Ephrin A4 expression in osteosarcoma, impact on prognosis, and patient outcome.

BACKGROUND: Ephrin A4 is one of the ephrin ligand molecules belonging to the tyrosine kinases receptor family. It was originally identified in a T-lymphoma cell line and seen to be expressed in human adult tissue as well as several tumor types. In our previous study, we showed the unique pattern of ephrin A4 immunohistochemical staining, which differed according to the type of examined bone specimens (normal bone, primary, and metastatic osteosarcoma lesions). The aim of the present study is to evaluate the prognostic impact of ephrin A4 expression in a group of primary osteosarcoma patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ephrin A4 immunohistochemical expression was carried out on 47 primary osteosarcoma cases. RESULTS: Ephrin A4 was expressed in 82.9% of osteosarcoma cases with cytoplasmic localization in 58.9% of positive cases. The cytoplasmic pattern was significantly associated with aggressive histopathological types of osteosarcoma (P = 0.02), advanced stage (P = 0.04), the presence of metastasis (P = 0.03), inferior response to neoadjuvent chemotherapy (P = 0.04), and tended to be associated with a shorter event-free survival (P = 0.09). CONCLUSIONS: The cytoplasmic pattern of ephrin A4 could identify a subgroup of primary osteosarcoma patients with a high liability for progression, poor prognosis, and inferior response to chemotherapy.

The role of wild rats as a reservoir of some internal parasites in Qalyobia governorate.

A total of one hundred and seventy two rats were trapped from different localities, Rattus norvegicus and Rattus r. alexandrinus. The overall infection-rate was 54% (93 out 172 rats). The infection rates of identified parasites were 28% cestodes (23.8% Hymenolepis diminuta and 7% Cysticercus fasciolaris), 8% Acanthocephala species (Moniliformis moniliformis) and 7% nematodes (Strongyloides species). On the other hand, 40.7% were infected with protozoa (22.7% Cryptosporidium parvum, 20.3% C. muris, 8% Giardia lamblia and 12.8% Entamoeba cysts).

Cryptosporidium infection among sheep in Qalubia Governorate, Egypt.

The present study was carried to explore the incidence of Cryptosporidium infection among lambs in Qalubia governorate as well as to study the ability of three staining techniques developed for rapid identification of Cryptosporidium oocysts in faecal samples of 120 neonatal lambs less than one month old. The stains used in this investigation were modified Zeihl-Neelsen stain (MZN), Safranin-methylene blue (SMB) and Giemsa stain (GS) to detect the recovered oocysts with their incidence variation. The diagnostic value was raised by direct smear and concentration floatation technique. The infection rates with Cryptosporidium oocysts among the investigated faecal samples from neonatal sheep were 82, 58, 36, out of 120 (68.3, 48.3 and 30%) by modified Zeihl-Neelsen stain, Safranin-methylene blue and Giemsa stain respectively. The lambs less than one week had higher infection rate. The relationship between age susceptibility and infection was discussed. The use of modified Zeihl-Neelsen stain was currently recommended procedure with the concentration floatation technique for the accurate diagnosis and rapid identification of Cryptosporidium oocysts.