Prognostic Factors of Long-term Survival Following Radical Resection for Ampullary Carcinoma.

Background: The incidence of adenocarcinoma of the ampulla of Vater has been increasing over the past years. Nevertheless, it is still a rare disease and the prognostic factors predicting long-term survival are not sufficiently clarified. This study aims to evaluate the association between histopathological characteristics and long-term survival of patients with ampullary cancer after curative resection, as well as the efficiency of immunohistochemical expression of CK7, CK20, and CDX2 to distinguish the histopathological (intestinal or pancreaticobiliary) patterns.

Study on the organization of cellular elements in the granulomatous lesion caused by chromoblastomycosis.

Background: Chromoblastomycosis is a deep fungal infection characterized by a complex cellular granuloma. The aim of this study was to analyze the arrangement of cells responsible for the granuloma configuration of this disease by semiquantification of the cellular components of chromoblastomycosis skin biopsies.

Methods: The cells of cutaneous biopsies slides from 100 patients with untreated chromoblastomycosis were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and the granuloma cells were evaluated by microscopic examination of the elements of each granuloma and semiquantified the number of cells through its expressivity in crosses and the histopathological variables.

Cervical cytological screening: Assessment of the Fournier ® self-sampling device in a cervical pathology outpatient clinic.

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the performance of the Fournier(®) self-sampled device in the cytological diagnosis of cervical precursor or neoplastic lesions. The colposcopy and cervical biopsy were used as the gold standard evaluation.

Method: This was a case-control study performed at a cervical pathology outpatient clinic from January 2008 to October 2009.

Histopathological grading of breast ductal carcinoma in situ: validation of a web-based survey through intra-observer reproducibility analysis.

Background: Histopathological grading diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast may be very difficult even for experts, and it is important for therapeutic decisions. The challenge may be due to the inaccurate and/or subjective application of the diagnosis criteria. The aim of this study was to investigate the intra-observer agreement between a traditional method and a developed web-based questionnaire for scoring breast DCIS.

The Quinovic Acid Glycosides Purified Fraction from Uncaria tomentosa Protects against Hemorrhagic Cystitis Induced by Cyclophosphamide in Mice.

Uncaria tomentosa is widely used in folk medicine for the treatment of numerous diseases, such as urinary tract disease. Hemorrhagic cystitis (HE) is an inflammatory condition of the bladder associated with the use of anticancer drugs such as cyclophosphamide (CYP). Sodium 2-mercaptoethanesulfonate (Mesna) has been used to prevent the occurrence of HE, although this compound is not effective in established lesions.

NTPDase3 and ecto-5'-nucleotidase/CD73 are differentially expressed during mouse bladder cancer progression.

According to the World Health Organization, bladder cancer is the seventh most common cancer among men in the world. The current treatments for this malignancy are not efficient to prevent the recurrence and progression of tumors. Then, researches continue looking for better therapeutic targets which can end up in new and more efficient treatments.

Ectonucleotidases in tumor cells and tumor-associated immune cells: an overview.

Increasing evidence points out that genetic alteration does not guarantee the development of a tumor and indicates that complex interactions of tumor cells with the microenvironment are fundamental to tumorigenesis. Among the pathological alterations that give tumor cells invasive potential, disruption of inflammatory response and the purinergic signaling are emerging as an important component of cancer progression. Nucleotide/nucleoside receptor-mediated cell communication is orchestrated by ectonucleotidases, which efficiently hydrolyze ATP, ADP, and AMP to adenosine.

Assessment of the Fournier(®) cervical specimen self-sampling device using the Papanicolaou method.

Introduction: Communities of socially excluded immigrant women, especially Muslim, Asian, Aboriginal and Maroon, are among the groups of women with low rates of cervical screening. Exclusion of the pelvic examination could result in a higher acceptance of the cervical screening among these communities and an increase in screening coverage.

Aim: To assess the performance of the Fournier(®) cervical specimen self-sampling device for the cytological diagnosis of precursor or neoplastic lesions in the uterine cervix using the Papanicolaou method.

Clinical and pathological correlations of C4d immunostaining and its influence on the outcome of kidney transplant recipients.

Introduction: C4d is a marker of antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) in kidney allografts, although cellular rejection also have C4d deposits.

Objective: To correlate C4d expression with clinico-pathological parameters and graft outcomes at three years.

Methods: One hundred forty six renal transplantation recipients with graft biopsies by indication were included.

Chlamydia trachomatis and human papillomavirus coinfection: association with p16INK4a and Ki67 expression in biopsies of patients with pre-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions.

The objective of this study was to identify the frequency of coinfection by human papillomavirus (HPV) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) in cervical lesions and relate it with immunohistochemical expression of p16INK4a and Ki67, both oncogenicity markers. A cross-sectional study with 86 women from primary care units in southern Brazil was conducted. Cervical swabs were collected for HPV-DNA and CT-DNA detection, through the polymerase chain reaction technique (PCR).

