Solitary Bone Plasmacytoma of the maxilla- A rare case report

Abstract:Aims and Objectives: Plasmacytoma is a discrete, uni-focal, monoclonal neoplastic proliferation of plasma cells. It can be either solitary or multiple and skeletal or extraskeletal. Solitary bone plasmacytoma accounts for 3% of all plasma cell neoplasms with 50% of cases transforming into multiple myeloma. Since plasmacytoma is a rare lesion in the oral cavity, this case presentation is an attempt to focus on the clinical, histopathological aspects of this lesion and the spectrum of plasma cell neoplasms.Case description: We report a case of solitary bone plasmacytoma in a young patient, presenting as a painless ulcero-proliferative growth in the maxillary region. OPG showed radiolucency with respect to non-healing extracted tooth socket (16) with slight bony erosion. Microscopy revealed mature and immature plasma cells with eccentrically placed nucleus, suggestive of solitary plasmacytoma.Conclusion: The purpose of this article is to report a rare case of solitary bone plasmacytoma with emphasis on diagnostic workup.&nbsp

Evaluation of the effects of the anti-retroviral drug regimen (zidovudine + lamivudine + nevirapine) on CD4 count, body weight, and Hb% of the HIV patients-a retrospective study

Abstract The main objective of study is to evaluate the effectiveness of triple drug therapy Zidovudine + lamivudine + nevirapine on cd 4 counts, weight and Hb% for the duration of 6 months. In this retrospective study, data was collected from the anti-retroviral therapy (ART) centre where 315 subjects infected with HIV received ZIDOVUDINE + LAMIVUDINE + NEVIRAPINE. Baseline and after 6 months of therapy; CD4 count, weight and Hb% were recorded and compared. Records with incomplete data were excluded. Statistical analysis was done using paired 't' test for body weight , Hb% and CD4 count.It was found that after 6 months of treatment, both CD4 count and body weight improved significantly(p value: 0.001). Whereas in case of haemoglobin %, even after the treatment period, no significant changes were observed in Hb % (p value: 0.227).It was concluded that ZLN regimen for treatment in HIV patient is efficacious in improving both CD4 count and body weight and not Hb%

Coordinate control of axon defasciculation and myelination by laminin-2 and -8

Schwann cells form basal laminae (BLs) containing laminin-2 (Ln-2; heterotrimer α2β1γ1) and Ln-8 (α4β1γ1). Loss of Ln-2 in humans and mice carrying α2-chain mutations prevents developing Schwann cells from fully defasciculating axons, resulting in partial amyelination. The principal pathogenic mechanism is thought to derive from structural defects in Schwann cell BLs, which Ln-2 scaffolds. However, we found loss of Ln-8 caused partial amyelination in mice without affecting BL structure or Ln-2 levels. Combined Ln-2/Ln-8 deficiency caused nearly complete amyelination, revealing Ln-2 and -8 together have a dominant role in defasciculation, and that Ln-8 promotes myelination without BLs. Transgenic Ln-10 (α5β1γ1) expression also promoted myelination without BL formation. Rather than BL structure, we found Ln-2 and -8 were specifically required for the increased perinatal Schwann cell proliferation that attends myelination. Purified Ln-2 and -8 directly enhanced in vitro Schwann cell proliferation in collaboration with autocrine factors, suggesting Lns control the onset of myelination by modulating responses to mitogens in vivo

Adjuvant endocrine therapy initiation and persistence in a diverse sample of patients with breast cancer

Abstract Adjuvant endocrine therapy for breast cancer reduces recurrence and improves survival rates. Many patients never start treatment or discontinue prematurely. A better understanding of factors associated with endocrine therapy initiation and persistence could inform practitioners how to support patients. We analyzed data from a longitudinal study of 2,268 women diagnosed with breast cancer and reported to the Metropolitan Detroit and Los Angeles SEER cancer registries in 2005–2007. Patients were surveyed approximately both 9 months and 4 years after diagnosis. At the 4-year mark, patients were asked if they had initiated endocrine therapy, terminated therapy, or were currently taking therapy (defined as persistence). Multivariable logistic regression models examined factors associated with initiation and persistence. Of the 743 patients eligible for endocrine therapy, 80 (10.8 %) never initiated therapy, 112 (15.1 %) started therapy but discontinued prematurely, and 551 (74.2 %) continued use at the second time point. Compared with whites, Latinas (OR 2.80, 95 % CI 1.08–7.23) and black women (OR 3.63, 95 % CI 1.22–10.78) were more likely to initiate therapy. Other factors associated with initiation included worry about recurrence (OR 3.54, 95 % CI 1.31–9.56) and inadequate information about side effects (OR 0.24, 95 % CI 0.10–0.55). Factors associated with persistence included two or more medications taken weekly (OR 4.19, 95 % CI 2.28–7.68) and increased age (OR 0.98, 95 % CI 0.95–0.99). Enhanced patient education about potential side effects and the effectiveness of adjuvant endocrine therapy in improving outcomes may improve initiation and persistence rates and optimize breast cancer survival. Keywords Breast neoplasms Aromatase inhibitors Selective estrogen receptor modulators Medication taking Health services researchhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/97045/1/Adjuvant endocrine therapy initiation and persistence in a diverse sample of patients with breast cancer.pd

Sponge fauna of the Lakshadweep Islands of Indian Ocean

The present study deals with four new records of sponges found at Lakshadweep area and a checklist of sponges reported off. The new records are Agelas oroides, Callyspongia (Cladochalina) aculeata, Raspailia (Clathriodendron) arbuscula and Stylissa massa. Details about the species diversity of common sponges, massive sponges, boring sponges of the area are discussed and presented

