Papillary squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix: Two cases and a review of the literature.

Objective: Papillary squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix (PSCC) is a rare and distinct form of cervical carcinoma. Detecting stromal invasion on biopsy is difficult due to the papillary growth of the tumor. Here we present two cases that highlight the diagnostic and clinical challenges of PSCC.

Novel epigenetic changes in CDKN2A are associated with progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Objective: To conduct a comprehensive mapping of the genomic DNA methylation in CDKN2A, which codes for the p16(INK4A) and p14(ARF) proteins, and 14 of the most promising DNA methylation marker candidates previously reported to be associated with progression of low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN1) to cervical cancer.

Methods: We analyzed DNA methylation in 68 HIV-seropositive and negative women with incident CIN1, CIN2, CIN3 and invasive cervical cancer, assaying 120 CpG dinucleotide sites spanning APC, CDH1, CDH13, CDKN2A, CDKN2B, DAPK1, FHIT, GSTP1, HIC1, MGMT, MLH1, RARB, RASSF1, TERT and TIMP3 using the Illumina Infinium array. Validation was performed using high resolution mapping of the target genes with HELP-tagging for 286 CpGs, followed by fine mapping of candidate genes with targeted bisulfite sequencing.

Gastro-intestinal stromal tumor (GIST) complicating a colonic interposition: a novel case report.

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a rare tumor comprising 0.1-0.3% of all gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies.

Granulomatous mastitis: changing clinical and imaging features with image-guided biopsy correlation.

Objectives: To review clinical presentation, revisit patient demographics and imaging findings in granulomatous mastitis and determine the optimal biopsy method for diagnosis.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed to review the clinical presentation, imaging findings and biopsy methods in patients with granulomatous mastitis. Twenty-seven patients with pathology-proven granulomatous mastitis were included.

Inhibition of the TWEAK/Fn14 pathway attenuates renal disease in nephrotoxic serum nephritis.

Previously it was shown that the TNF superfamily member TWEAK (TNFSF12) acts through its receptor, Fn14, to promote proinflammatory responses in kidney cells, including the production of MCP-1, RANTES, IP-10 and KC. In addition, the TWEAK/Fn14 pathway promotes mesangial cell proliferation, vascular cell activation, and renal cell death. To study the relevance of the TWEAK/Fn14 pathway in the pathogenesis of antibody-induced nephritis using the mouse model of nephrotoxic serum nephritis (NTN), we induced NTN by passive transfer of rabbit anti-glomerular antibodies into Fn14 knockout (KO) and wild type (WT) mice.

Dysregulated nephrin in diabetic nephropathy of type 2 diabetes: a cross sectional study.

Background: Podocyte specific proteins are dysregulated in diabetic nephropathy, though the extent of their expression loss is not identical and may be subject to different regulatory factors. Quantifying the degree of loss may help identify the most useful protein to use as an early biomarker of diabetic nephropathy.

Methodology/principal Findings: Protein expression of synaptopodin, podocin and nephrin were quantified in 15 Type 2 diabetic renal biopsies and 12 control patients.

Sea urchin spine arthritis in the foot.

We present a case of sea urchin spine arthritis (SUSA) in a 33-year-old woman who sustained penetrating trauma to the interphalangeal (IP) joint of the hallux while snorkeling in Japan. Serial radiographs and MRI were obtained over a period from 7 weeks to 10 months following injury. At 7 weeks radiographs revealed periarticular osteopenia and subtle marginal erosion, similar to the appearance of tuberculous arthritis.

Performance of implementing guideline-driven cervical cancer screening measures in an inner-city hospital system.

Objective: : In 2006, the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology updated evidence-based guidelines recommending screening intervals for women with abnormal cervical cytology diagnosis. In our low-income inner-city population, we sought to improve performance by uniformly applying the guidelines to all patients. We report the prospective performance of a comprehensive tracking, evidence-based algorithmically driven call back, and appointment scheduling system for cervical cancer screening in a resource-limited inner-city population.

Risk factors for persistent cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grades 1 and 2: managed by watchful waiting.

Objective: : This study examines risk factors for persistent cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and examines whether human papillomavirus (HPV) testing predicts persistent lesions.

Materials And Methods: : Women with histologically diagnosed CIN 1 or CIN 2 (n = 206) were followed up every 3 months without treatment. Human papillomavirus genotyping, plasma levels of ascorbic acid, and red blood cell folate levels were obtained.

A novel cutaneous vasculitis syndrome induced by levamisole-contaminated cocaine.

In order to describe the clinical and serologic features of a cutaneous vasculitis due to cocaine contaminated with the adulterant levamisole, we report four new cases of this syndrome along with 12 previously reported cases identified through a PubMed Literature search (1964 to March 2011). Of the 16 patients described, the average age was 43, with a female predominance (81% of patients). Over half of patients had involvement of the earlobes, and the rash frequently affected the extremities in a "retiform" pattern.

Influence of neutropenia on the course of serotype 8 pneumococcal pneumonia in mice.

Polymorphoneutrophils (PMNs) are important effector cells in host defense against pneumonia. However, PMNs can also induce inflammation and tissue damage. To investigate the contribution of PMNs to host defense against pneumococcal pneumonia, we determined the effect of the PMN-depleting rat monoclonal antibody RB6-8C5 (RB6) on survival and inflammatory and cellular response in the lungs to a lethal intranasal infection with a serotype 8 pneumococcus in BALB/c mice.

Modulation of the lung inflammatory response to serotype 8 pneumococcal infection by a human immunoglobulin m monoclonal antibody to serotype 8 capsular polysaccharide.

The human monoclonal antibody to serotype 8 pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide D11 [immunoglobulin M(kappa)] protects wild-type and complement component 4 knockout (C4 KO) mice against lethal intratracheal challenge with serotype 8 pneumococcus, but it does not promote polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN)-mediated pneumococcal killing in vitro. In this study, we investigated the effect of D11 on the blood and lung bacterial burdens and the serum and lung expression of inflammatory chemokines and cytokines in an intratracheal challenge model with serotype 8 pneumococcus in C4 KO mice. Pneumococcus was not detected in the blood of D11-treated mice, whereas control mice had high-grade bacteremia with >10(7) CFU.

Immune reconstitution cryptococcosis after initiation of successful highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Five of 10 patients who commenced successful highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) concurrent with or soon after a diagnosis of cryptococcal infection experienced clinical events characterized by sterile inflammation. Two patients developed aseptic meningitis with elevated intracranial pressure, 1 developed intrathoracic lyphadenopathy with hypercalcemia, 1 developed cavitary pneumonia at the site of a cryptococcal nodule, and 1 developed a supraclavicular abscess. These events occurred 2-11 months after initiation of HAART.

Fine needle aspiration cytology of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans presenting as a breast mass. A case report.

Background: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is an uncommon cutaneous soft tissue neoplasm with a tendency to recur but rarely metastasize. It occurs at almost any site but usually in the trunk and extremities. DFSP mimicking a primary breast lesion has not been reported before.

Regression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and loss of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is associated with cell-mediated immune responses to an HPV type 16 E7 peptide.

Most human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cervical intraepithelial neoplasia(CIN) lesions in normal women regress spontaneously, but a small number persist and may progress to invasive cancer. To evaluate the role of immunity to HPV and the outcome of CIN and associated HPV infection, we examined cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses to HPV 16 E6 and E7 peptides. One hundred thirty-six women with biopsy-confirmed CIN I or CIN II were followed for 1 year at 3 month intervals.