Pre-Micro RNA Signatures Delineate Stages of Endothelial Cell Transformation in Kaposi Sarcoma

MicroRNAs (miRNA) have emerged as key regulators of cell lineage differentiation and cancer. We used precursor miRNA profiling by a novel real-time QPCR method (i) to define progressive stages of endothelial cell transformation cumulating in Kaposi sarcoma (KS) and (ii) to identify specific miRNAs that serve as biomarkers for tumor progression. We were able to compare primary patient biopsies to well-established culture and mouse tumor models. Loss of mir-221 and gain of mir-15 expression demarked the transition from merely immortalized to fully tumorigenic endothelial cells. Mir-140 and Kaposi sarcoma–associated herpesvirus viral miRNAs increased linearly with the degree of transformation. Mir-24 emerged as a biomarker specific for KS

Atrial fibrillation in immigrant groups::a cohort study of all adults 45 years of age and older in Sweden

To study the association between country of birth and incident atrial fibrillation (AF) in several immigrant groups in Sweden. The study population included all adults (n = 3,226,752) aged 45 years and older in Sweden. AF was defined as having at least one registered diagnosis of AF in the National Patient Register. The incidence of AF in different immigrant groups, using Swedish-born as referents, was assessed by Cox regression, expressed in hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). All models were stratified by sex and adjusted for age, geographical residence in Sweden, educational level, marital status, and neighbourhood socioeconomic status. Compared to their Swedish-born counterparts, higher incidence of AF [HR (95% CI)] was observed among men from Bosnia 1.74 (1.56-1.94) and Latvia 1.29 (1.09-1.54), and among women from Iraq 1.96 (1.67-2.31), Bosnia 1.88 (1.61-1.94), Finland 1.14 (1.11-1.17), Estonia 1.14 (1.05-1.24) and Germany 1.08 (1.03-1.14). Lower incidence of AF was noted among men (HRs ≤ 0.60) from Iceland, Southern Europe (especially Greece, Italy and Spain), Latin America (especially Chile), Africa, Asia (including Iraq, Turkey, Lebanon and Iran), and among women from Nordic countries (except Finland), Southern Europe, Western Europe (except Germany), Africa, North America, Latin America, Iran, Lebanon and other Asian countries (except Turkey and Iraq). In conclusion, we observed substantial differences in incidence of AF between immigrant groups and the Swedish-born population. A greater awareness of the increased risk of AF development in some immigrant groups may enable for a timely diagnosis, treatment and prevention of its debilitating complications, such as stroke

Guidelines for autopsy investigation of sudden cardiac death: 2017 update from the Association for European Cardiovascular Pathology.

Although sudden cardiac death (SCD) is one of the most important modes of death in Western countries, pathologists and public health physicians have not given this problem the attention it deserves. New methods of preventing potentially fatal arrhythmias have been developed and the accurate diagnosis of the causes of SCD is now of particular importance. Pathologists are responsible for determining the precise cause and mechanism of sudden death but there is still considerable variation in the way in which they approach this increasingly complex task. The Association for European Cardiovascular Pathology has developed these guidelines, which represent the minimum standard that is required in the routine autopsy practice for the adequate investigation of SCD. The present version is an update of our original article, published 10 years ago. This is necessary because of our increased understanding of the genetics of cardiovascular diseases, the availability of new diagnostic methods, and the experience we have gained from the routine use of the original guidelines. The updated guidelines include a detailed protocol for the examination of the heart and recommendations for the selection of histological blocks and appropriate material for toxicology, microbiology, biochemistry, and molecular investigation. Our recommendations apply to university medical centers, regionals hospitals, and all healthcare professionals practicing pathology and forensic medicine. We believe that their adoption throughout Europe will improve the standards of autopsy practice, allow meaningful comparisons between different communities and regions, and permit the identification of emerging patterns of diseases causing SCD. Finally, we recommend the development of regional multidisciplinary networks of cardiologists, geneticists, and pathologists. Their role will be to facilitate the identification of index cases with a genetic basis, to screen appropriate family members, and ensure that appropriate preventive strategies are implemented

2017 HRS/EHRA/ECAS/APHRS/SOLAECE expert consensus statement on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation: executive summary.

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Pantoea agglomerans infection behaving like a tumor after plant thorn injury: An unusual presentation

Pantoea agglomerans infections in humans are uncommon. Most common infections reported are septic arthritis or synovitis. We report the case of a 25-year-old, healthy male, who presented with indurated swelling over the posterolateral aspect of his right thigh, associated with pain for one month. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed muscle edema with cystic areas in the posterior-most part of the vastus lateralis of the right thigh. The condition was clinically diagnosed as a right-sided benign tumor of the vastus lateralis muscle. However, Pantoea agglomerans was isolated on a culture of the excised muscle tissue. On the basis of the awareness of the common association of Pantoea with penetrating trauma by vegetation, the patient was asked to recollect any prior such injury. He then gave a history of a fall in the field and a plant thorn prick in the thigh four years back, when he was an agricultural worker. We emphasize the importance of Pantoea agglomerans infection of the soft tissues that can have an atypical presentation as a non-suppurative, indurated, muscle cyst in our case. Thorn injuries are usually ignored as trivial incidents, however, Pantoea infections should always be borne in mind when encountering soft tissue lesions, as antibiotic treatment is required for complete resolution of the lesion