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Introduction: The absence of submucosal ganglion cells does not reliably distinguish Hirschsprung disease from non Hirschsprung disease in anorectal line biopsies. Calretinin staining might be helpful in these biopsies. To determine its value, we analyzed calretinin positive mucosal neurites in anorectal line biopsies. Methods: Two pediatric pathologists, without access to patient data, evaluated calretinin positive mucosal neurites in anorectal line junctional mucosa in archival rectal biopsies contributed by 17 institutions. A separate investigator compiled patient information and sent data for statistical analysis. Results: Biopsies with anorectal junctional mucosa from 115 patients were evaluated for calretinin positive mucosal neurites. 20/20 Hirschsprung disease biopsies were negative. 87/88 non Hirschsprung disease biopsies and 7/7 post pullthrough Hirschsprung disease neorectal biopsies were positive. Statistical analysis of the 108 non pullthrough biopsies yielded an accuracy of 99.1% (sensitivity 100%, specificity 98.9%). Age range was preterm to 16 years. Biopsy size was less than 1 mm to over 1 cm. Conclusions: Absence of calretinin positive mucosal neurites at the anorectal line was highly accurate in distinguishing Hirschsprung disease from non Hirschsprung disease cases in this blinded retrospective study. Calretinin staining is useful for interpreting biopsies from the physiologic hypoganglionic zone up to the anorectal line.

Astroblastoma is a rare primary central nervous system tumor of controversial site of origin. They account for 0.45-2.8% of all primary neuroepithelial central nervous system. It has been reported in paediatric age group with bimodal age distribution affecting more females with male to female ratio being 1:11. Astroblastomas are controversial and challenging tumors in terms of diagnosis and therapeutics. Since it carries an unpredictable disease course it needs a regular follow up even for low grade tumor. Authors have tried various schedules of post op radiotherapy after maximum safe resection. Various chemotherapeutic drugs combination have also been tried without much success. We here report a 35 years old female patient who was diagnosed with high grade astroblastoma referred for post-operative radiotherapy after gross total resection. Since it is extremely rare tumor, its treatment still not well defined and also makes it difficult conduct studies to examine tumor characteristics.

We aimed to assess the diagnostic utility of eosinophil peroxidase (EPX) staining on Cytosponge (CS) samples in eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).Esophageal biopsy (BX) samples from adult subjects with EoE were assessed using peak eosinophils per high-power field (eos/hpf), EPX, and the EoE histologic scoring system. EPX staining and eos/hpf were compared (BX vs CS).CS EPX positivity correlated with eos/hpf (CS [ r = 0.82, P0.0001]; BX [ r = 0.65, P0.0001]) and EoE histologic scoring system (grade [ r = 0.62, P0.00001]; stage [ r = 0.61, P0.0001]). CS EPX identified subjects with active EoE (area under the curve = 0.86, P0.0001).The correlation of CS EPX with eosinophilic inflammation and histologic disease severity supports its diagnostic utility in EoE.

The BINOL supported 1,3,2-dioxaborepines [C10H12O2BC6F5(THF)] [(R)-1], [C10H12O2BC6F5(OPEt3)] [(R)-3], [C10H12O2BC6F5]2 [(R,R)-2], [C10H12O2B(OPEt3)2]+[B(O2C10H12)2]− [(R)-6], and [C10H12O2B(OSMe2)2]+[B(O2C10H12)2]− [(R)-7] have been prepared.

