van den Ende-Gupta syndrome of blepharophimosis, arachnodactyly, and congenital contractures

Here, we report on a Venezuelan child with manifestations of van den Ende-Gupta syndrome, including blepharophimosis, arachnodactyly, and congenital contractures. We also review cases from the literature.     

Adhesion prevention in gynecologic surgery

The objectives of this study are to evaluate the magnitude of postsurgical adhesions clinically, their impact on the hospital budget, and the available adhesion-reducing substances. We conducted a review of relevant literature on intraabdominal adhesion, adhesion-reducing substances, and their related cost. The relevance of adhesions to gynecology not only relates to infertility and abdominal pain, but also to the occurrence of bowel obstruction. There have been many substances and materials used to decrease the adhesion formation. However, there is still no adhesion-reducing substance that is unequivocally effective. Its use is also costly. The most common cause of small-bowel obstruction is postsurgical adhesions. Indeed, more than one half of patients with adhesion-related small-bowel obstruction had previous gynecologic operations, and a high percentage occurs after abdominal hysterectomy. To date, there has been no study suggesting that the use of adhesion-reducing substances decreases the risk of bowel obstruction or the long-term costs to the healthcare system. The long-awaited substance or barrier that unequivocally prevents adhesion formation is yet to come. TARGET AUDIENCE: Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Family Physicians. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After completion of this article, the reader should be able to list the causes of small bowel obstruction, to describe the commercially available adhesion-reducing substances, and to compare the efficacy of the various adhesion-reducing substances.     

Interstitial pregnancy: results generated from the Society of Reproductive Surgeons Registry

OBJECTIVE: To summarize management of interstitial pregnancy and its outcome among 32 reported cases in the world. METHODS: From 1999 to 2002, 32 cases of interstitial pregnancy were reported to the registry of the Society of Reproductive Surgeons. The participants completed a five-page questionnaire regarding when and how diagnosis was made, the characteristics of the pregnancy, treatment modalities, and subsequent reproductive outcome. RESULTS: History of ipsilateral salpingectomy was encountered in 37.5% of patients, and the diagnosis was made by ultrasound in 71.4% of the patients. Eight women were treated with methotrexate either systemically (n = 4), locally under ultrasound guidance (n = 2), or under laparoscopic guidance (n = 2). Eleven patients were treated by laparoscopy and 13 by laparotomy. Three patients failed systemic methotrexate treatment and subsequently required surgery. Persistently elevated serum beta human chorionic gonadotropin levels were found in one patient after laparoscopic cornual excision, and she was successfully treated with methotrexate. Fourteen cases (43.7%) of rupture of interstitial pregnancy were found. This included five cases (15.6%) of heterotopic pregnancy; all were the results of in vitro fertilization, and all ruptured at the time of diagnosis. Subsequent pregnancy was achieved in ten patients. No uterine rupture was encountered during pregnancy or labor. CONCLUSION: Ipsilateral salpingectomy, previous ectopic pregnancy, and in vitro fertilization are predisposing factors for interstitial pregnancy. Contrary to previous belief, rupture of interstitial pregnancy occurs relatively early in pregnancy. In selected patients, laparoscopic cornual excision is a viable treatment option.     

Reproductive performance after selective tubal catheterization

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reproductive performance of women after selective tubal catheterization. DESIGN: Retrospective study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3). SETTING: University teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Ninety-eight infertile women with hysterosalpingographic findings of proximal tubal occlusion. INTERVENTION: Hysterosalpingography and selective tubal catheterization. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Repeat hysterosalpingography examination before selective tubal catheterization in 98 patients revealed bilateral tubal patency in 14 patients and patency of one of the tubes in 12 others (12.2%). True proximal tubal occlusion was encountered in 72 patients (139 tubes). Successful recanalization of both tubes was achieved in 25 patients (34.7%), and successful recanalization of at least one tube was achieved in 44 patients (61.1%). Of the 72 patients who underwent selective tubal catheterization, 23 patients conceived. The cumulative probability of conception was 28%, 59%, and 73% at 12, 18, and 24 months of follow-up, respectively. The median procedure-conception interval was 16.2 months. CONCLUSION: One-quarter of patients diagnosed with bilateral proximal tubal occlusion on hysterosalpingography do not have tubal obstruction. Among those with true occlusion, selective tubal catheterization leads to an overall pregnancy rate of 31.9%.     

