Thunderclap headache triggered by micturition: responsive to nimodipine

Primary thunderclap headache (TCH) is a rare condition, of which the onset can be triggered by coughing, exercise, and sexual activity. Micturition is a recognized trigger of secondary TCH with pheochromocytoma in bladder, but not of primary TCH. We describe a patient with an apparent primary TCH, which repeatedly occurred immediately after micturition until she achieved a therapeutic dosage of nimodipine

ZNF280BY and ZNF280AY: autosome derived Y-chromosome gene families in Bovidae

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recent progress in exploring the Y-chromosome gene content in humans, mice and cats have suggested that "autosome-to-Y" transposition of the male fertility genes is a recurrent theme during the mammalian Y-chromosome evolution. These transpositions are lineage-dependent. The purpose of this study is to investigate the lineage-specific Y-chromosome genes in bovid.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We took a direct testis cDNA selection strategy and discovered two novel gene families, <it>ZNF280BY </it>and <it>ZNF280AY</it>, on the bovine (<it>Bos taurus</it>) Y-chromosome (BTAY), which originated from the transposition of a gene block on the bovine chromosome 17 (BTA17) and subsequently amplified. Approximately 130 active <it>ZNF280BY </it>loci (and ~240 pseudogenes) and ~130 pseudogenized <it>ZNF280AY </it>copies are present over the majority of the male-specific region (MSY). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that both gene families fit with the "birth-and-death" model of evolution. The active <it>ZNF280BY </it>loci share high sequence similarity and comprise three major genomic structures, resulted from insertions/deletions (indels). Assembly of a 1.2 Mb BTAY sequence in the MSY ampliconic region demonstrated that <it>ZNF280BY </it>and <it>ZNF280AY</it>, together with <it>HSFY </it>and <it>TSPY </it>families, constitute the major elements within the repeat units. The <it>ZNF280BY </it>gene family was found to express in different developmental stages of testis with sense RNA detected in all cell types of the seminiferous tubules while the antisense RNA detected only in the spermatids. Deep sequencing of the selected cDNAs revealed that different loci of <it>ZNF280BY </it>were differentially expressed up to 60-fold. Interestingly, different copies of the <it>ZNF280AY </it>pseudogenes were also found to differentially express up to 10-fold. However, expression level of the <it>ZNF280AY </it>pseudogenes was almost 6-fold lower than that of the <it>ZNF280BY </it>genes. <it>ZNF280BY </it>and <it>ZNF280AY </it>gene families are present in bovid, but absent in other mammalian lineages.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p><it>ZNF280BY </it>and <it>ZNF280AY </it>are lineage-specific, multi-copy Y-gene families specific to <it>Bovidae</it>, and are derived from the transposition of an autosomal gene block. The temporal and spatial expression patterns of <it>ZNF280BY</it>s in testis suggest a role in spermatogenesis. This study offers insights into the genomic organization of the bovine MSY and gene regulation in spermatogenesis, and provides a model for studying evolution of multi-copy gene families in mammals.</p

Nuclear β-catenin expression is closely related to ulcerative growth of colorectal carcinoma

Although most colorectal cancer develops based on the adenoma–adenocarcinoma sequence, morphologically, colorectal cancer is not a homogeneous disease entity. Generally, there are two distinct morphological types: polypoid and ulcerative colorectal tumours. Previous studies have demonstrated that K-ras codon 12 mutations are preferentially associated with polypoid growth of colorectal cancer; however, little is known about the molecular mechanism that determines ulcerative growth of colorectal cancer. β-catenin complex plays a critical role both in tumorigenesis and morphogenesis. We examined the differential expression of β-catenin and its related factors among different types of colorectal cancer in order to determine any relationship with gross tumour morphology. Immunohistochemical staining of β-catenin, E-cadherin and MMP-7 was performed on 51 tumours, including 26 polypoid tumours and 25 ulcerative tumours. Protein truncation tests and single-strand conformational polymorphism for mutation of the adenomatous polyposis coli tumour suppressor gene, as well as single-strand conformational polymorphism for the mutation of β-catenin exon 3 were also done. Nuclear expression of β-catenin was observed in 18 out of 25 (72%) cases of ulcerative colorectal cancer and seven out of 26 (26.9%) cases of polypoid colorectal cancer. A significant relationship of nuclear β-catenin expression with ulcerative colorectal cancer was found (P<0.001). However, this finding was independent of adenomatous polyposis coli tumour suppressor gene mutation and E-cadherin expression. Together with previous data, we propose that different combinations of genetic alterations may underlie different morphological types of colorectal cancer. These findings should be taken into consideration whenever developing a new genetic diagnosis or therapy for colorectal cancer

