Separation and identification of the epimeric doping agents - Dexamethasone and betamethasone in equine urine and plasma: A reversed phase chiral chromatographic approach.

Chirality is one of the most important considerations when controlling doping. The epimeric corticosteroids dexamethasone and betamethasone are significantly potent and long-acting, and they are highly abused in equestrian sports. The scope of this study was to develop a simple and reliable analytical method for simultaneously identifying and separating regularly abused co-eluting corticosteroids in equine urine and plasma. In this paper, we present a simple and rapid method for the chiral separation and identification of epimeric mixtures of dexamethasone and betamethasone using a Thermo Q Exactive high resolution accurate mass spectrometer. The high resolution accurate mass spectrometer system provided extremely high sensitivity, enabling detection of each isomer at a very low concentration from complex biological matrices. Chromatographic separation was performed using amylose and cellulose chiral columns. Reversed phase media showed very good potential for providing a successful chiral resolution in LC-MS analysis. This study also focused on optimizing the mobile phase for elution strength, nature of the organic modifier, additives, and column temperature.

Ileal conduit vs orthotopic neobladder: Which one offers the best health-related quality of life in patients undergoing radical cystectomy? A systematic review of literature and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Orthotopic neobladder (ONB) and ileal conduit (IC) are the most commonly practiced techniques of urinary diversion (UD) after radical cystectomy (RC) in bladder cancer patients. Data in the literature is still discordant regarding which UD technique offers the best HR-QoL. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to compare HR-QoL in patients undergoing ONB and IC after RC, through a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a literature search of PubMed, ScienceDirect, CochraneLibrary and ClinicalTrials.Gov in September 2017 according to the Cochrane Handbook and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes. The studies were evaluated according to the "Oxford Center for Evidence-Based Medicine" criteria. The outcome measures evaluated were subdomains' scores of Bladder Cancer Index BCI: urinary function (UF), urinary bother (UB), bowel function (BF), bowel bother (BB), sexual function (SF) and sexual bother (SB). Continuous outcomes were compared using weighted means differences, with 95% confidence intervals. The presence of publication bias was examined by funnel plots. RESULTS: Four studies met the inclusion criteria. The pooled results demonstrated better UF and UB scores in IC patients: differences were -18.17 (95% CI: -27.49, -8.84, P=0.0001) and -3.72 (95% CI: -6.66, -0.79, P=0.01) respectively. There was no significant difference between IC and ONB patients in terms of BF and BB. SF was significantly better in ONB patients: the difference was 12.7 (95% CI, 6.32, 19.08, P<0.0001). However no significant difference was observed regarding SB. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis of non-randomized studies demonstrated a better HR-QoL in urinary outcomes in IC patients compared with ONB patients.

[Does chewing gum improve postoperative results in patients undergoing radical cystectomy? A systematic review of literature and meta-analysis]. / Le chewing-gum améliore-t-il les résultats postopératoires chez les patients opérés d'une cystectomie radicale ? Revue systématique de la littérature et méta-analyse.

INTRODUCTION: Postoperative ileus occurs in different degrees, in the majority of patients undergoing radical cystectomy, which may increase the length of hospital stay. The use of chewing gum has demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing time-to-bowel function and the length of hospital stay in several surgical procedures. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the benefit of post-operative chewing gum use in patients undergoing radical cystectomy through a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a literature search of MedLine, Scopus, CochraneLibrary and ClinicalTrials.Gov in March 2017 according to the Cochrane Handbook and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes. The studies were evaluated according to the "Oxford Center for Evidence-Based Medicine" criteria. The outcome measures evaluated were time-to-flatus, time-to-defecation, length of the hospital stay, and the rates of general and gastrointestinal postoperative complications. Continuous and dichotomous variables were compared respectively using weighted means differences and odds ratios with 95 % confidence intervals. The presence of publication bias was examined by funnel plots. RESULTS: Three studies (including 274 patients in total) met the inclusion criteria. The pooled results demonstrated a 11.82hour reduction in time-to-flatus (95 % CI : -15.43, -8.22h, P <0.00001), and 19.57hours in time-to-defecation (95 % CI : -29.33, -9.81h, P <0.0001), and a decreasing trend of 2.85 days in the length of the hospital stay (95 % CI : -6.13, -0.43, P=0.09), by the use of chewing gum. There was no significant difference between the "chewing gum" and "control" groups in terms of general and gastrointestinal complications (Peto Odds ratio 1.04 [0.60, 1.79], 95 % CI, P=0.89 and Peto Odds ratio 0.65 [0.26, 1.61], 95 % CI, P=0.35 respectively). CONCLUSION: Chewing gum may be recommended postoperatively in patients undergoing radical cystectomy to improve time-to-bowel function.

