Molecular Pathogenesis of Pheochromocytomas and Paragangliomash

General aspectsParaganglia are small neuroendocrine organs, that usually manifest as anatomically discrete bodies, the parenchymal cells of which are neural crest-derived, and produce catecholamines and various peptides. One group of paraganglia is aligned to the sympathoadrenal and the other to the parasympathetic autonomic nervous system.1,2 Sympathetic paraganglia are distributed along the pre- and paravertebral sympathetic chains and follow the sympathetic innervations of the pelvic and retroperitoneal organs. Their exact locations are somewhat variable, with the exception of the adrenal medulla and the organs of Zuckerkandl. Parasympathetic paraganglia are almost exclusively located in the region of the cranial and thoracic branches of the glossopharyngeal and vagal nerves. The principal glossopharyngeal paraganglia are the tympanic paraganglia, situated in the wall of the middle ear, and the carotid bodies (Figure 1). Neoplasms of the neuroendocrine cells found within the sympathetic or parasympathetic paraganglionic axes are designated pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma. The name pheochromocytoma – the Greek synonym of black colored tumor – is derived from the so- called chromaffi n reaction, resulting from oxidation of stored catecholamines. Adrenal tumors are usually referred to as pheochromocytomas (because of a positive chromaffi n reaction), whereas the extra-adrenal ones are alternatively designated extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma, the latter name usually being reserved for parasympathetic or nonfunctional (i.e., non catecholamine-secreting) sympathetic tumors. Paraganglioma is also used to describe the parasympathetically aligned tumors. However, since these neoplasms are otherwise indistinguishable, and the chromaffi n reaction appeared to be a poor indicator of catecholamine storage, the terminology may be confusing. For this reason, in this thesis, all sympathicoadrenal neoplasms will be referred to as pheochromocytomas. Additional designations (e.g., nonfunctional, extra-adrenal, or malignant) will be used when appropriate. Neoplasms arising from parasympathetic paraganglionic tissues will be referred to as paragangliomas. In the literature, some of the latter may have been referred to as chemodectomas, glomus jugulare, or carotid body tumors

Effect of a Nacelle on the Low-speed Aerodynamic Characteristics of a Swept-back Wing

Wind-tunnel tests of a simplified nacelle on a semispan wing having approximately 35 degrees of sweepback were made at low speeds to evaluate the effects of the nacelle on the aerodynamic characteristics of the wing. Force, moment, and pressure-distribution measurements are presented for the nacelle underslung and centrally mounted on the wing and mounted on a strut below the wing

On a Generalization of the Frobenius Number

We consider a generalization of the Frobenius Problem where the object of interest is the greatest integer which has exactly $j$ representations by a collection of positive relatively prime integers. We prove an analogue of a theorem of Brauer and Shockley and show how it can be used for computation.Comment: 5 page

Ultrasmall InGa(As)P dielectric and plasmonic nanolasers

Nanolasers have great potential as both on-chip light sources and optical barcoding particles. We demonstrate ultrasmall InGaP and InGaAsP disk lasers with diameters down to 360 nm (198 nm in height) in the red spectral range. Optically pumped, room-temperature, single-mode lasing was achieved from both disk-on-pillar and isolated particles. When isolated disks were placed on gold, plasmon polariton lasing was obtained with Purcell-enhanced stimulated emission. UV lithography and plasma ashing enabled the fabrication of nanodisks on a wafer-scale, with intended random size variation. Silica-coated nanodisk particles generated stable sub-nanometer spectra from within biological cells across an 80 nm bandwidth from 635 to 715 nm.Comment: 25 pages, 5 main figures, 8 supplementary figures, 3 supplementary table