The significance of intrauterine lesions detected by ultrasound in asymptomatic postmenopausal patients

A retrospective study on 82 women with an incidental sonographic finding suspected to be intrauterine polyps was undertaken to assess the histopathologic characteristics of such polyps utilising operative hysteroscopy. Endometrial polyps were found in 68 patients, submucousal myomas in 7, atrophic endometrium in 6 and thickened proliferative endometrium was found in 1 patient. Simple hyperplasia was found in one polyp but neither endometrial carcinoma nor complex hyperplasia was found. The total complication rate was 3.6%. It appears that the risk of endometrial carcinoma in postmenopausal women with asymptomatic endometrial polyps is low, although a larger series is required to confirm this finding.     

Acinetobacter baumannii: emergence and spread in Israeli hospitals 1997-2002

The incidence of multi-drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii bloodstream infections (BSIs) increased two- to four-fold in three Israeli hospitals between 1997 and 2002, accounting for 3.5-18% of all hospital-acquired BSIs. This was associated with increasing carbapenem resistance reaching 35-54%, and by a dramatic increase in carbapenem consumption. In-hospital fatality rates ranged between 47% and 58% and were significantly higher than those seen with other nosocomial Gram-negative pathogens. A. baumannii was not restricted to intensive care units, but had spread to all hospital wards. Multi-drug-resistant A. baumannii has the potential to reach endemicity in hospitals and warrants more vigorous and innovative efforts to limit its spread.     

Freeze-dried agarose scaffolds with uniaxial channels stimulate and guide linear axonal growth following spinal cord injury

Although several approaches to stimulate axonal regeneration after spinal cord injury have succeeded in stimulating robust growth of axons into a lesion site, the growth is generally highly disorganized, losing the distinct arrangement of axonal tracts within the spinal cord. Previously described freeze-dried agarose scaffolds, composed of individual, uniaxial channels extending through their entire length, were prepared with and without recombinant Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) protein and tested in an adult rat model of spinal cord injury to determine whether regenerating axons could be guided across a site of injury in an organized fashion. After 1 month, both the cellular and axonal responses within and around scaffolds were evaluated. Scaffolds were found to be well integrated with host tissue, individual channels were penetrated by cells, and axons grew through scaffolds in a strikingly linear fashion. Furthermore, the regeneration was significantly augmented by the incorporation of BDNF protein into the walls and lumen of the scaffold. These findings clearly demonstrate that axonal regeneration can be organized and guided across a site of injury.     

Preliminary findings of the developmental effects of in utero exposure to topiramate

There are relatively few studies that have looked at the longer-term developmental effects of intra-uterine topiramate exposure. The purpose of this report is to describe preliminary findings of the developmental outcomes of a group of nine children of preschool age (3-6years, 11months), exposed in utero to topiramate (TX) monotherapy, as compared to a control group of 18 children. The groups were compared on developmental measures of visual, fine and gross motor function as well as measures of behavior and cognitive functions. Results showed that the TX group performed significantly worse than the control group for almost all measures, with the most clearly delineated differences in the area of cognitive functioning. While the study group is small, and only preliminary conclusions may be inferred, it appears that TX exposure may have subtle effects on the development of children in a range of areas including motor function, cognition, and behavior.     

Adolescents and adults coordination questionnaire: development and psychometric properties

OBJECTIVE. This article describes the development of a brief, ecologically valid, self-report questionnaire, the Adolescents and Adults Coordination Questionnaire (AAC-Q), used to identify developmental coordination disorder (DCD) in adolescents and adults.METHOD. The AAC-Q was completed by 28 adolescents and adults with suspected DCD ages 16-35 yr (mean [M] age = 21.18 yr) and 28 peers without DCD (M age = 27.64 yr). Cutoff scores for suspected DCD were established using data from a sample of 2,379 participants ages 19-25 yr (M age = 20.68 yr).RESULTS. Reliability of the AAC-Q was determined using Cronbach's α (α = .88) and test-retest reliability (r = .94, p < .001). Independent-sample t tests to assess construct validity revealed significant differences between participants with and without DCD, t(27) = 9.37, p < .001.CONCLUSION. The AAC-Q is a standardized, reliable, and valid tool with potential for both research and clinical use.     

A case of Jatropha multifida poisoning resembling organophosphate intoxication

Four siblings presented with vomiting, diarrhea and miosis following ingestion of the plant. This is the first report of miosis as a presenting sign of Jatropha intoxication. The combination of vomiting, diarrhea and miosis resembles the clinical presentation of organophosphate poisoning. This fact warrants the consideration of Jatropha ingestion in the differential diagnosis of organophosphate ingestion. Treatment of Jatropha intoxication is supportive with emphasis on rehydration. Measurement of plasma acetylcholinesterase activity levels, which is normal after Jatropha ingestion and decreased following organophosphate poisoning, may help differentiate between the two.     

高频彩超对腹型紫癜的研究

目的：探讨高频彩超对腹型紫癜的诊断价值。方法：采用高频彩超对32例腹型紫癜患者的腹部、腹腔肠管及肠系膜进行观察,重点观察肠道,以了解腹型紫癜的肠道病变部位、回声、特点及血供情况。结果：32例腹型紫癜小肠均有特征性改变,即病变部位肠壁局限性增厚,回声减低,管腔狭窄。彩色多普勒显像示病变肠壁血供丰富。结论：高频彩超对腹型紫癜具有重要的诊断价值。