Serum Leptin Levels in Patients with Premature Ejaculation

Leptin is a fat cell-derived hormone signaling the hypothalamus about food intake, the regulation of weight, and sexual behavior. The inhibitory effect of serotonin on libido, ejaculation, and orgasm is well documented. There is an interaction between leptinergic and serotonergic systems in the central nervous system. This study was conducted to evaluate serum leptin levels of the patients with premature ejaculation. The study group consisted of 15 patients with premature ejaculation according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Revised Version ( DSM -III-R) and 15 healthy controls. The fasting serum leptin levels were measured. Significantly high serum leptin levels in the patients were found after body mass index or age adjustment. The intravaginal ejaculation latency time negatively correlated with leptin levels in both patient and control groups. In addition, there was a positive correlation between leptin levels and the duration of illness. It would appear that leptin may be associated with premature ejaculation.     

Screening for developmental dysplasia of the hip: Results of a 7-year follow-up study

BACKGROUND: Screening for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is widely recommended for all infants to prevent disability from late diagnosis of dislocation of the hip. The present study evaluates the results of screening for developmental dislocation of hip in a clinic in Turkey over the course of 7 years. METHODS: Hospital records of 5798 infants who were examined regularly until walking age at Gazi University well child clinics between January 1995 and December 2001 were reviewed. Infants with known risk factors for DDH such as breech presentation, family history of DDH or swaddling, and of infants with physical examination findings suggestive of DDH, were referred to orthopedic surgeons for diagnosis. Based on this final diagnosis, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of risk factors and physical examination findings were calculated. RESULTS: Of the 5798 infants, risk factors were detected in the medical history of 111 infants, and in 14 infants a musculoskeletal deformity was detected. In 606 infants the physical examination findings were suggestive of DDH. Ten patients were subsequently diagnosed with DDH. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive values of having a risk factor for DDH in history were 10.0%, 98.1%, 0.9%, 99.8%, and having abnormal hip examination findings were 100.0%, 88.9%, 1.6% and 100.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A careful history and physical examination is the cornerstone of DDH screening. Serial hip examinations performed during health examination visits provide an opportunity to identify DDH cases. The sensitivity of risk factors in history and physical examination findings together is high enough to be accepted as a screening tool.     

Intravenous Propafenone for Conversion of Atrial Fibrillation or Flutter to Sinus Rhythm: A Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Crossover Study

BACKGROUND: Propafenone has been claimed to be effective in converting atrial fibrillation and flutter to sinus rhythm; however, controlled clinical trials have reported variable results, and data about the safety of propafenone in the setting of heart failure are lacking. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous propafenone in converting atrial fibrillation and flutter to sinus rhythm. METHODS: Sixty patients with acute (<72 h) or chronic atrial fibrillation or flutter were included in a randomized, placebo-controlled, conditional cross-over study. Twenty eight patients, of whom 12 were in New York Heart Association class III and IV, had heart failure. Patients received intravenous propafenone (2 mg/kg in 10 minutes) and placebo subsequently at 1 hour intervals if sinus rhythm was not achieved. The patients' rhythms were continuously monitored for 1 hour and a 12-lead electrocardiogram, a 1-minute continuous rhythm strip and vital signs were recorded at baseline and at 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes after the administration of each drug. RESULTS: Twenty of teh 59 patients (34%) treated with propafenone converted to sinus rhythm, while only 4 of the 50 patients (8%) treated with placebo converted (P <.001). Propafenone was more effective in patients with acute (<72 h) atrial fibrillation (64.5%). The conversion rate with propafenone was not significantly different from placebo in patients with atrial flutter and chronic atrial fibrillation (>72 h). Propafenone significantly decreased (P <.005 vs placebo) mean ventricular rate in nonresponders with a baseline heart rate of more than 100 beats/min. No clinically significant adverse effect occurred. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that intravenous propafenone treatment is effective for converting acute atrial fibrillation; however, it seems unlikely to be beneficial in atrial flutter and chronic atrial fibrillation. Propafenone decreases ventricular rate in nonresponders, and a single dose of propafenone is relatively safe even in moderate-to-severe heart failure.     

Diamond-Blackfan syndrome: evidence against cell-mediated erythropoietic suppression

The profound anemia of Diamond-Blackfan syndrome (DBS) is due to marrow red cell failure, but the pathogenesis is not understood. Studies by others indicated cell-mediated erythropoietic suppression in this condition. To explore this mechanism further, Ficoll-Hypaque--separated peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from four anemic untreated patients with DBS, or from normals were cocultured with control marrow in vitro and the growth of erythropoietin-responsive stem cell colonies (CFU-E) was dermined. CFU-E numbers obtained from cultures with added normal PBL were not significantly different from the number without PBL. Similarly, CFU-E from cultures with added DBS PBL were not significantly different from the number without PBL (215 versus 220, 229 versus 220 and 84 versus 60, 74 versus 94/10(5) cells, respectively). Mixing marrows from a control and one DBS patient in ratios of 2:1, 1:1, or 1:2 prior to culture failed to disclose a decrease of colony growth. We could not show cellular inhibition of erythropoiesis in these patients with DBS. The mechanism of anemia in this disorder remains an open question.     

Primary hydatid cyst of the breast with elevated CA 19-9 level

Breast masses secondary to hydatid cyst disease are placed on the differential diagnosis of breast tumors under guidance of the literature. In addition to their characteristic appearance on mammography, many specific parameters for diagnosis are required. In this report, the relation of serum CA 19-9 levels to the primary breast cyst hydatid was evaluated in both preoperative and postoperative periods.     

Lactobacillus rhamnosus CNCM I-3690 and the commensal bacterium Faecalibacterium prausnitzii A2-165 exhibit similar protective effects to induced barrier hyper-permeability in mice

Impaired gut barrier function has been reported in a wide range of diseases and syndromes and in some functional gastrointestinal disorders. In addition, there is increasing evidence that suggests the gut microbiota tightly regulates gut barrier function and recent studies demonstrate that probiotic bacteria can enhance barrier integrity. Here, we aimed to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus CNCM I-3690 on intestinal barrier function. In vitro results using a Caco-2 monolayer cells stimulated with TNF-α confirmed the anti-inflammatory nature of the strain CNCM I-3690 and pointed out a putative role for the protection of the epithelial function. Next, we tested the protective effects of L. rhamnosus CNCM I-3690 in a mouse model of increased colonic permeability. Most importantly, we compared its performance to that of the well-known beneficial human commensal bacterium Faecalibacterium prauznitzii A2-165. Increased colonic permeability was normalized by both strains to a similar degree. Modulation of apical tight junction proteins expression was then analyzed to decipher the mechanism underlying this effect. We showed that CNCM I-3690 partially restored the function of the intestinal barrier and increased the levels of tight junction proteins Occludin and E-cadherin. The results indicate L. rhamnosus CNCM I-3690 is as effective as the commensal anti-inflammatory bacterium F. prausnitzii to treat functional barrier abnormalities.