Squamous cell carcinoma arising from suprapubic cystostomy: report of two cases and a narrative review of literature

Pacientes con Carcinoma de células escamosasSquamous cell carcinoma arising from Marjolin’s ulcer of the suprapubic cystostomy tract is a rare entity that usually occurs in patients with a history of spinal cord injuries and a chronic indwelling catheter. We present 2 cases of this rare entity with the clinical exams needed for diagnosis and treatment according to individual characteristics of each case. Marjolin’s ulcer is a cutaneous malignancy that arises from injured skin. The most frequent type of malignancy identified on histopathologic examination is squamous cell carcinoma (80-90%). It can develop from long-standing scars, chronic wounds, pressure ulcers, osteomyelitis, and burns. Only cases have been reported about Marjolin’s ulcer with squamous cell carcinoma at the cystostomy cite. Treatment regimens have not been standardized; cases have received individualized treatments, usually with excision, radiation, or a combination of both. There is insufficient evidence to aid in the understanding of the etiology. In addition, there is no consensus on its optimal treatment and follow-up schemes.https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1940-741Xhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1271-5612https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0158-504Xhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1877-4621https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8202-9744https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4853-3618https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0394-9644Revista Internacional - No indexadaN

miR-96 regulates the progression of differentiation in mammalian cochlear inner and outer hair cells

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs able to regulate a broad range of protein-coding genes involved in many biological processes. miR-96 is a sensory organ-specific miRNA expressed in the mammalian cochlea during development. Mutations in miR-96 cause nonsyndromic progressive hearing loss in humans and mice. The mouse mutant diminuendo has a single base change in the seed region of the Mir96 gene leading to widespread changes in the expression of many genes. We have used this mutant to explore the role of miR-96 in the maturation of the auditory organ. We found that the physiological development of mutant sensory hair cells is arrested at around the day of birth, before their biophysical differentiation into inner and outer hair cells. Moreover, maturation of the hair cell stereocilia bundle and remodelling of auditory nerve connections within the cochlea fail to occur in miR-96 mutants. We conclude that miR-96 regulates the progression of the physiological and morphological differentiation of cochlear hair cells and, as such, coordinates one of the most distinctive functional refinements of the mammalian auditory system

Thermoelectric spin voltage in graphene

In recent years, new spin-dependent thermal effects have been discovered in ferromagnets, stimulating a growing interest in spin caloritronics, a field that exploits the interaction between spin and heat currents. Amongst the most intriguing phenomena is the spin Seebeck effect, in which a thermal gradient gives rise to spin currents that are detected through the inverse spin Hall effect. Non-magnetic materials such as graphene are also relevant for spin caloritronics, thanks to efficient spin transport, energy-dependent carrier mobility and unique density of states. Here, we propose and demonstrate that a carrier thermal gradient in a graphene lateral spin valve can lead to a large increase of the spin voltage near to the graphene charge neutrality point. Such an increase results from a thermoelectric spin voltage, which is analogous to the voltage in a thermocouple and that can be enhanced by the presence of hot carriers generated by an applied current. These results could prove crucial to drive graphene spintronic devices and, in particular, to sustain pure spin signals with thermal gradients and to tune the remote spin accumulation by varying the spin-injection bias

Two-Centered Magical Charge Orbits

We determine the two-centered generic charge orbits of magical N = 2 and maximal N = 8 supergravity theories in four dimensions. These orbits are classified by seven U-duality invariant polynomials, which group together into four invariants under the horizontal symmetry group SL(2,R). These latter are expected to disentangle different physical properties of the two-centered black-hole system. The invariant with the lowest degree in charges is the symplectic product (Q1,Q2), known to control the mutual non-locality of the two centers.Comment: 1+17 pages, 1 Table; v2: Eq. (3.23) corrected; v3: various refinements in text and formulae, caption of Table 1 expanded, Footnote and Refs. added. To appear on JHE

Identification of fetal DNA and cells in skin lesions from women with systemic sclerosis

