Potential Sexual Transmission of Zika Virus

In December 2013, during a Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak in French Polynesia, a patient in Tahiti sought treatment for hematospermia, and ZIKV was isolated from his semen. ZIKV transmission by sexual intercourse has been previously suspected. This observation supports the possibility that ZIKV could be transmitted sexually.Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquitoborne arbovirus in the family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus. It was first isolated in 1947 from a rhesus monkey in the Zika forest of Uganda (1). Sporadic human cases were reported from the 1960s in Asia and Africa. The first reported large outbreak occurred in 2007 on Yap Island, Federated States of Micronesia (2). The largest known ZIKV outbreak reported started in October 2013 in French Polynesia, South Pacific (3), a territory of France comprising 67 inhabited islands; an estimated 28,000 persons (11% of the population) sought medical care for the illness (4). The most common symptoms of Zika fever are rash, fever, arthralgia, and conjunctivitis. Most of the patients had mild disease, but severe neurologic complications have been described in other patients in French Polynesia (5).     

Effects of intravenous verapamil on cardiac arrhythmias and on the electrocardiogram.

The effects of intravenous verapamil on the electrocardiogram in 15 patients with heart disease in sinus rhythm and in 44 patients with supraventricular and ventricular tachyarrhythmias were evaluated. Verapamil prolonged the P-R interval without effect on the QRS duration or the Q-Tc interval. In patients with atrial flutter and fibrillation, A-V block was increased, with slowing of the ventricular rate, in almost all cases but sinus rhythm was restored in only 1 of 12 patients in atrial fibrillation and in 2 of the 11 patients with flutter. Verapamil had no effect in 3 patients with atrial fibrillation complicating WPW syndrome; in 1 of 5 patients with ventricular tachycardia it caused reversion to sinus rhythm. Sinus rhythm was restored promptly by verapamil in 13 of 17 patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardias; in 2 others, sinus rhythm became established 1 to 2 hours after administration of the drug. Transient hypotension, not requiring treatment, was the only side effect noted but not in the patients with supraventricular tachycardias, in whom blood pressure generally increased after reversion to sinus rhythm by verapamil.     

Effect of melatonin on motility pattern of small intestine in rats and its inhibition by melatonin receptor antagonist S 22153

Melatonin is synthesized during the night by the pineal gland. Recently, melatonin binding sites have been identified in the gut. Despite few studies, the physiological role of melatonin in gut function remains unclear. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of melatonin in the regulation of intestinal motility by using the melatonin receptor antagonist S 22153 in rats. Twenty-four male Wistar rats (400 +/- 25 g) were equipped with intraparietal electrodes along the small intestine. Rats were subjected to a 12:12 hr light:dark schedule. During the dark phase, intestinal migrating motor complexes (MMCs) frequency increased (P < 0.05) by 20% in the duodenum and in the jejunum compared with daylight. This effect is due to a significant reduction in the irregular spiking activity (ISA) of MMCs. Concurrently, at night, the duration of the postprandial motor response is reduced by 30% in the duodenum and 50% in the jejunum and ileum. The administration of S 22153 (2 mg/kg sc) at night suppressed these nocturnal variations and restored the daylight values. In contrast, S 22153 was ineffective during daylight whatever the digestive state. Administration of melatonin (1 mg/kg iv) during the preprandial state, 3 hr after light onset, decreased (-80%) the duration of the ISA of MMCs at the three intestinal levels. During the satiety phase, melatonin administered 10 min before or 15 min after food onset induced the appearance of a transitory preprandial-like motor profile in the entire small intestine. In contrast, when administered at the end of the meal it was ineffective. Preprandial and postprandial melatonin effects were prevented by S 22153 pretreatment. In conclusion, these findings reveal, first, that endogenous melatonin is physiologically involved in the pre- and postprandial changes of intestinal motility at night. Second, exogenous melatonin produces pharmacological effects on pre- and postprandial intestinal motility. In both cases, the action of melatonin corresponds to an inhibition of ISA and a reinforcement of the cyclic MMC pattern.     

