TUMOR ANGIOGENESIS AND OUTCOME IN OSTEOSARCOMA

Intratumoral angiogenesis quantified by microvessel density (MVD) has been shown to be a strong prognostic indicator in a number of malignant tumors. Its association with prognosis in bone sarcomas has been subject to less extensive research. The aim of this study was to investigate prognostic significance of angiogenesis in osteosarcoma. Thirty-nine patients with osteosarcoma were included in a retrospective immunohistochemical study. Sections from diagnostic biopsies were immunostained using anti von Willebrand factor antibody and microvessels were counted at 400× magnification on 3 microscopic fields per patient. MVD was correlated with overall and disease-free survival by Kaplan–Meier and log-rank analysis. Correlation between clinicopathological variables and the degree of angiogenesis was tested using a χ² test. Significant statistical difference was found regarding overall survival and disease-free survival between patients with high (>32.3 vessels/field) and low (≤32.3 vessels/field) microvessel counts (log-rank test p =. 0196 and p =. 0147, respectively). The rate of metastasis was significantly higher in patients with high microvessel counts (p =. 042). These findings strongly suggest that angiogenesis quantified by microvessel density is predictive of metastasis and poor prognosis in osteosarcoma.     

Anxiety and/or Depression in 10–15-Year-Olds Investigated by Child Welfare in Canada

PurposeTo examine five types of child maltreatment and other risk correlates to establish associations with anxiety and/or depression confirmed or suspected in children investigated by child welfare services.MethodsThe present study used the data of a subsample of 10–15-year-olds (n = 4,381) investigated by child welfare services across Canada obtained from the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect-2003. The analysis took into account the nested structure of the data by considering the variability existing among families and the clustering of siblings within them. Several models were analyzed for the construction of the presented hierarchical model. Striving for parsimony, we included only statistically significant variables in the final model.ResultsThe strongest associations were found with child substance abuse, substantiated emotional maltreatment, primary caregiver's mental health problems, and substantiated sexual abuse. Among the child maltreatment variables, substantiated physical abuse and substantiated exposure to domestic violence did not show any statistically significant associations with anxiety and/or depression in the model.ConclusionThis analysis helped us in understanding child maltreatment and other adverse experiences in childhood that were related to anxiety and/or depression, which can further aid in the development of mental health and child welfare policies and programs.     

Cardiometabolic Indices after Weight Loss with Calcium or Dairy Foods: Secondary Analyses from a Randomized Trial with Overweight/Obese Postmenopausal Women

The role of dairy foods and calcium/vitamin D supplements in cardiometabolic diseases is unknown. The objective of this secondary analysis is to investigate cardiometabolic risk factors changes after a 6-month weight-loss intervention in overweight/obese postmenopausal women divided in three groups: Ca+vitamin D supplements (S); low-fat dairy foods (D; 4–5 servings/day); or control/placebo pills (C), as complements to hypocaloric diets. The original study focused on bone/body composition. This analysis included blood pressure (BP), and serum triglycerides, lipids (including apoproteins Apo1 and ApoB), adipokines, and C-reactive protein in n = 97 participants who finished with complete data points. Systolic BP decreased 5.1%, 4.8%, and 1.8% in S, D, and C groups, respectively (p < 0.05 for S and D vs. baseline and vs. C at 6 months). Reduction in triglycerides and ratio of total cholesterol (TC)/high-density lipoproteins cholesterol (HDL-C) was the highest in S, while the reduction in TC and LDL-C was the highest in D group (all p < 0.05). Leptin and ApoB significantly decreased and adiponectin and ApoA1 increased in all groups. In conclusion, although the C group’s participants experienced an improvement in some of the cardiometabolic indices with weight loss, those in the S and D groups showed significantly better results in most of the outcomes, indicating the beneficial effects of low-fat dairy foods and/or Ca+vitamin D intake as complements to a hypocaloric diet.     

Efficacy of Transvaginal Ultrasound Versus Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Preoperative Assessment of Myometrial Invasion in Patients with Endometrioid Endometrial Cancer: a Prospective Comparative Study

BackgroundWe compared the accuracy of preoperative transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) versus magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the assessment of myometrial invasion (MI) in patients with endometrial cancer (EC), while definitive histopathological diagnosis served as a reference method.Patients and methodsStudy performed at a single tertiary centre from 2019 to 2021, included women with a histopathological proven EC, hospitalized for scheduled surgery. TVUS and MRI were performed prior to surgical staging for assessment MI, which was estimated using two objective TVUS methods (Gordon’s and Karlsson’s) and MRI. Patients were divided into two groups, after surgery and histopathological assessment of MI: superficial (≤ 50%) and deep (> 50%).ResultsSixty patients were eligible for the study. According to the reference method, there were 34 (56.7%) cases in the study with MI < 50%, and 26 (43.3%) with MI > 50%. Both objective TVUS methods and MRI showed no statistical significant differences in overall diagnostic performance for the preoperative assessment of MI. The concordance coefficient between both TVUS methods, MRI and histopathology was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Gordon’s method calculating MI reached a positive predictive value (PPV) of 83%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 83%, 77% sensitivity, 88% specificity, and 83% overall accuracy. Karlsson’s method reached PPV of 82%, NPV of 79%, 69% sensitivity, 88% specificity, and 80% overall accuracy. Accordingly, MRI calculating MI reached PPV of 83%, NPV of 97%, 97% sensitivity, 85% specificity, and 90% overall accuracy.ConclusionsWe found that objective TVUS assessment of myometrial invasion was performed with a diagnostic accuracy comparable to that of MRI in women with endometrial cancer.Key words: endometrial neoplasms, radiology, oncology, cancer staging     