BACKGROUND: Systemic sclerosis is a disease of unknown origin which often occurs in women after their childbearing years. It has many clinical and histopathological similarities to chronic graft-versus-host disease. Recent studies indicate that fetal stem cells can survive in the maternal circulation for many years post partum. This finding suggests that fetal cells persisting in the maternal circulation or tissues could be involved in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis by initiating a graft-versus-host reaction. METHODS: We used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify Y-chromosome sequences in DNA extracted from peripheral-blood cells and skin lesions from women with systemic sclerosis of recent onset. To confirm the PCR findings, we used fluorescence in situ hybridization of peripheral-blood cells and cells within chronic inflammatory-cell infiltrates in biopsy specimens of affected skin. RESULTS: Y-chromosome sequences were found in DNA from peripheral-blood cells in 32 of 69 women with systemic sclerosis (46 percent), as compared with 1 of 25 normal women (4 percent, P\u3c0.001), and in T lymphocytes from 3 women with systemic sclerosis who had male offspring. Furthermore, Y-chromosome sequences were identified in skin-biopsy specimens from 11 of 19 women with systemic sclerosis (58 percent); 9 of the 11 were known to have carried male fetuses. Nucleated cells containing Y chromosomes were detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization in paraffin-embedded sections of skin lesions from all seven women we tested whose skin-biopsy specimens contained Y-chromosome sequences. CONCLUSIONS: Fetal antimaternal graft-versus-host reactions may be involved in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis in some women

Theoretical survey of tidal-charged black holes at the LHC

We analyse a family of brane-world black holes which solve the effective four-dimensional Einstein equations for a wide range of parameters related to the unknown bulk/brane physics. We first constrain the parameters using known experimental bounds and, for the allowed cases, perform a numerical analysis of their time evolution, which includes accretion through the Earth. The study is aimed at predicting the typical behavior one can expect if such black holes were produced at the LHC. Most notably, we find that, under no circumstances, would the black holes reach the (hazardous) regime of Bondi accretion. Nonetheless, the possibility remains that black holes live long enough to escape from the accelerator (and even from the Earth's gravitational field) and result in missing energy from the detectors.Comment: RevTeX4, 12 pages, 4 figures, 5 tables, minor changes to match the accepted version in JHE

Mesopredator Release by an Emergent Superpredator: A Natural Experiment of Predation in a Three Level Guild

Chakarov N, Krüger O. Mesopredator Release by an Emergent Superpredator: A Natural Experiment of Predation in a Three Level Guild. PLoS ONE. 2010;5(12): e15229.Background: Intraguild predation (IGP) is widespread but it is often neglected that guilds commonly include many layers of dominance within. This could obscure the effects of IGP making unclear whether the intermediate or the bottom mesopredator will bear higher costs from the emergence of a new top predator. Methodology/Principal Findings: In one of the most extensive datasets of avian IGP, we analyse the impact of recolonization of a superpredator, the eagle owl Bubo bubo on breeding success, territorial dynamics and population densities of two mesopredators, the northern goshawk Accipiter gentilis and its IG prey, the common buzzard Buteo buteo. The data covers more than two decades and encompass three adjacent plots. Eagle owls only recolonized the central plot during the second decade, thereby providing a natural experiment. Both species showed a decrease in standardized reproductive success and an increase in brood failure within 1.5 km of the superpredator. During the second decade, territory dynamics of goshawks was significantly higher in the central plot compared to both other plots. No such pattern existed in buzzards. Goshawk density in the second decade decreased in the central plot, while it increased in both other plots. Buzzard density in the second decade rapidly increased in the north, remained unchanged in the south and increased moderately in the center in a probable case of mesopredator release. Conclusions/Significance: Our study finds support for top-down control on the intermediate mesopredator and both top-down and bottom-up control of the bottom mesopredator. In the face of considerable costs of IGP, both species probably compete to breed in predator-free refugia, which get mostly occupied by the dominant raptor. Therefore for mesopredators the outcome of IGP might depend directly on the number of dominance levels which supersede them

Predictive value of less than moderate residual mitral regurgitation as assessed by transesophageal echocardiography for the short-term outcomes of patients with mitral regurgitation treated with mitral valve repair