Transplantation and prevention of reinfection

The outcome of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related liver disease depends on the prevention of allograft reinfection. Over the past decade, major advances have been made in the management of HBV transplant candidates. The advent of longterm hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) administration as a prophylaxis of HBV recurrence and the introduction of new antiviral agents against HBV infection, such as lamivudine (LAM) or adefovir, were a major breakthrough in the management of these patients. The results of OLT for HBV infection are similar to those results achieved with other indications. Pre-OLT antiviral treatment such as LAM can suppress HBV replication before OLT and, thus, decrease the risk of reinfection of the graft. Combination prophylaxis with LAM and HBIG after transplantation is highly effective in reducing the rate of HBV reinfection even in HBV-replicative cirrhotic patients. The optimal HBIG protocol in the LAM and adefovir era has yet to be defined: dosing of HBIG, routes of administration, and the possibility of stopping HBIG.     

Changes in inhibin-like bioactivity in ovulatory and atretic follicles and utero-ovarian venous blood after prostaglandin-induced luteolysis in heifers

The objectives of this study were to develop a bioassay for measuring inhibin bioactivity in untreated samples of bovine follicular fluid (BFF) and then examine changes in inhibin bioactivity in ovulatory and atretic follicles and utero-ovarian venous blood during the periovulatory period in heifers. A rat pituitary cell culture system was used to bioassay inhibin-like activity. Addition of 0.005 to 1 microliter untreated (whole), unfiltered charcoal-stripped, or filtered whole BFF to pituitary cultures caused a linear suppression of LHRH-induced FSH release but had no effect on LH secretion. Steroids in BFF did not suppress FSH secretion, since removal of steroids from BFF with charcoal did not remove the FSH-suppressive activity in BFF. Addition of ether extracts of BFF caused a slight but nonparallel suppression of FSH secretion; however, heating these extracts removed most of this suppressive activity. Removal of BFF from pituitary cultures completely restored the capacity of pituitary cultures to respond to LHRH. It was concluded that the inhibin bioassay was specific for detecting inhibin-like activity in fluids from individual follicles without interference of steroids. Within 12 h after a prostaglandin (PG) injection during the luteal phase of heifers, LH levels in serum increased 2- to 4-fold and remained at this level until the occurrence of the preovulatory gonadotropin surge. In contrast, FSH did not change before the gonadotropin surge. Inhibin bioactivity was measured in all follicles (greater than or equal to 6 mm) 0, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 h after and in utero-ovarian venous serum 0, 24, and 36 h after PG-induced luteolysis. From 0-36 h after PG administration, inhibin-like activity increased linearly in presumed ovulatory follicles and utero-ovarian venous serum. Then, from 48-72 h after PG treatment, before the preovulatory LH surge, inhibin activity decreased in ovulatory follicles. After the surge but before ovulation, inhibin-like activity increased in ovulatory follicles. Inhibin-like activity in atretic follicles did not change after PG treatment and was lower in atretic than ovulatory follicles. Since a single hypothalamic releasing factor, LHRH, may control the secretion of LH and FSH, increased secretion of inhibin from preovulatory follicles before the preovulatory LH and FSH surges could account for the absence of a presurge rise in FSH in blood, as was observed for LH during this time in heifers. Diminished follicular production of inhibin during the gonadotropin surge could explain the preovulatory release of FSH along with LH during this time.     

Familial hypobetalipoproteinemia. Familial study of 4 cases

A familial study of four cases with hypobetalipoproteinemia is reported. Three members are heterozygous and one is homozygous. This congenital fat malabsorption in homozygous state is commonly associated with an absence of serum apoprotein B and LDL. Neuromuscular and ophthalmological signs are absent in this case. The major role of upper digestive endoscopy in the diagnostic procedure is emphasized. Histochemical and immunoenzymatic stains of enterocytes and intestinal organ culture show defective synthesis apo B in the homozygous patient. Studies of DNA polymorphism in the homozygous patient have shown that the apo B gene doesn't certain major insertions or deletions. These results are discussed.