ReProComet: a new in vitro method to assess DNA damage in mammalian sperm.

The increasing request of chemical safety assessment demands for the validation of alternative methods to reduce the resort to animal experimentation. Methods that evaluate reproductive toxicity are among those requiring the largest use of animals. Presently, no validated in vitro alternative exists for the assessment of reproductive toxicity. Mammalian sperm are sensitive targets of DNA-reactive chemicals, which form premutagenic adducts. Here, we propose a new method based on comet assay to detect DNA damage induced by potential germ cell mutagens in bull sperm available from assisted reproduction practices. In somatic cells, chemical-induced adducts can be revealed by comet assay that detects DNA breaks produced during adduct repair. Mature sperm, however, are devoid of repair enzymes, and adducts are processed only after fertilization. For this reason, comet assay is not sensitive to detect DNA lesions induced in sperm by most chemicals. To overcome such limitation, we developed a modified comet assay based on the addition of a protein extract from HeLa cells to agarose-embedded sperm on microscopic slides. To test the method, sperm were treated in vitro with methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) or melphalan (MLP) and comet assay was conducted both with and without protein supplementation. No effect of MMS or MLP was detected without protein supplementation; on the contrary, a clear-cut dose-dependent effect was measured after addition of the cell extract. These results represent a proof of concept of a novel in vitro mutagenicity test on sperm that could offer a promising approach to complement previously validated in vivo germ cell genotoxicity assays.     

Urinary incontinence in Moroccan and Turkish women: a qualitative study on impact and preferences for treatment

AIM: To gain insight into the impact of urinary incontinence on the daily lives of Moroccan and Turkish women and their preferences for treatment. DESIGN OF STUDY: A qualitative analysis of data from semi-structured in depth interviews with 30 Moroccan and Turkish migrant women with urinary incontinence. SETTING: Six general practices with large numbers of immigrant families in four cities in the Netherlands. METHOD: Semi-structured in depth interviews were conducted with Moroccan and Turkish migrant women, who presented with complaints of urinary incontinence in six general practices with large numbers of immigrant families on the practice list in four different cities in the Netherlands. RESULTS: All the women adhered closely to bodily cleanliness and considered incontinence to be dirty. As Muslims, they were obliged to perform ritual prayers preceded by ablution five times per day and the urinary incontinence breached their status of ritual purity. Therefore, they had to wash more often and experienced this as a heavy burden. In a number of the women, shame formed a reason why they could not talk to anybody about the incontinence, not even with the doctor. One-third of the women felt that their GP had not taken them seriously. Knowledge about anatomy, physiology and available treatments was mostly lacking. In addition, the women did not understand the aim of the exercises from the physiotherapist. The majority of women gave preference to help from a female doctor. CONCLUSION: Urinary incontinence in Moroccan and Turkish migrant women formed a considerable problem in their daily following of the Islam faith. Shame on the part of the patient and miscommunication at the doctor's surgery led to inadequate care.     

Dermoscopic Evolution of a Congenital Combined Nevus in Childhood

Background. A combined nevus most commonly consists of a blue nevus in combination with a Clark or Spitz nevus. Dermoscopically, combined nevus can mimic melanoma owing to the presence of dermoscopic features common to both types of lesions. Benign clinical and dermoscopic changes can occur in nevi over time, especially in children and young adults.
Objective. To describe the dermoscopic evolution of a congenital combined nevus showing unusual dermoscopic features.
Methods. Digital dermoscopic analysis was performed at the initial visit and after 8 months. The lesion was surgically excised and histopathologically examined.
Results. An asymptomatic plaque with a central blue area and peripheral brown pigmentation located on the back of a 13-year-old boy was diagnosed dermoscopically as combined nevus. Dermoscopic analysis 8 months later showed color changes from steel blue to gray-blue and black in the central area of the lesion, an increased number of blue-black dots or globules, and peripheral irregular streaks. Histopathology revealed typical features of a congenital combined nevus (blue nevus + compound nevus).
Conclusion. Over time, congenital combined nevus may show clinical and dermoscopic changes in size, color, and structure. Surgical excision is recommended when clinical and dermoscopic features are equivocal and the diagnosis of melanoma cannot be ruled out.
ANGELA FERRARI, MD, GIAN PIERO LOZZI, MD, MARIA CONCETTA FARGNOLI, MD, AND KETTY PERIS, MD, HAVE INDICATED NO SIGNIFICANT INTEREST WITH COMMERCIAL SUPPORTERS.     

