Postpartum obturator neurapraxia. A case report

BACKGROUND: Obturator nerve injury is a rare complication of vaginal delivery. CASE: Postpartum obturator neurapraxia was clinically diagnosed in a 22-year-old woman on the first postpartum day after a vaginal delivery. With physical therapy, the neurologic symptoms resolved by the third postpartum month. CONCLUSION: Maternal nerve injuries are uncommon in obstetrics. The diagnosis of obturator neurapraxia is usually made clinically. The symptoms will resolve with conservative physical therapy alone in the majority of cases.     

Development of a quantitative antigen-specific cell-based ELISA for the 7G7/B6 monoclonal antibody directed toward IL-2Ralpha

Interleukin-2 receptor alpha (IL-2Ralpha, CD25) has been identified as a valuable target for immunotherapy. The 7G7/B6 monoclonal antibody, a mouse IgG2a kappa, recognizes an epitope of the IL-2Ralpha peptide, other than that identified by anti-Tac. This antibody is currently being explored for potential therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Here, we show a cell-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CbELISA) method for quantitative measurement of the binding activity of the 7G7/B6 antibody to the Kit-225-iG3 cell line expressing IL-2Ralpha antigen on the cell surface. The cell- and antigen-specificity of the assay was established using specific cell lines and irrelevant control antibodies. Satisfactory binding curves were demonstrated with Kit-225-iG3 cells grown between 3 and 25 passages in culture and at seed densities of 2 x 10(5)-4 x 10(6) cells/well. The assay shows reproducible dose-response curves in the concentration range of 10-1000 ng/ml. The assay validation data presented here indicate that this CbELISA assay is quantitative, reproducible, robust, precise, and can be used to test the biological activity, lot to lot comparison, and stability of 7G7/B6 monoclonal antibody.     

The dually perfused human placenta by Schneider method modified by Miller. I. Changes of arterial and venous pH in material and fetal blood

The study was carried out on 7 human placental cotyledons. Placental perfusions performed by Schneider method modified by Miller were conducted for 180 min. Assessment of arterial and venous pH in maternal and fetal blood was performed. There were no statistically significant differences between obtained parameters throughout the experiment. The results of this study point to the conclusion that the method can be used for assessment of other perfusion liquid parameters and introduced to subsequent experiments.     

Clear and compelling evidence: the Polish tribunal on abortion rights

On 25 July 2001 the Polish Federation for Women and Family Planning organised a Tribunal on Abortion Rights in Warsaw, to publicize the negative consequences of the criminalization of abortion in Poland. A panel of Polish and foreign experts heard the testimonials of seven Polish women's experiences under the 1993 "Anti-Abortion Act". Only two of the seven women were able to tell their stories in person. One died in 2001, at the age of 21, of an unsafe abortion. One is legally blind after having carried her last pregnancy to term. One is in prison for infanticide, which in all likelihood was committed by her boyfriend. National and foreign journalists were in attendance, as well as observers from all walks of life--writers, students, mothers, activists, feminists, husbands. The evidence was clear and compelling. Restrictive abortion laws make abortion unsafe by pushing it underground, endanger women's health, create a climate where even those services that are allowed by law-become unavailable, and contravene standards set by international human rights law. The restrictive abortion law in Poland has not increased the number of births; it has only caused women and their families suffering. The Tribunal brought the issue of abortion into the media prior to an election campaign and galvanised Polish and other Eastern European women's groups to become more active in defence of abortion rights.     

Dens evaginatus--how does it present and how should it be managed?

Dens evaginatus is a developmental dental anomaly predominantly affecting premolars in people of Mongolian origin. It is likely to become more prevalent in New Zealand due to the increase in immigration of Asians. The formation of dens evaginatus is postulated to be an abnormal evagination of the internal enamel epithelium and dental papilla into the stellate reticulum during morphodifferentiation. An important complication resulting from damage to the evagination is periapical abscess. When considering treatment options, the long-term prognosis of the tooth, its root length, the general alignment of the teeth, and overall arch length should be reviewed. Management options include composite resin placed at the base of the tubercle, excision of the tubercle followed by direct or indirect calcium-hydroxide pulp capping and composite-resin restoration, and apexification procedures followed by conventional endodontic therapy. Grinding of the intact tubercles of newly erupted evaginated premolars may contribute to secondary infection of the pulp, and is not recommended.     

Characterisation of the 1H and 13C NMR spectra of N-acetylaspartylglutamate and its detection in urine from patients with Canavan disease

1H and 13C NMR spectra of N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) have been recorded and interpreted. The values of the 1H chemical shifts and 1H-(1)H coupling constants at different pH were obtained by iterative computer fitting of 1-D 1H NMR spectra. This provided information on the solution conformation of the investigated molecule. Proton-decoupled high resolution 13C NMR spectra of NAAG have been measured in a series of dilute water solution of various acidity. These data have provided a basis for unequivocal determination of the presence of NAAG in the urine sample of a patient suffering from Canavan disease. NMR spectroscopy provides a possibility of detecting NAAG in body fluids.     

Development of a Dog Microdialysis Model for Determining Synovial Fluid Pharmacokinetics of Anti-Arthritis Compounds Exemplified by Methotrexate

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate an animal model of drug disposition in synovial fluid (SF) by comparing microdialysis with arthrocentesis using the anti-arthritic drug methotrexate (MTX). Methods. Microdialysis probes were calibrated in vitro with the no net flux method using dog synovial fluid. The probes were implanted surgically into the stifle joint space of four dogs and were dialyzed overnight using a portable microinfusion pump. The membrane integrity of the probes was monitored by retrodialysis using an internal standard. After an intravenous bolus of 2.5 mg/kg of MTX, unbound concentrations in synovial fluid, as well as total plasma concentrations, were measured by liquid chromatography tandam mass spectrometer (LC/MS/MS) in samples collected from 0 to 48 h postdose. Results. The probe membrane remained intact at least 48 h after implantation. The mean probe recovery and unbound fraction of MTX in SF were 46.8% and 44.8%, respectively. The unbound fraction of MTX was 44% in synovial fluid. MTX penetrated into the joint space rapidly, with maximal concentrations of 6.6 M reached at approximately 1 h postdose. The unbound MTX area under the curve in SF was approximately 40% of the total area under the curve in plasma. These data agree well with the previous data obtained for MTX using arthrocentesis. Conclusion. In contrast with arthrocentesis, microdialysis enables the collection of multiple serial SF samples from individual animals with minimal trauma and potential blood contamination. This animal model should prove valuable for studying the disposition of new anti-arthritis compounds or biomarkers in SF.