Central Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of mandible – A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND: Primary central mucoepidermoid carcinoma of jaws is a rare lesion comprising 2-3% of all mucoepidermoid carcinomas reported in literature. CASE PRESENTATION: The case presented here illustrates the hypothesis that its specific pathogenesis is unknown. CONCLUSIONS: Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the jaw is a rare tumour of unknown aetiology. Although about a 100 cases has been reported in literature, the speculation on its aetiopathogenesis has mainly centred on the pluripotential capabilities of the epithelial lining of odontogenic cysts.     

The making of the kato alu—A traditional tongan basket

We investigated the weaving of the kato alu, a traditional Tongan basket. Unlike most ordinary baskets which are woven from coconut or pandanus leaves, kato alu are woven from tuaniu (Cocos nucifera, Palmae, midrib of leaf) and alu [Epipremnum pinnatum, Araceae, aerial roots]. Anciently the common people wove and decorated the kato alu and gave them to chiefs, nobles and kings as gifts at wedding and funeral ceremonies. Today, however, the weaving techniques are known to only a few people. It appears that these techniques will likely disappear from Tonga within a generation.

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Résumé  Ko e lipooti ko eni na’e vakai’i ’ae ngaahi founga a’ia ’oku kau ki he lalanga ’o e kato faka-Tonga, koe kato alu, pea na’a ku vakai’i foki ’a e tuaniu (Cocos nucifera) mo e akau, ko e alu (Epipremnum pinnatum) a ’ia ’oku na kau i he lalanga ’o e kato ia. ’I he ngaahi kuonga kuo hili, na’e lalanga ’a e kato alu ’e he kakai, ’o nau foaki me’a’ofa ’a kato ko ia ki he kau hou’eiki pea mo e Tu’i ’i he taimi na’a nau fai mali mo e fai putu. Ko e ’uhinga ’a e lipooti ko eni, ke fakamatala pe fakailonga ’a e ngaahi founga faka-Tonga ki hono lalanga ’o e kato mahu’inga ko eni, ’a’ai koe kato alu.

     

Hypersensitivity to chemoradiation in FANCA carrier with cervical carcinoma—A case report and review of the literature

ObjectiveCompared to Fanconi anemia (FA) patients with homozygous defective two-alleles inheritance, there is a scarce or no evidence on one defective allele FANCA carriers, with respect to their cancer incidence, clinical and in vitro radiosensitivity and chemosensitivity. On that account, we report a case of a 30-year old FANCA mutation carrier woman with uterine cervix adenocarcinoma who was treated with chemoradiotherapy, in which unexpected acute toxicity and fatal late morbidity occured.MethodsWe also report the results of an in vitro test for radiosensitivity, immunohistochemical examination with FANCA staining and human papillomavirus genotypization, and a review of the literature for FA carrier patients with respect to cancer incidence, clinical and in vitro response to chemo/radiotherapy, options of early heterozygosity detection, and methods of in vitro prediction of hypersensitivity to oncologic treatment.ConclusionAlthough there are no standard guidelines for management of FA carriers with malignancies and reports about chemo- or radiosensitivity in this population are scarce; patients with FA-A heterozygosity may have a high rate of complications from chemo/radiotherapy. Up to now, an optimum method for the prediction of radiosensitivity and the best parameter has not been found. Clinical radioresponsiveness is unpredictable in FA carriers and there is a pressing need of new rapid and predictive in vitro assays of radiation responses. Until then, the treatment of FA carriers with malignancies should be individualized, with respect to potential hypersensitivity to ionizing radiation or cross-linking agents.     

