The effect of hormone replacement therapy on the number and the proliferation index of endometrial leukocytes

This study aimed to determine the changes in endometrial leukocyte subpopulations under sequential hormone replacement therapy (HRT) during the late progestogenic phase. The number of leukocytes was determined using immunohistochemistry utilizing monoclonal antibodies to CD45 (total leukocytes), CD56 (endometrial granulated lymphocytes), CD3 (T-cells), and CD68 (macrophages). Leukocyte proliferation was demonstrated using in-situ hybridization with a histone probe, and the proliferation index was determined using double labelling for Ki67 (Mib1). Compared to the corresponding phase of the physiological cycle, sequential HRT-treated endometrium exhibited a 95% increase in CD45(+) cells (P < 0.05), a 130% increase in CD56(+) cells (P < 0.05), and a 113% increase in CD3 cells. There was a non-statistically significant drop in the number of CD68(+) cells. The number of proliferating leukocytes increased in sequential HRT endometrium.     

Return to work after acute myocardial infarction

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this work was to study the professional repercussions of acute myocardial infarction and to analysis medical, social and occupational factors which could influence return to work. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Our study concerns 70 patients less than 66 years old, working before their hospitalization and having been admitted for acute myocardial infarction between January 1-st, 1999 and December 31, 2000 in the Department of Cardiac Resuscitation of hospital La Rabta of Tunis. Data were collected from retrospective review of folders and answers to a questionnaire for which the patients have been summoned in 2002. RESULTS: There were 70 patients almost exclusively men (n=69). The mean age was 49.0 +/- 6.8 years. The mean follow-up was 27.2 +/- 7.7 months. Sixty one patients (87.1%) have initially been back to work and eight of them lost it secondarily. The average delay of return to work has been 91+/- 111 days. The direct repercussions of myocardial infarction on the professional capacities was observed at the majority of patients. CONCLUSION: Despite an important professional repercussions of acute myocardial infarction, our study showed a high rate of return to work with relatively short delays.     

ARX, a novel Prd-class-homeobox gene highly expressed in the telencephalon, is mutated in X-linked mental retardation

Investigation of a critical region for an X-linked mental retardation (XLMR) locus led us to identify a novel Aristaless related homeobox gene (ARX ). Inherited and de novo ARX mutations, including missense mutations and in frame duplications/insertions leading to expansions of polyalanine tracts in ARX, were found in nine familial and one sporadic case of MR. In contrast to other genes involved in XLMR, ARX expression is specific to the telencephalon and ventral thalamus. Notably there is an absence of expression in the cerebellum throughout development and also in adult. The absence of detectable brain malformations in patients suggests that ARX may have an essential role, in mature neurons, required for the development of cognitive abilities.     

Immune Profiling of COVID-19 in Correlation with SARS and MERS

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a major complication of the respiratory illness coronavirus disease 2019, with a death rate reaching up to 40%. The main underlying cause of ARDS is a cytokine storm that results in a dysregulated immune response. This review discusses the role of cytokines and chemokines in SARS-CoV-2 and its predecessors SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, with particular emphasis on the elevated levels of inflammatory mediators that are shown to be correlated with disease severity. For this purpose, we reviewed and analyzed clinical studies, research articles, and reviews published on PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science. This review illustrates the role of the innate and adaptive immune responses in SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 and identifies the general cytokine and chemokine profile in each of the three infections, focusing on the most prominent inflammatory mediators primarily responsible for the COVID-19 pathogenesis. The current treatment protocols or medications in clinical trials were reviewed while focusing on those targeting cytokines and chemokines. Altogether, the identified cytokines and chemokines profiles in SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 provide important information to better understand SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and highlight the importance of using prominent inflammatory mediators as markers for disease diagnosis and management. Our findings recommend that the use of immunosuppression cocktails provided to patients should be closely monitored and continuously assessed to maintain the desirable effects of cytokines and chemokines needed to fight the SARS, MERS, and COVID-19. The current gap in evidence is the lack of large clinical trials to determine the optimal and effective dosage and timing for a therapeutic regimen.     

Identification of a cycle-modulated 200-kDa endometrial antigen by a monoclonal antibody LDS60.

We have developed a mouse monoclonal antibody, LDS60, against a cycle-dependent antigen by immunising (MF1 x BALB/c)F1 mice with a human endometrial membrane preparation. In formalin fixed paraffin embedded sections, LDS60 identified an epithelial specific antigen which exhibited a specific pattern of expression during the menstrual cycle. It was only occasionally expressed during the proliferative phase. During the early-secretory phase, there was intracytoplasmic staining in about half of the glands examined. This was in the form of small microvesicles, either near the base of the cell or supranuclear. In the mid-secretory phase the same proportion of glands exhibited staining in the form of micro-vesicles that were noted to accumulate nearer to the cell apices. In the late-secretory phase, there was no intracytoplasmic staining and the antigen was localised to the luminal border of the glandular epithelium and some staining appeared within the gland lumen of approximately 20% of glands. It is also diffusely expressed in some mucous secreting cells in the tongue, stomach and colon, as well as lung pneumocytes. The antigen has a molecular weight of approximately 200 kDa as identified by immunoblotting. This antigen exhibits similarities to MUC-1 which is involved in uterine receptivity and could therefore have a similar role. Its cycle modulation suggests that it could be used to monitor the uterine response to steroids.     

Primary peritonitis in children with nephrotic syndrome

The primitive peritonitis (PP) is one of the rare but severe complications of the nephrotic syndrome. Through a series of 25 children who suffer from a primitive peritonitis complicating or revealing a nephritic syndrome, we tried to analyse the epidemiological and bacteriological aspects of these peritonitis. The mean age of the children is 7 years old with neat male predominance (3 boys/1 girl). Two patients presented 2 episodes of PP. In 16% of the cases, the PP revealed a nephrotic syndrome. The isolated germs in our series are the Escherichia coli (45.5%) and the pneumococcus (36.5%), in 56% of the cases, the germ has not been identified. The precocious large use of probabilist antibiotherapy permitted a favourable evolution with nil rate of mortality.