TDZ AND 4-CPPU in Gamborg B5 salts with MS vitamins doubles embryogenic 191 response from male flowers of EA-AAA banana.

Conventionally, auxins have been used in MS medium in combination or without purine-based cytokinins for induction of embryogenesis in EA-AAA banana (Musa spp.). Besides, low embryogenic response, it has been rare for more than two cultivars to respond similarly to a single treatment. This study investigated the efficacy of urea-type cytokinins, N-phenyl-N’-1,2,3-thidiazol-5-ylurea (TDZ) and N-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N'-phenylurea (4-CPPU); and salt formulations, Chu (N6), Eriksson, Gamborg B5, MS, Nitsch, NLN, SH and White for embryogenic callus induction in different EA-AAA banana cultivars. Immature male flowers of cultivars Mpologoma, Mbwazirume, Nakabululu, Nakinyika and Nfuuka were cultured on callus induction medium, supplemented with different TDZ and 4-CPPU combinations. Most of the cultivars had embryogenic response to the medium with 10μM TDZ+10μM CPPU. Cultivar Nakabululu recorded 22.2% embryogenic response, followed by Mwazirume (5.7%), Nakinyika (5.3%) and Mpologoma (4.6%). Cultivar Nfuuka had 9.1% embryogenic response on 15μM TDZ+15μM CPPU. When cultivars Mpologoma and Nakinyika were cultured on the same medium containing 10μM TDZ+10μM CPPU, but the MS salts substituted with the other salt formulations, their cultures recorded 11.4 and 8.3% embryogenic response, respectively to Gamborg B5 salts; which was almost twice their response to MS medium. The results suggested that TDZ and 4-CPPU, particularly in Gamborg B5 salt formulation, could increase percentage of embryogenic callus induced from male flowers of EA-AAA banana cultivars, and would improve plant regeneration and consequently help in the process of genetic improvement of EA-AAA banana.Key Words: Cytokinins, embryogenic response, Musa spp., Thidiazuro

