Testicular Embryonic Rhabdomyosarcoma, Case report with brief literature review

Background: Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a malignant solid tumour arising from mesenchymal tissues which normally differentiate to form striated muscle. It can occur in a wide variety of sites. It is oneof the most frequently occurring soft tissue sarcomas and commonest in children under age of 15 years1. Approximately 350 new cases are diagnosed in the United States each year2. Seven to 10% of primary genitourinary tumours are located in the para-testicular region. Scrotalrhabdomyosarcomas originating from paratesticular tissue are most frequently seen in childhood and young adults3. Paratesticular rhabdo-myosarcomas are very rare, comprising only 1: 2,000 tumours of the male genital system4. It constitutes 7% of all rhabdomysarcomas5.The disease may be subdivided into embryonal (which accounts for about 60%), pleomorphic, alveolar and botryoidal types. Embryonal RMS is most commonly found in head and neck, genitourinary and retroperitoneal sites6. The tumour is slightly more common in boys and males (11.8 per million) than in girls and females (10.3 per million)2. The age incidence varies from 21 months (Sabrazes et al, 1923) to 67 years (Prince, 1942)3. However, some had reported racial and gender differences in the incidence of RMS7. Here we report an adult male of paratesticular embryonal RMS. He was lost trace for a while till he present with advanced metastases to the retroperitonium and a multidisciplinary management was held later

The Value of Literacy Practices

The concepts of literacy events and practices have received considerable attention in educational research and policy. In comparison, the question of value, that is, ‘which literacy practices do people most value?’ has been neglected. With the current trend of cross-cultural adult literacy assessment, it is increasingly important to recognise locally valued literacy practices. In this paper we argue that measuring preferences and weighting of literacy practices provides an empirical and democratic basis for decisions in literacy assessment and curriculum development and could inform rapid educational adaptation to changes in the literacy environment. The paper examines the methodological basis for investigating literacy values and its potential to inform cross-cultural literacy assessments. The argument is illustrated with primary data from Mozambique. The correlation between individual values and respondents’ socio-economic and demographic characteristics is explored

The effect of growth on the correlation between the spinal and rib cage deformity: implications on idiopathic scoliosis pathogenesis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Numerous studies have attempted to quantify the correlation between the surface deformity and the Cobb angle without considering growth as an important factor that may influence this correlation. In our series, we noticed that in some younger referred children from the school-screening program there is a discrepancy between the thoracic scoliometer readings and the morphology of their spine. Namely there is a rib hump but no spinal curve and consequently no Cobb angle reading in radiographs, discrepancy which fades away in older children. Based on this observation, we hypothesized that in scoliotics the correlation between the rib cage deformity and this of the spine is weak in younger children and vice versa.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Eighty three girls referred on the basis of their hump reading on the scoliometer, with a mean age of 13.4 years old (range 7–18), were included in the study. The spinal deformity was assessed by measuring the thoracic Cobb angle from the postero-anterior spinal radiographs. The rib cage deformity was quantified by measuring the rib-index at the apex of the thoracic curve from the lateral spinal radiographs. The rib-index is defined as the ratio between the distance of the posterior margin of the vertebral body and the most extended point of the most projecting rib contour, divided by the distance between the posterior margin of the same vertebral body and the most protruding point of the least projecting rib contour. Statistical analysis included linear regression models with and without the effect of the variable age. We divided our sample in two subgroups, namely the younger (7–13 years old) and the older (14–18 years old) than the mean age participants. A univariate linear regression analysis was performed for each age group in order to assess the effect of age on Cobb angle and rib index correlation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Twenty five per cent of patients with an ATI more than or equal 7 degrees had a spinal curve under 10 degrees or had a straight spine. Linear regressions between the dependent variable "Thoracic Cobb angle" with the independent variable "rib-index" without the effect of the variable "age" is not statistical significant. After sample split, the linear relationship is statistically significant in the age group 14–18 years old (p < 0.03).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Growth has a significant effect in the correlation between the thoracic and the spinal deformity in girls with idiopathic scoliosis. Therefore it should be taken into consideration when trying to assess the spinal deformity from surface measurements. The findings of the present study implicate the role of the thorax, as it shows that the rib cage deformity precedes the spinal deformity in the pathogenesis of idiopathic scoliosis.</p