Nutcracker or left renal vein compression phenomenon: multidetector computed tomography findings and clinical significance.

The use of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in routine abdominal explorations has increased the detection of the nutcracker phenomenon, defined as left renal vein (LRV) compression by adjacent anatomic structures. The embryology and anatomy of the nutcracker phenomenon are relevant as a background for the nutcracker syndrome, a rare cause of hematuria as well as other symptoms. MDCT examples of collateral renal vein circulation (gonadal, ureteric, azygous, lumbar, capsular) and aortomesenteric (anterior) and retroaortic (posterior) nutcracker phenomena in patients with no urologic complaint are shown as well as studies performed on patients with gross hematuria of uncertain origin.

Higher processing rates of Alu-containing sequences in kidney tumors and cell lines with overexpressed Alu-mRNAs.

Tumor cell growth and differentiation involve several molecular mechanisms that control gene expression and define specific genomic molecular profiles in cancer cells. Among these mechanisms, it has been shown that Alu-repetitive sequences are capable of regulating gene expression at transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels, and also of modulating cellular growth, differentiation and tumor suppression. Furthermore, repetitive sequences have also been implicated in alternative RNA splicing, although the specific mechanisms involved remain unknown.

Lymphocyte population and apoptosis in the lungs of smokers and their relation to emphysema.

Previously, it had been shown that T-lymphocytes are the predominant inflammatory cells found in the alveolar wall of smokers and their numbers correlated with the extent of emphysema. However, the phenotype of these cells was not defined. The aim of this study was to describe the different T-cell phenotypes and investigate the possible presence of apoptosis in the lung parenchyma of smokers.

Lack of antimicrobial activity of sodium heparin for treating experimental catheter-related infection due to Staphylococcus aureus using the antibiotic-lock technique.

Objective: To elucidate the potential antimicrobial activity of sodium heparin in the treatment of catheter-infection using the antibiotic-lock technique.

Methods: We performed in vitro studies of the antibiotic susceptibility, stability and synergy of sodium heparin, vancomycin and ciprofloxacin. Efficacy studies were performed in a new animal model of Staphylococcus aureus catheter-related infection in which infection was produced via the endoluminal route.

Increased glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase expression in renal cell carcinoma identified by RNA-based, arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction.

Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) comprises 85% of renal tumors and displays a great capacity to metastasize. The lack of diagnostic and prognostic markers complicates its early detection and in the majority of cases metastases are present at the time of diagnosis.

Methods: The current study reports on the identification of differentially expressed genes in RCC using random arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (RAP-PCR).

Image analysis of dermal collagen changes during skin aging.

Objective: To determine progressive quantitative, directional and textural changes in dermal collagen as a function of age and sex and to estimate their evolutive trend with appropriate regression models.

Study Design: Ninety-six samples of abdominal skin from autopsy cases were analyzed. The ages ranged from 3.

Characteristics of perisinusoidal collagenization in liver cirrhosis: computer-assisted quantitative analysis.

Objective: To determine the respective roles of septal fibrosis, necroinflammatory activity, iron deposition, steatosis, and patterns of nodular and septal remodeling in the collagenization of the perisinusoidal space in livers from patients undergoing transplantation for alcoholic or posthepatitis C cirrhosis and to ascertain whether perisinusoidal collagenization has clinical implications added to those of septal fibrosis.

Study Design: Sixty-six hepatectomy specimens from patients undergoing liver transplantation for cirrhosis were analyzed. Thirty-two alcoholic and 34 posthepatitis C cirrhoses were included.

Differential diagnosis of malignant and reactive cells from serous effusions: image and texture analysis study.

The interrelationship of textural primitives which define morphological texture can be estimated by quite different descriptors; the discriminant value of which varies considerably. In the present study three different approaches to the texture analysis of nuclear chromatin were assayed to correctly allocate 332 cells from a pool obtained from serous effusions (six malignant mesotheliomas, six reactive mesothelial proliferations and five pleural metastases of lung adenocarcinoma). In all cases, initial cytological diagnosis posed considerable problems and final diagnosis was established by histologic examination of surgical specimens.