PTHrP Induces Autocrine/Paracrine Proliferation of Bone Tumor Cells through Inhibition of Apoptosis

Giant Cell Tumor of Bone (GCT) is an aggressive skeletal tumor characterized by local bone destruction, high recurrence rates and metastatic potential. Previous work in our lab has shown that the neoplastic cell of GCT is a proliferating pre-osteoblastic stromal cell in which the transcription factor Runx2 plays a role in regulating protein expression. One of the proteins expressed by these cells is parathryroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP). The objectives of this study were to determine the role played by PTHrP in GCT of bone with a focus on cell proliferation and apoptosis. Primary stromal cell cultures from 5 patients with GCT of bone and one lung metastsis were used for cell-based experiments. Control cell lines included a renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cell line and a human fetal osteoblast cell line. Cells were exposed to optimized concentrations of a PTHrP neutralizing antibody and were analyzed with the use of cell proliferation and apoptosis assays including mitochondrial dehydrogenase assays, crystal violet assays, APO-1 ELISAs, caspase activity assays, flow cytometry and immunofluorescent immunohistochemistry. Neutralization of PTHrP in the cell environment inhibited cell proliferation in a consistent manner and induced apoptosis in the GCT stromal cells, with the exception of those obtained from a lung metastasis. Cell cycle progression was not significantly affected by PTHrP neutralization. These findings indicate that PTHrP plays an autocrine/paracrine neoplastic role in GCT by allowing the proliferating stromal cells to evade apoptosis, possibly through non-traditional caspase-independent pathways. Thus PTHrP neutralizing immunotherapy is an intriguing potential therapeutic strategy for this tumor

ACC/AHA/ASE 2003 Guideline Update for the Clinical Application of Echocardiography: Summary Article: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American HeartAssociation Task Force on Practice Guidelines (ACC/AHA/ASE Committee to Update the 1997 Guidelines for the Clinical Application of Echocardiography)

"The previous guideline for the use of echocardiography was published in March 1997. Since that time, there have been significant advances in the technology of echocardiography and growth in its clinical use and in the scientific evidence leading to recommendations for its proper use. Each section has been reviewed and updated in evidence tables, and where appropriate, changes have been made in recommendations. A new section on the use of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is being added to update the guidelines published by the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists. There are extensive revisions, especially of the sections on ischemic heart disease; congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and assessment of left ventricular (LV) function; and screening and echocardiography in the critically ill. There are new tables of evidence and extensive revisions in the ischemic heart disease evidence tables. Because of space limitations, only those sections and evidence tables with new recommendations will be printed in this summary article. Where there are minimal changes in a recommendation grouping, such as a change from Class IIa to Class I, only that change will be printed, not the entire set of recommendations. Advances for which the clinical applications are still being investigated, such as the use of myocardial contrast agents and three-dimensional echocardiography, will not be discussed.

Taxonomy, distribution and emended description of the Neotropical genus Lophogyne (Podostemaceae

Abstract. The genus Lophogyne is revised based on recent collections and examination of type material. The two nominal species, Lophogyne arculifera and Lophogyne helicandra, are herein placed in synonymy under the new combination Lophogyne lacunosa (previously published as Marathrum lacunosum), rendering the genus monotypic. A detailed description and a distribution map of the genus is presented. Lophogyne lacunosa is assigned to the EN B1ab (iii) category of the IUCN red list of threatened species

Desarrollo de los verticilos sexuales de Vanroyenella plumosa Novelo & Philbrick (Podostemaceae)

The vegetative body of Vanroyenella plumosa Novelo & Philbrick (subfamily Podostemoideae) is composed of roots, leaves and a dorsiventrally flattened thalloid stem which, in the reproductive stage of the life cycle, develops cavities containing fascicles of flowers. In this work the embryology of this species was studied. Floral development depends on the flower position in the vegetative body of the plant, the plant position on the rock and the water level in the river. Vanroyenella plumosa possesses two stamens with tetrasporangiate anthers; the anther wall formation is of the basic type. Tetrads are tetrahedral, and the pollen is bicellular. The gynoecium is bicarpelar and bilocular with axial placentation and has two stigmas with idioblasts whose vacuoles contain proteins and carbohydrates. The ovules are anatropous, bitegmic and tenuinucellate. The embryo sac is monosporic in its origin and tetracellular of the Apinagia type. In Vanroyenella floral development occurs in the interior of the stem while the plant is submerged, and it is during this very early stage that the male and female gametes are formed. When the water level recedes, the pedicels elongate and anthesis occurs above water. The ovary wall supports the seed development after the rest of the vegetative tissue has died.El cuerpo vegetativo de Vanroyenella plumosa Novelo & Philbrick (subfamilia Podostemoideae) posee raíz, hojas y un tallo taloide dorsiventralmente aplanado que, durante la etapa reproductora, desarrolla cavidades ocupadas por fascículos florales. En este trabajo se estudió la embriología de esta especie y se relacionó el desarrollo floral con la posición de las flores en el cuerpo vegetativo de la planta, la posición de la planta sobre la roca y de la planta con el nivel del agua. Vanroyenella plumosa presenta dos estambres cuyas anteras son tetrasporangiadas, con un desarrollo de la pared de tipo Básico, tétradas tetraédricas y polen bicelular. El gineceo es bicarpelar y bilocular con placentación axial y presenta dos estigmas con idioblastos cuya vacuola contiene proteínas y carbohidratos. Los óvulos son anátropos, bitégmicos y tenuinucelados. El saco embrionario es monospórico y tetracelular, del tipo Apinagia. En Vanroyenella el desarrollo floral ocurre en el interior del tallo mientras la planta está sumergida, allí se forman los gametos en etapas muy tempranas. Cuando el nivel del agua baja, los pedicelos se alargan y sobreviene la antesis, en el ambiente aéreo. La pared del ovario sostiene el desarrollo de las semillas una vez que el resto del tejido vegetativo ha muerto