Primary osteosarcoma of the uterus: a report of two cases.

Unlabelled: Primary extraskeletal osteosarcoma is an uncommon disease and has been reported to affect the uterus only rarely. Less than 20 cases have so far been reported in the English literature. The common clinical presentation is heavy bleeding , and in virtually all cases, the diagnosis has been made at an advanced stage of the disease.

The pathologist in Ghana and potential for research.

Unlabelled: One of the neglected areas of clinical medical practice in developing countries is the field of Laboratory Medicine. As a result, the important role of the laboratory physician in diagnosis of disease and subsequent management of patients is not much appreciated. Even more worrying is lack of appreciation of the research potential of laboratory medicine, considering that it provides a repository of confirmatory data on many human disorders; data that have been usefully employed for the study of various diseases in developed parts of the world.

A pathological and clinical study of 706 primary tumours of the ovary in the largest tertiary hospital in Ghana.

Background: Ovarian tumours are a leading cause of death in Ghana. Even though geographical and racial differences exist in the frequency, types and age distribution of primary ovarian tumours, information about the clinical and pathological characteristics of ovarian tumours in Ghana and its neighboring countries is scanty. We determined the frequency, age distribution, histopathological types and clinical features of primary ovarian tumours diagnosed at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana to aid in the management of patients.

Ovarian Cancer in Ghana, a 10 Year Histopathological Review of Cases at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

To determine the histopathological types, age distribution, presenting signs and symptoms of ovarian cancers diagnosed at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana. All histopathology slides and request cards of ovarian cancers diagnosed over a ten-year period (2001 to 2010) were reviewed and the cancers classified according to the World Health Organization 1999 classification. Biographical and clinical data of the patients were collected and results entered into Epi-info to determine the frequency, age distribution and clinical presentation of the various types of ovarian cancer.

Ovarian Tumors in Children and Adolescents: A 10-Yr Histopathologic Review in Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana.

To determine the histopathologic types, frequency of occurrence, age distribution, presenting signs, and symptoms of ovarian tumors in children and adolescents diagnosed at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital all histopathology slides and request cards of ovarian tumors diagnosed in subjects aged, 0 to 19 yr over a 10-yr period (2001-2010) were reviewed. Biographical and clinical data of the patients were collected. The results were entered into Epi-info to determine the frequency of various ovarian tumors in different age groups and their association with presenting signs and symptoms.

Molecular basis for the effects of zinc deficiency on spermatogenesis: An experimental study in the Sprague-dawley rat model.

Introduction: The objective of this study is to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of zinc deficiency on spermatogenesis in the Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat.

Materials And Methods: Three groups of eight adult male SD rats were maintained for 4 weeks on a normal diet as control, zinc deficient diet and zinc deficient diet with zinc supplementation of 28 mg zinc/kg body weight respectively. Using standard techniques, the following parameters were compared between the three groups of experimental animals at the end of 4 weeks: (a) Serum zinc, magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), selenium (Se) and cadmium (Cd), (b) serum sex hormones, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), (c) interleukin-4 (IL-4), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), Bcl-2, Bax and caspase-3 expression in the testes, (d) assessment of apoptosis of testicular cells using electron microscopy and (e) testicular volume and histology using the orchidometer and Johnsen score, respectively.

Combined ciprofloxacin and amikacin prophylaxis in the prevention of septicemia after transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy of the prostate.

Purpose: A steady increase in the incidence of septicemia after prostate biopsy in our unit between 2001 and 2005 prompted us to review our prophylactic antibiotic regimen. We compared the incidence of septicemia in patients undergoing prostate biopsy between 2001 and 2005 when only oral ciprofloxacin was used prophylactically (group 1) to the incidence among patients undergoing biopsy between 2006 and 2010 when a single dose of intravenous amikacin was added to ciprofloxacin (group 2).

Materials And Methods: In group 1 the 300 patients were given 500 mg oral ciprofloxacin twice daily 1 day before and for 2 days after the biopsy while in group 2 the 897 patients, in addition to the ciprofloxacin previously mentioned, received 500 mg intravenous amikacin 30 minutes before the biopsy.

