A Case of Generalized Acanthosis Nigricans with Positive Lupus Erythematosus-Related Autoantibodies and Antimicrosomal Antibody: Autoimmune Acanthosis Nigricans?

Acanthosis nigricans (AN) is a hyperpigmented keratotic skin lesion known to be associated with malignant disease and endocrinopathy. We report a very rare case of generalized AN with Sjögren's syndrome- and systemic lupus erythematosus-like features but without type B insulin resistance. Neither internal malignancy nor other endocrinological disorders, including glucose intolerance, were detected during a 10-year clinical course with benign diffuse papillomatosis extending from the mucosa of the larynx to the esophagogastric junction. The case was complicated with chronic thyroiditis and interstitial pneumonia, which were not treated with any medication. AN skin lesions and mucosal papillomatosis regressed with oral cyclosporine A, accompanied by the lowering of autoantibody titers. This is the first report of generalized AN involving an area from the mucosa of the larynx to the esophagogastric junction accompanied by autoimmune manifestations which responded to systemic immunosuppressive therapy

Yukawa Hierarchy Transfer Based on Superconformal Dynamics and Geometrical Realization in String Models

We propose a scenario that leads to hierarchical Yukawa couplings and degenerate sfermion masses at the same time, in the context of extra-dimensional models, which can be naturally embedded in a wide class of string models. The hierarchy of Yukawa couplings and degeneracy of sfermion masses can be realized thanks to superconformal gauge dynamics. The sfermion mass degeneracy is guaranteed by taking the superconformal fixed point to be family independent. In our scenario, the origin of Yukawa hierarchy is attributed to geometry of compactified dimensions and the consequent volume dependence of gauge couplings in the superconformal sectors. The difference in these gauge couplings is dynamically transferred to the hierarchy of the Yukawa couplings. Thus, our scenario combines a new dynamical approach and the conventional geometrical approach to the supersymmetric flavor problem.Comment: 12 pages, latex, no figur

Hepatocyte growth factor modulates motility and invasiveness of ovarian carcinomas via Ras-mediated pathway

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a multifunctional growth factor which has pleiotrophic biological effects on epithelial cells such as proliferation, motogenesis, invasiveness and morphogenesis. Peritoneal dissemination is critical for the progression of ovarian cancer, and our study revealed that HGF induces migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells. We also demonstrated that HGF stimulates autophosphorylation of its receptor, followed by activation of the Ras-MAP (mitogen-activated peptide) kinase cascade. Moreover, infection of ovarian cancer cells with Ras dominant-negative adenovirus reduced the HGF-induced motogenic and invasive activities. Additionally, both MEK and PI3-kinase pathways downstream of Ras were involved in HGF-stimulated ovarian cancer cell invasiveness. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMA) e rizobactérias promotoras de crescimento de plantas (RPCP) na aclimatização de Zingiber spectabile Griff. micropropagado (Zingiberaceae).

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o potencial de FMA e RPCP, isolados e/ou combinados (em dupla inoculação) na aclimatização de Z. spectabi/e

Frustration driven lattice distortion; an NMR investigation of Y2Mo2O7

We have investigated the 89Y NMR spectrum and spin lattice relaxation, T1, in the magnetically frustrated pyrochlore Y2Mo2O7. We find that upon cooling the spectrum shifts, and broadens asymmetrically. A detailed examination of the low T spectrum reveals that it is constructed from multiple peaks, each shifted by a different amount. We argue that this spectrum is due to discrete lattice distortions, and speculate that these distortions relieve the frustration and reduce the system's energy.Comment: To be published in Phys. Rev. Let