Commentary on "Primary orbital monophasic synovial sarcoma with calcification: A case report"

The present letter to the editor is related to the study titled “Primary orbital monophasic synovial sarcoma with calcification: A case report’’. Orbital synovial sarcoma is one of the rare intraorbital masses seen in adult and pediatric populations. Some case reports in the literature revealed that synovial sarcoma may contain calcifications. Therefore, it is important to make differential diagnosis among calcified orbital masses in childhood.     

Grading meningiomas utilizing multiparametric MRI with inclusion of susceptibility weighted imaging and quantitative susceptibility mapping

Background and purposeThe ability to predict high-grade meningioma preoperatively is important for clinical surgical planning. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of comprehensive multiparametric MRI, including susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) and quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) in predicting high-grade meningioma both qualitatively and quantitatively.MethodsNinety-two low-grade and 37 higher grade meningiomas in 129 patients were included in this study. Morphological characteristics, quantitative histogram analysis of QSM and ADC images, and tumor size were evaluated to predict high-grade meningioma using univariate and multivariate analyses. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were performed on the morphological characteristics. Associations between Ki-67 proliferative index (PI) and quantitative parameters were calculated using Pearson correlation analyses.ResultsFor predicting high-grade meningiomas, the best predictive model in multivariate logistic regression analyses included calcification (β = 0.874, P = 0.110), peritumoral edema (β = 0.554, P = 0.042), tumor border (β = 0.862, P = 0.024), tumor location (β = 0.545, P = 0.039) for morphological characteristics, and tumor size (β = 4 × 10⁻⁵, P = 0.004), QSM kurtosis (β = − 5 × 10⁻³, P = 0.058), QSM entropy (β = − 0.067, P = 0.054), maximum ADC (β = − 1.6 × 10⁻³, P = 0.003), ADC kurtosis (β = − 0.013, P = 0.014) for quantitative characteristics. ROC analyses on morphological characteristics resulted in an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.71 (0.61–0.81) for a combination of them. There were significant correlations between Ki-67 PI and mean ADC (r = − 0.277, P = 0.031), 25^th percentile of ADC (r = − 0.275, P = 0.032), and 50^th percentile of ADC (r = − 0.268, P = 0.037).ConclusionsAlthough SWI and QSM did not improve differentiation between low and high-grade meningiomas, combining morphological characteristics and quantitative metrics can help predict high-grade meningioma.     

Dystrophic calcification and respiratory metaplasia in the epithelial lining of odontogenic cysts: a study of 362 odontogenic cysts in a Brazilian population and literature review

PurposeMain study: undertake a histological study of odontogenic cysts (OC) to determine the prevalence of dystrophic calcification and metaplasia to respiratory epithelium on a Brazilian population. Literature review: to review the literature for studies that investigated the prevalence of respiratory metaplasia and dystrophic calcification on OC.MethodsMain study: a retrospective histopathological evaluation was made of the archives from a pathology laboratory. A total of 362 cases diagnosed as OC were identified; they were analyzed by two expert observers to determine the presence of dystrophic calcification and respiratory metaplasia. The association with sex, age and anatomic location was performed through statistical analysis. Literature review: a critical literature review was undertaken. Two main electronic databases (PubMed and LILACS) were searched. Retrospective studies of histological evaluation that determined the prevalence of epithelial metaplasia and dystrophic calcification on OC, with at least 10 cases, were included; their findings were summarized and discussed.ResultsMain study: the histological evaluation of OC revealed the presence of respiratory epithelium in 25 cases (6.9%) and dystrophic calcification in 24 cases (6.6%). Positive association was found to dystrophic calcification on residual cyst and age; respiratory metaplasia on OC and sex; respiratory metaplasia on residual cyst and gnatic bone; respiratory metaplasia in OC and gnatic bone; dystrophic calcification in OC and anatomic site of mandible. Literature review: eleven studies were included in the literature review, and respiratory metaplasia ranged from 0.0% to 19.2% while dystrophic calcification ranged from 2.5% to 40.5%.Conclusionsthe histological evaluation of this study found 6.9% of prevalence of respiratory metaplasia and 6.6% of dystrophic calcification, which is in accordance with the literature reviewed. Therefore, these phenomena must be taken into account in routine diagnosis services.     

男性杓状软骨钙化对喉接触性肉芽肿治疗效果的影响

研究杓状软骨钙化对喉接触性肉芽肿治疗效果的影响。方法对临床资料完整的 115 例喉接触性肉芽肿男性患者进行回顾性分析，统计患侧杓状软骨钙化对治疗效果的影响。结果115 例男性喉接触性肉芽肿患者，年龄22~68岁，平均年龄45.82 岁。其中单侧肉芽肿 110（110/115，95.65 %），双侧肉芽肿 5 例（5/115.35%）；病因中有反流病史 67 例（67/115，58.26%），插管诱发 5 例（5/115，4.35%），其余患者无明显原因。115例男性患者 CT 显示杓状软骨伴钙化 102例（102/115，88.70%），杓状软骨无钙化13 例（13/115；11.30%）。其中杓状软骨伴钙化患者治愈时间＞3个月 68 例，治愈时间≤3 个月 34 例；杓状软骨无钙化治愈时间＞3个月患者 4 例，治愈时间≤3个月 9 例。通过 Chi square 检验分析显示患者杓状软骨伴钙化的治愈时间＞3个月的百分数明显多于不伴钙化组（χ2=4.906，P=0.027）。结论喉接触性肉芽肿患者，杓状软骨钙化的患者治疗时间较长，可能是由于这类患者长期慢性炎性刺激引起杓状软骨钙化，病程相对较长，治疗困难。     