The role of combined measurement of tissue mRNA levels of AMACR and survivin in the diagnosis and risk stratification of patients with suspected prostate cancer.

Aim: To determine whether the measurement of tissue mRNA levels of AMACR and survivin has a role in distinguishing prostate cancer (PCa) from benign lesions and high risk from low-risk PCa in men with suspected PCa.

Methods: TRUS prostate biopsies from 170 patients with suspected PCa were used to measure the mRNA levels of AMACR and survivin using semi-quantitative RT-PCR technique. The diagnosis, staging and risk stratification of PCa was based on established clinical criteria.

The effect of prostate tissue inflammation in benign prostatic hyperplasia on enhancer of zeste homolog 2 ribonucleic acid expression.

Background And Objectives: Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) has been recently found to regulate several genes involved in immunoresponse and autocrine inflammation network. The aim of the study was to quantitate EZH2 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression, evaluate its relation to conditions of prostatitis associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and correlate it with the levels of the inflammatory marker interlukin 6 (IL-6).

Design And Setting: Cross-sectional study in Middle Eastern men with BPH and prostatitis or BPH only.

Urinary survivin mRNA expression and urinary nuclear matrix protein 22 BladderChek® and urine cytology in the detection of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

Objective: To compare the diagnostic performance of urine cytology (UC), survivin mRNA expression, and the NMP22 BladderChek® (NMP22BC) test for the detection, grading and staging of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder.

Materials And Methods: Voided urine samples collected from 25 healthy controls and 80 patients diagnosed with TCC of the bladder were subjected to UC, the NMP22BC test and reverse-transcription real-time PCR for survivin mRNA expression.

Results: Survivin mRNA expression showed the highest sensitivity (87.

Survivin downregulation is associated with vasectomy-induced spermatogenic damage and apoptosis.

Objective: To evaluate the expression of the apoptotic genes survivin, Bax and Bcl-2 in vasectomized rabbits and to determine their relation with vasectomy-induced spermatogenic impairment and germ cell apoptosis.

Materials And Methods: Twelve adult rabbits (6-12 months old) were divided into three groups: sham control, unilateral vasectomy or bilateral vasectomy. Six months after vasectomy, testicular tissue was analyzed for germ cell apoptosis and DNA fragmentation by the TUNEL assay and gel electrophoresis, respectively.

Comparison of the sensitivity and specificity of urine cytology, urinary nuclear matrix protein-22 and multitarget fluorescence in situ hybridization assay in the detection of bladder cancer.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of urine cytology, BladderChek® nuclear matrix protein-22 (NMP22) and UroVysion™ fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) tests in patients with newly diagnosed bladder cancer, those with recurrent bladder cancer, and those with bladder cancer but in remission during surveillance.

Material And Methods: Voided urine samples obtained from 178 patients with suspected or known bladder cancer about to undergo diagnostic or surveillance cystoscopy and 25 control subjects without the disease were divided into four and used for urine culture and cytology, NMP22 BladderChek and UroVysion FISH tests. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV for each test were calculated.

Long term testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury-induced apoptosis: involvement of survivin down-regulation.

Testicular torsion is associated with damage to the testicular tissue as a result of ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and induction of apoptosis leading to progressive damage to spermatogenesis. Survivin is suggested to be an important regulator in the control of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, although its role in torsion-induced IRI is unknown. Therefore, we sought to evaluate testicular survivin expression after long term IRI induced by testicular torsion.

Expression of estrogen receptor alpha and estrogen receptor beta in fine needle aspirates of breast carcinoma.

Objective: To evaluate the expression of estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) in fine needle aspirates (FNAs) and correlate the findings with its expression in tissue sections.

Study Design: In 38 cases of breast carcinoma, expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and ERbeta in aspirates and tissue sections was correlated with the cytologic and histologic grade of the tumor.