TDZ AND 4-CPPU IN GAMBORG B5 SALTS WITH MS VITAMINS DOUBLES EMBRYOGENIC RESPONSE FROM MALE FLOWERS OF EA-AAA BANANA

Conventionally, auxins have been used in MS medium in combination or without purine-based cytokinins for induction of embryogenesis in EA-AAA banana ( Musa spp.). Besides, low embryogenic response, it has been rare for more than two cultivars to respond similarly to a single treatment. This study investigated the efficacy of urea-type cytokinins, N-phenyl-N\u2019-1,2,3-thidiazol-5-ylurea (TDZ) and N-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N\u2019-phenylurea (4-CPPU); and salt formulations, Chu (N6), Eriksson, Gamborg B5, MS, Nitsch, NLN, SH and White for embryogenic callus induction in different EA-AAA banana cultivars. Immature male flowers of cultivars Mpologoma, Mbwazirume, Nakabululu, Nakinyika and Nfuuka were cultured on callus induction medium, supplemented with different TDZ and 4-CPPU combinations. Most of the cultivars had embryogenic response to the medium with 10\ub5M TDZ+10\ub5M CPPU. Cultivar Nakabululu recorded 22.2% embryogenic response, followed by Mwazirume (5.7%), Nakinyika (5.3%) and Mpologoma (4.6%). Cultivar Nfuuka had 9.1% embryogenic response on 15\ub5M TDZ+15\ub5M CPPU. When cultivars Mpologoma and Nakinyika were cultured on the same medium containing 10\ub5M TDZ+10\ub5M CPPU, but the MS salts substituted with the other salt formulations, their cultures recorded 11.4 and 8.3% embryogenic response, respectively to Gamborg B5 salts; which was almost twice their response to MS medium. The results suggested that TDZ and 4-CPPU, particularly in Gamborg B5 salt formulation, could increase percentage of embryogenic callus induced from male flowers of EA-AAA banana cultivars, and would improve plant regeneration and consequently help in the process of genetic improvement of EA-AAA banana.Conventionnellement, les auxines ont \ue9t\ue9 utilisees dans le medium MS en combinaison avec ou sans cytokinines \ue0 base de purine pour induction de l\u2019embryogen\ue8se dans la banane EA-AAA ( Musa spp.). En plus d\u2019une faible r\ue9ponse embryog\ue9nique, il a \ue9t\ue9 rare pour plus de deux cultivars de r\ue9pondre de fa\ue7on similaire \ue0 un seul traitement. Cette \ue9tude a \ue9t\ue9 conduite pour \ue9valuer l\u2019efficacit\ue9 des cytokinines de type urea, N-phenyl-N\u2019-1,2,3-thidiazol-5-ylurea (TDZ) et N-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N\u2019-phenylurea (4-CPPU)\ua0; et les formulations du sel, Chu (N6), Eriksson, Gamborg B5, MS, Nitsch, NLN, SH et blanc pour l\u2019 induction du callus embryog\ue9nique dans diff\ue9rents cultivars de banane EA-AAA. Des cultivars Mpologoma des fleurs males immatures Mbwazirume, Nakabululu, Nakinyika et Nfuuka \ue9taient cultiv\ue9s sur le medium d\u2019induction du callus, suppl\ue9ment\ue9e avec diff\ue9rentes combinaisons de TDZ et 4-CPPU. La plupart des cultivars avaient une r\ue9ponse embryog\ue9nique au medium avec 10\ub5M TDZ+10\ub5M CPPU. Le cultivar Nakabululu a r\ue9alis\ue9 22.2% de r\ue9ponse embryog\ue9nique, suivi de Mbwazirume (5.7%), Nakinyika (5.3%) et Mpologoma (4.6%). Le cultivar Nfuuka avait 9.1% de r\ue9ponse embryog\ue9nique sur 15\ub5M TDZ+15\ub5M CPPU. Lorsque les cultivars Mpologoma et Nakinyika \ue9taient cultiv\ue9s sur le m\ueame medium contenant 10\ub5M TDZ+10\ub5M CPPU, mais les sels MS substitu\ue9s par d\u2019autres formulations de sels, leurs cultures ont enregistr\ue9 11.4 et 8.3% de r\ue9ponses embryog\ue9niques, respectivement, aux sels Gamborg B5; qui faisait presque le double de leur r\ue9ponse au medium MS. Les r\ue9sultats ont sugg\ue8rent que TDZ et 4-CPPU, particuli\ue8rement dans la formulation du sel Gamborg B5, pourrait augmenter le pourcentage induit du callus embryog\ue9nique des fleurs males des cultivars de banane EA-AAA et pourrait am\ue9liorer la r\ue9g\ue9n\ue9ration des plants et en cons\ue9quence aider dans le processus de l\u2019am\ue9lioration g\ue9n\ue9tique de la banane EA-AAA

