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Selected AbstractsSilicone Gel Sheeting for the Management and Prevention of OnychocryptosisDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 3 2003A. Burhan Aksakal MD BACKGROUND Onychocryptosis, commonly referred to as ingrown nails, has many therapeutic alternatives for its management. Although mild cases can be treated conservatively, in severe cases, surgical treatment is preferred. Silicone gel sheeting is found to be effective in the treatment of hypertrophic scars and keloids. OBJECTIVE To document the effectiveness of silicone gel sheeting in the management of patients with onychocryptosis and in the prevention of the recurrences by breaking the devil's circle, which usually took place after the surgical procedures used in the treatment of the onychocryptosis. METHODS Fourteen patients were enrolled in the study. Entry criteria required the presence of slight (2 patients), moderate (2 patients), or severe (10 patients) onychocryptosis. The simple technique used in the study was the excision of the one-quarter part of the lesional side of the nail plate without excising the granulation tissue. After 24 hours, the silicone was placed on the granulation tissue and the exposed nail bed. Silicone gel sheet was bandaged loosely without applying any pressure. Patients entering the study were given detailed instructions in applying and using the gel for 12 hours during the daytime. The study lasted for 14 months and was composed of a treatment period of 4 months and a follow-up period of 10 months. The patients were evaluated every 2 weeks in the first month and then monthly. The change in thickness of granulation tissue was evaluated by comparing them with the baseline photographs and those taken at each visit. RESULTS The management and prevention of onychocryptosis were achieved in 12 of 14 patients (85.71%). The silicone gel sheeting treatment was well tolerated except for an occasional transient exudation, which was resolved when the treatment was withdrawn. CONCLUSION The results show that the new method that we used for the treatment of onychocryptosis is successful in reducing the thickness of the hypertrophic nail fold and prevents the recurrence of the condition during the regrowth of the nail plate by breaking the devil's circle. The advantage of this method is that it is not destructive to the nail matrix and the adjacent tissue. [source] The angiogenic makeup of human hepatocellular carcinoma does not favor vascular endothelial growth factor/angiopoietin-driven sprouting neovascularization,,HEPATOLOGY, Issue 5 2008Wenjiao Zeng Quantitative data on the expression of multiple factors that control angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are limited. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying angiogenesis in HCC will improve the rational choice of anti-angiogenic treatment. We quantified gene and protein expression of members of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin systems and studied localization of VEGF, its receptors VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2, Angiopoietin (Ang)-1 and Ang-2, and their receptor, in HCC in noncirrhotic and cirrhotic livers. We employed real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blot, and immunohistology, and compared the outcome with highly angiogenic human renal cell carcinoma (RCC). HCC in noncirrhotic and cirrhotic livers expressed VEGF and its receptors to a similar extent as normal liver, although in cirrhotic background, VEGFR-2 levels in both tumor and adjacent tissue were decreased. Ang-1 expression was slightly increased compared with normal liver, whereas Tie-2 was strongly down-regulated in the tumor vasculature. Ang-2 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were also low in HCCs of both noncirrhotic and cirrhotic livers, implying that VEGF-driven angiogenic sprouting accompanied by angiopoietin-driven vascular destabilization is not pronounced. In RCC, VEGF-A levels were one order of magnitude higher. At the same time, endothelially expressed Ang-2 was over 30-fold increased compared with expression in normal kidney, whereas Ang-1 expression was decreased. Conclusion: In hepatocellular carcinoma, tumor vascularization is not per se VEGF/angiopoietin driven. However, increased CD31 expression and morphological changes representative of sinusoidal capillarization in tumor vasculature indicate that vascular remodeling is taking place. This portends that therapeutic intervention of HCC at the level of the vasculature is optional, and that further