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Traditionally, in patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) a successful mitral valve repair is considered when residual MR by post-pump transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is less than moderate or absent. Little is known about the prognostic value of less than moderate (mild or mild-to-moderate) residual MR for the early outcome of patients treated with mitral valve repair.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Eligible for this study were patients undergoing isolated mitral valve repair. Patients with moderate or severe residual MR after valve repair were excluded. The primary endpoint of the study was the composite of death or need of reintervention.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 98 patients (54 with no residual MR-Group 1, and 44 with less than moderate residual MR-Group 2) were analyzed. Of these, 72% presented with New York Heart Association (NYHA) 3/4, and 38% were women. The primary endpoint of the study occurred in 3 (5.5%) patients in Group 1 and 6 (13.6%) patients in Group 2 MR (<it>P </it>= 0.31). There was a trend toward a higher incidence of use of inotropic drugs post-interventional (<it>P </it>= 0.12), and a longer hospital stay among patients with less than moderate residual MR (<it>P </it>= 0.18).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In our study population, patients with less than moderate residual MR had a trend toward a higher risk of early adverse outcomes as compared with patients with no residual MR by post-pump TEE. Studies with a larger patient population and longer follow-up data may be useful to better define the clinical significance of residual mild MR after mitral vale repair.</p

Education can improve the negative perception of a threatened long-lived scavenging bird, the Andean condor

Human-wildlife conflicts currently represent one of the main conservation problems for wildlife species around the world. Vultures have serious conservation concerns, many of which are related to people's adverse perception about them due to the belief that they prey on livestock. Our aim was to assess local perception and the factors influencing people's perception of the largest scavenging bird in South America, the Andean condor. For this, we interviewed 112 people from Valle Fértil, San Juan province, a rural area of central west Argentina. Overall, people in the area mostly have an elementary education, and their most important activity is livestock rearing. The results showed that, in general, most people perceive the Andean condor as an injurious species and, in fact, some people recognize that they still kill condors. We identified two major factors that affect this perception, the education level of villagers and their relationship with livestock ranching. Our study suggests that conservation of condors and other similar scavengers depends on education programs designed to change the negative perception people have about them. Such programs should be particularly focused on ranchers since they are the ones who have the worst perception of these scavengers. We suggest that highlighting the central ecological role of scavengers and recovering their cultural value would be fundamental to reverse their persecution and their negative perception by people.Fil: Cailly Arnulphi, Verónica Beatríz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Centro de Investigaciones de la Geosfera y Biosfera. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones de la Geosfera y Biosfera; ArgentinaFil: Lambertucci, Sergio Agustin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; ArgentinaFil: Borghi, Carlos Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Centro de Investigaciones de la Geosfera y Biosfera. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones de la Geosfera y Biosfera; Argentin

Targeted Drug Delivery by Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin: Mechanism-Based Mathematical Model for Treatment Strategy Improvement and Therapy Individualization

Gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO) is a chemotherapy-conjugated anti-CD33 monoclonal antibody effective in some patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The optimal treatment schedule and optimal timing of GO administration relative to other agents remains unknown. Conventional pharmacokinetic analysis has been of limited insight for the schedule optimization. We developed a mechanism-based mathematical model and employed it to analyze the time-course of free and GO-bound CD33 molecules on the lekemic blasts in individual AML patients treated with GO. We calculated expected intravascular drug exposure (I-AUC) as a surrogate marker for the response to the drug. A high CD33 production rate and low drug efflux were the most important determinants of high I-AUC, characterizing patients with favorable pharmacokinetic profile and, hence, improved response. I-AUC was insensitive to other studied parameters within biologically relevant ranges, including internalization rate and dissociation constant. Our computations suggested that even moderate blast burden reduction prior to drug administration enables lowering of GO doses without significantly compromising intracellular drug exposure. These findings indicate that GO may optimally be used after cyto-reductive chemotherapy, rather than before, or concomitantly with it, and that GO efficacy can be maintained by dose reduction to 6 mg/m2 and a dosing interval of 7 days. Model predictions are validated by comparison with the results of EORTC-GIMEMA AML19 clinical trial, where two different GO schedules were administered. We suggest that incorporation of our results in clinical practice can serve identification of the subpopulation of elderly patients who can benefit most of the GO treatment and enable return of the currently suspended drug to clinic