A diagnostic algorithm for male genital oedema

Male genital oedema can be defined as swelling or the appearance of swelling of the scrotum and/or the penile shaft and prepuce. Despite the various causes of genital oedema reported in the published work, a concise approach to the evaluation and management has not been sufficiently addressed.     

Top 100. Revisión de los artículos más citados sobre cirugía laparoscópica del páncreas

IntroductionThe number of citations is considered as an indirect indicator of the merit of an article, journal or researcher, although it is not an infallible method to determine scientific quality. Our goal is to determine the characteristics of the articles most cited about pancreas and laparoscopy.MethodsWe performed a search of all articles published in any journal about pancreas and laparoscopy until September 2019 and selected the 100 most cited papers. We recorded number of citations, journal, year of publication, quartil, impact factor, institution, country, authors type of paper, type of surgery, topic and area.ResultsThe top 100 citations account 10,970 citations in total. The journal with the most articles is Surgical Endoscopy and 2007 is the year with the highest number of articles in the top 100 citations. The percentage of publications from America and Europe are similar.Case series is the most frequently paper, outcomes/morbidity is the most frequently discussed topic, and distal pancreatectomy is the most frequently type of surgery.ConclusionsThis bibliometric study on pancreas and laparoscopy is conditioned by the time factor, since laparoscopy has arrived later at pancreatic surgery, probably due to the morbidity and mortality associated with pancreatic surgery and the need for a high specialization in this field. The literature is recent and scarce. More and better-quality studies are needed in this field.     

Reduction of atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rabbits and decrease of expressions of intracellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor in foam cells by a water-soluble fraction of Polygonum multiflorum

Polygonum multiflorum stilbeneglycoside （PMS） is a water-soluble fraction of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. , one of the most famous tonic traditional Chinese medicines, that has protective effects on the cardiovascular system. The purpose of the present study is to elucidate the effects of PMS on macrophage-derived foam cell functions and the reduction of severity of atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic New Zealand White （NZW） rabbits. NZW rabbits were fed for 12 weeks with a normal diet, a high cholesterol diet, or a high cholesterol diet associated with irrigation with different doses of PMS （25, 50, or 100 mg/kg）. Treatment of NZW rabbits fed with high cholesterol diet with 100 mg/kg PMS attenuated the increase in plasma cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and plasma triglyceride. Treatment with 50 and 100 mg/kg PMS caused 43% and 60% decrease in atherosclerotic lesioned area ratio to total surface area, respectively. In U937 foam cells, PMS could decrease the high expression of intercellular adhesion molecule （ICAM）-1 protein and the vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） protein levels in the medium induced by oxidized lipoprotein when analyzed by flow cytometry. The results proved that PMS is a powerful agent against atherosclerosis and that PMS action could possibly be through the inhibition of the expression of ICAM-1 and VEGF in foam cells.     

β-catenin，c-myc和Cyclin D1在胰腺癌组织中的表达及意义

目的研究β-catenin异常表达、c-myc和Cyclin D1的高表达与胰腺癌发生、浸润、转移的关系。方法应用免疫组织化学方法检测5例正常胰腺组织和40例胰腺癌及13例相应癌旁组织中β-catenm、c-myc和Cyclin D1的表达。结果 5例正常胰腺组织及13例胰腺癌旁组织中β-catenin为正常表达,c-myc和Cyclin D1阴性表达,40例胰腺癌组织中25例有β-catenin的异常表达(25／40,62．5％),20例(20／40,50％)有c-myc的高表达,23例(23／40,57．5％)有Cyclin D1的高表达。β-catenin的异常表达率与淋巴结转移、浸润及病理分级相关(P<0.05),c-myc和Cyclin D1的高表达与分化程度,浸润,转移及病理分级无关,β-catenin的异常表达与c-myc的阳性表达不相关,而与Cyclin D1的阳性表达相关。结论β-catenin的异常表达可能主要是通过激活Cyclin D1引起细胞增殖,导致肿瘤的发生。     

Identification of Candida species in the clinical laboratory: a review of conventional,commercial, and molecular techniques

In healthy individuals, Candida species are considered commensal yeasts of the oral cavity. However, these microorganisms can also act as opportunist pathogens, particularly the so‐called non‐albicans Candida species that are increasingly recognized as important agents of human infection. Several surveys have documented increased rates of C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. guilliermondii, C. dubliniensis, C. parapsilosis, and C. krusei in local and systemic fungal infections. Some of these species are resistant to antifungal agents. Consequently, rapid and correct identification of species can play an important role in the management of candidiasis. Conventional methods for identification of Candida species are based on morphological and physiological attributes. However, accurate identification of all isolates from clinical samples is often complex and time‐consuming. Hence, several manual and automated rapid commercial systems for identifying these organisms have been developed, some of which may have significant sensitivity issues. To overcome these limitations, newer molecular typing techniques have been developed that allow accurate and rapid identification of Candida species. This study reviewed the current state of identification methods for yeasts, particularly Candida species.     

Surgical treatment of cholelithiasis in children. Role of cholecystotomy

Cholelithiasis is a rare pathology in children and with a different etiology, composition and clinic than adult. Cholecystectomy is the standardized treatment. The cholecystectomy is an alternative treatment in childhood. We studied 30 patients, aged between 8 months and 13 years, 15 of them with cholecystectomy and 15 with removal of pigment gallstones. The patients were followed up for 3 months-11 years. Recurrent stone formation was noted in one patient. 14 of the patients were non-symptomatic with normal ecography controls.