Practices and ethical concerns regarding preimplantation diagnosis. Who regulates preimplantation genetic diagnosis in Brazil?

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) was originally developed to diagnose embryo-related genetic abnormalities for couples who present a high risk of a specific inherited disorder. Because this technology involves embryo selection, the medical, bioethical, and legal implications of the technique have been debated, particularly when it is used to select features that are not related to serious diseases. Although several initiatives have attempted to achieve regulatory harmonization, the diversity of healthcare services available and the presence of cultural differences have hampered attempts to achieve this goal. Thus, in different countries, the provision of PGD and regulatory frameworks reflect the perceptions of scientific groups, legislators, and society regarding this technology. In Brazil, several texts have been analyzed by the National Congress to regulate the use of assisted reproduction technologies. Legislative debates, however, are not conclusive, and limited information has been published on how PGD is specifically regulated. The country requires the development of new regulatory standards to ensure adequate access to this technology and to guarantee its safe practice. This study examined official documents published on PGD regulation in Brazil and demonstrated how little direct oversight of PGD currently exists. It provides relevant information to encourage reflection on a particular regulation model in a Brazilian context, and should serve as part of the basis to enable further reform of the clinical practice of PGD in the country.     

A new approach to prevent HIV transmission: Project Protect intervention for recently infected individuals

Past research suggests that as many as 50% of onward human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmissions occur during acute and recent HIV infection. It is clearly important to develop interventions which focus on this highly infectious stage of HIV infection to prevent further transmission in the risk networks of acutely and recently infected individuals. Project Protect tries to find recently and acutely infected individuals and prevents HIV transmission in their risk networks. Participants are recruited by community health outreach workers at community-based HIV testing sites and drug users' community venues, by coupon referrals and through referrals from AIDS clinics. When a network with acute/recent infection is identified, network members are interviewed about their risky behaviors, network information is collected, and blood is drawn for HIV testing. Participants are also educated and given prevention materials (condoms, syringes, educational materials); HIV-infected participants are referred to AIDS clinics and are assisted with access to care. Community alerts about elevated risk of HIV transmission are distributed within the risk networks of recently infected. Overall, 342 people were recruited to the project and screened for acute/recent HIV infection. Only six index cases of recent infection (2.3% of all people screened) were found through primary screening at voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) sites, but six cases of recent infection were found through contact tracing of these recently infected participants (7% of network members who came to the interview). Combining screening at VCT sites and contact tracing the number of recently infected people we located as compared to VCT screening alone. No adverse events were encountered. These first results provide evidence for the theory behind the intervention, i.e., in the risk networks of recently infected people there are other people with recent HIV infection and they can be successfully located without increasing stigma for project participants.     

ADAM33 polymorphisms and susceptibility to allergic rhinitis: a meta-analysis

European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Several polymorphisms in a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 33 (ADAM33) have been implicated in susceptibility to allergic rhinitis (AR), but the...     

Impact of β-glucan on the Fecal Water Genotoxicity of Polypectomized Patients

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of β-glucan on the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of polypectomized patient's fecal water (FW). Polypectomized volunteers (n = 69) were randomly assigned to consume bread with or without β-glucan, for 3 months. FW was collected at the beginning (t = 0), the 30th and 90th day and 2 wk after the intervention. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were estimated on Caco-2 cells, using trypan blue exclusion test and comet assay, respectively. Gastrointestinal symptoms were recorded and subjects kept a 3-day food diary at baseline and after completion. Trypan blue exclusion test revealed cell survival of approximately 87% after incubation with FW. The FW samples showed 49% genotoxicity at the baseline. Genotoxicity in the intervention group decreased during the trial reaching statistical significance on the 90th day compared to control. An increase was noticed 2 wk after the trial, but it still remained significantly lower compared to control. Group-specific analysis for β-glucan also revealed significant decrease in the genotoxicity on the 90th day compared to baseline. β-glucan ingestion in polypectomized patients significantly decreased the genotoxicity of their FW. Our findings suggest that β-glucan consumption could possibly provide protection against colon cancer development.     

