Colonic Involvement in a Patient with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia

Various gastrointestinal infiltrations have been described in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Here, we report a 69-year-old man with CLL and anaemia in whom the macroscopic finding of colonoscopy was normal, but the histological specimens revealed lymphocytic leukemia in ileum and in colon. If a CLL patient has any symptoms suggesting a possible GI manifestation of the haematologic disease or anaemia not explained by bone marrow infiltration or hemolysis, the diagnostic evaluation should include endoscopies with adequate biopsies

Urban Stream Burial Increases Watershed-Scale Nitrate Export

Nitrogen (N) uptake in streams is an important ecosystem service that reduces nutrient loading to downstream ecosystems. Here we synthesize studies that investigated the effects of urban stream burial on N-uptake in two metropolitan areas and use simulation modeling to scale our measurements to the broader watershed scale. We report that nitrate travels on average 18 times farther downstream in buried than in open streams before being removed from the water column, indicating that burial substantially reduces N uptake in streams. Simulation modeling suggests that as burial expands throughout a river network, N uptake rates increase in the remaining open reaches which somewhat offsets reduced N uptake in buried reaches. This is particularly true at low levels of stream burial. At higher levels of stream burial, however, open reaches become rare and cumulative N uptake across all open reaches in the watershed rapidly declines. As a result, watershed-scale N export increases slowly at low levels of stream burial, after which increases in export become more pronounced. Stream burial in the lower, more urbanized portions of the watershed had a greater effect on N export than an equivalent amount of stream burial in the upper watershed. We suggest that stream daylighting (i.e., uncovering buried streams) can increase watershed-scale N retention

Effects of urban stream burial on organic matter dynamics and reach scale nitrate retention

Nitrogen (N) retention in streams is an important ecosystem service that may be affected by the widespread burial of streams in stormwater pipes in urban watersheds. We predicted that stream burial suppresses the capacity of streams to retain nitrate (NO3 −) by eliminating primary production, reducing respiration rates and organic matter availability, and increasing specific discharge. We tested these predictions by measuring whole-stream NO3 − removal rates using 15NO3 − isotope tracer releases in paired buried and open reaches in three streams in Cincinnati, Ohio (USA) during four seasons. Nitrate uptake lengths were 29 times greater in buried than open reaches, indicating that buried reaches were less effective at retaining NO3 − than open reaches. Burial suppressed NO3 − retention through a combination of hydrological and biological processes. The channel shape of two of the buried reaches increased specific discharge which enhanced NO3 − transport from the channel, highlighting the relationship between urban infrastructure and ecosystem function. Uptake lengths in the buried reaches were further lengthened by low stream biological NO3 − demand, as indicated by NO3 − uptake velocities 17-fold lower than that of the open reaches. We also observed differences in the periphyton enzyme activity between reaches, indicating that the effects of burial cascade from the microbial to the ecosystem scale. Our results suggest that stream restoration practices involving “daylighting” buried streams have the potential to increase N retention. Further work is needed to elucidate the impacts of stream burial on ecosystem functions at the larger stream network scale

Dasatinib crosses the blood-brain barrier and is an efficient therapy for central nervous system philadelphia chromosome positive leukemia

Although imatinib, a BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is used to treat acute Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) leukemia, it does not prevent central nervous system (CNS) relapses resulting from poor drug penetration through the blood-brain barrier. Imatinib and dasatinib (a dual-specific SRC/BCR-ABL kinase inhibitor) were compared in a pre-clinical mouse model of intracranial Ph+ leukemia. Clinical dasatinib treatment in patients with CNS Ph+ leukemia was assessed. In preclinical studies, dasatinib increased survival, whereas imatinib failed to inhibit intracranial tumor growth. Stabilization and regression of CNS disease were achieved with continued dasatinib administration. The drug also demonstrated substantial activity in 11 adult and pediatric patients with CNS Ph+ leukemia. Eleven evaluable patients had clinically significant, long-lasting responses, which were complete in 7 patients. In 3 additional patients, isolated CNS relapse occurred during dasatinib therapy; and in 2 of them, it was caused by expansion of a BCR-ABL-mutated dasatinib-resistant clone, implying selection pressure exerted by the compound in the CNS. Dasatinib has promising therapeutic potential in managing intracranial leukemic disease and substantial clinical activity in patients who experience CNS relapse while on imatinib therapy. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials. gov as CA180006 (#NCT00108719) and CA180015 (#NCT00110097)

