The Morphologic Assessment of Rectal Neuroendocrine Tumors

AbstractBackground and aimsThe histopathologic features of rectal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), including size, lymphovascular invasion, invasion of proper muscle, and mitotic rate, have a limited role to play in determining a treatment plan preoperatively. We aimed to investigate the morphologic parameters associated with metastasis, and to evaluate their predictive value.MethodsBetween January 2000 and May 2011, the medical records and endoscopic findings of 468 patients presenting with rectal NETs at the Samsung Medical Center were analyzed retrospectively. All tumors were classified according to size and endoscopic features such as color, shape, contour, and surface change.ResultsTwenty-one of the 468 patients (4.5%) with rectal NETs had lymph node (LN) metastasis and 11 patients (2.4%) had distant metastasis. Risk factors for metastasis included tumor size (≥10mm in diameter), hyperemic change, polypoid lesions, irregular contours, and surface ulceration (p=0.000). Independent risk factors that were predictive of metastasis on multivariate analysis included tumor size (≥10mm in diameter), hyperemic change, and surface ulceration. As the number of independent risk factors for metastasis increased, the risk of metastasis rose.ConclusionsEndoscopic features such as hyperemic change, polypoid lesions, irregular contours, and surface ulcers with tumor size ≥10mm in diameter are associated with metastasis in rectal NETs. In particular, atypical endoscopic features including hyperemic change, and surface ulcer with tumor size ≥10mm in diameter may help to predict the risk of metastasis of rectal NETs

Acute post-cardiopulmonary bypass left atrial thrombosis after mitral valvuloplasty and left atrial thrombectomy

A patient with mitral stenosis and multiple left atrial thrombi underwent valvuloplasty and thrombectomy. While closing the sternum after completing the cardiopulmonary bypass, a new left atrial thrombus was detected by transesophageal echocardiography. We used heparin for the prevention of new thrombus formation and closed the wound after meticulous bleeding control. Three months later, there was no residual thrombus in the left atrium according to the echocardiographic study

Generalizations of Choi's Orthogonal Latin Squares and Their Magic Squares

Choi Seok-Jeong studied Latin squares at least 60 years earlier than Euler. He introduced a pair of orthogonal Latin squares of order 9 in his book. Interestingly, his two orthogonal non-diagonal Latin squares produce a magic square of order 9, whose theoretical reason was not studied. There have been a few studies on Choi's Latin squares of order 9. The most recent one is Ko-Wei Lih's construction of Choi's Latin squares of order 9 based on two $3 \times 3$ orthogonal Latin squares. In this paper, we give a new generalization of Choi's orthogonal Latin squares of order 9 to orthogonal Latin squares of size $n^2$ using the Kronecker product including Lih's construction. We find a geometric description of Chois' orthogonal Latin squares of order 9 using the dihedral group $D_8$. We also give a new way to construct magic squares from two orthogonal non-diagonal Latin square, which explains why Choi's Latin squares produce a magic square of order 9.Comment: 18 pages revised slightly from Dec. 5, 2018 versio

Soft Tissue Surgery for Equinus Deformity in Spastic Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy: Effects on Kinematic and Kinetic Parameters

The purpose of this study was to evaluate how soft tissue surgery for correcting equinus deformity affects the kinematic and kinetic parameters of the ankle and proximal joints. Sixteen children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy and equinus deformities (age range 3-16 years) were included. Soft tissue surgeries were performed exclusively on the ankle joint area in all subjects. Using computerized gait analysis (Vicon 370 Motion Analysis System), the kinematic and kinetic parameters during barefoot ambulation were collected preoperatively and postoperatively. In all 16 children, the abnormally increased ankle plantar flexion and pelvis anterior tilting on the sagittal plane were significantly improved without a weakening of push-off (p < 0.05). In a group of 8 subjects with a recurvatum knee gait pattern before operation, the postoperative kinematic and kinetic parameters of the knee joint were significantly improved (p < 0.05). In a group of 8 subjects with ipsilateral pelvic external rotation before operation, the postoperative pelvic deviations on the transverse plane were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that the soft tissue surgery for correcting equinus deformity improves not only the abnormal gait pattern of the ankle, but also that of the knee and pelvis

Assembly of different length of polyubiquitins on the catalytic cysteine of E2 enzymes without E3 ligase; a novel application of non-reduced/reduced 2-dimensional electrophoresis

AbstractIn this study using non-reduced/reduced 2-dimensional electrophoresis (NR/R-2DE), we clearly demonstrated that E3-independent ubiquitination by Ube2K produced not only unanchored but also Ube2K-linked polyubiquitins through thioester and isopeptide bonds. E3-independent assembly of polyubiquitins on the catalytic cysteine of Ube2K strongly supports the possibility of ‘en bloc transfer’ for polyubiquitination. From the same analyses of E3-independent ubiquitination products by other E2s, we also found that different lengths of polyubiquitins were linked to different E2s through thioester bond; longer chains by Cdc34 like Ube2K, short chains by Ube2g2, and mono-ubiquitin by UbcH10. Our results suggest that E2s possess the different intrinsic catalytic activities for polyubiquitination

First Confirmed Report of Powdery Mildew Caused by Erysiphe aquilegiae on Casuarina cunninghamiana in Argentina

Casuarina cunninghamiana Miq. (Fam. Casuarinaceae) is native to Australia and was introduced to Argentina and used as a windbreak, shade tree and for ornamental purposes. In autumn 2009, the potted seedlings in the nursery of La Plata University were found to be infected with a powdery mildew. Symptoms first appeared as thin white colonies, which subsequently developed into an abundant growth on the leaves and young stems. The damage caused by the powdery mildew infection has been observed every year after this initial infection and was again confirmed in April, 2011. There have been a few reports on the presence of powdery mildew on Casuarina spp. (Mantz et al., 2008; Farr and Rossman, 2011). In all the reports, the pathogen was cited to be Oidium sp. Thus, the aim of this work was to identify the causal agent of the powdery mildew observed on casuarina in Argentina