Primary endometrial natural killer (NK)/T cell lymphoma: case report and review of literature

Primary natural killer (NK)/T cell lymphoma of the uterus is extremely rare. A case of primary NK/T cell lymphoma arising from the endometrium of the uterus was diagnosed by curettage which demonstrated the typical pathological characteristics of NK/T cell lymphoma. The patient received induction chemotherapy but refused hysterectomy. Later she developed bone marrow infiltration and eventually died on day 76 after diagnosis. The natural course of primary endometrial (NK)/T cell lymphoma was very aggressive. Conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy may be ineffective for this aggressive disease.

Incidence, diagnosis, and outcomes of vocal fold immobility after esophageal atresia (EA) and/or tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) repair

BACKGROUND

The diagnosis of vocal fold paralysis in an infant is a devastating finding that may require a permanent tracheotomy. The incidence of congenital vocal fold paralysis is unknown, but it is thought to be more common in infants with anatomic anomalies in the aero-digestive system. Vocal fold paralysis after surgical repair of esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula is a rare finding often diagnosed after multiple failed extubations. Currently infants do not routinely undergo documentation of vocal fold motion prior to esophageal atresia repair. We report here on our experience with this rare complication.

METHOD

A retrospective review was done of patients with esophageal atresia and/or tracheoesophageal fistula from 1985 to 2009. Patient demographics, operative techniques, and outcomes were collected.

RESULTS

150 patients were identified. Mean age at surgical intervention was 12 ± 33 days. Otolaryngology service was consulted for 13% of patients with postoperative failure. Awake fiberoptic laryngoscopy identified 3% of patients with vocal fold paralysis. Bilateral vocal fold paralysis was found in 3 patients, and 2 patients had unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Patients with bilateral paralysis were treated with tracheotomy; unilateral paralysis was treated expectantly.

CONCLUSION

In this study, 3% of patients were diagnosed with vocal fold paralysis after esophageal atresia repair. The etiology of vocal fold paralysis in this study is difficult to assess. Pre-operative fiberoptic laryngoscopy is recommended to identify children with congenital vocal fold paralysis prior to surgical intervention, especially in those requiring revision surgery.

Analysis of properties and proinflammatory functions of cockroach allergens Per a 1.01s

Cockroaches have been identified as one of the major indoor allergens inducing perennial rhinitis and asthma. Per a 1s are a group of the major allergens from American cockroach. Although Per a 1s are major allergens from American cockroach, factors contributing to the allergenicity of Per a 1s are still poorly defined. To investigate the effects of Per a 1s on the expression of PARs and the release of proinflammatory cytokines from mast cells. Per a 1.0101 and Per a 1.0104 were cloned from American cockroach and then expressed in Eschericia coli. The purified allergens were used to stimulate P815 mast cells, and the expression of protease-activated receptors (PARs) was determined by real-time RT-PCR and flow cytometry. The levels of IL-4 and IL-13 in culture media were detected with ELISA. Sera from 80 and 77.3% of cockroach allergy patients reacted to recombinant Per a (rPer a) 1.0101 and rPer a 1.0104, confirming they are major allergens. Both rPer a 1.0101 and rPer a 1.0104 had no enzymatic activity, but rPer a 1.0101 upregulated the expression of PAR-1 and PAR-2, and rPer a 1.0104 enhanced the expression of PAR-1 and PAR-4 proteins. Both recombinant allergens were able to increase the release of IL-4 and IL-13 from P815 mast cells. This is the first study aiming to investigate functions of group 1 allergens of American cockroach. rPer a 1.0101 and rPer a 1.0104 have the capacity to upregulate the expression of PARs and to enhance Th2 cytokine production in mast cells.

Free-standing ZnO-CuO composite nanowire array films and their gas sensing properties

A modified hydrothermal method was developed to synthesize ZnO-CuO composite nanostructures. A free-standing film made of ZnO-CuO nanostructures was assembled on the surface of the hydrothermal solution with a smooth surface on one side and a spherical surface on the other side. The structure, growth mechanism and the optical properties of the composite nanostructures were studied. Structural characterizations indicate that the composite nanostructure mainly consisted of two single-crystal phases of CuO and ZnO. The sensitivity for CO gas detection was significantly improved for the composite CuO-ZnO nanostructure film. This method offers a possible route for the fabrication of free-standing nanostructure films of different functional composite oxides.

