Shift in Staphylococcus aureus Clone Linked to an Infected Tattoo

A retrospective investigation of skin and soft tissue infections caused by community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains among inmates in a Wisconsin correctional facility suggested a shift in MRSA genotype. Case timeline indicated a displacement of USA400 clone by USA300 clone. The USA300 index case was associated with an infected new tattoo

Prospective surveillance of invasive group a streptococcal disease, Fiji, 2005-2007.

We undertook a prospective active surveillance study of invasive group A streptococcal (GAS) disease in Fiji over a 23-month period, 2005-2007. We identified 64 cases of invasive GAS disease, which represents an average annualized all-ages incidence of 9.9 cases/100,000 population per year (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.6-12.6). Rates were highest in those >65 years of age and in those <5 years, particularly in infants, for whom the incidence was 44.9/100,000 (95% CI 18.1-92.5). The case-fatality rate was 32% and was associated with increasing age and underlying coexisting disease, including diabetes and renal disease. Fifty-five of the GAS isolates underwent emm sequence typing; the types were highly diverse, with 38 different emm subtypes and no particular dominant type. Our data support the view that invasive GAS disease is common in developing countries and deserves increased public health attention

Diagnostic Accuracy of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology in Soft Tissue Sarcomas

Background: To study diagnostic validity of fineneedle aspiration cytology in soft tissue sarcoma.Methods: In this descriptive study patients of allages and both gender with obvious soft tissueswellings and patient in whom both FNAC followedby histopathology, were included. Cases withobvious inflammatory lesions were excluded fromthe study. Immunohistochemistry was employedwhere required.The diagnosis made on FNAC wasthen compared with the diagnosis made onhistopathology.Results: Mean age of the patients was 28 years±16yrs. Lower extremity tumours were seen in 65%.Most common soft tissue sarcoma on FNAC wasspindle cell sarcoma (11 cases) followed by roundcell sarcoma(10 cases). Subsequent histopathology ofcases showed 55% of benign soft tissue tumours and45% of soft tissue sarcomas. Hence there were 4 falsenegative cases and one false positive case oncytology. On comparing with histopathologicalcorrelation diagnostic accuracy of FNAC indiagnosing soft tissue sarcoma came out to be92.3%.The sensitivity and specificity of FNAC in softtissue sarcoma was 86.2 % and 97.2% respectively.Conclusion: FNAC is a useful procedure in preoperativediagnosis of benign and malignant softtissue tumours , with a high sensitivity, specificityand diagnostic accuracy in soft tissue sarcomas

Diagnostic accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology in soft tissue tumors: our institutional experience

Background: Diagnosis of Soft tissue tumors by FNAC (Fine needle aspiration cytology) is one of the diagnostic modality of choice in pathological evaluation of soft tissue neoplasms especially to differentiate from the non-neoplastic soft tissue lesions. It is challenging and controversial. Very few centers rely on simple FNAC for diagnosis which is largely due to a lack of experience, familiarity, confidence and tricky cytological features.Methods:We have studied 140 cases of soft-tissue tumors by simple FNAC procedure done by cytopathologist from 01/01/2012 to 31/12/2012. After considering thorough history, clinical, radiology and other findings all cases were reported by the experienced faculty in cytopathology section of our institute.Results:Out of total 140 cases of soft tissue tumors 131 (93.58%) were benign and 9 (6.42%) were malignant. In benign category maximum numbers were lipoma 105 cases (80.15%) followed by benign neural tumors 5 cases (3.82%), ganglion 4 cases (3.05%), benign fibrohistiocytic lesions 2 cases (1.53%) and others. Conclusions: Current study demonstrates that FNAC is valuable as a primary tool in diagnosing soft tissue tumors specifically benign lesions like lipomatous tumors, high grade malignant sarcoma and recurrent lesions. Findings are well supported by histopathological correlation

Evaluation of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of soft tissue tumors and its correlation with histopathological findings

Background: Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) is a useful, safe and cost effective tool that is used in the diagnosis of lesions in various organs. Even though the literature on FNAC of soft tissue masses is relatively scarce, a large amount of interest has developed in this area in the last few years due to the low cost of the procedure, low incidence of complications, feasibility and high therapeutic efficiency. So the present study was undertaken to study the nature of various soft tissue tumors by FNAC and to compare the cytological diagnosis with the results obtained by biopsy.  Methods: All cases 713 (Prospective-217 and Retrospective 496) included in present series were taken up for study. Aspiration of soft tissue lesions were performed following the technique of Zajicek et al. Smear was prepared, stained and examined. Histopathological details were available in 140 cases. Data was compiled in MS excel and checked for its completeness, correctness and then it was analyzed.Results: Total number of 11,560 FNAC was done in six and half year’s period from 1st April 2003 to 30th September 2009. Out of the total 713 cases of soft tissue tumors, 71.25% were reported as benign and 28.75% as malignant. Soft tissue tumors were more common in males in comparison to females, with M: F-1.63:1. Accuracy of FNAC for benign and malignant soft tissue tumours was 88.1% and 92.9% respectively.  Conclusion: The overall diagnostic accuracy of FNAC in the present study was found 90%. FNAC is a safe and reliable method of recognizing benign and malignant soft tissue tumors and in most instances histological sub typing is possible. Cytological diagnosis must be based on strict cytological criteria and well controlled ancillary techniques.

