Kompjutorizirana tomografija prostate u kunića (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Six sexually mature and healthy male New Zealand White rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), at the age of 18 months, with body mass 2.8 - 3.2 kg, were used in this imaging study. Using computed tomography, the pelvis was transversally cut from the transversal plane between the fi rst and the second sacral vertebra, with cut thickness of 2 mm. The prostate gland is a substantial soft tissue fi nding, situated dorsolaterally against the prostatic urethra. The prostate is located between the vesiculous (cranially) and bulbourethral glands (caudally). A rabbit`s prostate gland is visualized as an oval, heterogeneous, relatively hyperdense structure against the surrounding soft tissues (with exception of the rectal wall). It was observed by us on the transversal scan of the pelvis through the second sacral vertebra (dorsally), coxofemoral joints (laterally) and from the ramus cranialis of the pubic bones (ventrally). Its borders are well differentiated from the adjacent soft tissue structures. The results of computed tomography imaging of the rabbit`s prostate gland could be used as a background in the diagnostics and interpretation of prostatic disorders in this species, as well as in the use of the rabbit as an animal model for investigation of human prostatic lesions.Šest novozelandskih bijelih, spolno zrelih i zdravih kunića (Oryctolagus cuniculus) u dobi od 18 mjeseci, tjelesne mase od 2,8 do 3,2 kg rabljeni su u ovom istraživanju. Njihova zdjelica prikazana je kompjutoriziranom tomografijom poprječnim rezom u poprječnoj ravnini između prvoga i drugoga sakralnoga kralješka s debljinom prereza od 2 mm. Prostata kunića građena je od mekog tkiva, a smještena je dorzolateralno na prostatičnom dijelu uretre, između sjemenoga mjehurića (kranijalno) i bulbouretralnih žlijezda (kaudalno). Uočava se kao jajasta heterogena tvorevina, relativno veće gustoće od okolnoga mekoga tkiva (s iznimkom stijenke izlaznoga crijeva), a na transverzalnom prikazu zdjelice nalazi se na razini drugoga sakralnoga kralješka (dorzalno), koksofemoralnih zglobova (lateralno) i kranijalne grane spolnih kostiju (ventralno). Njezini rubovi lako se razlikuju od građe priležećega mekanoga tkiva. Prikaz kunićje prostate (kestenjače) kompjutoriziranom tomografijom mogao bi se rabiti kao osnova u dijagnosticiranju i tumačenju njezinih poremećaja u kunića te pri upotrebi kunića kao životinjskog modela za istraživanje oštećenja prostate u čovjeka

Ultrazvučne značajke bulbouretralnih žlijezda kunića (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

The aim of the study was to describe some of the ultrasonographic features of domestic rabbit bulbourethral glands, with regard to their relevance to reproductive pathology. The glands of ten sexually mature, clinically healthy, white, male New Zealand rabbits, aged 18 months, with body masses ranging from 2.8-3.2 kg, were investigated following anaesthesia. A perineal sonographic approach was applied. The glands were observed in two planes. They were viewed sonographically as solid, hyperechoic, heterogeneous structures. A hyperechoic gland without a hypoechoic center was visualized in sagittal section. In transverse section, normal bulbourethral glands were visualized dorsolaterally to the bulbar urethra, and a hypoechoic urethra was located ventromedially. As part of the study, the sonographic features of the bulbourethral glands were compared in a liquid isotonic medium. The analogous results of both methods allowed us to propose the use of perineal ultrasonography as a sufficiently definitive, non-invasive method for visualizing rabbit bulbourethral glands.Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je opisati neke ultrazvučne značajke bulbouretralnih žlijezda kunića s obzirom na njihovu važnost u patologiji spolnih organa. Nakon anestezije bile su pretražene žlijezde 10 spolno zrelih, klinički zdravih kunića bijele novozelandske pasmine u dobi od 18 mjeseci, tjelesne mase 2,8 - 3,2 kg. Ultrazvučna pretraga obavljena je u perinealnom području. Žlijezde su bile pretražene u dvije ravnine. Ultrazvučno su se vidjele kao dvije hiperehogene solidne, heterogene tvorevine. Hiperehogena žlijezda bez hipoehogenog centra bila je uočljiva na sagitalnoj ravnini. U poprječnoj ravnini normalne bulbouretralne žlijezde uočavale su se dorzolateralno od bulbarne uretre, a hipoehonogena uretra bila je smještena ventromedijalno.Ultrazvučne značajke bulbouretralnih žlijezda bile su uspoređivane u odnosu na izotonični tekući medij. Na osnovi postignuća sličnih rezultata dvjema metodama može se predložiti perinealni ultrazvučni pristup kao primjerena neinvazivna metoda za vizualizaciju bulbouretralnih žlijezda kunića

Relevance of laboratory testing for the diagnosis of primary immunodeficiencies: a review of case-based examples of selected immunodeficiencies

