Variations in amount of TSST-1 produced by clinical methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates and allelic variation in accessory gene regulator (agr) locus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Staphylococcus aureus </it>(S. aureus) is an important pathogen associated with both nosocomial and community-acquired infections and its pathogenicity is attributed to its potential to produce virulence factors. Since the amount of toxin produced is related to virulence, evaluating toxin production should be useful for controlling S. aureus infection. We previously found that some strains produce relatively large amounts of TSST-1; however, no reports have described the amount of TSST-1 produced by clinical isolates.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Amounts of TSST-1 produced by clinical methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates were measured by Western blotting. We determined their accessory gene regulator (<it>agr</it>) class by PCR and investigated whether TSST-1 production correlates with variations in the class and structure of the <it>agr</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that 75% of surveyed MRSA isolates (n = 152) possessed the <it>tst </it>gene and that 96.7% belonged to <it>agr </it>class 2. The concentrations of TSST-1 secreted into culture supernatants by 34 strains measured by Western blotting differed 170-fold. Sequencing the entire <it>agr </it>locus (n = 9) revealed that some had allelic variations regardless of the amount of TSST-1 produced whereas sequencing the <it>sar</it>, sigma factor B and the <it>tst </it>promoter region revealed no significant changes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The amounts of TSST-1 produced by clinical MRSA isolates varied. The present results suggest that TSST-1 production is not directly associated with the <it>agr </it>structure, but is instead controlled by unknown transcriptional/translational regulatory systems, or synthesized by multiple regulatory mechanisms that are interlinked in a complex manner.</p

含歯性嚢胞より生じた原発性骨内歯原性癌腫

Malignant tumors arising from dentigerous cysts are classified as primary squamous cell carcinoma derived from an odontogenic cyst or as odontogenic carcinoma according to the 2005 WHO classification and are extremely rare. We report a malignant tumor arising from a dentigerous cyst in the right maxillary anterior teeth , together with a literature review. The patient was a 75-year-old man who visited a hospital with complaining of discomfort in the lingual part of the right maxillary anterior teeth. On panoramic radiography and plain computed tomography (CT), dentigerous cyst, keratocystic odontogenic tumor or ameloblastoma was suspected. The extirpated material was histopathologically diagnosed as an odontogenic carcinoma (in situ) arising from the dentigerous cyst. Postoperative ultrasonography (US) and contrast enhanced CT revealed no metastasis to the cervical lymph nodes. The patient is currently being followed up without resection or anticancer drug administration. Neither local recurrence nor metastases were observed 18 month after surgery.症例は75歳男性で、右上顎前歯の舌部不快感を主訴として受診した。パノラマX線撮影とCT検査により含歯性嚢胞、角化細胞歯原性腫瘍またはエナメル上皮腫が疑われた。切除切片の病理組織学的検査の結果、含歯性嚢胞より生じた歯原性癌腫と診断した。術後超音波検査と造影増強CT画像では頸部リンパ節への転移は見られなかった。抗癌剤投与はせずに経過観察中で、術後18ヵ月時点で再発や転移は見られていない。含歯性嚢胞より生じる悪性腫瘍は2005年のWHO分類によれば歯原性嚢胞由来の原発性扁平上皮癌または歯原性癌腫に分類され、極めて稀である。本症例は右上顎前歯の含歯性嚢胞より生じた悪性腫瘍であった。他の症例についても文献レビューした

Poly[[bis­{μ3-tris­[2-(1H-tetra­zol-1-yl)eth­yl]amine}copper(II)] bis­(perchlorate)]

In the title compound, {[Cu(C9H15N13)2](ClO4)2}n, the Cu2+ cation lies on an inversion center and is coordinated by the tetra­zole N4 atoms of six symmetry-equivalent tris­[2-(1H-tetra­zol-1-yl)eth­yl]amine ligands (t 3 z) in the form of a Jahn–Teller-distorted octa­hedron with Cu—N bond distances of 2.0210 (8), 2.0259 (8) and 2.4098 (8) Å. The tertiary amine N atom is stereochemically inactive. The cationic part of the structure, viz. [Cu(t 3 z)2]2+, forms an infinite two-dimensional network parallel to (100), in pockets of which the perchlorate anions reside. The individual networks are partially inter­locked and held together by C—H⋯O inter­actions to the perchlorate anions and C—H⋯N inter­actions to tetra­zole N atoms

Factors associated with development and distribution of granular/fuzzy astrocytes in neurodegenerative diseases

