Renal cholesterol embolic disease - Case report and review of the literature

American Journal of Nephrology136489-493AJNE

GlnK, a PII-homologue: Structure reveals ATP binding site and indicates how the T-loops may be involved in molecular recognition.

GlnK is a recently discovered homologue of the P(II) signal protein, an indicator of the nitrogen status of bacteria. P(II) occupies a central position in the dual cascade that regulates the activity of glutamine synthetase and the transcription of its gene. The complete role of Escherichia coli GlnK is yet to be determined, but already it is known that GlnK behaves like P(II) and can substitute for P(II) under some circumstances thereby adding to the subtleties of nitrogen regulation. There are also indications that the roles of the two proteins differ; the expression of P(II) is constitutive while that of GlnK is linked to the level of nitrogen in the cell. The discovery of GlnK begs the question of why E. coli has both GlnK and P(II). Clearly, the structural similarities and differences of GlnK and P(II) will lead to a better understanding of how P(II)-like proteins function in E. coli and other organisms. We have crystallised and solved the X-ray structure of GlnK at 2.0 Å resolution. The asymmetric unit has two independent copies of the GlnK subunit and both pack around 3-fold axes to form trimers. The trimers have a barrel-like core with recognition loops (the T-loops) that protrude from the top of the molecule. The two GlnK molecules have similar core structures to P(II) but differ significantly at the C terminus and the loops. The T-loops of the two GlnK molecules also differ from each other; one is disordered while the conformation of the other is stabilised by lattice contacts. The conformation of the ordered T-loop of GlnK differs from that observed in the P(II) structure despite the fact that their sequences are very similar. The structures suggest that the T-loops do not have a rigid structure and that they may be flexible in solution. The presence of a turn of

Hyperthyroidism with coexisting thyroid carcinoma: A study of 14 patients

Annals of the Academy of Medicine Singapore103323-32

Early Diagnosis of Myocardial Dysfunction in Patients With Hematological Malignancies Submitted to Chemotherapy. Preliminary Results.

Early Diagnosis of Miocardial Dysfunction in Patients with Hematological Malignancies Submitted to Chemotherapy. Preliminary \ud Background: Considering the current diagnostic improvements and tl1erapeutic approaches, patients witl 1 cancer can now be healed or keep the disease under control, still, the chemotherapy may cause heart damage, evolving to Congestive Heart Failure. Recognition of those changes increases the chances of control the endpoints; hence, new parameters of cardiac and fluid mechanics analysis have been used to assess the myocardial function, pursuing an earlier diagnosis of the cardiac alterations. This study aimed to detect early cardiac dysfunction consequently to chemotherapy in patients with hematological malignancies (HM). Methods: Patients with leukemia and lymphoma, submitted to chemotherapy, without knowing heart diseases were studied. Healthy volunteers served as the control group. Conventional 2DE parameters of myocardial function were analyzed. The peak global longitudinal, circumferential and radial left ventricular (LV) strain were deternined by 2D and 3D speckle tracking (STE); peak area strain measured by 3D STE and LV torsionn, twisting rate, recoil / recoil rate assessed by 2D STE. The LV vortex formation time (VFT) during the rapid diastolic filling was estimated by the 2D mitral valve (MV) planimetry and Pulsed Doppler LV inflow by: VFT- 4(1-β) / π x α3 x LVEF Where 1- β is the E wave contribution to the LV stroke volume and α3 is a volumetric variable related to the MV area. The statistical level was settled on 5%. Results: See Table. Conclusion: Despite the differences between the two groups concerning the LVESV, LVEF and E´, those parameters still are in the normal range when considering the patients submitted to chemotherapy; thus, in the clinical setting, they are not so noticeable. The 3D GLS was smaller among the patients, oppositely to the 2D GLS, suggesting that the former variable is more accurate to assess tlhe LV systolic function. The VFT is a dimensionless measure of the optimal vortex development inside the LV chamber; reflecting the efficiency of the diastolic filling and, consequently, blood ejection. This index showed to be diminished in patients with HM submitted to chemotherapy, indicating an impairment of the in1pulse and thrust, hence appearing to be a very early marker of diastolic and systolic dysfunction in this group.CNP

Mutations in Potassium Channel Kir2.6 Cause Susceptibility to Thyrotoxic Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis

10.1016/j.cell.2009.12.024Cell140188-9