Sentinel lymph node biopsy for early stage tongue cancer—a 14-year single-centre experience

This study was performed to report the usage of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in clinical stage I or II tongue cancer patients with cN0 necks seen over a 14-year period. Data were collected prospectively, and a retrospective analysis was performed of 41 patients with early stage oral squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue and a cN0 neck. Sentinel lymph node (SLN)-positive patients underwent elective neck dissection, whereas SLN-negative patients were kept under careful observation. Seven of the 41 (17%) patients enrolled in the study were found to have occult metastases. The patients were followed up for a mean duration of 92 months (range 60–144 months). The neck recurrence rate for SLN-positive patients was 0% and for SLN-negative patients was 3%. The authors recommend the routine use of SLNB in patients with early stage oral squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue and a cN0 neck. Furthermore, special focus should be placed on isolated tumour cells, as their presence is of high clinical relevance.     

The response of Prorocentrum sigmoides and its associated culturable bacteria to metals and organic pollutants

This study investigates the effect of metals (cadmium, lead, mercury, and tellurium) and organic pollutants (benzene, diesel, lindane, and xylene) on a dinoflagellate—Prorocentrum sigmoides Böhm—and its associated culturable bacteria. Two bacterial cultures (Bacillus subtilis strain PD005 and B. xiamensis strain PD006) were isolated from P. sigmoides and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing, biochemical analyses, and growth curve studies. This study points to a mutualistic relationship between P. sigmoides and its associated Bacillus isolates. P. sigmoides enhanced the growth of its associated Bacillus spp., through the secretion of extracellular exudates. In return, both Bacillus isolates contributed to the resistance of P. sigmoides to metals and organic pollutants. P. sigmoides and both Bacillus isolates exhibited concentration‐dependent responses to metals and organic pollutants. An intriguing feature was the similar response of P. sigmoides and its associated Bacillus isolates to mercury and cadmium, indicating a co‐selection of mercury and cadmium resistance. This provides support to the “dinoflagellate host‐phycosphere bacteria” behaving as a single functional unit. However, the sensitivity profiles of P. sigmoides and its associated Bacillus isolates are different with respect to metals versus organic pollutants. These aspects need to be addressed in future studies to unravel the effect of metal and organic pollutants on dinoflagellates, an important component of the phytoplankton community, and to discern the influence of associated “phycosphere” bacteria on the response of dinoflagellates to pollutants.     

Association of group‐specific component exon 11 polymorphisms with bronchial asthma in children and adolescents

Several studies have investigated the association of Group‐specific Component (GC) gene, also known as vitamin D‐binding protein (VDBP), and various respiratory disorder susceptibility with conflicting results. In this sense, we aimed to investigate whether rs7041 and rs4588 variants confer susceptibility to bronchial asthma in a sample of an Egyptian population and to elucidate by in silico analysis the structural and functional impact of these variants. Group‐specific Component polymorphisms rs7041 and rs4588 were genotyped in 192 Egyptian children and adolescents (96 with asthma and 96 healthy controls) by TaqMan single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping assay. The rs7041 GG genotype showed a significantly elevated frequency among patients under codominant, dominant, recessive and allelic models where the patient group had greater carriage rate of G allele [OR 2.15, CI 95% (1.32‐3.50; P = 0.002)], while rs4588 CA and AA genotypes were found to be protective genotypes with controls showing a greater carriage rate of A allele [OR 0.52, CI 95% (0.30 ‐ 0.90; P = 0.02)]. Three haplotype allele combinations were identified with frequencies of GC (44.3%), TC (31.3%) and TA (24.5%) in the total study population. GC haplotype was shown to be more frequent in controls, while TC and TA haplotypes were more predominant in the patient group. Only rs7041 variant showed a significant association with family history and pubertal status. In conclusion, both study GC variants could be implicated in childhood bronchial asthma pathogenesis; rs7041 GG genotype and G allele increased asthma risk while rs4588 AA genotype and A allele conferred protection in the study population.     

Cystic lymphangiomatous lesions of the adrenal gland: A clinicopathological study of 37 cases including previously unreported cysts with papillary endothelial proliferation

Published data regarding lymphangiomatous cysts of the adrenal glands (also known as adrenal cystic lymphangiomas) are limited to case reports and a few small case series. We analyzed the clinicopathologic features and histomorphologic spectrum of 37 cases of adrenal cystic lymphangiomatous lesions. There were 26 females and 11 males ranging from 12 to 67 years old (median, 34 years). Twenty two lesions (59.5%) were diagnosed incidentally on imaging studies for unrelated causes, while 15 cases (40.5%) were symptomatic: 8 patients presented with abdominal or flank pain and 7 patients presented with arterial hypertension. Clinically, 4 lesions (10.8%) were reported to have concurrent hormonal hypersecretion. Follow-up data were available for 23 patients (62.2%), ranging from 6 to 156 months (median, 52 mo). One of the 22 patients showed local recurrence at 12 months after partial adrenalectomy. The median size of the adrenal lymphangiomatous cysts was 4.5 cm (range, 1.5 to 10 cm). Based on the histopathologic findings these lesions were grouped into three, morphologically distinct types: typical multicystic lymphatic malformation (n = 16), typical unilocular lymphangiomatous cyst (n = 14) and lymphangiomatous cyst with papillary endothelial proliferation (n = 7). The median patient age of the first group was significantly higher than that of the other groups and calcifications in these cysts were more common than in the other two groups. The unilocular lymphangiomatous cysts were more frequently associated with a history of previous intra-abdominal surgical procedures and/or inflammatory processes than the other two groups. Cysts with papillary endothelial proliferation were significantly larger than other cysts and shared some microscopic features with a vascular neoplasm known as papillary intralymphatic angioendothelioma (PILA). In conclusion, adrenal lymphangiomatous cysts are usually asymptomatic, incidentally diagnosed lesions with a female predominance. They may imitate other adrenal tumors, both radiologically and clinically. Despite being non-functioning lesions, they should be considered as a possible cause of pseudopheochromocytoma. Although most adrenal lymphangiomatous cysts seem to be non-neoplastic, vascular abnormalities (malformations or lymphangiectasias), those with papillary endothelial proliferations may represent true neoplastic lesions.     

Population Models of the Mental Health of the Population of Russia: Assessment of the Influence of Living Conditions and Psychiatric Care Resources

Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology - Objectives. To develop and use population models for the mental health of the population of Russia to analyze the relationships between measures of mental...     

Implementierungsgrad der strukturierten Notrufabfrage in deutschen Leitstellen und Auswirkungen ihrer Einführung

Die Anaesthesiologie - Die Notrufabfrage ist elementar für die Disposition geeigneter Rettungsmittel und die Anleitung von Anrufern in Erste-Hilfe-Maßnahmen. Dadurch hat sie unmittelbaren...