A huge low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma of small bowel mesentery simulating hyper immune splenomegaly syndrome: a case report and review of literature

Introduction

Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS) is a rare non epithelial tumour. It usually arises from the smooth muscles of the extremities. It is, however, occasionally reported to arise from other regions of the body.

Case report

We report the case of a 32 year old man who complained of a progressive abdominal swelling of 4 months duration. There was associated abdominal discomfort and weight loss. Abdominal examination revealed a non-tender intra abdominal mass filling the abdomen completely. Abdominal ultrasound suggested a massive splenomegaly. Abdomina Computerized Tomography (CT) scan was not done due to financial constraints. At laparotomy, a large, pearl-coloured mass was found within the mesentery of the proximal jejunum, with dilated, tortuous vessels. It was resected along with the overlying 60cm of jejunum. It weighed 7.5kg. Histology and immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis of lowgrade fibromyxoid sarcoma. Post-operative period was uneventful and there were no features of recurrent after 2 year of follow up.

Conclusion

LGFMS may cause a diagnostic dilemma, especially in a third world setting where preoperative diagnosis is hampered by lack of facilities and poverty. A high index of suspicion is needed for preoperative diagnosis, which is necessary for proper planning of the operation.     

Axillary nodal metastasis and resection margins as predictors of Loco Regional Recurrence in Breast Cancer Patients

BackgroundSurgical resection margins (RM), axillary nodal involvement and lymph node ratio (LNR) determine loco-regional control (LRC) in breast cancer management. Late presentation precludes breast conservation therefore surgical option is usually mastectomy and adjuvant chemoradiation minimize loco-regional recurrence (LRR).ObjectiveWe investigated the prognostic role of lymph nodes positive for malignancy (pN), LNR and RM on LRR of breast cancer in a tertiary hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria.MethodsLongitudinal cohort study of 225 females with breast carcinoma managed and followed up for 5-years with end point of LRR or not. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate the interaction of resection margin and proportion of metastatic lymph nodes with LRR. The receiver-operator curve was plotted to determine the proportion of metastatic lymph nodes which predicted LRR.ResultsNinety-nine percent had modified radical mastectomy and 163 (72.4%) had negative resection margins. A mean of 11 axillary lymph nodes were harvested at surgery. The age, positive resection margin and number of harvested nodes with malignant cells are associated with LRR. The overall 5-year LRR rate was 16%.ConclusionLRR is dependent on lymph node involvement as well as and tumor aggressiveness.     

Respiratory modulation of cardiac vagal tone in Lyme disease

AIM: To conduct the first systematic test of the hypothesis that modulation of cardiac vagal tone is impaired in Lyme disease.METHODS: The response of cardiac vagal tone to respiratory modulation was measured in 18 serologically positive Lyme disease patients and in 18 controls.RESULTS: The two groups were matched in respect of age,sex,body mass,mean arterial blood pressure,mean resting heart rate and mean resting cardiac vagal tone. The mean maximum cardiac vagal tone during deep breathing in the Lyme disease patients [11.2(standard error 1.3)] was lower than in the matched controls [16.5(standard error 1.7); P = 0.02].CONCLUSION: Respiratory modulation of cardiac vagal tone is impaired in Lyme disease,which suggests that Lyme disease may directly affect the vagus nerve or the brainstem.     

自制器械经皮髓核摘除术治疗腰椎间盘突出症：（11例报告）

经皮髓核摘除术治疗腰椎间盘突出症国外已较广泛的应用于临床．取得了满意的效果．此方法主要适用于单纯突出和没有上下潜行的韧带下突出．作者采用自行设计的器械治疗腰椎间盘突出症１１例，其中优７例，良２例．讨论了此方法的手术适应症，手术要点，作用机理和并发症．     

The effect of unilateral vasectomy on testosterone and testicular parameters in the adult male African giant rat (Cricetomys gambianus)

Background

The effects of vasectomy on spermatogenesis and reproductive parameters are recognized to be specie-dependent with marked differences in levels of perturbations observed.

Objectives

To assess the impact of unilateral vasectomy on testosterone level and other testicular parameters in the male African giant rat (AGR) (Cricetomys gambianus).