Results: ERalpha and ERbeta were expressed as nuclear staining in 80% and 90% of the cases in tissue sections and 47% and 45% of the cases in aspirates, respectively.

Parasites of urological importance.

With the world increasingly becoming a global village, transnational and transcontinental migration has become the order of the day. It is expected that migrants will take with them some diseases (including parasites) which are normally endemic in their countries of origin, to their host countries. Similarly, environmental changes that result from development of water resources, global warming, growth and migration of population can facilitate the spread of parasites.

Experimental colitis is associated with ultrastructural changes in inflamed and uninflamed regions of the gastrointestinal tract.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the ultrastructural changes in cell organelles such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi apparatus in inflamed colon and uninflamed ileum in colitic rats.

Materials And Methods: Colitis was induced in rats by intracolonic administration of trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS). The animals were sacrificed on day 5 after TNBS administration and colonic and ileal samples were used for estimation of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, histologic examination and transmission electron microscopy.

The importance of determining the aggressiveness of prostate cancer using serum and tissue molecular markers.

Incidental prostate cancer (PCa) has been demonstrated at autopsy in about 80% of men aged 80 years and above and also in 10%-15% of younger men aged 30-50 years in the United States. These data imply a wide variation in aggressiveness of prostate cancer, from indolent tumors to aggressive cancers that kill the patients. The use of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in screening for PCa may detect even indolent disease for which radical prostatectomy may not be necessary.

Gerodermia osteodysplastica/wrinkly skin syndrome: report of three patients and brief review of the literature.

Gerodermia osteodysplastica and wrinkly skin syndrome are rare autosomal recessive disorders. Due to the many phenotypic similarities in these two conditions, it has been proposed that they represent the same disorder. Both conditions are well delineated in the genetic literature, but despite skin involvement being a striking feature, they are rarely reported in dermatology journals.

Relative contribution of digital rectal examination and transrectal ultrasonography in interpreting serum prostate-specific antigen values for screening prostate cancer in Arab men.

Background: This study was conducted to determine the utility of digital rectal examination (DRE), transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) and serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the diagnosis of prostate cancer in men in Arabia, an are of the world with a relatively low incidence of this disease.

Patients And Methods: 329 patients suspected of having prostate cancer on account of raised serum PSA level (>4 ng/ml), DRE or TRUS findings, underwent TRUS-guided prostate biopsy. Raised PSA individually as well as combined, or a lesion suspicious of carcinoma on DRE or TRUS was recorded as PSA(+), DRE(+) or TRUS(+), respectively.

Patients' tolerance and early complications of transrectal sonographically guided prostate biopsy: prospective study of 300 patients.

Purpose: To determine the degree of pain and discomfort associated with transrectal sonography (TRS)-guided biopsy of the prostate and to analyze the complications associated with this procedure.

Methods: Three hundred men referred as part of an investigation to exclude prostate cancer were studied. The reasons for referral were suspected prostate cancer due to increased serum prostate-specific antigen level (>4 ng/ml), the finding of a palpable nodule or greater firmness of one prostatic lobe than the other on digital rectal examination, or the finding of a suspicious area of neoplasm of the prostate on TRS biopsy.

Age-specific reference levels of serum prostate-specific antigen and prostate volume in healthy Arab men.

Unlabelled: OBJECTIVE; To determine age-specific reference ranges for serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentration and prostate volumes in a population of healthy Arab men.

Subjects And Methods: Blood samples were taken from 396 healthy Arab men (from Kuwait and Oman) aged 15-79 years and from across the social spectrum. Men aged >40 years had a digital rectal examination and transrectal ultrasonography of the prostate to determine prostate volume.

Amelioration of experimental colitis by Na-H exchanger-1 inhibitor amiloride is associated with reversal of IL-1ss and ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase.

Objective: Na-H exchanger-1 (NHE-1) is induced in experimental colitis. It has not yet been established whether its inhibition ameliorates colitis. The effects of amiloride, an inhibitor of NHE-1, on colitis were examined in this study.