Rates of intestinal absorption of molybdenum in humans.

The intestinal absorption of molybdenum in healthy human volunteers has been measured by simultaneous oral and intravenous administration of the stable isotopes 95Mo and 96Mo, and the results were analysed using the convolution integral technique. The results showed that molybdenum ingested in liquid form was rapidly and totally absorbed into the circulation under ordinary intake regimes. The rates and extent of absorption were lower for composite meals, and also for increasing levels of administration. This information can be helpful in the application of the new ICRP model of the human alimentary tract.     

Epirubicin as a single agent therapy for the treatment of breast cancer — A pharmacokinetic and clinical study

Sixty women with breast cancer (mean age: 61 years; range 36-78 years) were treated with Epirubicin (4’epi-Dox-orubicin), 60 mg m^-2 , as single drug therapy. The drug was administered as 2 hours’ constant rate infusions. The pharmacokinetics of the drug during the first course of treatment was evaluated by measurements of the plasma concentration of Epirubicin at the end of the infusion period. There was a five-fold inter-individual variation of the dose-normalized maximum plasma concentration, which increased with increasing age of the patients. There was no correlation between this pharmacokinetic parameter and degree of obesity.     

Preliminary assessment of the Dex Frame for assisting children with specific learning difficulties

A device called the Dex Frame has recently been marketed as an aid for children with specific learning difficulties. Using a test of reading speed and a test of reading accuracy we have attempted to evaluate the device. Two groups of children with learning difficulties were used, one having sole use of the device and being allowed to carry it with them and a second group who only used the device when attending for remedial tuition and assessment. The results show that no significant improvement occurred in reading performance of the groups with learning difficulties using the Dex Frame as compared with a control group. The teachers of the groups did, however, feel that on an individual basis some children (< 10%) expressed that they felt more comfortable using the device.     

Maternal coagulation inhibitors and the effects of cesarean delivery.

Maternal hypercoagulability in normal pregnancy results from significant increases in blood factors that promote thrombosis or decreases in factors that inhibit thrombosis, such as antithrombin III (AT-III) and proteins C and S. The precise role of these factors in puerperal hemostasis is not clear. In 10 normal, pregnant women at term undergoing scheduled repeat cesarean section, the percent activities of AT-III, proteins C and S, and C4b-binding protein were determined in peripheral venous blood preoperatively and in samples of uterine venous blood before the uterine incision was made and 5 and 15 minutes after placental delivery using the Laurell Rocket electroimmunodiffusion technique. The mean percent activities of AT-III (73%), protein S (81%) and C4b-binding protein (85%) were lower than those in nonpregnant controls, were similar in peripheral and uterine venous blood and were unchanged after placental delivery. These data suggest that such factors may not play an important role in acute uteroplacental hemostasis during normal pregnancy.     

Genital infections with Chlamydia trachomatis in pregnant women in New Caledonia]

Chlamydia trachomatis was researched from 400 pregnant women. 76 of them were found infected and 129 carried serological signs of infection. We purpose a detection at the end of pregnancy interesting women with sexually transmitted diseases background and those with serological positive results (greater than 1/64). Then, treatment of the mother will be an useful method of prevention against neonatal infection.     

CT visualization of medullary sponge kidney

Recognizing the changes of medullary sponge kidney (MSK) on computed tomographic (CT) scans may be of value in both diagnosis and in differentiating this from other disease states. The appearance on CT of MSK has not previously been well described. A case is reported that demonstrates ectatic renal collecting tubules visualized by CT, and techniques are suggested to optimize visualization of these changes.     

Differential effect of catechol-O-methyltransferase Val158Met genotype on emotional recognition abilities in healthy men and women.

The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism modulates executive functions and working memory and recent neuroimaging studies implicate an association with emotional processing. We examined the relationship between the COMT Val158Met polymorphism and facial emotion recognition and differentiation in 100 healthy individuals. Compared to Met homozygosity, Val homozygosity was associated with better and faster recognition of negative facial expressions such as anger and sad. Our study provides evidence for a possible influence of the COMT polymorphism on emotion recognition abilities in healthy subjects. Additional research is needed to further define the neurocognitive phenotypes associated with COMT polymorphisms.     

Prophylactic laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy for hereditary diffuse gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Ten percent of gastric cancer (GC) cases are familial, with one third resulting from a mutation in the tumor suppressor gene CDH1. Loss of this important structure can result in hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC), which carries a high mortality if early diagnosis is not made. Despite its clear genetic origin, optimal management of HDGC family members is controversial, as the utility and efficacy of current cancer screening programs for mutation carriers are unproven. METHODS: A 53-year-old Caucasian woman was initially seen for genetic screening because multiple family members had mutations of the CDH1 gene. Her pedigree analysis demonstrated 4 generations of gastric cancer, and 2 of the generations carried the CDH1 germline mutation, consistent with HDGC. At endoscopy, the patient's gastric mucosa was normal and random biopsies were also normal. The patient underwent a laparoscopic total gastrectomy. RESULTS: The gross examination of her stomach appeared normal. On histologic examination, however, the stomach was found to have diffuse (signet ring cell) adenocarcinoma in-situ with 11 microscopic foci of invasive adenocarcinoma limited to the lamina propria. CONCLUSION: Our case is the first reported prophylactic total gastrectomy utilizing a laparoscopic approach, and it highlights the importance of taking a thorough family history and obtaining a pedigree analysis. Endoscopic screening in HDGC cannot rule out diffuse GC, because the stomach and biopsies can be normal despite the presence of adenocarcinoma. Therefore, our case supports the recommendation for prophylactic gastrectomy in HDGC.