Aberrant right subclavian artery in Down syndrome fetuses.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) in trisomic and normal fetuses during the routine detailed ultrasonography in the second trimester and to evaluate the potential value of ARSA as an ultrasonographic marker for trisomy 21. METHODS: The presence of normal brachicephalic trunk/or ARSA was confirmed in all pregnant women undergoing second trimester detailed fetal anomaly screening beyond 16th week of pregnancy. Amniocentesis following genetic councelling was recommended to all women having either any positive ultrasonographic marker including ARSA or a positive biochemical screening test (triple test) result. RESULTS: During the 17-month period, 2081 patients were screened, and 23 patients with ARSA (1,1%) and 20 patients with trisomy 21 were detected. Of those 20 patients with trisomy 21, ARSA was detected in seven (%35). On the other hand, 30.4% of the fetuses with ARSA had also trisomy 21. The positive and negative likelihood ratios of ARSA for trisomy 21 were 45.08 and 0.65, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, the ARSA in combination with other ultrasound signs increased the risk for trisomy 21 by factor of 45, but the independent ability of ARSA as an isolated marker to predict fetal Trisomy 21 is unclear.

Clinical significance of P16INK4A and retinoblastoma proteins in non-small-cell lung carcinoma.

This study was performed to determine the frequency of expression loss of p16 and pRb; their relations with each other, tumour histology, tumour stage, nodal status, and survival in formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tumour tissues of patients with non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). P16 and/or pRb expression loss is observed in 72 (75.8%) out of 95 patients, and 70 (73.7%) of them showed inverse correlation (P<0.05). Thirty-six (37.9%) of the p16 positive cases usually showed weak or moderate immunohistochemical staining. Loss of p16 expression was found to be significantly greater in squamous cell carcinoma than in adenocarcinoma cases, whilst no relation was observed with other clinical parameters. Immunohistochemical reactivity for pRb was generally moderate or strong. PRb expression loss was observed in 15.8% of the cases, and no relation was found between pRb loss and age, sex, tumour histology, tumour stage, or nodal status. PRb negative squamous cell carcinoma cases had significantly shorter survival independent of nodal status. These results suggest that disruption of p16/pRb pathway is frequently involved in NSCLC, and pRb expression loss in cases with squamous cell carcinoma may predict clinical outcome.

Sonographic measurement of fetal ear length in Turkish women with a normal pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Abnormal fetal ear length is a feature of chromosomal disorders. Fetal ear length measurement is a simple measurement that can be obtained during ultrasonographic examinations. AIMS: To develop a nomogram for fetal ear length measurements in our population and investigate the correlation between fetal ear length, gestational age, and other standard fetal biometric measurements. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study. METHODS: Ear lengths of the fetuses were measured in normal singleton pregnancies. The relationship between gestational age and fetal ear length in millimetres was analysed by simple linear regression. In addition, the correlation of fetal ear length measurements with biparietal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur length were evaluated.Ear length measurements were obtained from fetuses in 389 normal singleton pregnancies ranging between 16 and 28 weeks of gestation. RESULTS: A nomogram was developed by linear regression analysis of the parameters ear length and gestational age. Fetal ear length (mm) = y = (1.348 X gestational age)-12.265), where gestational ages is in weeks. A high correlation was found between fetal ear length and gestational age, and a significant correlation was also found between fetal ear length and the biparietal diameter (r=0.962; p<0.001). Similar correlations were found between fetal ear length and head circumference, and fetal ear length and femur length. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide a nomogram for fetal ear length. The study also demonstrates the relationship between ear length and other biometric measurements.