V. B. Shivkumar

Effects of Iron Deficiency on Cognitive Function in School Going Adolescent Females in Rural Area of Central India

Iron deficiency anemia is most common nutritional deficiency disorder in India and remains a formidable health challenge. Girls in the period of later school age and early adolescence are prone to develop iron deficiency. Iron deficiency leads to many non-hematological disturbances which include growth and development, depressed immune function in infants; reduces physical work capacity; decreases the cognitive function in both infants and adolescents. Present study was done to know the prevalence of iron deficiency in both the anemic and non anemic school going adolescent girls, to assess the effect of iron deficiency on cognitive functions in anemic iron deficient and non-anemic iron deficient school girls in a village school situated in central India. Methods. A secondary school having girl students in the age group of 12-15 years studying in sixth to ninth standard was selected. Serum ferritin concentration was estimated by ELISA. For assessing the cognitive function mathematics score, one multi-component test for memory, attention and verbal learning and Intelligent Quotient scores of the students were used. Results. Scholastic Performance, IQ and Scores of Mental balance, Attention & Concentration, Verbal Memory and Recognition were decreased in iron deficient girls, both anemic and non anemic as compared to the non iron deficient girls.

Pleomorphic lobular carcinoma of the breast: A case report

BACKGROUND Pleomorphic lobular carcinoma of the breast is associated with aggressive behavior. CASE Fine needle aspiration cytology was performed on a breast lump in a 55-year-old woman. The aspirates showed highly pleomorphic, large cells in a dyscohesive pattern, with a tendency of few cells to aggregate in small groups. A diagnosis of ductal carcinoma was made on cytology. On histology, the paraffin sections showed features of pleomorphic lobular carcinoma of the breast. CONCLUSION The cytologic features of pleomorphic lobular carcinoma overlap with those of infiltrating ductal carcinoma. It is very difficult to make a diagnosis of pleomorphic lobular carcinoma prospectively on cytology. However, if Indian file arrangement and cytoplasmic vacuolation are present, pleomorphic lobular carcinoma must at least be suggested for the differential diagnosis as it has different clinical implications.

Cytodiagnosis of hepatic amyloidosis by fine needle aspiration cytology : A case report

BACKGROUND Amyloid in fine needle aspirates tends to be overlooked due to its rarity. It may appear at virtually any site and can be identified by special stains. CASE In a case of amyloidosis of the liver, where fine needle aspiration cytology was instrumental in making the primary diagnosis. Smears revealed normal hepatocytes and chronic inflammatory cells. Amorphous material (amyloid) was extensively present between compressed hepatocytic clusters. It stained pale green in Papanicolaou-stained preparations and reddish purple with Giemsa stain. This material was initially thought to be hyalinized granulomas. However, it was later confirmed to be amyloid by using Congo Red stain. CONCLUSION Whenever amorphous material is present in smears, a high index of suspicion for amyloid needs to be maintained.

Cytomorphologic diagnosis of basaloid squamous cell carcinoma: a case report.

BACKGROUND Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma is a high-grade variant of squamous cell carcinoma that most commonly occurs in the upper aerodigestive tract. There are limited case reports of this entity in the cytology literature. The authors describe the cytologic features of a histologically confirmed case of basaloid squamous cell carcinoma arising in the floor of the mouth. CASE A 51-year-old woman presented with a swelling in the floor of the mouth. Fine needle aspiration was performed; the aspirate comprised groups, sheets and a dispersed population of small to medium-sized cells with hyperchromatic nuclei and scant cytoplasm. Extracellular basement membrane-like material was also noted, which led to the erroneous diagnosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma. Histopathology characteristically revealed the presence of squamoid nests between malignant basaloid cells, and the tumor was finally diagnosed as basaloid squamous cell carcinoma. Occasional groups of squamoid cells were observed in the aspirate on retrospective evaluation. CONCLUSION Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of tumors arising in oral cavity. Cytologic diagnosis may be difficult, but careful search for a second cell population of squamoid cells in addition to small basaloid cells may aid in rendering the correct diagnosis.

Metaplastic carcinoma of the breast in an HIV-positive patient: A case report

BACKGROUND Metaplastic carcinoma of the breast is a rare neoplasm that causes diagnostic difficulty on fine needle aspiration smears. Breast carcinoma in HIV-infected patients occurs at a relatively early age, with increased bilateral disease, unusual histology, and early metastatic spread with a poor outcome. CASE A case of metaplastic carcinoma of the breast arose in a 36-year-old woman who was seropositive for HIV. In the absence of a sarcomatous component and presence of obvious ductal differentiation on aspirates, a diagnosis of high grade infiltrating duct carcinoma, not otherwise specified, was made on fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). CONCLUSION This case underlines the limitations of FNAC in the diagnosis of metaplastic carcinoma of the breast. It also shows that it is imperative to maintain a high index of suspicion for rare pathologies in immunocompromised patients.

Bone metastases of clear cell sarcoma of the kidney diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology. A case report.

BACKGROUND Clear cell sarcoma of the kidney (CCSK) was first recognized from its predilection to metastasize to bone. While there are many case reports in documenting the diagnosis of CCSK by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), this is the first case in which FNAC was instrumental in diagnosing the condition from a metastatic site. CASE A 2-year-old presented with multiple bone lesions. Fine needle aspirates from these lesions showed a polygonal cell population with eccentrically diagnose both pri placed, lobulated nuclei. The diagnosis of metastatic clear cell sarcoma offered on FNAC prompted a search for the primary renal lesion. CONCLUSION FNAC is a rapid, cost-effective technique and must be used to type pediatric tumors so that an appropriate chemotherapeutic regimen can be commenced promptly.

Immuno-Modulatory Effect and Therapeutic Potential of Brugia malayi Cystatin in Experimentally Induced Arthritis

Helminths are known to modulate host’s immune system and understanding this modulation can help in identification of novel therapeutic agents for autoimmune diseases. In this study, we have assessed the immune-modulatory activity and the therapeutic effect of Brugia malayi recombinant cystatin (rBmCys) in methylated BSA (mBSA) induced arthritis using rodent model. Administration of rBmCys has suppressed the severity of mBSA-arthritis in mastomys by reducing paw swelling and other clinical disease parameters as evident from significantly decreased arthritic index. The anti-arthritic effect of rBmCys was also confirmed by decreased histopathological score for synovitis, bone erosion and fibrosis in the tissue sections of paws. Further, this therapeutic effect of cystatin was found to be associated with significantly decreased production of IFN-γ and TNF-α and increased release of IL-4 and IL-10 cytokines. These results implied that rBmCys treatment has alleviated mBSA-induced arthritis and thus can be a promising alternative agent for the treatment of arthritis.