis on a 250 nucleotide fragment including the N-terminal part of the coat protein coding region, revealed one major group of strains, and some highly divergent isolates from distinct origins. Within the major group, three subsets of strains were defined without correlation with geographic origin, year of collection or biological properties. ZYMV was first observed in Martinique and Guadeloupe in 1992 and 1994, respectively. We studied the evolution of ZYMV variability on both islands in the few years following the putative virus introduction. In Martinique, molecular divergence remained low even after 6 years, suggesting a lack of new introductions. Interactions between strains resulted in a stability of the high biological variability, while the serological diversity decreased and molecular divergence remained low. In Guadeloupe, as in Martinique in 1993, serological variability was high shortly after virus introduction. While the first introduction in Guadeloupe was independent from Martinique, the 'Martinique' type was detected in 1998, suggesting further introductions, maybe through viruliferous aphids or imported plant material.     

Brain processing of visual sexual stimuli in healthy men: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study

The brain plays a central role in sexual motivation. To identify cerebral areas whose activation was correlated with sexual desire, eight healthy male volunteers were studied with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Visual stimuli were sexually stimulating photographs (S condition) and emotionally neutral photographs (N condition). Subjective responses pertaining to sexual desire were recorded after each condition. To image the entire brain, separate runs focused on the upper and the lower parts of the brain. Statistical Parametric Mapping was used for data analysis. Subjective ratings confirmed that sexual pictures effectively induced sexual arousal. In the S condition compared to the N condition, a group analysis conducted on the upper part of the brain demonstrated an increased signal in the parietal lobes (superior parietal lobules, left intraparietal sulcus, left inferior parietal lobule, and right postcentral gyrus), the right parietooccipital sulcus, the left superior occipital gyrus, and the precentral gyri. In addition, a decreased signal was recorded in the right posterior cingulate gyrus and the left precuneus. In individual analyses conducted on the lower part of the brain, an increased signal was found in the right and/or left middle occipital gyrus in seven subjects, and in the right and/or left fusiform gyrus in six subjects. In conclusion, fMRI allows to identify brain responses to visual sexual stimuli. Among activated regions in the S condition, parietal areas are known to be involved in attentional processes directed toward motivationally relevant stimuli, while frontal premotor areas have been implicated in motor preparation and motor imagery. Further work is needed to identify those specific features of the neural responses that distinguish sexual desire from other emotional and motivational states.     

Gene expression profiling of peripheral blood cells for early detection of breast cancer

Introduction  

Early detection of breast cancer is key to successful treatment and patient survival. We have previously reported the potential use of gene expression profiling of peripheral blood cells for early detection of breast cancer. The aim of the present study was to refine these findings using a larger sample size and a commercially available microarray platform.     

Changes in staphylococcal cassette chromosome type and antibiotic resistance profile in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from a French hospital over an 11 year period

BACKGROUND: In this study, we investigated the relationship between changes in antibiotic resistance and distribution of staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) types amongst methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates expressing the most frequently encountered profiles of antibiotic resistance over an 11 year period in the University Hospital of Rennes, France. METHODS: Antibiotic susceptibilities were determined by agar diffusion. SCC typing was performed using PCR. PFGE demonstrated that isolates were phylogenetically related. RESULTS: Fourteen profiles of antibiotic resistance were defined among MRSA isolates. For each resistance profile, only one SCC type was associated: four patterns corresponded to SCC type I or IA, nine to SCC type IV or IVA, and none to types II and III. One was not typed. PFGE indicated that isolates with SCC type I or IA belong to a single genetic lineage, which also includes most of the epidemic isolates, which carry SCC type IVA. In contrast to type I or IA, isolates with SCC type IV or IVA were found to be associated with several different PFGE clusters, although not all of these represent epidemic isolates. CONCLUSIONS: During the course of the study, the spectrum of antibiotic resistance in MRSA isolates decreased. This occurred due to the emergence of strains with SCC type IV or IVA, which are susceptible to more antibiotics than type I or IA strains. The greater prevalence of such isolates could not be linked conclusively to the presence of SCC type IV or IVA, or to one particular PFGE cluster.