role of sentinel lymph-node biopsy in managing lip squamous cell carcinoma patients without clinical evidence of nodal metastasis

Squamous cell carcinoma [SCC] of the lip is a common oral malignancy. Lymph node metastasis occurs lately in the natural history of the disease but it is associated with poor outcome. Sentinel lymph node biopsy [SLNB] is an option that determines the potentially affected lymph nodes especially in clinically negative-node patients. The study aims to determine the feasibility of SLNB as a reliable staging tool in N0 stage lip SCC patients. Eighteen patients with N0 stage lip SCC were enrolled in the study. They were subjected to SLNB using the injection of the radiocolloid material and the Blue dye. The procedure was followed by bilateral supraomohyoid neck dissection in all patients. The pathological results of the harvested sentinel lymph nodes [SLNs] were compared with that of the dissection specimen in each patient. The patent blue dye could localize the SLN in 15/18 patients whilst the radioisotope scanning could successfully identify it in 17/18 patents. On average, 1.8 SLNs were harvested from each patient. Two of seventeen patients with identified SLNs [11.8%] have positive nodal metastases. One of them has two SLNs and the other has only one. No false negativity was reported in the study as all the excised SLNs reflected correctly the status of the lymph node basin. Sentinel lymphadenectomy is a safe and feasible procedure in managing neck of patients with node-negative lip SCC. It can accurately stage these patients

Molecular cloning, expression and characterization of mouse single-chain fragment variable antibody against citrus tristeza virus

The sequences encoding the mouse heavy-chain [V[H]] and light-chain [V[L]] variable region genes were isolated by PCR and joined into a single-chain Fv [scFv] DNA by using a DNA linker encoding [Gly4Ser][3] peptide. The scFv DNA fragment was cloned into the phagemid pCANTAB5E and expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with M13 phage p3 polypeptide and E tag. The scFv fusion protein was displayed on the surfaces of recombinant M13 phages in the presence of the helper phage M13K07. High-affinity scFv phage-bodies against citrus tristeza virus [CTV] were enriched through affinity selection on immobilized recombinant CTV coat protein preparations. The selected recombinant phages were used to infect Escherichia coli HB2151 for the production of soluble scFv antibodies. One selected clone in HB2151 secreted a soluble scFv antibody that detected CTV in extracts of infected citrus plants with a sensitivity comparable to that of a commercial monoclonal antibody. The nucleotide sequence of the light-chain and heavy-chain portions were closely related to other published scFv against CTV. The potential of this scFv was demonstrated in routine field testing using an inexpensive tissue print-ELISA

Rapid carrier screening using short tandem repeats in the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene

Phenylketonuria [PKU] is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder caused by defects in the phenylalanine hydroxylase [PAH] system. Our work aimed to screen the PAH locus for the presence of potentially useful short tandem repeats [STR] as markers for carrier detection in PKU families in Egypt, and to determine the level of PAH heterozygosity within the Egyptian population. The system contains at least eight independent alleles in the Egyptian population, transmitted in a Mendelian fashion. Variations in the number of STR in the 16 families studied gave rise to polymorphisms that proved to be suitable markers for PKU carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis. The most frequent allelic fragment size in PKU patients was 246 bp [35.7%], which together with a fragment of 254 bp accounted for 60.7% of the mutant chromosomes

Molecular diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy in Egyptians

This study was carried out with 33 spinal muscular atrophy [SMA] patients. DNA molecular studies of the SMA gene on the long arm of chromosome 5 [5q11.2q13.3] revealed homozygous deletion of exon 7 in 55% of cases, 36% of whom also had a homozygous delition of exon 8. The adult patients were heterozygous for an abnormal size exon 8. The remaining patients had either compound heterozygote deletion of exons 7 and 8 or were normal for both. There may therefore be 5q-unlinked SMA or SMA due to other mutations. Detection of deletions of SMA exons 7 and 8 is a powerful diagnostic test in patients with SMA, but other mutations among Egyptians must also be sought

Benign intracranial hypertension: introduction of a new surgical technique the Rifaat's Parietal Flap

Twenty patients suffering from benign intracranial hypertension were included in this study. They were subjected to a new simple surgical technique; the Refaat's Parietal Flap for treating their symptoms after failure of medical treatment. This new technique eliminates complications of previously mentioned techniques. Clinical presentation of cases, steps of this new technique, postoperative results and follow up of patients were discussed

Hyperuricemia in streptozotocin diabetic rats

This study was performed to investigate the effects of four and eight weeks streptozotocin diabetes on the plasma levels of uric acid and total proteins. The results obtained showed non significant decrease in plasma uric acid levels in four weeks diabetic rats, while eight weeks diabetic rats showed significant elevation in plasma uric acid levels in comparison to their controls. Total plasma proteins were not significantly changed in both groups compared to the control group. When the data of plasma uric acid and total proteins among the whole group were analyzed insignificant correlations were obtained the mechanisms are discussed

Relationship between plasma insulin and sodium during short-term starvation in rats

In the present study, the effect of short-term starvation for 3 and 6 days on the level of plasma insulin was studied in rate. Also the role of disturbed insulin secretion following starvation in such changes in plasma sodium has also been investigated Rats sunjected to 3 and 6 days of starvation showed non-significant changes in sodium level in comparison to the control group. A significant decrease in plasma insulin level was observed in 3 days starved rats while the decrease in plasma insulin levels in 6 days starved rats was statistically insignificant. A significant positive relationship between plasma insulin and sodium level was seen in rats starved for 3 days, while following 6 days starvation the relation between plasma insulin and sodium levels was weak and insignificant. The mechanisms are discussed

Hirschsprung's disease pathological and histochemical studies

Sixteen colorectal specimens were used to study the innervation of the normal bowel and that of Hirschsprung's disease. Ten of them were resected from patients having established disease and 6 were normal postmortem specimens. Both groups were studied by macro and micro-dissection and parts were used for histological, histochemical and autofluorestence studies. No particular features were found in the postmortem specimens and the mean gut diameter in relation to muscle thickness [D/M ratio] was 29.87. The white line [the site of intermyenteric plexus] was evident in half the specimens. In the postoperative specimens there was excess fobrofat in the mesentery in 40% of them and the average D/M ratio was 31.39 at the contracted segment and 32.97 above that level. No ganglion cells were present in the wall of the contracted segment but few were found in the transitional and dilated segments. The white line was indefinite in all specimens. There was a strong cholinestrase reaction, and formaline autofluorescence gave regative results for noradrenaline. Cholinestrase activity was found to parallel with the thickness of the muscle layer and consequently the clinical features, and can be used to confirm the diagnosis intraoperatively in the absence of frozen section examination. It is also very useful in the diagnosis of the ultrashort segment type

Bilharzial stricture ureter in Egypt: surgico-pathological study

Although bilharzial ureteric strictures were the subject of intensive studies in Egypt since the days of Makar [1955], their exact clinicopathological features and proper management were adequately established rather quite recently. This study based on twenty cases [nineteen males and one female aged between twenty and sixty years]. They were presented by renal aching, ureteric colic or symptoms of complications which proved to be due to ureteric strictures by IVU, cystoscopy and sometimes ultrasonography.Most strictures involved the terminal ureter, 50% being intramural, 15% juxtavesical and 15% combined; while pelviureteric and supravesical were rare [5% for each] and multiple strictures were present in 10% of cases.The techniques used in the surgical treatment of these patients depended on the site and extent ofthestricture. Theyincluded ureterocystostomy[ten cases], resection anastomosis [four cases], boari flap ureteroplasty[three cases], pyeloplasty [one case], coloureteroplasty[onecase], ileoureteroplasty [one case] and anderson-hynes pyeloplasty [one case].The relation between the anatomicopathological features of the stricture and the type of surgery adopted was illustrative enough to deserve presentation in this paper

Studies on the possible central regulatory mechanisms of blood sugar

The effects of the centrally administrated glucose, insulin and adrenaline were studied by intracarotid injection in dogs. Intracarotid injection of glucose or insulin produced an immediate hypoglycemic response accompanied by a rise of plasma immuno reactive isulin [IRI]. Intracarotid atropine injection completely abolished the hypoglycemic action and the rise of IRI, while I.C. injection of either alpha or beta adrenergic blockers did not alter effects of I.C. glucose or insulin. On the other hand, I.C. adrenaline injection produced a significant hyperglycemia which was accompanied by a slight increase in IRI. This type of response was abolished in dogs preinjected I.C. by the alpha blocker phentolamine