Participation in a wellness course and attitude toward physical education

70 women and 46 men enrolled in a college physical education course emphasizing concepts of wellness were administered the Attitude Toward Physical Activity Inventory at the beginning and end of a semester. Gender differences at the end of the semester were obtained on Social Experience, Health and Fitness, Aesthetic Experience, and Ascetic Experience, with the scores for men significantly higher than those for women. When comparing scores of students required to participate in the course with those of students electing to, no significant differences were found. Scores by gender showed significant differences on Ascetic Experience by men, with scores of noneducation majors significantly higher than those of education majors. Significantly higher scores at Time 2 for women on Health and Fitness and for men on Ascetic Experience were obtained.     

The sequential in utero death of heterokaryotic monozygotic twins. A case report and literature review

A case of monozygotic twins in a 19-year-old primigravida is presented. Ultrasound examination at 15 weeks' gestation showed one twin to have a cystic hygroma and hydrops fetalis. The other twin appeared normal. The twins appeared to occupy the same amniotic cavity. Fluid was taken from the cystic hygroma under ultrasound guidance for karyotyping and this showed 45,XO chromosomes. Conservative management was adopted. Serial ultrasound examination showed deteriorating hydrops and at 26 weeks the first twin died. Intensive monitoring of the remaining twin was undertaken with weekly ultrasound, cardiotocography (CTG), and clotting screens. At 29 weeks' gestation the CTG and clotting were normal, but ultrasound revealed that multicystic encephalomalacia had developed in the second twin. A very thin dividing membrane was seen for the first time between the twins. The parents decided to terminate the pregnancy. Prior to an intracardiac potassium chloride injection, a fetal blood sample was taken which revealed 46,XX chromosomes and a normal clotting screen including natural anticoagulant levels. Labour was then induced. Delivery took place 5 h later and the woman made an uneventful recovery. The mechanism for genetic differences between monozygotic twins is discussed and the literature reviewed. A non-disjunction event around the time of splitting of the twins is proposed as the cause. The prognosis for the remaining twin is also discussed, as is the pathogenesis of the cerebral damage.     

Laparoscopy for the impalpable testes. Initial experience of one center

Endoscopic treatment of acute pancreatitis has been proposed in different conditions: acute biliary pancreatitis, pancreatitis related to pancreas divisum or in case of pseudocysts. The efficacy of such endoscopic procedure is discussed.     

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes exhibiting high ex vivo cytolytic activity fail to prevent murine melanoma tumor growth in vivo

The identification of tumor-associated Ags recognized by CD8+ CTL and prevention of tumor outgrowth by adoptive transfer of these CTL demonstrates that CD8+ T cells play a major role in antitumor immunity. We have generated B16.F10 melanoma cells that express the glycoprotein epitope amino acid 33-41 (GP33) of the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) to examine antitumor CD8+ T cell response in C57BL/6 mice immune to LCMV and in mice transgenic for the LCMV GP33-specific P14 TCR (P14 TCR mice). We find that B16.F10GP33 tumor cells grew in syngeneic C57BL/6 mice without inducing T cell tolerance. LCMV infection or adoptive transfer of LCMV-specific effector T cells delayed but did not prevent growth of preestablished tumors in these mice. However, B16.F10GP33 tumor cells were rejected in mice immune to LCMV and in mice treated with LCMV-specific effector T cells on the same day as the tumor. Surprisingly, B16.F10GP33 tumor cells grew in P14 TCR transgenic mice despite an abundance of tumor-associated Ag-specific CD8+ T cells. In these mice, freshly isolated tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes exhibited an activated phenotype and displayed high GP33-specific cytolytic activity when assessed ex vivo. Thus, B16.F10GP33 melanoma cells are able to initiate, but not to sustain, a GP33-specific CTL response sufficient to clear the tumor enduringly.     

Persistent expression of morphological abnormalities in the distant progeny of irradiated cells

