Burkitt lymphoma in Iraqi children. A distinctive form of sporadic disease with high incidence of EBV+cases and more frequent expression of MUM1/IRF4 protein in cases with head and neck presentation

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-related lymphoproliferative disorders are relatively common in Iraqi children. Burkitt lymphoma (BL) accounted for 40% of lymphoma cases. The mean age of 125 BL cases was 5.9 ± 3.1 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 3.6:1. Clinical presentation was abdominal in 66% and head and neck in 34%. Bone marrow involvement was higher (P < 0.001) in children with head and neck disease. Tumor cells had MYC translocation (96%) and were CD20+/CD10+/MYC+/BCL2−. MUM1/IRF4 staining was expressed by a fraction of tumor cells in 19 of 125 cases (15%) and was more frequent (P < 0.007) in head and neck disease (12/42; 29%). EBV-encoded RNA was positive in 100 of 125 (80%) BL cases

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) positive classical Hodgkin lymphoma of Iraqi children: An immunophenotypic and molecular characterization of Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg cells.

Background: Classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) in children is often associated with EBV infection, more commonly in developing countries. Procedure: Here we describe the histological, immunohistochemical, and molecular features of 57 cases of HL affecting Iraqi children under 14 years of age. Results: Histologically, 51 cases were classified as cHL of Mixed Cellularity and Nodular Sclerosis subtypes (MC=69%; NS=31%), and 6 cases as Nodular Lymphocyte Predominant HL (NLP-HL). EBV infection of H/RS cells was demonstrated in 44 of 51 cases of cHL (86%), and was more common in MC than in NS (97% vs. 63%; P=0.0025). The immunophenotypic profile of H/RS cells was similar in MC and NS, and was not influenced by EBV infection; H/RS cells were consistently positive for PAX-5 and to a lesser degree for other B cell markers including CD20/CD79a, OCT-2, and BOB-1. Clonal IGH rearrangements were detected in 14 of 38 cHL (37%), with no significant difference between MC and NS cases, and with no association with the EBV status. Oligoclonal/monoclonal TCRγ rearrangements were present in 28 of 38 cases (74%), suggestive of restricted T cell responses. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that cHL occurring in Iraqi children is characterized by immunohistochemical and molecular features undistinguishable from those present in cHL occurring elsewhere in the world. Moreover, the high incidence of EBV-infected H/RS cells and frequent occurrence of restricted T cell responses might be indicative of a defective local immune response perhaps related to the very young age of the children. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013;60:2068-2072

Biological nitrification inhibition in sorghum: the role of sorgoleone production

Nitrification and denitrification are the two most important processes that contribute to greenhouse gas emission and inefficient use of nitrogen. Suppressing soil nitrification through the release of nitrification inhibitors from roots is a plant function, and termed “Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI)”. We report here the role and contribution of sorgoleone release to sorghum-BNI function