The levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system: Safety, efficacy, and patient acceptability.

The levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) is a safe, effective and acceptable form of contraception used by over 150 million women worldwide. It also has a variety of noncontraceptive benefits including treatment for menorrhagia, endometriosis, and endometrial hyperplasia. The LNG-IUS has also been used in combination with estrogen for hormone replacement therapy and as an alternative to hysterectomy.

Qualitative and quantitative detection of mitochondrial heteroplasmy in cerebrospinal fluid using denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography.

Detecting and quantifying generalized mitochondrial heteroplasmy is essential if the field of mitochondrial genetics is to advance in the arena of complex genetic disorders. The majority of techniques used to detect and quantify mitochondrial heteroplasmy focus on a known mutation or polymorphism. The necessity of knowing the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) change beforehand means that non-specific heteroplasmy in general cannot be assessed.