Nasal cavity lobular capillary hemangioma due to insect sting

SummaryIntroductionLobular capillary hemangioma is a frequent benign vascular inflammatory lesion of the skin tissue. It rarely reaches the mucous membrane, and the nasal fossa involvement is exceptional.Case reportA 68-year-old woman presented with an ulcerous hemorrhagic mass blocking the left nasal fossa, which had appeared a few weeks after a wasp sting in the nose. The insect was evacuated only three weeks after the sting. The clinical and radiological data suggested malignancy. Biopsy under local anesthesia proved non-contributory and was complicated by 1 week's hospitalization for severe nosebleed. Surgical excision under video-endoscopy confirmed diagnosis. At 31 months’ follow-up, the patient was free of recurrence.Discussion/conclusionThe pathogeny of lobular capillary hemangioma is uncertain. No previous cases affecting the mucous membrane after insect sting have been reported. Except in the typical contexts of long-term packing or pregnancy, diagnosis can be difficult and misleading. It can mimic a malignant pathology. Its rich vascularization requires caution during biopsy, and the risk of recurrence requires excision to be complete

Synthesis and anticancer activity of CDDO and CDDO-me, two derivatives of natural triterpenoids

Triterpenoids are natural compounds synthesized by plants through cyclization of squalene, known for their weak anti-inflammatory activity. 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oic acid (CDDO), and its C28 modified derivative, methyl-ester (CDDO-Me, also known as bardoxolone methyl), are two synthetic derivatives of oleanolic acid, synthesized more than 20 years ago, in an attempt to enhance the anti-inflammatory behavior of the natural compound. These molecules have been extensively investigated for their strong ability to exert antiproliferative, antiangiogenic, and antimetastatic activities, and to induce apoptosis and differentiation in cancer cells. Here, we discuss the chemical properties of natural triterpenoids, the pathways of synthesis and the biological effects of CDDO and its derivative CDDO-Me. At nanomolar doses, CDDO and CDDO-Me have been shown to protect cells and tissues from oxidative stress by increasing the transcriptional activity of the nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2). At doses higher than 100 nM, CDDO and CDDO-Me are able to modulate the differentiation of a variety of cell types, both tumor cell lines or primary culture cell, while at micromolar doses these compounds exert an anticancer effect in multiple manners; by inducing extrinsic or intrinsic apoptotic pathways, or autophagic cell death, by inhibiting telomerase activity, by disrupting mitochondrial functions through Lon protease inhibition, and by blocking the deubiquitylating enzyme USP7. CDDO-Me demonstrated its efficacy as anticancer drugs in different mouse models, and versus several types of cancer. Several clinical trials have been started in humans for evaluating CDDO-Me efficacy as anticancer and anti-inflammatory drug; despite promising results, significant increase in heart failure events represented an obstacle for the clinical use of CDDO-Me

Luz e temperatura na germinação de sementes de pimenta longa (Piper hispidinervum) e pimenta-de-macaco (Piper aduncum).

As espécies Piper hispidinervum e Piper aduncum destacam-se como produtoras de óleos essenciais ricos em compostos de interesse às indústrias de perfumaria e produtos fitossanitários, como o safrol e dilapiol. Essas espécies encontram-se em processo de domesticação e estudos sobre o processo germinativo de suas sementes são escassos. Assim, objetivou-se com o presente trabalho avaliar a viabilidade de sementes de P. hispidinervum e P. aduncum, buscando determinar um protocolo eficiente para a realização do teste de germinação para cada espécie estudada. O trabalho foi conduzido no período de julho a agosto de 2008, sendo as sementes submetidas a diferentes combinações de temperatura e de luz: 20 °C e 25 °C sob luz branca e difusa; e 20-30 °C alternando escuro (16 h) e claro (8 h), totalizando cinco tratamentos. O tratamento utilizando a temperatura de 25 °C com incidência de luz branca foi o que produziu melhores resultados, com maiores valores de porcentagem e velocidade de germinação sendo, portanto, indicado para avaliação da qualidade fisiológica das sementes de pimenta longa e pimenta-de-macaco

Systemic Blood Pressure Trends and Antihypertensive Utilization Following Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation: an Analysis of the Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support

Background: Elevated systemic blood pressure (SBP) has been linked to complications in Continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVADs), including stroke and pump thrombosis. We queried Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) to describe the response of SBP to CF-LVAD implantation and to delineate contemporary trends in antihypertensive (AH) utilization for patients with these pumps. Methods: We identified all CF-LVAD implantations in patients older than 18 years from 2006-2014, excluding those whose durations were less than 30 days. Pre-implant patient demographics and characteristics were obtained for each record. SBPs [i.e., mean arterial pressures (MAPs)], AH-use data, and vital status were tabulated, extending up to 5 years following implantation. Results: A total of 10,329 CF-LVAD implantations were included for study. Post-implant, SBPs increased rapidly during the first 3 months but plateaued thereafter; AH utilization mirrored this trend. By 6 months, mean MAPs climbed 12.2% from 77.6 mmHg (95% CI: 77.4-77.8) pre-implantation to 87.1 mmHg (95% CI: 86.7-87.4) and patients required a mean of 1.8 AH medications (95% CI: 1.75-1.78) -a 125% increase from AH use at 1-week post-implantation (0.8 AHs/patient, 95% CI: 0.81-0.83) but a 5.3% decrease from pre-implant utilization (1.9 AHs/patient, 95% CI: 1.90-1.92). Once medication changes stabilized, the most common AH regimens were lone beta blockade (15%, n=720) and a beta blocker plus an ACE inhibitor (14%, n=672). Conclusions: SBP rises rapidly after CF-LVAD implantation, stabilizing after 3 months, and is matched by concomitant changes in AH utilization; this AH use has increased over consecutive implant years

A DNA Tool for the Identification of Heavily Exploited Atlantic Billfishes

Due to the morphological similarities among species, the International Commission for the Conservation of the Atlantic Tunas has recommended the use of diagnostic molecular tools to allow for robust species-level identifications of the billfishes. In this study, a protocol for the molecular identification of all six Atlantic billfishes was developed utilizing a PCR–RFLP approach, targeting the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1. A survey of 28 restriction endonucleases identified two enzymes (TaqI and HaeIII) that produced species-specific banding patterns sufficient to distinguish species. The protocol was validated against billfishes captured across their Atlantic distributions