Does experimental pain response vary across the menstrual cycle? A methodological review

The findings on sex differences in human experimental pain research are inconsistent. One possible factor contributing to the inconsistent findings is the female hormonal cycle, as hormone levels may affect pain sensitivity. A number of studies suggest that women's responses to experimentally evoked pain vary across the menstrual cycle. However, at least an equal number of studies suggest a lack of variability. The purpose of this article is to review the literature with emphasis on what we believe could be the reasons for the inconsistent findings, namely, differences in populations sampled, timing of experimental sessions across the menstrual cycle, and nomenclature used to identify the time (phases) in the cycle when measurements were done, nature of the pain stimuli chosen, and outcomes measured. These inconsistencies and other methodological problems associated with most experimental pain studies make it difficult to draw inferences from this literature. For the science to improve, replication of significant findings using standardized timing of sessions, pain stimulus procedures, outcomes, and hormonal assessment is necessary.     

Exploring the influence of rural residence on uptake of organized cancer screening – A systematic review of international literature

Lower screening uptake could impact cancer survival in rural areas. This systematic review sought studies comparing rural/urban uptake of colorectal, cervical and breast cancer screening in high income countries. Relevant studies (n = 50) were identified systematically by searching Medline, EMBASE and CINAHL. Narrative synthesis found that screening uptake for all three cancers was generally lower in rural areas. In meta-analysis, colorectal cancer screening uptake (OR 0.66, 95 % CI = 0.50−0.87, I² = 85 %) was significantly lower for rural dwellers than their urban counterparts. The meta-analysis found no relationship between uptake of breast cancer screening and rural versus urban residency (OR 0.93, 95 % CI = 0.80–1.09, I² = 86 %). However, it is important to note the limitation of the significant statistical heterogeneity found which demonstrates the lack of consistency between the few studies eligible for inclusion in the meta-analyses. Cancer screening uptake is apparently lower for rural dwellers which may contribute to poorer survival. National screening programmes should consider geography in planning.     

Molecular biology of Ri-plasmid—A review

Agrobacterium rhizogenes transfers a segment of its plasmid to the plant genome. The transferred DNA contains genes which are involved in the synthesis of plant hormones. These genes express in the plant cell and give rise to rooty-tumors at the infection site. Transgenic plants can be readily regenerated from the rooty-tumors and the transferred DNA is transmitted to progeny plants. High regeneration potential and sustained maintenance of transferred DNA makes the bacterium a suitable vector for plant genetic engineering. DNA sequences homologous to the transferred DNA ofAgrobacterium rhizogenes were detected in some untransformed plant species suggesting a past infection byAgrobacterium rhizogenes during evolution of some genera, notably Nicotiana.     

Does the implementation of environmental flows improve wetland ecosystem services and biodiversity? A literature review

Environmental flow releases are a tool for wetland restoration, but there has been no systematic evaluation of their success. We systematically assessed 102 published studies from a wide range of wetland ecosystems across the globe to determine whether releasing environmental flows could maintain or promote biodiversity and increase ecosystem services, and which strategies were most effective. We found that environmental flow releases remarkably increased regulating services (sediment regulation and water purification) and supporting services (primary production and habitat maintenance), and maintained biodiversity and provisioning services. Biodiversity responses were positive only in river wetlands, and were negative in coastal, lake, and marsh wetlands; the overall delivery of ecosystem services responded positively in all ecosystem types except artificial wetlands. The effects were positive for ecosystem services under all environmental flow regimes, and seasonal minimum flow releases could maintain biodiversity and improve ecosystem services. We also found that long‐term environmental flow releases (years to decades) maintained biodiversity. Values of a change‐in‐flow parameter (D) ranging from 0 to 10% improved both biodiversity and ecosystem services. In summary, long‐term implementation, a high‐flow regime, and D ranging from 0 to 10% for the environmental flows promoted biodiversity and improved ecosystem services around the world, particularly in river wetlands. Regional‐level conclusions might be applicable to guide the implementation of environmental flow releases, but small sample sizes reduce their reliability. We also found that the effect sizes of environmental flow release projects for biodiversity and ecosystem services were significantly and positively correlated in rivers, but not in other wetlands.     

Life cycle assessment of aquaculture bivalve shellfish production — a critical review of methodological trends

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment - The increase of shellfish production has raised environmental concerns, i.e., enrichment and redistribution of nutrients and energy consumption....     