Coalition of attitude and practice behaviors among dental practitioners regarding pregnant patient's oral health and pregnant patient's perception toward oral health in and around Pondicherry.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, practice behaviors among general dental practitioners and assess the perception toward oral health by pregnant patients in and around Puducherry. METHODOLOGY: A self-designed and structured questionnaire was used to obtain information from the dental practitioner and the pregnant patients. RESULTS: The majority of the dental practitioners had a lack of knowledge, attitude, practice behaviors regarding pregnant patient's oral health and similarly majority of pregnant patient's perception toward oral health was poor. CONCLUSIONS: Drowning and dilemmatic attitude and practice behavior of dentists to be streamlined to render right care to the pregnant women at the right time. Perplexing perception toward oral health care by pregnant women to be overcome to orient them to understand the impact of oral health on their general systemic health.

Design, synthesis and structure--activity relationship (SAR) studies of imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine derived purine isosteres and their potential as cytotoxic agents.

Drug resistance to chemotherapeutic agents paved the way to develop novel synthetic molecules which are active on MDR cancer cell lines. Regio-isomeric imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine analogues were synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against a range of cancer cell lines. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies of the imidazopyridine analogues are also described. Analogue 6b displayed strong cytotoxicity and good microsomal stability.

[Retroperitoneal leiomyoma: a case report]. / Léiomyome rétro-péritonéal: à propos d'un cas.

Retroperitoneal leiomyoma is a rare benign tumor of the retroperitoneum. We report a clinical case of a 43-year-old patient, who suffered from back pain and weight loss. Imaging revealed a retroperitoneal mass, then the patient had a total excision of the tumor. Histological examination of the surgical specimen concluded to retroperitoneal leiomyoma. The evolution was good without recurrence after 12 months.

[History of pelvic prolapse]. / L'histoire de prolapsus pelviens.

The history of pelvic prolapse back to the era of the pharaohs, about 1500 years before Christ. Hippocrates practiced succussion. Grenades, pieces of soaked linen were used as pessaries.Over the centuries, the eolution in understanding of this female pathology led to different treatment modalities, some of which we can currently seem strange.

Relative prolongation of inspiratory time predicts high versus low resistance categorization of hypopneas.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Sleep disordered breathing events conceptually separate into "obstructive" and "central" events. Esophageal manometry is the definitive but invasive means of classifying hypopneas. The purpose of this project was to identify noninvasive markers for discriminating high vs. low resistance hypopneas. METHODS: Forty subjects with obstructive or central sleep apnea underwent diagnostic polysomnography with nasal cannula airflow and esophageal manometry; 200% resistance relative to reference breaths was used to define "high" resistance. Noninvasive parameters from 292 randomly selected hypopneas in 20 subjects were analyzed and correlated to resistance. The best parameter and cutoff for predicting high relative resistance was determined and tested prospectively in 2 test sets in the 20 remaining subjects. Test Set A: 15 randomly selected hypopneas in each subject; Test Set B: all hypopneas in 7 subjects. RESULTS: In the development set, prolongation of inspiratory time during the 2 smallest breaths of a hypopnea (T(i)) relative to baseline had the best correlation to high relative resistance. In the Test Set A, relative T(i) > 110% classified obstructive events with sensitivity = 72%, specificity = 77%, PPV = 64%, NPV = 83%. Similar numbers were obtained for classification of hypopneas based on presence of flow limitation (FL) alone. When either relative T(i) or presence of FL were used to define high resistance, sensitivity = 84%, specificity = 74%, PPV = 65%, NPV = 89%. Similar results were obtained for Test Set B. CONCLUSIONS: Relative prolongation of T(i) is a good noninvasive predictor of high/low resistance in a dataset with both FL and NFL hypopneas. Combination of FL and relative T(i) improves this classification. The use of T(i) to separate obstructive and central hypopneas needs to be further tested for clinical utility (outcomes and treatment effects).

