Clinical Correlates of the Anatomical Relationships of the Foramen Ovale: A Radioanatomical Study

Introduction Endonasal endoscopic transpterygoid approaches are commonly used techniques to access the infratemporal fossa and parapharyngeal space. Important endoscopic endonasal landmarks for the poststyloid parapharyngeal space, hence the internal carotid artery, include the mandibular nerve at the level of foramen ovale and the lateral pterygoid plate. This study aims to define the anatomical relationships of the foramen ovale, establishing its distance to other important anatomical landmarks such as the pterygoid process and columella. Methods Distances between the foramen ovale, foramen rotundum, and fixed anatomical landmarks like the columella and pterygoid process were measured using computed tomography (CT) scans and cadaveric dissections of the pterygopalatine and infratemporal fossae. Results The mean distances from the foramen ovale to columella and from the foramen rotundum to columella were found to be 9.15 cm and 7.09 cm, respectively. Analysis of radiologic measurements detected no statistically significant differences between sides or gender. Conclusions The pterygoid plates and V3 are prominent landmarks of the endonasal endoscopic approach to the infratemporal fossa and poststyloid parapharyngeal space. A better understanding of the endoscopic anatomy of the infratemporal fossa and awareness of the approximate distances and geometry among anatomical landmarks facilitates a safe and complete resection of lesions arising or extending to these regions.     

胆管癌组织中信号转导及转录激活因子3信号通路相关基因的表达与意义

目的 探讨胆管癌组织中信号转导及转录激活因子3（STAT3）信号通路相关基因Survivin及环氧化酶2（COX-2）的表达及其与胆管癌患者临床病理特征和预后的关系.方法 收集2007年9月至2012年7月安徽医科大学附属省立医院收治的43例胆管癌患者的癌组织标本,收集同期行胆肠内引流术和胆管修复的12例肝内外胆管结石和胆管损伤患者的正常胆管组织标本作为对照.应用免疫组织化学染色检测胆管癌及正常胆管组织中STAT3、磷酸化STAT3（p-STAT3）、Survivin及COX-2蛋白的表达,并分析其与胆管癌患者临床病理特征和预后的关系.采用门诊或电话方式对胆管癌患者进行随访,随访时间截至2014年3月.计数资料采用x2检验,相关性分析采用Spearman检验.采用Kaplan-Meier法绘制生存曲线,生存分析采用Log-rank检验.结果 STAT3、p-STAT3、Survivin、COX-2蛋白在胆管癌组织中阳性表达率分别为69.8％ （30/43）、65.1％（28/43）、72.1％ （31/43）、79.1％（34/43）,在正常胆管组织中阳性表达率分别为41.7％（5/12）、8.3％（1/12）、16.7％（2/12）、41.7％（5/12）.p-STAT3、Survivin、COX-2蛋白在胆管癌组织中的阳性表达率显著高于正常胆管组织,两组比较,差异有统计学意义（x2=12.136,9.811,4.679,P＜0.05）.p-STAT3、Survivin、COX-2蛋白在胆管癌组织中的高表达与肿瘤局部浸润转移有关（x2=14.700,5.959,4.075,P＜0.05）;p-STAT3蛋白阳性表达与肿瘤神经侵犯有关（x2=10.384,P＜0.05）;Survivin、COX-2蛋白表达与胆管癌患者肿瘤神经侵犯无关（x2=2.718,3.024,P＞0.05）;p-STAT3、Survivin、COX-2蛋白表达与胆管癌患者性别、年龄、肿瘤位置、分化程度、肿瘤直径无关（x2=0.148,0.720,1.835,1.040,0.236;0.001,0.009,0.029,1.863,0.197;0.433,0.686,0.002,2.974,0.029,P＞0.05）.Survivin及COX-2蛋白的表达与p-STAT3呈正相关（r=0.524,0.583,P＜0.05）.43例胆管癌患者获得随访,随访时间为6个     

The etiology of pectus carinatum involves overgrowth of costal cartilage and undergrowth of ribs

Purpose

We compared the length of costal cartilage and rib between patients with symmetric pectus carinatum and controls without anterior chest wall protrusion, using a 3-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) to evaluate whether the overgrowth of costal cartilage exists in patients with pectus carinatum.

