Premature introduction of progestin-only contraceptive methods during lactation

INTRODUCTIONS: Cochlear implants are used for the rehabilitation of bilaterally deaf patients. Due to the improvements in speech processing they might be also useful for patients with residual hearing and some speech understanding. METHODS: Pre- and postoperative speech understanding scores in 26 patients receiving implants were evaluated in a retrospective study. RESULTS: The preoperative pure-tone threshold in the implanted ear was between 80 and 115 dB in the frequency range of 500 to 2000 Hz. On the contralateral side the mean threshold was 10 dB better. The mean score for the number test was 11.3%, for the monosyllables below 5%. Postoperatively speech understanding improved significantly up to 97% for numbers and 48% for monosyllables (tested with the Freiburger Speech Test). Cochlear implantation also benefits patients with residual hearing and some speech understanding with hearing aids under optimum conditions. The speech understanding scores must be below certain limits. General selection criteria cannot yet be specified. The individual decision must be based upon several criteria, especially the speech understanding scores in quiet and noise under optimum conditions. A prospective study is needed to develop generally applicable criteria.     

Presence of enamel on the incisors of the llama (Lama glama) and alpaca (Lama pacos)

Cytoplasmic aggregation is an early resistance-associated event that is observed in potato tissues either after penetration of an incompatible race of Phytophthora infestans, the potato late blight fungus, or after treatment with hyphal wall components (HWC) prepared from P. infestans. In potato cells in suspension culture, the number of cells with cytoplasmic aggregation increased upon treatment with HWC, but such an increase was suppressed by treatment with cytochalasin D prior to treatment with HWC. This result suggested that cytoplasmic aggregation in cultured potato cells might be connected with the association of actin filaments. To identify the molecular basis of cytoplasmic aggregation, we purified actin and actin-related proteins by affinity chromatography on a column of immobilized DNase I from cultured potato cells and isolated proteins of 43 kDa, 32 kDa and 22 kDa. Analysis of the amino-terminal amino acid sequences indicated that the 43 kDa, 32 kDa and 22 kDa proteins were potato actin, basic chitinase and osmotin-like protein, respectively. This conclusion was supported by the results of Western blotting analysis of the 43 kDa and 32 kDa proteins with antibodies against actin and basic chitinase. Binding analysis with actin coupled to actin-specific antibodies and biotinylated actin suggested that the 32 kDa and 22 kDa proteins had actin-binding activity. In addition, examination of biomolecular interactions using an optical biosensor confirmed the binding of chitinase to actin. These results imply the possibility that basic chitinase and osmotin-like protein might be involved in cytoplasmic aggregation, hereby participating. In the potato cell's defense against attack by pathogen.     

Expression and molecular characterization of an enzymatically active recombinant human spumaretrovirus protease

A theoretical model is presented by which a true expression of pregnancy rate resulting from stimulated cycles can be calculated. This includes the transfer of both fresh and cryopreserved embryos. It is concluded that the total reproductive potential of a single cycle of stimulation can only be evaluated by including pregnancies arising from all fresh and frozen embryo transfers resulting from that cycle.     

Mal de Meleda: a report of four cases from the United Arab Emirates

Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the effect of cyclophosphamide (Cy) on molar development in 18 Sprague-Dawley rats from 15 to 48 days of age after birth. Doses of 30 mg/kg body weight of Cy dissolved in 1 ml 0.9% NaCl were given to the rats at 10 and 13 days of age. Eighteen control rats had injections of 1 ml 0.9% NaCl at the same ages. The most obvious changes in the experimental teeth were found in the developing roots of the first and second molars and in both the crown and roots of the third molar. The roots of the first and second molars were short and showed apical closure in the experimental rats. In addition to the disturbances in crown and root formation, the third molars were also significantly reduced in total size as compared with the third molars in the control rats.     