studies into the molecular control thereof are warranted. (HEPATOLOGY 2008.) [source] Sonographic diagnosis of fibromatosisJOURNAL OF CLINICAL ULTRASOUND, Issue 6 2008Yuexiang Wang MD Abstract Purpose. To investigate the value of sonography in the diagnosis of fibromatosis. Method. We retrospectively reviewed the sonographic findings, pathologic results, and other medical records of 42 patients with pathologically proven fibromatosis. The tumor's size and location were recorded. Echogenicity, margins, vascularity, and relationship with the adjacent tissue were analyzed. Results. A total of 42 patients with 44 lesions were included in the study. In 21 patients, the tumor was a primary tumor. In 7 of these patients, a preoperative diagnosis of fibromatosis was obtained via sonographically guided biopsy or surgical biopsy. In another 21 patients, the tumor was a recurrence (including 1 case of malignant transformation). Well-defined and regular margins were demonstrated in 26 lesions (59%), whereas poorly defined and irregular borders were seen in the other 18 lesions. On Doppler imaging, vascularity was absent in 66% (29/44) lesions, moderate in 23% (10/44), and marked in 11% (5/44). Infiltration into the adjacent skeletal muscles, cortical bone, or encasement vessels, nerves, or tendons was found in 21 (48%) lesions. Conclusion. In patients with fibromatosis, sonography demonstrates a nonspecific hypoechoic solid mass and can guide the percutaneous needle biopsy. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2008 [source] Cyclooxygenase-2 expression in dermatofibroma and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberansJOURNAL OF CUTANEOUS PATHOLOGY, Issue 6 2008Neta Adler Background:, Dermatofibroma (DF) and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) occasionally resemble each other histologically but differ in histogenesis and biological behavior. This study sought to determine if these lesions can be differentiated by the quantity or quality of expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), an enzyme associated with both reactive and neoplastic processes. Patients and methods:, Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded samples from 20 DFs and 20 DFSPs were stained immunohistochemically with antibodies directed against COX-2. Staining was evaluated semiquantitatively for percentage and intensity using a three-tiered system. DFs were graded and analyzed by cellularity. Findings within the tumors were compared with fibrocyte staining in adjacent tissue. The results were analyzed. Results:, Nineteen DFs (95%) and 15 DFSPs (75%) were immunopositive for COX-2; this difference was not statistically significant. Highly cellular DFs showed more widespread (p = 0.0039; r = 0.614) and more intense (p = 0.0586; r = 0.429) staining than less cellular DFs and more prominent staining in adjacent fibroblasts (p = 0.044; r = 0.608). Conclusions:, COX-2 immunostaining does not distinguish DFs from DFSPs. However, the enzyme is expressed more widely and more intensely in more cellular, possibly younger, DFs. The prominent expression of COX-2 in DFSP may have clinical implications for treatment with COX-2 inhibitors in tumors that are not amenable to surgery. [source] Low grade diffuse gliomas: Shared cellular composition and morphometric differencesNEUROPATHOLOGY, Issue 5 2008Sawako Kinjo Low grade diffuse gliomas arising in the brain are challenging to treat because of their ability to infiltrate adjacent tissue. We attempted to clarify the cellular composition and histopathological features of low grade gliomas by utilizing morphometric and immunohistochemical analyses. Seventy-eight cases of low grade gliomas were examined including 21 diffuse astrocytomas (DA), 36 oligodendrogliomas (OL), and 21 oligoastrocytomas (OA), based on the WHO classification system. Moreover, OL were subdivided into three types based on the morphological characteristics advocated by Daumas-Duport et al.: OL type I, OL type II, and OL type III. The cellularity, nuclear form factor, and conditional entropy corresponding to the nuclear pleomorphism were measured in each sample by the image analysis software "Gunmetry." Twenty-two cases were immunohistochemically analyzed for the expression of several antigens. Morphometric data indicated that the cellularity of OL type II was significantly higher than that of DA, and that the conditional entropy of OL type III was significantly lower than that of DA. Although the results of the immunohistochemical studies were almost consistent with previous reports, there were significant differences in