The lymphocytic infiltrates in the ear-Lobe skin of diabetics

Summary In 1953 Jessner and Kanoff described a special type of infiltration of the skin. Later, similar findings were described as an accompanying phenomenon in different diseases and as a reaction to variable factors. There are as yet no data about these infiltrates in connection with diabetes.In this investigation the material from 117 human ear-lobes (26 healthy and 91 diabetics, all aged between 20–45 years) was histologically analyzed. It was established that lymphocytic infiltrates were present in 2/3 of the diabetic patients and less than half of the healthy persons. The difference between these groups of persons was statistically significant.Accordingly it can be said, that a sort of Jessner-Kanoff infiltrate can also be seen in the ear-lobe skin of diabetics, and that this method could be applicable as an additional method for diagnosing diabetes.

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Zusammenfassung 1953 beschrieben Jessner und Kanoff bekanntlich eine besondere Form von Hautinfiltration, die später auch als Begleiterscheinung bei verschiedenen Erkrankungen und als Reaktion auf verschiedene Ursachen gesehen wurde. Beobachtungen über eine Verbindung mit Diabetes mellitus liegen bislang nicht vor.In der jetzigen Studie wurde Excisionsmaterial von 117 menschlichen Ohrläppchen (26 gesunde Personen und 91 Patienten mit Diabetes mellitus, Gesamtalter 20–45 Jahre) histologisch untersucht. Lymphocytäre Infiltrationen lagen bei zwei Drittel der Diabetes-Patienten und in weniger als der Hälfte der gesunden Kontrollpersonen vor. Der Unterschied zwischen den beiden Gruppen ist statistisch signifikant.Es zeigt sich damit, daß Jessner-Kanoff'sche Infiltrate auch in den Ohrläppchen von Patienten mit Diabetes mellitus gefunden werden können und daß diese Beobachtung als ein weiteres Hilfsmittel für die Diagnostik eines Diabetes mellitus herangezogen werden kann.

     

p53 Immunoreactivity in oligodendrogliomas

Summary Data are presented on^p53 protein presence in human oligodendrogliomas whose progress from low grade to anaplastic oligodendroglioma can be followed. Expression was evaluated by formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded section immunohistochemistry, using monoclonal PAb 1801 antibody. The frequency of^p53 protein accumulation is related to the stage of tumor malignancy. All the samples (100%) of malignant oligodendrogliomas were positive for^p53 protein. Of 14 type II oligodendroglioma samples, 9 were positive (64%) while among type I oligodendroglioma the positivity was 28%. The mean proportion of reactive cells was also higher in malignant oligodendrogliomas. However, mean intensity staining did not differ among various grades of tumors. Our results point to the direct link between^p53 protein accumulation and the malignant stage of human oligodendrogliomas. However, the value of^p53 protein accumulation in predicting malignant behavior of oligodendrogliomas requires further confirmation.     

Fas and FasL expression in placentas complicated with intrauterine growth retardation with and without preeclampsia

Objective: To compare the level of Fas and FasL immunohistochemical expression in villous trophoblast (VT), extravillous trophoblast (EVT) cells, decidual cells (DC), endothelial cells (EC) of villous blood vessels and spiral arteries between the study groups of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) placentas with and without preeclampsia (PE).

Methods: The study included 17 placentas from pregnancies complicated by IUGR?+?PE and 17 placentas from pregnancies complicated by idiopathic IUGR (I-IUGR). Seventeen placentas from normal pregnancies served as a control group. CD31 was used to detect endothelial cells (EC). Immunohistochemical expression of Fas and FasL was assessed in all examined parts of placenta using the semi-quantitative HSCORE method.

Results: FasL expression was significantly higher in all examined parts of placenta in I-IUGR as compared to IUGR?+?PE and control group. Placentas with IUGR?+?PE had the significantly lowest expression of FasL in VT and EC of villi vessels. Expression of Fas did not differ significantly between the study groups.

Conclusion: Different expression of FasL in placentas from I-IUGR and IUGR?+?PE suggests that FasL probably has a different role in the etiology of these two syndromes.     

Sodium and calcium intakes and bone mass in rats revisited

OBJECTIVE: High sodium intake accompanied by insufficient dietary calcium may have detrimental effects on bone mass. Our study evaluated the effects of increased sodium and decreased calcium intakes on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) in rats. METHODS: Four-month-old female Wistar rats were given deionized water or 1.8% solution of sodium chloride in deionized water and fed normal (1.2%) or marginal (0.33%) calcium in the diet for 2 mo. At the end of the experiment, BMD and BMC of the whole body and urinary sodium and calcium excretion were evaluated. All rats were killed and right femurs were removed to assess dry and ash weights. Two-way analysis of variance was used to evaluate effect of salt intake and effect of dietary calcium on these parameters. RESULTS: Salt-loaded animals had greater water consumption during the entire 2-mo period and significantly lower body weight from week 5 of the experiment. High salt intake increased urine volume and urinary excretion of sodium and calcium. Urinary calcium was about five times higher in salt-loaded animals than in rats on deionized water irrespective of dietary calcium content. Calcium in diet itself had no significant effect on these parameters. High salt intake slightly, but not significantly, decreased BMD, BMC, and femur weights. Lower calcium in diet significantly decreased BMD, and its effect on femur ash weight almost reached a level of significance. CONCLUSION: We confirmed the benefit of adequate calcium intake to BMD. Under our experimental condition, high salt intake in rats for 2 mo had no statistically significant effect on femur weights, BMD, or BMC even with marginal calcium in the diet.