Extremely late development of pituitary carcinoma after surgery and radiotherapy

Introduction Pituitary carcinomas account for 0.1 or 0.2% of pituitary tumors. The authors report a rare case of a pituitary carcinoma mimicking a radio-induced meningioma. Case report Fifty-five years-old male presents a previous history of transcranial surgery in 1983 for invasive pituitary adenoma followed by whole-brain radiotherapy (5100 cGy). After three years he presented worsening of visual deficits and MRI evidenced recurrence of the lesion. In 1992, he underwent a transcranial approach to treat recurrent supraselar disease, followed by stereoctatic radiotherapy. In 2006, clinical condition was stable; however three right frontal extra-axial lesions were diagnosed by MRI, compatible with meningioma. The histological examination revealed pituitary adenoma. No lesions were found in craniospinal axis. Further treatment was not recommended by radiotherapists due previous actinic treatments. Two years radiological follow-up revealed no recurrence. Conclusion In these high risk cases, active and constant surveillance must be pertained, regardless the time of follow-up.

Development of a digital hearing aid to meet the Brazilian Government`s Ordinance 587 (APAC) - Health Department

The treatment of sensorineural hearing loss is based on hearing aids, also known as individual sound amplification devices. The hearing aids purchased by the Brazilian Government, aiming at fulfilling public policies, are based on dedicated components, which bring about benefits, but also render them expensive and may impair repair services after manufacture`s warranty expires. Aim: to design digital behind-the-ear hearing aids built from standardized components coming from the very supply chain of these manufacturers. Study design: experimental. Materials and Methods: to identify the supply chain of these manufacturers, request samples and set up hearing aids in the laboratory. Results: The developed hearing aids did not show lesser electroacoustic characteristics when compared to those acquired by the Government, also being tested by the same reference international technical standard. Conclusion: It is possible to develop digital behind-the-ear hearing aids based on off-the-shelf components from hearing aid manufacturers` supply chain. Their advantages include low operational costs - for acquisition (with clear advantages for the Government) and service (advantage for the patient).

Development of an animal model for endometrial ablation using trichloroacetic acid

Objective: To develop an animal model of endometrial ablation, and to evaluate the histologic effects of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) in the uterine cavity. Design: Experimental prospective. Setting: Department of gynecology. Patient(s): Thirty female adult rats. Intervention(s): Animals were submitted to injection of TCA in one uterine horn and saline solution in the other. Group 1 was sacrificed the day after the procedure. Group 2 was sacrificed in phase of diestrus. Superficial epithelia of the endometrium, stromal thickness, endometrial glands, and myometrium thickness were compared among the uterine horns of the same rats of group 1. The same evaluation was performed in group 2. Endometrial regeneration was evaluated. Main Outcome Measure(s): Histologic effects. Result(s): In group 1, histologic parameters showed endometrial destruction on TCA injected uterine horn. In group 2, four rats died after the procedure, and six rats had no viable material. In the rest of the group, TCA-injected uterine horns showed endometrial destruction. Superficial epithelia of the endometrium and stromal thickness were similar between TCA uterine horn from groups. However, the number of endometrial glands was higher in group 1. Conclusion(s): The study developed an experimental model for endometrial ablation. TCA acid is a potent agent for endometrial ablation in rat model. No endometrial regeneration was observed after recovery of cycle. (Fertil Steril (R) 2011; 95: 2418-21. (C) 2011 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)

Cessation of alcohol drinking, tobacco smoking and the reversal of head and neck cancer risk

Background Quitting tobacco or alcohol use has been reported to reduce the head and neck cancer risk in previous studies. However, it is unclear how many years must pass following cessation of these habits before the risk is reduced, and whether the risk ultimately declines to the level of never smokers or never drinkers. Methods We pooled individual-level data from case-control studies in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium. Data were available from 13 studies on drinking cessation (9167 cases and 12 593 controls), and from 17 studies on smoking cessation (12 040 cases and 16 884 controls). We estimated the effect of quitting smoking and drinking on the risk of head and neck cancer and its subsites, by calculating odds ratios (ORs) using logistic regression models. Results Quitting tobacco smoking for 1-4 years resulted in a head and neck cancer risk reduction [OR 0.70, confidence interval (CI) 0.61-0.81 compared with current smoking], with the risk reduction due to smoking cessation after >= 20 years (OR 0.23, CI 0.18-0.31), reaching the level of never smokers. For alcohol use, a beneficial effect on the risk of head and neck cancer was only observed after >= 20 years of quitting (OR 0.60, CI 0.40-0.89 compared with current drinking), reaching the level of never drinkers. Conclusions Our results support that cessation of tobacco smoking and cessation of alcohol drinking protect against the development of head and neck cancer.