Proliferation and shoot recovery among the East African highland banana

Production of East African highland banana (EA-AAA banana) ( Musa spp.) is limited by scarcity of planting materials, attributable to their low natural proliferation ability. Under natural field conditions, the EA-AAA bananas greatly differ in suckering ability. In vitro micropropagation has been adopted as an alternative means for production of banana planting materials. In this study, the in vitro proliferation potential of seven EA-AAA banana cultivars, with different suckering ability was determined on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, to enhance development of micropropagation protocols for their multiplication. Commonly cultivated non EA-AAA banana cultivars were used to compare proliferation of the seven EA-AAA cultivars. There was a wide variation in the number and morphology of shoots and buds produced by the different cultivars. The EA-AAA banana cultivars produced 3-4 new shoots in each subculture cycle, and 57-169 recoverable shoots from one starting shoot-tip explant in 18 weeks. Non-EA-AAA banana cultivars, namely Sukali Ndizi (AAB) and Yangambi Km5 (AAA), showed higher proliferation levels, 5 and 9 shoots, from each subculture cycle and 322 and 352 recoverable shoots, respectively. The EA-AAA banana cultivars showed higher efficiency to produce recoverable shoots from shoot buds (53 - 66% except for cv. Kabula at 36%) compared to Sukali Ndizi (52%) and Yangambi Km5 (32%). The study demonstrates the potential of in vitro approach for production of banana planting materials. In vitro proliferation ability and in particualr efficiency to produce recoverable shoots of the different EA-AAA banana cultivars could be improved by varying the culture conditions during the subsequent subculture cycles.La production de la banane (EA-AAA banana) ( Musa spp.) dans les montagnes de l\u2019Afrique de l\u2019Est est limit\ue9e par le manque du mat\ue9riel de plantation suite \ue0 leur base capacit\ue9 de prolif\ue9ration. En conditions naturelles au champs, les bananes EA-AAA different consid\ue9rablement en leur capacit\ue9 de succion. La propagation in vitro a \ue9t\ue9 adopt\ue9e comme moyen alt\ue9rnatif pour la production du mat\ue9riel de plantation de la banana. Dans cette \ue9tude, le potentiel de prolif\ue9ration in vitro de sept cultivars de banana EA-AAA de capacit\ue9 de succion diff\ue9rente, \ue9tait d\ue9termin\ue9 sur les media de Murashige et Skoog (MS), afin d\u2019am\ue9liorer le d\ue9veloppement de protocoles de micropropagation pour leur multiplication. Des cultivars commun\ue9ment cultiv\ue9s autre que la banana EA-AAA \ue9taient utilis\ue9s pour faire la comparaison avec la proliferation des sept cultivars EA-AAA. Il y\u2019avait eu une large variation dans le nombre et la morphologie des pousses et bourgeons de diff\ue9rents cultivars. Les cultivars de bananes EA-AAA ont produit 3-4 nouvelles pousses dans chaque cycle de sous culture et 57-169 pousses recouvrables d\u2019un explant de pousse dans 18 semaines. Les cultivars de bananes non-EA-AAA nom\ue9ment Sukali Ndizi (AAB) and Yangambi Km5 (AAA), ont montr\ue9 de niveaux \ue9lev\ue9s de proliferation, 5 et 9 pousses de chaque cycle de sous culture et 322 et 352 pousses recouvrables, respectivement. Les cultivars de bananes EA-AAA ont montr\ue9 un niveau d\u2019efficacit\ue9 \ue9lev\ue9 quant \ue0 la production de de pousses recouvrables \ue0 partir de bourgeons (3566% except\ue9 pour cv. Kabula \ue0 36%) en comparaison avec Sukali Ndizi (52% et Yangambi km5 (32%). Cette \ue9tude d\ue9montre le potentiel de production du mat\ue9riel de plantation de la banana par l\u2019approche in vitro. La capacit\ue9 de proliferation in vitro et en particulier l\u2019efficacit\ue9 de produire de pousses recouvrables de diff\ue9rents cultivars pourrait \ueatre am\ue9lior\ue9 en variant les conditions de cultrure Durant les cycles sous culturales

TRANSIENT EXPRESSION OF \u3b2-GLUCURONIDASE IN RECALCITRANT UGANDAN SWEETPOTATO AND PUTATIVE TRANSFORMATION WITH TWO CRY GENES

