Article III Courts v. Military Commissions: A Comparison of Protection of Classified Information and Admissibility of Evidence in Terrorism Prosecutions

Abstract forthcomin

Innovative Oral Treatments of Uterine Leiomyoma

Uterine fibroids (leiomyoma), the benign tumors of the uterine wall, are very common cause of morbidity in reproductive age women usually in the form of excessive vaginal bleeding, chronic pelvic pain, miscarriage and infertility. These tumors are the leading indication for hysterectomy in the United States. Uterine fibroids are about 4 times higher in blacks compared to whites and constitute a major health disparity challenge. The estimated cost of uterine fibroids is up to $34.4 billion annually. Additionally, women who suffer from this disease and desire to maintain their future fertility have very limited treatment choices. Currently, there is no effective long-term medicinal treatment for uterine fibroids. While surgery has traditionally been the gold standard for the treatment of uterine fibroids, there is growing interest towards orally administered medications for the management of leiomyoma-related symptoms. In this paper, we will discuss these promising innovative oral medical treatments in detail

Residues located inside the Escherichia coli FepE protein oligomer are essential for lipopolysaccharide O-antigen modal chain length regulation

The Escherichia coli O157 : H7 FepE protein regulates lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-antigen (Oag) chain length to confer a very long modal chain length of >80 Oag repeat units (RUs). The mechanism by which FepE regulates Oag modal chain length and the regions within it that are important for its function remain unclear. Studies on the structure of FepE show that the protein oligomerizes. However, the exact size of the oligomer is in dispute, further hampering our understanding of its mechanism. Guided by information previously obtained for regions known to be important for Oag modal chain length determination in the homologous Shigella flexneri WzzBSF protein, a set of FepE mutant constructs with single amino acid substitutions was created. Analysis of the resulting LPS conferred by these mutant His6-FepE proteins showed that amino acid substitutions of leucine 168 (L168) and aspartic acid 268 (D268) resulted in LPS with consistently shortened Oag chain lengths of <80 Oag RUs. Substitution of FepE’s transmembrane cysteine residues did not affect function. Chemical cross-linking experiments on mutant FepE proteins showed no consistent correlation between oligomer size and functional activity, and MS analysis of FepE oligomers indicated that the in vivo size of FepE is consistent with a maximum size of a hexamer. Our findings suggest that different FepE residues, mainly located within the internal cavity of the oligomer, contribute to Oag modal chain length determination but not the oligomeric state of the protein.Elizabeth Ngoc Hoa Tran and Renato Moron

Laparoscopic management of a large torted ovarian cyst in an adolescent virgin: a case report

We report a case of a torted mature cystic teratoma in a 23-year-old, sexually inactive, virgin female which necessitated immediate laparoscopy. The patient and her family stressed that the integrity of the hymen must be maintained at any cost, for cultural reasons. We opted out of our routine intravaginal preparation for laparoscopic surgery to honor the patient’s request to maintain the integrity of the hymen. Left salpingo-oophorectomy was accomplished, and the specimen was removed using a large nephrectomy endobag. Here, we describe techniques that are useful for this procedure, including the use of gauze attached to ovum forceps to manipulate the uterus through the rectum, and a review of the literature

Prevalence of concealed and overt chronic renal failure in patients with COPD

AbstractAimTo assess the prevalence of chronic renal failure (concealed and overt) in patients with COPD.Patients and methodsThis study was conducted on 150 patients who were classified into three groups: Group I: 67 patients with COPD, Group II: 33 COPD patients with co morbidities (diabetes mellitus, hypertension and or ischemic heart disease). Group III: (control group): 50 patients with other diseases such as diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease and or hypertension. All patients were subjected to: (1) Full history taking. (2) Complete clinical examination. (3) Anthropometric measurements (weight, height and body mass index). (4) Arterial oxygen saturation. (5) Radiological examination (Plain chest X-ray posterior–anterior view and Pelvi-abdominal ultrasound). (6) ECG and Echocardiography. (7) Spirometry. (8) Laboratory investigations (complete blood picture, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, Liver function tests, serum creatinine, blood urea and uric acid and GFR, total cholesterol, sodium, potassium and chloride concentration).ResultsIn group I, there were 8 patients who had CRF (11.94%), 5 patients had overt CRF (7.46%) and 3 patients had concealed CRF (4.48%). In group II, there were 11 patients with CRF (33.33%), 6 patients had overt CRF (18.18%) and 5 patients had concealed CRF (15.15%). In group III, there were 9 patients having CRF (18%), 6 patients had overt CRF (12%) and 3patients had concealed CRF (6%). In COPD (group I and II) the overall prevalence of CRF was 19%.ConclusionCRF either concealed or overt may be associated with COPD patients and should be screened, not only by serum creatinine level but also by the estimated GFR to recognize the cases of concealed CRF who have low GFR despite normal serum creatinine level

Gut and genital tract microbiomes: Dysbiosis and link to gynecological disorders

Every year, millions of women are affected by genital tract disorders, such as bacterial vaginosis (BV), endometrial cancer, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and uterine fibroids (UFs). These disorders pose a significant economic burden on healthcare systems and have serious implications for health and fertility outcomes. This review explores the relationships between gut, vaginal, and uterine dysbiosis and the pathogenesis of various diseases of the female genital tract. In recent years, reproductive health clinicians and scientists have focused on the microbiome to investigate its role in the pathogenesis and prevention of such diseases. Recent studies of the gut, vaginal, and uterine microbiomes have identified patterns in bacterial composition and changes across individuals’ lives associated with specific healthy and diseased states, particularly regarding the effects of the estrogen–gut microbiome axis on estrogen-driven disorders (such as endometrial cancer, endometriosis, and UFs) and disorders associated with estrogen deficiency (such as PCOS). Furthermore, this review discusses the contribution of vitamin D deficiency to gut dysbiosis and altered estrogen metabolism as well as how these changes play key roles in the pathogenesis of UFs. More research on the microbiome influences on reproductive health and fertility is vital

Vitamin D and Female Reproduction

Vitamin D deficiency has an impact on the reproduction of more than 40% of reproductive age women globally. Fibroids are more common among African-American females owing to their decreased milk consumption and reduced absorption of ultraviolet rays, supporting the relation between vitamin D deficiency and fibroid development. Vitamin D has an inhibitory effect on leiomyoma cells by suppression of proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), BCL-2, BCL-w, CDK1, and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) protein levels. A growing evidence support the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and endometriosis through overexpression of vitamin D recseptor (VDR) and α-hydroxylase enzyme, however, it is still unclear if the endometriosis patients could benefit from vitamin D supplementation. Effect of vitamin D supplementation on the metabolic outcomes of polycystic ovary (PCO) has been studied and reveled that it is negatively correlated with fasting glucose, fasting insulin, triglycerides, C-reactive protein, free androgen index, and Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEAS) and positively associated with quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and sexual hormone binding globulin (SHBG), whereas its impact on the ovarian function is still unclear. Vitamin D deficiency may worse the obstetrical outcomes, including preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, low birth weight, increased cesarean section rate, neonatal asthma, seizures, and preterm labor. The relationship between serum levels of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25(OH) D) and pregnancy rates in ART is still debatable, with the need to conduct more clinical trials toward it. The in vitro antiproliferative and prodifferentiative effect of vitamin D might find a role in control of hyperplastic overactive bladder. Several studies support that vitamin D deficiency constitutes a risk factor for development of many types of cancer such as breast, ovarian, and colorectal