Soluble L-selectin, a marker of immune activation, in neonatal infection.

L-Selectin is an adhesion molecule shed from the surface of lymphocytes and granulocytes upon activation. Soluble L-selectin in the plasma can thus reflect immune activation and is elevated in several pathological states. Our objective was to evaluate plasma levels of L-selectin as an immune activation marker in neonates and to determine whether it can serve as a marker of infection, either neonatal or congenital, or if it is affected by the mode of delivery and obstetrical or perinatal complications.

Prevention of perinatal HIV transmission: a review of novel strategies.

Significant progress has been made in preventing transmission of HIV-1 from mother to infant. With combination antiretroviral therapies, transmission rates lower than 2% have been achieved in clinical studies. Abbreviated regimens covering labour and the first few days of neonatal life have shown considerable promise in the developing world.

Serum adiponectin levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Background: Adiponectin is regarded as a possible link between adiposity and insulin resistance. The study aim was to measure serum adiponectin levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and to assess possible correlations between adiponectin and the hormonal or metabolic parameters of the syndrome.

Methods: Eighty-five selected women were classified as: Group I (n = 35) with PCOS + body mass index (BMI) >25 kg/m(2); group II (n = 35) with PCOS + BMI <25 kg/m(2); and group III (controls; n = 15) ovulating without hyperandrogenaemia and BMI <25 kg/m(2).

Prognostic value of evaluation of total number of morphological anomalies in 100 sperm in semen of infertile men.

In this study, the evaluation of the total number of morphological anomalies per 100 sperm was more reliable, as far as potential fertility is concerned than the concentration of sperm per milliliter, the percentage of motile sperm, and the percentage of sperm with normal or abnormal morphology. This parameter allows for discrimination between subfertile and fertile semen and therefore can help in the selection of men who require assisted reproduction techniques.

Differential effects of unopposed versus opposed hormone therapy, tibolone, and raloxifene on substance p levels.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of unopposed therapy (conjugated equine estrogens [CEE]) vs. opposed therapy (CEE and medroxyprogesterone acetate), tibolone, and raloxifene on serum substance p levels.

Design: Clinical study.

Do characteristic spermatozoal morphological abnormalities exist in patients who have undergone unilateral orchiectomy and preventive radiotherapy?

Design: We examined 16 men who had been subjected to unilateral orchiectomy owing to seminoma and to preventive radiotherapy, in order to investigate the morphologic abnormalities of the spermatozoa (headless and small-round-headedness) that may contribute to infertility.

Results: The same morphologic abnormalities of the head and neck found in the semen samples of fertile men were also found in the semen samples of the patients, albeit in higher percentages; the morphologic abnormalities of the tail in the semen samples of the patients were similar to those of the fertile men, both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Conclusion: No specifically characteristic morphologic abnormalities of the spermatozoa were detected in men who were subjected to unilateral orchiectomy and to preventive radiotherapy in comparison with fertile men.

Adenomyosis.

Adenomyosis is characterized as ectopic endometrial tissues within the myometrium in the uterus. The etiology and pathogenetic mechanism(s) responsible for adenomyosis are poorly understood. Definite diagnosis is made on hysterectomy specimens, although attempts are made at securing preoperative diagnosis by magnetic resonance imaging and myometrial biopsies.

Reconstitution of thymic function in HIV-1 patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy.

The extent to which highly active antiretroviral therapy can restore thymic function in HIV-1 infected patients is not known. We simulate treatment using a temporal model of thymopoiesis during HIV-1 infection, tracking thymic function by the number of recent thymic emigrants (RTE) exported to the periphery per day. Our results suggest that suppressing viral load in peripheral blood and improving inherent thymic function are necessary for the reconstitution of RTE levels in adult thymic infection with either R5 or X4 HIV-1 strains.

The effects of different HIV type 1 strains on human thymic function.

Studies of HIV-1-infected humans indicate that the thymus can be infected by HIV-1. In some of these patients, there is a significant CD4(+) T cell decline and a faster disease progression. This phenomenon is more evident in pediatric patients who depend heavily on their thymus for generation of new T cells.

SHIV-KB9 infection of rhesus monkeys does not always cause disease-contribution of host immune factors and thymic output.

Simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) infection in the macaque is a model of HIV pathogenesis. KB9, a molecular clone of SHIV 89.6P, induced rapid and profound CD4(+) T cell loss in rhesus monkeys, followed by partial recovery in some.