Bronchoscopic fibered confocal fluorescence microscopy image characteristics and pathologic correlations.

BACKGROUND: Fibered confocal fluorescence microscopy (FCFM) is a new imaging modality in bronchoscopy. The purpose of this study was to assess FCFM reliability, interpretation, and to make image-pathologic correlations. METHODS: Twenty-six patients underwent FCFM. A validation set was used to determine image characteristics and interobserver reliability. Each patient underwent bronchoscopy using a standardized protocol. The images were evaluated by 4 observers based on brightness, fiber thickness, and alveolar cellularity. Image characteristics showing good interobserver agreement were tested to see if they were related to smoking status. Subsequently, 18 consecutive patients underwent FCFM and biopsy to correlate images with pathology. The blinded reviewers were asked to distinguish between controls and patients with pathologically proven disease. RESULTS: Interobserver agreement for image brightness, as measured by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), ranged from 0.48 to 0.92 (P<0.001) and varied by location. ICCs for image brightness were high, ranging from 0.53 to 0.99 (P<0.001). Agreement for fiber thickness was poor for respiratory bronchioles (ICC 0.12, P<0.05) and fair for alveoli (ICC range, 0.37 to 0.42, P<0.001). The intraobserver (ICC range, 0.69 to 0.91, P<0.001) and intrapatient (ICC 0.65 to 0.84, P<0.001) reliability were excellent. Computer image interpretation showed excellent agreement with humans (ICC 0.62 to 0.99, P<0.001). Smoking was inversely associated with respiratory bronchiole brightness (P<0.001). In FCFM-pathologic correlation, FCFM could distinguish normal from diseased tissue; however, specific diseases could not be distinguished from other diseases. CONCLUSION: FCFM shows a high degree of image reliability and can detect changes in the respiratory bronchioles because of smoking and other diseases, but whether it can discriminate among diseases requires additional study.

Localisation intravesicale d'une broche d'osteosynthese (a propos d'un cas)

La variete de corps etrangers introduits dans l'appareil genito- urinaire defie l'imagination et peut confronter l'urologue aux difficultes de leur extraction. Si leur presence releve souvent d'une pratique douteuse d'origine psychiatrique; il faut noter la possibilite d'une migration a partir des espaces perivesicaux lors d'une chirurgie de voisinage ainsi qu'une introduction accidentelle durant une intervention transvesicale. Les symptomes du bas appareil urinaire; non specifiques; sont les circonstances fortuites de decouverte de corps etrangers intravesicaux. Bien que le pronostic vital ne soit pas engage; l'extraction chirurgicale ou endoscopique s'avere necessaire du fait de l'inflammation severe associee aux dommages vesicaux secondaires a ce corps etranger.Nous rapportons le cas d'un jeune patient admis aux urgences chez qui on trouve une broche d'osteosynthese compliquee d'une lithiase situee dans la vessie

[Vesicouterine fistulas: an experience of 17 years]. / Les fistules vésico-utérines: une expérience de 17 ans.