The spring-back phenomenon: does the final position of the nipple areola complex correspond to the pre-operative markings in reduction mammoplasty?

This study investigates whether tissue recoil or patient intrinsic factors influence the final position of the nipple areola complex (NAC) after reduction mammoplasty. The age, pre-operative ptosis, BMI and weight of the tissue resected were recorded as patient intrinsic factors in 37 patients undergoing reduction mammoplasty. The “spring-back” value was defined as the distance from the sternal notch to a nipple landmark on the breast meridian with the patient sitting up, minus the same measurement repeated with the patient recumbent to eliminate the pull of gravity on the breast. Spring back was measured pre-operatively for the nipple and nipple mark then post-operative for the nipple. The difference in centimeters between the final post-operative distance from the sternal notch to the nipple and the level intended by the pre-operative nipple mark was termed the “judgment error.” The final position of the post-operative nipple and the judgment error was compared to the spring-back values and patient intrinsic factors. Pre-operative ptosis was statistically related to increasing patient BMI and mass of tissue resected per breast. Pre-operative spring-back values for the nipple increased with increasing ptosis, BMI and decreasing age. Spring-back values were greater in the lower pole of the breast than in the upper pole. The final position of the nipple was higher than the pre-operative mark in 65% of cases, lower in 8% and as marked in 27% of cases. The post-operative NAC was, on average, 0.6 cm higher than planned pre-operatively. The post-operative distance from the sternal notch to the nipple increased with increasing pre-operative ptosis, mass of breast tissue resected per breast and all three spring-back values. The difference between the level of the pre-operative mark and the final nipple position showed a weak correlation with post-operative spring-back values. The parameters of ptosis, BMI, weight of tissue resected per breast and pre-operative nipple spring back reflect body habitus and breast size. Spring-back values vary between the upper and lower pole of the breast. The final NAC position was higher than that intended at pre-operative marking in the majority of cases. The surgeon instinctively marks the nipple lower in patients with greater pre-operative ptosis and in whom a larger resection is anticipated. Judgment error did not relate to intrinsic factors nor to pre-operative spring-back values; hence, these parameters cannot be applied as predictive tools for more accurate pre-operative marking of the nipple position. This study suggests that the pre-operative nipple mark should be placed, with the patient sitting up, at least 23 cm from the sternal notch and 0.6 cm lower than the final position estimated using the inframammary crease as a landmark. An invited commentary on this paper is available at .     

A population-based assessment of the disease burden of consolidated pneumonia in hospitalized children under five years of age.

BACKGROUND: Population-based studies on childhood community-acquired pneumonia are scarce in Latin America. Pneumococcal epidemiology is poorly defined, hence the World Health Organization recommended standardized chest radiograph interpretation to improve the approach to bacterial pneumonia. Therefore, our study aimed to estimate the burden of pneumonia in hospitalized children. METHODS: A three-year surveillance study was carried out in four hospitals covering a population of 229,128 inhabitants of whom 10.2% were under five years of age. Clinical records and digitization of their chest radiographs were obtained. A pediatrician and a pediatric radiologist blinded to the clinical diagnosis interpreted the digital images. RESULTS: Of 2034 patients, 826 (40.6%) had consolidated pneumonia, 941 (46.3%) had non-consolidated pneumonia, and 267 (13.1%) had no pneumonia. Children under two years of age predominated (66.9%). The average annual incidence rate for consolidated pneumonia over the three-year study period was 1175/10(5). Eighteen invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae were isolated from patients with consolidated pneumonia and two from those with non-consolidated pneumonia. Respiratory syncytial virus was evenly distributed between both X-ray groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients younger than two years of age predominated, being the main targets for anti-pneumococcal conjugated vaccines. Incidence rates provided evidence of the burden of consolidated pneumonia for childhood, estimating the potential benefits of vaccination.     

