Pancreatic cystic lymphangioma: diagnostic approach with MDCT and MR imaging.

Lymphangiomas are rare congenital benign tumors arising from the lymphatic system mostly encountered in the neck and axillary regions of pediatric patients. Pancreatic cystic lymphangiomas very rarely occur in adults. Radiologically, the lesion may mimic pancreatic carcinoma and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any patient found to have an abdominal cystic mass. In this article, we present a 50-year-old man who presented with pain in the upper abdomen, nausea, and abdominal swelling. On computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, a gross septated cystic lesion was detected in the upper abdomen which extended from the pancreatic corpus to the left liver lobe. The patient underwent complete resection of tumor. Pathology revealed a cystic lymphangioma.

Does copper stress lead to spindle misposition-dependent cell cycle arrest?

Because of its specific electrochemical properties, copper is an essential heavy metal for living organisms. As with other heavy metals, high levels can provoke damage. We examined gene expression under copper stress in wild-type fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) through differential display. After the EC(50) concentration of CuSO(4) was determined as 50 µM, total RNA was isolated from cells treated or not with copper. The expression level of SPCC1682.13, ppk1, SPBC2F12.05c, and adg2 genes increased significantly under copper stress. Considering the functions of these genes are related to the cell cycle, cell division and chromosome dynamics, we hypothesize that retardation of the cell cycle under copper stress is relevant to the events that depend on the functions of these genes.

Effect of graft type on postoperative liver function recovery in living liver donors.

BACKGROUND: Donor safety is the primary focus in living-donor liver transplantation. Although, the procedure carries a significant risk of morbidity and even death, the use of marginal living donors is a current issue of discussion. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between September 2001 and October 2008, we performed 203 liver transplantation procedures using organs from living donors. Of 203 donors, 115 were men and 88 were women, with a mean (SD; range) age of 34.5 (9; 19-66) years. One hundred fifty donors were first-degree relatives of the recipients, 36 were second-degree relatives, and 17 were spouses. We did not accept grafts with remnant volume less than 40% or from donors with impaired liver function. We performed 96 right-lobe 38 left-lobe, and 69 left-lateral segmentectomies. For the right-lobe grafts, the median hepatic vein was always left in the remnant liver. The mean ratios of remnant to total donor liver volume were 42.0%, 66.8%, and 74.6% for the right-, left-, and left lateral segmentectomies, respectively. Mean hospitalization time was 7.0, 6.2, and 9.7 days, respectively. Mean operative time was 330, 324, and 324 minutes, respectively. Only 15 donors (7.8%) received autologous blood transfusions during surgery. Liver function tests including alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and bilirubin concentrations and prothrombin time were assessed postoperative days 1, 3, and 5 at outpatient follow-up, usually at week 3. RESULTS: There were no deaths; however, 26 complications occurred in 20 of 203 donors (5.2%), most of which were treated with radiologic interventions. CONCLUSION: Larger grafts produce impaired function in the early postoperative period; however, they do not have a negative effect in the long term. The remnant volume should be measured fastidiously, and surgeons must avoid taking large volumes of liver, especially in right-lobe donors.

Renin-angiotensin system polymorphisms: a risk factor for progression to end-stage renal disease in vesicoureteral reflux patients.

Aim. Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) gene mutations have been implicated as a risk factor for the presence and progression of renal disease in vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). However, the results are contradictory, and the effects of RAS polymorphisms in VUR patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have not been defined yet. This study was designed to evaluate the angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion (ACE-I/D), angiotensinogen (AGT) M235T, and angiotensin II receptor type 1 (ATR1) A1166C and type 2 (ATR2) C3123A gene polymorphisms as risk factors for progression to ESRD in patients with VUR. Methods. ACE-I/D, AGT-M235T, ATR1-A1166C, and ATR2-C3123A were identified in 161 ESRD patients (52 female, 109 male; 77 renal transplant, 84 dialysis; age: 34.4 +/- 11.2 years). VUR was the ESRD etiology in 40 patients. Genetic polymorphisms of the ACE gene I/D, AGT gene M235T, ATR1 gene A1166C, and ATR2 gene C3123A were identified in all of the patients. Results. We detected no linkage between genetic polymorphisms of ATR1-, ATR2-, AGT-, and VUR-related ESRD. When ACE gene was considered, VUR(+) patients had 63.6% DD, 36.4% ID, and no II alleles, whereas VUR(-) patients had 48.6% DD, 43.2% ID, and 8.1% II alleles. Conclusion. A striking feature of VUR-related ESRD patients was the absence of II alleles, so the DD genotype may be accepted as a genetic susceptibility factor for progression to ESRD in VUR patients.

Neurofibroma of the bladder wall in von Recklinghausen's disease.

Neurofibromatosis, or von Recklinghausen's disease, is an autosomal dominant disease with multiple neurofibroma and café-au-lait spots. However, neurofibroma in the bladder wall is a rare condition in von Recklinghausen's disease. A 31-year-old man with neurogenic voiding dysfunction due to sacral meningocele and acute urinary retention with neurofibroma of the bladder wall is presented with detailed radiologic evaluation. Patients with von Recklinghausen's disease should be carefully evaluated if urological symptoms exist.

Primary choriocarcinoma of the stomach and pancreas: CT findings.

In this report we present the CT findings of two non-gestational, extragonadal choriocarcinomas, one arising within the stomach and one in the pancreas. These are rare tumours and a pancreatic primary site has not been previously described.