Paleoecology of the cenozoic reefal foraminifers and algae — A brief review

The paleoecology of reefal foraminifers and algae assumes a considerable importance in determining and delineating sub-environments of ancient reefs, especially those of non-coral origin.A review of the ecologic distribution of the Cenozoic larger foraminifers in different biofacies of the reef-complex environment has revealed the following: (1) a prolific growth of “Alveolina” was possible in the back-reef region near the reef core; (2) Orbitolites and Marginopora preferred sheltered waters on the reef-flat and in the back-reef zones; (3) nummulitids and Discocyclina thrived in both fore- and back-reef shoal areas, but the species living in the former are much stouter than those living in the latter; (4) Heterostegina is and, in the geologic past, was a form, preferring quieter waters of the back-reef lagoons and reef-flat pools; (5) Pellatispira was a typical fore-reef form.Smaller foraminifers, as a whole, are dominant in back-reef lagoons. An abundance of miliolids indicates a sheltered environment prevailing in the reef-flat pools and back-reef zones, whereas reef flats, in general, are characterized by a paucity of smaller foraminifers. An increase in the number of nodosariids and globigerinids points to a fore-reef environment, the depth of which is indicated by the relative abundance of the latter group. Encrusting foraminifers are characteristic of the reef core and are important constituents of for-algal (foraminiferal + algal) reef complexes.Of the algae, the calcarous chlorophyte Halimeda is relatively more abundant in the sheltered parts of a reef-complex, especially the lagoons, where water is moderately agitated and clear; its sudden abundance in the geologic record indicates the advent of a reefal environment. An abundance of the calcareous chlorophyte Dasycladaceae indicates the shallow back-reef areas adjacent to the reef core. Articulated coralline algae are associated with reef-complexes but are varied in their adaptability and, hence, are widely distributed in different parts of the complex. Abundant crustose coralline algae almost certainly indicate a reef-core sub-environment; their skeletons are among the chief constructional units of the core. They increase in abundance towards the outer edge of the reef core and decrease away from it.     

Zinner’s syndrome: report of two cases and review of the literature

Background

Congenital malformations of the seminal vesicle are uncommon, and most of them are cystic malformations. If an insult occurs between the 4th and the 13 h gestational week, the embryogenesis of the kidney, ureter, seminal vesicle, and vas deferens could be altered. Cysts of the seminal vesicle may appear with a mass effect, dysuria, epididymitis, or obstruction of the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts. Approximately two thirds of them are associated with ipsilateral renal agenesis, because both the ureteral buds and seminal vesicles originate from the mesonephric (Wolffian) duct. They were first described by Zinner in 1914, and 200 cases of seminal vesicle cysts associated with ipsilateral renal agenesis have been reported in the literature. Most patients with this anomaly are asymptomatic until the third or fourth decade of life. Some cases have nonspecific symptoms such as prostatism, urinary urgency, dysuria, painful ejaculation, and perineal discomfort. Transrectal ultrasonography provides good visualization of the pelvic structures and allows guidance for aspiration of the cysts.

Case presentation

We present two cases of seminal vesicle cyst. The first patient had dysuria, increased frequency of urination, and haematuria. He was operated and benefited from a removal of the cyst with right ureterectomy and left ureteral reimplantation. The second patient had disorder of the digestive transit and he benefited from a laparoscopic removal of the cyst.

Conclusions

Seminal vesicle cysts combined with ipsilateral renal agenesis are rare urological anomalies. Usual symptoms that are caused by the seminal vesicle cysts are bladder irritation and obstruction as well as pain in the perineum and scrotum. Epididymitis is frequently found. Treatment consists to removing the seminal vesicle cyst.

