Edited by Tamas Dalmay Keywords:Small cell lung cancer miR-126 SLC7A5 G1 delay a b s t r a c t Despite intensive efforts to improve therapies, small cell lung cancer (SCLC) still has a dismal median survival of 18 months. Since miR-126 is under-expressed in the majority of SCLC tumors, we investigated the effect of miR-126 overexpression on the proliferation and cell cycle distribution of H69 cells. Our results demonstrate that miR-126 inhibits proliferation of H69 cells, by delaying the cells in the G1 phase. Short interfering RNA (siRNA) mediated suppression of SLC7A5, a predicted target of mir-126, has the same effect on H69 cells. We also show for the first time that SLC7A5 is a direct target of miR-126.

Contrast-enhanced voiding urosonography (VUS) is becoming more widely used for the diagnosis of vesicoureteric reflux (VUR). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of VUS using a second-generation ultrasound (US) contrast agent and compare it with standard fluoroscopic voiding cystourethrography (VCUG). A total of 183 children with 366 kidney-ureter units (KUUs) underwent VUS and VCUG in the same session with the same catheterization. VUS was performed after intravesical administration of 1 ml of a second-generation ultrasound contrast agent (UCA; SonoVue, Bracco, Italy). VUR was detected in 140 out of 366 cases (38%); in 89 (24.3%) by both methods, in 37 (10.1%) by VUS only, and in 14 (3.8%) by VCUG only. Although there was considerable agreement in the diagnosis of VUR by VUS and VCUG (κ=0.68, standard error [κ]=0.04), the difference in the detection rate of reflux between VUS and VCUG was significant (p<0.00001). The grade of VUR detected with VUS showed moderate agreement with grading by VCUG. Our findings suggest that contrast-enhanced harmonic VUS using a second-generation contrast agent is superior to VCUG in the detection and grading of VUR, and it should be the method of choice for this clinical indication.

We found all ARPKD cases without PKHD1 point mutations to be phenocopies, and none to be explained by biallelic PKHD1 copy number variations. Screening for copy number variations is recommended in patients with a heterozygous point mutation.

Meconium periorchitis (MPO) is an uncommon entity associated with healed meconium peritonitis. The typical presentation is soft hydrocele at birth which becomes harder in weeks as the meconium calcifies. It mimics a scrotal mass, and, without knowledge of this rare disease, this may lead to unnecessary surgery. Both the masses and the calcifications have the tendency to resolve spontaneously without compromising the testicle. Sonographic features together with an abdominal plain film are diagnostic, and visualization of the normal testicle may be helpful in differentiating this tumor-like lesion from scrotal tumors. A case of a meconium periorchitis is reported on and the radiological and histological features are discussed with a literature review on the subject.

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