Sweetpotato ( Ipomoea batatas Lam.) has high potential to contain hunger, malnutrition and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), since it gives early yield with few inputs. However, productivity of the crop in Africa is very low due to various challenges, such as severe viral diseases and increasing attacks by sweetpotato weevils, Cylas puncticollis and C. brunneus . Effective resistance to weevils has not been identified in the sweetpotato gene pool. On the other hand, the weevil-resistance genes, cry7Aa1 and cry3Ca1 were assembled into a plasmid vector for use in genetic transformation of African sweetpotato cultivars. The parameters for efficient transfer of these genes and the conditions for de novo regeneration optimised in preliminary studies were used in the genetic transformation of Ugandan landrace \u2018Kyebandula\u2019 with Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA 105 harbouring the plasmid pCIP84, which contains cry7Aa1, cry3Ca1 and nptII in its T-DNA. Fifty-four percent of the explants formed adventitious buds. With a mean of 7 buds formed per explant, 6.0% explants formed shoots with a mean of one shoot per explant for those explants that formed shoots on medium containing 50 mg L-1 kanamycin as a selection agent. PCR analysis using primers for cry7Aa1 showed that the transformation efficiency could be as high as 2%. These data highlight the potential of genetic transformation in transferring resistance genes and pave way for enhancement of food security through production of adapted sweetpotato weevil resistant cultivars.La patate douce ( Ipomoea batatas Lam.) a un potentiel de contenir la faim, la malnutrition et la pauvret\ue9 en Afrique Sub Saharienne \ue9tant donn\ue9 sa pr\ue9cocit\ue9 et son grand rendement avec peu d\u2019intrants. Par ailleurs, sa productivit\ue9 est trop basse due aux diverses contraintes li\ue9es aux maladies virales et attaques sans cesse croissante des charan\ue7ons Cylas puncticollis and C. brunneus . Une r\ue9sistance efficace au charan\ue7on n\u2019a pas encore \ue9t\ue9 identifi\ue9e dans la collection des g\ue8nes de la patate douce. D\u2019autre part, les g\ue8nes de r\ue9sistance aux charan\ue7ons, cry7Aa1 et cry3Ca1 \ue9taient assembl\ue9es un vecteur de plasmide pour utilisation dans la transformation g\ue9n\ue9tique des cultivars de patate douces africaines. Les param\ue8tres pour transfert d\u2019efficacit\ue9 de ces g\ue8nes et les conditions de r\ue9g\ue9n\ue9ration de novo optimis\ue9es dans des \ue9tudes pr\ue9liminaires \ue9taient utilis\ue9es dans la transformation g\ue9n\ue9tique du landrace ougandais \u2018Kyebandula\u2019avec l\u2019 Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA 105 portant le plasmide pCIP84, contenant les cry7Aa1, cry3Ca1 et nptII dans son T-ADN. Cinquante quatre pourcent des explants ont form\ue9 des bourgeons adventices. Avec une moyenne de 7 bourgeons par explant, 6.0% d\u2019explants ont form\ue9 des tiges avec une moyenne d\u2019une tige par explant pour ces explants qui ont form\ue9 des tiges sur le media contenant 50 mg L-1 de kanamycine comme agent de s\ue9lection. L\u2019analyse par PCR utilisant des primers pour cry7Aa1 a montr\ue9 que la transformation efficace pourrait \ueatre aussi \ue9lev\ue9e que 2%. Ces donn\ue9es soulignent le potentiel de transformation g\ue9n\ue9tique dans le transfert des g\ue8nes de r\ue9sistance et un moyen d\u2019am\ue9liorer la s\ue9curit\ue9 alimentaire \ue0 travers la production des cultivars de r\ue9sistance adapt\ue9e aux charan\ue7ons de la patate douce