Histopathological study of soft tissue tumours in a tertiary health centre in southern part of Assam

Background: Soft tissue tumors are defined as mesenchymal proliferations which occur in the extraskeletal non-epithelial tissues of the body, excluding the viscera, coverings of brain and   lymphoreticular system. The objective of this study was to study the histopathological features of soft tissue tumors and to study the occurrence of soft tissue tumors in relation to age, sex and anatomical site.Methods: This study comprised of 89 cases studied over a period of two years. All soft tissue tumors, their gross features, microscopic findings were analysed in detail. Soft tissue tumors were divided into benign and malignant categories and further sub typing were done according to World Health Organization (WHO) classification. The distribution of soft tissue tumors according to the age, sex and site of occurrence was studied.Results: Out of 89 cases of soft tissue tumors, 76 cases were benign, 4 cases belonged to intermediate category and 9 cases were malignant. Adipocytic tumors formed the largest group constituting 39 cases. Vascular tumors were the second commonest (26 cases) followed by peripheral nerve sheath tumors (11 cases). The benign tumors were seen in younger age as compared to malignant tumors. Malignant soft tissue tumors was seen to be more common in male than female and pleomorphic sarcoma and liposarcoma was commonest (3 cases each).Conclusions: Benign tumors were more common than malignant. The most common benign tumors were lipoma followed by hemangioma and schwannoma. The most common malignant tumor was pleomorphic sarcoma. The benign tumors were seen in younger age as compared to malignant tumors

Diagnostic efficacy of fine needle aspiration cytology in soft tissue tumors and cytohistological correlation

Background: Soft tissues are the supportive tissue of various organ as well as the nonepithelial, extraskeletal structure. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a rapid diagnostic technique with limited patient morbidity for diagnosing soft tissue tumours. However, FNAC of soft tissue lesion has not been widely used because of concern about its diagnostic accuracy. The difficulties arise in exact typing and diagnosis of low-grade sarcomas. This study was undertaken to study the acceptability and diagnostic efficacy of cytodiagnosis as compared conventional histological diagnosis and determine distribution of soft tissue tumours according to age and sex. Methods: The study was conducted in the department of pathology, RNT Medical College, Udaipur for period of 1 year. FNAC was done in 77 cases of suspected soft tissue tumors. In 51 cases biopsy resorted and HPE carried out. On the correlation of FNAC diagnosis with histopathological diagnosis the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and positive predictive were calculated. Results: Maximum number of cases noted were in 40 to 60 years of age with wide range of 11 months to 81 years. Male to female ratio was 1.8:1. Out of total 51 cases 38 found benign and rest were found malignant. Lipomas were the commonest soft tissue tumors. Overall sensitivity obtained in the study using cytology as compared to histopathology was 100%, specificity was 67%, positive predictive value was 54%, negative predictive value was 100%. Conclusions: Cytology though with pitfall, can serve as a diagnostic tool especially when a rapid diagnosis is required

Skin and Soft Tissue Infections Caused by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus USA300 Clone

An increase in SSTIs suggests that USA300 is becoming more virulent with a greater propensity to cause SSTIs

Eye typing in application: A comparison of two systems with ALS patients

A variety of eye typing systems has been developed during the last decades. Such systems can provide support for people who lost the ability to communicate, e.g. patients suffering from motor neuron diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In the current retrospective analysis, two eye typing applications were tested (EyeGaze, GazeTalk) by ALS patients (N = 4) in order to analyze objective performance measures and subjective ratings. An advantage of the EyeGaze system was found for most of the evaluated criteria. The results are discussed in respect of the special target population and in relation to requirements of eye tracking devices

Associations of clock genes polymorphisms with soft tissue sarcoma susceptibility and prognosis

BACKGROUND: Dysfunction of the circadian clock and polymorphisms of some circadian genes have been linked to cancer development and progression. We investigated the relationship between circadian genes germline variation and susceptibility or prognosis of patients with soft tissue sarcoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We considered the 14 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of 6 core circadian genes that have a minor allele frequency >\u20095% and that are known to be associated with cancer risk or prognosis. Genotyping was performed by q-PCR. Peripheral blood and clinic-pathological data were available for 162 patients with liposarcoma or leiomyosarcoma and 610 healthy donors. Associations between the selected clock genes polymorphisms and sarcoma susceptibility or prognosis were tested assuming 3 models of inheritance: additive, recessive and dominant. Subgroup analysis based on sarcoma histotype was performed under the additive genetic model. Multivariate logistic regression and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were utilized to assess the association between SNPs with patient susceptibility and survival, respectively. Pathway variation analysis was conducted employing the Adaptive Rank Truncated Product method. RESULTS: Six out of the 14 analyzed SNPs were statistically significantly associated with susceptibility or prognosis of soft tissue sarcoma (P <\u20090.05). The present analysis suggested that carriers of the minor allele of the CLOCK polymorphism rs1801260 (C) or of PER2 rs934945 (T) had a reduced predisposition to sarcoma (26% and 35% respectively with the additive model) and liposarcoma (33% and 41% respectively). The minor allele (A) of NPAS2 rs895520 was associated with an increased predisposition to sarcoma of 33% and leiomyosarcoma of 44%. RORA rs339972 C allele was associated with a decreased predisposition to develop sarcoma assuming an additive model (29%) and leiomyosarcoma (36%). PER1 rs3027178 was associated with a reduced predisposition only in liposarcoma subgroup (32%). rs7602358 located upstream PER2 was significantly associated with liposarcoma survival (HR: 1.98; 95% CI 1.02-3.85; P\u2009=\u20090.04). Germline genetic variation in the circadian pathway was associated with the risk of developing soft tissue sarcoma (P\u2009=\u20090.035). CONCLUSIONS: Genetic variation of circadian genes appears to play a role in the determinism of patient susceptibility and prognosis. These findings prompt further studies to fully dissect the molecular mechanisms