Merkel Cell Carcinoma Metastases To Caruncle With Orbital Extension: Report and Literature Review.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an uncommon and aggressive skin cancer of neuroendocrine origin. The tumor usually presents with a locoregional spread and most frequently metastasizes to the skin, liver, bone, lung, and brain. Despite the orbit being a relatively common site of metastases, it has rarely been reported in patients with MCC. The authors present a case of biopsy-proven orbital metastatic MCC in an 86-year-old male who presented with a rapidly enlarging right caruncle/subconjunctival mass with orbital extension and a history of forearm MCC excision 3 years prior. There are only 3 reported cases of distant metastatic MCC to the orbit, all presenting as a mass originating from extraocular muscles; and no cases of caruncle involvement.

Ion-molecule interactions enable unexpected phase transitions in organic-inorganic aerosol.

Atmospheric aerosol particles are commonly complex, aqueous organic-inorganic mixtures, and accurately predicting the properties of these particles is essential for air quality and climate projections. The prevailing assumption is that aqueous organic-inorganic aerosols exist predominately with liquid properties and that the hygroscopic inorganic fraction lowers aerosol viscosity relative to the organic fraction alone. Here, in contrast to those assumptions, we demonstrate that increasing inorganic fraction can increase aerosol viscosity (relative to predictions) and enable a humidity-dependent gel phase transition through cooperative ion-molecule interactions that give rise to long-range networks of atmospherically relevant low-mass oxygenated organic molecules (180 to 310 Da) and divalent inorganic ions. This supramolecular, ion-molecule effect can drastically influence the phase and physical properties of organic-inorganic aerosol and suggests that aerosol may be (semi)solid under more conditions than currently predicted. These observations, thus, have implications for air quality and climate that are not fully represented in atmospheric models.

Dual-Balance Electrodynamic Trap as a Microanalytical Tool for Identifying Gel Transitions and Viscous Properties of Levitated Aerosol Particles.

The formation of gelatinous networks within an aerosol particle significantly alters the physicochemical properties of the aerosol material. Existing techniques for studying gel transitions rely on bulk rheometry, which is limited by contact with the sample, or microrheological techniques such as holographic optical tweezers, which rely on expensive equipment and high-powered lasers that can degrade light-absorbing aerosol. Here, we present a new technique to probe the microrheological characteristics of aerosol particles and explore gel formation under atmospheric conditions in a contactless environment without the need for high-power light sources. In a dual-balance quadrupole electrodynamic balance, levitated droplets of opposite polarity are trapped and equilibrated at fixed relative humidity (RH) and then subsequently merged, and the physical characteristics of the merged droplets are monitored as a function of time and RH using imaging techniques. By comparing the RH-dependent characteristics of MgSO4 (known to undergo a gel transition) to glucose and sucrose (known to remain as viscous Newtonian fluids) under fixed equilibration time scales, we demonstrate that gel phase transitions can be identified in aerosol particles, with MgSO4 abruptly transitioning to a rigid microgel at 30% RH. Further, we demonstrate this technique can be used to also measure aerosol viscosity and identify non-Newtonian fluid dynamics in model sea spray aerosol composed of NaCl, CaCl2, and sorbitol. Thus, using this experimental technique, it is possible to distinguish between aerosol compositions that form viscous Newtonian fluids and those that undergo a gel transition or form non-Newtonian fluids. This technique offers a simple and cost-effective analytical tool for probing gel transitions outside of bulk solubility limits, with relevant applications ranging from atmospheric science to microengineering of soft matter materials.

Evaluación histopatológica en las muestras de cirugía de pterigión ¿Es necesario? / Histopathological evaluation of pterygium surgical samples: is this important?

