Chromosome aberrations and prognostic factors in therapy-related myelodysplasia and acute nonlymphocytic leukemia

Cytogenetic studies of 91 consecutive patients with therapy-related myelodysplasia or overt acute nonlymphocytic leukemia disclosed characteristic defects of chromosome 7 in 48 cases and of chromosome 5 in 21 cases. The chromosome 5 abnormalities were consistently present in all abnormal mitoses at the time of diagnosis, as were the chromosome 7 abnormalities in 45 of the 48 patients. Various abnormalities, primarily of the short arm of chromosome 17, were observed in 13 cases, abnormalities of the long arm of chromosome 21 were observed in 12 cases, and rearrangements of 11q23 were seen in nine cases. Thirteen patients presented a normal karyotype. Previous therapy with alkylating agents, the presence of an initial myelodysplastic phase, and abnormalities of chromosome 7 or 5 were interdependent. Patients with 11q23 rearrangement typically developed overt leukemia of FAB types M4 or M5a without myelodysplasia and with a short latent period. Evaluated by Cox regression analysis, complete remission of the primary malignancy and a malignant lymphoma as primary tumor were the two most important and independent prognostic factors indicating a longer survival (P = .008). In addition, the platelet count at diagnosis was a significant prognostic factor (P = .01). For the subgroup of 62 patients with myelodysplasia, the number of chromosome aberrations, the percentage of blasts in the bone marrow, and the hemoglobin level were other significant and independent prognostic factors (P = .05, .05, and .004, respectively). The most important predictive factor for a favorable response to intensive antileukemic chemotherapy in overt leukemia was the absence of a preceding myelodysplastic phase (P = .0014).     

Drinking Water Quality and the Geospatial Distribution of Notified Gastro-Intestinal Infections

Introduction

Even brief episodes of fecal contamination of drinking water can lead directly to illness in the consumers. In water-borne outbreaks, the connection between poor microbial water quality and disease can be quickly identified. The impact of non-compliant drinking water samples due to E. coli taken for regular monitoring on the incidence of notified acute gastrointestinal infections has not yet been studied.

Methods

The objective of this study was to analyse the geographical distribution of notified acute gastrointestinal infections (AGI) in Slovenia in 2010, with hotspot identification. The second aim of the study was to correlate the fecal contamination of water supply system on the settlement level with the distribution of notified AGI cases. Spatial analysis using geo-information technology and other methods were used.

Results

Hot spots with the highest proportion of notified AGI cases were mainly identified in areas with small supply zones. The risk for getting AGI was drinking water contaminated with E. coli from supply zones with 50–1000 users: RR was 1.25 and significantly greater than one (p-value less than 0.001).

Conclusion

This study showed the correlation between the frequency of notified AGI cases and non-compliant results in drinking water monitoring.     

头颈部横纹肌肉瘤11例临床病理学分析

目的：探讨头颈部横纹肌肉瘤（rhabdomyosarcoma,RMS）的临床病理学特征、免疫表型及鉴别诊断。方法：回顾性分析11例头颈部 RMS 的临床资料、病理形态和免疫组织化学标记结果。结果：11例患者中男性8例,女性3例。年龄2～51岁,中位年龄25岁。主要表现为头颈部痛性或无痛性肿块,组织学分型：胚胎型8例,腺泡型3例。免疫组织化学结果显示瘤细胞均表达结蛋白、波形蛋白;肌调节蛋白（MyoD1）、生肌蛋白（myogenin）的阳性率分别为45％、55％;2例表达突触素,所有病例均不表达广谱角蛋白、白细胞共同抗原及 S-100。术后随访6个月～5年,其中2例死亡,4例复发,2例转移。结论：头颈部横纹肌肉瘤罕见,临床症状不典型,病理诊断需结合组织学形态及免疫表型。     

SULPHASALAZINE INDUCED AUTOIMMUNE SYNDROME

A case of an unusual and severe reaction to sulphasalazine isreported. KEY WORDS: Second line agent, Systemic steroids, Sulphasalazine     

E-selectin-dependent neutrophil adhesion to Rickettsia rickettsii- infected endothelial cells

Increased neutrophil or HL60 cell adhesion to Rickettsia rickettsii- infected endothelial cells (ECs) was observed at 6 to 8 hours after the initiation of infection, diminishing by 24 hours. Similar increases were observed using formaldehyde-fixed neutrophils. Cellular association and likely the intracellular presence of rickettsiae was required for enhanced neutrophil adhesion, because culture medium conditioned by infected cells or rickettsiae rendered noninfective by pretreatment with tetracycline were ineffective at inducing neutrophil adhesion. Increases in neutrophil adhesion caused by infection were blocked by pretreatment of ECs with cycloheximide, suggesting the involvement of new protein synthesis in the cells' response. Flow cytometric analysis of infected cells showed increases in cell surface expression of E-selectin compared with uninfected control cells. Furthermore, incubation of 6- to 8-hour infected cells with a blocking monoclonal antibody against E-selectin (BB11) inhibited neutrophil adhesion an average of 61%. These results suggest the involvement of E- selectin in neutrophil adhesion to infected ECs occurring early in the course of the infection process. EC-initiated recruitment of neutrophil adhesion during rickettsiae infection could contribute to the pathologic changes associated with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.