Metabolism of tetramethrin isomers in rat: II. Identification and quantitation of metabolites

1. To examine the metabolic fate of (1RS, trans)- or (1RS, cis)-tetramethrin [3, 4, 5, 6-tetrahydrophthalimidomethyl (1RS, trans)- or (1RS, cis)-chrysanthemate], rat was administered a single oral dose of trans- or cis-[alcohol-14C]tetramethrin at dose levels of 2 or 250 mg/kg. 2. The radiocarbon was almost completely eliminated from rat within 7 days after administration in all groups. 14C-recoveries (expressed as percentages relative to the dosed 14C) in faeces and urine were 38-58 and 42-58% respectively in rat administrated trans-[alcohol-14C]tetramethrin, and in faeces and urine were 66-91 and 9-31% respectively in rat administered cis-[alcohol-14C]tetramethrin. 3. Fourteen metabolites found in excreta were purified by using several chromatographic techniques and identified by spectroanalyses (nmr and MS). Five sulphonate derivatives and three dicarboxylic acid derivatives were found. 4. The main metabolites were sulphonate derivatives in the faeces, and in the urine, alcohols, dicarboxylic acid and reduced metabolites derived from the 3,4,5,6-tetrahydrophthalimide moiety.     

Expert statement and assessment of medical impairment in work-related pulmonary disease

The Norwegian Societies of Thoracic Medicine and Occupational Medicine established a working group to standardise diagnostic procedures and evaluation of work-related respiratory disorders. In cases of suspected work-related diseases the physician may be asked by the National Insurance Administration or an insurance company to make a statement which will be one of the documents used to decide the patient's right to compensation benefit. We discuss the role of the physician as an independent expert. This is different from his role as clinician. The statement should include a balanced presentation of information from different sources, including health and occupational history, and the employer's information about the work environment (quantitative and qualitative exposure data). The statement must also include the results of a clinical examination and an assessment of functional status based on objective tests. The paper contains recommendations for evaluation of permanent impairment in light of the present Norwegian laws and regulations.     

A novel therapeutic approach for rectal varices: a case report of rectal varices treated with double balloon-occluded embolotherapy

We present a patient with continuous melena, diagnosed as rectal varices bleeding. She had a history of esophageal varices, which was treated by endoscopic ligation therapy. Eight years after the treatment of esophageal varices, the continuous melena began. Colonoscopic examination showed that the melena was caused by rectal varices, which were so severe that they could not be treated by either endoscopic sclerotherapy or surgical devascularization. Taking into considering the overall risk of treating rectal varices, we chose the approach of double balloon-occluded embolotherapy (DBOE) with 5% ethanolamine oleate with iopamodol as a liquid embolic material. DBOE is one of the interventional radiology techniques (Morita et al., Acta Hepatol Jpn 1994;35:109-120), but in this case was a completely new and novel clinical procedure for rectal varices. After the DBOE therapy, the condition of rectal varices was markedly improved. Thus, DBOE might be a new tool for treating inoperable rectal varices.     

Differences in muscle endurance and recovery between fallers and nonfallers, and between young and older women

BACKGROUND: Significant morbidity and mortality are associated with falls in older adults. We tested the hypothesis that older women with a history of falls demonstrate decreased muscle endurance and longer recovery times following fatiguing exercise. METHODS: We evaluated dynamic endurance and recoverability of the quadriceps femoris of 29 young women (YW) (M age = 21.7), 26 older women with a history of falls (FA) (M age = 73.3), and 27 older women with no history of falls (NF) (M age = 71.2) using an isokinetic dynamometer. Subjects performed repeated maximal concentric knee extensions until the force output of two consecutive repetitions fell below 50% of their maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). Recovery was defined as the time required for the return of force output > or = 80% MVC for 2 consecutive repetitions, within a set consisting of 3 maximal contractions. One minute rest was allowed between sets. We collected electromyographic (EMG) data from the quadriceps during all testing to evaluate spectral shifts. RESULTS: ANOVA with a post-hoc Bonferroni-Dunn test revealed time to fatigue was significantly faster in FA than YW (p < .02) and in FA than NF (p < .05), but not different between YW and NF. Time to recovery was significantly slower in FA than YW (p = .01), but not different between YW and NF, or between FA and NF, EMG median frequency power shift (from the beginning to the end of the test) was significantly less in FA (p < .001) than either YW (p < .002) or NF (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Older women with a history of falls demonstrate decreased muscular endurance compared to YW and NF, and increased time to recover from fatiguing exercise when compared to young women.     

Rheumatoid nodules: MR/pathological correlation

A 62-year-old female who had a complaint of palpitation was diagnosed as bicuspid aortic stenosis and left single coronary artery by the echocardiographic examination, cardiac catheterization study and coronary artery angiography. Aortic valve replacement was performed and the patient was discharged 22 days after surgery with good post-operative course. Preoperative coronary artery angiography was important in the case of aortic valvular disease.