A case of ‘fat-free’ pleomorphic lipoma occurring in the upper back and axilla simultaneously

Pleomorphic lipoma is a rare neoplasm that predominantly occurs in the dermis or subcutis of the posterior neck, upper back, and shoulders. Although pleomorphic lipoma is a benign tumor, it may contain atypical cells. As a variant of spindle cell lipoma, pleomorphic lipoma clinically presents as a slow-growing and well-circumscribed subcutaneous mass. Rarely, some patients have multiple lesions. Histologically, pleomorphic lipoma is composed of mature fat, bland spindle-shaped mesenchymal cells, and coarse ‘rope-like’ collagen bands. In addition, lipoma contains multinucleated floret-like giant cells. Although spindle cell lipoma/pleomorphic lipoma with little fat was seen in the original series described by Enzinger and Harvey, cases with little to no fat remain diagnostically challenging. Herein, we report a case of ‘fat-free’ pleomorphic lipoma occurring in the upper back and axilla simultaneously. Although the lipoma was typically composed of bland spindle-shaped cells, rope-like collagen, scattered floret-like giant cells, and striking stromal myxoid change in the background, mature fat was absent. Immunohistochemical analyses showed positive staining for CD34, vimentin, and Bcl-2, and negative staining for S100, confirming the diagnosis of pleomorphic lipoma

Capturing a Metastable Silver(I) Compound of Pyrazine-2,3-dicarboxylic Acid

A metastable 3D supramolecular compound [Ag(NH3)(2)]-[Ag-3(pzdca)(2)(NH3)(4)] (H(2)pzdca = pyrazine-2,3-dicarboxylic acid) (1) has been synthesized and characterized crystallographically. This study offers important information to in-depth understanding of the self-assembly process involving Ag-1 under ammoniacal conditions and conforms that [Ag(NH3)(2)](+)-containing compounds are the intermediates during synthesis of some Ag-1 coordination polymers.National Natural Science Foundation of China [20721001]; MSTC [2007CB815301]; National Science Fund of China for Fostering Talents in Basic Science [J0630429

Induction of gastric cancer cell adhesion through transforming growth factor-beta1-mediated peritoneal fibrosis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Peritoneal dissemination is one of the main causes of death in gastric cancer patients. Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1), one of the most potent fibrotic stimuli for mesothelial cells, may play a key role in this processing. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the effects of TGF-β1 on regulation of gastric cancer adhesion to mesothelial cells.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Peritoneal tissues and peritoneal wash fluid were obtained for hematoxylin and eosin staining or ELISA to measure fibrosis and TGF-β1 levels, respectively. The peritoneal mesothelial cell line, HMrSV5, was used to determine the role of TGF-β1 in regulation of gastric cancer cell adhesion to mesothelial cells and expression of collagen, fibronectin, and Smad 2/3 by using adhesion assay, western blot, and RT-PCR.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The data showed that TGF-β1 treatment was able to induce collagen III and fibronectin expression in the mesothelial cells, which was associated with an increased adhesion ability of gastric cancer cells, but knockdown of minimal sites of cell binding domain of extracellular matrix can partially inhibit these effects.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Peritoneal fibrosis induced by TGF-β1 may provide a favorable environment for the dissemination of gastric cancer.</p

