The influence of blood on the efficacy of intraperitoneally applied phospholipids for prevention of adhesions

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The formation of adhesions following abdominal surgery is a well known problem. In previous studies we demonstrated the efficacy and safety of intraperitoneally applied phospholipids in order to prevent adhesion formation. This study evaluates the influence of blood on the efficacy of intraperitoneally applied phospholipids for prevention of adhesions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In 40 Chinchilla rabbits adhesions were induced by median laparotomy, standardized abrasion of the visceral and parietal peritoneum in defined areas of the ventral abdominal wall and the caecum. The animals were randomly divided into four groups. They received either phospholipids 3.0% or normal saline (NaCl 0,9%) (5 ml/kg body weight). In 50% of the rabbits we simulated intraperitoneal bleeding by administration of blood (1,5 ml/kg body weight). The other half served as control group. Ten days following the operation the animals were sacrificed and adhesion formation was assessed by computer aided planimetry and histopathologic examination.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The median adhesion surface area in the NaCl-group (n = 9) amounted to 68,72 mm², in the NaCl+Blood-group (n = 10) 147,68 mm². In the Phospholipid (PhL)-group (n = 9) the median adhesion surface area measured 9,35 mm², in the PhL+Blood-group (n = 9) 11,95 mm². The phospholipid groups had a significantly smaller adhesion surface area (p < 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Again these results confirm the efficacy of phospholipids in the prevention of adhesions in comparison to NaCl (p = 0,04). We also demonstrated the adhesion preventing effect of phospholipids in the presence of intraperitoneal blood.</p

A cre-inducible DUX4 transgenic mouse model for investigating facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy

The Double homeobox 4 (DUX4) gene is an important regulator of early human development and its aberrant expression is causal for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). The DUX4-full length (DUX4-fl) mRNA splice isoform encodes a transcriptional activator; however, DUX4 and its unique DNA binding preferences are specific to old-world primates. Regardless, the somatic cytotoxicity caused by DUX4 expression is conserved when expressed in cells and animals ranging from fly to mouse. Thus, viable animal models based on DUX4-fl expression have been difficult to generate due in large part to overt developmental toxicity of low DUX4-fl expression from leaky transgenes. We have overcome this obstacle and here we report the generation and initial characterization of a line of conditional floxed DUX4-fl transgenic mice, FLExDUX4, that is viable and fertile. In the absence of cre, these mice express a very low level of DUX4-fl mRNA from the transgene, resulting in mild phenotypes. However, when crossed with appropriate cre-driver lines of mice, the double transgenic offspring readily express DUX4-fl mRNA, protein, and target genes with the spatiotemporal pattern of nuclear cre expression dictated by the chosen system. When cre is expressed from the ACTA1 skeletal muscle-specific promoter, the double transgenic animals exhibit a developmental myopathy. When crossed with tamoxifen-inducible cre lines, DUX4-mediated pathology can be induced in adult animals. Thus, the appearance and progression of pathology can be controlled to provide readily screenable phenotypes useful for assessing therapeutic approaches targeting DUX4-fl mRNA and protein. Overall, the FLExDUX4 line of mice is quite versatile and will allow new investigations into mechanisms of DUX4-mediated pathophysiology as well as much-needed pre-clinical testing of DUX4-targeted FSHD interventions in vivo

Preoperative local staging of endometrial cancer: transvaginal sonography vs. magnetic resonance imaging

OBJECTIVES: To compare the accuracy of transvaginal sonography (TVS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the preoperative staging of endometrial carcinoma. METHODS: This was a prospective study in which 74 women consecutively diagnosed with endometrial carcinoma were examined using TVS by physicians trained in gynecological sonography and MRI by radiologists with a special interest in gynecology. All patients underwent surgical-pathological staging after removal of the uterus, adnexa and pelvic lymph nodes. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated for each imaging modality with regard to detection of neoplastic invasion of the outer half of the myometrium and cervical involvement. RESULTS: TVS and MRI performed equally well in the preoperative staging of endometrial cancer, with no statistically significant differences between the two techniques. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and overall diagnostic accuracy for TVS in the evaluation of myometrial infiltration were 84%, 83%, 79%, 88% and 84%, respectively. Respective values for MRI were 84%, 81%, 77%, 87% and 82%. The corresponding statistics for detection of cervical involvement were 93%, 92%, 72%, 98% and 92% for TVS; and 79%, 87%, 58%, 95% and 85% for MRI. CONCLUSIONS: When carried out by expert practitioners, TVS shows good accuracy in the local staging of endometrial carcinoma. Because of its high costs, MRI should be offered only to those in whom TVS produces images of poor quality. Copyright (c) 2008 ISUO