Autosomal recessive interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 4 deficiency in fourth-degree relatives.

We report a kindred with autosomal recessive interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 4 (IRAK-4) deficiency in 3 fourth-degree relatives. A diagnosis of IRAK-4 deficiency should be considered in families with invasive bacterial disease, even if the individuals affected are only distantly related, which falsely suggests multigenic or dominant inheritance with low penetrance.

A case of self-inflicted wounding by the introduction of needles through the abdominal wall to induce abortion.

The self-inflicted wounding of a 23-year-old woman who introduced needles through the abdominal wall to induce abortion is reported. The woman first came to hospital with metrorrhagia and pain in the right iliac fossa. Initially she refused treatment and went home.

Morphological, biochemical and molecular effects of cocaine on mouse neuroblastoma cells culture in vitro.

In order to compare the effects of cocaine at morphological, basal cytotoxicity, biochemical and molecular levels, cultured mouse neuroblastoma cells (Neuro-2a) were exposed to a range of concentrations of cocaine hydrochloride. Neuroblastoma cell proliferation, evaluated by quantification of total protein content, was very sensitive to cocaine, being increasingly inhibited from 12 to 72 hr of exposure (EC(50) = 3.1 mm at 24 hr).

Sudden cardiac death during exercise due to an isolated multiple anomaly of the left coronary artery in a 12-year-old girl: clinicopathologic findings.

A 12-year-old girl was taken to the Virgen Macarena Universitary Hospital in Seville, Spain, complaining of abdominal pain, nausea, palpitations, and difficulty in breathing. Her school teacher informed that the girl collapsed after a 100-m race at sports in school. Emergency rescue personnel found the patient pale, in a cold sweat, with low peripheral perfusion.

Vascular lesions in intestinal ischemia induced by cocaine-alcohol abuse: report of a fatal case due to overdose.

Intestinal ischemia induced by cocaine abuse is a rare condition. To this date, only three cases have been described. The diagnosis of bowel ischemia should be suspected whenever a cocaine addict has severe abdominal pain.