Papillary cystic acinic cell carcinoma: report of a rare lesion with unusual presentation

Introduction: Acinic cell carcinoma is an uncommon low grade tumour of the salivary glands that constitutes 2.5 to 4% of parotid gland tumours. Acinic cell carcinoma -Papillary cystic variant (ACC-PCV) is histologically composed of tumor with papillary and cystic growth patterns, with varying proportions of one or more cell types. It has been conferred significance because it has a poorer prognosis and is reported to be universally fatal in ten years. Case Report: We present a case of ACC-PCV in a sixteen year old male with unusual unicystic gross appearance, benign cytological picture and characteristic histopathological features .Cystic areas with papillary projection of surrounding cells showing characteristic tombstone or hobnail arrangements were seen. Discussion: The histogenesis and myriad architectural and cellular variations of ACC-PCV have been discussed along with its variegated cytomorphology which may lead to pitfalls in cytodiagnosis. The tumor may pose difficulty in histodiagnosis due to its resemblance to papillary carcinoma of the thyroi

Contraceptive efficacy and antioxidant potential of Leptadenia reticulata bark extracts in male albino rats

Birth control measures available are primarily for women which are hormonal supplements that are increasing cancer risks and reproductive health issues. Male contraceptive options are effective and available, i.e. barrier methods and vasectomy. Condoms are failure-prone and single-use, while a vasectomy is a permanent sterilization method done surgically, and reversion is not always successful and expensive. A promising oral male contraceptive drug candidate is yet to be discovered. This study investigated the contraceptive efficacy and antioxidant potential of various extracts of Leptadenia reticulata bark in male rats. To study the effects of various extracts (ethanolic and petroleum ether) of L. reticulata bark in male rats, oral administration at the dose level of 250 mg/kg body weight/ day was done for 60 days. Observations were made for body and organ weight, hematology, serum biochemical chemistry, testosterone and antioxidants, lipid profile, sperm parameters (density and motility) and histological changes (reproductive organs). As compared to control in treated groups (TP and bark petroleum ether extract), a significant reduction (P ≤ 0.001) was perceived in sperm motility and density, as well as reproductive organ weight, serum testosterone, and serum antioxidant parameters like SOD. Histological observations revealed arrest in spermatogenesis and reduced seminiferous tubule diameter, mature Leydig cells, secondary spermatogonia, and spermatids which caused a substantial increase in LPO and GSH. From the research findings, it can be concluded that bark petroleum ether extract of L. reticulata possesses contraceptive potential in male albino rats and can serve as a safe and reversible oral contraceptive for males

Atypical presentation of cystic schwannoma of the sphenoid sinus: a nonsolitary mass with osseous, intracranial and cavernous sinus invasion

Although nearly half of all schwannomas involve the head and neck region, nasal and paranasal sinus presentations are quite rarely seen. Cystic schwannoma, characterized by cyst formation lined by S-100 protein positive membrane-like structures is very uncommonly seen in sphenoid sinus with only a single previously reported case. Here we report a young patient of cystic schwannoma of the paranasal sinuses having epicenter in the sphenoid sinus. The tumor had caused extensive erosion of the skull base and paranasal sinuses and extended intracranially that radiologically mimicked as infected mucocele causing loss of vision. This case denotes the aggressive behavior of such uncommon tumors

Cavitating Leukoencephalopathy With Posterior Predominance Caused by a Deletion in the APOPT1 Gene in an Indian Boy.

A 5-year-old Indian boy presented with subacute onset regression of milestones associated with seizures and spasticity. The symptoms started after an attack of measles. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain showed cavitating leukodystrophy with posterior predominance. Molecular analysis of the APOPT1 gene, a recently described gene associated with mitochondrial leukodystrophy, showed the patient to be homozygous for a 12.82-kilobase deletion, including coding exon 3. Deletion of exon 3 produces a frameshift, predicting the translation of a truncated protein (p.Glu121Valfs*4). The patient was started on mitochondrial cocktail regimen of thiamine, riboflavin, coenzyme Q and carnitine. Although he initially showed some improvement, he died 6 months after the onset of his illness.Genetic testing for the patient was done as part of the APOPT1 research project funded by MRC (MRC-QQR grant 2015-2020 and ERC advanced grant ERC FP7-322424

Reversible cerebral and brain stem dysfunction in n: Hexane neuropathy

A 18-year-old male, screen printer by profession developed sensory motor polyneuropathy, change in his behavior, bilateral 6 th and 7 th cranial nerve palsies, down beat nystagmus and cerebellar dysarthria. He had bilaterally prolonged P100 latency; left: 137 ms; right: 144 ms. P 37 was not recordable on either side while N 20 was normal. The inter latency difference between Ipsilateral R2 and Contralateral R2 was 6.15 ms, on the left side and normal on the right side. In the follow-up, there was normalization of the blink reflex study, improvement in P100 latency [left: 114 ms; right: 120 ms.] but worsening of peripheral nerve conductions. The sequential clinical recovery was of the behavioral dysfunction, down beat nystagmus, 6 th nerve, 7 th nerve involvement and ataxia, in that order. Sural nerve biopsy showed loss of large diameter myelinated fibers

Study of biomarkers p53, Ki-67, Bcl-2, and VEGF in pterygium

Purpose: To study the biomarkers present in primary pterygium samples of patients of Indian ethnicity and compare it with the samples obtained from the unaffected conjunctiva of the same eye. Methods: A prospective case-control study of 17 eyes in patients above 10 years of age with primary pterygium who underwent pterygium excision using limbal conjunctival autograft technique. The pterygium samples (cases) and conjunctival samples (controls) were sent for immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for the following biomarkers: p53, Bcl-2, Ki-67, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Result: The immunohistochemistry of the samples and the controls revealed p53 positivity in 47.05% of pterygium samples and 29.4% of controls (P < 0.587). Nine cases each in pterygium and control samples were positive for Ki-67 expression. Differences in the staining pattern between the two groups were not statistically significant (P < 1.000). Bcl-2 positivity was seen in 10 pterygium samples (58.8%) and 12 controls (70.5%), with no statistical difference between the two groups (P < 0.455). VEGF expression was seen in both epithelial and endothelial cells of the samples and controls, with no statistical difference between the two groups, with P = 1.000 for the epithelial staining and P = 0.637 for endothelial staining. Conclusion: The expression of biomarkers was comparable in both groups. We conclude that pterygium, against common belief, might not be a localized disease process but a global ocular phenomenon where the apparently healthy tissue also has some ongoing disease process at a molecular level

Parasellar Chondrosarcoma in Three Young Patients: A Diagnosis of Caution

Parasellar chondrosarcoma is rare slowly growing intracranial tumors. A correct diagnosis of these tumors is challenging for clinician due to overlapping location and simulation of clinical presentations with much common pituitary adenomas. We are reporting three young patients diagnosed to have parasellar chondrosarcoma highlighting the pathological features of importance required for confirm diagnosis