Introducción: la neoplasia escamosa de superficie ocular (NESO) puede llevar a problemas estéticos y funcionales oculares. El pterigión en cambio es una patología benigna que cuando tiene un manejo quirúrgico las muestras son desechadas sin análisis histopatológico. El objetivo es hacer una revisión acerca de la fisiopatología, factores de riesgo e incidencia de NESO en lesiones clínicamente diagnosticadas como pterigión. Métodos: artículo de revisión. Se revisó la base de datos electrónica pubmed utilizando palabras claves como pterygium AND OSSN. Se revisaron los artículos en inglés y español que tuvieran información pertinente para dar respuesta a nuestro objetivo. Resultados: ambas patologías comparten características clínicas que hacen difícil diferenciarlas sólo en base al examen físico, y eventualmente pueden coexistir. No existen en Chile estudios relacionados a la prevalencia ni menos a la coexistencia de ambas patologías. Se encontraron frecuencias de NESO en pterigión entre 0,65 y 9,8 por ciento dependiendo de la región geográfica. Conclusiones: es importante mantener un alto nivel de sospecha para diagnosticar una NESO en pterigión y es importante crear conciencia en los oftalmólogos que estas lesiones pueden coexistir. Se requieren estudios prospectivos para analizar la incidencia de las NESO en pterigión en las distintas latitudes de nuestro país.(AU)

Introduction: ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) can lead to aesthetic and functional ocular problems. Pterygium, on the other hand, is a benign pathology that, when it has a surgical management, the samples are discarded without histopathological analysis. The objective is to review the pathophysiology, risk factors and incidence of OSSN in clinically diagnosed lesions such as pterygium. Methods: review article. The pubmed electronic database was reviewed using keywords such as pterygium AND OSSN. We reviewed articles in English and Spanish that had relevant information to respond to our objective. Results: both pathologies share clinical characteristics that make it difficult to differentiate them only based on the physical examination, and eventually they can coexist. There are no studies in Chile related to prevalence or less to the coexistence of both pathologies. Frequencies of OSSN in pterygium were found between 0.65 and 9.8 percent depending on the geographical region. Conclusions: is important to maintain a high level of suspicion to diagnose OSSN in pterygium and it is important to create awareness in ophthalmologists that these lesions can coexist. Further prospective studies are necessary to analyze the incidence of OSSN in pterygium in the different latitudes of our country .(AU)

Lipopolysaccharide induces inhibition of galactose intestinal transport in rabbits in vitro.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Previous studies from our laboratory have revealed impaired intestinal absorption of D-galactose in lipopolysaccharide-treated rabbits. The aim of the present work was to examine the effect of LPS on D-galactose intestinal absorption in vitro. METHODS: D-galactose intestinal transport was assessed employing three techniques: sugar uptake in rings of everted jejunum, transepithelial flux in Ussing-type chambers and transport assays in brush border membrane vesicles. The level of expression of the Na(+)/D-galactose cotransporter (SGLT1) was analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: LPS decreased the mucosal D-galactose transport in rabbit jejunum but a preexposition to the endotoxin was required. LPS affected the Na(+)-dependent transport system by increasing the apparent Km value without affecting the Vmax. It also decreased the Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activity. However, it did not inhibit neither the uptake of D-galactose by brush border membrane vesicles nor modified the SGLT1 protein levels in the brush border, suggesting an indirect endotoxin effect. This inhibitory effect, was reduced by selective inhibitors of Ca(2+)-calmodulin (W13), protein kinase C (GF 109203X), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (SB 203580), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (SP 600125) and mitogen extracellular kinase (U 0126). CONCLUSION: LPS inhibits the mucosal Na(+)-dependent D-galactose intestinal absorption and the Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activity when it is added to the tissue. Intracellular processes related to protein kinases seem to be implicated in the endotoxin effect.

