Clinic-pathological aspect of gastro-intestinal stromal tumors at tertiary care Hospital India / Aspecto clínico e patológico dos tumores estromais gastrointestinais em hospital terciário da Índia

Abstract Background This study defines the disease profile in south Indian population and determine the clinic-pathological aspects of Gastro-Intestinal Stromal Tumors. Method In this prospective study patients diagnosed of gastrointestinal stromal tumors were taken thorough clinical examination and a database of Anthropometric details and clinical details were analyzed. Pathological data included tumor size, presence or absence necrosis, mitotic counts, immunohistochemistry for CD-117, CD-34. Results There were 44 patients with confirmed diagnosis of gastro-intestinal stromal tumor. The highest incidence was found in the 6th decade. The most common symptoms were abdominal pain and gastrointestinal bleed. Stomach was most frequent site for gastro-intestinal stromal tumors. Immunochemistry for CD-117 was positive in 93.18% cases. Majority of tumors (79.5%) had pure spindle cell morphology and mitotic activity showed that 34% of the GISTs were of the high risk group. Forty two patients were suggestive of surgery as the primary treatment after presentation. Conclusion Abdominal pain was the most common presenting complaint. Majority of the tumors aroused from the stomach. The majority of the tumors had pure spindle cell morphology and 93% of the tumors were CD-117 positive. A significant relationship between tumor size, tumor necrosis and mitotic activity with large tumors having necrosis and high mitotic rate having high risk of malignancy, was observed. Surgical resection is considered mainstay of treatment of gastro-intestinal stromal tumor. Imatinib therapy should be given to patients in moderate to severe risk categories.

Resumo Justificativa Este estudo define o perfil da doença na população do sul da Índia e determina os aspectos clínicos e patológicos dos tumores estromais gastrointestinais. Método Neste estudo prospectivo, os pacientes diagnosticados com tumor estromal gastrointestinl foram submetidos a um exame clínico completo, e uma série de dados dos pacientes, incluindo detalhes antropométricos e clínicos, foram analisados. Os dados patológicos incluíram tamanho do tumor, presença ou ausência de necrose, contagem mitótica e imuno-histoquímica para CD-117, CD-34. Resultados Havia 44 pacientes com diagnóstico confirmado de tumor estromal gastrointestinal. A maior incidência foi encontrada na 6ª década de vida. Os sintomas mais comuns foram dor abdominal e sangramento gastrointestinal. O estômago foi o local mais frequente para tumores estromais gastrointestinais. A imuno-histoquímica para CD-117 foi positiva em 93,18% dos casos. A maioria dos tumores (79,5%) apresentava morfologia pura de células fusiformes e a atividade mitótica mostrou que 34% dos GISTs pertenciam ao grupo de alto risco. Quarenta e dois pacientes receberam indicação para cirurgia como tratamento primário após a apresentação. Conclusão A dor abdominal foi a queixa mais comum. A maioria dos tumores afetava o estômago, apresentava morfologia pura de células fusiformes e 93% eram CD-117 positivos. Foi observada uma relação significativa entre o tamanho do tumor, a necrose tumoral e a atividade mitótica, com os tumores grandes apresentando necrose e alta taxa mitótica com alto risco de malignidade. A ressecção cirúrgica é considerada o principal tratamento do tumor estromal gastrointestinal. A terapia com imatinibe deve ser administrada a pacientes em categoria de risco de moderadas a grave.

Effect of ethanol extract of whole plant of Trichosanthes cucumerina var. cucumerina L. on gonadotropins, ovarian follicular kinetics and estrous cycle for screening of antifertility activity in Albino Rats / Efectos del etanol extraído de la planta completa de Trichosanthes cucumerina var. cucumerina L. sobre gonadotropinas, cinética folicular ovárica y ciclo para screening de actividad antifertilidad en Ratas Albinas