Relapsing fever-like spirochetes infecting European vector tick of Lyme disease agent

To determine whether relapsing fever-like spirochetes associated with hard ticks may infect Ixodes ricinus ticks in central Europe, we screened questing ticks for 16S rDNA similar to that of Asian and American relapsing fever-like spirochetes. We compared the prevalence of these spirochetes to that of Lyme disease spirochetes transmitted by the same vector. Relapsing fever-like spirochetes infect 3.5% of questing vector ticks in our three central European sites near the Rhein Valley. These spirochetes differ genetically from their American and Asian analogs while being relatively homogeneous in the region we sampled. The Lyme disease genospecies most commonly detected in central Europe are distributed broadly, whereas those that are less frequently found appear to be place-specific. The absence of co-infected ticks suggests that relapsing fever-like and Lyme disease spirochetes may not share hosts. Exposure risk for relapsing fever-like spirochetes is similar to that of certain Lyme disease genospecies. Although many persons may be bitten by ticks infected by relapsing fever-like spirochetes, health implications remain unknown.     

Handicap and rehabilitation in hospitalized hemodialized patients: study of 20 patients

Twenty hemodialyzed patients, received rehabilitation while they were hospitalized. They were all handicapped in the beginning; when they left the hospital, 10 patients were completely independent, six needed help at home and 4 were completely dependent. The authors search, from their own practice, the etiologies of handicap with hemodialyzed patients and how to prevent this handicap, with the target of giving to their patients the best quality of life. The rehabilitation is very important in the strategies of global care of these patients.     

Induction of a strong HIV-specific CD8+ T cell response in mice using a fowlpox virus vector expressing an HIV-1 multi-CTL-epitope polypeptide

Recombinant avipoxvirus vectors are attractive candidates for use in vaccination strategies for infections such as human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), where induction of a CD8+ T cell response is thought to be an important component of protective immunity. Here, we report the expression of a multiepitope polypeptide (TAB9) composed of the central 15 amino acids of the V3 loop from six different isolates of HIV-1 in a fowlpox virus (FWPV) vector, and the use of this vector (FPTAB9LZ) to induce strong HIV-specific CD8+ T cell responses in mice. In animals immunized twice intravenously with FPTAB9LZ, almost 2% of the CD8+ T cells in the spleen were shown to produce IFN-gamma in response to stimulation with HIV-1 peptides 1 week after the second immunization. The most dominant response was to the HIV-1 IIIB peptide. A strong HIV-specific response was also induced by intraperitoneal immunization of mice with FPTAB9LZ, whilst subcutaneous immunization elicited a weaker response. Intraperitoneal immunization with FPTAB9LZ was also shown to provide protection against challenge with a recombinant vaccinia virus expressing antigens, including those in TAB9. These results confirm the potential of FWPV vectors for use in HIV vaccination strategies.     

Differential regulation of serotonin-1A receptor-stimulated [35S]GTP gamma S binding in the dorsal raphe nucleus by citalopram and escitalopram

The effect of chronic citalopram or escitalopram administration on 5-HT1A receptor function in the dorsal raphe nucleus was determined by measuring [35S]GTP gamma S binding stimulated by the 5-HT1A receptor agonist (R)-(+)-8-OH-DPAT (1nM-10 microM). Although chronic administration of citalopram or escitalopram has been shown to desensitize somatodendritic 5-HT1A autoreceptors, we found that escitalopram treatment decreased the efficacy of 5-HT1A receptors to activate G proteins, whereas citalopram treatment did not. The binding of [3H]8-OH-DPAT to the coupled, high affinity agonist state of the receptor was not altered by either treatment. Interestingly, escitalopram administration resulted in greater occupancy of serotonin transporter sites as measured by the inhibition of [3H]cyanoimipramine binding. As the binding and action of escitalopram is limited by the inactive enantiomer R-citalopram present in racemic citalopram, we propose that the regulation of 5-HT1A receptor function in the dorsal raphe nucleus at the level of receptor-G protein interaction may be a result of greater inhibition of the serotonin transporter by escitalopram.