Human Angiostrongylus cantonensis: an update

Angiostrongylus cantonensis was first discovered in 1935 and has become an important emerging pathogen causing human angiostrongyliasis. Major outbreaks of human angiostrongyliasis have been reported in endemic regions. Thousands of cases of human angiostrongyliasis have been documented worldwide. A. cantonensis has spread from its traditional endemic regions of the Pacific islands and Southeast Asia to the American continent including the USA, Caribbean islands and Brazil. Humans acquire A. cantonensis by consumption of raw or undercooked intermediate snail hosts or paratenic hosts. The main clinical manifestations of human angiostrongyliasis are eosinophilic meningitis and ocular angiostrongyliasis. The treatment of this disease includes supportive treatment, corticosteroid therapy, and combined therapy with corticosteroids and anthelminthics. The most effective method for prevention is to persuade people not to eat raw or undercooked intermediate and paratenic hosts.

Aliskiren vs. angiotensin receptor blockers in hypertension: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Aliskiren, a newly discovered renin inhibitor, blocks the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) from the top of the enzyme cascade and therefore, might provide comparable or even superior clinical efficacy of blood pressure (BP) control than angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). With this meta-analysis, we aimed to compare the efficacy and tolerability of aliskiren and ARBs in the treatment of hypertension in the short-term treatment period.

METHODS

Reports of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing aliskiren and ARBs in patients with hypertension were selected by a search of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, and EMBASE. The main outcome measures were reduction in diastolic BP (DBP) and systolic BP (SBP) and rates of therapeutic response and BP control. We also compared the tolerability of aliskiren and ARBs. Revman v5.0 was used to obtain the pooled estimates.

RESULTS

We analyzed data from 10 reports of trials involving 3,732 participants. DBP and SBP reduction did not differ between aliskiren and ARBs (weighted mean difference (WMD), -0.18; 95% confidence interval (CI), -1.07 to 0.71, and WMD, 0.15; 95% CI, -1.38 to 1.69, respectively). Aliskiren and ARB treatment did not differ in rates of BP control or therapeutic response. Moreover, aliskiren and ARB treatment led to a similar number of adverse events, severe adverse events, and withdrawal due to adverse events.

CONCLUSION

Aliskiren is as effective as ARBs (losartan, valsartan, and irbesartan) in controlling BP and does not differ from ARBs in risk of adverse events.

Preservation of islet survival by upregulating α3 integrin signaling: the importance of 3-dimensional islet culture in basement membrane extract

AIM

Islet transplantation is a promising treatment to cure diabetes, but is associated with a high rate of early graft failure. The isolation process leads to the loss of the surrounding extracellular matrix, resulting in eventual islet disintegration and apoptosis. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects on the viability of isolated islets of embedding islets in reconstituted basement membrane extract (BME), which is similar to the normal peri-islet BM composition in vivo.

METHODS

Isolated mouse islets were embedded in BME gel for 24 or 48 hours. Expression of caspase-3, α3, and α5, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), phosphor-FAK, and pancreatic duodenal homeobox factor (PDX)-1 were detected with Western immunoblotting.

RESULTS

Impaired aggregation of single islet cells could only be observed in non-BME medium. Islets embedded in BME gel were partially protected from anoikis showed decreased caspase-3 compared with non-BME islets. We also observed an increase of α3 integrin, FAK protein level, and FAK activity. Furthermore, expression of PDX-1 was preserved at 48 hours, suggesting a positive contribution of BME to β-cell activity.

CONCLUSION

These results indicated that embedding islets in BME can upregulate α3 integrin, which may result in preservation of viability and function of isolated islets.

Enhanced production of aureofuscin by over-expression of AURJ3M, positive regulator of aureofuscin biosynthesis in Streptomyces aureofuscus

AIMS

 The production of aureofuscin is very low in the wild-type strain. We attempt to increase the production of aureofuscin by over-expression of a controlling gene in the wild-type strain.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The aurj3M gene was PCR-amplified from Streptomyces aureofuscus SYAU0709, ligated into vector pMD19 and sequenced. The predicted translation of the 579-bp cloned fragment was 97% similar to pimM from Streptomyces natalensis, which has an N-terminal PAS domain and a LuxR-type C-terminal helix-turn-helix. Recombinant bacterial strains were constructed by transforming SYAU0709 with an expression plasmid (pBJJ3M) that contained aurj3M, thereby increasing the number of aurj3M gene copies.

CONCLUSIONS

Bioassays for the antibiotic compound aureofuscin indicated that the recombinant bacteria had greater antifungal activity than the wild-type strain. Specifically, the recombinant strain produced approx. 600% more aureofuscin, as quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

To our knowledge, this approach has not been attempted in S. aureofuscus before and few genes in the aureofuscin pathway have been cloned and characterized.