Chromothripsis orchestrates leukemic transformation in blast phase MPN through targetable amplification of DYRK1A

Chromothripsis, the process of catastrophic shattering and haphazard repair of chromosomes, is a common event in cancer. Whether chromothripsis might constitute an actionable molecular event amenable to therapeutic targeting remains an open question. We describe recurrent chromothripsis of chromosome 21 in a subset of patients in blast phase of a myeloproliferative neoplasm (BP-MPN), which alongside other structural variants leads to amplification of a region of chromosome 21 in ∼25% of patients ('chr21amp'). We report that chr21amp BP-MPN has a particularly aggressive and treatment-resistant phenotype. The chr21amp event is highly clonal and present throughout the hematopoietic hierarchy. DYRK1A , a serine threonine kinase and transcription factor, is the only gene in the 2.7Mb minimally amplified region which showed both increased expression and chromatin accessibility compared to non-chr21amp BP-MPN controls. We demonstrate that DYRK1A is a central node at the nexus of multiple cellular functions critical for BP-MPN development, including DNA repair, STAT signalling and BCL2 overexpression. DYRK1A is essential for BP-MPN cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo , and DYRK1A inhibition synergises with BCL2 targeting to induce BP-MPN cell apoptosis. Collectively, these findings define the chr21amp event as a prognostic biomarker in BP-MPN and link chromothripsis to a druggable target.

Diagnostic value of a power Doppler ultrasound-based malignancy index for differentiating malignant and benign solid breast lesions

Background

Power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS) can provide useful information regarding the vascularity of breast lesions. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic performance of a new PDUS-driven malignancy index in differentiating between malignant and benign causes of solid breast lesions.

Materials and Methods

Patients with solid breast lesions were enrolled consecutively and evaluated first by PDUS and subsequently by histopathologic assessment after undergoing surgical biopsy. A custom-made software was used to extract data from images for calculating malignancy index formula.

Results

A total of 87 patients with solid breast lesions were enrolled. Histopathologic evaluation identified 49 patients as benign and 38 patients as malignant. Malignancy index was significantly higher in the malignant group as compared to benign tumors (6.31 vs 0.30,P < 0.001). Area under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve (AUC) was 0.98 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.95-1.00). According to the ROC curve analysis, the cut-off point of 1.23 for malignancy index had a sensitivity and specificity of 94.7% (95% CI 82.2-99.3) and 94.0% (95% CI 83.1-98.7), respectively.

Conclusion

Comparing with the histopathologic evaluation as the gold standard for diagnosing breast lesions, PDUS-driven malignancy index was shown to have a high discriminative performance in identifying malignant lesions with high sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy. The noninvasive nature of PDUS is an important advantage that could prevent unnecessary biopsies.

Minimal methylation classifier (MIMIC): A novel method for derivation and rapid diagnostic detection of disease-associated DNA methylation signatures

Rapid and reliable detection of disease-associated DNA methylation patterns has major potential to advance molecular diagnostics and underpin research investigations. We describe the development and validation of minimal methylation classifier (MIMIC), combining CpG signature design from genome-wide datasets, multiplex-PCR and detection by single-base extension and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, in a novel method to assess multi-locus DNA methylation profiles within routine clinically-applicable assays. We illustrate the application of MIMIC to successfully identify the methylation-dependent diagnostic molecular subgroups of medulloblastoma (the most common malignant childhood brain tumour), using scant/low-quality samples remaining from the most recently completed pan-European medulloblastoma clinical trial, refractory to analysis by conventional genome-wide DNA methylation analysis. Using this approach, we identify critical DNA methylation patterns from previously inaccessible cohorts, and reveal novel survival differences between the medulloblastoma disease subgroups with significant potential for clinical exploitation.

Repeated small bowel resection in a patient with Buerger's disease and intestinal involvement

Buerger's disease, also called thromboangiitis obliterans, is a recurrent and an uncommon vaso-occlusive inflammatory disease, which typically affects small and medium-sized arteries, veins and nerves of the upper and lower extremities. Mesenteric and multisystem involvement of two or more organs is extremely rare. Here we report the case of a 39-year-old male heavy smoker who had undergone four repetitive laparotomies and multiple small bowel resections for ischaemic involvement of Buerger's disease. He had below-the-knee amputation of the right leg and finger of the left hand because of that disease before bowel involvement. Histopathological findings revealed that the arteries and veins of the resected small intestine were occluded with organised thrombi. Inflammatory cell infiltration was recognised mainly in the intima of distal branches of mesenteric artery. These findings were compatible with previous findings in histopathological examinations of amputated extremities.

