Time course of catch-up in adiposity influences adult anthropometry in individuals who were born small for gestational age

Although necessary for a normal final height in individuals who were born small for gestational age (SGA), catch-up growth is associated with drastic changes in body composition that have been suspected to favor the later development of the long-term metabolic complications by promoting central adiposity; however, the specific contribution of catch-up itself on these later complications remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of the study was to characterize the dynamic changes in adiposity during childhood in individuals who were born SGA and to investigate their consequences on adulthood. The magnitude and the time course of postnatal changes in body mass index (BMI) relative to birth and their consequences on adult adiposity were investigated in 127 adults who were born SGA and had available serial anthropometric data in childhood (0-6 y) and adulthood. Catch-up in BMI, observed in 91% of individuals who were born SGA, was mostly completed within the first or second year of age. Overall, adult BMI was correlated with the magnitude of gain in BMI during childhood. However, this effect was significant only when this gain persisted after the first year of life. Similarly, the influence of the magnitude in gain in BMI on the risk for adult BMI >25 kg/m(2) was significantly influenced by the age at which the gain in BMI occurred. In summary, although the extent of catch-up in BMI affects adiposity in adulthood, this effect is mostly deleterious when occurring after 1 y of age, suggesting that a rapid catch-up process should be more suitable than a delayed one. Whether this observation holds through regarding the metabolic syndrome remains to be elucidated.     

The use of a combination of galectin-3 and thyroid peroxidase for the diagnosis and prognosis of thyroid cancer

In this retrospective histologic study, galectin-3 had a sensitivity of 92% (22/24) for papillary thyroid carcinoma and 44% (4/9) for follicular thyroid carcinoma. Thyroid peroxidase (TPO) had a sensitivity of 50% (12/24) for papillary and 11% (1/11) for follicular carcinoma. The combination of galectin-3 and TPO had a sensitivity of 96% (23/24) for papillary and 44% (4/9) for follicular carcinoma. From a prognostic standpoint, of patients whose papillary carcinomas expressed both markers, all became free of disease. Of those whose papillary carcinomas expressed galectin-3 but not TPO, 57% (4/7) became free of disease, 29% (2/7) had persistent disease, and 14% (1/7) had progressive disease. This study confirms previous observations that galectin-3 alone is highly sensitive for papillary carcinoma but not adequately sensitive for follicular carcinoma. TPO alone is not adequately sensitive for the evaluation of any thyroid lesion. The combination of galectin-3 and TPO is complementary as a diagnostic and prognostic tool for patients with papillary carcinoma.     

Iron deficiency anemia and proteino-energetic status in woman from 15 to 49 years old in Tunisia

A foodstuffs survey has been carried out on young women aged from 15 to 49 in order to determine the total and available iron supplies, in proteins and in energy so as to establish the link between an iron deficiency and the protein-energy supplies in comparison to the needs required by the FAO and the WHO. The regions studied are the Great Tunis (GT) and the South West (SW) both in urban and rural backgrounds. These two regions have been selected because of the high prevailing rate of deficiency discovered after the 1996/1997 nutritional survey. Women have been divided into two groups: those who have a deficiency and those who don't have. The study concerned 1151 homes therefore about 1468 women and from them 712 are from GT and 756 from SW. The results of foodstuffs survey demonstrated that supply of meat is more elevated in non anemic women than anemic women concerning proteins supplies. A moderate energetic deficit is noticed in non deficient women and those anemic who have an iron deficiency. Women presented anemia have total and available iron deficient and a deficiency in energy supplies.     

Primitive adenocarcinoma of the fallopian tube: a case report

Tubal carcinoma is rare and its prognosis is poor. His diagnosis before intervention is not easy because clinic is poor and complementary exams not specifics. His treatment is radical surgery by laparoscopy associated with chemotherapy. The prognosis is correlated with cancer stage and residual tumoral volume after surgery. We report a 55 years case who underwent coelioscpic annexectomy for left pyosalpinx. Definitive histology answered tubal cancer. Patient dead after three months because disseminated and parietal metastasis.     

Exploring the effect of aspirin on primary hemostasis through bleeding time. Study of 16 volunteers

Strong anti-binding platelets, aspirin is used in the treatment or the prevention of many thrombotic pathologies. We wanted to study the effect of aspirin over the bleeding time of a group of volunteers. It consisted of 16 volunteers aged from 20 to 25 years and having no haemorrhagic or thrombotic antecedent. For each of them, we have carried out a blood count by means of an automaton Sysmex K800, followed by a measure of the bleeding time (BT). Immediately after, each volunteer has ingested 250 mg of Aspegic; then, the BT has been measured every 24 hours and up to the fifth day. The BT has been carried out by means of IVY technique 3 points, that besides the time, allows to measure the volume of bleeding (microliter). All the check-ups were normal, however, the time and volumes of bleeding were respective by short and weak. After having taken aspirin, the bleeding time has significantly become longer to day 1 and day 2 (respectively 48% and 31.5% with regard to day 0) and the volume has increased to day 1, day 2 and day 3 (respectively 122.6%, 74.7% and 38.1% with regard to day 0).     

Cyclophosphamide modulates CD4+ T cells into a T helper type 2 phenotype and reverses increased IFN-gamma production of CD8+ T cells in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system considered to be mediated by T helper type-1 cells. Several agents have been found to modify the disease course of MS, including interferon-beta1 (IFN-beta1), glatiramer acetate mitoxantrone. We have employed pulse therapy with cyclophosphamide in a selected group of patients with actively progressive disease. Chemokine receptors have been found to differentiate between polarized T helper type-1 (Th1) and type-2 (Th2) lymphocytes. The chemokine receptors CCR5 and CXCR3 are expressed primarily on Th1 cells and CCR3, CCR4 and CCR8 on Th2 cells. Previous studies of the expression of chemokine receptors in MS have shown that active MS plaques are infiltrated by CCR5(+) and CXCR3(+) T cells. Some of these T cells may express both CCR5 and CXCR3. These T cells are major producers of IFN-gamma, which worsens the clinical condition of patients with MS. We previously found that patients with MS had a high proportion of CXCR3(+) T cells and that those with chronic progressive MS had a high proportion of CCR5(+) T cells in their peripheral blood. We report here that in patients with secondary progressive MS, cyclophosphamide induces a marked increase in the percentage of CCR4(+) T cells that produce high levels of IL-4 and reverses the increase in the percentages of IFN-gamma-producing CCR5(+) and CXCR3(+) CD8(+) T cells. Furthermore, therapy with cyclophosphamide increases IL-4-producing CD4(+) T cells and reverses the increase in IFN-gamma-producing CD8(+) T cells. Our study shows that cyclophosphamide has immunomodulatory properties besides its suppressive effects, and that chemokine receptors can be important tools both for understanding the immune dysregulation in MS and for monitoring response to therapy.     

The use of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing in the treatment of psychogenic seizures

We present a case illustrating the use of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in the treatment of psychogenic seizures. These seizures were events lasting many hours, necessitating frequent emergency room visits and an extensive medical work up. Given the patient's history, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was diagnosed. EMDR is widely used as a treatment modality for PTSD, and the patient was referred for once-per-week treatment, with complete recovery after 18 months of therapy. The impact of her recovery on her quality of life was astonishing. This case supports the notion that EMDR can be an effective alternative treatment for psychogenic seizures, especially when the history reveals a traumatic event or abusive experiences.