EVALUATION OF BIOSSAYS FOR TESTING Bt SWEETPOTATO EVENTS AGAINST SWEETPOTATO WEEVILS

Sweetpotato weevil ( Cylas puncticollis ) Boheman is a serious pest throughout Sub-Saharan Africa region and is a big threat to sweetpotato cultivation. Ten transgenic sweetpotato events expressing Cry7Aa1, Cry3Ca1, and ET33-34 proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) were evaluated for resistance against C. puncticollis. Four bioassays used were: (i) 1st instar larva in an artificial diet using root powder of transgenic events, (ii) whole root of transgenic events infested with female adults, (iii) root chip, and (iv) small root of transgenic events both infested with egg-plugs. DAS-ELISA analysis showed variation in Cry protein concentration among the events that ranged between 0.1 and 0.394 \ub5g g-1 of root fresh weight. The highest protein quantity was observed in the event carrying the ET33-34 transcript. In general, transgenic events had no significant effect on larval survival (P = 0.28) and pupal (P = 0.86) development, though maximum pupation of 96% was observed on event CIP410009.12 that had very low expression levels of cry3Ca1 gene. Root chips were prone to damage by fungi and desiccation especially during the first larval instar. The whole root bioassay had less handling injuries to weevils compared with other methods. However, it requires a large number of adult females for oviposition and roots per event to be tested to obtain efficacy results with statistical rigour. The small root egg plug bioassay required much fewer roots and experimental insects to assess larval mortality and development. The root chip method was the least desirable because of susceptibility to fungal and bacterial contamination. In addition, this method was the most labour intensive in terms of frequent replacement of root chips for weevil development. Hence, the most appropriate method for testing Bt efficacy in sweetpotato is the small root egg-plug bioassay. Nonetheless, none of the transgenic events tested provided weevil control probably because of low Cry protein expression in storage roots.La charan\ue7on de la patate douce ( Cylas puncticollis ) Boheman constitue une importante peste \ue0 travers la r\ue9gion d\u2019Afrique sub-saharienne et une grande contrainte \ue0 la production de la culture. Dix patate douce transg\ue9niques d\u2019\ue9v\ue9n\ue9ments exprimant les prot\ue9ines Cry7Aa1, Cry3Ca1, et ET33-34 des Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) \ue9taient \ue9valu\ue9es pour r\ue9sistance contre C. puncticollis. Quatre bioassais utilis\ue9s \ue9taient: (i) une larve de premier instar dans une alimentation artificielle utilisant une poudre racinaire d\u2019\ue9v\ue9nement transg\ue9nique, (ii) racine entire d\u2019\ue9v\ue9nement transg\ue9niques infest\ue9s avec adultes femelles, (iii) un morceau racinaire, et (iv) petite racine d\u2019\ue9v\ue9nements transg\ue9niques tous infest\ue9s avec des oeufs. L\u2019analyse DAS-ELISA a montr\ue9 une variation dans la concentration en protein Cry parmi les \ue9v\ue9nements variant de 0.1 \ue0 0.394 \ub5g g-1 de poids de raciness fra\ueeches. La quqntit\ue9 la plus \ue9lev\ue9e de prot\ue9ines \ue9tait observ\ue9e dans l\u2019\ue9v\ue9nement portant le relev\ue9 ET33-34. En g\ue9n\ue9ral, les \ue9v\ue9nements transg\ue9niques n\u2019avaient aucun effet significatif sur la survie de larves (P = 0.28) et le d\ue9veloppement de la nimphe (P = 0.86), bien que la pupation maximale de 96% \ue9tait observ\ue9e sur l\u2019\ue9v\ue9nement CIP410009.12 qui avait un tr\ue8s bas niveau d\u2019expression du g\ue8ne cry3Ca1. Les morceaux de raciness \ue9taient susceptibles d\u2019\ueatre endommag\ue9s par les champignons et la dessication sp\ue9cialement durant le premier instar larvaire. La racine enti\ue8re bioassay \ue9tait moins affct\ue9e par la charan\ue7on et avait moins de blessures en comparaison \ue0 d\u2019autres m\ue9thodes. Par ailleurs, il n\ue9cessite un grand nombre d\u2019adultes femelles pour l\u2019oviposition et raciness par \ue9v\ue9nement devrant \ueatre test\ue9s pour obtenir des r\ue9sultats efficaces avec rigueur statistique. Le bioassai de petits oeufs racinaires ongt n\ue9cessit\ue9 un peu moins de raciness et insectes exp\ue9rimentaux pour \ue9valuer la mortalit\ue9 larvaire et leur d\ue9veloppement. La m\ue9thode de morceaux racinaires \ue9tait la moins desirable \ue0 cause de la contamination fongique et bact\ue9rienne. En plus, cette m\ue9thode exigeait plus de travail intensif en terme remplacement fr\ue9quent de morceaux de racines pour le d\ue9veloppement de charan\ue7on. Ainsi, la m\ue9thode la plus appropri\ue9e pour tester l\u2019efficacit\ue9 du Bt dans la patate douce est le bioassai de petis oeufs racinaires. N\ue9amoins, aucun des \ue9v\ue9nements transg\ue9niques test\ue9s n\u2019a fourni un control probable de la charan\ue7on suite \ue0 une basse expression de la protein Cry dans les raciness de stockage