The polyhedral oligosilsesquioxane complexes, {[(isobutyl)7Si7O12]ZrOPri·(HOPri)}2 (I), {[(cyclohexyl)7Si7O12]ZrOPri·(HOPri)}2 (II), {[(isobutyl)7Si7O12]HfOPri·(HOPri)}2 (III) and {[(cyclohexyl)7Si7O12]HfOPri·(HOPri)}2 (IV), were synthesized in good yields from the reactions of M(OPri)4 (M = Zr, Hf) with R-POSS(OH)3 (R = isobutyl, cyclohexyl), resp. I–IV were characterized by 1H, 13C and 29Si NMR spectroscopy and their dimeric solid-state structures were confirmed by X-ray analysis. I–IV catalyze the reductive etherification of 2-hydroxy- and 4-hydroxy and 2-methoxy and 4-methoxybenzaldehyde and vanillin to their respective isopropyl ethers in isopropanol as a “green” solvent and reagent. I–IV are durable and robust homogeneous catalysts operating at temperatures of 100–160 °C for days without significant loss of catalytic activity. Likewise, I–IV selectively catalyze the conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) into 2,5-bis(isopropoxymethyl)furane (BPMF), a potentially high-performance fuel additive. Similar results were achieved by using a combination of M(OPri)4 and ligand R-POSS(OH)3 as a catalyst system demonstrating the potential of this “in situ” approach for applications in biomass transformations. A tentative reaction mechanism for the reductive etherification of aldehydes catalysed by I–IV is proposed.

Author(s): Sloan, Emily A; Hilz, Stephanie; Gupta, Rohit; Cadwell, Cathryn; Ramani, Biswarathan; Hofmann, Jeffrey; Kline, Cassie N; Banerjee, Anu; Reddy, Alyssa; Oberheim Bush, Nancy Ann; Chang, Susan; Braunstein, Steve; Chang, Edward F; Raffel, Corey; Gupta, Nalin; Sun, Peter P; Kim, John YH; Moes, Gregory; Alva, Elizabeth; Li, Rong; Bruggers, Carol S; Alashari, Mouied; Wetmore, Cynthia; Garg, Shipra; Dishop, Megan; Van Ziffle, Jessica; Onodera, Courtney; Devine, Patrick; Grenert, James P; Lee, Julieann C; Phillips, Joanna J; Pekmezci, Melike; Tihan, Tarik; Bollen, Andrew W; Berger, Mitchel S; Costello, Joseph F; Perry, Arie; Solomon, David A

Contains fulltext : 249882.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) ALK-positive histiocytosis is a rare subtype of histiocytic neoplasm first described in 2008 in 3 infants with multisystemic disease involving the liver and hematopoietic system. This entity has subsequently been documented in case reports and series to occupy a wider clinicopathologic spectrum with recurrent KIF5B-ALK fusions. The full clinicopathologic and molecular spectra of ALK-positive histiocytosis remain, however, poorly characterized. Here, we describe the largest study of ALK-positive histiocytosis to date, with detailed clinicopathologic data of 39 cases, including 37 cases with confirmed ALK rearrangements. The clinical spectrum comprised distinct clinical phenotypic groups: infants with multisystemic disease with liver and hematopoietic involvement, as originally described (Group 1A: 6/39), other patients with multisystemic disease (Group 1B: 10/39), and patients with single-system disease (Group 2: 23/39). Nineteen patients of the entire cohort (49%) had neurologic involvement (7 and 12 from Groups 1B and 2, respectively). Histology included classic xanthogranuloma features in almost one-third of cases, whereas the majority displayed a more densely cellular, monomorphic appearance without lipidized histiocytes but sometimes more spindled or epithelioid morphology. Neoplastic histiocytes were positive for macrophage markers and often conferred strong expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase, confirming MAPK pathway activation. KIF5B-ALK fusions were detected in 27 patients, whereas CLTC-ALK, TPM3-ALK, TFG-ALK, EML4-ALK, and DCTN1-ALK fusions were identified in single cases. Robust and durable responses were observed in 11/11 patients treated with ALK inhibition, 10 with neurologic involvement. This study presents the existing clinicopathologic and molecular landscape of ALK-positive histiocytosis and provides guidance for the clinical management of this emerging histiocytic entity.

Background: Reproductive health of women plays a key role in overall development of a country. Lack of decision-making by women in reproductive health matters may lead to an unplanned pregnancy, unsafe abortion and other adverse reproductive health outcomes.Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted among married women with at least one child aged 18-49 years in Punjab, India. Study variables included socio-demographic characteristics, reproductive health characteristics, contraceptive choices, interpersonal communication and interpersonal relationship with spouses.Results: Among all surveyed married women, only 51 (58.6%) women reported to be physically and mentally ready for their marriage. 50 (57.5%) of women reported using condoms, while about one-third of the women were not using any kind of contraceptive method. 62 (75.5%) women reported decisions to be taken jointly for child health care. Place of delivery was reportedly discussed 78 (88.6%) by women with their spouses. Interpersonal communications were rated as either very good or good by 72 (81.8%) women. Also, women who were more educated than their spouses were less likely to be satisfied with inter-spousal communication. No significant association was observed between higher education of women than their spouses and active role in taking various decisions by women.Conclusions: Women should be encouraged to take her own reproductive and health related decisions and other family members should support her. Efforts to increase awareness for sexual and reproductive issues should be initiated from adolescence phase.

