Myeloid Sarcoma of the Uterine Cervix as Presentation of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia after Treatment with Low-Dose Radioiodine for Thyroid Cancer: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

The development of acute myeloid leukaemia after low-dose radioiodine therapy and its presentation as a myeloid sarcoma of the uterine cervix are both rare events. We report a case of acute myeloid leukaemia revealed by a myeloid sarcoma of the uterine cervix in a 48-year-old woman, 17 months after receiving a total dose of 100 mCi 131I for papillary thyroid cancer. A strict hematological follow-up of patients treated with any dose of 131I is recommended to accurately detect any hematological complications which might have been underestimated. Unusual presentations, such as chloroma of the uterine cervix, may reveal myeloid malignancy and should be kept in mind

Chaos, Consternation and CALIPSO Calibration: New Strategies for Calibrating the CALIOP 1064 nm Channel

The very low signal-to-noise ratios of the 1064 nm CALIOP molecular backscatter signal make it effectively impossible to employ the "clear air" normalization technique typically used to calibrate elastic back-scatter lidars. The CALIPSO mission has thus chosen to cross-calibrate their 1064 nm measurements with respect to the 532 nm data using the two-wavelength backscatter from cirrus clouds. In this paper we discuss several known issues in the version 3 CALIOP 1064 nm calibration procedure, and describe the strategies that will be employed in the version 4 data release to surmount these problems

Mutator system derivatives isolated from sugarcane genome sequence

Mutator-like transposase is the most represented transposon transcript in the sugarcane transcriptome. Phylogenetic reconstructions derived from sequenced transcripts provided evidence that at least four distinct classes exist (I- IV) and that diversification among these classes occurred early in Angiosperms, prior to the divergence of Monocots/ Eudicots. The four previously described classes served as probes to select and further sequence six BAC clones from a genomic library of cultivar R570. A total of 579,352 sugarcane base pairs were produced from these "Mutator system" BAC containing regions for further characterization. The analyzed genomic regions confirmed that the predicted structure and organization of the Mutator system in sugarcane is composed of two true transposon lineages, each containing a specific terminal inverted repeat and two transposase lineages considered to be domesticated. Each Mutator transposase class displayed a particular molecular structure supporting lineage specific evolution. MUSTANG, previously described domesticated genes, are located in syntenic regions across Sacharineae and, as expected for a host functional gene, posses the same gene structure as in other Poaceae. Two sequenced BACs correspond to hom(eo)logous locus with specific retrotransposon insertions that discriminate sugarcane haplotypes. The comparative studies presented, add information to the Mutator systems previously identified in the maize and rice genomes by describing lineage specific molecular structure and genomic distribution pattern in the sugarcane genome. (Résumé d'auteur

PenQuest Volume 5, Number 1

Table of Contents for this Volume: Success by Shatney Maria by Jane O’Neal Intrusions by Mark McBride The Mystery of the Back Porch Light by Nature Johnston Truth and the Violin by Shatney Corporate America by Julie Crowell Pete’s Cafe by Nature Johnston Geranium by Anne Benjamin The Man Who Buried His Books by William Slaughter Erasures by William Slaughter Mind You and other poems by Kate Mathews Coffee in the Tea Room by Kathleen O’Brien The Children by Katharine Rodier Sisters, Reclamation, Not Wanting to Say, “I Told You So,” But… by Kathleen O’Brien Genetics by Kathleen O’Brien The Anguish of Flames by Kathleen O’Brien turning plows by Mark McBride A Valediction for My Father by Jonathan Williams Untitled by Mark Sablow Artificial Portrait by Kevin Christenson Untitled by Latrell Mickler Untitled by Kevin Christenson Galvanistic Ascension by Mark Grisham Power Surge by Mark Grisham Untitled by Lori Kirsbau

First Evidence of Palytoxin and 42-Hydroxy-palytoxin in the Marine Cyanobacterium Trichodesmium

Marine pelagic diazotrophic cyanobacteria of the genus Trichodesmium (Oscillatoriales) are widespread throughout the tropics and subtropics, and are particularly common in the waters of New Caledonia. Blooms of Trichodesmium are suspected to be a potential source of toxins in the ciguatera food chain and were previously reported to contain several types of paralyzing toxins. The toxicity of water-soluble extracts of Trichodesmium spp. were analyzed by mouse bioassay and Neuroblastoma assay and their toxic compounds characterized using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry techniques. Here, we report the first identification of palytoxin and one of its derivatives, 42-hydroxy-palytoxin, in field samples of Trichodesmium collected in the New Caledonian lagoon. The possible role played by Trichodesmium blooms in the development of clupeotoxism, this human intoxication following the ingestion of plankton-eating fish and classically associated with Ostreopsis blooms, is also discussed

Deciphering the genome structure and paleohistory of _Theobroma cacao_

We sequenced and assembled the genome of _Theobroma cacao_, an economically important tropical fruit tree crop that is the source of chocolate. The assembly corresponds to 76% of the estimated genome size and contains almost all previously described genes, with 82% of them anchored on the 10 _T. cacao_ chromosomes. Analysis of this sequence information highlighted specific expansion of some gene families during evolution, for example flavonoid-related genes. It also provides a major source of candidate genes for _T. cacao_ disease resistance and quality improvement. Based on the inferred paleohistory of the T. cacao genome, we propose an evolutionary scenario whereby the ten _T. cacao_ chromosomes were shaped from an ancestor through eleven chromosome fusions. The _T. cacao_ genome can be considered as a simple living relic of higher plant evolution

E4F1-mediated control of pyruvate dehydrogenase activity is essential for skin homeostasis.

The multifunctional protein E4 transcription factor 1 (E4F1) is an essential regulator of epidermal stem cell (ESC) maintenance. Here, we found that E4F1 transcriptionally regulates a metabolic program involved in pyruvate metabolism that is required to maintain skin homeostasis. E4F1 deficiency in basal keratinocytes resulted in deregulated expression of dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase (Dlat), a gene encoding the E2 subunit of the mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex. Accordingly, E4f1 knock-out (KO) keratinocytes exhibited impaired PDH activity and a redirection of the glycolytic flux toward lactate production. The metabolic reprogramming of E4f1 KO keratinocytes associated with remodeling of their microenvironment and alterations of the basement membrane, led to ESC mislocalization and exhaustion of the ESC pool. ShRNA-mediated depletion of Dlat in primary keratinocytes recapitulated defects observed upon E4f1 inactivation, including increased lactate secretion, enhanced activity of extracellular matrix remodeling enzymes, and impaired clonogenic potential. Altogether, our data reveal a central role for Dlat in the metabolic program regulated by E4F1 in basal keratinocytes and illustrate the importance of PDH activity in skin homeostasis

High frequency of central nervous system involvement in transformed Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia

Histologicaltransformation (HT) to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a rare event in Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) and is associated with a poor prognosis.1-4 It confers an inferior outcome compared with WM patients without HT.2,3 Most transformed WM patients present with elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and extranodal disease.1 Among extranodal sites, the central nervous system (CNS) is one of the most frequently involved sites identified at diagnosis of transformed WM (ranging from 13% to 18%).1,3 However, the prognostic value of CNS involvement is unknown, and the rate of CNS involvement at relapse has not been previously reported in this setting.This work was supported by Cancer Research UK [C355/A26819], FC AECC, and AIRC under the “Accelerator Award Program” [EDITOR] to M.A. and R.G.-S