Study of the localization of radiopacities similar to calcified carotid atheroma by means of panoramic radiography.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the location in soft tissues of the calcifications, similar to calcified carotid atheromas, that can be observed radiographically in the cervical region in panoramic radiographs. STUDY DESIGN: In each anatomic cadaver specimen preserved in formol, consisting of the head and neck, radiopaque spheres (made from gutta-percha) were positioned in anatomic structures of the cervical region that can be sites of calcification. For each anatomic structure marked in this way, panoramic radiography was performed, consisting of 17 radiographs. The images obtained were analyzed by 24 examiners who indicated which radiographs, in their opinion, presented the radiopaque reference projected in the region of bifurcation of the carotid artery. Analysis of 2 proportions from agreement and disagreement was used to determine radiopacities that could be confused in panoramic radiographs with calcified atheromas in the carotid artery. RESULTS: The results showed that 75% (18) of the examiners correctly indicated the reference in the bifurcation of the carotid artery and 79.2% (19) indicated a triticeous cartilage as calcified atheroma of the carotid artery. CONCLUSIONS: Calcified atheromas of the carotid artery are not the only features that can produce radiopaque images lateral to the panoramic radiograph; the presence of calcification in the triticeous cartilage also can induce an erroneous diagnosis of calcified carotid atheroma.     

Clinical Governance: from clinical risk management to continuous quality improvement.

Reducing medical errors has become an international concern. Population-based studies from a number of nations around the world have consistently demonstrated unacceptably high rates of medical injury and preventable deaths. The introduction of effective reporting systems is a cornerstone of safe practice within hospitals and other healthcare organisations. Reporting can help to identify hazards and risks. However, reporting in itself does not improve safety. It is the response to reports that leads to change. Clinical teams must feel empowered to change the way in which they deliver their services, promoting effective clinical risk management. Process analysis, implementation of evidence-based practices, and a clear accountability system are effective tools not only for decreasing error rates, but also for improving effectiveness. Clinical Governance represents the context in which effective clinical risk management should be promoted and continuously improved. It should not be regarded as a separate activity, but should form part of the everyday practice of all healthcare professionals. It requires good multidisciplinary working and a willingness to reflect on and learn from errors to achieve a patient-centred and safer system.     

Recognition Impairment Correlated with Short Bisynchronous Epileptic Discharges

The occurrence of transitory cognitive impairment during diffuse subclinical electroencephalographic (EEG) discharges has been widely documented but the role of the parameters influencing the cognitive performance and the involvement of motor or verbal response in the tasks used is still under debate. Fifteen patients suffering from primary generalized epilepsy with frequent bisynchronous EEG epileptic bursts underwent a shape recognition task during EEG monitoring. The test sequence was as follows: memorandum, pause, and multiple choice set. After pressing the response button, the patient was asked to confirm the choice verbally. The following parameters were considered: geometrical complexity of the shape, chronological position of the burst occurring during the single test, and the duration of discharge ranging from 1 to 3 s. Results showed a significant increase in incorrect responses during the test when discharges occurred, with more errors occurring for difficult than for easy shapes. Neither the discharge position nor the duration of the epileptic burst influenced the performance. Diffuse epileptic activity of short duration produced selective effects on the cognitive process regardless of the motor component of the response.     

Piracetam and fipexide prevent PTZ-kindling-provoked amnesia in rats

Deficit in active and inhibitory avoidance behaviour has been found in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-kindled rats. This supports the view that memory deficit is an integral part of epilepsy. In the present study we examined the effect of the nootropic drugs piracetam and fipexide on memory deficit induced by PTZ-kindling in shuttle-box- and step-down-trained rats. The retention in piracetam- and fipexide-treated animals was significantly improved compared to the kindled controls. The mechanisms of action of the two drugs are considered. The favourable effects of nootropic drugs in cases of amnesia provoked by PTZ-kindling might be of interest in clinical practice.