Granular/fuzzy astrocytes (GFAs), a subtype of “aging‐related tau astrogliopathy,” are noted in cases bearing various neurodegenerative diseases. However, the pathogenic significance of GFAs remains unclear. We immunohistochemically examined the frontal cortex, caudate nucleus, putamen and amygdala in 105 cases composed of argyrophilic grain disease cases (AGD, N = 26), and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP, N = 10), Alzheimer’s disease (AD, N = 20) and primary age‐related tauopathy cases (PART, N = 18) lacking AGD, as well as 31 cases bearing other various neurodegenerative diseases to clarify (i) the distribution patterns of GFAs in AGD, and PSP, AD and PART lacking AGD, (ii) the impacts of major pathological factors and age on GFA formation and (iii) immunohistochemical features useful to understand the formation process of GFAs. In AGD cases, GFAs consistently occurred in the amygdala (100%), followed by the putamen (69.2%) and caudate nucleus and frontal cortex (57.7%, respectively). In PSP cases without AGD, GFAs were almost consistently noted in all regions examined (90–100%). In AD cases without AGD, GFAs were less frequent, developing preferably in the putamen (35.0%) and caudate nucleus (30.0%). PART cases without AGD had GFAs most frequently in the amygdala (35.3%), being more similar to AGD than to AD cases. Ordered logistic regression analyses using all cases demonstrated that the strongest independent factor of GFA formation in the frontal cortex and striatum was the diagnosis of PSP, while that in the amygdala was AGD. The age was not significantly associated with GFA formation in any region. In GFAs in AGD cases, phosphorylation and conformational change of tau, Gallyas‐positive glial threads indistinguishable from those in tufted astrocytes, and the activation of autophagy occurred sequentially. Given these findings, AGD, PSP, AD and PART cases may show distinct distributions of GFAs, which may provide clues to predict the underlying processes of primary tauopathies

Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediators Do Not Inhibit the Synthesis of Inflammatory Mediators Induced by Tumor Necrosis Factor-α in Synovial Fibroblasts

Background : Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, a proinflammatory cytokine, is involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The omega-3 unsaturated fatty acid-derived metabolites resolvin (Rv) D1, RvE1, and maresin-1 (MaR1) have been reported as anti-inflammatory lipid mediators and are known as specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs). In this study, we aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of SPMs on TNF-α-induced responses in synovial fibroblasts. Methods: We investigated the effects of SPMs on gene expression and/or production of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1), interleukin (IL)-6, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3, which are involved in TNF-α-induced synovitis in RA or OA synovial fibroblasts, by quantitative real-time PCR. We also investigated the effects of SPMs on the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway by western blotting. Anti-inflammatory effects of SPMs were evaluated by applying SPMs to cultured synovial fibroblasts, followed by TNF-α stimulation. Results: The induction of COX-2, mPGES-1, IL-6, and MMP-3 by TNF-α in synovial fibroblasts was not suppressed by omega 3-derived SPMs regardless of their origin such as RA or OA. SPMs had no effect on lipid mediator receptor gene expression induce by TNF-α and did not inhibit the TNF-α-activated MAPK signaling pathway. The production of COX-2 and IL-6 protein was significantly decreased by p38 inhibitor. Conclusion: Despite reports on the anti-inflammatory effect of omega 3-derived SPMs, its anti-inflammatory effect on TNF-α-induced responses was not observed in synovial fibroblasts. The reason may be that SPMs have no suppressive effect on p38 activation, which plays an important role in the production of inflammatory cytokines in synovial fibroblasts

Comets, historical records and vedic literature

A verse in book I of Rigveda mentions a cosmic tree with rope-like aerial roots held up in the sky. Such an imagery might have ensued from the appearance of a comet having `tree stem' like tail, with branched out portions resembling aerial roots. Interestingly enough, a comet referred to as `heavenly tree' was seen in 162 BC, as reported by old Chinese records. Because of weak surface gravity, cometary appendages may possibly assume strange shapes depending on factors like rotation, structure and composition of the comet as well as solar wind pattern. Varahamihira and Ballala Sena listed several comets having strange forms as reported originally by ancient seers such as Parashara, Vriddha Garga, Narada and Garga. Mahabharata speaks of a mortal king Nahusha who ruled the heavens when Indra, king of gods, went into hiding. Nahusha became luminous and egoistic after absorbing radiance from gods and seers. When he kicked Agastya (southern star Canopus), the latter cursed him to become a serpent and fall from the sky. We posit arguments to surmise that this Mahabharata lore is a mythical recounting of a cometary event wherein a comet crossed Ursa Major, moved southwards with an elongated tail in the direction of Canopus and eventually went out of sight. In order to check whether such a conjecture is feasible, a preliminary list of comets (that could have or did come close to Canopus) drawn from various historical records is presented and discussed.Comment: This work was presented in the International Conference on Oriental Astronomy held at IISER, Pune (India) during November, 201