A gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) masquerading as an ovarian mass

BACKGROUND: Malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are rare mesenchymal tumors originating in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. Myogenic gastrointestinal stromal tumor, a distinctive morphologic variant is characterized by an unusually prominent myxoid stromal background. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of myxoid variant of GIST in a 42 years old woman presenting as an epigastric mass associated to an ovarian cyst and elevated CA-125. Histologically, the lesions was composed of a proliferation of spindle cells in an abundant myxoid stroma, without evidence of atypia or anaplasia. Immunohistochemical stains showed strong positive staining with muscle actin, positive staining with CD34 and weak positive staining with CD117, while showed negative for S-100. CONCLUSION: At surgery every effort should be made to identify the origin of the tumor. A complete surgical removal of the tumor should be obtained, as this is the only established treatment that offers long term survival

Visualization of Thermal Effects in Polypropylene-based Composites under Cyclic Bending Tests☆

Abstract The attention of this paper is focused on surface temperature changes which are experienced by thermoplastic composite materials under cyclic bending tests. Such changes are visualized and measured with an infrared imaging device and later analyzed to gain information which, coupled with other mechanical and/or chemical properties, may be exploited for the material characterization. In particular, thermoplastic composites based on a polypropylene matrix, which may be neat, or modified by the addition of a relatively low amount of a specific compatibilizing agent, and reinforced with glass or jute woven fibres are investigated

Congenital scoliosis associated with agenesis of the uterine cervix. Case report

BACKGROUND: Alterations in the normal sequence of development of müllerian ducts lead to a wide spectrum of reproductive tract abnormalities. A rare form of lack of development, regarding a short tract of the müllerian ducts, leads to the isolated agenesis of the uterine cervix. Anomalies identified among patients with müllerian agenesis include skeletal deformities (i.e., scoliosis of the spine and Klippel-Feil anomaly). CASE PRESENTATION: A 46 years old woman presenting cyphoscoliosis and very low stature (120 cm – 3,93 feet), came to our observation for acute pelvic pain; she also reported primary amenorrhoea associated with cyclic pelvic pain. Clinical and imaging evaluation, evidenced a blind vaginal duct of normal length, left cystic adnexal mass, and enlarged uterus with hematometra. FSH, LH, 17β estradiol and CA-125, karyotype and radiographic study of limbs and vertebral column were also evaluated. At laparotomy, a left ovarian cyst was found. Uterus ended at the isthmus; under this level a thin fibrous tissue band was found, joining the uterus to the vagina. Uterine cervix was replaced by fibrous tissue containing some dilated glands lined with müllerian epithelium. Karyotype resulted 46, XX. The described skeletal deformity, were consistent with Klippel-Feil syndrome. CONCLUSION: We report a case of congenital scoliosis associated with müllerian agenesis limited to uterine cervix, association thus far seen only among patients with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome (utero-vaginal agenesis). This case report supports the necessity to evaluate, for accompanying müllerian anomalies, all cases of congenital structural scoliosis in view of the possibility for many müllerian development abnormalities, if timely diagnosed, to be surgically corrected

Anatomical substrates and neurocognitive predictors of daily numerical abilities in mild cognitive impairment.

Patients with mild cognitive impairment experience difficulties in mathematics that affect their functioning in the activities of everyday life. What are the associated anatomical brain changes and the cognitive correlates underlying such deficits? In the present study, 33 patients with Mild Cognitive Impairments (MCI) and 29 cognitively normal controls underwent volumetric MRI, and completed the standardized battery of Numerical Activities of Daily Living (NADL) along with a comprehensive clinical neuropsychological assessment. Group differences were examined on the numerical tasks and volumetric brain measures. The gray (GM) and white matter (WM) volume correlates were also evaluated. The results showed that relative to controls, the MCI group had impairments in number comprehension, transcoding, written operations, and in daily activities involving time estimation and money usage. In the volumetric measures, group differences emerged for the transcoding subtask in the left insula and left superior temporal gyrus. Among MCI patients, number comprehension and formal numerical performance were correlated with volumetric variability in the right middle occipital areas and right frontal gyrus. Money-usage scores showed significant correlations with left mesial frontal cortex, right superior frontal and right superior temporal cortex. Regression models revealed that neuropsychological measures of long-term memory, language, visuo-spatial abilities, and abstract reasoning were predictive of the patients' decline in daily activities. The present findings suggest that early neuropathology in distributed cortical regions of the brain including frontal, temporal and occipital areas leads to a breakdown of cognitive abilities in MCI that impacts on numerical daily functioning. The findings have implications for diagnosis, clinical and domestic care of patients with MCI

Il mikweh di Rovigo

Rovigo dal '600, e per quasi due secoli, ha avuto notorietà in tutta Europa, nell'ambito appunto dei Tribunali Rabbinici, per una disputa riguardante un mikweh (bagno rituale)