Development of Y-chromosome-Specific SCAR Markers Conserved in Taurine, Zebu and Bubaline Cattle

Contents Sex pre-selection of bovine offsprings has commercial relevance for cattle breeders and several methods have been used for embryo sex determination. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has proven to be a reliable procedure for accomplishing embryo sexing. To date, most of the PCR-specific primers are derived from the few single-copy Y-chromosome-specific gene sequences already identified in bovines. Their detection demands higher amounts of embryonic genomic material or a nested amplification reaction. In order to circumvent this, limitation we searched for new male-specific sequences potentially useful in embryo sexing using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assay reproducibility problems can be overcome by its conversion into Sequence Characterized Amplified Region (SCAR) markers. In this work, we describe the identification of two bovine male-specific markers (OPC16(323) and OPF10(1168)) by means of RAPD. These markers were successfully converted into SCARs (OPC16(726) and OPF10(984)) using two pairs of specific primers.Furthermore, inverse PCR (iPCR) methodology was successfully applied to elongate OPC16(323) marker in 159% (from 323 to 837 bp). Both markers are shown to be highly conserved (similarity >= 95%) among bovine zebu and taurine cattle; OPC16(323) is also highly similar to a bubaline Y-chromosome-specific sequence. The primers derived from the two Y-chromosome-specific conserved sequences described in this article showed 100% accuracy when used for identifying male and female bovine genomic DNA, thereby proving their potential usefulness for bovine embryo sexing.

Effects of childhood development on late-life mental disorders

Purpose of review To explore recent findings bridging childhood development and common late-life mental disorders in the elderly. Recent findings We addressed aging as a part of the developmental process in central nervous system, typical and atypical neurodevelopment focusing on genetic and environmental risk factors and their interplay and links between psychopathology from childhood to the elderly, unifying theoretical perspectives and preventive intervention strategies. Summary Current findings suggest that childhood development is strictly connected to psychiatric phenotypes across the lifespan. Although we are far from a comprehensive understanding of mental health trajectories, some initial findings document both heterotypic and homotypic continuities from childhood to adulthood and from adulthood to the elderly. Our review also highlights the urgent need for investigations on preventive interventions in individuals at risk for mental disorders.

Annexin A1 subcellular expression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Annexin A1 (ANXA1) is a soluble cytoplasmic protein, moving to membranes when calcium levels are elevated. ANXA1 has also been shown to move to the nucleus or outside the cells, depending on tyrosine-kinase signalling, thus interfering in cytoskeletal organization and cell differentiation, mostly in inflammatory and neoplastic processes. The aim was to investigate subcellular patterns of immunohistochemical expression of ANXA1 in neoplastic and non-neoplastic samples from patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas (LSCC), to elucidate the role of ANXA1 in laryngeal carcinogenesis. Serial analysis of gene expression experiments detected reduced expression of ANXA1 gene in LSCC compared with the corresponding non-neoplastic margins. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction confirmed ANXA1 low expression in 15 LSCC and eight matched normal samples. Thus, we investigated subcellular patterns of immunohistochemical expression of ANXA1 in 241 paraffin-embedded samples from 95 patients with LSCC. The results showed ANXA1 down-regulation in dysplastic, tumourous and metastatic lesions and provided evidence for the progressive migration of ANXA1 from the nucleus towards the membrane during laryngeal tumorigenesis. ANXA1 dysregulation was observed early in laryngeal carcinogenesis, in intra-epithelial neoplasms; it was not found related to prognostic parameters, such as nodal metastases.