Botulinum Toxin in the Treatment of Muscle Specific Oro-Facial Pain: A Literature Review

Facial pain associated with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and surrounding structures has been a challenge to clinicians as far as diagnosis and management is concerned. Complexity of anatomical structures within a small area, function of teeth and surrounding periodontal ligament, action of muscles, pathologies, lack of diagnostic investigations, all these complicate specific diagnosis of TMJ disorders. Various classifications have been designed and studied to help diagnose and treat TMJ related disorders, of which the simplest one is pain from TMJ proper and surrounding muscles. Many treatment modalities to treat pain arising from muscles around TMJ like splints, mouth restriction exercises, injection of sclerosing agents etc. have been used with various degrees of success. Botulinum toxin has been shown to be effective in the treatment of oro-facial pain due to muscular disorders and the same is discussed in detail in this review literature.     

糖代谢异常孕妇胰岛素水平的变化机制相关影响因素研究

目的:探讨妊娠期糖代谢异常孕妇的胰岛素水平变化的影响因素。方法:选取2011年2月至2012年6月在妇产科围产保健孕妇,根据50克葡萄糖筛查(GCT)和口服75克葡萄糖耐量试验(OGTT)结果纳入妊娠期糖代谢异常患者86例,并随机选取GCT正常孕妇60例作为对照组。检测所有研究对象的空腹血糖和胰岛素水平,OGTT60min、120min和180min的血糖及胰岛素水平。结果:妊娠期葡萄糖代谢异常(GIGR)组孕前体重指数(BMI)、孕期体重增加量及家族史阳性率明显高于正常组孕妇。GIGR组OGTT试验60min及120min的胰岛素水平明显高于正常组。GIGR组胰岛素抵抗指数(HOMA-IR)明显高于正常组(分别为5.1±1.4vs.2.3±0.6;P<0.05)。在GIGR孕妇中,有家族史的孕妇确诊为GIGR的孕周明显早于无家族史孕妇,GCT血糖结果亦明显高于无家族史孕妇。结论:GIGR孕妇存在明显的胰岛素抵抗、孕前肥胖、孕期体重增长过多和糖尿病家族史高危因素,故对于GIGR的高危人群,应及时并定期行孕早期胰岛功能检查,做到及早发现异常并进行有效的干预。     

In vitro fertilisation in domestic mammals—a brief overview

Many factors influence the final oocyte maturation, fertilisation, and early embryo development, and there are both similarities and differences between species. When comparing the advancement of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs), the development in the bovine species is not far behind the medical front, with around one million in vitro-produced bovine embryos each year. This rate of progress is not seen in the other domestic species. This review aims to give an overview of the development and specific difficulties of in vitro embryo production in various domestic animal species, with the main focus on cows, pigs, and cats. In production animals, the aim of ARTs is commonly to increase the genetic progress, not to treat reproductive failure. The ARTs are also used for preservation of genetic diversity for the future. However, specifically for oocyte maturation, fertilisation, and early embryonic development, domestic mammals such as the cow and pig can be used as models for humans. This is particularly attractive from an animal welfare point of view since bovine and porcine oocytes are available in large numbers from discarded slaughterhouse material, thereby decreasing the need for research animals. Both for researchers on the animal and human medical fronts, we aim for the development of in vitro production systems that will produce embryos and offspring that are no different from those conceived and developed in vivo. Species-comparative research and development can provide us with crucial knowledge to achieve this aim and hopefully help us avoid unnecessary problems in the future.     

Identification of lymphogranuloma venereum‐associated Chlamydia trachomatis serovars by fluorescence in situ hybridisation – a proof‐of‐principle analysis

We describe a proof‐of‐principle evaluation of a fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) procedure to identify Chlamydia trachomatis serovars L1–L3, the causative agents of lymphogranuloma venereum, in cell cultures based on newly designed DNA probes. Rapid and easy‐to‐perform FISH could facilitate the diagnosis of lymphogranuloma venereum without nucleic acid amplification or serotyping, but requires broader evaluation studies, for example, in tropical high‐endemicity regions.