Utility of dual read in the setting of prostate MRI interpretation.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the utility of dual reader interpretation of prostate MRI in the evaluation/detection of prostate cancer, using the PI-RADS v2.1 scoring system.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study to assess the utility of dual reader interpretation for prostate MRI.

Female with Vaginal Bleeding.

Case Presentation: A 24-year-old pregnant female presented to the emergency department with lower abdominal cramping and vaginal bleeding. A point-of-care ultrasound demonstrated a calcified yolk sac.

Discussion: When identified, calcification of the yolk sac in the first trimester is a sign of fetal demise.

The effectiveness of policy changes designed to increase the attendance rate for outpatient retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening examinations.

Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of a series of policy changes designed to increase the attendance rate for outpatient retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening examinations.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of consecutive neonatal intensive care unit patients before and after the implementation of policy changes. Policy changes included parent education forms, streamlined scheduling, and creation of a log for all patients seen.

Cardioprotective stimuli mediate phosphoinositide 3-kinase and phosphoinositide dependent kinase 1 nuclear accumulation in cardiomyocytes.

The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/phosphoinositide dependent kinase 1 (PDK1) signaling pathway exerts cardioprotective effects in the myocardium through activation of key proteins including Akt. Activated Akt accumulates in nuclei of cardiomyocytes suggesting that biologically relevant targets are located in that subcellular compartment. Nuclear Akt activity could be potentiated in both intensity and duration by the presence of a nuclear-associated PI3K/PDK1 signaling cascade as has been described in other non-myocyte cell types.

Myocardial induction of nucleostemin in response to postnatal growth and pathological challenge.

Stem cell-specific proteins and regulatory pathways that determine self-renewal and differentiation have become of fundamental importance in understanding regenerative and reparative processes in the myocardium. One such regulatory protein, named nucleostemin, has been studied in the context of stem cells and several cancer cell lines, where expression is associated with proliferation and maintenance of a primitive cellular phenotype. We find nucleostemin is present in young myocardium and is also induced following cardiomyopathic injury.

Activation of Notch-mediated protective signaling in the myocardium.

The Notch network regulates multiple cellular processes, including cell fate determination, development, differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and regeneration. These processes are regulated via Notch-mediated activity that involves hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-Met receptor and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt signaling cascades. The impact of HGF on Notch signaling was assessed following myocardial infarction as well as in cultured cardiomyocytes.

Evolution of the c-kit-positive cell response to pathological challenge in the myocardium.

Cumulative evidence indicates that myocardium responds to growth or injury by recruitment of stem and/or progenitor cells that participate in repair and regenerative processes. Unequivocal identification of this population has been hampered by lack of reagents or markers specific to the recruited population, leading to controversies regarding the nature of these cells. Use of a transgenic mouse expressing green fluorescent protein driven by the c-kit promoter allows for unambiguous identification of this cell population.

Pim-1 regulates cardiomyocyte survival downstream of Akt.

The serine-threonine kinases Pim-1 and Akt regulate cellular proliferation and survival. Although Akt is known to be a crucial signaling protein in the myocardium, the role of Pim-1 has been overlooked. Pim-1 expression in the myocardium of mice decreased during postnatal development, re-emerged after acute pathological injury in mice and was increased in failing hearts of both mice and humans.

Vanishing pancreatic grafts.

Comparison of pancreaticoduodenal transplants (PDT) and duct-ligated pancreas transplant (DLPT) were performed using syngeneic and allogeneic studies in rats. Both DLPT and PDT allogeneic grafts showed mild rejection. DLPT groups showed disorganized pathology and acini replaced by fat.

Gonadal tumors developed from consecutively transplanted spleens bearing gonad implants.

This study was conducted by consecutively transplanting spleens, which had gonads implanted previously. A total of 84 cases for infantile testicles and 106 cases for ovarian follicles were performed. In the case of ovarian implants, the results were determined by the total number of follicle implants.