Clinical and imaging features in a patient with hemifacial hyperplasia

Hemifacial hyperplasia is a developmental disorder characterized by marked unilateral facial asymmetry. It involves the hard and soft tissues of the face. The cause is unknown, although several predisposing factors have been described. A case report of an 8-year-old boy with hemifacial hyperplasia is presented to highlight the clinical and imaging findings.     

Anti-inflammatory effect of the ethanolic extract from Bowdichia virgilioides H.B.K stem bark

Bowdichia virgilioides H.B.K stem bark (Fabaceae), locally known as "sucupira-preta", is a reputed folk-remedy to treat some inflammatory disorders. To validate its traditional claim, the ethanolic extract from B. virgilioides was evaluated in several animal models of inflammation and nociception. The extract at oral doses of 100 to 1000 mg/kg body weight caused a significant inhibition of carrageenan-induced hind paw oedema, suppression of exudate volume and leukocyte immigration in rat pleurisy induced by carrageenan, and reduction of granuloma weights in the model of subcutaneous granulomas promoted by cotton pellets. In addition, the plant extract significantly inhibited the vascular permeability increase induced by intraperitoneal acetic acid. It also showed marked antinociceptive effect in acetic acid-induced writhing test and in the second phase of formalin test in mice. These findings evidence the anti-inflammatory potential of Bowdichia virgilioides bark and supports its traditional use in inflammatory conditions.     

Short hospitalization period with elastic stable intramedullary nails in the treatment of femoral shaft fractures in school children

Purpose  

To evaluate the safety and period of hospitalization of the treatment of femoral shaft fractures with titanium elastic nails (TEN) in the age range 5 to 14 years. The hypothesis was that TEN might be a low-cost treatment, with good clinical results and short length of hospitalization.     

CDX2 expression is induced by Helicobacter pylori in AGS cells

Data from 753 patients with single adenocarcinomas of the large intestine diagnosed and treated at Trondheim Regional and University Hospital between 1964 and 1978 were studied to determine the influence of tumour site on survival by adjusting for tumour stage, age, and sex. The Cox regression model was used. Although the clinicopathologic stage had the strongest association with prognosis, the tumour site independently influenced the mortality, which increased from the right colon via the transverse/left part of the colon to the rectum.     

Pericardite purulenta: um diagnóstico raro

The authors present two cases of purulent pericarditis secondary to pneumococcus pneumonia, a rare entity in the antibiotic era, one of them in an apparently healthy person. A systematized diagnostic approach to moderate pericardial effusion is presented, together with a review of purulent pericarditis. The presence of pericardial effusion with persistent fever with or without known etiology, particularly in the immunocompromised but also in the apparently healthy patient, should always raise the possibility of purulent pericarditis.     

Prevalence of 4977bp deletion in mitochondrial DNA from patients with chronic kidney disease receiving conservative treatment or hemodialysis in southern Brazil

BACKGROUND: Damage to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been described in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The presence of mtDNA 4977bp deletion in many different tissues can serve as a marker of this damage. However, no attempt has been made to detect the presence of mtDNA 4977bp in blood cells of patients with CKD. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction techniques (PCR) were used to detect mtDNA 4977bp deletion in blood samples of 94 CKD patients. RESULTS: The prevalence of 4977bp deletion in mtDNA was 73.1% (38/52) in patients with CKD undergoing hemodialysis, 57.1% (27/42) in patients with CKD receiving conservative treatment, and 27.8% (15/54) in control samples (p < 0.001). Higher prevalence of this mutation was not associated with patient age (p = 0.54) or time on hemodialysis (p = 0.70). CONCLUSION: The higher prevalence of mtDNA 4977bp deletion in patients in this study indicates that the CKD can induce damage to mtDNA in blood cells and could be exacerbated by hemodialysis.     

Influence of Jejunoileal and Common Limb Length on Weight Loss Following Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Background  Capella surgery is one of the technical variations of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. The method includes the preparation of an alimentary (Roux) limb with a standardized length (110 cm) in order to induce deficiencies in the absorption of macronutrients and thereby contribute to weight loss. The recognized variation in jejunoileal length in humans (approximately 4 to 9 m) is not considered, although this range correlates with the wide variation in the length of the common limb. Methods  In order to assess the influence of variations in jejunoileal and common limb lengths on weight loss, intra-operative measurements were made of these segments on 100 patients undergoing Capella surgery. Patients were followed for a period of 1 year. Statistical analysis included subdivisions of the population by gender and body mass index. Results  Average jejunoileal length was 671.4 ± 115.7 cm (434–990 cm). Average common limb length was 505.3 ± 113.3 cm (268–829 cm). No correlation was detected between jejunoileal length and weight loss at 6 months or 1 year following surgery. A weak negative correlation was detected between weight loss and common limb length at 1 year following surgery in male and super-obese patients. Conclusions  Jejunoileal and common limb length vary widely in gastric bypass patients. To make modifications in the alimentary and/or biliopancreatic limb length, surgeons must consider the variability of the jejunoileal and common limb length.