Search

Pediatric acute liver sickle crisis, also known as sickle cell intrahepatic cholestasis (SCIC), is an uncommon but fatal complication of sickle cell disease observed mainly in patients with homozygous sickle cell anemia. Herein we describe a case of pediatric SCIC treated successfully with manual exchange transfusion (ET). The patient was admitted for jaundice, enlarged liver and signs of hepatic failure, such as hyperbilirubinemia and coagulopathy. There was no evidence of viral hepatitis or biliary obstruction. We performed a session of ET in order to reduce the percentage of Hb S to level inferior to 30% which was successfully accomplished. The patient had complete recovery of hepatic function. This case has shown that ET is an effective treatment of pediatric SCIC and should be introduced early on the onset of this severe complication. J Hematol. 2016;5(4):138-141 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jh304w

Many scientists working on pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites) are betting heavily on data generated by longitudinal genomic-transcriptomic-proteomic studies to explain biochemical host-vector-pathogen interactions and thus to contribute to disease control. Availability of genome sequences of various organisms, from viruses to complex metazoans, led to the discovery of the functions of the genes themselves. The postgenomic era stimulated the development of proteomic and bioinformatics tools to identify the locations, functions, and interactions of the gene products in tissues and/or cells of living organisms. Because of the diversity of available methods and the level of integration they promote, proteomics tools are potentially able to resolve interesting issues specific not only to host-vector-pathogen interactions in cell immunobiology, but also to ecology and evolution, population biology, and adaptive processes. These new analytical tools, as all new tools, contain pitfalls directly related to experimental design, statistical treatment, and protein identification. Nevertheless, they offer the potency of building large protein-protein interaction networks for in silica, analysis of novel biological entities named "interactomes," a way of modeling host-vector-pathogen interactions to define new interference strategies.

The second exon of the bovine MHC class II DRB3 gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from DNA samples of 568 zebu Brahman cattle (Bos indicus) from Martinique (French West Indies). Cloning of these PCR products allowed the isolation of both alleles from each animal, which were characterized by the PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) technique using the restriction enzymes Rsal, BstYl and Haelll. Four new PCR-RFLP patterns were obtained by digestion with Rsal. These patterns were named 'v', w,'x' and 'y' continuing the accepted nomenclature. Sequencing of each allele allowed the identification of 18 new BoLA-DRB3 exon 2 nucleotide sequences and their deduced amino acid sequences.

Women with chronic symptoms of vulvovaginitis referred to a university vulvovaginitis clinic were assessed on psychological and social (including sexual) variables to determine whether differences existed among women with unconfirmed vulvovaginitis, women with confirmed vulvovaginitis, and healthy controls. Eighty-three consecutive women with chronic symptoms of vulvovaginitis and 32 asymptomatic control women completed clinical examinations, cultures, and the following psychological tests or questionnaires: the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies--Depression Scale, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, a sexual behavior and response questionnaire (Campion), and a study questionnaire. Statistical analyses (chi 2 and analysis of variance) were performed on the confirmed and unconfirmed vulvovaginitis and control groups of women. Women with confirmed and unconfirmed vulvovaginitis scored higher than control women on several psychological variables, but women with unconfirmed vulvovaginitis were found to be significantly more emotionally distressed on psychological tests and to report more discomfort during sexual intercourse than both women with confirmed vulvovaginitis and healthy controls. Psychosocial inquiry is important in the clinical assessment and management of such women.

Pseudocyesis is a rare condition in which a woman believes herself to be pregnant when she is not. Its incidence has fallen in the last fifty years, probably due to a number of sociocultural and medical factors. Six cases are described which show common features of recent pregnancy loss or infertility, psychological and medical naivete, social isolation, recent loss and membership in a cultural or religious group that focuses on childbearing as the central role of women. Etiology includes psychological, sociocultural and endocrine factors which interact with each other demonstrating the reciprocal interplay between mind and body. Guidelines are provided for the assessment and management of this ancient and fascinating condition.

Etats, syndromes et classes polythétiques: l'opérationalisation de l'analyse de classifications croisées dans la recherche dans les sciences du comportement. Par une analyse détaillée de la notion de classification et de la nomenclature de certains problèmes du comportement, les auteurs affinent les concepts de syndrome, de classe, de modèle et de type idéal, tout en précisant les relations étroites entre eux. La méthode de classifications croisées fournit un moyen d'opérationalisation de ces considérations. L'échantillonage d'expériences (ES), qui introduit des variables d'état mental et d'environnement immédiat, fournit un nouvel instrument de recherche. Ensemble ces développements constituent la méthodologie de recherche actuellement employée dans deux programmes importants de recherche sur le comportement: un sur l'anxiété, l'autre sur l'utilisation des drogues. La combinaison de ces deux techniques met en lumière des aspects nouveaux de la relation entre syndromes, analyse et modèles.