We report an improved, nearly closed, high-quality draft genome of the Candida albicans CHN1 strain (ATCC MYA-4779), a human isolate, using Illumina and Nanopore sequencing. Covering six complete and two partial nuclear chromosomes along with a partial mitochondrial genome, this assembly is 14,787,852 bases in size, with 5,935 genes.

Background Diagnosis of non-esophageal eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders requires quantification of tissue eosinophils. Our objective was to evaluate eosinophil peroxidase (EPX) immunohistochemistry (IHC) as a method for histologic diagnosis of eosinophilic gastritis (EG) and eosinophilic duodenitis (EoD). Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of biopsies from pediatric EG/EoD cases and controls. Subjects with EG or EoD had ≥30 eosinophils per high power field (eos/hpf) in ≥5 hpf in the stomach and/or ≥3 hpf in the duodenum, respectively. Controls had no histopathologic diagnosis recorded. Tissue eosinophil counts were assessed by hematoxylin & eosin stains. EPX stains were assessed using a unique histopathologic scoring system. Slides were digitized and EPX+ staining area/mm2 was quantified by image analysis. Results Twenty-six EG/EoD cases and 40 controls were analyzed. EPX scores and EPX/mm2 levels were markedly elevated in EG/EoD (p ≤ 0.0001). Eosinophil density (eos/mm2) correlated strongly with EPX scores and EPX/mm2 levels in the stomach (r ≥ 0.77) and moderately with EPX scores and EPX/mm2 levels in the duodenum (r ≥ 0.52); (p 2: AUC = 0.98 (95%CI 0.96-1) for EG, AUC = 0.91 (95%CI 0.81-1) for EoD). Conclusion EPX-based assessment of eosinophilic inflammation may facilitate automated histologic diagnosis.

We describe 2 previously healthy children who suffered disabling arterial ischemic strokes because of acute intracranial large vessel occlusion within 3 to 4 weeks of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Both children presented from communities with high COVID-19 case rates in the Southwest United States. An 8-year-old American Indian girl experienced severe iron deficiency anemia requiring blood transfusion and presented with bilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) distribution strokes 3 weeks later. She underwent emergent mechanical thrombectomy of the left MCA with successful clot retrieval but experienced reocclusion of that artery 5 hours after intervention. She also had evidence of cerebral arteritis on catheter angiography and vessel wall imaging, and clot pathology revealed recently formed, unorganized platelet- and fibrin-rich thrombus with sparse clusters of erythrocytes, degenerated histiocytes, few eosinophils, and rare neutrophils. A 16-year old African American boy demonstrated evidence of arteritis on brain magnetic resonance angiography and serological markers of cardiac and renal injury accompanied by positive lupus anticoagulant antibodies. The children described in this report express clinical features inconsistent with focal cerebral arteriopathy, including elevated markers of systemic inflammation in both bilateral MCA strokes in one case and multiple organ system dysfunction in the other case. Neither patient fulfilled criteria for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, given absence of fever. These cases illustrate that systemic postinfectious arteritis with cerebrovascular involvement may complicate COVID-19 infection in previously healthy school-aged children, and their presentations may overlap but not fulfill criteria for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children or focal cerebral arteriopathy.