Genetic aberrations in glioblastoma multiforme: translocation of chromosome 10 in an O-2A-like cell line

We have examined the genetic aberrations in two near-diploid glioblastoma multiforme cell lines that appear to have arisen from different glial lineages. One cell line, Hu-O-2A/Gb1, expresses antigens and metabolic profiles characteristic of the oligodendrocyte-type-2 astrocyte (0-2A) lineage of the rat central nervous system. This line generates, in vitro, cells with characteristics of 0-2A progenitor cells, oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. The second cell line, IN1434, is derived from an astrocyte or a precursor cell restricted to astrocytic differentiation. In Hu-O-2A/Gb1 the sole homologue of chromosome 10 is disrupted at band 10p11–12.1 by translocation with chromosomes X and 15. The translocation breakpoint is localized between genetic markers D10S2103 and [D10S637, D10S1962, D10S355]. Other aberrations include a 5;14 translocation, deletion of the long and short arms of chromosome 16 and loss of one copy of the CDKN2 gene. IN1434 cells share some cytogenetic abnormalities with Hu-O-2A/Gb1 cells, despite their apparent derivation from a different biological origin, but also have translocations involving the long and short arms of chromosome 1 and the long arm of chromosome 7, and deletion of chromosome 13 at bands 13q12–21. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig

ANKRD26 and Its Interacting Partners TRIO, GPS2, HMMR and DIPA Regulate Adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 Cells

Partial inactivation of the Ankyrin repeat domain 26 (Ankrd26) gene causes obesity and diabetes in mice and increases spontaneous and induced adipogenesis in mouse embryonic fibroblasts. However, it is not yet known how the Ankrd26 protein carries out its biological functions. We identified by yeast two-hybrid and immunoprecipitation assays the triple functional domain protein (TRIO), the G protein pathway suppressor 2 (GPS2), the delta-interacting protein A (DIPA) and the hyaluronan-mediated motility receptor (HMMR) as ANKRD26 interacting partners. Adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells was increased by selective down-regulation of Ankrd26, Trio, Gps2, Hmmr and Dipa. Furthermore, GPS2 and DIPA, which are normally located in the nucleus, were translocated to the cytoplasm, when the C-terminus of ANKRD26 was introduced into these cells. These findings provide biochemical evidence that ANKRD26, TRIO, GPS2 and HMMR are novel and important regulators of adipogenisis and identify new targets for the modulation of adipogenesis

Search for a Technicolor omega_T Particle in Events with a Photon and a b-quark Jet at CDF

If the Technicolor omega_T particle exists, a likely decay mode is omega_T -> gamma pi_T, followed by pi_T -> bb-bar, yielding the signature gamma bb-bar. We have searched 85 pb^-1 of data collected by the CDF experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron for events with a photon and two jets, where one of the jets must contain a secondary vertex implying the presence of a b quark. We find no excess of events above standard model expectations. We express the result of an exclusion region in the M_omega_T - M_pi_T mass plane.Comment: 14 pages, 2 figures. Available from the CDF server (PS with figs): http://www-cdf.fnal.gov/physics/pub98/cdf4674_omega_t_prl_4.ps FERMILAB-PUB-98/321-

