Resection of phaeochromocytoma extending into the right atrium in a patient with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A

We report the first case of successful surgical resection of a malignant phaeochromocytoma with tumour extension into vena cava and right atrium in a patient with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A. A 21-year-old woman with genetic confirmation of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A syndrome was diagnosed with a very rare case of malignant phaeochromocytoma with tumour thrombus extension into vena cava and right atrium causing Budd-Chiari syndrome. It posed a challenge to the surgeons with regard to complete tumour resection and vascular control. Reviewing the limited literature, surgical resection by means of cardiopulmonary bypass with hypothermic circulatory arrest has been reported with success in phaeochromocytoma with advance vascular involvement. Adopting this approach, adrenalectomy with complete thrombus excision by inferior vena cava exploration and right atriotomy were performed successfully by a multidisciplinary team.published_or_final_versio

Polymorphism rs4919510:C>G in Mature Sequence of Human MicroRNA-608 Contributes to the Risk of HER2-Positive Breast Cancer but Not Other Subtypes

BACKGROUND: A few polymorphisms are located in the mature microRNA sequences. Such polymorphisms could directly affect the binding of microRNA to hundreds of target mRNAs. It remains unknown whether rs4919510:C>G located in the mature miR-608 alters breast cancer susceptibility. METHODS: The association of rs4919510:C>G with risk and pathologic features of breast cancer were investigated in two independent case-control studies, the first set including 1,138 sporadic breast cancer patients (including 927 invasive ductal carcinoma patients, 777 of them with known subtypes: 496 luminal-like, 133 HER2-positive, and 148 triple-negative) and 1,434 community-based controls, and the second set including 294 familial/early-onset breast cancer patients and 500 hospital-based cancer-free controls. Odds ratios (ORs) were estimated by logistic regression. Predicted targets of miR-608 and complementary sequences containing rs4919510:C>G were surveyed to reveal potential pathological mechanism. RESULTS: In the first set, although rs4919510:C>G was unrelated to breast cancer in general patients, variant genotypes (CG/GG) were specifically associated with increased risk of HER2-positive subtype (Adjusted OR = 1.97, 95% CI, 1.34-2.90 in the recessive model). Variant G-allele was the risk allele with OR of 1.62 (95% CI, 1.23-2.15). Patients carrying GG-genotype also had larger HER2-positive tumors (P for Kruskal-Wallis test = 0.006). The relationship between rs4919510:C>G and risk of HER2-positive subgroup was validated in the second set (Bonferroni corrected P = 0.06). The adjusted combined OR (total 164 HER2-positive cases) in the recessive model was 1.97 (95% CI, 1.43-2.72) for GG genotype (corrected P = 1.1 × 10(-4)). Bioinformatic analysis indicated that, HSF1, which is required for HER2-induced tumorigenesis, might be a target of miR-608. The minimum free-energy of ancestral-miR-608 (C-allele) binding to HSF1 is -35.9 kcal/mol, while that of variant-form (G-allele) is -31.5 kcal/mol, indicating a lower affinity of variant-miR-608 to HSF1 mRNA. CONCLUSION: rs4919510:C>G in mature miR-608 may influence HER2-positive breast cancer risk and tumor proliferation

Time series analysis of dengue fever and weather in Guangzhou, China

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Monitoring and predicting dengue incidence facilitates early public health responses to minimize morbidity and mortality. Weather variables are potential predictors of dengue incidence. This study explored the impact of weather variability on the transmission of dengue fever in the subtropical city of Guangzhou, China.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Time series Poisson regression analysis was performed using data on monthly weather variables and monthly notified cases of dengue fever in Guangzhou, China for the period of 2001-2006. Estimates of the Poisson model parameters was implemented using the Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) approach; the quasi-likelihood based information criterion (QICu) was used to select the most parsimonious model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two best fitting models, with the smallest QICu values, are selected to characterize the relationship between monthly dengue incidence and weather variables. Minimum temperature and wind velocity are significant predictors of dengue incidence. Further inclusion of minimum humidity in the model provides a better fit.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Minimum temperature and minimum humidity, at a lag of one month, are positively associated with dengue incidence in the subtropical city of Guangzhou, China. Wind velocity is inversely associated with dengue incidence of the same month. These findings should be considered in the prediction of future patterns of dengue transmission.</p

Intraflagellar Transport (IFT) Protein IFT25 Is a Phosphoprotein Component of IFT Complex B and Physically Interacts with IFT27 in Chlamydomonas

BACKGROUND: Intraflagellar transport (IFT) is the bidirectional movement of IFT particles between the cell body and the distal tip of a flagellum. Organized into complexes A and B, IFT particles are composed of at least 18 proteins. The function of IFT proteins in flagellar assembly has been extensively investigated. However, much less is known about the molecular mechanism of how IFT is regulated. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We herein report the identification of a novel IFT particle protein, IFT25, in Chlamydomonas. Dephosphorylation assay revealed that IFT25 is a phosphoprotein. Biochemical analysis of temperature sensitive IFT mutants indicated that IFT25 is an IFT complex B subunit. In vitro binding assay confirmed that IFT25 binds to IFT27, a Rab-like small GTPase component of the IFT complex B. Immunofluorescence staining showed that IFT25 has a punctuate flagellar distribution as expected for an IFT protein, but displays a unique distribution pattern at the flagellar base. IFT25 co-localizes with IFT27 at the distal-most portion of basal bodies, probably the transition zones, and concentrates in the basal body region by partially overlapping with other IFT complex B subunits, such as IFT46. Sucrose density gradient centrifugation analysis demonstrated that, in flagella, the majority of IFT27 and IFT25 including both phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated forms are cosedimented with other complex B subunits in the 16S fractions. In contrast, in cell body, only a fraction of IFT25 and IFT27 is integrated into the preassembled complex B, and IFT25 detected in complex B is preferentially phosphorylated. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: IFT25 is a phosphoprotein component of IFT particle complex B. IFT25 directly interacts with IFT27, and these two proteins likely form a subcomplex in vivo. We postulate that the association and disassociation between the subcomplex of IFT25 and IFT27 and complex B might be involved in the regulation of IFT