p53 status of newly established acute myeloid leukaemia cell lines

We analysed the status of the p53 gene and protein in eight newly established acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) cell lines representing blast cells of either de novo leukaemia patients in first remission or patients with relapsed and chemotherapy-resistant disease causing their death. There were no mutations in the p53 gene in any of the cell lines as analysed by single-strand conformation polymorphism of amplified exons 5–8. However, the p53 protein was clearly and consistently expressed in all of these cell lines, as shown by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and flow cytometry. The consistently expressed p53 protein was located in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm of all the cell lines and, as shown by flow cytometry, it was mostly in a conformation typical of the mutated protein. These AML cell lines offer a tool for studying the production and function of the p53 protein and its possible role in cell cycle regulation and chemoresistance as well as in the regulation of apoptosis in AML. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig

Responses of yield and N use of spring sown crops to N fertilization, with special reference to the use of plant growth regulators

The role of plant growth regulators (PGR) in nitrogen (N) fertilization of spring wheat and oats (CCC), fodder barley (etephon/mepiquat) and oilseed rape (etephone) in crop rotation was studied in 19931996 on loamy clay soil. Carry over effect of the N fertilization rates (0180 kg ha-1 ) was evaluated in 1997. N fertilization rate for the best grain/seed yield (120150 kg ha-1 ) was not affected by PGRs. The seed and N yields of oilseed rape were improved most frequently by recommended use of PGR. The yields of oats were increased in 199596. Even though PGR effectively shortened the plant height of spring wheat, the grain yield increased only in 1995. N yield of wheat grains was not increased. Response of fodder barley to PGR was insignificant or even negative in 1995. The data suggest that PGRs may decrease some N leaching at high N rates by improving N uptake by grain/seeds, if the yield is improved. The carryover study showed that in soils with no N fertilization, as well as in soils of high N rates, N uptake was higher than in soils with moderate N fertilization (6090 kg ha-1 ), independent of PGRs. According to soil mineral N contents, N leaching risk is significant (1535 kg ha-1 ) only after dry and warm late seasons. After a favourable season of high yields, the N rates did not significantly affect soil mineral N contents. ;Voidaanko typpilannoituksen hyötyä parantaa kasvunsääteidenavulla vai lisäävätkö kasvunsääteet typen käyttöä tuottamatta lisää satoa? Näitä kysymyksiä sekä typpilannoituksen jälkivaikutuksia tutkittiin edesmenneen professori Paavo Elosen hietasavimaalle perustamassa kenttäkokeessa vuosina 19931997. Koekasveja viljeltiin neljässä vierekkäisessä lohkossa viljelykierrossa, seitsemällä eri typpitasolla (0180 kg/ha). Suurin sato saatiin typpilannoituksen tasolla 120150 kg/ha. Vuoden 1993 suositusten mukaiset kasvunsäädekäsittelyt, jotka vuonna 1995 tosin viivästyivät sateiden vuoksi, eivät vaikuttaneet tähän optimitasoon. Kasvunsääteet kuitenkin saattoivat lisätä jyvä- ja typpisatoja varsinkin suurilla typpilannoitusmäärillä, tehostaen siten typen ottoa. Lisäystä ei kuitenkaan havaittu kaikilla viljelykasveilla. Ainoastaan rypsi (cv. Kulta) hyötyi kasvunsäädekäsittelystä (Cerone) kaikkina koevuosina, jopa kuivana kesänä 1994. Kasvunsääde (CCC) lisäsi myös kauran (cv. Yty) jyvä- ja typpisatoja, mutta vain sateisina kesinä, jolloin lakoutuminen selvästi väheni käsittelyn myötä. Kevätvehnällä (cv. Satu) vuosittainen vaihtelu oli suuri, ja kasvunsääteen (CCC) edullinen vaikutus jyväsatoon oli merkittävä vain vuonna 1995, jolloin alkukesä oli hyvin sateinen ja loppukesä kuiva. Tällöin kasvunsääde lyhensi selvästi vehnän korren pituutta (30 cm). Typpisadot eivät kuitenkaan kohonneet, koska kasvunsääde laski jyvän typpipitoisuutta. Kasvunsääteen (Terpal) vaikutus rehuohran (cv. Loviisa) jyvä- ja typpisatoihin vaihteli suuresti eri vuosina. Typpisadot jopa laskivat merkitsevästi viivästyneen käsittelyn vaikutuksesta vuonna 1995. Kasvunsääteet lisäsivät yleensä puintikosteutta, mutta muuten jyvän laatu heikkeni vain vähän tai käsittelyillä ei ollut vaikusta valkuaispitoisuuksiin ja 1000 jyvän painoon, paitsi vehnällä vuonna 1995. Rypsin 1000 siemenen paino kasvoi vuosina 199495 kasvunsääteen ansiosta. Typpilannoituksen ja kasvunsäädekäsittelyjen jälkivaikutusta tutkittiin vuonna 1997, jolloin koko koealueelle kylvettiin rehuohraa. Typpilannoitustaso oli kaikissa koeruuduissa 30 kg/ha. Tulosten mukaan paras sato saatiin koealueilta, jotka lannoitettiin aiempina vuosina suurimmalla typpimäärällä. Myös typpisato oli näissä ruuduissa suurin, runsaat 50 kg/ha. Koevuosien lannoitustasoilla 6090 kg/ha typpisato oli tätä 10 kg/ha pienempi. Ilman typpilannoitusta viljellyissä ruuduissa ero oli vain 5 kg/ha. Pienempi ero osoitti, että maahan kertyy typpeä, mikäli typpilannoitusta ei käytetä lainkaan. Tällöin heikoksi jäävä kasvusto ei todennäköisesti pysty tyhjentämään maan typpivaroja yhtä tehokkaasti kuin kohtuullisesti lannoitetut kasvustot. Vastaavasti korkeilla typpilannoitustasoilla (150180 kg/ha) kasvi ei pysty hyödyntämään kaikkea käytettävissä olevaa typpeä, riippumatta kasvunsääteiden käytöstä. Suuret typpilannoitusmäärät lisäsivät korjuun jälkeisiä maan mineraalityppipitoisuuksia, mutta vain kuivan kesän jälkeen. Syksyllä 1994 maan nitraatti-typpipitoisuudet olivat 1535 kg/ha suuremmat typpilannoitustasoilla 127187 kg/ha verrattuna pienempiin typpilannoitusmääriin. Keväällä 1995 mineraalityppeä oli eniten jankossa suuria typpimääriä saaneilla koeruuduilla, osoittaen mahdollista huuhtoutumista. Vuoden 1996 suotuisan, hyviä satoja tuottaneen kasvukauden jälkeen maan minaraalityppipitoisuudet olivat lähes samanlaiset eri lannoitustasoilla. Typen huuhtoutumisen välttämiseksi tulokset puoltavat typpilannoitustasoa 90100 kg/ha. Tutkimus tukee näin nykyisiä ympäristötukiehtoja. Tulosten mukaan kasvunsääteet voivat parantaa typen hyväksikäyttöä, mutta tutkituilla aineilla todennäköisimmin vain rypsin ja sateisina kesinä kauran viljelyssä

