Thurston boundary of Teichm\"uller spaces and the commensurability modular group

If $p : Y \to X$ is an unramified covering map between two compact oriented surfaces of genus at least two, then it is proved that the embedding map, corresponding to $p$, from the Teichm\"uller space ${\cal T}(X)$, for $X$, to ${\cal T}(Y)$ actually extends to an embedding between the Thurston compactification of the two Teichm\"uller spaces. Using this result, an inductive limit of Thurston compactified Teichm\"uller spaces has been constructed, where the index for the inductive limit runs over all possible finite unramified coverings of a fixed compact oriented surface of genus at least two. This inductive limit contains the inductive limit of Teichm\"uller spaces, constructed in \cite{BNS}, as a subset. The universal commensurability modular group, which was constructed in \cite{BNS}, has a natural action on the inductive limit of Teichm\"uller spaces. It is proved here that this action of the universal commensurability modular group extends continuously to the inductive limit of Thurston compactified Teichm\"uller spaces.Comment: AMSLaTex file. To appear in Conformal Geometry and Dynamic

Low frequency radio-FIR correlation in normal galaxies at ~1 kpc scales

We study the radio--FIR correlation between the nonthermal (synchrotron) radio continuum emission at \lambda 90 cm (333 MHz) and the far infrared emission due to cool (~20 K) dust at \lambda 70\mu m in spatially resolved normal galaxies at scales of ~1 kpc. The slope of the radio--FIR correlation significantly differs between the arm and interarm regions. However, this change is not evident at a lower wavelength of \lambda 20 cm (1.4 GHz). We find the slope of the correlation in the arm to be 0.8 \pm 0.12 and we use this to determine the coupling between equipartition magnetic field (B_{eq}) and gas density (\rho_{gas}) as B_{eq} \propto \rho_{gas}^{0.51 \pm 0.12}. This is close to what is predicted by MHD simulations of turbulent ISM, provided the same region produces both the radio and far infrared emission. We argue that at 1 kpc scales this condition is satisfied for radio emission at 1.4 GHz and may not be satisfied at 333 MHz. Change of slope observed in the interarm region could be caused by propagation of low energy (~1.5 GeV) and long lived (~ 10^8 yr) cosmic ray electrons at 333 MHz.Comment: 8 Pages, 5 Figures, Accepted to be published in Ap

Life Events as Risk Factors for Myocardial Infarction: A Pilot Case-control Study in Kolkata, India

This case-control study was conducted in the Cardiology Department of Medical College, Kolkata, India, during 2000-2001, to explore the link between stressful life events and subsequent myocardial infarction (MI). One hundred consecutive confirmed MI patients were selected as a case group. One hundred age-, sex- and income-matched controls were selected from visitors other than relatives who attended these patients. The subjects were interviewed and asked to rate 61 life events with a number between 0 and 20. They also noted which of these they had experienced in the last one year. The main exposure variables included life events as per E.S. Paykel, smoking, alcohol consumption, chewing of tobacco, marital status, literacy, employment, and monthly per-capita income. The results showed that an MI patient was likely to experience 4.16 stressful life events, which were twice as much as the control group (2.24). The total stress score was the highest for serious personal illness followed by illness of family members and unemployment for the MI patients. For the controls, conflict between husband and wife, death of friends, and personal illness had the highest total stress score. The mean stress score for the MI patients was 35.5 compared to 17.35 among the controls. The MI subjects were more likely to have experienced stressful life events than the controls

Gene therapy with AR isoform 2 rescues spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy phenotype 2 by modulating AR transcriptional activity:AR isoform 2 counteracts polyglutamine AR toxicity

Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is an X-linked, adult-onset neuromuscular condition caused by an abnormal polyglutamine (polyQ) tract expansion in androgen receptor (AR) protein. SBMA is a disease with high unmet clinical need. Recent studies have shown that mutant AR-altered transcriptional activity is key to disease pathogenesis. Restoring the transcriptional dysregulation without affecting other AR critical functions holds great promise for the treatment of SBMA and other AR-related conditions; however, how this targeted approach can be achieved and translated into a clinical application remains to be understood. Here, we characterized the role of AR isoform 2, a naturally occurring variant encoding a truncated AR lacking the polyQ-harboring domain, as a regulatory switch of AR genomic functions in androgen-responsive tissues. Delivery of this isoform using a recombinant adeno-associated virus vector type 9 resulted in amelioration of the disease phenotype in SBMA mice by restoring polyQ AR-dysregulated transcriptional activity

Reporting trends, practices, and resource utilization in neuroendocrine tumors of the prostate gland: a survey among thirty-nine genitourinary pathologists

Background: Neuroendocrine differentiation in the prostate gland ranges from clinically insignificant neuroendocrine differentiation detected with markers in an otherwise conventional prostatic adenocarcinoma to a lethal high-grade small/large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. The concept of neuroendocrine differentiation in prostatic adenocarcinoma has gained considerable importance due to its prognostic and therapeutic ramifications and pathologists play a pivotal role in its recognition. However, its awareness, reporting, and resource utilization practice patterns among pathologists are largely unknown. Methods: Representative examples of different spectrums of neuroendocrine differentiation along with a detailed questionnaire were shared among 39 urologic pathologists using the survey monkey software. Participants were specifically questioned about the use and awareness of the 2016 WHO classification of neuroendocrine tumors of the prostate, understanding of the clinical significance of each entity, and use of different immunohistochemical (IHC) markers. De-identified respondent data were analyzed. Results: A vast majority (90%) of the participants utilize IHC markers to confirm the diagnosis of small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. A majority (87%) of the respondents were in agreement regarding the utilization of type of IHC markers for small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma for which 85% of the pathologists agreed that determination of the site of origin of a high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma is not critical, as these are treated similarly. In the setting of mixed carcinomas, 62% of respondents indicated that they provide quantification and grading of the acinar component. There were varied responses regarding the prognostic implication of focal neuroendocrine cells in an otherwise conventional acinar adenocarcinoma and for Paneth cell-like differentiation. The classification of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma was highly varied, with only 38% agreement in the illustrated case. Finally, despite the recommendation not to perform neuroendocrine markers in the absence of morphologic evidence of neuroendocrine differentiation, 62% would routinely utilize IHC in the work-up of a Gleason score 5 + 5 = 10 acinar adenocarcinoma and its differentiation from high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma. Conclusion: There is a disparity in the practice utilization patterns among the urologic pathologists with regard to diagnosing high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma and in understanding the clinical significance of focal neuroendocrine cells in an otherwise conventional acinar adenocarcinoma and Paneth cell-like neuroendocrine differentiation. There seems to have a trend towards overutilization of IHC to determine neuroendocrine differentiation in the absence of neuroendocrine features on morphology. The survey results suggest a need for further refinement and development of standardized guidelines for the classification and reporting of neuroendocrine differentiation in the prostate gland

Intratumoral granulomatous reaction in recurrent pituitary adenoma: A unique presentation

Pituitary adenoma is one of the most common intracranial neoplasms, usually presenting with endocrinopathies or visual field defects. Granulomatous hypophysitis, one of the subtypes of primary hypophysitis, is a rare neurological entity presenting as a sellar lesion with mass effect symptoms and endocrinological dysfunction. Majority of cases of primary hypophysitis are misdiagnosed as pituitary adenomas preoperatively, and histopathology is required for a definitive diagnosis. Granulomatous hypophysitis can be primary/idiopathic or secondary to a variety of causes such as infection, foreign body reactions, and systemic inflammatory conditions. The presence of tumoral microgranulomas in pituitary adenoma is exceedingly rare, having been documented only twice previously. We present a unique case of recurrent pituitary macroadenoma in a 59-year-old woman with histopathological features of idiopathic intratumoral noncaseating granulomatous inflammation. The presence of a granulomatous response in the absence of a systemic infectious or inflammatory disorder is suggestive of a local tumoral response to an as-yet unidentified antigen

Isolated ileal ganglioneuromatosis in an 11-year-old boy: Case report and review of literature

Ganglioneuromatous proliferation in the gastrointestinal tract is a rare occurrence and is usually associated with specific syndrome complexes such as multiple endocrine neoplasia Type 2B or von Recklinghausen's disease. We report here a case of diffuse intestinal ganglioneuromatosis, presenting as intestinal obstruction and chronic constipation in an 11-year-old boy. Sporadic cases of intestinal ganglioneuromatosis in the absence of any systemic manifestations are a very rare cause of enteric motility disorders in childhood, and we discuss the pathological and clinical significance of this finding. Histopathological identification of this uncommon cause of a common pediatric problem is important since the condition is amenable to surgical treatment

Bilateral ovarian metastases as the presenting manifestation of lung carcinoid in a 50-year-old woman: Case study and review of literature

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are neoplasms arising from dispersed neuroendocrine cells, localized to the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), lungs, adrenal medulla, and other sites. The term “carcinoid tumor” is usually limited to NETs of the lung and GIT. Ovarian carcinoids are uncommon, accounting for 0.1% of ovarian malignancies and 5% of all NETs. Primary ovarian tumors arise in pure form or as a component of teratomas, while ovarian NET metastases are predominantly from gastrointestinal primaries. To the best of our knowledge, there are only two previous reports of bronchopulmonary carcinoids (PCs) metastasizing to the ovaries. We describe a case of PC in a 50-year-old woman, with bilateral ovarian tumors as the presenting manifestation of the disease, and discuss the clinical and pathobiologic significance of this presentation