High mesothelin correlates with chemoresistance and poor survival in epithelial ovarian carcinoma

The objective of this paper is to investigate the mesothelin expression level to the clinicopathological features, chemoresponse, and to the outcome of patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC). Mesothelin mRNA was detected by real-time quantitative reverse-transcription PCR in 139 EOC patients. Clinical characteristics, histopathological items, responses to chemotherapy, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were recorded. Tumours with advanced stages had higher mesothelin than those with early stages. The chemoresistant patients showed significantly higher mesothelin than did chemosensitive patients (2.81 vs 0.43, P<0.001), irrespective of optimal or suboptimal surgery in those with advanced stages. Highly expressed levels of mesothelin were an independent but poor prognostic factor in the PFS (2.03 (1.23–3.37) P=0.006) and OS (3.72 (1.64–8.45), P=0.002) of the 139 EOC patients in multivariate analysis. In addition, patients in advanced stages with highly expressed mesothelin also had significantly worse OS, regardless of whether they had undergone optimal (13.85 (1.76–125.60), P=0.013) or suboptimal (4.47 (1.83–10.88), P=0.001) debulking surgery in multivariate analysis. Out results provide new evidence that mesothelin expression is associated with chemoresistance and with shorter disease-free survival and worse OS of patients with EOC

Chuanxiongzine relaxes isolated corpus cavernosum strips and raises intracavernous pressure in rabbits

It has been shown that there are many Chinese traditional herbals that can enhance sexual activity. Chuanxiongzine is a vasoactive ingredient that has been isolated and purified from Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. In previous studies, it has been found that chuanxiongzine was effective in relaxing rabbit corpus cavernosum smooth muscle. We determined the effects of chuanxiongzine on relaxation of isolated corpus cavernosum strips in vitro and on increase of intracavernous pressure (ICP) in vivo in rabbits. Chuanxiongzine caused a concentration-dependent relaxation of phenylephrine precontracted isolated corpus cavernosum strips (EC50 1.58 × 10−4 mol l−1), which were endothelium independent and NO independent. However, the guanylyl cyclase inhibitor 1-H-[1,2,4] oxadiazolo [4,3-a] quinoxalin-1-one significantly shifted the chuanxiongzine concentration–response relationship to the right. Although there was no significant difference in the level of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in isolated corpus cavernosum strips treated with chuanxiongzine or vehicle, chuanxiongzine caused a significant rise in the level of cGMP and cAMP in isolated corpus cavernosum strips pretreated with the activator of adenylyl cyclase forskolin and the source of NO sodium nitroprusside. In an in vivo study, chuanxiongzine dose-dependently raised ICP after the intracavernous injection of its cumulative doses (0.5, 1, 2 and 5 mg kg−1). The ICP increased from baseline to 19.1±3.7, 24.8±2.1, 30.2±4.8 and 39.7±6.1 mm Hg, respectively, and the duration of tumescence ranged from 8.5±2.8 to 22.9±7.3 min. Our results show that chuanxiongzine can relax isolated corpus cavernosum strips of rabbits in vitro and increase ICP of rabbits in vivo, which is neither endothelium dependent nor NO dependent, but may be partly mediated by the inhibition of cAMP phosphodiesterase or cGMP phosphodiesterase

The Healing Process of Intracorporeally and In Situ Devitalized Distal Femur by Microwave in a Dog Model and Its Mechanical Properties In Vitro

Background: Limb-salvage surgery has been well recognized as a standard treatment and alternative to amputation for patients with malignant bone tumors. Various limb-sparing techniques have been developed including tumor prosthesis, allograft, autograft and graft-prosthesis composite. However, each of these methods has short- and long-term disadvantages such as nonunion, mechanical failures and poor limb function. The technique of intracorporeal devitalization of tumor-bearing bone segment in situ by microwave-induced hyperthermia after separating it from surrounding normal tissues with a safe margin is a promising limb-salvage method, which may avoid some shortcomings encountered by the above-mentioned conventional techniques. The purpose of this study is to assess the healing process and revitalization potential of the devitalized bone segment by this method in a dog model. In addition, the immediate effect of microwave on the biomechanical properties of bone tissue was also explored in an in vitro experiment. Methods: We applied the microwave-induced hyperthermia to devitalize the distal femurs of dogs in situ. Using a monopole microwave antenna, we could produce a necrotic bone of nearly 20 mm in length in distal femur. Radiography, bone scintigraphy, microangiography, histology and functional evaluation were performed at 2 weeks and 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months postoperatively to assess the healing process. In a biomechanical study, two kinds of bone specimens, 3 and 6 cm in length, were used for compression and three-point bending test respectively immediately after extracorporeall

Search for rare quark-annihilation decays, B --> Ds(*) Phi

We report on searches for B- --> Ds- Phi and B- --> Ds*- Phi. In the context of the Standard Model, these decays are expected to be highly suppressed since they proceed through annihilation of the b and u-bar quarks in the B- meson. Our results are based on 234 million Upsilon(4S) --> B Bbar decays collected with the BABAR detector at SLAC. We find no evidence for these decays, and we set Bayesian 90% confidence level upper limits on the branching fractions BF(B- --> Ds- Phi) Ds*- Phi)<1.2x10^(-5). These results are consistent with Standard Model expectations.Comment: 8 pages, 3 postscript figues, submitted to Phys. Rev. D (Rapid Communications

TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives