Prenatal Diagnosis of Isolated Agnathia-Otocephaly: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Agnathia is a rare disease characterized by the absence of a mandible. Few cases of prenatally diagnosed isolated agnathia have been reported. We present a case report and review of the literature of prenatally diagnosed agnathia. A 38-year-old woman (gravida 0, para 0) was referred to our hospital at 28 weeks and 3 days of gestation for fetal evaluation because of polyhydramnios and suspected facial anomalies. Three-dimensional ultrasonography and MRI indicated agnathia. Premature rupture of the membranes occurred before the parents could reach a decision on the postnatal treatment. We performed emergency cesarean section on the second day of the 33rd week of gestation. The neonate was deemed nonresuscitable and he died of airway obstruction shortly after birth. Because agnathia is associated with very poor prognosis, accurate prenatal diagnosis and detailed counseling should be promptly provided before unexpected delivery to the parents for the determination of postnatal treatment

Gas Embolism Caused by Portal Vein Gas: Case Report and Literature Review

Introduction: We describe a case of pulmonary gas embolism caused by portal vein gas (PVG) observed using echocardiography. Echography revealed gas flowing through the hepatic vein, inferior vena cava, right atrium, and right ventricle, as well as pulmonary hypertension. The patient was diagnosed as having pulmonary gas embolism caused by PVG. Objective: We consider PVG routes to pulmonary circulation, diagnosis of gas embolism caused by PVG, and treatment of gas embolism caused by PVG.Methods: We reviewed reports of eight cases of gas embolism caused by PVG and compared these cases to cases of gas embolism without PVG. Results: Mortality of gas embolism caused by PVG was 67%, positive blood culture was observed in six cases, and pulmonary edema was seen in three cases. PVG initially excites microbubble formation, which causes tissue damage in the liver and liver abscess. A large volume of PVG causes portal obstruction. As a result, portal hypertension, a portosystemic shunt or gastrointestinal congestion can occur. PVG can travel to the systemic vein through the liver or portosystemic shunt without anomaly and cause pulmonary gas embolism, followed by arterial embolism. In this environment, sepsis easily occurs. Echocardiography is useful for diagnosis of gas embolism caused by PVG, but the gas can be seen intermittently. The view of pulmonary edema is important for pulmonary gas embolism caused by PVG. Conclusion: It is important to treat the underlying disease, but PVG must be considered and treated as the gas embolism’s source

Homeostatic Mass Control in Gastric Non-Neoplastic Epithelia under Infection of Helicobacter pylori: An Immunohistochemical Analysis of Cell Growth, Stem Cells and Programmed Cell Death

We evaluated homeostatic mass control in non-neoplastic gastric epithelia under Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection in the macroscopically normal-appearing mucosa resected from the stomach with gastric cancer, immunohistochemically analyzing the proliferation, kinetics of stem cells and programmed cell death occurring in them. Ki67 antigen-positive proliferating cells were found dominantly in the elongated neck portion, sparsely in the fundic areas and sporadically in the stroma with chronic infiltrates. CD117 could monitor the kinetics of gastric stem cells and showed its expression in two stages of gastric epithelial differentiation, namely, in transient cells from the gastric epithelial stem cells to the foveolar and glandular cells in the neck portion and in what are apparently progenitor cells from the gastric stem cells in the stroma among the infiltrates. Most of the nuclei were positive for ssDNA in the almost normal mucosa, suggesting DNA damage. Cleaved caspase-3-positive foveolar cells were noted under the surface, suggesting the suppression of apoptosis in the surface foveolar cells. Besides such apoptosis of the foveolar cells, in the severely inflamed mucosa apoptotic cells were found in the neck portion where most of the cells were Ki67 antigen-positive proliferating cells. Beclin-1 was recognized in the cytoplasm and in a few nuclei of the fundic glandular cells, suggesting their autophagic cell death and mutated beclin-1 in the nuclei. Taken together, the direct and indirect effects of HP infection on the gastric epithelial proliferation, differentiation and programmed cell death suggested the in-situ occurrence of gastric cancer under HP infection

Serum midkine levels are increased in patients with various types of carcinomas

The level of expression of midkine (MK), a heparin-binding growth factor, is increased in many types of human carcinomas. An enzyme-linked immunoassay, which utilizes a combination of rabbit and chicken antibodies revealed that serum MK level in the controls (n= 135) was 0.154 ± 0.076 (mean ± SD) ng ml–1with an apparent cut-off value as 0.5 ng ml–1. Serum MK level was significantly elevated in the cancer patients (n= 150) (P< 0.001); 87% of the patients showed levels of more than 0.5 ng ml–1. All ten types of cancer examined showed a similar profile of serum MK level. There was no or weak correlation between C-reactive protein level, a marker of inflammation, and serum MK level. Furthermore, in case of gastric carcinoma and lung carcinoma, patients with stage I carcinoma already showed elevated serum MK levels. The present results indicated that serum MK could serve as a general tumour marker with a good potential for clinical application. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

The particularities of protein fraction in the apoptosis of lymphocytes of patients with Asthma

The emergence of various diseases specifically severe diseases such as bronchial asthma is associated with apoptosis of lymphocytes. One of the major biochemical features of apoptosis is chromosome DNA fragmentation implemented by apoptotic nucleases. The inactivation of these apoptotic nucleases produces undigested DNA and is linked to a number of autoimmune disorders. Instead of this we have studied the enzymatic activities of the cytoplasmic and nucleic proteins of lymphocytes from healthy donors and patients with bronchial asthma. The study of enzymatic activities of the nuclease of lymphocytes was assessed by flow cytometry, spectrofluorimetiy and electrophoresis method in agarose gel. In the peripheral blood cells of healthy donors undergoing apoptosis, we found a DNAse activated by Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions. Lymphocytes of patients with bronchial asthma contain DNAses, the activity of which depends on the seriousness of the desease. In patients cells, the activity of the Mn2+-dependent DNAse increases, whereas the activity of the Ca2+, Mg2+-dependent DNase decreases. Taking into consideration the role of the Ca2+, Mg2+-dependent DNAse in apoptosis, we can propose that there is a link between the reduction of the rate of apoptosis of lymphocytes in patients with bronchial asthma and the dysfunction of the induction of "apoptotical" Ca2+, Mg2+-dependent nuclease. According to the results obtained, we can assume that why apoptosis of lymphocytes resist in patients with bronchial asthma is a reduction in concentration of endocellular calcium and an increase of manganese ions content, which results in the triggering of activation mechanism for Mn2+-dependent endonuclease activity. This leads to the change of DNA fragmentation nature in lymphocytes and as a consequence, to disorders in process of apoptotic bodies' formation, thus, hindering apoptosis of lymphocytes in patients with bronchial asthma. © 2013 Asian Network for Scientific Information