Size-dependent in vivo toxicity of PEG-coated gold nanoparticles

Xiao-Dong Zhang, Di Wu, Xiu Shen, Pei-Xun Liu, Na Yang, Bin Zhao, Hao Zhang, Yuan-Ming Sun, Liang-An Zhang, Fei-Yue FanInstitute of Radiation Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin, People&amp;rsquo;s Republic of ChinaBackground: Gold nanoparticle toxicity research is currently leading towards the in vivo experiment. Most toxicology data show that the surface chemistry and physical dimensions of gold nanoparticles play an important role in toxicity. Here, we present the in vivo toxicity of 5, 10, 30, and 60 nm PEG-coated gold nanoparticles in mice.Methods: Animal survival, weight, hematology, morphology, organ index, and biochemistry were characterized at a concentration of 4000 &amp;micro;g/kg over 28 days.Results: The PEG-coated gold particles did not cause an obvious decrease in body weight or appreciable toxicity even after their breakdown in vivo. Biodistribution results show that 5 nm and 10 nm particles accumulated in the liver and that 30 nm particles accumulated in the spleen, while the 60 nm particles did not accumulate to an appreciable extent in either organ. Transmission electron microscopic observations showed that the 5, 10, 30, and 60 nm particles located in the blood and bone marrow cells, and that the 5 and 60 nm particles aggregated preferentially in the blood cells. The increase in spleen index and thymus index shows that the immune system can be affected by these small nanoparticles. The 10 nm gold particles induced an increase in white blood cells, while the 5 nm and 30 nm particles induced a decrease in white blood cells and red blood cells. The biochemistry results show that the 10 nm and 60 nm PEG-coated gold nanoparticles caused a significant increase in alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase levels, indicating slight damage to the liver.Conclusion: The toxicity of PEG-coated gold particles is complex, and it cannot be concluded that the smaller particles have greater toxicity. The toxicity of the 10 nm and 60 nm particles was obviously higher than that of the 5 nm and 30 nm particles. The metabolism of these particles and protection of the liver will be more important issues for medical applications of gold-based nanomaterials in future.Keywords: gold nanoparticles, in vivo, toxicity, siz

Association between glycemic traits and melanoma: a mendelian randomization analysis

Background: The causation of Glycemic Traits and risks of Melanoma remains unknown. We used Mendelian Randomization (MR) to assess the links between Glycemic Traits and Melanoma.Method: Pooled data from Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) were utilized to examine the relationships that exist between Fasting Insulin (n = 26), 2-h Glucose (n = 10), Fasting Glucose (n = 47), HbA1c (n = 68), and Type-2 Diabetes (n = 105) and Melanoma. We evaluated the correlation of these variations with melanoma risk using Two-Samples MR.Result: In the IVW model, Fasting Glucose (OR = 0.99, 95%CI = 0.993–0.998, p &lt; 0.05, IVW), Type-2 Diabetes (OR = 0.998, 95%CI = 0.998–0.999, p &lt; 0.01, IVW) and HbA1c (OR = 0.19, 95%CI = 0.0415–0.8788, p &lt; 0.05, IVW) was causally associated with a lower risk of Melanoma. In all models analyzed, there was no apparent causal relationship between Fasting Insulin and Melanoma risk. There was no obvious causal difference in the IVW analysis of 2-h Glucose and Melanoma, but its p &lt; 0.05 in MR Egger (OR = 0.99, 95%CI = 0.9883–0.9984, p &lt; 0.05, MR Egger), and the direction was consistent in other MR analyses, suggesting that there may be a causal relationship.Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that a higher risk of Fasting Glucose, Type-2 Diabetes, 2-h Glucose, and HbA1c may be associated with a lower risk of Melanoma. However, no causal relationship between fasting insulin and melanoma was found. These results suggest that pharmacological or lifestyle interventions that regulate plasma glucose levels in the body may be beneficial in the prevention of melanoma

Evolution of Spin Period and Magnetic Field of the Crab Pulsar: Decay of the Braking Index by the Particle Wind Flow Torque

The evolutions of a neutron star's rotation and magnetic field (B-field) have remained unsolved puzzles for over half a century. We ascribe the rotational braking torques of pulsar to both components, the standard magnetic dipole radiation (MDR) and particle wind flow ( MDR + Wind, hereafter named MDRW), which we apply to the Crab pulsar (B0531 + 21), the only source with a known age and long-term continuous monitoring by radio telescope. Based on the above presumed simple spin-down torques, we obtain the exact analytic solution on the rotation evolution of the Crab pulsar, together with the related outcomes as described below: (1) unlike the constant characteristic B-field suggested by the MDR model, this value for the Crab pulsar increases by a hundred times in 50~kyr while its real B-field has no change; (2) the rotational braking index evolves from $\sim$3 to 1 in the long-term, however, it drops from 2.51 to 2.50 in $\sim$45 years at the present stage, while the particle flow contributes approximately 25% of the total rotational energy loss rate; (3) strikingly, the characteristic age has the maximum limit of $\sim$10 kyr, meaning that it is not always a good indicator of real age. Furthermore, we discussed the evolutionary path of the Crab pulsar from the MDR to the wind domination by comparing it with the possible wind braking candidate pulsar PSR J1734-3333.Comment: 21pages, 3 figures, 2 tables, and 5 appendices, published in Univers

Neuropeptide Y-mediated sex- and afferent-specific neurotransmissions contribute to sexual dimorphism of baroreflex afferent function

BACKGROUND: Molecular and cellular mechanisms of neuropeptide-Y (NPY)-mediated gender-difference in blood pressure (BP) regulation are largely unknown. METHODS: Baroreceptor sensitivity (BRS) was evaluated by measuring the response of BP to phenylephrine/nitroprusside. Serum NPY concentration was determined using ELISA. The mRNA and protein expression of NPY receptors were assessed in tissue and single-cell by RT-PCR, immunoblot, and immunohistochemistry. NPY was injected into the nodose while arterial pressure was monitored. Electrophysiological recordings were performed on nodose neurons from rats by patch-clamp technique. RESULTS: The BRS was higher in female than male and ovariectomized rats, while serum NPY concentration was similar among groups. The sex-difference was detected in Y1R, not Y2R protein expression, however, both were upregulated upon ovariectomy and canceled by estrogen replacement. Immunostaining confirmed Y1R and Y2R expression in myelinated and unmyelinated afferents. Single-cell PCR demonstrated that Y1R expression/distribution was identical between A- and C-types, whereas, expressed level of Y2R was ~15 and ~7 folds higher in Ah- and C-types than A-types despite similar distribution. Activation of Y1R in nodose elevated BP, while activation of Y2R did the opposite. Activation of Y1R did not alter action potential duration (APD) of A-types, but activation of Y2R- and Y1R/Y2R in Ah- and C-types frequency-dependently prolonged APD. N-type ICa was reduced in A-, Ah- and C-types when either Y1R, Y2R, or both were activated. The sex-difference in Y1R expression was also observed in NTS. CONCLUSIONS: Sex- and afferent-specific expression of Neuropeptide-Y receptors in baroreflex afferent pathway may contribute to sexual-dimorphic neurocontrol of BP regulation

A de novo Genome of a Chinese Radish Cultivar

AbstractHere, we report a high-quality draft genome of a Chinese radish (Raphanus sativus) cultivar. This draft contains 387.73Mb of assembled scaffolds, 83.93% of the scaffolds were anchored onto nine pseudochromosomes and 95.09% of 43 240 protein-coding genes were functionally annotated. 184.75Mb (47.65%) of repeat sequences was identified in the assembled genome. By comparative analyses of the radish genome against 10 other plant genomes, 2 275 genes in 780 gene families were found unique to R. sativus. This genome is a good reference for genomic study and of great value for genetic improvement of radish

Ectopic lymphoid tissues support local immunoglobulin production in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps

Background: The contribution of ectopic lymphoid tissues (eLTs) to local immunoglobulin hyperproduction in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is unclear. Objective: We sought to explore the cellular basis, formation mechanisms, and function of eLTs in patients with CRSwNP. Methods: We graded lymphoid aggregations in sinonasal mucosa and histologically studied their structures. The expression of lymphorganogenic factors and molecules required for immunoglobulin production was measured by using real-time PCR, and their localization was analyzed by means of immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. The phenotype of follicular helper T cells was analyzed by performing flow cytometry. Immunoglobulin levels were quantified by using the Bio-Plex assay or ImmunoCAP system. Nasal tissue explants were challenged ex vivo with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus group 1 (Der p 1), and the expression of I epsilon-C mu and I epsilon-C gamma circle transcripts was detected by using seminested PCR. Results: Increased formation of eLTs with germinal center-like structures was discovered in patients with eosinophilic (20.69%) and noneosinophilic (17.31%) CRSwNP compared with that in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (5.66%) and control subjects (3.70%). The presence of eLTs was associated with increased expression of lymphorganogenic and inflammatory chemokines and cytokines, as well as their receptors. The expression of molecules required for immunoglobulin production, generation of follicular helper T cells, and production of IgE in eosinophilic polyps and IgG and IgA in both eosinophilic and noneosinophilic polyps were predominantly upregulated in patients with eLTs. After Der p 1 challenge ex vivo, I epsilon-C mu transcript was detected only in eosinophilic polyps with eLTs but not in polyps without eLTs and noneosinophilic polyps. Conclusion: eLTs might support local immunoglobulin production and therefore significantly contribute to the development of CRSwNP