D-Cycloserine Restores Experience-Dependent Neuroplasticity after Traumatic Brain Injury in the Developing Rat Brain.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children can cause persisting cognitive and behavioral dysfunction, and inevitably raises concerns about lost potential in these injured youth. Lateral fluid percussion injury (FPI) in weanling rats pathologically affects hippocampal N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)- and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR)-mediated glutamatergic neurotransmission subacutely within the first post-injury week. FPI to weanling rats has also been shown to impair enriched-environment (EE) induced enhancement of Morris water maze (MWM) learning and memory in adulthood. Recently, improved outcomes can be achieved using agents that enhance NMDAR function. We hypothesized that administering D-cycloserine (DCS), an NMDAR co-agonist, every 12 h (i.p.) would restore subacute glutamatergic neurotransmission and reinstate experience-dependent plasticity. Postnatal day 19 (P19) rats received either a sham or FPI. On post-injury day (PID) 1-3, animals were randomized to saline (Sal) or DCS. Firstly, immunoblotting of hippocampal NMDAR and AMPAR proteins were measured on PID4. Second, PID4 novel object recognition, an NMDAR- and hippocampal- mediated working memory task, was assessed. Third, P19 rats were placed in an EE (17 days), and MWM performance was measured, starting on PID30. On PID4, DCS restored reduced NR2A and increased GluR2 by 54%, and also restored diminished recognition memory in FPI pups. EE significantly improved MWM performance in shams, regardless of treatment. In contrast, FPI-EE-Sal animals only performed to the level of standard housed animals, whereas FPI-EE-DCS animals were comparable with sham-EE counterparts. This study shows that NMDAR agonist use during reduced glutamatergic transmission after developmental TBI can reinstate early molecular and behavioral responses that subsequently manifest in experience-dependent plasticity and rescued potential.

Spontaneous Ruptured Uterus in an Adolescent With Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and Endometrial Hyperplasia.

Uterine diverticula and rudimentary horns are rare forms of uterine anomalies that occur during embryogenesis. They can communicate with the endometrial cavity and may have the potential to develop pathology. This case report presents an obese, anovulatory adolescent with polycystic ovarian syndrome who was admitted with acute abdominal pain and found to have radiological findings that were concerning for a ruptured mass contiguous with the uterine cavity, which was likely a uterine horn or diverticulum. Further evaluation revealed simple hyperplasia without atypia on endometrial sampling, supporting the surgical resection and subsequent medical management of this young patient.

Predictors of residual carcinoma or carcinoma-in-situ at hysterectomy following cervical conization with positive margins.

OBJECTIVES: Identify predictors of residual carcinoma or carcinoma-in-situ (CIS) at hysterectomy following cervical conizations with CIS and positive margins or endocervical curettage (ECC) or microinvasive cervical cancer. METHODS: Patients with cervical conization with CIS and positive margins, ECC or microinvasive carcinoma who underwent hysterectomy within 6 months of conization were identified. Conization and hysterectomy specimens were re-reviewed to assess volume of disease, ECC and margin status and residual carcinoma. Standard statistical tests were used. RESULTS: 83 patients were included. 34 (41%) had residual carcinoma in the hysterectomy specimen: 23 CIS, 9 microinvasive and 2 invasive disease. In patients with squamous histology predictors of residual disease included a positive ECC (p=0.04), combined endocervical margin and ECC (69% if both positive, 38% either positive, 11% if both negative, p=0.01) and volume of disease ≥ 50% (p=0.01). In patients with glandular histology no factor predicted residual disease. Type of conization, >2 involved quadrants, and the presence of microinvasion in the conization specimen did not predict residual disease. No patient with squamous histology had >Stage IA1 disease at hysterectomy, whereas 2 (2.4%) with adenocarcinoma had >Stage IA1 disease at hysterectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Residual carcinoma or CIS is present in nearly half of hysterectomies after conization with CIS and positive ECC, margins or microinvasion. Patients with squamous histology may not require repeat conization prior to definitive therapy. No factors predict residual disease with adenocarcinoma. In women with AIS with negative margins and ECC and no microinvasion, it appears reasonable to proceed with simple hysterectomy.