Intestinal angioneurotic edema

Background: This 38-year-old female patient presented at the emergency department with subacute low abdominal pain for 3 days. There was little abdominal tenderness, but no signs of peritonitis. Her blood results showed little inflammation with mild leukocytosis 13.0 (3.5-11.0 x 10*3/µL) and mild CRP elevation 44 (< 5 mg/L). The patient had a CT scan of the abdomen on the same day. The day after, a colonoscopy was performed which was perfectly normal. Because the discrepancy between the findings on CT scan, biochemistry and colonoscopy, the patient underwent an explorative laparoscopy, which showed a normal colon. Two days after the initial CT scan, a control CT scan was performed

Effect of oral progesterone and caffeine at the end of gestation on farrowing duration and piglet growth and survival

The profitability of pig production is constrained by high incidences of peri-parturient and pre-weaning piglet mortality. Supplementing sows with either progesterone or caffeine during the last week of gestation can reduce stillbirths and improve piglet performance. However, the consequences of combining these two substances has not been investigated. The aim of the current study was to determine the effect of oral supplementation of sows with progesterone (regumate) and caffeine at the end of gestation on the timing and progression of farrowing, as well as piglet survival and growth to weaning. From days 111 to 113 of gestation, 20 Large White pregnant sows (parity 3.0±0.45) received 5 ml of Regumate Porcine (0.4 w/v oral solution; MSD Animal Health) daily on top of their morning ration. Sows were stratified according to parity and predicted farrowing date, and allocated at random to receive a diet supplemented with either 0 g caffeine/kg diet (CONT) or 2.4 g of caffeine/kg diet (CAFF) from day 113 of gestation until parturition (n=10 sows/treatment). Treatment did not affect total litter size; however, CONT sows gave birth to more live and fewer dead piglets compared with CAFF sows; 14.5±0.73 v. 11.7±1.03 and 0.7±0.20 v. 3.2±0.77; P<0.05). Mean, minimum and maximum piglet birthweight were unaffected by treatment. Compared with the control, caffeine increased the proportion of piglets with a birthweight <1 kg (0.16±0.05 v. 0.05±0.02; P=0.072) and decreased the proportion of live born piglets surviving to day 5 postpartum (0.77±0.06 v. 0.90±0.02; P<0.05) and to weaning (0.74±0.06 v. 0.90±0.02; P<0.05). Overall, the current data provided the first evidence that caffeine supplementation of sows receiving progesterone to prevent premature farrowing impaired piglet survival during, and shortly after parturition. This negative outcome may be linked to extended farrowing durations and an increase in the proportion of very light piglets at birth. These data provide compelling, albeit preliminary, evidence that caffeine and progesterone should not be used together at the end of gestation

Polyarteritis nodosa of the spleen

Background: A 64-year-old male presented with pain in his right lower leg and progressive swelling of the right ankle, without history of previous trauma. Further anamnesis revealed fever, anorexia and weight loss over the past few weeks. Laboratory results showed increased inflammatory parameters (CRP 203 mg/l). A lower extremity ultrasonographic examination ruled out deep venous thrombosis. A contrast-enhanced CT scan of the abdomen revealed multiple splenic infarctions

Avulsion fracture of the anterior inferior iliac spine

Background: A 15-year-old boy complained of pain in the right groin after kicking against a heavy ball. He could still walk, but every time he put weight on his right leg he felt a stabbing pain in his groin area. The pain was very localised, he situated it just above the hip joint

Diffuse pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia of the breast: a case report and a review of the radiological characteristics

Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia is a benign mesenchymal tumor of the breast. It is a rare condition and until a few years mainly described in pathological and surgical literature. Here, we provide a case report of PASH and an overview of its radiological features

Vascular Leak and Hypercytokinemia Associated with Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus Infection in Mice

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) endemic to China, South Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. Here we characterize the pathogenesis and natural history of disease in IFNAR-/- mice challenged with the HB29 strain of SFTS virus (SFTSV) and demonstrate hallmark features of VHF such as vascular leak and high concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines in blood and tissues. Treatment with FX06, a natural plasmin digest product of fibrin in clinical development as a treatment for vascular leak, reduced vascular permeability associated with SFTSV infection but did not significantly improve survival outcome. Further studies are needed to assess the role of vascular compromise in the SFTS disease process modeled in IFNAR-/- mice

Consumption of the Total Western Diet Promotes Colitis and Inflammation-Associated Colorectal Cancer in Mice

Consumption of a Western type diet is a known risk factor for colorectal cancer. Our group previously developed the total Western diet (TWD) for rodents with energy and nutrient profiles that emulate a typical Western diet. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that consumption of the TWD would enhance colitis, delay recovery from gut injury and promote colon tumorigenesis. In multiple experiments using the azoxymethane + dextran sodium sulfate or ApcMin/+ mouse models of colitis-associated colorectal carcinogenesis (CAC), we determined that mice fed TWD experienced more severe and more prolonged colitis compared to their counterparts fed the standard AIN93G diet, ultimately leading to markedly enhanced colon tumorigenesis. Additionally, this increased tumor response was attributed to the micronutrient fraction of the TWD, and restoration of calcium and vitamin D to standard amounts ameliorated the tumor-promoting effects of TWD. Finally, exposure to the TWD elicited large scale, dynamic changes in mRNA signatures of colon mucosa associated with interferon (IFN) response, inflammation, innate immunity, adaptive immunity, and antigen processing pathways, among others. Taken together, these observations indicate that consumption of the TWD markedly enhanced colitis, delayed recovery from gut injury, and enhanced colon tumorigenesis likely via extensive changes in expression of immune-related genes in the colon mucosa

Considérations sur l’épidémiologie dans un foyer hyperendémique de maladie du sommeil (T. gambiense) dans la région de Kasongo

Les auteurs décrivent brièvement leurs observations épidémiologiques pour la trypanosomiase dans un biotope isolé constitué par un rassemblement artificiel de malades (léproserie). Les inconvénients de ce genre d’agglomérations sédentaires sont analysés. La présence des trypanosomes a été recherchée chez 500 glossines non ténerales, en examinant toutes les portions du tube digestif et chez tous les habitants par la sérologie sur sang séché (immunofluorescence)