Descripción de un caso similar a miositis osificante localizada en un perro / A case of myositis ossificans circumscripta-like condition in a dog

A case of myositis ossificans circumscripta in an eight-year-old, male, Weimaraner dog, is described. The animal was originally submitted with presumptive diagnosis of hernia. The lesion was a firm, subcutaneous nodule, 5 cm long by 3 cm width, localized in the right perineum muscles. After the radiologic study the lesion was interpreted as a neoplasm from coccygeal vertebrae. The surgical procedure to eliminate the neoplastic tissue confirmed its hardness. Excision was not complete and the sample was submitted to pathology. The mass was hard, well circumscribed, vascularized and surrounded by muscle tissue. The histopathological study revealed a heterotopic ossification with zones of atrophy, degeneration and muscle necrosis, alternating with zones of trabecular ossification toward the periphery, limited by abundant fibrous connective tissue. These findings are characteristic of myositis ossificans circumscripta. This case represents the first report in a dog in Mexico, of a condition resembling the myositis ossificans circumscripta in humans.

Se describe un caso de miositis osificante localizada en un perro de raza Weimaraner, macho, de ocho años de edad. El animal fue originalmente remitido con diagnóstico presuntivo de hernia. La lesión era un nódulo subcutáneo firme con 5 cm de largo por 3 cm de ancho, localizada en los músculos del perineo derecho. Después del estudio radiológico la lesión fue interpretada como una neoplasia originada de vértebras coccígeas. Su dureza se constató durante el procedimiento quirúrgico para eliminar la neoformación. La lesión se extirpó parcialmente y la muestra se remitió a patología. La masa era dura, bien delimitada, vascularizada y con tejido muscular a su alrededor. El estudio histopatológico reveló osificación heterotópica con zonas de atrofia, degeneración y necrosis muscular, alternando con zonas de osificación trabecular en la periferia, limitadas por abundante tejido conectivo fibroso. Estos hallazgos son característicos de la miositis osificante localizada. Este caso constituye el primer informe de esta condición patológica en un perro en México, similar a la miositis osificante localizada en humanos.

Protein kinases, TNF-{alpha}, and proteasome contribute in the inhibition of fructose intestinal transport by sepsis in vivo.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin is a causative agent of sepsis. The aim of this study was to examine LPS effects on intestinal fructose absorption and to decipher mechanisms. Sepsis was induced by intravenous injection of LPS in rabbits. The ultrastructural study and DNA fragmentation patterns were identical in the intestine of LPS and sham animals. LPS treatment reduced fructose absorption altering both mucosal-to-serosal transepithelial fluxes and uptake into brush border membrane vesicles (BBMVs). Cytochalasin B was ineffective on fructose uptake, indicating that GLUT5, but not GLUT2, transport activity was targeted. GLUT5 protein levels in BBMvs were lower in LPS than in sham-injected rabbits. Thus lower fructose transport resulted from lower levels of GLUT5 protein. LPS treatment decreased GLUT5 levels by proteasome-dependent degradation. Specific inhibitors of PKC, PKA, and MAP kinases (p38MAPK, JNK, MEK1/2) protected fructose uptake from adverse LPS effect. Moreover, a TNF-alpha antagonist blocked LPS action on fructose uptake. We conclude that intestinal fructose transport inhibition by LPS is associated with diminished GLUT5 numbers in the brush border membrane of enterocytes triggered by activation of several interrelated signaling cascades and proteasome degradation.

Chemical composition and anti-inflammatory activity of the volatile fractions from the bark of eight Mexican Bursera species.

The volatile fractions from the bark of eight species of Mexican Bursera were obtained using steam distillation and were subjected to tandem GC-MS analysis for identification of the main constituents. The most abundant components of steam volatiles were monoterpenoids from which alpha-terpineol, terpinen-4-ol, alpha-thujene, linalool and limonene were most frequently isolated. A series of sesquiterpenes and long-chain hydrocarbons were isolated and identified from the barks of some of the studied species . Some volatiles were assayed for anti-inflammatory activity using the TPA-induced ear edema bioassay in mice. The volatile fraction from Bursera lancifolia was about half as active as indomethacin.