Bladder calcification in the prune-belly syndrome

Calcification of the bladder wall is described in two neonates with the prune-belly syndrome. The radiological and pathological findings are discussed and four additional cases are reviewed.     

Monocytes link atherosclerosis and cancer

From many perspectives, cardiovascular diseases and cancers are fundamentally different. On the one hand, atherosclerosis is a disease of lipid accumulation driven by diet and lifestyle, whereas cancer is an attack "from within" driven by mutations. Nevertheless, studies over the past 20 years have forced us to re-evaluate such a view. We are learning that, among other factors, the immune system is indispensable for the development and progression of both diseases. Its components are not only reactive but can also orchestrate both tumor and atherosclerotic lesion growth. In this Viewpoint, we explore how monocytes, which are key constituents of the immune system, forge links between cardiovascular diseases and cancers.     

Myeloperoxidase-rich Ly-6C+ myeloid cells infiltrate allografts and contribute to an imaging signature of organ rejection in mice

Rates of graft rejection are high among recipients of heart transplants. The onset and progression of clinically significant heart transplant rejection are currently monitored by serial biopsy, but this approach is highly invasive and lacks sensitivity. Here, we have developed what we believe to be a new technique to measure organ rejection noninvasively that involves the exploration of tissue-infiltrating leukocytes as biomarker sources for diagnostic imaging. Specifically, we profiled the myeloid response in a murine model of heart transplantation with the aim of defining and validating an imaging signature of graft rejection. Ly-6C^hi monocytes, which promote inflammation, accumulated progressively in allografts but only transiently in isografts. Ly-6C^lo monocytes, which help resolve inflammation, did not accumulate, although they composed the majority of the few remaining monocytes in isografts. The persistence of Ly-6C^hi monocytes in allografts prompted us to screen for a Ly-6C^hi monocyte–associated imaging marker. Low-density array data revealed that Ly-6C^hi monocytes express 10-fold higher levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO) than Ly-6C^lo monocytes. Noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging of MPO with an MPO-activatable Gd-chelate revealed a spatially defined T1-weighted signal in rejected allografts but not in isografts or MPO-deficient allograft recipients. Flow cytometry, enzymography, and histology validated the approach by mapping MPO activity to Ly-6C^hi monocytes and neutrophils. Thus, MPO imaging represents a potential alternative to the current invasive clinical standard by which transplants are monitored.     

Behavior of Endogenous Tumor-Associated Macrophages Assessed In Vivo Using a Functionalized Nanoparticle

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) invade the tumor stroma in many cancers, yet their role is incompletely understood. To visualize and better understand these critical cells in tumor progression, we screened a portfolio of rationally selected, injectable agents to image endogenous TAMs ubiquitously in three different cancer models (colon carcinoma, lung adenocarcinoma, and soft tissue sarcoma). AMTA680, a functionally derivatized magneto-fluorescent nanoparticle, labeled a subset of myeloid cells with an “M2” macrophage phenotype, whereas other neighboring cells, including tumor cells and a variety of other leukocytes, remained unlabeled. We further show that AMTA680-labeled endogenous TAMs are not altered and can be tracked noninvasively at different resolutions and using various imaging modalities, e.g., fluorescence molecular tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and multiphoton and confocal intravital microscopy. Quantitative assessment of TAM distribution and activity in vivo identified that these cells cluster in delimited foci within tumors, show relatively low motility, and extend cytoplasmic protrusions for prolonged physical interactions with neighboring tumor cells. Noninvasive imaging can also be used to monitor TAM-depleting regimen quantitatively. Thus, AMTA680 or related cell-targeting agents represent appropriate injectable vehicles for in vivo analysis of the tumor microenvironment.     

伴近视的鞍区肿瘤眼部病变特点

目的：探讨近视患者的鞍区肿瘤眼部病变的临床特点。方法：回顾分析了18例伴近视的鞍区肿瘤的视力、视野及眼底等情况。结果：18例初诊时,19眼（占52.8%）视力低下4.0,仅5例（占27.8%）视野缺损呈典型的视交性单、双颞侧偏盲,10例（占55.6%）双眼视神经不同程度萎缩,4例（占22.2%）单眼视神经萎缩。结论：伴近视的鞍区肿瘤眼部病变常很严重,容易被误诊为青光眼性视神经萎缩,视乳头炎、缺血性视神经病变。     

Preliminary note on biometric data relating to the human coraco-acromial arch

A biometric study based on 20 human scapulae made it possible to specify the variations in the gap of the coraco-acromial arch in relation to its depth and height. A graphic representation in rectangular coordinates, then in spatial representation in relation to the three planes of reference, leads to the following findings: the bony variations in the arch occur essentially: at the coracoid apophysis, and two types of arch can be distinguished depending on the predominance of bony or of ligamentous components.