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BACKGROUND: There has been an increase in consumption of aerated sweetened soft drinks and packaged juices high in carbohydrates/fructose by humans across the globe. There have been various studies with contradictory inferences of association of chronic sweetened soft drink (rich in high fructose corn syrup) intake and NAFLD. This study was undertaken with the aim to determine the quantity, frequency, duration and type of sweet soft drinks /packaged fruit juices consumption in patients with NAFLD as compared to that in control population. Other objectives included assessment of the independent role of sweetened soft drinks as a risk factor for NAFLD in the absence of metabolic syndrome and to correlate the level of steatosis (objectively graded by ultrasonography) with the amount of intake of soft drinks in patients of NAFLD. METHOD : 50 patients of NAFLD as diagnosed clinically and by ultrasonography were identified and compared with 50 age matched control population reporting to the hospital with ailments other than NAFLD. The presence or absence of metabolic syndrome was noted in all the patients. The history of soft drink intake was obtained from the patient under following heads: a) quantity consumed, b) type of soft drink/packaged juice consumed, c) period of ingestion and d) frequency of consumption. RESULT : The average monthly consumption, duration of consumption and the mean total sugar consumption of sweetened soft drinks / packaged juices were significantly higher in patients with NAFLD versus those in the control group (p=0.0002

Background: The widespread acceptance of serum PSA testing for the early detection of prostate cancer has been hampered by the low specificity and unnecessary biopsies. Methods: This study was carried out to detect prostate cancers in patients with equivocal PSA values using RT-PCR (Reverse transciptase- polymerase chain reaction) to detect the uPM3 (urinary protein M3) in post prostatic massage urine samples. uPM3 is a mRNA released in prostate cancer patients due to the presence of the oncogene DD3 also called as PCA3 on chromosome 9. Results: There were a total of 27 cases of prostate carcinoma and 33 cases of PIN (prostate intraepithelial neoplasia) detected in this study. The sample collection accuracy depending on presence of beta2 microglobulin (housekeping gene) band was 88%. The sensitivity and specificity of uPM3 keeping histopathology as gold standard was 85.18% and 98.78% respectively. Positive predictive value was 88.46% and negative predictive value was 98.38% which is much higher than PSA. However, no significant correlation of uPM3 positivity was found with Gleason’s grade, metastatic potential and pathological stage. Conclusion: Unlike serum PSA, uPM3 was found to be independent of prostate volume thereby having no false positives unlike raised PSA because of large benign prostate hypertrophy.

The histopathological approach of chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIP) is critical, and the findings are often missed by the histopathologists for lack of awareness and nonavailability of standard criteria. We aimed to describe a detailed histopathological approach for working-up cases of CIP by citing our experience. Eight suspected cases of CIP were included in the study to determine and describe an approach for reaching the histopathological diagnosis collected over a period of the last 1.5 years. The Hirschsprung’s disease was put apart from the scope of this study. A detailed light microscopic analysis was performed along with special and immunohistochemical stains. Transmission electron microscopy was carried out on tissue retrieved from paraffin embedded tissue blocks. Among the eight cases, three were neonates, one in the pediatric age group, two adolescent, and two adults. After following the described critical approach, we achieved the histological diagnoses in all the cases. The causes of CIP noted were primary intestinal neuronal dysplasia (IND) type B (in 4), mesenchymopathy (in 2), lymphocytic myenteric ganglionitis (in 1), and duplication of myenteric plexus with leiomyopathy (in 1). Desmosis was noted in all of them along with other primary pathologies. One of the IND patients also had visceral myopathy, type IV. Histopathologists need to follow a systematic approach comprising of diligent histological examination and use of immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, and electron microscopy in CIP workup. Therapy and prognosis vary depending on lesions identified by pathologists. These lesions can be seen in isolation or in combinations.

Spindle cell carcinoma of the tonsillar pillar is a rare malignancy. A case of spindle cell carcinoma of the anterior tonsillar pillar in a 59-year-old man is presented. A growth on the anterior tonsillar pillar, measuring 9×7×6 mm, was resected. The neoplasm occurred as a complication of radiotherapy (excessive cumulative radiation dose of 60 Gray) for carcinoma larynx with a latency period of three years. Postradiation spindle cell carcinoma is an uncommon disease manifesting as sarcoma in a previously irradiated field, usually with a latent period of 5 years or more. Literature is limited to small series. Histologically, this tonsillar growth was composed of a squamous cell carcinoma (epithelial component) and a spindle cell sarcomatous component. The two components of the tumour were confirmed using the immunohistochemical staining (cytokeratin and vimentin). Further p53 positivity of the sarcomatous elements aided in ruling out radiation-induced nonmalignant changes of mesenchymal tissue. This paper discusses this rare tumour in a common setting.