Further evidence of a causal association between AGO1, a critical regulator of microRNA formation,and intellectual disability/autism spectrum disorder

Among the many regulators of microRNA formation, Argonaute 1 (AGO1) plays critical roles in RNA interference, which controls a wide range of biological activities. Recent large-scale genomic studies have identified at least five patients with intellectual disability/autism spectrum disorder who had de novo mutations in AGO1, but detailed clinical information was not available. The recognizable clinical features that are associated with AGO1 mutations remain to be determined. The proposita was a 15-year-old girl with diffuse hypotonia, infrequent seizures, and intellectual disability with an intelligence quotient of 41. She had characteristic facial features consisting of telecanthus, wide nasal bridge with bulbous nasal tip, and a round face with downslanted palpebral fissures. Serial computed tomography scans showed progressive calcification in the globus pallidus that became evident during childhood. A whole exome analysis in trio revealed a de novo heterozygous mutation in AGO1, i.e., c.595G > A p.(Gly199Ser). The distinctive facial features, i.e., telecanthus, wide nasal bridge with bulbous nasal tip, and a round face with downslanted palpebral fissures, closely resembled previously reported patients who had a chromosomal microdeletion encompassing AGO1 locus. The combinatory phenotype of such characteristic facial features and radiographic features, i.e. progressive calcification in the globus pallidus, in the presently reported patient suggest that AGO1 mutations lead to a syndromic form of intellectual disability/autism spectrum disorder. Distinctive facial features with early and progressive calcification in the globus pallidus may be suggestive of the presence of AGO1 mutations.     

Calcifications of the pulp chamber: prevalence and implicated factors

The objectives of this study were to describe the prevalence of pulp chamber calcifications in a sample of Turkish dental patients and to report associations between presence of pulp chamber calcifications and dental status, gender, age, and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Data were collected through radiographic examination of periapical and bitewing radiographs of 15,326 teeth from 536 dental patients, comprising 270 male and 266 female patients aged between 13 and 65 years. Definite radiopaque focuses inside the radiolucent pulp chamber were defined as pulp chamber calcifications. When the pulp chamber was completely radiolucent, that tooth was scored as tooth without pulp chamber calcification. The dental status was scored as intact, carious, restored, or restored + carious. Pulp chamber calcifications were identified in 204 (38%) patients examined. Of the 15,326 teeth, 747 (4.8%) had pulp chamber calcifications. Gender and dental status were found to be correlated with the presence of pulp chamber calcifications. The high prevalence of pulp chamber calcifications in carious, restored, and restored + carious teeth support the view that the occurrence of pulp chamber calcifications can be a response to long-standing irritants. However, to report any associations between occurrence of pulp chamber calcifications and different dental or clinical status, further studies are still needed.     

氟素制剂促进离体乳牙再矿化作用的比较研究

目的：比较3种常见氟素制剂对乳牙体外矿化的促进作用。评估其防龋效果。方法：36个乳牙，随机分为4组，开窗，酸蚀，1、2、3组分别涂布100g/L(NH4)2MoO2F4,380g/LAg(NH3)2F,APFLaCl33min，第4组作对照，随后置入5ml矿化液中，4d后检测矿化液中Ca^2 浓度，计算其变化并进行统计分析。结果：同对照组相比，3种氟素制剂处理组再矿化液中Ca^2 均显著减少，其中以APF-LaCl3组和380g/LAg(NH3)2F组减少最多，两组间无差异。但同100g/L(NH4)2MoO2F4组差别显著。结论：3种氟素制剂都可有效的促进乳牙体外再矿化，其中APF-LaCl3和380g/LAg(NH3)2F效果最佳，优于100g/L(NH4)2MoO2F4。     

体外人牙髓细胞的矿化特性

为探讨体外人牙髓细胞的生物学特性，采用体外细胞连续培养、钙质染色、Ｘ射线能谱分析与透射电镜观察等方法，对体外人恒牙牙髓细胞的矿化特性进行了研究并与人牙龈成纤维细胞（ｈｕｍａｎｇｉｎｇｉｖａｆｉｂｒｏｂｌａｓｔｓ，ＨＧＦｓ）进行了比较。结果表明，人牙髓细胞在体外可以复层生长并形成细胞结节，ＨＧＦｓ则无此能力，牙髓细胞的碱性磷酸酶活性亦较ＨＧＦｓ者高；细胞结节钙质染色呈阳性，结节内钙磷含量明显增高；人牙髓细胞有许多与成牙本质细胞相似的超微结构特征，胞间基质中可见致密晶状小体。结果提示，体外连续培养的人牙髓细胞有向成牙本质细胞分化的可能，这可为研究人牙髓细胞的分化和矿化提供有价值的思路。     

bcl-2和bax蛋白表达与乳腺癌钙化的相关性研究

目的研究乳腺癌组织中bcl-2和bax蛋白表达与乳腺癌钙化之间的关系.方法 54例乳腺癌,术前双侧乳腺钼靶X线摄影检查.术后应用免疫组化的方法检测乳腺癌组织细胞的bcl-2和bax蛋白表达.结果钙化性乳腺癌2 3例,非钙化性乳腺癌31例. 钙化性乳腺癌bcl-2蛋白高表达21例(91.3 %);非钙化性乳腺癌高表达20例(64.5% ),两组间存在显著性差异(P<0.05). 钙化性与非钙化性乳腺癌 bax蛋白的高表达率分别为60.9%和58.1%,两组间无显著性差异(P>0.05).结论钙化性乳腺癌组织细胞的bcl-2蛋白表达水平明显高于非钙化性乳腺癌,说明乳腺癌病变中钙化灶的出现与bcl-2蛋白表达水平之间存在着某种关系.