Preliminary Integrated Chronostratigraphy of the AND-2A Core, ANDRILL Southern McMurdo Sound Project, Antarctica

We use all available chronostratigraphic constraints – biostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, radioisotopic dates, strontium-isotope stratigraphy, and correlation of compositional and physical properties to well-dated global or regional records – to construct a preliminary age model for ANDRILL SMS Project’s AND-2A drillcore (77°45.488’S, 165°16.605’E, 383.57 m water depth). These diverse chronostratigraphic constraints are consistent with each other and are distributed throughout the 1138.54 m-thick section, resulting in a well-constrained age model. The sedimentary succession comprises a thick early and middle Miocene section below 224.82 mbsf and a condensed middle/late Miocene to Recent section above this. The youngest sediments are Brunhes age (<0.781 Ma), as confirmed by a radioisotopic age of 0.691±0.049 Ma at 10.23 mbsf and the occurrence of sediments that have normal magnetic polarity down to ~31.1 mbsf, which is interpreted to be the Brunhes/Matuyama reversal (0.781 Ma). The upper section is punctuated by disconformities resulting from both discontinuous deposition and periods of extensive erosion typical of sedimentary environments at the margin of a dynamic ice sheet. Additional breaks in the section may be due to the influence of tectonic processes. The age model incorporates several major hiatuses but their precise depths are still somewhat uncertain, as there are a large number of erosional surfaces identified within the stratigraphic section. One or more hiatuses, which represent a total 7 to 8 million years of time missing from the sedimentary record, occur between about 50 mbsf and the base of Lithostratigraphic Unit (LSU) 3 at 122.86 mbsf. Similarly, between about 145 mbsf and the base of LSU 4 at 224.82 mbsf, one or more hiatuses occur on which another 2 to 3 million years of the sedimentary record is missing. Support for the presence of these hiatuses comes from a diatom assemblage that constrains the age of the core from 44 to 50 mbsf to 2.06-2.84 Ma, two radioisotopic dates (11.4 Ma) and a Sr‑isotope date (11.7 Ma) that indicate the interval from 127 to 145 mbsf was deposited between 11.4 and 11.7 Ma, and three diatom occurrence datums from between 225.38 and 278.55 mbsf that constrain the age of this upper part of Lithostratigraphic Unit (LSU) 5 to 14.29 - 15.89 Ma. Below the boundary between LSU 5 and 6 sedimentation was relatively continuous and rapid and the age model is well-constrained by 9 diatom datums, seven 40Ar-39Ar dates, one Sr-isotope date, and 19 magnetozones. Even so, short hiatuses (less than a few hundred thousand years) undoubtedly occur but are beyond the resolution of current chronostratigraphic age constraints. Diatom first and last occurrence datums provide particularly good age control from the top of LSU 6 down to 771.5 mbsf (in LSU 10), where the First Occurrence (FO) of Thalassiosira praefraga (18.85 Ma) is observed. The diatom datum ages are supported by radioisotopic dates of 17.30±0.31 Ma at 640.14 mbsf (in LSU 9) and 18.15±0.35 and 17.93±0.40 Ma for samples from 709.15 and 709.18 mbsf (in LSU 10), respectively, and 18.71±0.33 Ma for a sample from 831.67 mbsf (in LSU 11). The sediments from 783.69 mbsf to the base of the hole comprise two thick normal polarity magnetozones that bound a thinner reversed polarity magnetozone (958.59 - 985.64 mbsf). This polarity sequence most likely encompasses Chrons C5En, C5Er, and C6n (18.056 - 19.772 Ma or slightly older given uncertainties in this section of the geomagnetic polarity timescale), but could be also be Chrons C6n, C6r, and C6An.1n (18.748 - 20.213 Ma). Either polarity sequence is compatible with the 40Ar–39Ar age of 20.01±0.35 Ma obtained from single-grain analyses of alkali feldspar from a tephra sample from a depth of 1093.02 mbsf, although the younger interpretation allows a better fit with chronostratigraphic data up-core. Given this age model, the mean sedimentation rate is about 18 cm/k.y. from the top of LSU 6 to the base of the hole.Published221-2202.2. Laboratorio di paleomagnetismoN/A or not JCRreserve

