Microsurgical third ventriculocisternostomy as an alternative to ETV: report of two cases

OBJECTIVE: To describe a microsurgical alternative to endoscopic third ventriculocisternostomy. METHODS: Two children with shunt-dependent hydrocephalus and multiple shunt revisions were considered candidates for third ventriculocisternostomy (TVS). Because of slit ventricles, an endoscopic approach was not possible and, therefore, both patients received a microsurgical TVS by a supraorbital approach. RESULTS: In both cases, microsurgical TVS was successful and the patients became shunt free. CONCLUSION: Microsurgical TVS by a supraorbital craniotomy is a viable alternative to endoscopic TVS in selected cases

Acute abdominal pain presenting as a rare appendiceal duplication: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Appendiceal duplication is a rare anomaly that can manifest as right lower quadrant pain. There are several variations described for this condition. We recommend aggressive operative management should this anatomical variation present in the presence of acute appendicitis.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report the case of a 15-year-old African American girl who presented to our hospital with right lower quadrant pain and was subsequently found to have appendiceal duplication.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There are two categorical systems that have described and stratified appendiceal duplication. Both classification systems have been outlined and referenced in this case report. A computed tomography scan has been included to provide a visual aid to help identify true vermiform appendiceal duplication. The presence of this anatomical abnormality is not a reason for surgical intervention; however, should this be found in the setting of acute appendicitis, aggressive resection of both appendices is mandatory.</p

Plant-expressed virus-like particles reveal the intricate maturation process of a eukaryotic virus.

Many virus capsids undergo exquisitely choreographed maturation processes in their host cells to produce infectious virions, and these remain poorly understood. As a tool for studying virus maturation, we transiently expressed the capsid protein of the insect virus Nudaurelia capensis omega virus (NωV) in Nicotiana benthamiana and were able to purify both immature procapsids and mature capsids from infiltrated leaves by varying the expression time. Cryo-EM analysis of the plant-produced procapsids and mature capsids to 6.6 Å and 2.7 Å resolution, respectively, reveals that in addition to large scale rigid body motions, internal regions of the subunits are extensively remodelled during maturation, creating the active site required for autocatalytic cleavage and infectivity. The mature particles are biologically active in terms of their ability to lyse membranes and have a structure that is essentially identical to authentic virus. The ability to faithfully recapitulate and visualize a complex maturation process in plants, including the autocatalytic cleavage of the capsid protein, has revealed a ~30 Å translation-rotation of the subunits during maturation as well as conformational rearrangements in the N and C-terminal helical regions of each subunit

Androgen receptor expression in male breast carcinoma: lack of clinicopathological association

Androgen receptor (AR) expression was retrospectively analysed in 47 primary male breast carcinomas (MBCs) using a monoclonal antibody on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues. AR immunopositivity was detected in 16 out of 47 (34%) cases. No association was found with patient age, tumour stage, progesterone receptor (PGR) or p53 protein expression. Well-differentiated MBCs tended to be AR positive more often than poorly differentiated ones (P= 0.08). A negative association was found between ARs and cell proliferative activity: MIB-1 scores were higher (25.4%) in AR-negative than in AR-positive cases (21.11%; P= 0.04). A strong positive association (P= 0.0001) was found between ARs and oestrogen receptors (ERs). In univariate analysis, ARs (as well as ERs and PGRs) were not correlated with overall survival; tumour histological grade (P= 0.02), size (P= 0.01), p53 expression (P= 0.0008) and MIB-1 scores (P= 0.0003) had strong prognostic value. In multivariate survival analysis, only p53 expression (P= 0.002) and histological grade (P= 0.02) retained independent prognostic significance. In conclusion, the lack of association between AR and most clinicopathological features and survival, together with the absence of prognostic value for ER/PGR status, suggest that MBCs are biologically different from female breast carcinomas and make it questionable to use antihormonal therapy for patients with MBC. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig