Intravascular Myopericytoma of the Plantar Region: Case Report and Discussion of the Probable Origin From a Cutaneous Vascular Malformation.

Myopericytoma is a perivascular myoid neoplasm of skin and soft tissues characterized by numerous thin-walled blood vessels surrounded concentrically by round to spindle myoid tumor cells, which shows α-smooth muscle actin and h-caldesmon coexpression and commonly negativity for desmin. These tumors arise predominantly in extremities of adult patients with benign clinical course. Based on the architectural pattern, there are various histologic variants as classical-solid myopericytoma, hemangiopericytoma-like myopericytoma, angioleiomyoma-like myopericytoma, myofibroma-like myopericytoma, hipocelular fibroma-like myopericytoma, intravascular myopericytoma, cellular immature myopericytoma, and malignant myopericytoma. The authors report a case that fully satisfies the morphological and immunohistochemical criteria for intravascular myopericytoma, which plantar location is not previously described in the literature. In addition, the authors discuss about its possible development from a preexistent cutaneous vascular malformation.

Impacto del comportamiento de los ex-clientes de centros deportivos por tipo de cuota / Impact of the behaviour of the ex customers of sport centres by type of fee

El objetivo del estudio es analizar los motivos de baja de clientes de centros deportivos así como sus actuaciones futuras, diferenciando por tipo de centro en función de su cuota. Se administró una encuesta ad hoc a 7.863 exclientes de centros deportivos. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo y con tablas de contingencias. La falta de tiempo y la calidad/precio son los principales motivos de baja, encontrando diferencias por tipo de centro. Por último, la segunda opción más elegida a la hora de abandonar un centro es el abandono de la práctica deportiva

The aim of this study was to analyze the reasons for dropping out in sport centers’ customers as well as the future actions, depending on the sort of center’s fee. An ad hoc survey of 7,863 ex-customers from sport centers was carried out. A descriptive and contingency tables analysis was developed. Lack of time and quality / price are the main reasons for dropping out; finding differences according to the type of center. Finally, the second option more chosen for leaving a center was stop doing sport

Malignant melanoma arising from a perianal fistula and harbouring a BRAF gene mutation: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Melanoma of the anal region is a very uncommon disease, accounting for only 0.2-0.3% of all melanoma cases. Mutations of the BRAF gene are usually absent in melanomas occurring in this region as well as in other sun-protected regions. The development of a tumour in a longstanding perianal fistula is also extremely rare. More frequent is the case of a tumour presenting as a fistula, that is, the fistula being a consequence of the cancerous process, although we have found only two cases of fistula-generating melanomas reported in the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: Here we report the case of a 38-year-old male who presented with a perianal fistula of four years of evolution. Histopathological examination of the fistulous tract confirmed the presence of malignant melanoma. Due to the small size and the central location of the melanoma inside the fistulous tract, we believe the melanoma reported here developed in the epithelium of the fistula once the latter was already formed. Resected sentinel lymph nodes were negative and the patient, after going through a wide local excision, remains disease-free nine years after diagnosis. DNA obtained from melanoma tissue was analysed by automated direct sequencing and the V600E (T1799A) mutation was detected in exon 15 of the BRAF gene. CONCLUSION: Since fistulae experience persistent inflammation, the fact that this melanoma harbours a BRAF mutation strengthens the view that oxidative stress caused by inflammatory processes plays an important role in the genesis of BRAF gene mutations.

Formation of cartilage in vivo with immobilized autologous rabbit auricular cultured chondrocytes in collagen matrices.

BACKGROUND: The availability of generated cartilage de novo is one of the needs of reconstructive surgery. In this study, the authors constructed a matrix formed by autologous immobilized chondrocytes using collagen gel as a scaffold. Furthermore, the ability of these matrices to engraft and generate new cartilage was examined. METHODS: Biopsy specimens of elastic cartilage were surgically obtained from the ears of eight New Zealand White rabbits. After collagenase II digestion of cartilage, chondrocytes were isolated and propagated in culture medium. Chondrocytes were immobilized into bovine collagen lattices and implanted, replacing pieces of removed native cartilage. Five weeks after implantation, the rabbits were killed and the ears were examined macroscopically and analyzed by means of histochemical methods. RESULTS: The results show the formation of new cartilage from implanted lattices with chondrocytes. Gross analysis of the ears shows similarities in appearance, consistency, texture, and histology between native and new cartilage. Fluorescence of the nucleus from bisbenzimide-labeled chondrocytes was detected in newly formed tissue, pointing out its in vitro culture origin. No signs of an inflammatory reaction attributable to implants were found in either the control or the chondrocyte lattices. CONCLUSION: The authors suggest that this approach is of value for future clinical use.