Pituicytoma is a rare primary tumor of the neurohypophysis. It arises from pituicytes, specialized glial cells in the neurohypophysis and infundibulum of the pituitary gland. The natural history of these tumors is not well established. In addition, a high tendency to bleed and adherence to surrounding structures makes surgical dissection and pathologic identification important. According to recent literature, there are no known cases of pituicytoma recurring at greater than 10 years' time. The few described cases detail the clinical behavior and histopathology of the tumor, but there is no literature documenting its natural history. The likelihood of recurrence following subtotal resection is of great importance when monitoring the progression of the disease. We report the case of a 62-year-old man with a recurrent sellar mass over a 21-year-period. The patient initially presented in 1990 with jaundice and tested positive for hepatitis B. During the course of his workup, an MRI of the brain was performed, which showed a pituitary/sellar mass. In 1997, the patient had a recurrence of the tumor and underwent surgery, which suggested the diagnosis of pituicytoma. He did well until 2011, when his vision again worsened. An MRI of the brain at Winthrop University Hospital on June 2, 2011, showed a 4-cm mass involving the clivus, sella, and suprasellar region. On October 20, 2011, he underwent an endoscopic transphenoidal resection of the mass. Following a battery of immunostains, pathology conclusively revealed a pituicytoma, WHO grade I. A review of the literature reveals the small collection of known short-term recurrent pituicytomas; however, as evidenced by the current case, long-term surveillance may be a requisite for appropriate clinical management. Thus, final diagnosis requires, in addition to careful histologic and immunohistochemical analysis, a better understanding of the natural progression of this entity.
Cranberry has countless cardiovascular benefits. According to some studies, this fruit causes the oxidation of low-capacity lipoprotein, improves high-capacity lipoprotein, reduces platelet coagulability, and promotes vascular activity. Albino male rats were divided into five groups (n = 5 per group). In the control group, normal saline was administered intraperitoneally. The second group was injected with metaproterenol (MET) three days a week for four weeks. The third, fourth, and fifth groups received 75, 100, and 150 doses of cranberry extract along with heart-damaging drugs. Then the blood samples were taken and sent to the laboratory on the fourth weekend and a week after finishing the injections in the fourth week (the sixth weekend) to check the serum factors, including cardiac creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). The serum activity of the cardiac evaluation parameters in the fourth week revealed a highly significant relationship between the studied groups regarding AST and cTnI (p˂0.001). Moreover, a significant relationship was reported between AST and cTnI among the target groups (p˂0.05). Finally, the findings revealed that the consumption of blueberry extract with its effect on heart function could effectively modify the serum indicators associated with heart damage. The used extract was also effective; however, its effects were not stable. Accordingly, it is recommended to be used synergistically with other chemical and herbal medicines to achieve more prolonged effects.
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