the expression of GFAP, nestin and p53 between DA and OL. Double immunostaining revealed that expression of Olig2 and GFAP, and Olig2 and nestin was mutually exclusive in most glioma cells. Moreover, the coexpression of nestin and GFAP occurred in DA and OA, but not in OL. We conclude that each glioma include cells expressing GFAP, cells expressing nestin, and cells expressing Olig2 in a characteristic proportion for each tumor type. We suggest that diffuse gliomas share cellular compositions in different ratios and that they can be distinguished by morphometrical analysis. [source] Evidence of placental haemorrhage and preterm deliveryBJOG : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 4 2010JW Gargano Please cite this paper as: Gargano J, Holzman C, Senagore P, Reuss M, Pathak D, Williams M, Fisher R. Evidence of placental haemorrhage and preterm delivery. BJOG 2010;117:445,455. Objective, To evaluate evidence of placental haemorrhage (PH) obtained through maternal interviews, patient charts and placental pathology examinations as potential indicators of a ,bleeding pathway' to preterm delivery (PTD). Design, Prospective cohort. Setting, Fifty-two clinics in five communities in Michigan, USA (1998,2004). Population, A subset (n = 996) of cohort participants with complete placental pathology data. Methods, First-trimester bleeding and placental abruption were ascertained by mid-trimester interviews and chart review, respectively. Disc-impacting blood clot was defined as a gross placental examination finding of a blood clot impacting adjacent tissue. Microscopic haemorrhage was defined as ,high' (top quintile) scores on an aggregate measure of placental pathology findings suggestive of atypical maternal vessel haemorrhage. These four PH indicators were compared with one another and with risk of PTD assessed by logistic regression analyses. Main outcome measures, Preterm delivery and PTD subtypes (i.e. <35 weeks, 35,36 weeks; spontaneous, medically indicated) compared with term deliveries. Results, Placental abruption cases had 2.3-fold to 5.5-fold increased odds of the other three PH indicators. Disc-impacting blood clots and microscopic haemorrhage were associated with one another (odds ratio [OR] = 4.6), but not with first-trimester bleeding. In a multivariable model that included all four PH indicators and confounders, risk of PTD < 35 weeks was elevated with first-trimester bleeding (OR = 1.9 [1.0, 3.4]), placental abruption (OR = 5.2 [1.7, 16.2]), disc-impacting blood clots (OR = 2.3 [1.0, 5.0]) and microscopic haemorrhage (OR = 2.4 [1.4, 4.2]). Conclusions, Multiple clinical and subclinical PH indicators are associated with PTD, particularly early PTD. [source] Haemangioendothelioma on the conjunctiva of the upper eyelidCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL OPHTHALMOLOGY, Issue 8 2006Sang Hyoung Cho MD Abstract A 62-year-old man visited the authors' clinic complaining of a mass on the palpebral conjunctiva of the right upper eyelid. The 2.0 cm × 1.2 cm sized, red and painless mass underwent incision and biopsy for histopathological examination. The mass was confirmed to be Kaposiform haemangioendothelioma characterized by densely packed spindle cells. These cells were positive to vimentin, CD31 and factor VIII-related antigen by immunohistochemical stain. The mass was completely resolved by oral steroid therapy and has not recurred through the presentation. Kaposiform haemangioendothelioma generally occurs in infant and adolescent periods and is characterized by rapid progression and invasion to adjacent tissue. Herein, an unusual case of Kaposiform haemangioendothelioma affecting the conjunctiva of the upper eyelid on a middle-aged man is reported. [source] XBtg2 is required for notochord differentiation during early Xenopus developmentDEVELOPMENT GROWTH & DIFFERENTIATION, Issue 7 2005Kaoru Sugimoto The notochord is essential for normal vertebrate development, serving as both a structural support for the embryo and a signaling source for the patterning of adjacent tissues. Previous studies on the notochord have mostly focused on its formation and function in early organogenesis but gene regulation in the differentiation of notochord cells itself remains poorly defined. In the course of screening for genes expressed in developing notochord, we have isolated Xenopus homolog of Btg2 (XBtg2). The mammalian Btg2 genes, Btg2/PC3/TIS21, have been reported to have multiple functions in the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation but their roles in early development are still unclear. Here we characterized