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the diagnostic and the prognostic problems of vesicouterine fistulas (VUF) emphasizing on the therapeutic characteristics that lead to successful treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors retrieve retrospective series of 16 cases, collected between 1989 and June 2006, and they analyze the clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects. RESULTS: The patients were young (29-40 years) with an average having three children. Cesarean was the most frequent etiology. The presentation symptoms were hematuria (in five cases), a urinary incontinence through the vagina (in eight cases) and both of them (in three cases). The diagnosis was suspected from the history and confirmed by the additional analyses. The treatment was surgical (excision of the fistulas) in 15 cases with an average follow-up of 2.5 years, the results on the functional aspect were satisfactory hence they were marked by the absence of urinary incontinence as well as the hematuria. On the obstetric aspect, the occurrence of pregnancy was noted in a patient at four years post-VUF repair. CONCLUSION: Vesicouterine fistulas are not very frequent and most often secondary to a cesarean or to consequences of difficult delivery. The treatment is essentially preventive by improving the obstetrical techniques through avoiding the bladder injuries during the cesareans.

La tuberculose genitale masculine : a propos de 22 cas

Objectif : Rapporter les particularites epidemiologiques; anatomo-cliniques; pronostiques et therapeutiques de l'atteinte genitale masculine de la tuberculose avec revue de la litterature. Patients et methodes : Il s'agit d'une etude retrospective portant sur 22 cas de lesions genitales de tuberculose confirmees. Le diagnostic a ete pose sur un faisceau d'arguments cliniques; bacteriologiques; radiologiques et histologiques. Un traitement anti-tuberculeuse a ete instauree systematiquement. La surveillance a ete clinique; biologique et radiologique. Resultats: Les motifs de consultation ont ete par ordre de frequence decroissant : l'epididymite chronique (11 cas); une fistule scrotale (6 cas); une hydrocele (6 cas); une retention d'urine (3 cas) et une sterilite (1 cas). L'examen clinique a retrouve un nodule epididymaire dans 11 cas et une hydrocele dans 10 cas. Une leucocyturie sans germe a ete retrouvee dans un cas. L'echographie scrotale realisee a mis en evidence des lesions epididymaires dans 8 cas. Le diagnostic de certitude a ete pose sur l'examen anatomopathologique des pieces operatoires (13 cas); de fragments biopsiques (8 cas); et par la decouverte du bacille de Koch dans les urines (1 cas). L'urographie intraveineuse realisee systematiquement a retrouve des lesions urinaires associees dans 5 cas. L'evolution a ete favorable dans tous les cas.Conclusion: L'atteinte tuberculeuse isolee des organes genitaux masculins est de diagnostic difficile en dehors d'un contexte endemique tuberculeux. Une etiologie tuberculeuse doit etre suspectee devant toute orchiepidydimite trainante; particulierement sur terrain debilite ou devant une notion d'hypofertilite. Le traitement medical reste efficace en cas de diagnostic precoce; alors que la chirurgie est reservee aux cas resistants ou compliques

Granulocytic sarcoma presenting with malignant anasarca in a patient with secondary acute myeloid leukemia.

Granulocytic sarcomas (GS) are rare extramedullary tumor masses composed of immature cells derived from the hematopoietic myeloid series. GS occur in 3% to 7% of cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and can present before, during, or even after the diagnosis of AML. GS can involve different organs, individually or simultaneously, including the skin, lymph nodes, bone, breast, central nervous system, and lung among others. GS involving peritoneal and pleural fluids is a rare presentation. We present an unusual case of a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome whose disease progressed into a secondary AML and developed GS in the ascitic and pleural effusions as the predominant manifestation of disease progression.

