'Pure' invasive apocrine carcinoma of the breast: a new clinicopathological entity?

Invasive apocrine carcinoma (IAC) of the breast has a similar prognosis to infiltrating ductal carcinoma not otherwise specified (IDC-NOS). The existence of a pure IAC subtype (PIAC) and its possible prognostic implications have not been fully investigated. To this end, pathological inclusion criteria for the diagnosis of PIAC were defined and three pathologists reviewed their slides blind to identify it. To assess its clinical behavior, a case-control evaluation was performed, for which 122 cases were selected. There was 100% agreement among the pathologists on the diagnosis: PIAC was identified in 37 cases and IDC-NOS, in 68, while 17 cases were categorized as complex IAC. The probability of 6-year survival was 0.72 for PIAC and 0.52 for IDC-NOS (P=0.02), and was still better after adjustment for tumor grade and axillary status. PIAC may be a distinct clinicopathological entity with a less aggressive behavior than high-grade IDC-NOS and might be regarded as an independent prognostic factor in early breast cancer.

Transforming growth factor beta activity in urine of patients with type 2 diabetes and diabetic nephropathy.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is characterized structurally by progressive mesangial deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM). Transforming growth factor-ss (TGF-ss) is considered to be one of the major cytokines involved in the regulation of ECM synthesis and degradation. Several studies suggest that an increase in urinary TGF-ss levels may reflect an enhanced production of this polypeptide by the kidney cells. We evaluated TGF-ss in occasional urine samples from 14 normal individuals and 23 patients with type 2 diabetes (13 with persistent proteinuria >500 mg/24 h, DN, 6 with microalbuminuria, DMMA, and 4 with normal urinary albumin excretion, DMN) by enzyme immunoassay. An increase in the rate of urinary TGF-ss excretion (pg/mg U Creat.) was observed in patients with DN (296.07 +/- 330.77) (P<0.001) compared to normal individuals (17.04 +/- 18.56) (Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric analysis of variance); however, this increase was not observed in patients with DMMA (25.13 +/- 11.30) or in DMN (18.16 +/- 11.82). There was a positive correlation between the rate of urinary TGF-ss excretion and proteinuria (r = 0.70, alpha = 0.05) (Pearson's analysis), one of the parameters of disease progression.

Neolithic ceramic findings from western Sicily. Chemical-physical and mineralogical characterization.

This paper presents the results of a study that is part of a wider research program regarding the knowledge of the initial living phases of Sicilian agricultural and pastoral societies. Three ceramic samples attributed to the medium initial Neolithic (NEO1 and NEO2) and to the first neolithic (NEO3), recovered in two different archaeological sites of the western Sicily, have been analysed. Chemical, mineralogical and spectroscopic data point out a similarity between NEO1 and NEO3 samples; compositional and morphological differences instead have been observed in the NEO2 sample. The firing temperatures of the samples have been estimated by Mössbauer spectroscopy; they are lower than 500 degrees C for the samples NEO1 and NEO3, and about 700 degrees C for NEO2.

Polipo anexial de la piel neonatal / Adnexal polyp of neonatal skin

El pólipo anexial de la piel neonatal (PAPN) es un tumor pequeño, localizado principalmente en la areola de los recién nacidos. Usualmente solitario, se desprende espontáneamente durante la primera semana de vida. Según nuestra casuística, se observa en el 3,6 porciento de los neonatos. Histológicamente se caracteriza por la presencia de elementos anexiales (folículos pilosos, glándulas ecrínas y vestigios de glándulas sebáceas)inmersos en un tejido colágeno laxo

Transforming growth factor beta activity in urine of patients with type 2 diabetes and diabetic nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is characterized structurally by progressive mesangial deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM). Transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) is considered to be one of the major cytokines involved in the regulation of ECM synthesis and degradation. Several studies suggest that an increase in urinary TGF-ß levels may reflect an enhanced production of this polypeptide by the kidney cells. We evaluated TGF-ß in occasional urine samples from 14 normal individuals and 23 patients with type 2 diabetes (13 with persistent proteinuria >500 mg/24 h, DN, 6 with microalbuminuria, DMMA, and 4 with normal urinary albumin excretion, DMN) by enzyme immunoassay. An increase in the rate of urinary TGF-ß excretion (pg/mg UCreat.) was observed in patients with DN (296.07 + or - 330.77) (P<0.001) compared to normal individuals (17.04 + or - 18.56) (Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric analysis of variance); however, this increase was not observed in patients with DMMA (25.13 + or - 11.30) or in DMN (18.16 + or - 11.82). There was a positive correlation between the rate of urinary TGF-ß excretion and proteinuria (r = 0.70, a = 0.05) (Pearson's analysis), one of the parameters of disease progression.

Nevus azul / Blue nevus

Se realiza una revision de la bibliografia sobre nevus azules.Luego de comentarse los aspectos clinicos e histologicos de las formas comun y celular, se discuten las caracteristicas de algunas variantes especiales tales como los llamados atipicos, combinados, harmatoma neurocristico peri-pilar, en placa, en tiro al blanco y otras asociaciones con distintas patologias

Sindrome de Caprid (Carcinoma metastásico, primitivo desconocido> / Caprid syndrome (Metastatic carcinoma unknown primary)

Se estudiaron 20 pacientes con diagnóstico de carcinoma metastásico de localización primitiva desconocida. De ellos sólo 11 fueron evaluables. Todos salvo 1 caso, fueron tratados con adriamicina en combinación (10/11). El índice de respuesta fue del 64% (R.C. + R.P.) y la mediana de sobrevida 9 meses. La toxicidad clinicohematológica fue mínima. Adriamicina en combinación es una alternativa para este tipo de pacientes de acuerdo a la presunción clínicopatológica del probable origen del carcinoma primitivo