XBtg2 in early Xenopus laevis embryogenesis with focus on notochord development. Translational inhibition of XBtg2 resulted in a shortened and bent axis phenotype and the abnormal structures in the notochord tissue, which did not undergo vacuolation. The XBtg2-depleted notochord cells expressed early notochord markers such as chordin and Xnot at the early tailbud stage, but failed to express differentiation markers of notochord such as Tor70 and 5-D-4 antigens in the later stages. These results suggest that XBtg2 is required for the differentiation of notochord cells such as the process of vacuolar formation after determination of notochord cell fate. [source] Rhabdomyoma of the head and neck: Clinicopathologic features of two casesHEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 8 2003Gianfranco Favia MD Abstract Background. Extracardiac rhabdomyomas are rare benign tumors of the head and neck. They are frequently misdiagnosed and possibly overtreated when confused with other aggressive tumors. Methods. This article reports on the clinicopathologic features of two such tumors affecting adult patients and initially seen as slowly-growing, indolent neoplasms. Results. The tumors were of fibrous consistency, mobile, with well-demarcated borders and evident lines of cleavage. Both patients were treated by conservative surgery and remained disease-free after prolonged clinical observation. Histologically, both tumors were composed of large eosinophilic cells intermingled with polyhedral clear cells. Both cell types contained abundant glycogen accumulations. Conclusions. The differential diagnosis is with granular cell tumor and with sarcomas, the former being easily distinguishable morphologically, and the latter be seen with more rapid growth and adherence to the adjacent tissues. On the basis of the preceding features, rhabdomyomas can be suspected at a preoperative stage and adequately managed with enucleation or simple excision. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 25: 700,704, 2003 [source] Ultrasound biomicroscopic appearances of eyelid lesions at 50 MHzJOURNAL OF CLINICAL ULTRASOUND, Issue 8 2007Mandeep S. Bajaj MD Abstract Purpose. To correlate the ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) appearance of eyelid lesions with the results of histopathologic examination. Methods. Fifty-two patients with eyelid lesions were evaluated using 50-MHz UBM, and the UBM scans were compared with the histopathologic findings. The obscuration of the normal lid sonographic layers and invasion into adjacent tissues were criteria suggesting malignancy. Results. UBM characteristics of different eyelid lesions are presented. The sensitivity of UBM in detecting malignancy ranged from 78% to 86%, whereas the specificity ranged from 37% to 69%. Conclusion. This study of eyelid lesions shows that UBM can help differentiate between various benign and malignant lid lesions. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2007 [source] Comparison of the sonographic features of acalculous and calculous submandibular sialadenitisJOURNAL OF CLINICAL ULTRASOUND, Issue 6 2001Alex Sik-Chung Ching FRCR Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to compare the sonographic features of acalculous and calculous sialadenitis of the submandibular gland. Methods A retrospective review of sonograms of the neck was performed in 25 patients with submandibular sialadenitis: 8 with acalculous and 17 with calculous disease. The submandibular glands were assessed for size, shape, border, and echogenicity; presence of dilated ducts or other intraglandular lesions; inflammatory changes in adjacent tissues; lymphadenopathy; and involvement of other salivary glands. Results In the group with acalculous sialadenitis, 4 (50%) of the 8 patients had unilateral disease, and 11 (92%) of 12 glands were rounded. In all cases (100%), multiple hypoechoic lesions were diffusely distributed throughout the submandibular glands against a heterogeneous parenchymal background. The lesions ranged from 3 to 15 mm and were oval or round. Confluent lesions were noted in 2 glands (17%). There was no sonographic evidence of duct dilatation, calculi, or abnormal lymph nodes. All patients with calculous sialadenitis had unilateral disease; 9 had a main duct calculus (53%), 7 had intraglandular calculi (41%), and 1 had both (6%). In 14 (82%) of 17 glands, normal shape was maintained, and 11 (65%) of 17 had duct dilatation. Conclusions Acalculous submandibular sialadenitis differs from the calculous form of the disease. The former has characteristic sonographic features, including a round gland with numerous hypoechoic lesions in a heterogeneous parenchymal background. Sonographic imaging in conjunction with fine-needle aspiration is useful for detection of this disorder. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 29:332,338, 2001. [source] Improved dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC)-MR perfusion estimates by motion correctionJOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, Issue 4 2007Robert K. Kosior BSc Abstract Purpose To investigate the effect of patient motion on quantitative cerebral blood flow (CBF) maps in ischemic stroke patients and to evaluate the efficacy of a motion-correction scheme. Materials and Methods Perfusion data from 25 ischemic stroke patients were selected for analysis. Two motion profiles were applied to a digital anthropomorphic brain phantom to estimate accuracy. CBF images were generated for motion-corrupted and motion-corrected data. To correct for motion, rigid-body registration was performed. The realignment parameters and mean CBF in regions of interest were recorded. Results All patient data with motion exhibited visibly reduced intervolume misalignment after motion correction. Improved flow delineation between different tissues and a more clearly defined ischemic lesion (IL) were achieved in the motion-corrected CBF. A significant difference occurred in the IL (P < 0.05) for patients with severe motion with an average difference between corrupted and corrected data of 4.8 mL/minute/100 g. The phantom data supported the patient results with better CBF accuracy after motion correction and high registration accuracy (<1 mm translational and <1° rotational error). Conclusion Motion degrades flow differentiation between adjacent tissues in CBF maps and can cause ischemic severity to be underestimated. A registration motion correction scheme improves dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC)-MR perfusion estimates. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2007;26:1167,1172. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Drug-induced corneal hydration changes monitored in vivo by non-invasive confocal Raman spectroscopyJOURNAL OF RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY, Issue 9 2001Roel J. Erckens It is well established that the state of corneal hydration plays a crucial role in maintaining optimal vision. Therefore, any knowledge that can be obtained non-invasively about the status of corneal hydration could be of significant clinical value. A novel confocal Raman spectroscopic technique was used to monitor non-invasively drug-induced hydration changes in the rabbit cornea. The spectroscopic technique enables one to monitor the changes in water content of the cornea while the confocal probing reduces interference of signals from adjacent tissues and allows for measurement of corneal hydration at various depths. The corneal hydration is altered by applying a dehydrating agent (Muro 128®) topically on the cornea. To determine the corneal hydration status, the OH/CH ratio between the Raman intensity of the water OH mode at 3390 cm,1 and the protein CH stretching mode at 2945 cm,1 is calculated. In the middle of the corneal stroma after 10 min, Muro 128® -treated corneas show an average decrease of about 30% in the OH/CH ratio (1.27 ± 0.13) compared with the untreated corneas (1.76 ± 0.09). In this in vivo model it is possible to monitor the hydration status of the living cornea using the Raman spectroscopic technique. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Factors influencing the incidence and prognosis of canine mammary tumoursJOURNAL OF SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE, Issue 7 2000M. D. Perez Alenza Factors relating to the incidence of canine mammary tumours are reviewed. Increased age, intact status or ovariectomy after 2.5 years of age, as well as progestagen treatment, can all lead to an increased risk of mammary neoplasia in the bitch. In addition, obesity early in life, and a habitual diet based on home-made food (rich in beef and pork, and poor in chicken) as opposed to commercial food, are also associated with the occurrence of mammary tumours. Other aspects related to incidence are also discussed. Increased age at diagnosis, invasive growth (fixed to adjacent tissues), large tumour size, ulceration of skin, and axillary or inguinal node involvement are clinical parameters associated with a low chance of survival after surgical excision of mammary tumours. Histological typing and grading of the tumour allows the establishment of a prognosis, which is