When setting-up a captive population, genetic assessment of founders is essential to formulate effective breeding strategies that minimize the negative effects of inbreeding in the successive generations caused by mating between genetically related individuals. We carried out molecular genetic analysis of Cheer Pheasant and Western Tragopan populations of Chail and Sarahan Pheasantries in the State of Himachal Pradesh. The results revealed that the captive stock of Cheer Pheasant is sustaining well and does not exhibit signatures of inbreeding. Conversely, inbreeding is strongly evident in Western Tragopan population. Our study adds new dimensions to the captive management of Cheer Pheasant and Western Tragopan populations and contradicts with a previous study conducted on the same Western Tragopan population of Sarahan Pheasantry using studbook data. This study demonstrates strong evidence for retaining genetic assessment as an integral part to formulate policies/strategies for conservation breeding projects and proposes refining existing studbook records by incorporating microsatellites data and genetic analyses. Zoo Biol. 35:269-273, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

International audience; Reaction of hydrated copper(II) ibuprofenate with various nitrogen donor ligands, β-picoline, γ-picoline, pyrrolidine and unsymetrical dimethyl ethylenediamine (unsym-dmen), at room temperature in a methanol : water mixture (4 : 1 v/v) yielded four new complexes, [Cu(Ibu)2(β-picoline)2(H2O)], 1; [Cu(Ibu)2(γ-picoline)2(H2O)]·H2O, 2; [Cu(Ibu)2(pyrrolidine)2]·H2O, 3; and [Cu(unsym-dmen)2(H2O)](Ibu)2, 4, respectively, where Ibu = deprotonated Ibuprofen (HIbu). The newly synthesized complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, spectroscopic methods (FT-IR, UV-Vis and EPR), TGA and single crystal X-ray structure determination. Crystallographic investigations revealed that all the complexes are monomeric in nature, in contrast to the dimeric nature of copper(II) ibuprofenate solvates. EPR studies clearly revealed that the chromophore present in all complexes (1–4) is consistent with the structures determined by X-ray crystallography. The cytotoxic effects of all complexes were tested by a colorimetric assay on three human cell lines; though the activity was affected by the nature of the cell line, the newly synthesized complexes 1–4 showed higher cytotoxicity than the parent molecule against all the tumoral cell lines.

Objective: To analyse clinical-pathological findings in women undergoing surgery for early stage carcinoma cervix and to determine the need for adjuvant radiotherapy. Methods: The study was a retrospective one done to analyse data of women who had been operated for carcinoma cervix in the last 10 years at a tertiary hospital in Delhi. Type II/III radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy was done depending on stage. Histopathological findings and need for adjuvant therapy based on presence of clinical and pathological criteria were studied. Results: A total of 93 eligible patient records were included in the study. Mean age and parity was 48.09 ± 22.36 years and 4.29 ± 3.9 respectively. 47.31% (44) of the women had stage 1B1 carcinoma cervix; 31.18% (29) had stage 1B2 and 19.35% (18) had stage 2A disease. Average size of the tumour growth was 3.25 ± 2.46 cm with the largest being 7 cm. Keratinising squamous cell carcinoma was seen in 48.38% (45) of patients whereas the non-keratinising one was seen in 33.33% (31). Large cell variant was seen in 6.45% (6) whereas micro invasive cancer was seen in 4 women. Adenocarcinoma constituted only 3.2% (3) of the study group. Vaginal cuff involvement was present in 9.67% (9) of patients and an equal number had occult parametrial invasion. A significant number of these had stage 2A disease (16.66% and 22.22% respectively). Between 1B1 and 1B2 there was no significant difference in the incidence of vaginal cuff involvement and occult parametrial invasion (P equals to 0.206 and 1 respectively). Lymph nodes were positive in 24.73% with the obturator lymph node being the commonest involved (17). In stage 1b1 25% (11) had positive lymph nodes; in stage 1B2 34.48% (10) and in 2A only one woman had positive pelvic lymph nodes. This difference was also not significant (P = 0.434). About 50% (47) of patients were referred for adjuvant radiotherapy on the basis of the pathological findings. 61% (11) of patients with stage 2A disease, 51.7% (15) of patients with stage 1b2 and 45.45% (20) with stage 1B1 disease required adjuvant radiotherapy. Conclusion: There was no significant difference in the pathological findings in patients of 1B1 and 1B2. Also the need for radiotherapy in both the groups was similar. Hence similar surgical approach to women with both 1B1 and 1B2 disease appears appropriate.