Methods

Sixteen adult male AGRs weighing 500–1300 g were recruited for the experiment. Animals were randomly divided into three experimental groups (1–3) and one control (sham operated) group with four rats per group. Experimental vasectomy was done by carefully ligating the vas deferens of the right testis of all the experimental groups (1, 2, and 3) and animals were allowed either 8, 6 and 2 weeks respectively before sacrifice. Sham-operated animals served as the control. Blood samples were collected and assayed for testosterone while testicular tissue was further processed for seminal fluid and histo-pathological analyses.

Results

Spermatogenic parameters indicate a pattern of decline in sperm count and motility between the experimental groups and the control and azoospermia in the eight-week group. Histological alterations were marked by atrophy of seminiferous tubules which was proportional to the duration of vasectomy. Serum testosterone levels were significantly reduced at eight weeks. There was no statistically significant difference between sperm counts of right and left testes except for group 3. Results suggest that unilateral vasectomy of the AGR may have negative impact on the contralateral testis in the male African giant rat.

Conclusion

These preliminary results reveal that unilateral vasectomy in the AGR may result in perturbations of the histo-architecture of the testes with possible decline in function.     

Delta glycophorin (glycophorin B) gene deletion in two individuals homozygous for the S--s--U-- blood group phenotype

Blood cells from two unrelated individuals whose erythrocytes exhibit respectively N S-s-U- and MN S-s-U- blood group phenotypes were examined by immunoblotting, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining, and Southern blotting. Protein bands characteristic of delta glycophorin (glycophorin B) were absent from the immunoblots of whole erythrocyte lysates when probed with polyclonal glycophorin antisera and from isolated erythrocyte membranes stained with PAS reagents. Genomic DNA from the two individuals' leukocytes was digested with a panel of restriction enzymes and probed with alpha M glycophorin cDNA obtained from human K562 leukemic cell line. The EcoRI, PstI, and KpnI restriction site patterns were identical to those of S+s+U+ controls in fragment numbers and relative size but differed from controls in band intensities. Restriction mapping with HindIII, PvuII, SacI, MspI, and BamHI revealed that S-s-U- individuals lack fragments that are reproducibly observed in S+s+U+ controls, and most likely encode delta glycophorin. Using truncated 5' and 3' cDNA segments as probes and comparing, in control individuals, hybridization intensities of fragments with amino acid sequence homologies, we have inferred the assignment of restriction fragments to the alpha and delta glycophorin genes. Our results suggest that the absence of delta glycophorin in the two S-s-U- individuals is a result of deletion of the entire delta glycophorin gene. This is the first report of a glycophorin gene deletion.     

A Quantitative Analysis of a Probiotic Storage Media for Avulsed Teeth

Aim

The aim of the present in vitro study was to investigate the potential of a storage medium, probiotic yogurt (Bifidibacterium animalis DN 173010) in comparison with Hank''s balanced salt solution (HBSS), saline and milk in maintaining viable periodontal ligament (PDL) cells on simulated avulsed teeth.

Materials and methods

Thirty-six freshly extracted single-rooted human teeth with closed apices were divided into six experimental groups (N=6). The teeth were extracted as atraumatically as possible and washed in sterile saline solution to eliminate residual blood. Following extractions, the coronal 3 mm of PDL tissues were scraped with a #15 scalpel to remove cells that may have been damaged. The positive and negative controls corresponded to 0 minutes and an 8-hour dry time, respectively. After extraction, the positive control teeth were immediately treated with dispase and collagenase. The negative control teeth were bench-dried for 8 h, with no follow-up storage solution time, and then placed in the dispase and collagenase. The number of viable protective least significant difference PDL cells were counted under a light microscope with a hemocytometer at 20× magnification and analyzed. Statistical analysis of the data was accomplished using Nonparametric ANOVA complemented by Kruskal-Wallis Test and Dunn''s Multiple Comparisons Test.

Results

Positive control was found to be significantly better than the others, there were statistically significant differences between positive control and other test groups (p=0.000). The teeth stored in positive control demonstrated the highest number of viable PDL cells followed in order by probiotic yogurt, HBSS, saline and milk.

Conclusion

Bifidibacterium animalis DN 173010 seems to be an alternative for the temporary storage of avulsed teeth, due to high number of viable PDL cells. Probiotics may be suitable transport media for avulsed teeth, but further research is warranted using the commercially available products.Key words: dental trauma, probiotic, storage media