Cancer Primitif de l'Uretre

Objective: We report six cases of primitive cancer of the urethra out of a total of 1109 cases of urologic cancers hospitalized during a period of 12 years. Patients and Methods: From 1990 to 2001 six patients (four males; two females) were hospitalized for cancer of the urethra. The tumors were analyzed according to the classification of Grabstald. All the patients were explored by retrograde urethrocystography showing an irregular image of the urethra and at times opacifying the sinus ways. Urethrocystoscopy showed the site of the tumor and its aspect and allowed for diagnostic biopsies. In five cases it revealed an epidermoid cancer and an adenocarcinoma in one case. The treatment used depended on the stage of the disease and the general condition of the patients. Two patients underwent radical pelvectomy without any adjuvant treatment. Two patients with disseminated disease received palliative treatment by radiotherapy. The two remaining patients having refused surgical treatment were also treated by radiotherapy alone. Results: Overall; the average rate of survival was 17.5 months (3 to 60 months). The best results were achieved with surgical treatment. Two of the patients referred to the oncologist for palliative radiotherapy died within 3 and 6 months; respectively. One patient treated by radiotherapy alone after having refused surgical treatment presented 6 months later with a long post-radiation stenosis of the urethra. Since the patient still refused surgical treatment; he was treated by final cystostomy. The last patient also treated by exclusive radiotherapy is being followed up by the radiologists. Conclusion: Primitive cancer of the urethra is rare. Its semiology is not very specific which explains the frequently delayed diagnosis. It is the meticulous examination of the urethra which allows the diagnosis. The treatment of choice is surgery and/or radiotherapy

[Psychological, sexual and social aspects of bladder exstrophy in adulthood. Analysis of 3 cases]. / Aspects psychologiques, sexuels et sociaux de l'exstrophie vésicale chez l'adulte. Analyse de 3 cas.

Rare congenital malformation, bladder exstrophy is usually treated soon after birth. Based on three cases report of bladder exstrophy in adulthood (two men and one women aged from 21 to 25 years), the authors emphasize the importance of psychological, sexual, and social disorders caused by this affection treated at this age. Urinary problems were excluded of this study. The authors stress the necessity of an early management of this malformation, if possible at birth in order to minimize these consequences.

[Endoscopic treatment of vesico-ureteral reflux by submeatic injection of autologous fat. Two case reports]. / Traitement endoscopique du reflux vésico-urétéral par injection sous-méatique de graisse autologue. A propos de deux cas.

The authors report two cases of endoscopic treatment of vesico-ureteral reflux by submeatic injection of autologous fat. We describe the technique of prelevement and injection. The immediate results confirm the efficacity of this procedure. The long-term follow-up will allow us to adopt it and to give it some modifications.

[Retroperitoneal liposarcoma. Case report]. / Liposarcome rétropéritonéal. A propos d'un cas.

We report one case of retroperitoneal liposarcoma treated by surgery and radiotherapy. With the literature, we discuss the pathologic and therapeutic aspect of this lesion.

[Perineoscrotal gangrene: report of 51 cases. Diagnostic and therapeutic features]. / Gangrène périnéoscrotale: à propos de 51 cas. Aspects diagnostiques et thérapeutiques.

OBJECTIVE: To approach the treatment of Fournier's gangrene. So, pathophysiology and etiology are recalled. METHODS: The authors present 51 cases of Fournier's gangrene treated from 1989 to 1998, their age ranged from 19 to 89 years. Data were collected on admission signs and symptoms, physical examination. Aggressive surgical debridement of all necrotic tissues was performed, Intravenous antibiotics and resuscitation fluid were also administered. RESULTS: All patients were male. In 20 cases (39%), there was no identifiable cause, and in 31 cases (61%), the etiology of gangrene was urethral (33%), anorectal (28%) and unknown (19%). The average hospital stay was 30 days. Three cases underwent unilateral orchidectomy, six colostomy and in 17 cases, a suprapubic catheter was inserted. Mortality was high (18%) and essentially associated to debilated state and toxi-infectious context. CONCLUSION: Fournier's gangrene is a true urologic emergency potential lethal, which requires aggressive antibiotic and surgical treatment.

[Spontaneous hematoma of the adrenal glands]. / Hématome spontané de la surrénale.

We report an uncommon case of unilateral spontaneous hematoma of the right adrenal gland in a 22-year old young man. Preoperative diagnosis was made by ultrasonography and CT-scan. A right adrenalectomy was performed. Pathological evaluation showed an isolated hematoma without adrenal abnormalities. The diagnostic and therapeutic aspects are discussed.