Expression of Cell-Cycle Regulatory Proteins pRb, Cyclin D1, and p53 Is Not Associated with Recurrence Rates of Equine Sarcoids

Sarcoids are among the most common tumors diagnosed in equids; their association with bovine papillomaviruses (BPV) infection has been widely reported, but the mechanism of carcinogenesis has not been fully elucidated. To verify whether BPV infection causes dysregulation of the pRb-Cyclin D1-p16CDKN2A-p53 pathway as reported for human papillomavirus (HPV), the study employed immunohistochemistry to test 55 equine sarcoid biopsies for the expression of pRb, Cyclin D1, and p53 cell cycle regulatory proteins and to evaluate the proliferative rate through Ki67. High Cyclin D1 and pRb expression were observed in 51% and 80% of cases, respectively, while low expression was observed in 49% and 20% of cases, respectively. Significantly higher Ki67 proliferation indexes were observed in fibroblastic, nodular, and mixed sarcoids compared to the occult and verrucous. High proliferation was significantly associated with high Cyclin D1 expression. In contrast with previous studies, p53 positivity was not observed in the cases examined in this study. Moreover, follow-up analysis revealed that fibroblastic, mixed sarcoids were associated with significantly higher local recurrence rates while the verrucous subtype was associated with higher rates of new sarcoid development at distant sites

Intestinal strongyloidiasis and hyperinfection syndrome

In spite of recent advances with experiments on animal models, strongyloidiasis, an infection caused by the nematode parasite Strongyloides stercoralis, has still been an elusive disease. Though endemic in some developing countries, strongyloidiasis still poses a threat to the developed world. Due to the peculiar but characteristic features of autoinfection, hyperinfection syndrome involving only pulmonary and gastrointestinal systems, and disseminated infection with involvement of other organs, strongyloidiasis needs special attention by the physician, especially one serving patients in areas endemic for strongyloidiasis. Strongyloidiasis can occur without any symptoms, or as a potentially fatal hyperinfection or disseminated infection. Th(2 )cell-mediated immunity, humoral immunity and mucosal immunity have been shown to have protective effects against this parasitic infection especially in animal models. Any factors that suppress these mechanisms (such as intercurrent immune suppression or glucocorticoid therapy) could potentially trigger hyperinfection or disseminated infection which could be fatal. Even with the recent advances in laboratory tests, strongyloidiasis is still difficult to diagnose. But once diagnosed, the disease can be treated effectively with antihelminthic drugs like Ivermectin. This review article summarizes a case of strongyloidiasis and various aspects of strongyloidiasis, with emphasis on epidemiology, life cycle of Strongyloides stercoralis, clinical manifestations of the disease, corticosteroids and strongyloidiasis, diagnostic aspects of the disease, various host defense pathways against strongyloidiasis, and available treatment options

Who Gets identified? The Consequences of Variability in Teacher Ratings and Combination Rules for Determining Eligibility for Gifted Services for Young Children

This study illustrates the consequences of accounting for or ignoring teacher variability in student ratings in conjunction with combination rules when identifying students for gifted services in one rural primary school. Teachers (n = 16) rated 282 first and second grade students on creativity, motivation, mathematics, and science. Results indicated the most variability in how teachers used the science scale and the least variability in the mathematics scales. Further, teachers rated female students higher than male students in motivation, but not on any other scale. More students were identified if the top students were identified in each class versus the top students in each grade level, and largely, the students who were identified within their classrooms were not the same students who were identified within their grade level. And as expected, OR rules resulted in the highest number of students identified. Implications and recommendations are discussed

Talent Development in Rural Contexts: Predicting Reading Performance from Primary School Achievement, Creativity, and Motivation

Rural students from economically disadvantaged households are identified as gifted at lower rates than their rural or suburban counterparts. To increase the number of students served, this study looked at how well early literacy scores and teacher assessments of student abilities in a rural, low socioeconomic district predicted third grade state reading scores. Results showed that prior achievement and teacher evaluations could predict about 50% of third grade state reading scores. Centered in the Talent Development in Achievement Domains framework (TAD; Preckel et al., 2020), these results provide a context for meeting the academic needs of rural students while illustrating that eventual student performance is not wholly predetermined when students enter school and that talent should be cultivated over time

Interactions Of Porphyrins And Metalloporphyrins With Single-Stranded Poly(dA)

A study of the interactions of single-stranded poly(deoxyadenylic acid) (poly(dA)) with a number of metallo- and nonmetallo-porphyrins is reported. Among the metal derivatives considered is the newly synthesized platinum(II) complex of tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphine (PtTMpyP-4). This metalloporphyrin behaves like other four-coordinated species in that it intercalates into double-stranded (ds) calf thymus DNA, resulting in a large bathochromic shift (18 nm) and hypochromicity (46%) of its Soret maximum. In addition, an induced, negative circular dichroism (CD) feature, typical of porphyrin intercalators, is observed at 420 nm with a Δε of -13 M⁻¹ cm⁻¹. All the porphyrin⋅poly(dA) complexes studied yield considerable hypochromicity compared to the free porphyrin, suggesting extensive interaction of the π-system of the porphyrins with that of the adenine bases. Whereas intercalating porphyrins display a hypochromicity with poly(dA) that is comparable to that obtained with calf thymus (ct) DNA, ZnTMpyP-4, which is a groove-binder by virtue of its single-axial ligand (H₂O), produces a substantially greater hypochromicity with the single-stranded than with the double-stranded nucleic acid. These results are consistent with a pseudointercalation model for binding of porphyrins to poly(dA). In addition, undercertain conditions CuTMpyP-4⋅poly(dA) shows a large conservative CD feature in the Soret region (Δε ~ ±10² M−¹ cm−¹), unlike profiles observed for other CuTMpyP-4⋅nucleic acid complexes. This metalloporphyrin may by virtue of this CD signature prove to be a useful reagent in reporting the presence of single-stranded regions in a complex nucleic acid mixture

Comparison of vestipitant with ondansetron for the treatment of breakthrough postoperative nausea and vomiting after failed prophylaxis with ondansetron

BACKGROUND: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is common; ondansetron is often used as prophylaxis or for breakthrough episodes. Vestipitant is a neurokinin 1 (NK-1) receptor antagonist that is effective for prophylaxis, but its efficacy for treating established PONV is unknown. This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of vestipitant, compared with ondansetron for the treatment of breakthrough PONV in patients who had already received prophylactic ondansetron before surgery. METHODS: A multicentre, randomized, single-blind (sponsor-open), parallel group study. Of 527 surgical patients, 130 (25%) had breakthrough PONV and were equally randomized to one of six i.v. doses of vestipitant (4-36 mg) or ondansetron 4 mg. The primary endpoint was the rate of patients exhibiting complete response, defined as no emesis and no further rescue medication from 10 min after infusion up to 24 h after surgery or hospital discharge. RESULTS: All doses of vestipitant were non-inferior to ondansetron in treating PONV after failed prophylaxis with ondansetron. However, vestipitant was superior to ondansetron in decreasing episodes of postoperative emesis and retching. The complete response rate analysis using Bayesian model averaging indicated that no vestipitant dose was superior to ondansetron. Nausea numerical rating scale scores and the times-to-PONV or discharge were similar between the vestipitant and ondansetron treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although overall efficacy was non-inferior between vestipitant and ondansetron, the rate of emesis was lower with vestipitant. These data suggest that vestipitant may be a useful agent for the management of PONV, similar to other NK-1 antagonists. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01507194