A new cryptic host defense peptide identified in human 11-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1 ß-like: from in silico identification to experimental evidence.

BACKGROUND: Host defence peptides (HDPs) are evolutionarily conserved components of innate immunity. Human HDPs, produced by a variety of immune cells of hematopoietic and epithelial origin, are generally grouped into two families: beta structured defensins and variably-structured cathelicidins. We report the characterization of a very promising cryptic human HDP, here called GVF27, identified in 11-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1 ß-like protein. METHODS: Conformational analysis of GVF27 and its propensity to bind endotoxins were performed by NMR, Circular Dichroism, Fluorescence and Dynamic Light Scattering experiments. Crystal violet and WST-1 assays, ATP leakage measurement and colony counting procedures were used to investigate antimicrobial, anti-biofilm, cytotoxicity and hemolytic activities. Anti-inflammatory properties were evaluated by ELISA. RESULTS: GVF27 possesses significant antibacterial properties on planktonic cells and sessile bacteria forming biofilm, as well as promising dose dependent abilities to inhibit attachment or eradicate existing mature biofilm. It is unstructured in aqueous buffer, whereas it tends to assume a helical conformation in mimic membrane environments as well as it is able to bind lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA). Notably it is not toxic towards human and murine cell lines and triggers a significant innate immune response by attenuating expression levels of pro-inflammatory interleukins and release of nitric oxide in LPS induced macrophages. CONCLUSION: Human GVF27 may offer significant advantages as leads for the design of human-specific therapeutics. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: Human cryptic host defence peptides are naturally no immunogenic and for this they are a real alternative for solving the lack of effective antibiotics to control bacterial infections.

Hysteroscopic diagnosis of uterine intracavitary disorders.

The fundamental role of hysteroscopy in the diagnosis of intracavitary disorders in gynecology and in particular in female sterility and infertility, is stressed. The outcomes of a 12-year experience with hysteroscopy, are reported. Its indications, contraindications and side-effects in a group of 7327 patients undergoing hysteroscopy, are discussed. In this patient population, sterility and infertility were the second most common indication for hysteroscopy after abnormal uterine bleeding. The role of malformations such as uterus septus and subseptus, inflammation with hysteroscopic findings of uterine synechiae and focal lesions as polyps and myomas was examined. Particular attention was paid to the study of tubal ostia and endometrial morphology in relation to the phase of menstrual cycle. In a smaller group of infertile patients, hysteroscopy was compared with hysterosalpingography, stressing the sensitivity and specificity of the latter as compared to the former.

A comparison of hysteroscopy and hysterosalpingography.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic reliability of hysteroscopy (HSC) and hysterosalpingography (HSG) in patients suffering from primary and secondary infertility. METHOD: Seventy women (50 with primary and 20 with secondary infertility) undergoing HSC and HSG were prospectively studied and the diagnostic capacity of the two techniques was compared. RESULTS: HSG proved to have a sensitivity of 79.1% and a specificity of 81.8%, with an 18.1% false-positive rate and a 18.9% false-negative rate. CONCLUSION: HSG is of exclusive importance in the assessment of tubal morphology and function and has a secondary and complementary role to HSC in the inspection of the uterine cavity and tubal ostia.

Tratamento prolongado da vaginite atrófica pelo promestriene: resultados e tolerância / Prolonged treatment of athrophic vaginitis with promestriene: results and tolerance

Vinte pacientes menopausadas portadoras de vaginite atrófica com ausência de células superficiais ao esfregaço cito-hormonal foram tratadas durante quatro a seis meses, através de terapias mensais de 20 dias, com cápsulas vaginais de promestriene. O tratamento proporcionou modificaçäo significativa da citologia vaginal, que consistiu principalmente no desenvolvimento das células intermediárias às custas das células basais. Näo houve elevaçäo da taxa plasmática do estradiol e näo foi observada qualquer modificaçäo nos parâmetros clínicos e biológicos examinados. Tais conclusöes foram estatisticamente significativas. O estudo confirmou também a boa tolerância do promestriene administrado em tratamentos prolongados e/ou repetidos, freqüentemente necessários nas pacientes menopausadas.

Usefulness of a hysteroscopic follow-up on patients with breast cancer in pre- and post-menopausal age.

Over the last years, the high incidence of multiple primary neoplasms has been of great interest. The association between carcinoma of the breast and endometrium has been particularly emphasized; it is based on similar epidemiological factors and common hormondependence in the two tumours. Following these assumptions, the Authors present the preliminary results of hysteroscopic and histological studies including 45 patients, 24 in pre-menopausal and 21 in post-menopausal age, who have undergone a mastectomy or quadrantectomy for breast cancer in the past 5 years. They were compared with respective control groups. In pre-menopausal women, there was a higher incidence of activated and irregular endometrium, precancerous lesions (such as glandular-cystic hyperplasia) and one case of adenocarcinoma of the endometrium in a completely asymptomatic woman. On the contrary, endometrial atrophy turned out to be the most frequent hysteroscopic and histological report in post-menopausal women. This supports the hypothesis of two different types of breast cancer that occur in pre- and post-menopausal age and it suggests the utility of a hysteroscopic follow-up, only in pre-menopausal women.

Ultrasound evaluation of the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

282 cycles in 106 women going to be artificially inseminated at the AIED Center in Rome have been studied by means of ultrasound monitoring in order to evaluate the incidence of the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. In none of the patients, either in pharmacologically stimulated cycles (82 in 36 women) or in non stimulated cycles (200 in 70 women) moderate or severe hyperstimulation syndrome was reported. Only few mild cases occurred. In the non stimulated group only five cases with mild hyperstimulation occurred (2.5%). 31 pregnancies have been obtained (15.5% of all studied cycles). In the stimulated group 11 cases with signs of mild hyperstimulation occurred (13.4%) and 19 pregnancies were obtained (23.1%) of the stimulated cycles). No twin pregnancy was observed. The only molar pregnancy reported occurred in this group. All signs of hyperstimulation--either in stimulated cycles or in non stimulated patients--regressed spontaneously in the same cycle and anyhow they were not detected by ultrasound monitoring in the subsequent cycle.

Sex steroid receptors in normal and malignant human vulvar tissue.

Receptors for estrogens, progesterone and androgens were assayed in 6 specimens of normal vulvar tissue and in 9 specimens of carcinomatous vulvar tissue. These receptors were not always present in all specimens examined. In both normal and carcinomatous tissues receptor concentration was highly variable. Malignant tissues did not show significant changes in values compared to normal tissue.

[Sinusoidal fetal heart rhythm (author's transl)]. / Observations sur le rythme cardiaque foetal sinusoïdal.

The authors describe 6 cases of pregnancy, four of the patients presenting fetomaternal Rhesus incompatibility, and two showing no abnormality. Fetal heart rhythm (FHR) recordings in all patients demonstrated the presence of a sinusoidal rhythm, either alone or associated with deceleration. The physiopathology of the rhythm, according to a very critical analysis of reports in the published literature (very severe fetal anemia, hypoxia), was not typical in three of the cases. The authors conclude that the observation of this sinusoidal rhythm for a period of up to 60 min, but not repeated, does not constitute a danger for the fetus. If the period is longer, however, or if there is a fetomaternal pathological condition, decelerations, or reduced amplitude of FHR oscillations, there is a very severe risk to the fetus and the need for urgent delivery has to be seriously considered.