Road to Extinction? Past and Present Population Structure and Genomic Diversity in the Koala

Koalas are arboreal herbivorous marsupials, endemic to Australia. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the number of koalas declined dramatically due to hunting for their furs. In addition, anthropogenic activities have further decimated their available habitat, and decreased population numbers. Here, we utilize 37 historic and 25 modern genomes sampled from across their historic and present geographic range, to gain insights into how their population structure and genetic diversity have changed across time; assess the genetic consequences of the period of intense hunting, and the current genetic status of this iconic Australian species. Our analyses reveal how genome-wide heterozygosity has decreased through time and unveil previously uncharacterized mitochondrial haplotypes and nuclear genotypes in the historic dataset, which are absent from today's koala populations

Primary liposarcoma of the ascending colon: a rare case of mixed type presenting as hemoperitoneum combined with other type of retroperitoneal liposarcoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Liposarcoma occurs most commonly in the extremities and retroperitoneum, however, it has been rarely observed in the colon.</p> <p>Case Presentation</p> <p>A case is reported a 41-year-old man with liposarcoma of ascending colon which was presented as hemoperitoneum and combined with a different histological type of retroperitoneal liposarcoma. He visited hospital with right lower abdominal pain and palpable mass. Laboratory data including tumor markers were within normal limits, and computed tomography revealed a 15 × 10 cm sized enhancing soft mass. Right hemicolectomy was performed, and after that, a further large retroperitoneal mass was revealed and this was also radically excised. Mixed-type colon liposarcoma and well differentiated type of retroperitoneal liposarcoma were diagnosed in pathologic report. The patient has remained free of disease for 24 months.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>No standardized guidelines have been established for its treatment because too small a number of cases have been reported, but surgical resection was considered the treatment of choice.</p

Intact interferon signaling in peripheral blood leukocytes of high-grade osteosarcoma patients

High-grade osteosarcoma has a poor prognosis with an overall survival rate of about 60 percent. The recently closed European and American Osteosarcoma Study Group (EURAMOS)-1 trial investigates the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy with or without interferon-α. It is however unknown whether the interferon-signaling pathways in immune cells of osteosarcoma patients are functional. We studied the molecular and functional effects of interferon treatment on peripheral blood lymphocytes and monocytes of osteosarcoma patients, both in vivo and ex vivo. In contrast to other tumor types, in osteosarcoma, interferon signaling as determined by the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)1 at residue 701 was intact in immune cell subsets of 33 osteosarcoma patients as compared to 19 healthy controls. Also, cytolytic activity of interferon-α stimulated natural killer cells against allogeneic (n = 7 patients) and autologous target cells (n = 3 patients) was not impaired. Longitudinal monitoring of three osteosarcoma patients on interferon-α monotherapy revealed a relative increase in the CD16-positive subpopulation of monocytes during treatment. Since interferon signaling is intact in immune cells of osteosarcoma patients, there is a potential for indirect immunological effects of interferon-α treatment in osteosarcoma

High incidence of metastatic disease in primary high grade and large extremity soft tissue sarcomas treated without chemotherapy

BACKGROUND: The risk of metastasis and the survival in patients with primary extremity soft tissue sarcomas is worse when tumour size is large and the grade of malignancy is high. Such tumours may receive chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy (RTX) for optimising local control. Irradiation can either be applied preoperatively or after tumour resection. The question arises if the kind of RTX in the absence of chemotherapy influences the outcome concerning local control, metastatic disease, survival and complications. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical outcome of 233 patients with a primary extremity soft tissue sarcoma treated between 1990 – 2000 with a mean follow-up of 35.8 (4–120) months in our institute. 41 patients had high grade, deep and large tumours (>8 cm), an AJCC stage III (no evidence of metastasis prior to treatment) and were treated with limb salvage surgery and irradiation but stayed without additional chemotherapy. Two groups of patients were compared: the first group received postoperative RTX after tumour resection (n = 33); the second group was treated with preoperative RTX (n = 8). Both groups did not differ concerning clinical parameters. We analysed primary and secondary outcomes. RESULTS: 56% (23/41) of the population developed metastatic disease, 24% (10/41) local recurrence. The risk of metastasis was higher in the group with preoperative irradiation (p = 0.046). The overall (p = 0.0248) and relapse free survival (p = 0.104) were worse in this group. The delay to tumour resection amounted 8 weeks on average in the preoperative group. Local control was not different (p = 0.38) in both study groups. Wound infections and other combined therapy related complications were equally distributed (p = 0.22). CONCLUSION: Without chemotherapy there remains a high risk of metastasis in AJCC grade 3 patients. In high risk patients treated without chemotherapy the elapsed time to tumour resection after preoperative radiation might contribute to the development of metastasis. This outcome may support the thesis that a combination of RTX and offensive multimodal treatment protocols is advantageous in such a subset of patient

Effect of Serum on Cells Producing Hemolytic Antibodies in Short-Term Experiments <i>in Vitro</i>

Summary Suspended mouse spleen cells forming antibodies against sheep erythrocytes were incubated at 37°C in the presence or absence of serum. The number of plaque-forming cells (PFC) was determined after various times of incubation by the technique of direct localized hemolysis in gel (LHG). The presence of serum during incubation invariably increased the rate of antibody production while its presence in the LHG assay led to no improvement. The effect was sensitive to temperature, dependent on serum concentration, and independent of the serum source. The combination of crystalline bovine serum albumin and N-Tris (hydroxymethyl) methylglycine was at least as effective as serum.</jats:p

Production of Interferon in Serum-Free Human Leukocyte Suspensions

The recovery of interferon from Sendai-infected suspensions of purified human leukocytes is dependent on the serum concentration in the incubation medium. Very little interferon is obtained from serum-free suspensions. The data reported demonstrate that the critical macromolecular, age-independent, and species-unspecific serum principle can be omitted from the suspensions if the medium is supplemented with a combination of crystalline serum albumin and high concentrations of any one of five studied dipolar ionic buffers [ N,N -bis(2-hydroxyethyl) glycine (Bicine), N -2-hydroxyethylpiperazine- N ′-2-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES), 2-( N -morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid (MES), N -tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl-2-amino-ethanesulfonic acid (TES), and N -tris(hydroxymethyl)methylglycine (Tricine)]. The optimal combination [TES (1.0%, w/v) and bovine serum albumin (0.8%, w/v)] allows the production of potent preparations of serum-free human interferon. </jats:p