Subjects and methods

Twenty-six patients with symmetric pectus carinatum and matched twenty-six controls without chest wall protrusion were enrolled. We measured the full lengths of the 4th–6th ribs and costal cartilages using 3-D volume rendering CT images and the curved multiplanar reformatted (MPR) techniques. The lengths of ribs and costal cartilages, the summation of rib and costal cartilage lengths, and the costal index [length of cartilage/length of rib * 100 (%)] were compared between the patients group and the control group at 4th–6th levels.

Results

The lengths of costal cartilage in patient group were significantly longer than those of control group at 4th, 5th and 6th rib level. The lengths of ribs in patient group were significantly shorter than those of control group at 4th, 5th and 6th rib level. The summations of rib and costal cartilage lengths were not longer in patients group than in control group. The costal indices were significantly larger in patients group than in control groups at 4th, 5th and 6th rib level.

Conclusion

In patients with symmetric pectus carinatum, the lengths of costal cartilage were longer but the lengths of rib were shorter than those of controls. These findings may supports that the overgrowth of costal cartilage was not the only factor responsible for pectus carinatum.     

Fish-oil emulsion (omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) attenuates acute lung injury induced by intestinal ischemia–reperfusion through Adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase–sirtuin1 pathway

Background

Activated macrophage infiltration into the lungs is paramount in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury (ALI) induced by intestinal ischemia–reperfusion (I/R). Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (ω-3 PUFA) is a potent activator of the Adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase–sirtuin1 (AMPK/SIRT1) pathway against macrophage inflammation. We aimed to evaluate whether ω-3 PUFAs may protect against ALI induced by intestinal I/R via the AMPK/SIRT1 pathway.

Methods

Ischemia in male Wistar rats was induced by superior mesenteric artery occlusion for 60 min and reperfusion for 240 min. One milliliter per day of fish-oil emulsion (FO emulsion, containing major ingredients as ω-3 PUFAs) or normal saline (control) was administered by intraperitoneal injection for three consecutive days to each animal. All animals were sacrificed at the end of reperfusion. Blood and tissue samples were collected for analysis.

Results

Intestinal I/R caused intestinal and lung injury, evidenced by severe lung tissue edema and macrophage infiltration. Pretreatment with FO emulsion improved the integrity of microscopic structures in the intestine and lungs. Intestinal I/R induced the expression of macrophage-derived mediators (macrophage migration inhibitory factor and macrophage chemoattractant protein-1), inflammatory factors (nuclear factor κB, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 6, and interleukin 1β), and proapoptosis factor p66shc. There was a decrease in the expression of AMPK, SIRT1, and claudin 5. FO emulsion significantly inhibited macrophage infiltration into the lungs, inflammatory factor expression, and p66shc phosphorylation. Importantly, FO emulsion restored AMPK, SIRT1, and claudin 5 in the lungs.

Conclusions

Pretreatment with ω-3 PUFAs effectively protects intestinal and lung injury induced by intestinal I/R, reduces macrophage infiltration, suppresses inflammation, inhibits lung apoptosis, and improves the lung endothelial barrier after intestinal I/R in a manner dependent on AMPK/SIRT1. Thus, there is a potential for developing AMPK/SIRT1 as a novel target for patients with intestinal I/R–induced ALI.     

The effect of docosahexaenoic acid on bone microstructure in young mice and bone fracture in neonates

Background

As low bone mineral density is a risk factor for fracture in childhood, optimizing age appropriate bone mass is recommended and might lower the impact of bone loss related to age. Consumption of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids have been shown to beneficially modulate bone metabolism. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of fracture in neonates receiving a fish compared with soybean oil–based intravenous lipid emulsion and evaluate the effect of varying dietary omega-3 PUFA consumption on growing bone in young mice.

Materials and methods

Eligibility criteria for the clinical study included gestational age ≤37 wk and parenteral nutrition–dependence for ≥4 wk. Radiographs were reviewed after lipid initiation to identify radiologic bone fracture. The animal study evaluated female C57/Bl6 mice randomized into one of five groups from age 3–12 wk, at which time femurs were harvested for micro–computed tomography and light microscopy analysis.

Results

A lower incidence of bone fracture was found in neonates maintained on fish compared with soybean oil. In the animal study, findings suggest the DHA diet provides the best protection against trabecular bone loss as evidenced by increased bone volume fraction, increased trabecular number, and decreased trabecular separation on micro–computed tomography. These protective effects appeared to affect the bone microstructure alone.

Conclusions

The lower fracture risk observed in fish oil fed neonates in combination with the protective effects of DHA observed in the femurs of young C57/BL6 mice suggest an important role for omega-3 PUFAs on bone growth.