Flying ad-hoc network application scenarios and mobility models

[EN] Flying ad-hoc networks are becoming a promising solution for different application scenarios involving unmanned aerial vehicles, like urban surveillance or search and rescue missions. However, such networks present various and very specific communication issues. As a consequence, there are several research studies focused on analyzing their performance via simulation. Correctly modeling mobility is crucial in this context and although many mobility models are already available to reproduce the behavior of mobile nodes in an ad-hoc network, most of these models cannot be used to reliably simulate the motion of unmanned aerial vehicles. In this article, we list the existing mobility models and provide guidance to understand whether they could be actually adopted depending on the specific flying ad-hoc network application scenarios, while discussing their advantages and disadvantages.Bujari, A.; Tavares De Araujo Cesariny Calafate, CM.; Cano, J.; Manzoni, P.; Palazzi, CE.; Ronzani, D. (2017). Flying ad-hoc network application scenarios and mobility models. International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks. 13(10):1-17. doi:10.1177/1550147717738192S117131

Voltage Gated Calcium Channels Negatively Regulate Protective Immunity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis modulates levels and activity of key intracellular second messengers to evade protective immune responses. Calcium release from voltage gated calcium channels (VGCC) regulates immune responses to pathogens. In this study, we investigated the roles of VGCC in regulating protective immunity to mycobacteria in vitro and in vivo. Inhibiting L-type or R-type VGCC in dendritic cells (DCs) either using antibodies or by siRNA increased calcium influx in an inositol 1,4,5-phosphate and calcium release calcium activated channel dependent mechanism that resulted in increased expression of genes favoring pro-inflammatory responses. Further, VGCC-blocked DCs activated T cells that in turn mediated killing of M. tuberculosis inside macrophages. Likewise, inhibiting VGCC in infected macrophages and PBMCs induced calcium influx, upregulated the expression of pro-inflammatory genes and resulted in enhanced killing of intracellular M. tuberculosis. Importantly, compared to healthy controls, PBMCs of tuberculosis patients expressed higher levels of both VGCC, which were significantly reduced following chemotherapy. Finally, blocking VGCC in vivo in M. tuberculosis infected mice using specific antibodies increased intracellular calcium and significantly reduced bacterial loads. These results indicate that L-type and R-type VGCC play a negative role in M. tuberculosis infection by regulating calcium mobilization in cells that determine protective immunity

Disturbed Clockwork Resetting in Sharp-1 and Sharp-2 Single and Double Mutant Mice

BACKGROUND: The circadian system provides the basis to anticipate and cope with daily recurrent challenges to maintain the organisms' homeostasis. De-synchronization of circadian feedback oscillators in humans causes 'jet lag', likely contributes to sleep-, psychiatric-, metabolic disorders and even cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms leading to the disintegration of tissue-specific clocks are complex and not well understood. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Based on their circadian expression and cell culture experiments, the basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) transcription factors SHARP-1(Dec2) and SHARP-2(Stra13/Dec1) were proposed as novel negative regulators of the molecular clock. To address their function in vivo, we generated Sharp-1 and Sharp-2 single and double mutant mice. Our experiments reveal critical roles for both factors in regulating period length, tissue-specific control of clock gene expression and entrainment to external cues. Light-pulse experiments and rapid delays of the light-dark cycle (experimental jet lag) unravel complementary functions for SHARP-1 and SHARP-2 in controlling activity phase resetting kinetics. Moreover, we show that SHARP-1 and 2 can serve dual functions as repressors and co-activators of mammalian clock gene expression in a context-specific manner. This correlates with increased amplitudes of Per2 expression in the cortex and liver and a decrease in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of double mutant mice. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The existence of separate mechanisms regulating phase of entrainment, rhythm amplitude and period length has been postulated before. The differential effects of Sharp-deficiency on rhythmicity and behavioral re-entrainment, coupled to tissue-dependent regulatory functions, provide a new mechanistic basis to further understand the complex process of clock synchronizations

IL-1-induced Bhlhe40 identifies pathogenic T helper cells in a model of autoimmune neuroinflammation

The features that define autoreactive T helper (Th) cell pathogenicity remain obscure. We have previously shown that Th cells require the transcription factor Bhlhe40 to mediate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model of multiple sclerosis. Here, using Bhlhe40 reporter mice and analyzing both polyclonal and TCR transgenic Th cells, we found that Bhlhe40 expression was heterogeneous after EAE induction, with Bhlhe40-expressing cells displaying marked production of IFN-γ, IL-17A, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. In adoptive transfer EAE models, Bhlhe40-deficient Th1 and Th17 cells were both nonencephalitogenic. Pertussis toxin (PTX), a classical co-adjuvant for actively induced EAE, promoted IL-1β production by myeloid cells in the draining lymph node and served as a strong stimulus for Bhlhe40 expression in Th cells. Furthermore, PTX co-adjuvanticity was Bhlhe40 dependent. IL-1β induced Bhlhe40 expression in polarized Th17 cells, and Bhlhe40-expressing cells exhibited an encephalitogenic transcriptional signature. In vivo, IL-1R signaling was required for full Bhlhe40 expression by Th cells after immunization. Overall, we demonstrate that Bhlhe40 expression identifies encephalitogenic Th cells and defines a PTX–IL-1–Bhlhe40 pathway active in EAE