The antifungal activity of aqueous extract of Cannabis sativa, Parthenium hysterophorus, Urtica dioeca, Polystichum squarrosum and Adiantum venustum was investigated against Alternaria solani, Alternaria zinniae, Curvularia lunata, Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum at different concentrations (5, 10, 15 and 20%). At 20%, maximum antifungal potential was observed with the extracts of C. sativa, which recorded excellent inhibitory activity against C. lunata (100%), A. zinniae (59.68%), followed by leaf extract of P. hysterophorus (50%) against A. solani. The application of botanical extracts for disease management could be less expensive, easily available, non-polluting and eco-friendly.

Xanthogranulomatous inflammation is a rare, non-neoplastic variant of chronic inflammation. Of the 15 reported cases of Xanthogranulomatous endometritis, majority (60%) were accompanied by endometrial carcinoma. We herein report a case of a postmenopausal woman presenting with recurrent pyometra who was suspected to be case of cervical tuberculosis and treated for the same. Inspite of antitubercular therapy, she had cervical stenosis and developed recurrent pyometra over the next 2 years requiring repeated drainage. She then underwent hysterectomy and was found to have co-existent Xanthogranulomatous salpingitis (XGS) on histopathological examination. Xanthogranulomatous inflammation is a rare pathological diagnosis that gynecologists need to be aware of while managing such patients.

When setting-up a captive population, genetic assessment of founders is essential to formulate effective breeding strategies that minimize the negative effects of inbreeding in the successive generations caused by mating between genetically related individuals. We carried out molecular genetic analysis of Cheer Pheasant and Western Tragopan populations of Chail and Sarahan Pheasantries in the State of Himachal Pradesh. The results revealed that the captive stock of Cheer Pheasant is sustaining well and does not exhibit signatures of inbreeding. Conversely, inbreeding is strongly evident in Western Tragopan population. Our study adds new dimensions to the captive management of Cheer Pheasant and Western Tragopan populations and contradicts with a previous study conducted on the same Western Tragopan population of Sarahan Pheasantry using studbook data. This study demonstrates strong evidence for retaining genetic assessment as an integral part to formulate policies/strategies for conservation breeding projects and proposes refining existing studbook records by incorporating microsatellites data and genetic analyses. Zoo Biol. 35:269-273, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Laboratory incubation and green house studies were conducted to compare the P availability of organic manures and P uptake from organic manures by maize. Various organic manures viz. Poultry manure (PM), Farmyard manure (FYM), Green manure (GM) and Crop residue (CR) and graded levels of fertilizer P were applied in Samana sandy loam and Ladhowal silt loam soils and incubated for 7, 15, 30, 60 and 90 days. Samples were analyzed for P availability, P uptake and alkaline phosphatase activity. The overall, phosphatase activity, Paranitrophenyl phosphate (PNP h(-1)g(-1)), in the Ladhowal silt loam soil was higher than in the Samana sandy loam soil. As the level of inorganic P increased, the release of PNP h(-1)g(-1) soil also increased. Among different organic manures, PM registered the highest enzyme activity followed by FYM, GM and CR. Compared to 7 days incubation a slightly higher increase in PNP was noticed in samples from 90 days incubation in both soils. The differential phosphatase activity in the organic manures was further reflected in dynamic P availability. The highest amount of Olsen extractable P was in PM-treated soil followed by FYM, GM and field pea crop residue. Organic manure addition along with inorganic P, irrespective of the source, increased the Olsen extractable P throughout the incubation period. Total P uptake by maize increased with the increasing level of inorganic P in both soils. The highest uptake was obtained in PM-treated soil and lowest in the CR-amended soil. We conclude that PM more readily supplies P to plants than other organic manure sources.

Apart from condoms and vasectomy, which have several limitations of their own, no other methods of contraception are available to men. Various chemical, hormonal, vas based and herbal contraceptives have been examined and few of them have reached the stage of clinical testing. Promising leads have been obtained from testosterone buciclate/undecanoate, alone or in combination with levonorgestrel butanoate or cyproterone acetate, RISUG, an injectable intravasal contraceptive and a few herbal products, particularly the seed products of Carica papaya. It is feasible that an ideal male contraceptive, that meets out all the essential criteria will be made available to the community in the near future.