Treatment of acute mania with topiramate in hospitalized patients.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of topiramate in the treatment of acute manic symptoms. Fourteen patients, admitted with an acute manic episode, were treated with topiramate. All required supplementation therapy with benzodiazepines.

Clock drawing test in institutionalized patients with schizophrenia compared with Alzheimer's disease patients.

The impaired performance of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients on the clock drawing test (CDT) relative to age-matched normal controls is a well-documented finding in the literature. On the other hand, there is sparse information regarding the use of this test in schizophrenia. We examined three groups of subjects matched for gender and education: institutionalized patients with schizophrenia (n = 32), patients with AD (n = 32), and normal controls (n = 36).

Prevention of perinatal HIV transmission: current status and future developments in anti-retroviral therapy.

Significant progress has been made in the battle against transmission of HIV-1 from mother to infant. Antiretroviral regimens covering the later part of gestation, labour and the first few weeks of neonatal life have shown great efficacy in reducing such transmission. With the advent of combination antiretroviral therapies, transmission rates lower than 2% have been achieved in clinical studies.

Effects of different HIV strains on thymic epithelial cultures.

The thymus is the major site for T cell development; interactions of developing thymocytes with thymic epithelial cells are critical for normal thymopoiesis. We set out to determine whether thymic epithelial cells can be infected by HIV strains that cause different patterns of disease progression in infected infants. Thymic epithelial cell monolayers were prepared from normal thymus of infants, removed at the time of cardiac surgery.

Pyriform head: a frequent but little-studied morphological abnormality of sperm.

This study was conducted to investigate the frequency of sperm with a pyriform head in semen samples, to determine the percentage of the occurrence of this abnormal sperm form, and to assess its possible correlation with other semen parameters. The study was designed as a retrospective data analysis in the setting of an andrology laboratory at a tertiary-care academic hospital. Semen quality data were analyzed from 114 subfertile men and 60 fertile men.

Round-headed spermatozoa in semen specimens from fertile and subfertile men.

Objective: To investigate the frequency of round-headed, or acrosomeless, spermatozoa, determine the percentage and evaluate the possible correlation with other semen parameters.

Study Design: Semen specimens from 114 subfertile men aged 24-53 years (mean +/- SD 33.3 +/- 6.

Peripheral thromboembolism associated with Malassezia furfur sepsis.

Malassezia furfur fungemia can cause sepsis in low birth weight neonates receiving parenteral lipids through central intravenous catheters. Its presentation has varied from nonspecific signs and symptoms to pulmonary vasculitis and endocarditis. We report the case of a premature infant who developed peripheral thromboembolic phenomena without evidence of endocarditis associated with M.

Use of human CD3 monoclonal antibody for accurate CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte determinations in macaques: phenotypic characterization of the CD3- CD8+ cell subset.

Macaque monkeys are frequently used in models for studies of infectious diseases, immunity, transplantation and vaccine development. Such use is largely due to the conservation of functionally important cell surface molecules and the phylogenetic proximity of their immune systems to that of humans. Some monoclonal antibodies (mAb) raised against human leukocyte antigens can be utilized in the monkey.

Short-term human chorionic gonadotropin-induced testosterone rise does not modify leptin levels in eugonadal men.

The aim of this study was to monitor serum leptin concentrations after altering the levels of testosterone, by intramuscular administration of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), in eugonadal men. A 7-day monitoring of hCG, testosterone and leptin levels was performed after intramuscular administration of a dose of 5000 IU hCG in these men. Thirty fertile men aged 23-38 years were studied.

Schizophrenic-like symptoms in a patient with thrombo-angiitis obliterans (Winiwarter-Buerger's disease).

In this article a case of schizophrenic-like symptoms in a patient with thrombo-angiitis obliterans (TAO) is presented. His CT and MRI findings indicated a diffuse ischemia in the white matter, suggestive of TAO, not of focal lesions. The patient, except for age, did not have other risk factors for other cerebrovascular diseases.

Reversible infertility, pharmaceutical and spontaneous, in a male with late onset congenital adrenal hyperplasia, due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency.

The authors describe a case of a 35-year-old man with 5-year duration infertility. History, clinical examination, and laboratory tests have established the diagnosis of late-onset congenital adrenal hyperplasia, due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Treatment with dexamethasone resulted in improvement of sperm quality, and 4 months later a pregnancy was achieved.