Epigenetic and transcriptional signatures of stable versus plastic differentiation of proinflammatory gd T cell subsets

Two distinct subsets of γδ T cells that produce interleukin 17 (IL-17) (CD27(-) γδ T cells) or interferon-γ (IFN-γ) (CD27(+) γδ T cells) develop in the mouse thymus, but the molecular determinants of their functional potential in the periphery remain unknown. Here we conducted a genome-wide characterization of the methylation patterns of histone H3, along with analysis of mRNA encoding transcription factors, to identify the regulatory networks of peripheral IFN-γ-producing or IL-17-producing γδ T cell subsets in vivo. We found that CD27(+) γδ T cells were committed to the expression of Ifng but not Il17, whereas CD27(-) γδ T cells displayed permissive chromatin configurations at loci encoding both cytokines and their regulatory transcription factors and differentiated into cells that produced both IL-17 and IFN-γ in a tumor microenvironment

Inflammatory arthritis in HIV positive patients: A practical guide

Background: Musculoskeletal manifestations of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have been described since the outset of the global HIV epidemic. Articular syndromes that have been described in association with HIV include HIV-associated arthropathy, seronegative spondyloarthropathies (SPA) (reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and undifferentiated SPA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and painful articular syndrome. Methods: We carried out a computer-assisted search of PubMed for the medical literature from January 1981 to January 2015 using the keywords HIV, acquired immune-deficiency syndrome, rheumatic manifestations, arthritis, spondyloarthropathy, anti-TNF and disease modifying antirheumatic drugs. Only English language literature was included and only studies involving adult human subjects were assessed. Results: There are challenges in the management of inflammatory arthritis in patients who are HIV-positive, including difficulties in the assessment of disease activity and limited information on the safety of immunosuppressive drugs in these individuals. Conclusions: This review focuses on the clinical characteristics of the inflammatory articular syndromes that have been described in association with HIV infection and discusses the therapeutic options for these patients

Oligodendroglial neoplasms with ganglioglioma-like maturation: a diagnostic pitfall

Although oligodendroglial neoplasms are traditionally considered purely glial, increasing evidence suggests that they are capable of neuronal or neurocytic differentiation. Nevertheless, ganglioglioma-like foci (GGLF) have not been previously described. Herein, we report seven examples where the primary differential diagnosis was a ganglioglioma with an oligodendroglial component. These five male and two female patients ranged in age from 29 to 63 (median 44) years at initial presentation and neuroimaging features were those of diffuse gliomas in general. At presentation, the glial component was oligodendroglioma in six and oligoastrocytoma in one; one was low-grade and six were anaplastic. A sharp demarcation from adjacent GGLF was common, although some intermingling was always present. The GGLF included enlarged dysmorphic and occasionally binucleate ganglion cells, Nissl substance, expression of neuronal antigens, GFAP-positive astrocytic elements, and low Ki-67 labeling indices. In contrast to classic ganglioglioma, however, cases lacked eosinophilic granular bodies and CD34-positive tumor cells. Scattered bizarre astrocytes were also common and one case had focal neurocytic differentiation. By FISH analysis, five cases showed 1p/19q codeletion. In the four cases with deletions and ample dysmorphic ganglion cells for analysis, the deletions were found in both components. At last follow-up, two patients suffered recurrences, one developed radiation necrosis mimicking recurrence, and one died of disease 7.5 years after initial surgery. We conclude that GGLF represents yet another form of neuronal differentiation in oligodendroglial neoplasms. Recognition of this pattern will prevent a misdiagnosis of ganglioglioma with its potential for under-treatment