Incisional hernia formation and associated risk factors on a gynecologic oncology service: an exploratory analysis.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to identify the rate of incisional hernias and associated risk factors following a vertical midline laparotomy on a gynecologic oncology service.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients that underwent a laparotomy through a vertical midline abdominal incision between September 1998 and November 2012. Hernias and various factors were identified including demographics, disease comorbidities, intraoperative variables, and suture technique.

Glassy cell carcinoma of the cervix: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to summarize the data on the incidence, clinical behavior and overall survival of patients with glassy cell cervical carcinoma (GCCC).

Methods: Twenty-four case series and fifteen case reports identified by searching PubMed database qualified for inclusion in this study. The published cases were combined with data from a retrospective chart review of patients with GCCC in two major teaching hospitals in Brooklyn, NY.

Interactions of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling and sonic hedgehog regulate the neurogenesis of ventral midbrain dopamine neurons.

Signaling mechanisms involving Wnt/beta-catenin and sonic hedgehog (Shh) are known to regulate the development of ventral midbrain (vMB) dopamine neurons. However, the interactions between these two mechanisms and how such interactions can be targeted to promote a maximal production of dopamine neurons are not fully understood. Here we show that conditional mouse mutants with region-specific activation of beta-catenin signaling in vMB using the Shh-Cre mice show a marked expansion of Sox2-, Ngn2-, and Otx2-positive progenitors but perturbs their cell cycle exit and reduces the generation of dopamine neurons.