Adipocyte morphometric evaluation and angiogenesis in the omentum transposed to the breast: a preliminary study.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the probable mechanism of the volume increase of laparoscopically harvested omentum flaps used to treat breast deformities.

Methods: A histological analysis of omentum samples was performed to study the volume increase of laparoscopically harvested omentum flaps. Samples were harvested immediately after the transposition of the omentum from the abdominal cavity to the breast region and during the second surgical procedure for breast symmetrization of eight patients submitted to the transposition of the omentum flap.

[Effects of gadolinium chloride on sodium taurocholate-induced pancreatitis in rats].

Objective: To evaluate the effects of the use of gadolinium chloride before and after induction of acute pancreatitis with sodium taurocholate 3% in rats.

Methods: Wistar rats were divided into five groups: SF--control with saline intra-ductal and IV; GD control with saline intra-ductal and gadolinium chloride IV; TS--with AP control induced by sodium taurocholate 3% and saline IV; GDTS--pre-treatment with GD (24 hours before the induction of AP) and TSGD--treatment with GD (1 hour after the induction of AP). Analysis was made in serum amylase, transaminases and TNF-α; determination of the MPO activity in lung tissue, lung and pancreatic histology.

Reproducibility of three classification systems of ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast using a web-based survey.

This study assessed the degree of diagnostic agreement among pathologists between three classification systems of ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast (DCIS). Thirteen pathologists received the same set of digitized images of microscopy of 43 DCIS cases and answered a questionnaire containing the criteria to compose the three classification systems studied: Holland, modified Lagios, and Van Nuys. A computer program was created, which organizes the information collected from each pathologist, supplying the histological grading of the cases within the three classification systems.

Laparoscopic treatment of Poland's syndrome using the omentum flap technique.

Objective: For patients with Poland's syndrome, a transverse skin fold in the anterior axillary pillar, infra-clavicular depression and an anomalous breast contour are the most uncomfortable disfigurements. This study aims to demonstrate that superior aesthetic results can be achieved by using a laparoscopically harvested omentum flap to treat this condition.

Methods: From a prospectively maintained clinical database of patients undergoing a laparoscopic omentum flap procedure for breast reconstruction, all of the patients with Poland's syndrome were identified and their outcomes were studied.

Aesthetic improvements in Poland's syndrome treatment with omentum flap.

Background: There are many techniques that can be used to reconstruct anomalous breast volume in Poland's syndrome, but repair of the stigmatizing deformities such as the transverse skin fold in the anterior axillary pillar, infraclavicular depression, and anomalous breast contours continues to be a challenge. This study aimed to demonstrate the superior results of laparoscopically harvested omentum flap to achieve these aesthetic improvements.

Methods: Patients with Poland's syndrome from a clinical database were identified and their outcomes were studied.

Immunohistochemical evaluation for P53 and VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) is not prognostic for long term survival in end stage esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Objectives: To correlate the expression of p53 protein and VEGF with the prognosis of patients submitted to curative resection to treat esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Methods: Forty-six patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma, submitted to curative resection, were studied. The expressions of p53 protein and VEGF were assessed by immunohistochemistry in 52.

Immunohistochemical expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 in melanocytic nevi is altered by ultraviolet B.

Background: Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation can cause morphological and biological alterations similar to those of melanoma in situ in irradiated melanocytic nevi. matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-2) and -9 appear to be involved with tumour invasion, the formation of metastases and neoangiogenesis in melanomas. The effects of UVB on the immunohistochemical expression of gelatinases in different cell types in melanocytic nevi have not been completely studied.

Expression of MUC1 in tubal pregnancy.

The MUC1 mucin is normally expressed in the epithelium of the fallopian tube, and its expression on the epithelium of the tubes with ectopic pregnancies has not been studied. The mean (+/- SEM) histologic score for MUC1 was 1.4 +/- 0.

Comparing ceftriaxone plus azithromycin or doxycycline for pelvic inflammatory disease: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the equivalence of ceftriaxone plus doxycycline or azithromycin for cases of mild pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

Methods: Patients with PID received an intramuscular injection of 250 mg of ceftriaxone, and were randomly assigned to receive 200 mg/d of doxycycline for 2 weeks, or 1 g of azithromycin per week, for 2 weeks. The degree of pain was assessed on days 2, 7, and 14 and clinical cure was assessed on day 14.

Pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia and ductal adenocarcinoma induced by DMBA in mice: effects of alcohol and caffeine.

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of alcohol and caffeine in a pancreatic carcinogenesis mouse model induced by 7,12-dimethylbenzantracene (DMBA), according to the PanIN classification system.

Methods: 120 male, Mus musculus, CF-1 mice were divided into four groups. Animals received either water or caffeine or alcohol or alcohol + caffeine in their drinking water.

Glomerulonephritis in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) naturally infected by Fasciola hepatica.

Glomerulonephritis caused by Fasciola hepatica was observed in buffaloes. Renal biopsies of 20 buffaloes, 11 with F. hepatica and 9 uninfected buffaloes (controls), were examined by light microscopy, direct and indirect immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemical analysis.