Ethanol extract of whole plant of Trichosanthes cucumerina L. var. cucumerina was evaluated for antiovulatory activity in adult rats. The ethanol extract at the doses 200 and 400mg/kg body weight (orally) affected the normal estrous cycle showing a significant increase in estrus and metestrus phases and decrease in diestras and proestrus phases. The extract also significantly reduced the number of healthy follicles (Class I-Class VI) and corpora lutea and increased the number of regressing follicles (Stage IA, Stage IB, Stage IIA, and Stage IIB). The protein and glycogen content in the ovaries were significantly reduced in treated rats. The cholesterol level was significantly increased, whereas, the enzyme activities like 3b-HSD and 17b-HSD were significantly inhibited in the ovary of treated rats. Serum FSH and LH levels were significantly reduced in the treated groups were measured by RIA. In acute toxicity test, neither mortality nor change in the behavior or any other physiological activities in mice were observed in the treated groups. In chronic toxicity studies, no mortality was recorded and there were no significant differences in the body and organ weights were observed between controls and treated rats. Hematological analysis showed no significant differences in any of the parameters examined (RBC, WBC count and Hemoglobin estimation). These observations showed the antiovulatory activity of ethanol extract of whole plant of Trichosanthes cucumerina L. var. cucumerina in female albino rats.

El extracto de etanol de toda la planta de Trichosanthes cucumerina var. cucumerina (L.) se evaluó en cuanto a su actividad antiovulatoria en ratas adultas. El extracto de etanol en dosis de 200 y 400mg/kg de peso corporal (oral) afectó el ciclo normal estral, mostrando un aumentó significativo en las fases de estro y metaestro y la disminución de las fases de diestro y proestro. El extracto también redujo significativamente el número de folículos sanos (Clase I=Clase VI) y cuerpo lúteo y aumentó el número de folículos en regresión (etapa I, etapa IB, etapa II y etapa IIB). La proteína y el contenido de glucógeno en los ovarios se redujeron significativamente en las ratas tratadas. El nivel de colesterol aumentó significativamente, mientras que, actividad de las enzimas 3b-HSD y 17b-HSD se inhibió significativamente en el ovario de ratas tratadas. FSH sérico y los niveles de LH se redujeron significativamente en los grupos tratados y medidos por RÍA. En la prueba de toxicidad aguda, no hubo mortalidad ni cambio en el comportamiento fisiológico o de cualquier otra actividad en los grupos tratados de ratas. En estudios de toxicidad crónica, no se registró mortalidad y no hubo diferencias significativas en el peso corporal o el peso de los órganos entre los controles y las ratas tratadas. Los análisis hematológicos no mostraron diferencias significativas en ninguno de los parámetros examinados (eritrocitos, recuento de glóbulos blancos y estimación de hemoglobina). Estas observaciones mostraron la actividad antiovulatoria del extracto de etanol de toda la planta de Trichosanthes cucumerina var. cucumerina en ratas albinas hembras.

Linking of digital images to phylogenetic data matrices using a morphological ontology.

Images are paramount in documentation of morphological data. Production and reproduction costs have traditionally limited how many illustrations taxonomy could afford to publish, and much comparative knowledge continues to be lost as generations turn over. Now digital images are cheaply produced and easily disseminated electronically but pose problems in maintenance, curation, sharing, and use, particularly in long-term data sets involving multiple collaborators and institutions. We propose an efficient linkage of images to phylogenetic data sets via an ontology of morphological terms; an underlying, fine-grained database of specimens, images, and associated metadata; fixation of the meaning of morphological terms (homolog names) by ostensive references to particular taxa; and formalization of images as standard views. The ontology provides the intellectual structure and fundamental design of the relationships and enables intelligent queries to populate phylogenetic data sets with images. The database itself documents primary morphological observations, their vouchers, and associated metadata, rather than the conventional data set cell, and thereby facilitates data maintenance despite character redefinition or specimen reidentification. It minimizes reexamination of specimens, loss of information or data quality, and echoes the data models of web-based repositories for images, specimens, and taxonomic names. Confusion and ambiguity in the meanings of technical morphological terms are reduced by ostensive definitions pointing to features in particular taxa, which may serve as reference for globally unique identifiers of characters. Finally, the concept of standard views (an image illustrating one or more homologs in a specific sex and life stage, in a specific orientation, using a specific device and preparation technique) enables efficient, dynamic linkage of images to the data set and automatic population of matrix cells with images independently of scoring decisions.