A Two-Hybrid Assay to Study Protein Interactions within the Secretory Pathway

Interactions of transcriptional activators are difficult to study using transcription-based two-hybrid assays due to potent activation resulting in false positives. Here we report the development of the Golgi two-hybrid (G2H), a method that interrogates protein interactions within the Golgi, where transcriptional activators can be assayed with negligible background. The G2H relies on cell surface glycosylation to report extracellularly on protein-protein interactions occurring within the secretory pathway. In the G2H, protein pairs are fused to modular domains of the reporter glycosyltransferase, Och1p, and proper cell wall formation due to Och1p activity is observed only when a pair of proteins interacts. Cells containing interacting protein pairs are identified by selectable phenotypes associated with Och1p activity and proper cell wall formation: cells that have interacting proteins grow under selective conditions and display weak wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) binding by flow cytometry, whereas cells that lack interacting proteins display stunted growth and strong WGA binding. Using this assay, we detected the interaction between transcription factor MyoD and its binding partner Id2. Interfering mutations along the MyoD:Id2 interaction interface ablated signal in the G2H assay. Furthermore, we used the G2H to detect interactions of the activation domain of Gal4p with a variety of binding partners. Finally, selective conditions were used to enrich for cells encoding interacting partners. The G2H detects protein-protein interactions that cannot be identified via traditional two-hybrid methods and should be broadly useful for probing previously inaccessible subsets of the interactome, including transcriptional activators and proteins that traffic through the secretory pathway

LgR5 expression and cancer stem cell hypothesis: clue to define the true origin of esophageal adenocarcinomas with and without Barrett's Esophagus?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Investigation of the expression of an intestinal stem cell marker in esophageal adenocarcinomas (EAC) with and without Barrett's Esophagus (BE), with respect to a cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis.</p> <p>Materials and methods</p> <p>Expression of a putative intestinal stem cell marker LgR5 was analyzed in esophageal cancer specimen (n = 70: 41 EAC with BE, 19 EAC without BE, and n = 10 esophageal squamous-cell carcinomas, ESCC) and in the adenocarcinoma cell line OE-33. Ki-67 and Cdx-2 were co-labelled with LgR5 in double staining experiments. Immunhistochemical expression results were confirmed by RT-PCR and correlated with tumor stage and five-year survival rates.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>LgR5was found expressed in 35 of 41 (85%) EAC with BE and in 16 of 19 (81%) EAC without BE. By contrast, LgR5 was not found to be expressed in ESCC. Quantification of immunolabeling showed 15% LgR5+ cells in EAC with BE, 32% LgR5+ cells in adjacent BE and 13% in EAC without BE. Immunofluorescence double staining experiments with LgR5 and Ki-67 revealed a subpopulation (~5%) of proliferating LgR+/Ki-67+ cells. On mRNA-level, expression of LgR5 was higher in BE in comparison to EAC (p = 0.0159). High levels of LgR5 expression in BE associated EAC were associated with poorer survival in univariate analysis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The stem cell marker LgR5 is expressed in EAC, irrespective of association with BE, and appears to have negative impact on survival. The subset of proliferating LgR5+ cells (<5%) might resemble rapidly cycling CSCs, which needs to be substantiated in further investigations.</p

A search for the decay modes B+/- to h+/- tau l

We present a search for the lepton flavor violating decay modes B+/- to h+/- tau l (h= K,pi; l= e,mu) using the BaBar data sample, which corresponds to 472 million BBbar pairs. The search uses events where one B meson is fully reconstructed in one of several hadronic final states. Using the momenta of the reconstructed B, h, and l candidates, we are able to fully determine the tau four-momentum. The resulting tau candidate mass is our main discriminant against combinatorial background. We see no evidence for B+/- to h+/- tau l decays and set a 90% confidence level upper limit on each branching fraction at the level of a few times 10^-5.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Search for the decay modes D^0 → e^+e^-, D^0 → μ^+μ^-, and D^0 → e^±μ∓

We present searches for the rare decay modes D^0→e^+e^-, D^0→μ^+μ^-, and D^0→e^±μ^∓ in continuum e^+e^-→cc events recorded by the BABAR detector in a data sample that corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 468  fb^(-1). These decays are highly Glashow–Iliopoulos–Maiani suppressed but may be enhanced in several extensions of the standard model. Our observed event yields are consistent with the expected backgrounds. An excess is seen in the D^0→μ^+μ^- channel, although the observed yield is consistent with an upward background fluctuation at the 5% level. Using the Feldman–Cousins method, we set the following 90% confidence level intervals on the branching fractions: B(D^0→e^+e^-)<1.7×10^(-7), B(D^0→μ^+μ^-) within [0.6,8.1]×10^(-7), and B(D^0→e^±μ^∓)<3.3×10^(-7)