The field of primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) is one of several in the area of clinical immunology that has not been static, but rather has shown exponential growth due to enhanced physician, scientist and patient education and awareness, leading to identification of new diseases, new molecular diagnoses of existing clinical phenotypes, broadening of the spectrum of clinical and phenotypic presentations associated with a single or related gene defects, increased bioinformatics resources, and utilization of advanced diagnostic technology and methodology for disease diagnosis and management resulting in improved outcomes and survival. There are currently over 200 PIDs with at least 170 associated genetic defects identified, with several of these being reported in recent years. The enormous clinical and immunological heterogeneity in the PIDs makes diagnosis challenging, but there is no doubt that early and accurate diagnosis facilitates prompt intervention leading to decreased morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis of PIDs often requires correlation of data obtained from clinical and radiological findings with laboratory immunological analyses and genetic testing. The field of laboratory diagnostic immunology is also rapidly burgeoning, both in terms of novel technologies and applications, and knowledge of human immunology. Over the years, the classification of PIDs has been primarily based on the immunological defect(s) ("immunophenotype") with the relatively recent addition of genotype, though there are clinical classifications as well. There can be substantial overlap in terms of the broad immunophenotype and clinical features between PIDs, and therefore, it is relevant to refine, at a cellular and molecular level, unique immunological defects that allow for a specific and accurate diagnosis. The diagnostic testing armamentarium for PID includes flow cytometry - phenotyping and functional, cellular and molecular assays, protein analysis, and mutation identification by gene sequencing. The complexity and diversity of the laboratory diagnosis of PIDs necessitates many of the above-mentioned tests being performed in highly specialized reference laboratories. Despite these restrictions, there remains an urgent need for improved standardization and optimization of phenotypic and functional flow cytometry and protein-specific assays. A key component in the interpretation of immunological assays is the comparison of patient data to that obtained in a statistically-robust manner from age and gender-matched healthy donors. This review highlights a few of the laboratory assays available for the diagnostic work-up of broad categories of PIDs, based on immunophenotyping, followed by examples of disease-specific testing

Redirecting research efforts on the diversification-performance linkage: The search for synergy

We review the literature on the diversification-performance (D-P) relationship to a) propose that the time is ripe for a renewed attack on understanding the relationship between diversification and firm performance, and b) outline a new approach to attacking the question. Our paper makes four main contributions. First, through a review of the literature we establish the inherent complexities in the D-P relationship and the methodological challenges confronted by the literature in reaching its current conclusion of a non-linear relationship between diversification and performance. Second, we argue that to better guide managers the literature needs to develop along a complementary path – whereas past research has often focused on answering the big question of does diversification affect firm performance, this second path would focus more on identifying the precise micro-mechanisms through which diversification adds or subtracts value. Third, we outline a new approach to the investigation of this topic, based on (a) identifying the precise underlying mechanisms through which diversification affects performance; (b) identifying performance outcomes that are “proximate” to the mechanism that the researcher is studying, and (c) identifying an appropriate research design that can enable a causal claim. Finally, we outline a set of directions for future research

Cancer Biomarker Discovery: The Entropic Hallmark

Background: It is a commonly accepted belief that cancer cells modify their transcriptional state during the progression of the disease. We propose that the progression of cancer cells towards malignant phenotypes can be efficiently tracked using high-throughput technologies that follow the gradual changes observed in the gene expression profiles by employing Shannon's mathematical theory of communication. Methods based on Information Theory can then quantify the divergence of cancer cells' transcriptional profiles from those of normally appearing cells of the originating tissues. The relevance of the proposed methods can be evaluated using microarray datasets available in the public domain but the method is in principle applicable to other high-throughput methods. Methodology/Principal Findings: Using melanoma and prostate cancer datasets we illustrate how it is possible to employ Shannon Entropy and the Jensen-Shannon divergence to trace the transcriptional changes progression of the disease. We establish how the variations of these two measures correlate with established biomarkers of cancer progression. The Information Theory measures allow us to identify novel biomarkers for both progressive and relatively more sudden transcriptional changes leading to malignant phenotypes. At the same time, the methodology was able to validate a large number of genes and processes that seem to be implicated in the progression of melanoma and prostate cancer. Conclusions/Significance: We thus present a quantitative guiding rule, a new unifying hallmark of cancer: the cancer cell's transcriptome changes lead to measurable observed transitions of Normalized Shannon Entropy values (as measured by high-throughput technologies). At the same time, tumor cells increment their divergence from the normal tissue profile increasing their disorder via creation of states that we might not directly measure. This unifying hallmark allows, via the the Jensen-Shannon divergence, to identify the arrow of time of the processes from the gene expression profiles, and helps to map the phenotypical and molecular hallmarks of specific cancer subtypes. The deep mathematical basis of the approach allows us to suggest that this principle is, hopefully, of general applicability for other diseases