Three cases of pancreatic serous cystadenoma and endocrine tumour

AIMS: To report three cases of serous cystadenoma and endocrine tumour in the same pancreas, to review the literature and to evaluate the clinicopathological features of the tumours. Cases: Three women (71, 57 and 31 years old) were admitted to hospital, two for diseases unrelated to the pancreas and the third for increasing obstructive jaundice in von Hippel-Lindau disease. Preoperative examination showed two distinct lesions in the first patient and only cystic lesions in the other two. RESULTS: Histological examination of the pancreas showed one serous oligocystic adenoma associated with a benign, well-differentiated endocrine tumour, one serous oligocystic adenoma associated with an endocrine microadenoma, and a von Hippel-Lindau-related cystic neoplasm with a well-differentiated endocrine carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Serous cystadenoma associated with endocrine tumour shows some clinicopathological differences with respect to the two tumours considered separately, and with respect to von Hippel-Lindau-related cases, although there is no convincing evidence at present to justify considering this association as a separate entity.     

Ultrastructural characteristics of human mesenchymal stromal (stem) cells derived from bone marrow and term placenta

Human mesenchymal stromal (stem) cells (hMSCs) isolated from adult bone marrow (BM-hMSCs) as well as amnion (AM-hMSCs) and chorion (CM-hMSCs) term placenta leaves were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to investigate their ultrastructural basic phenotype. At flow cytometry, the isolated cells showed a homogeneous expression of markers commonly used to identify hMSCs, i.e., CD105, CD44, CD90, CD166, HLA-ABC positivities, and CD45, AC133, and HLA-DR negativities. However, TEM revealed subtle yet significant differences. BM-hMSCs had mesenchymal features with dilated cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER) and peripheral collections of multiloculated clear blisters; this latter finding mostly representing complex foldings of the plasma membrane could be revelatory of the in situ cell arrangement in the niche microenvironment. Unlike BM-hMSCs, CM-hMSCs were more primitive and metabolically quiescent, their major features being the presence of rER stacks and large peripheral collections of unbound glycogen. AM-hMSCs showed a hybrid epithelial-mesenchymal ultrastructural phenotype; epithelial characters included non-intestinal-type surface microvilli, intracytoplasmic lumina lined with microvilli, and intercellular junctions; mesenchymal features included rER profiles, lipid droplets, and well-developed foci of contractile filaments with dense bodies. These features are consistent with the view that AM-hMSCs have a pluripotent potential. In conclusion, this study documents that ultrastructural differences exist among phenotypically similar hMSCs derived from human bone marrow and term placenta leaves; such differences could be revelatory of the hMSCs in vitro differentiation potential and may provide useful clues to attempt their in situ identification.     

Thermal stability of the WHO international standard of interferon alpha 2b (IFN-alpha 2b): application of new reporter gene assay for IFN-alpha 2b potency determinations

A World Health Organization requirement for biological standards is that they should exhibit long-term stability at their recommended storage temperature. Thermal stability is usually predicted in accelerated thermal degradation studies, where ampoules of the lyophilized standard are stored at elevated temperatures for relatively short times before testing. To confirm the predicted thermal stability of the 2nd international standard of human interferon alpha 2b (IFN-alpha2b; 95/566), we tested the potency of the ampouled contents of this standard after 9 years storage at the customary storage temperature of -20 degrees C in comparison with ampoules of the IS which had been stored continuously at temperatures ranging from -150 degrees C to 56 degrees C. Since IFN-alpha2b potency estimates derived from the results of antiviral assays (AVA) showed high within-assay variability, we investigated a novel reporter gene assay (RGA) based on induction of secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) for comparability and precision of such estimations. We show that this RGA generated comparable estimates with overall lower variation. Additionally, the SEAP conversion of p-nitrophenyl phosphate to yellow product could be followed kinetically. Absorbance readings were shown to increase with time in proportion with increasing concentration of IFN-alpha2b. When the time-dependent increments of absorbance were plotted graphically, the slopes of lines corresponded to concentration. This approach enabled single dilutions of IFN samples, identical in molecular structure to an IFN-alpha2b standard, to be used for potency estimates by interpolation of slope value against those of the standard at fixed concentrations. It appears attractive for high through-put potency testing of various R&D IFN-alpha2b samples.     

ASO Visual Abstract: Metastasectomy or Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy With or Without Systemic Therapy for Oligometastatic Esophagogastric Cancer

Annals of Surgical Oncology -     

COVID-19 and the kidney: time to take a closer look

International Urology and Nephrology - Although coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is primarily a respiratory disease, the kidney may be among the target organs of infection with severe acute...     

Carotid Artery Doppler Flow Pattern After Deep Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest in Neonatal Piglets

The mechanisms of cerebral injury after cardiac surgery in neonates are not clear. The aim of the study was the analysis of flow changes in the carotid artery of neonatal piglets after deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA). Eight neonatal piglets were connected to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and underwent (i) cooling to 18°C core temperature within 30 min, (ii) DHCA for 90 min, and finally (iii) rewarming to 37°C after cross‐clamp release (60 min of reperfusion). The blood flow was measured in the left carotid artery by an ultrasonic flow probe before CPB (baseline; T₀), immediately after termination of reperfusion on CPB (T₁), 30 min later (T₂), and 60 min later (T₃). Additionally, the pulsatility index and the resistance index were calculated and compared. Finally, the relationship between the carotid artery flow and the corresponding pressure at each time‐point was compared. After termination of CPB (T₁), the mean carotid artery flow was reduced from 45.26 ± 2.58 mL/min at baseline to 23.29 ± 2.58 mL/min (P < 0.001) and remained reduced 30 and 60 min later (P < 0.001 vs. baseline). Both the pulsatility index and the resistance index were increased after termination of reperfusion, with the maximum occurring 30 min after CPB end. In conclusion, the carotid artery Doppler flow in neonatal piglets was reduced after DHCA, while the indices of pulsatility and resistance increased.     

Laser treatment of recurrent herpes labialis: a literature review

Recurrent herpes labialis is a worldwide life-long oral health problem that remains unsolved. It affects approximately one third of the world population and causes frequent pain and discomfort episodes, as well as social restriction due to its compromise of esthetic features. In addition, the available antiviral drugs have not been successful in completely eliminating the virus and its recurrence. Currently, different kinds of laser treatment and different protocols have been proposed for the management of recurrent herpes labialis. Therefore, the aim of the present article was to review the literature regarding the effects of laser irradiation on recurrent herpes labialis and to identify the indications and most successful clinical protocols. The literature was searched with the aim of identifying the effects on healing time, pain relief, duration of viral shedding, viral inactivation, and interval of recurrence. According to the literature, none of the laser treatment modalities is able to completely eliminate the virus and its recurrence. However, laser phototherapy appears to strongly decrease pain and the interval of recurrences without causing any side effects. Photodynamic therapy can be helpful in reducing viral titer in the vesicle phase, and high-power lasers may be useful to drain vesicles. The main advantages of the laser treatment appear to be the absence of side effects and drug interactions, which are especially helpful for older and immunocompromised patients. Although these results indicate a potential beneficial use for lasers in the management of recurrent herpes labialis, they are based on limited published clinical trials and case reports. The literature still lacks double-blind controlled clinical trials verifying these effects and such trials should be the focus of future research.