Neuroendocrine signet ring cell adenocarcinoma of the endocervix

Abstract. Cardosi RJ, Reedy MB, van Nagell JR Jr, Spires SE. Neuroendocrine signet ring cell adenocarcinoma of the endocervix.
Signet ring cell morphology in mixed carcinoma of the uterine cervix is not uncommon. It is rare for such morphology to predominate, however, and there are no reported cases of a signet ring cell adenocarcinoma (SRCA) of the endocervix with neuroendocrine differentiation.
A 53-year-old woman presented with abnormal perimenopausal bleeding, and uterine curettings revealed a signet ring cell carcinoma. After clinical evaluation to eliminate a metastasis from an extra-uterine primary, the patient underwent surgical therapy and staging, and was treated with postoperative adjuvant chemoradiation. Pathologic evaluation found the tumor to arise from the endocervix and to be of predominant signet ring cell morphology. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that the tumor exhibited neuroendocrine differentiation and helped confirm its endocervical origin. The patient remains without evidence of disease 6 months after primary therapy.
This is the first case report of endocervical SRCA with neuroendocrine differentiation (SRCA with features of carcinoid tumor). Discussion of this entity is provided.     

An unbalanced half-cryptic translocation involving the 6q subtelomeric region and 2p25.3 in a child with mental retardation: uses and limitations of fluorescence insitu hybridization

We report on a 5-year-old boy with minor anomalies, growth retardation, and developmental delay carrying an extra chromatin material on the terminal band of the long arm of chromosome 6. To determine the origin of this extra material, whole chromosome fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used initially. Results showed fully painted 6qs, excluding the possibility of a derivative. However, maternal cytogenetic investigation suggested the presence of a possible half-cryptic balanced translocation that was further assessed using specific subtelomeric FISH probes of chromosome 6. Results showed that the 6q subtelomeric region was translocated on an A-group chromosome that was ultimately characterized, using FISH, as chromosome 2. This illustrates the use of specific subtelomeric regions and the limitations of whole chromosome FISH to identify the origin of a subtle chromosomal abnormality.     

Influence de l''âge sur différents facteurs déterminants de la performance sur ergomètre aviron

The aim of the present work was to study the evolution with age of the maximal oxygen uptake (VO_2max) and gross efficiency on rowing ergometer in a population of 29 elite oarsmen (17 adults and 12 youths). Independently of body mass, VO_2max increases until 23 years of age and very slightly afterwards. This evolution might be explained by the increase of the volume and intensity of training once the subjects become adults. Efficiency increases continuously with age and leave opportunities to improve this parameter even in high level oarsmen.     

PENICILLIN ALLERGY: A STUDY OF INCIDENCE AS REPORTED BY PATIENTS

SUMMARY To assess the incidence of penicillin allergy as reported by patients to doctors, a 5-month study was undertaken in a university teaching hospital. The study design was prospective, and included all hospital patients for whom advice on clinical management was given by one bacteriology registrar and in whom the previous response to penicillin was considered. Of the 271 patients included in the study, 21 reported penicillin allergy. The most commonly reported symptom was localised rash (8 cases), followed by unknown reaction symptoms (6), nausea with or without vomiting (3), generalised itchy rash with difficulty in breathing (3), and localised rash with chest pain (1). Three of 21 cases reported generalised rash with difficulty in breathing; two of these followed intravenous penicillin administration. If the three cases of generalised itchy rash with difficulty in breathing are taken as true type-1 hypersensitivity to penicillin, the incidence of this was 1.11% (3 of 271), and the incidence of true allergy among patient-reported allergy was 14.3% (3 of 21). In two cases of reported penicillin allergy a penicillin was administered for treatment of the current infection, despite the history and without any ill-effects. Penicillins are non-toxic and inexpensive and, despite the number of alternatives for antibacterial therapy, are still the treatment of choice for many infections. More attention should therefore be paid to details of the clinical history relating to penicillin allergy with a view to decreasing the number of patients labelled ‘penicillin-allergic‘.     

樟叶胡椒中新木脂素成分的研究

自胡椒科胡椒属植物樟叶胡椒(Piper polysyphorum C. DC)中分离到六个新木脂素(neolignans)类化合物,经光谱(UV,IR,MS,¹H-NMR,¹³C-NMR,2D-NMR,CD)分析及衍生物制备,确定Ⅱ为新化合物,即threo-△⁷-7-羟基-3,4,5,3′,5′-五甲氧基-8-O-4′-新木脂素,为一对对映体,命名为樟叶素(polysyphorin),Ⅰ,Ⅲ,Ⅳ为新的对映体,分別为(+)-virolongin,(+)-grandisin及(+)-lancifolin D.化合物Ⅴ为南藤素(wallichinine),Ⅵ为山蒟素D(hancinone D)。血小板活化因子(PAF)受体结合实验及PAF引起的血小板聚集实验证明化合物Ⅰ～Ⅴ具有明显的抑制活性。     

Tumor involvement of peripheral joints other than the knee: arthrographic evaluation

Arthrography was performed in 24 patients with tumors in the region of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, and ankle. Conventional arthrograms were supplemented by arthrotomograms and/or computed arthrotomograms as necessary. The presence or absence of joint involvement by tumor was correctly identified in 22 of 24 patients (91.7%). It is concluded that arthrography is a reliable method for detecting joint involvement by tumor, and should be performed if plain radiography, conventional tomography, and computed tomography are not definitive in demonstrating joint involvement.