Compartment Syndrome of the Calf Due to Nicolau Syndrome

We report a case of Nicolau syndrome in a 15 months old girl following an intramuscular injection of penicillin 6.3.3 in her left buttock. This case is unique because she developed compartment syndrome in her left calf far from her injection site. Her toe's tips gangrened in the course of her ailment. We hypothesized that the compartment syndrome might be produced by a probable intra-arterial injection that had produced embolic obstruction of the small and medium size arteries in her leg or a probable perineural or periarteial injection had produced secondary sympathetic stimulation, extensive vasospasm, compromised microcirculation and the development of compartment syndrome.

Schwannoma of stomach

Gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumours are a group of tumours originating from the mesenchymal stem cells of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Digestive tract Schwannomas are rare mesenchymal tumours occurring most frequently in the stomach. We report the case of a 40-year-old woman with gastric Schwannoma located at the posterior wall of the antrum.

Survey of early complications of primary skin graft and secondary skin graft (delayed) surgery after resection of burn waste in hospitalized burn patients

INTRODUCTION

Burning is the second most common cause of home injuries in Iran that is often the cause of conflicts between children and young adults. Burning can lead to early and late complications that scar and contracture are the most common. Burn waste treatment is done by two methods: excision and then skin graft after the formation of granulation tissue; and excision and graft simultaneously that in this study, these two methods are compared.

METHODS

This was performed as a quasi-experimental analysis and retrospective study on all patients who were hospitalized for burn scar. All patients who have associated with weak eningimmune diseases such as diabetes, acquired immunodeficiency or congenital, taking steroids and patients undergoing chemotherapy etc. are excluded. The method of grafting in patients is primary graft procedure that was compared with patients who are treated using secondary graft. Data collected through review of patients' hospital and clinic chart.

RESULTS

The mean burn percentage in the primary repair group was 14.4% and in the delayed repair group was 16.6%, respectively. The incidence of hematoma in both groups was zero. Skin necrosis and graft rejection and infection in the primary repair group was in 3.7% of patients and in the delayed repair group was in 1.2% of cases (P=0.5) CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of this study, no difference was observed between the two methods of excision and primary graft with delayed graft in the incidence of graft rejection. Due to the shorter treatment of primary graft and patient satisfaction and also according to the findings of this study excision and primary graft method seems appropriate method for treating old waste burning. 

Comparison of two surgical methods, primary closure and rotational flap, in patients with chronic pilonidal sinus

Introduction:

Pilonidal sinus is a common infectious process which occurs in buttocks and sacral area which involves a wide range of symptoms that are different from an asymptomatic sinus abscess to acute and chronic sinus track. Basically non-surgical treatment for this disease is not recommended. In this study, we have been compared two methods of primary repair and rotation flap in terms of factors such as duration of hospitalization, recurrence, infection etc.

Methods:

80 patients with chronic pilonidal sinus were randomly divided into two groups and underwent surgery. Diabetic and obese patients with underlying diseases and patients with acute pilonidal abscess or prior surgery were excluded. The patients’ hospital stay, duration of postoperative pain, itching and hematoma, were investigated.

Results:

In this study, patients’ sex and mean age were examined in terms of frequency of complications of hematoma, wound infection, recurrence, itching, and duration of hospitalization and the presence of seroma, there is no significant difference between the two methods of primary surgical repair and rotation flap (P>0.05) But in terms of the opening of the surgical wound, in primary surgical method, 5 patients (12.5%), wound dehiscence were reported, in rotation flap, any case of wound dehiscence were reported. There is significant difference between wound dehiscence in patients with chronic pilonidal sinus and two methods of surgery. (P=0.02). The mean duration of pain relief was 15.2±3.35 days in the primary surgical repair method and rotation flap was 7±2.3 days. According to the test there is significant difference between mean duration of pain relief and two surgical methods. (P=0.001). The mean duration of sutures was 15.3±2.3 days in the primary repair method and in rotational flap was 12±3.6 days. There is significant difference between the mean duration of sutures and two surgical methods (P=0.001)

Conclusion:

Considering these results, rotational flap is the preferred method due to fewer complications, lower recurrence after surgery and faster healing time of surgical wounds and as a result, the effective force’s early return to economic cycle. Finally, we can say that each surgeon according to the type and size of the sinuses and occupational status and social class, personality and individuality of the patient can select the appropriate method of surgery.