Severe lumbar spinal stenosis combined with Guillain-Barré syndrome: A case report

BACKGROUNDGuillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare disorder that typically presents with ascending weakness, pain, paraesthesias, and numbness, which mimic the findings in lumbar spinal stenosis. Here, we report a case of severe lumbar spinal stenosis combined with GBS.CASE SUMMARYA 70-year-old man with a history of lumbar spinal stenosis presented to our emergency department with severe lower back pain and lower extremity numbness. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the diagnosis of severe lumbar spinal stenosis. However, his symptoms did not improve postoperatively and he developed dysphagia and upper extremity numbness. An electromyogram was performed. Based on his symptoms, physical examination, and electromyogram, he was diagnosed with GBS. After 5 d of intravenous immunoglobulin (0.4 g/kg/d for 5 d) therapy, he gained 4/5 of strength in his upper and lower extremities and denied paraesthesias. He had regained 5/5 of strength in his extremities when he was discharged and had no symptoms during follow-up.CONCLUSIONGBS should be considered in the differential diagnosis of spinal disorder, even though magnetic resonance imaging shows severe lumbar spinal stenosis. This case highlights the importance of a careful diagnosis when a patient has a history of a disease and comes to the hospital with the same or similar symptoms.     

应用国产封堵器在治疗先天性心脏病的临床疗效分析

目的 总结国产封堵器经皮和经胸途径治疗先天性心脏病的临床疗效。方法 回顾性分析我院2013年1月至2017年12月在X线透视下或单纯超声心动图引导下采用经皮穿刺股静脉或股动静脉法，或者食管超声心动图监测下经胸小切口行先天性心脏病封堵1186例，其中经皮X线下封堵1081例、经皮单纯超声引导下封堵42例、经胸封堵63例；其中动脉导管未闭（ patent ductus arteriole，PDA）426例、房间隔缺损（atrial septal defect，ASD）363例、室间隔缺损（ventricular septal defect，VSD）348例、卵圆孔未闭11例、房间隔缺损合并室间隔缺损9例、房间隔缺损合并动脉导管未闭6例、房间隔缺损合并肺动脉瓣狭窄（pulmonary stenosis，PS）12例、动脉导管未闭合并肺动脉瓣狭窄8例、主肺动脉侧支封堵3例[经胸封堵66例改为63例，PDA443例改为426例]。结果 全组病例成功率98.2％（1165/1186），无死亡病例。随访1~36个月，术后第1、3、6、12个月及术后每年常规行超声心动图及心电图检查。术后第1、6、12个月的随访率分别为 92.9%（1102/1186）、84.1%（998/1186）、70.5%（836/1186）。超声心动图提示少量残余分流（<3 mm）18例；三尖瓣少量反流33例，中量反流5例；主动脉瓣轻度反流5例，中度反流1例；心律失常Ⅲ°房室传导阻滞（Avionics Bulletin，AVB[房室传导阻滞（Avionics Bulletin，AVB）]）1 例，Ⅱ°AVB 3例，完全性左束支3例，交界性心动过速3例，交界性逸搏2例。结论 国产封堵器在先天性心脏病封堵治疗中具有成功率高、创伤小、并发症低、操作容易、疗效确切、恢复快等特点，是治疗先天性心脏病的理想方法。     

The RECIST criteria compared to conventional response evaluation after peptide receptor radionuclide therapy in patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms

Annals of Nuclear Medicine - The Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) is the most used radiological method for evaluating response after peptide receptor radionuclide therapy...     

Uncalcified Synovial Chondromatosis in the Pisotriquetral Joint

Synovial chondromatosis is a rare lesion in the wrist, but some cases in the distal radioulnar joint have been reported and previous case reports emphasize joint calcifications, shown on preoperative plain radiographs. We report an extremely uncommon case of synovial chondromatosis in the pisotriquetral joint, in which radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging did not demonstrate apparent calcified bodies. In our case, for the accurate diagnosis and treatment, surgical exploration of the joint and synovectomy with removal of loose bodies was performed.