Role of progestins with partial antiandrogenic effects.

An experts' meeting on the 'Role of progestins with partial antiandrogenic effects' was held in Berlin from January 19 to 22, 2001. The meeting was chaired by Dr R. Sitruk-Ware (New York, USA) and participants included Ms F.

Increased responsiveness of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to stress in newborns with atopic disposition.

In previous studies, atopic patients showed attenuated cortisol responses to psychosocial stress which is suggestive of a hyporeactive hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in this patient group. Regarding the anti-inflammatory role of glucocorticoids, reduced responsiveness of the HPA axis under stress may be one potential explanation of stress-induced exacerbation of atopic symptoms. The present study evaluated whether hyporeactivity of the HPA axis is a feature related to the disposition of atopy rather than a consequence of an ongoing chronic allergic inflammatory process.

[Coloration of cytologic thick sections containing biomaterials with silver methenamine. Usefulness for scanning electron microscopy].

Unlabelled: Prostheses implanted in hard tissues cannot be processed for electron microscopic examination or microanalysis in the same way as those in other tissues. For these reasons, we have developed a method allowing light and electron microscopic studies as well as microanalysis of the interface between bone and biomaterials after the sections glycoproteins have been stained with silver methenamine. Silver can be evidenced by SEM in back scattered mode.

[Oncoplastic techniques for immediate reconstruction with nipple-areolar preservation following radical resection of a centrally located breast cancer].

There are few breast-conserving therapies (BCT) for centrally located breast cancer. The present paper describes a BCT for breast cancers in such a location, which permits conservation of the nipple-areola complex (NAC), provided this has not been infiltrated. After histological detection of the breast cancer by punch biopsy, a central segmental mastectomy and an axillary dissection are performed.

Psychological and endocrine correlates of chronic pelvic pain associated with adhesions.

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a frequent and often unexplained gynecological complaint. We attempted to evaluate stress history, psychological features and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function in a group of patients suffering from CPP associated with pelvic adhesions. We recruited 10 patients with CPP and adhesions and 14 painfree, infertile control patients who underwent gynecological examination and diagnostic laparoscopy in a general hospital.