Post‐renal transplant erythrocytosis: A case report

PTE is defined as hematocrit >51% or hemoglobin >17 g/dL after renal transplantation. Risk factors include native kidneys with adequate erythropoiesis pretransplant, smoking, renal artery stenosis, and cyclosporine treatment. We report the case of a 14‐yr‐old female kidney transplant patient, with triple therapy immunosuppression and stable graft function who developed PTE at 12 months post‐transplant with hemoglobin 17.3 g/dL, hematocrit 54.2%, stable graft function, and normotensive with normal cardiac echocardiogram and erythropoietin levels. The only risk factor found was tobacco use. As she had no spontaneous improvement, enalapril treatment was started at 19 months post‐transplant with a hemoglobin level of 17.5 g/dL and hematocrit 53%; by 23 months post‐transplant, hemoglobin lowered to 15 g/dL and hematocrit to 44.5% and continued to be in normal range thereafter. PTE is a rare condition in childhood and can be successfully treated with enalapril.     

Changes in the integrins expression are related with the osteoarthritis severity in an experimental animal model in rats

We identify changes in the expression and localization of α5, α4, and α2 integrins during osteoarthritis (OA) pathogenesis in a rat experimental model. The changes were concomitant with variations in the extracellular matrix (ECM) content and the increase of metalloproteinases (MMPs) activity during OA pathogenesis, which were analyzed by immunofluorescence and Western blot assays. Our results showed an increased expression of α5 and α2 integrins at OA late stages, which was co‐related with changes in the ECM content, as a consequence of the MMPs activity. In addition, this is the first report that has shown the presence of α4 integrin since OA early stages, which was co‐related with the loss of proteoglycans and clusters formation. However, at late OA stages, the increased expression of α4 integrin in the middle and deep zones of the cartilage was also co‐related with the abnormal endochondral ossification of the cartilage through its interaction with osteopontin. Finally, we conclude that ECM‐chondrocytes interaction through specific cell receptors is essential to maintain the cartilage homeostasis. However, due to integrins cell signaling is ligand‐dependent; changes in the ECM contents could induce activation of either anabolic or catabolic processes, which limits the reparative capacity of chondrocytes, favoring OA severity. © 2014 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 32:1161–1166, 2014.     

Mycoplasma infection: a disease of reproduction? Apropos of 271 cases

We investigated by culture the presence of mycoplasmal infection in all reproductive abnormalities. 271 charts were studied, comprising problems of sterility with abnormal sperm, cystitis, urethritis, spontaneous abortions, fetal death in utero, premature deliveries and small for gestational age fetuses. Antimycoplasmal therapy lead to recovery in cases where this infection was the only cause, notably in sterility. Is Mycoplasma a risk factor or does it simply represent current infection?     

One‐step radiosynthesis of [18F]LBT‐999: a selective radioligand for the visualization of the dopamine transporter with PET

LBT‐999 (8‐((E)‐4‐fluoro‐but‐2‐enyl)‐3‐beta‐p‐tolyl‐8‐aza‐bicyclo[3.2.1]octane‐2‐beta‐carboxylicacid methyl ester) is a recently developed cocaine derivative belonging to a new generation of highly selective dopamine transporter (DAT) ligands (K_D : 9 nM for the DAT and IC₅₀ > 1000 nM for the serotonin and norepinephrine transporter). Initial fluorine‐18‐labelling of LBT‐999 was based on the robust and reliable two‐step radiochemical pathway often reported for such tropane derivatives, involving first the preparation of (E)‐1‐[¹⁸F]fluoro‐4‐tosyloxybut‐2‐ene followed by a N‐alkylation reaction with the appropriate nor‐tropane moiety. In the present work, a simple one‐step fluorine‐18‐labelling of LBT‐999 is reported, based on a chlorine‐for‐fluorine nucleophilic aliphatic substitution, facilitating as expected both automation and final high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) purification. The process involves: (A) reaction of K[¹⁸F]F–Kryptofix^®222 with the chlorinated precursor (3.5–4.5 mg) at 165°C for 10 min in DMSO (0.6 mL) followed by (B) C‐18 PrepSep cartridge pre‐purification and finally (C) semi‐preparative HPLC purification on a Waters Symmetry^® C‐18. Typically, 3.70–5.92 GBq of [¹⁸F]LBT‐999 (> 95% chemically and radiochemically pure) could be obtained with specific radioactivities ranging from 37 to 111 GBq/µmol within 85–90 min (HPLC purification and Sep‐Pak‐based formulation included), starting from a 37.0 GBq [¹⁸F]fluoride batch (overall radiochemical yields: 10–16%, non‐decay‐corrected). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effects of three different regimens of oral contraceptives and three different intrauterine devices on the levels of hemoglobin, serum iron and iron binding capacity in anemic women

The effects on hemoglobin, iron and iron binding capacity (IBC) in 150 moderately anemic women of 1) a 21-day low-dose combined pill, 2) the same low-dose combined pill for 21 days, followed by 7 days of an iron-containing pill, 3) the same low-dose combined pill administered for 63 consecutive days, followed by 7 days of no pill intake, 4) Lippes IUD, 5) TCu 220C and 6) Progestasert were studied. The three pill regimens were associated with an increase in hemoglobin and serum iron after 12 months. However, the iron pill and 63-day schedule groups produced an increase in hemoglobin and iron at the 6th month ans a diminution of IBC at 12 months. The Lippes and TCu 220C groups did not show any change in hemoglobin, iron or iron binding capacity after 12 months. The Progestasert group showed an increase in hemoglobin and iron levels at 6 and 12 months, and a diminution of IBC at 12 months. The pill and Progestasert have advantages as contraceptives in anemic women.     

9 years of systematic cytologic examinations of expressed galactophorous discharge. Detection of cancerous and precancerous conditions

Nine years of experience performing cytologic examinations on expressed breast discharge has enabled the identification of precancerous and cancerous conditions of the breast. Three thousand women were monitored. The only abnormal findings were cytologic (clinical and radiological examinations were normal). One case of atypical hyperplasia, 3 cases of cancer in situ, and 2 invasive cancers were identified upon histologic examination. Three women were lost to follow-up and subsequently developed invasive cancer.