     

Alternative splicing of the neurofibromatosis type I pre-mRNA

NF1 (neurofibromatosis type?I) is a common genetic disease that affects one in 3500 individuals. The disease is completely penetrant but shows variable phenotypic expression in patients. NF1 is a large gene, and its pre-mRNA undergoes alternative splicing. The NF1 protein, neurofibromin, is involved in diverse signalling cascades. One of the best characterized functions of NF1 is its function as a Ras-GAP (GTPase-activating protein). NF1 exon 23a is an alternative exon that lies within the GAP-related domain of neurofibromin. This exon is predominantly included in most tissues, and it is skipped in CNS (central nervous system) neurons. The isoform in which exon 23a is skipped has 10?times higher Ras-GAP activity than the isoform in which exon 23a is included. Exon 23a inclusion is tightly regulated by at least three different families of RNA-binding proteins: CELF {CUG-BP (cytosine-uridine-guanine-binding protein) and ETR-3 [ELAV (embryonic lethal abnormal vision)-type RNA-binding protein]-like factor}, Hu and TIA-1 (T-cell intracellular antigen 1)/TIAR (T-cell intracellular antigen 1-related protein). The CELF and Hu proteins promote exon 23a skipping, while the TIA-1/TIAR proteins promote its inclusion. The widespread clinical variability that is observed among NF1 patients cannot be explained by NF1 mutations alone and it is believed that modifier genes may have a role in the variability. We suggest that the regulation of alternative splicing may act as a modifier to contribute to the variable expression in NF1 patients.     

Statistical review of animal trials—A guideline

Any experiment involving living organisms requires justification of the need and moral defensibleness of the study. Statistical planning, design, and sample size calculation of the experiment are no less important review criteria than general medical and ethical points to consider. Errors made in the statistical planning and data evaluation phase can have severe consequences on both results and conclusions. They might proliferate and thus impact future trials—an unintended outcome of fundamental research with profound ethical consequences. Unified statistical standards are currently missing for animal review boards in Germany. In order to accompany, we developed a biometric form to be filled and handed in with the proposal at the concerned local authority on animal welfare. It addresses relevant points to consider for biostatistical planning of animal experiments and can help both the applicants and the reviewers in overseeing the entire experiment(s) planned. Furthermore, the form might also aid in meeting the current standards set by the 3+3R's principle of animal experimentation: Replacement, Reduction, Refinement as well as Robustness, Registration, and Reporting. The form has already been in use by the concerned local authority of animal welfare in Berlin, Germany. In addition, we provide reference to our user guide giving more detailed explanation and examples for each section of the biometric form. Unifying the set of biostatistical aspects will help both the applicants and the reviewers to equal standards and increase quality of preclinical research projects, also for translational, multicenter, or international studies.     

A single amino acid deletion in the α2(I) chain of type I collagen produces osteogenesis imperfecta type III

RNase A protection analysis was used in the search for the cause of a non-lethal osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) phenotype (Sillence type III). Cleavage of the hybrid formed between a normal 2(I) sequence and RNA isolated from the patient indicated the presence of a mismatch. The position of the mismatch was determined and the corresponding area of COL1A2 was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction. Sequencing of cloned amplified DNA revealed the deletion, which was not present in either parent, of the final three bases of exon 19 in one of the patient's two COL1A2 alleles. The deletion results in the loss of amino acid 255 (a valine encoded by the last codon of exon 19) of the triple helical region of half of the 2(I) collagen chains but does not disrupt the splicing of the heterogeneous nuclear RNA (hnRNA). This provides further evidence that OI type III may result from autosomal dominant mutations rather than only from autosomal recessive mutations as had previously been believed.     

Epstein�CBarr virus-associated inflammatory pseudotumor of the spleen: report of two cases and review of the literature

We report two rare examples of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-associated inflammatory pseudotumor of the spleen. One patient presented with night sweats, abdominal pain, and weight loss and was found to have a splenic mass on CT scan suspected of lymphoma. The splenic mass in second patient was found incidentally at the time of work up for kidney stones. The pathologic examination of these splenectomy specimens showed similar histologic features. However, the spindle cells were composed of EBV-infected follicular dendritic cells in one case whereas the second case lacked significant follicular dendritic cell proliferation and showed only focal EBV-infected cells suggesting that these proliferations are heterogenous in nature.