poor where there is tumour proliferation as measured by S-phase fraction determination and Ki-67 immunostaining. [source] Non-invasive cryolipolysisÔ for subcutaneous fat reduction does not affect serum lipid levels or liver function tests,LASERS IN SURGERY AND MEDICINE, Issue 10 2009Kenneth B. Klein MD Abstract Background and Objective Cryolipolysis provides a method of non-invasive fat reduction that significantly reduces subcutaneous fat without injury to adjacent tissues. Preliminary animal and human data have suggested that cryolipolysis has no effect on serum lipid profiles or liver tests. This study was intended to more fully document any effect of this procedure on lipid and liver-related blood tests. Study Design/Materials and Methods Forty subjects with fat bulges on their flanks ("love handles") were treated bilaterally with a non-invasive device (Zeltiq Aesthetics, Pleasanton, CA) that precisely cools tissue to achieve a reduction in the fat layer. Serum lipid levels and liver tests were measured prior to treatment, and at 1 day and 1, 4, 8, and 12 weeks post-treatment. Results No meaningful changes in mean values were observed for any blood lipid level or liver test at any point over the 12-week follow-up period. Conclusion Cryolipolysis, when used for reduction of subcutaneous flank fat, is not associated with changes in serum lipids or liver test results. Lasers Surg. Med. 41:785,790, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Granuloma formation in ANCA-associated vasculitidesAPMIS, Issue 2009PETER LAMPRECHT Granuloma formation is a key pathologic finding in two of the anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitides: Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) and Churg,Strauss syndrome (CSS). So far, no animal models have been established convincingly reproducing both vasculitic and granulomatous features typical of WG and CSS. In biopsies, granulomatous lesions are found both at distant extravascular sites and in the vicinity of inflamed vessels, e.g. in the lung. Intriguingly, WG-granulomata appear to display features of tertiary lymphoid tissue. Cartilaginous and osseous destruction is caused by granulomatous inflammation invading adjacent tissues. Rhinosinusitis is regularly encountered in WG and CSS. Septal perforation, saddle nose deformity, middle and inner ear symptoms, and granulomatous invasion of the palate, orbita, meninges, or the pituitary gland may complicate WG. Both common (e.g. FCGR3B copy number) and distinct (e.g. HLA-DP, IL-10.2) genetic factors have been identified in AAV potentially favouring inflammation and autoimmunity. The HLA-DPB1/RING1/RXRB region constitutes a quantitative trait locus for ANCA-positive WG with the strongest association to be reported up to now. A profound alteration of the T-cell response including Th1 and Th17 responses, anomalously NK-receptor-expressing ,NK-like' T cells, and dysfunctional regulatory T cells could facilitate and sustain granuloma formation and autoimmunity. [source] Association between laminin-8 and glial tumor grade, recurrence, and patient survival,CANCER, Issue 3 2004Julia Y. Ljubimova M.D., Ph.D. Abstract BACKGROUND The authors previously sought to identify novel markers of glioma invasion and recurrence. Their research demonstrated that brain gliomas overexpressed a subset of vascular basement components, laminins, that contained the ,4 chain. One of these laminins, laminin-8, was found to be present in highly invasive and malignant glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) (Grade 4 astrocytoma); its expression was associated with a decreased time to tumor recurrence, and it was found in vitro to promote invasion of GBM cell lines. METHODS In the current study, the authors studied glial tumors of different grades in an attempt to correlate laminin-8 expression with tumor recurrence and patient survival. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis were used to detect laminin isoforms of interest. RESULTS Using immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis, the authors confirmed high levels of laminin-8 expression in approximately 75% of the GBM cases examined and in their adjacent tissues, whereas astrocytomas of lower grades expressed for the most part a different isoform, laminin-9, which also was found in low amounts in normal brain tissue and benign meningiomas. Overexpression of laminin-8 in GBM was found to be associated with a statistically significant shorter time to tumor recurrence (P < 0.0002) and a decreased patient survival time (P < 0.015). CONCLUSIONS The data suggest that laminin-8, which may facilitate tumor invasion, contributes to tumor regrowth after therapy. Laminin-8 may be used as a predictor of tumor recurrence and patient survival and as a potential molecular target for glioma therapy. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society. [source] Percutaneous implantation of an aortic valve prosthesisCATHETERIZATION AND CARDIOVASCULAR INTERVENTIONS, Issue 2 2005J.C. Laborde MD Abstract Recently, percutaneous aortic valve implantation has become an alternative technique to surgical valve replacement in patient at high risk for surgery. Our animal experimentation evaluated the technical feasibility of aortic valve replacement using a bovine pericardium valve sutured on a self-expandable stent in a sheep model. Precise implantation with satisfactory attachment on the adjacent tissues and absence of migration was obtain in 8 out of 14 animals. This study confirmed the feasibility of the endovascular implantation of a pericardium valve sutured on a self-expandable stent in a sheep model. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Regulation of inflammation in the adipose tissue in cancer cachexia: effect of exerciseCELL BIOCHEMISTRY AND FUNCTION, Issue 2 2009Fábio S. Lira Abstract The paraneoplastic syndrome of cachexia is considered a degenerative chronic inflammatory disease, being deeply related to the increase of pro-inflammatory factors, especially tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF- ,). It is known that the adipose tissue is affected by cachexia and contributing with the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors which reach the adjacent tissues and the circulation. The effect of pro-inflammatory factors is balanced by the effect of anti-inflammatory factors, such as interleukin 10 (IL-10). The IL-10/TNF- , ratio has been recently postulated as a marker for the assessment of the degree of inflammation, which correlates with disease-associated morbidity and mortality. In order to counteract inflammation in chronic disease, our group has currently adopted chronic endurance exercise in models of cancer cachexia and chronic heart failure. Since it is clear that white adipose tissue is strongly implicated in the secretion of both pro- and anti-inflammatory factors in disease, we chose to address its contribution to cachexia-related inflammation and the effect of endurance training on the capacity of cytokine expression and secretion by this tissue. Our results show an enhancement of IL-10 adipose tissue content, and increased IL-10/TNF- , ratio induced by endurance training. The mechanisms are discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Pathology of conjunctival melanocytic neoplasmsACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2008SE COUPLAND Purpose To describe the classification, grading and staging of conjunctival melanocytic proliferation. Methods We have audited our experience with conjunctival melanomas, using a novel mapping system and have found shortcomings in the current Tumour Node Metastasis (TNM) staging system. We have also reviewed our cases of intra-epithelial melanocytic neoplasia and confirmed other authors' impressions that conjunctival ,primary acquired melanosis with atypia' is histologically similar to cutaneous in situ melanoma. To improve objectivity in the reporting of conjunctival intra-epithelial melanocytic neoplasia, we propose a scoring system based on pattern of melanocytic infiltration, density of melanocytes & degree of cellular atypia. Results The term ,conjunctival melanosis' should be used only to describe the slit-lamp appearance of hyperpigmentation. Histologically, this abnormality should be categorized as ,hypermelanosis' or ,melanocytosis'. Hypermelanosis can either be primary or secondary to ocular or systemic disease. Benign melanocytosis comprises conjunctival melanocytic hyperplasia and naevi. Malignant melanocytosis is essentially melanoma, which is primary (in situ or invasive) or secondary (i.e., spreading to conjunctiva from adjacent tissues) or rarely metastatic. We suggest that the TNM staging system for conjunctival melanoma should be revised to: (1) include a Tis stage; (2) take account of superficial extent, invasion of adjacent tissues and caruncular involvement, in stages TI to TIII; and (3) to sub-categorize TIV disease so that there is better correlation with likely mortality. Conclusion We have revised the classification of conjunctival melanocytic proliferations & improved the grading and staging of melanoma. These developments should be useful in treatment & research. [source] |