Hysterosalpingo contrast sonography (HyCoSy) with SH U 454 (Echovist) for the assessment of tubal patency

A total of 88 Fallopian tubes from 44 patients was examined with hysterosalpingo contrast sonography (HyCoSy), hysterosalpingogram (HSG), and laparoscopic chromopertubation (LC) in order to assess their relative accuracy for measuring tubal patency. HyCoSy was done by transvaginal ultrasound and the contrast was SH U 454 (Echovist). The flow of multiple fractions of the contrast medium through each Fallopian tube was observed in real time in appropriate imaging planes by means of a transvaginal probe. Compared with laparoscopic results, we found a sensitivity of 85.2%, a specificity of 85.2%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 71.9%, a negative predictive value (NPV) of 92.9% and concordance (HyCoSy/LC) of 85.2%, while the corresponding values for HSG were sensitivity = 85.2%, specificity = 83.6%, PPV = 69.7%, NPV = 92.7% and concordance (HSG/LC) of 84.1%. Compared with HSG results, HyCoSy obtained a co-positivity of 66.7%, a co-negativity of 81.8% and a concordance of 76.1%. In conclusion, HyCoSy with SH U 454 proved to be a reliable and safe modality for evaluating tubal patency; it is suitable as an outpatient diagnostic procedure to be used before more invasive procedures.     

"Their ideas of beauty are, on the whole, the same as ours": Consistency and variability in the cross-cultural perception of female physical attractiveness.

The consistency of physical attractiveness ratings across cultural groups was examined. In Study 1, recently arrived native Asian and Hispanic students and White Americans rated the attractiveness of Asian, Hispanic, Black, and White photographed women. The mean correlation between groups in attractiveness ratings was r?=?.93. Asians, Hispanics, and Whites were equally influenced by many facial features, but Asians were less influenced by some sexual maturity and expressive features. In Study 2, Taiwanese attractiveness ratings correlated with prior Asian, Hispanic, and American ratings, mean r?=?.91. Supporting Study 1, the Taiwanese also were less positively influenced by certain sexual maturity and expressive features. Exposure to Western media did not influence attractiveness ratings in either study. In Study 3, Black and White American men rated the attractiveness of Black female facial photos and body types. Mean facial attractiveness ratings were highly correlated (r?=?.94), but as predicted Blacks and Whites varied in judging bodies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

One hundred years of orthopedics in the Netherlands. VIII. Pediatric orthopedics

Orthopaedic disorders in children differ in type from those in adults: most frequent are congenital anomalies and disorders of growth and development. The special nature and relative rarity of these conditions justify the separate development of this branch of the discipline. Fractures almost always heal normally after closed reduction and immobilization in a plaster cast; fractures close to epiphyseal discs and in joints require special attention. Slipping of the upper femoral epiphysis necessitates surgical fixation of the epiphysis. Benign bone tumours occur relatively often and mostly require no surgical intervention. The prognosis of solid malignant bone tumours has improved since the introduction of (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy and limb-sparing surgery. In case of difference in leg length, the length of both legs is predicted with the aid of roentgenological measurements. Inhibition of the growth of the longer leg gives rise to fewer complications than lengthening of the short leg. The essence of the treatment of growth disorders due to abnormal ossification of the cartilage is to monitor the natural repair process and to intervene if permanent malformation threatens.     

Identification of myoglobin in human smooth muscle

Myoglobin (Mb) has been believed to be absent generally from mammalian smooth muscle tissue. Examination of human rectal, uterine, bladder, colon, small intestine, arterial, and venous smooth muscle by immunohistochemical techniques shows that each of these tissues is immunopositive for both smooth muscle myosin and human Mb. Mb-specific primers were used for the polymerase chain reaction to generate cDNA from smooth muscle tissues. Southern hybridization with a Mb-specific probe gave a very strong signal with the cDNA from rectum, weaker signals from small intestine and uterus, a faint signal from colon, and no signal from bladder tissue. High performance liquid chromatography analysis coupled with sequence determination has shown that contaminating heme-binding serum albumin as well as hemoglobin in extracts of smooth muscle seriously compromise any heme-based or spectrophotometric assay of Mb. Combined affinity and size exclusion chromatography, however, provide the necessary resolution. The cDNA-derived amino acid sequence of human smooth muscle Mb was found to be identical to that of Mb from striated muscle.     

Toxoplasmosis in goats in the Netherlands: a pilot study

A pilot-study was carried out on ten Dutch goat farms to see whether there is a relationship between farm management factors and the occurrence of toxoplasmosis. Questionnaires were used to collect information about farm management factors and blood samples were taken to determine the prevalence of toxoplasmosis on these farms. The mean prevalence was 47% (range 5-90%). The presence of kittens on a farm was a risk factor for a higher prevalence of toxoplasmosis.