Thymic Hyperplasia with Lymphoepithelial Sialadenitis (LESA)-Like Features: Strong Association with Lymphomas and Non-Myasthenic Autoimmune Diseases.

Thymic hyperplasia (TH) with lymphoepithelial sialadenitis (LESA)-like features (LESA-like TH) has been described as a tumor-like, benign proliferation of thymic epithelial cells and lymphoid follicles. We aimed to determine the frequency of lymphoma and autoimmunity in LESA-like TH and performed retrospective analysis of cases with LESA-like TH and/or thymic MALT-lymphoma. Among 36 patients (21 males) with LESA-like TH (age 52 years, 32-80; lesion diameter 7.0 cm, 1-14.5; median, range), five (14%) showed associated lymphomas, including four (11%) thymic MALT lymphomas and one (3%) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. One additional case showed a clonal B-cell-receptor rearrangement without evidence of lymphoma. Twelve (33%) patients (7 women) suffered from partially overlapping autoimmune diseases: systemic lupus erythematosus (n = 4, 11%), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 3, 8%), myasthenia gravis (n = 2, 6%), asthma (n = 2, 6%), scleroderma, Sjögren syndrome, pure red cell aplasia, Grave's disease and anti-IgLON5 syndrome (each n = 1, 3%). Among 11 primary thymic MALT lymphomas, remnants of LESA-like TH were found in two cases (18%). In summary, LESA-like TH shows a striking association with autoimmunity and predisposes to lymphomas. Thus, a hematologic and rheumatologic workup should become standard in patients diagnosed with LESA-like TH. Radiologists and clinicians should be aware of LESA-like TH as a differential diagnosis for mediastinal mass lesions in patients with autoimmune diseases

Npn-1 Contributes to Axon-Axon Interactions That Differentially Control Sensory and Motor Innervation of the Limb

The initiation, execution, and completion of complex locomotor behaviors are depending on precisely integrated neural circuitries consisting of motor pathways that activate muscles in the extremities and sensory afferents that deliver feedback to motoneurons. These projections form in tight temporal and spatial vicinities during development, yet the molecular mechanisms and cues coordinating these processes are not well understood. Using cell-type specific ablation of the axon guidance receptor Neuropilin-1 (Npn-1) in spinal motoneurons or in sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG), we have explored the contribution of this signaling pathway to correct innervation of the limb. We show that Npn-1 controls the fasciculation of both projections and mediates inter-axonal communication. Removal of Npn-1 from sensory neurons results in defasciculation of sensory axons and, surprisingly, also of motor axons. In addition, the tight coupling between these two heterotypic axonal populations is lifted with sensory fibers now leading the spinal nerve projection. These findings are corroborated by partial genetic elimination of sensory neurons, which causes defasciculation of motor projections to the limb. Deletion of Npn-1 from motoneurons leads to severe defasciculation of motor axons in the distal limb and dorsal-ventral pathfinding errors, while outgrowth and fasciculation of sensory trajectories into the limb remain unaffected. Genetic elimination of motoneurons, however, revealed that sensory axons need only minimal scaffolding by motor axons to establish their projections in the distal limb. Thus, motor and sensory axons are mutually dependent on each other for the generation of their trajectories and interact in part through Npn-1-mediated fasciculation before and within the plexus region of the limbs

Egr3 Dependent Sympathetic Target Tissue Innervation in the Absence of Neuron Death

Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) is a target tissue derived neurotrophin required for normal sympathetic neuron survival and target tissue innervation. NGF signaling regulates gene expression in sympathetic neurons, which in turn mediates critical aspects of neuron survival, axon extension and terminal axon branching during sympathetic nervous system (SNS) development. Egr3 is a transcription factor regulated by NGF signaling in sympathetic neurons that is essential for normal SNS development. Germline Egr3-deficient mice have physiologic dysautonomia characterized by apoptotic sympathetic neuron death and abnormal innervation to many target tissues. The extent to which sympathetic innervation abnormalities in the absence of Egr3 is caused by altered innervation or by neuron death during development is unknown. Using Bax-deficient mice to abrogate apoptotic sympathetic neuron death in vivo, we show that Egr3 has an essential role in target tissue innervation in the absence of neuron death. Sympathetic target tissue innervation is abnormal in many target tissues in the absence of neuron death, and like NGF, Egr3 also appears to effect target tissue innervation heterogeneously. In some tissues, such as heart, spleen, bowel, kidney, pineal gland and the eye, Egr3 is essential for normal innervation, whereas in other tissues such as lung, stomach, pancreas and liver, Egr3 appears to have little role in innervation. Moreover, in salivary glands and heart, two tissues where Egr3 has an essential role in sympathetic innervation, NGF and NT-3 are expressed normally in the absence of Egr3 indicating that abnormal target tissue innervation is not due to deregulation of these neurotrophins in target tissues. Taken together, these results clearly demonstrate a role for Egr3 in mediating sympathetic target tissue innervation that is independent of neuron survival or neurotrophin deregulation

Luftsysteme in Flugzeugen und Triebwerken Tagungsband des Workshops vom 21. Mai 2003, EADS Ottobrunn

SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: RN 6360(2003,3) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

Thermodynamic characterization of lithium monosilicide (LiSi) by means of calorimetry and DFT-calculations

International audienceAbstract In this work we summarize a symbiotic approach to combine experimental and theoretical investigations for the derivation of high quality thermodynamic data for the description of potential lithium ion battery materials. The methodology of this concept was demonstrated in detail by exploring and describing the properties of the lithium monosilicide phase LiSi. The procedures were also applied in a series of investigations to all major Li x Si y -phases which will be reviewed briefly. Regarding the LiSi phase, the measured and calculated isobaric heat capacity, which may enable further thermodynamic investigations (e. g. with CALPHAD method) of the phase diagram of the Li–Si-system is presented. The heat capacity of the stable phase LiSi was measured as a function of temperature in a range from (2 to 673) K and compared with corresponding ab-initio and molecular dynamic calculations resulting in values for absolute entropies. The heat of formation of the system was determined in an unconventional manner via hydrogenation experiments

Militaerische Luft- und Raumfahrt der Zukunft: Entwicklung und Betrieb Tagungsband

Available from TIB Hannover: RN 6360(2002,2) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

Ueberpruefung und Anpassung bodenchemischer Untersuchungsmethoden fuer Kippkohle- und Kipp-Gemengekohle-Substrate ('KISMET'). T. 1: Einfluss von Kohlegehalten von Kippenboeden auf bodenchemische Untersuchungsmethoden. T. 2: Einfluss hoher Salzgehalte auf Untersuchungsmethoden zur Wechselwirkung von Fest- und Loesungsphase in Kippboeden. T. 3: Einfluss hoher Salz- und Kohlegehalte auf die Bestimmung und Bewertung pflanzenverfuegbarer Naehrstoffe Endbericht

SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: F99B726 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Bildung, Wissenschaft, Forschung und Technologie, Bonn (Germany)DEGerman