US demonstration of a thrombosed persistent median artery in carpal tunnel syndrome

Median artery of the forearm and wrist is not very frequently observed because it normally involutes before birth. Only a few cases of persistent median artery thrombosis associated with compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel have been reported. In these cases symptoms arise suddenly and surgery consists of the excision of the thrombosed arterial branch. In cases of large persistent unthrombosed median artery associated with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), excision of the unthrombosed median artery is not indicated because it may sometimes substantially contribute to the circulation of the hand. We report the case of a 39-year-old man with CTS associated with a thrombosis of a persistent median artery detected by high-resolution US and Doppler ultrasound. US can be also useful to exclude other causes of CTS such as tenosynovitis of the flexor tendons, ganglion cyst, musculo-tendinous variants, and various soft tissue tumors.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Achalasia-Alacrima-ACTH insensitivity syndrome (triple-A-syndrome)

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

ULTRASONOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT OF NECK MUSCULAR SIZE AND RANGE OF MOTION IN RUGBY PLAYERS.

World Rugby Union laws are constantly evolving towards stringent injury-prevention, particularly for contested scrums, since front row players are most at risk of cervical spine injuries. Recently, some countries have also introduced tailored training programs and minimum performance requirements for playing in the front row. Nevertheless, these approaches lack an objective assessment of each cervical muscle that would provide protective support.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Cystic duplication of the cecum presenting with intussusception in a 7-day-old boy

A case of ileocolic intussusception due to cystic duplication of the gut near the ileocecal valve in a 7-day-old neonate is presented. A review of the literature on both intussusception and duplications of the intestine reveals the extreme rarity of this entity. Moreover, the very young age at clinical presentation is remarkable. The contribution of ultrasonography in the diagnostic work-up is emphasized.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Intérêt des radiographies ostéo-articulaires comparatives en traumatologie de l'enfant

Purpose of the study: There is a controversy over whether or not routine comparative x-rays should be prescribed for young children with bone and joint trauma. We conducted a retrospective analysis to assess the contribution of such x-rays. Material and methods: The series included 203 children aged less than fifteen years who had experienced bone and joint trauma. Two junior orthopedic surgeons, two senior orthopedic surgeons and two pediatric radiologists reread the x-rays to establish the diagnosis, using comparative x-rays to make any necessary correction of the diagnosis. The surgeons were asked to propose a therapeutic strategy for each diagnosis and the radiologists were asked to judge the value of the comparative x-rays. Results: The comparative x-rays were found to be reliable in only 87.5% of the cases, and were useful for diagnosis in only 8.8%. There were statistically significant differences depending on the localization, the patient's age, and the physician's experience. Discussion: Systematic use of comparative x-rays should be discouraged. Only trauma affecting the elbow in older children can, in particular cases, warrant prescription of comparative x-rays.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Familial adrenocorticotropin unresponsiveness associated with alacrima and achalasia: biochemical and molecular studies in two siblings with clinical heterogeneity.

The syndrome of familial adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) unresponsiveness is a rare form of primary adrenal insufficiency, usually without mineralocorticoid deficiency. It is characterized by elevated plasma ACTH concentrations and undetectable plasma cortisol levels not responding to exogenous ACTH. Alacrima and achalasia have also been occasionally associated with adrenal insufficiency (triple A syndrome). Pathogenetic mutations have been identified in the ACTH receptor gene in families with isolated familial ACTH unresponsiveness. Whether the ACTH receptor represents the locus of the defect for the triple A syndrome is not known. Here we report two siblings with familial ACTH unresponsiveness who were discrepant for skin pigmentation and mineralocorticoid function. In addition, achalasia and alacrima were documented only in the older sibling. The boy, studied at the age of 2 years, was hyperpigmented, in contrast to his normally pigmented sister, studied at the age of 9 years; basal plasma alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone immunureactivity levels were 79 and 38 pg/ml, respectively (normal < 40 pg/ml). Furosemide-induced diuresis resulted in normal rises of plasma renin activity in both patients; however, plasma aldosterone levels increased only in the boy and not in his sister. Screening for abnormalities of the ACTH receptor gene by single strand conformation polymorphism analysis revealed no abnormality. Direct sequencing of the entire coding area of the ACTH receptor gene was also normal. CONCLUSION: The syndrome of familial ACTH unresponsiveness can vary clinically and biologically within the same family.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)Journal ArticleSCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Ethylene in vegetative development: a tale with a riddle

Contents Summary 895 I. Introduction 895 II. A snapshot view on the ethylene biosynthesis and signaling pathway in Arabidopsis 896 III. Autocontrol of ethylene biosynthesis 897 IV. Mechanistic control of ethylene signal components 898 V. The auxinethylene circle 901 VI. Tissue- and cell-type-specific regulation of ethylene 903 VII. Cellular basis of ethylene effects on growth 904 Acknowledgements 906 References 906 Summary The vegetative development of plants is strongly dependent on the action of phytohormones. For over a century, the effects of ethylene on plants have been studied, illustrating the profound impact of this gaseous hormone on plant growth, development and stress responses. Ethylene signaling is under tight self-control at various levels. Feedback regulation occurs on both biosynthesis and signaling. For its role in developmental processes, ethylene has a close and reciprocal relation with auxin, another major determinant of plant architecture. Here, we discuss, in view of novel findings mainly in the reference plant Arabidopsis, how ethylene is distributed and perceived throughout the plant at the organ, tissue and cellular levels, and reflect on how plants benefit from the complex interaction of ethylene and auxin, determining their shape. Furthermore, we elaborate on the implications of recent discoveries on the control of ethylene signaling