PLASMATIC LEVELS OF NEUROPEPTIDES, INCLUDING OXYTOCIN, IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER, CORRELATE WITH THE DISORDER SEVERITY.

CONTEXT: Oxytocin has been investigated as a potential medication for psychiatric disorders. OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: This study prospectively investigates correlations between oxytocin and other neuropeptides plasma levels in patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) according to severity and treatment, as compared to controls. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirty-one children (6 neurotypical as control) participated in this study. The patients were classified into mildly and severely-affected, according to Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) scores. Oxytocin, orexin A and B, α-MSH, ß-endorphins, neurotensin and substance P were investigated using a quantitative multiplex assay or a competitive-ELISA method. RESULTS: Plasma oxytocin levels differed between the groups (F (2, 24) =6.48, p=0.006, η2=0.35, observed power=86%): patients with the mild ASD had higher values of plasma oxytocin than those with the severe form (average difference=74.56±20.74pg/mL, p=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: These results show a negative correlation between plasma levels of oxytocin and the severity of ASD and support the involvement of oxytocinergic mechanisms in ASD.

Technical aspects of biliary reconstruction correlated with biliary complications in 46 consecutive right lobe liver transplantations from living donors.

INTRODUCTION: Biliary complications contribute to a high morbidity rate in patients with right lobe liver transplant from a living donor. We retrospectively evaluated biliary reconstructions and complications in a number of recipients with liver transplant from a living donor, in a single center. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A number of 46 patients (23 males and 23 females aged 9-63) received a right lobe liver graft between 2009 and 2013, with the following types of biliary reconstruction:duct-to-duct choledochocholedochal anastomosis (n=24)or Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunoanastomosis, with or without an external transanastomotic biliary stent. RESULTS: The rate of biliary complications (leakage 15.21%,anastomotic stenosis 4.34%, overall 17.39%) was not statistically significantly influenced by the demographics of the studied lot, by the etiology of the liver disease or by the characteristics of the biliary reconstruction; the only risk factor which showed a statistically significant influence in terms of biliary complications was MELD. CONCLUSION: The type and technique of the biliary reconstruction in LDLT should be adapted depending on the anatomy of the biliary tree of both the donor and recipient, as well as the clinical and laboratory findings of the recipient.

A case report of pancreatic transection by blunt abdominal trauma.

Posttraumatic pancreatic rupture is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Various management strategies are described, but due to the relative rarity of this pathology no standards exist. We reported a 21 years old male with post traumatic complete rupture of the pancreatic isthmus,devascularization lesion of descending duodenum, right renal artery posttraumatic thrombosis and left lobe of the liver laceration. Laparotomy for hemostasis was initially performed in a different hospital and the patient was then referred to us.Pancreaticoduodenectomy and right nephrectomy were performed. Postoperatively the patient had a pancreaticojejunal anastomosis fistula spontaneously resolved at 45 days.Pancreaticoduodenectomy can in selected cases be a solution in pancreatic trauma.

[The role of the middle hepatic vein in the living donor liver transplantation with right hemiliver]. / Rolul venei hepatice medii în transplantul hepatic de la donator viu cu hemificat drept.

BACKGROUND: Living donor liver transplantation has appeared and developed as a consequence to the shortage of organs. In case of right hemiliver procurement, the role of the middle hepatic vein is crucial for the prevention of right anterior section congestion and the promotion of liver regeneration. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We performed a retrospective study on a group of 36 adult patients who underwent living donor liver transplantation with right hemiliver in Fundeni Clinical Institute, having as a major indication liver cirrhosis. Concerning the middle hepatic vein, this was procured in 10 cases, not procured nor reconstructed in another 10 cases, and reconstructed on the bench in 16 cases. RESULTS: The immediate postoperative survival was roughly 91%, with 7 cases of "small for size syndrome", 2 cases being retransplanted. CONCLUSIONS: In case of living donor liver transplantation with the right hemiliver, the reconstruction of the middle hepatic vein helps the liver regeneration and prevent the "small for size" syndrome.

[The ergo-ophthalmological problems raised by work at video terminals]. / Probleme ergooftalmologice ridicate de munca la videoterminal.

The paper reports a study on the involvement of the visual system during work at video terminal. The results of the investigations on a group of operators in a computation centre were used for describing an optimum anatomicofunctional visual type for work at video terminal and the hygiene rules to be observed during work at the computer screen.

[Computer-assisted testing of the sense of color]. / Testarea simtului cromatic asistata de calculator.

The authors used the discrimination method--pseudoisochromatic phases and the comparison-assortment method for the chromatic sense examination in a group of subjects working in the motor transport and chemical textile dying. Computer programs were devised for examination data processing and for diagnosis display. After each testing, the data of each subject are added to the patient's card to be subsequently looked up and used for statistics.

[Demonstration of viral proteins by silver staining]. / Mise en évidence des protéines virales à l'aide de la coloration par l'argent.

Investigations were conducted to establish the optimal conditions for silver staining of polypeptides separated by polyacryle-amide gel electrophoresis. The thickness of the gel layer was of 1.5 mm. The experiments showed that the modified Hankeshover and Dernick's technique (4) (replacement of the fixative for the electrophoretically separated polypeptides and extension of the bleaching by Farmer's reagent time) had the best sensitivity and reproducibility. This technique can be performed also on polyacryle-amide gel preparations already stained by the Coomassie Brilliant Blue method. To check the efficiency of this silver staining technique, the authors used it to detect the Sendai virus and B hepatitis virus surface antigen polypeptides.

Estradiol and progesterone receptor levels in human breast cancer in relation to cytosol and plasma estrogen level.

Estradiol receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) content along with the cytosol and plasma estrone and estradiol levels in 15 premenopausal and 26 postmenopausal women with breast cancer in different clinical stages (T123, N01, M0) were measured. ER-positive tumor frequency and the ER content tended to be higher in postmenopausal than in premenopausal patients. There was no evidence for a relationship between high cytosol estrogen levels and low receptor measurements. The estrogen concentration was higher in ER-positive tumor cytosols than in those of ER-negative tumors; the differences were significant in postmenopausal women, only, with P less than 0.05 for estrone and P less than 0.01 for estradiol values. Twelve pairs of tumor and normal tissue from the same breast, were also studied: seven of which contained ER-positive and five ER-negative tumors. The ER-positive tumors showed a clear trend to higher estradiol content as compared to the corresponding normal tissues. The circulating level of estradiol in postmenopausal women, was higher (P less than 0.05) in ER-positive tumors than that in ER-negative tumors. Our results indicate that: (a) false negative ER assays are not likely to be due to the presence of endogenous estrogens. (b) higher amounts of estrone and estradiol are contained in ER-positive tumors than in negative ones.