Solubility of major cations and Cu, Zn and Cd in soil extracts of some contaminated agricultural soils near a zinc smelter in Norway: modelling with a multisurface extension of WHAM

Mechanistic modelling offers a means of simulating the speciation and solubility of trace metals in soils. The WHAM/Model VI model has previously been used to simulate pH buffering and Al solubility in acid soils, and metal partitioning in highly organic soils, but has not previously been applied to agricultural soils. Here we have extended the WHAM/Model VI framework to include surface complexation to oxides and cation exchange, and applied it to batch titrations of limed agricultural soils contaminated by emissions of Cd and Zn from a metal smelter. In contrast to previous studies on forest soils, model predictions were most sensitive to the size of the geochemically ‘active’ soil Ca pool. Following optimisation of this pool the model reproduced trends in pH and major cations well. Blind predictions of soil metal (Cu, Zn, and Cd), using estimates of the active soil metal obtained by extraction with 0.22 M HNO3, were mostly very reasonable. Where predicted metal solubility was biased the model could be fitted to the data by optimising the size of the active metal pool. In some cases the optimised metal pool was unrealistically large, indicating a possible deficiency in the way the model considers binding activity and competition. Organic matter was the dominant binding phase in these soils. These results support the contention that speciation modelling has great promise in providing a holistic description of ionic chemistry in soils for both major and trace elements