Respiratory muscle dysfunction in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy

Sleep and Breathing -     

Effect of the menstrual cycle and oral contraceptives on aromatase and cyclooxygenase-2 expression in adenomyosis.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether aromatase expression in the eutopic endometrium and adenomyotic foci is affected by previous use of oral contraceptives containing gestodene, and to determine whether changes in cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression occur in adenomyosis during the menstrual cycle. PATIENT AND METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study carried out in paraffin-embedded endometrial tissue obtained from patients with a histological diagnosis of adenomyosis obtained during the proliferative (n = 25) and luteal (n = 10) phases of the menstrual cycle and following the use of continuous oral contraception with gestodene/ethinyl estradiol (n = 7). COX-2 and aromatase expression were measured in both eutopic endometrium and adenomyotic foci using immunohistochemical methods. RESULTS: Aromatase expression was detected in 80% of the endometrial slices by immunohistochemistry. In positive cases, aromatase was mainly detected in the stromal cells of the eutopic endometrium, whereas in the adenomyotic foci this expression was negative in the majority of the cases. Oral contraceptives containing gestodene, on the other hand, were effective in suppressing aromatase expression in both eutopic and ectopic endometrium. COX-2 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry in the glandular epithelium of both eutopic endometrium and adenomyotic foci and there were no significant changes in its intensity throughout the menstrual cycle. CONCLUSION: Aromatase expression in the eutopic endometrium and adenomyotic foci is suppressed by oral contraceptives containing gestodene. Increased aromatase activity may be responsible for the persistent COX-2 expression during the luteal phase.     

Cytomegalovirus induces T-cell independent apoptosis in brain during immunodeficiency.

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common opportunistic viral pathogen associated with HIV/AIDS or immunosuppressive therapy. Systemic pathology may be caused either through direct virus-mediated infection or by indirect mechanisms such as 'by-stander' apoptosis. CMV infection of the central nervous system (CNS) occurs late in disease progression and understanding of pathology in the brain is fundamental for selection of appropriate therapies. OBJECTIVES: Using a model of disseminated neurotropic CMV disease, these experiments are designed to identify cellular predilection of murine CMV (MCMV) within mature brain and to determine, if CMV induces apoptosis within CNS cells. STUDY DESIGN: Adult immunodeficient (SCID) and normal BALB/c mice were infected via the tail vein with 4.5 x 10(5)pfu recombinant MCMV expressing a green fluorescent protein reporter. Animals were perfused at various time periods from 3 to 35 days post inoculation and tissues were stained for MCMV, GFAP, NEU-N, MBP, TUNEL, and caspase-3. RESULTS: CMV infection within brain was observed in multiple, independent foci affecting several different cell types, including neurons, glial cells, meninges, ependymal cells, and cerebral vessels. Cellular changes included nuclear karyopyknosis and karyorrhexis, and associated meningitis, choroiditis, encephalitis, vasculitis, and necrosis. TUNEL and caspase-3 staining of brain-demonstrated apoptosis of nearby 'by-stander' meningial, glial, and neuronal cells, but only in immunodeficient mice lacking T- and B-lymphocytes. Generally, only large CMV infection foci were associated with apoptosis of non-infected adjacent cells. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that MCMV may cause both direct and indirect pathology to brain and that T-cell independent apoptosis of surrounding cells of the CNS may be an important mechanism of disease in the pathogenesis of neurotropic CMV.     

Evaluation of bone height and bone density after tooth extraction: an experimental study in minipigs.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to radiographically quantify bone density and bone height preservation in tooth extraction alveolus filled with xenograft. STUDY DESIGN: The maxillary and mandibular fourth deciduous molars and fourth premolars of 6 minipigs were removed. Randomly, in 3 animals the right side was used as the test side and in the other 3 animals the left side was the test side. Intraoral radiographs were performed to compare the condition at the initial time and 3 months later. Measurements of bone height and bone density were performed using KS300 (Zeiss) software. RESULTS: After 3 months, there was a statistically significant smaller bone height loss for the test group. The test group presented a statistically greater bone density immediately after tooth extraction. However, after 3 months there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that treatment of postextraction alveolus with xenograft can preserve bone height initially but differences in bone density compared to when no xenograft is used are not sustained.     

Incidence of abnormal cerebral findings in the MRI of clinically healthy divers: role of a patent foramen ovale.

BACKGROUND: To investigate incidence and number of abnormal cerebral hyperintensities (ACFs) in Magnet Resonance Imaging (MRI) and its relation to a patent foramen ovale (PFO) in divers with no history of decompression illness. METHODS: Cohort study on 50 divers (21-5500 dives). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence and number of ACFs visualized by cranial MRI and presence and size of a PFO as documented by echocardiography and transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) with echocontrast. RESULTS: A total of 137 ACFs was found in the 50 subjects, with a significant correlation between the number of dives and number of ACFs (r = 0.28; p < 0.05); but after correction for age, the remaining correlation (r = 0.15) did not reach significance. In 18 divers, a PFO was present by either the application of echocardiography or TCD; in 12 divers, the PFO was of high hemodynamic relevance. Ten of 18 divers with a PFO had at least one ACF, while in the remaining 32 divers, only 14 had at least one ACF (56% versus 44%, p = NS). Seven of 14 divers (50%) with 4 ACFs had a PFO, compared to 11 of 36 (31%) with less than 4 ACFs (p = NS). CONCLUSION: In this cohort of healthy divers, in contrast to an earlier report, no significant association was found between PFO presence and incidence or number of ACFs.