In this study, the effects of serotonin (5-HT) on in vitro lymphoproliferation in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are investigated. Serotonin exerted immunosuppressive effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated proliferation of fish peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). 8-OH-DPAT (an agonist of 5-HT1A receptors) mimicked the inhibitory effects of serotonin on lymphocyte proliferation, whereas addition of spiperone (an antagonist of 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B receptors) reversed these inhibitory effects, indicating that 5-HT1A receptors may be implicated in serotonin-induced immunosuppression. Furthermore, in this study the serotonergic receptors present on fish peripheral lymphocytes were characterized. A Scatchard plot of serotonin binding to fish lymphocytes followed the 'bell' shape curve with a Bmax of 0.63 microM and a Kd of 1.54 x 10(-8) M/10(6) cells. These results demonstrate the presence of positive-type co-operation among receptor populations. In a displacement study, serotonin inhibited the binding of 3H-5HT to the receptor sites both in resting and LPS/PHA-stimulated trout lymphocytes. Interestingly, the agonists (8-OH-DPAT and buspirone) and antagonist (NAN-190) of the 5-HT1A receptor subtype failed to displace 3H-5HT binding to receptor sites in resting cells, whereas these agents inhibited 3H-5HT binding in LPS- and PHA-stimulated lymphocytes significantly, suggesting that after mitogenic stimulation, 5-HT1A receptors are expressed on lymphocytes. CGS-12066B (an agonist of 5-HT1B receptors) failed to influence significantly 3H-5HT binding to receptor sites both in resting and mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes, indicating that the 5-HT receptor subpopulation is not expressed either on resting or on LPS- or PHA-stimulated lymphocytes. Taken together, these results suggest that trout peripheral blood lymphocytes express functional serotonergic receptors, and 5-HT1A receptors, which are not expressed by resting lymphocytes, are expressed after mitogenic stimulation and implicated in the inhibition of mitogenic (LPS and PHA) responses.     

Role of CT angiography in the preoperative evaluation for laparoscopic nephrectomy

Laparoscopic nephrectomy (LN) was recently introduced as a minimally invasive alternative to open nephrectomy in living related renal donation. Because of the limited field of view available with laparoscopic techniques, the role of preoperative radiologic evaluation in LN has expanded to include anatomic definition of the renal arteries, collecting system, renal parenchyma, and renal venous anatomy. Computed tomographic (CT) angiography has proved to be a minimally invasive alternative to conventional angiography in the preoperative evaluation of living related renal donors. CT angiography has been shown to have an accuracy comparable to that of conventional angiography in predicting renal arterial anatomy. In addition, CT angiography provides comprehensive definition of the renal vascular anatomy including the location, size, and length of the renal, adrenal, gonadal, and lumbar veins. Dual-phase spiral CT combined with three-dimensional CT angiography constitute a single, minimally invasive procedure that can provide a complete preoperative evaluation of potential living related renal donors prior to LN. Comprehensive anatomic depiction of the renal arterial and venous supplies aids in surgical planning and helps avoid potential complications.     

Variability of clinical and pressure-flow study variables after 6 months of watchful waiting in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms and benign prostatic enlargement

PURPOSE: We quantified the physiological variability of clinical and pressure-flow study variables in patients with symptomatic benign prostatic enlargement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Symptom scores were measured, and advanced urodynamic studies with pressure-flow analysis were performed in 178 patients before and 6 months after a period a watchful waiting. RESULTS: Patients without bladder outlet obstruction experienced significant symptomatic improvement. Symptoms in patients with obvious bladder outlet obstruction did not improve significantly. The reproducibility of mean pressure-flow variables was evident. However, there was an important intra-individual variability. Patients with obvious bladder outlet obstruction showed a significant decreases in detrusor pressure at maximal flow of 14cm. water, a significant decrease in the urethral resistance factor of 7 cm. water and a significant decrease of 1 obstruction class on the linear passive urethral resistance relation nomogram, indicating less severe bladder outlet obstruction. CONCLUSIONS: Mean differences among therapy groups must be regarded critically, especially when the difference are slight and possibly within physiological variability.     

Getting to the heart of a hidden epidemic--the American Heart Association''s dedication to women

The valves of the anterior urethra are a rare congenital malformation, but it can cause a significant deterioration of the uppermost urinary system due to their obstructive patterns. It's placed fundamentally in the peno-scrotal union or in the bulbous urethra. They can associate to the diverticula of the anterior urethra. The clinical manifestations can be varied, depending upon the age of the child and the degree of obstruction that provoque. The treatment is always surgical, although in some occasions they suffice the endoscopic resection. We present the 12 cases controlled in our Center, with known ages between 1 month and 7 years, that began with tumefaction urethral at micturition in 7 cases, urinary infection in 6 and sepsis in 2. All of them required open surgery, after the failure of endoscopic resection in one of them. The results have been favorable in 9 cases regarding to the repercussions in the renal function. Two patients had a need of nephrectomy and one had to be subjected to a renal transplantation. The jet at micturition after surgery is good in 10 cases. In one, there persists a subtle jet, although without clinical repercussions, and in one patient there appeared a slight dilation in the posterior urethra.