The anabolic effects of parathyroid hormone on cortical bone mass, dimensions and strength--assessed in a sexually mature, ovariectomized rat model

We examined the effect of the pineal neurohormone melatonin (MLT) on protection from viral encephalitis. The antiviral activity of MLT was evaluated in normal mice inoculated with Semliki Forest virus (SFV) and in stressed mice injected with the attenuated non-invasive West Nile virus (WN-25). Administration of MLT (s.c.) daily from 3 days before through 10 days after virus inoculation reduced viremia and significantly postponed the onset of disease and death by 7 to 10 days. Moreover, MLT injection reduced mortality of SFV (10 PFU) inoculated mice from 100% to 44%. In mice inoculated with high dose of SFV (100 PFU), MLT postponed death and reduced mortality by 20%. In all of the surviving mice anti-SFV antibodies were detected 22 days after virus inoculation. Infection of mice stressed by either isolation or dexamethasone injection with WN-25 induced mortality of 75% and 50% respectively, which was reduced by MLT administration to 31% and 25%, respectively. The efficiency of MLT in protecting from lethal viral infections warrants further investigations on its mechanisms of action.     

Perceived equity and intimacy in marriage

The extent to which perceived inequity is related to perceived marital intimacy was examined. Sixty-six couples married five years or less were randomly selected from marriage license records in a western rural community. Equity/inequity was assessed using the Walster global measure of equity. Levels of overall intimacy, conflict resolution, affection, cohesion, sexuality, identity, compatibility, autonomy, and expressiveness were measured using the Waring Intimacy Questionnaire (WIQ). Inequity was associated with lower levels of overall intimacy, compatibility, identity, and expressiveness among the wives. Among the husbands, inequity was not associated with any types of intimacy. When comparing husbands in inequitable relationships to wives in inequitable relationships, the wives reported lower scores for only one kind of intimacy--identity. Explanations and implications for marriage therapy are discussed.     

Hearing impairment fitting: study of an auditory prosthesis with 7 entirely programmable filters

We designed a 7-filter digital auditory prosthesis table prototype. For each of these filters frequency band width, amplification and compression were programmable in order to adapt these parameters to the deaf patient's audiometric particularities. We compared the hearing improvement it was possible to obtain with our prototype as a function of the number of filters (3, 4 or 7) and their frequency band width programmability. We tested 21 patients suffering from middle or severe neurosensory hearing loss. This study allows to demonstrate that a 7 programmable-width-filter strategy seems to be the most appropriate.     

Low density lipoprotein catabolism is enhanced by the cleaved form of alpha-1-antitrypsin

The frequent occurrence of hypocholesterolaemia following inflammatory processes is well known but unexplained. Elevated plasma levels of serine proteinase inhibitors (serpins) and their complexes with target enzymes have been demonstrated in inflammatory, malignant and infectious diseases which are also often accompanied by low plasma cholesterol levels. Under inflammatory conditions, uncomplexed, but cleaved inactive serpins arising from slow deacylation of the serpin-proteinase complex may be present in the circulation. To determine the influence of native and cleaved forms of serpins, such as alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT), on lipoprotein metabolism, we investigated the effect of these forms on low density lipoprotein (LDL) catabolism in human HepG2 cell line. We have found that the cleaved form of AAT in concentrations from 125 to 2000 nmol l-1 stimulates LDL binding to the HepG2 cells, by up to 49% with a subsequent increase in LDL uptake and degradation of up to 79 and 65% respectively. Native AAT was also found to increase LDL binding and internalization by 20-25%, independently of the amount of AAT added, an effect most probably due to the cleaved form of AAT produced by local proteolysis of native AAT incubated in the cell culture. Moreover we have shown that the cleaved form of AAT interacts with LDL in vitro, and that such an interaction abolishes AAT ability to stimulate LDL binding and internalization. This study for the first time describes the ability of the cleaved form of AAT to stimulate LDL binding and internalization in HepG2 cell culture, and provides evidence that hypocholesterolaemia occurring during inflammatory processes may be mediated by cleaved forms of serpins.     

Extensive thrombophlebitis with reactive thrombocytosis in a high risk Chinese parturient associated with retained placenta increta: a case report

Forty-three patients with spastic quadriplegia (mean age 7.9 years, range 3.3 to 17.2 years) underwent bone mineral density (BMD) measurement of the lumbar spine and were evaluated between 2.6 and 5.5 years (mean 3.8) later to determine whether this measurement had predicted risk of fracture over the subsequent period of observation. Other potential risk factors that were evaluated include body weight z score, serum vitamin D levels, previous fracture, and hip spica casting. The baseline measurements showed that BMD falls further below normal with increasing age and was more than one standard deviation below age-matched normal mean in 38 of the 43 patients. Fracture rate did not differ between those with low and those with very low spinal BMD. Similarly, serum vitamin D levels and body weight z scores were not predictive of fracture. However, fracture rate was over fourfold greater following spica casting and more than threefold greater following an initial fracture. Fracture rates in the study group were similar to those reported for age- and sex-matched normal children, though generally the location of the fractures and mechanisms of injury differed.     

Orbital volume measurement in the management of pure blowout fractures of the orbital floor

With the recent advent of accurate orbital volume assessment by computed tomography, a retrospective analysis was made of 31 patients with 'pure' blowout fracture of the orbital floor, managed either surgically or conservatively, to determine whether orbital volume measurement could provide an additional parameter of use in the management of such fractures. There was a significant difference in orbital volume discrepancy between patients managed surgically or conservatively suggesting that this investigation may be of use in decision making on surgical intervention in patients with orbital blowout fractures.