Periorbital erythema and swelling as a presenting sign of lupus erythematosus in tertiary referral centers and literature review

Background Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) includes a broad range of dermatologic manifestations. Periorbital involvement, however, is a relatively rare clinical presentation of CLE. Objectives This clinical study aimed to investigate the characteristics of this unique presentation of CLE in tertiary medical centers. Methods We enrolled patients with periorbital erythema and swelling as the presenting sign of lupus erythematosus, from January 2003 to November 2017, using the data of 553 pathologically proven CLE cases from the registration database of the Chang Gung Memorial Hospitals in Taiwan. Results We enrolled a total of 25 patients. The mean age was 46.7 years and 68% of the patients were female. Most of the patients (84.0%) presented with unilateral involvement, with the left orbit involved in 15 patients (60%); the upper eyelid was the most frequently involved (72%). Mean duration between the onset of clinical manifestations and the diagnosis of CLE was approximately 59 weeks. Nineteen patients had been previously misdiagnosed. All patients had features compatible with CLE on histopathological examination. In contrast, laboratory analysis of the autoimmune profile often revealed negative results, including those for antinuclear antibodies (25%). Notably, anti-SSA/SSB (45.5%) showed the highest positive rate. During follow-up, six patients developed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and two patients developed Sjögren syndrome. Conclusions The diagnosis of CLE presenting as periorbital erythema and swelling is often delayed because of clinical mimicry and the high proportion of negative results on autoantibody tests. Increased clinical suspicion and prompt histopathological examination are crucial for early diagnosis. Moreover, one-fourth of the patients ultimately developed SLE, which highlights the importance of clinical awareness.

[Genes Expression in the Early Stage of Acute Renal Ischemia-reperfusion Injury in Rats]

OBJECTIVES

To study the differential genes expression in the early stage of acute renal ischemia-reperfusion injury and explore potential molecular mechanisms.

METHODS

The ischemia-reperfusion model was made via clamping renal artery of rat. The microarray detection and bioinformatics analyzing of the genes expression were performed. Differentially expressed genes were screened and related cellular activities and signaling pathways were analyzed in early stage of acute kidney injury. Meanwhile, molecules closely relative to acute kidney injury were explored by establishing a biological network of the differentially expressed genes, and the results were verified by real-time PCR.

RESULTS

A total of 151 genes showed differential expression in this study, including 132 up-regulated and 19 down-regulated genes. Cell proliferation, cytokines mediated signaling transduction and immune responses were greatly enriched by GO and KEGG analysis. The results of real-time PCR showed that compared with control groups, three selected genes （ANXA1, PHLDA1 and KLF6） which related to the acute kidney injury had an obvious differential expression in the early stage of disease. The multiple of increase was essentially the same as the multiple detected by microarray.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows differential gene expression profile, related biological processes and signaling pathways involved in the early stage of acute kidney injury. ANXA1, PHLDA1 and KLF6 may play a role in the pathogenesis of acute kidney injury.

Valorization of aluminum scrap via an acid-washing treatment for reductive removal of toxic bromate from water

Aluminum scrap (AS) is adopted for the first time as a readily available aluminum source to prepare zero-valent aluminum (ZVAl) for removing bromate from water via a reductive reaction. Since aluminum is easily oxidized to aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) on exposure to air, an acid-washing pretreatment on AS is developed to remove the layer of Al₂O₃. HCl is found as the most effective acid to pretreat AS and the HCl-pretreated or acid-washed AS (AWAS) is able to remove bromate from water and convert it to bromide. Factors, such as temperature, pH, co-existing anions, and particle size, which influence the bromate removal using AWAS are also investigated. The mechanism of bromate removal by AWAS can be attributed to both reduction and adsorption. The elevated temperature also significantly improves bromate removal capacity of AWAS as well as the reaction kinetics. The bromate removal capacity of AWAS is substantially improved under acidic conditions. However, the basic conditions and co-existing anions suppress or interfere with the interaction between bromate and AWAS, leading to much lower removal capacities. The recyclability of AWAS is also evaluated and the acid-washing regeneration is necessary to restore its capacity. However, the mass of AWAS can gradually decrease due to multi-cycle acid-washing regeneration. Through this study, the valorization of AS via acid-washing is demonstrated and optimization of acid-washing parameters is presented. Our findings reveal that the acid-washing is a useful technique to utilize AS as an inexpensive and efficient material for removing bromate from water.

[Expression of PDGFRA and CMYC in extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma and their prognostic implications]

Objective: To investigate the relationship between expression of PDGFRA/CMYC and clinicopathologic features of extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma. Methods: Fifty-four cases of extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma were included in the study.Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of CD20, CD2, CD3, CD56, TIA1, GrB, Ki-67, PDGFRA and CMYC.In situ hybridization was performed to detect the presence of EBV encoded small RNA (EBER). Fifty cases of nasopharyngeal mucosal lymphoid tissue hyperplasia were used as normal control. Results: Among 54 cases of ENKTL, CD2, CD3, GrB, and TIA1 were expressed in all the tumors. CD56 was expressed in 47 cases (81.0%) and CD20 was not detectable in any cases. Ki-67 proliferative index expression of > 60% was found in 45 cases (83.3%). In situ hybridization for EBER was positive in all cases (100%). The positive expression rates of PDGFRA and CMYC in extranodal NK/T-cell lymphomas were 51.9%(28/54) and 53.7%(29/54), respectively, much higher than those in nasopharyngeal mucosal lymphoid tissue hyperplasia (0, P<0.05). There was a positive correlation between PDGFRA and CMYC (r=0.295, P<0.05). The expression of CMYC was correlated with clinical efficacy (P<0.05), but not with gender, age, Ann Arbor stage, B symptoms and therapeutic regimen (all P>0.05). The expression of PDGFRA was correlated with B symptoms (P<0.05), while not with gender, age, Ann Arbor stage, therapeutic regimen and clinical efficacy (all P>0.05). The co-expression of PDGFRA and CMYC was not correlated with gender, age, Ann Arbor stage, B symptoms, therapeutic regimen and clinical efficacy (P>0.05). Univariate analysis showed that the stage, clinical efficacy, CMYC protein and the co-expression of PDGFRA and CMYC were significantly correlated with the prognosis. The overall survival of the patients with CMYC positive expression was shorter than of that of the patients with negative expression (P<0.05). Multivariable Cox regression analysis further confirmed that clinical stage, CMYC protein expression, and the co-expression of PDGFRA and CMYC were independent prognostic factors in patients with extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma. Conclusion: CMYC protein, and the co-expression of PDGFRA and CMYC can be as an independent prognostic factor in patients with extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma and influence the prognosis of patients.

[Clinical and pathologic observation of uveal metastatic carcinoma]

Objective: To observe the clinical and pathological features of uveal metastatic carcinoma. Methods: It was a retrospective case series study. The clinical manifestation, growth pattern, tumor types and relative pathological features of 13 patients visiting from January 1980 to December 2014 with uveal metastatic carcinoma in Tianjin Eye Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. Results: There were 13 cases, 6 cases of male and 7 of female. Age was from 37.0 to 66.0 years old. The mean age was 52.1 years old. all cases were monocular. There were 5 cases with right eye and 8 cases with left eye. Among 13 cases, 10 tumors were in posterior choroid, one tumor was in anterior choroid and ciliary body, 2 tumors were in the iris. There were 5 patients with lung cancer, 4 patients with breast cancer, 1 patient with prostate cancer, 1 patient with thyroid cancer and 1 patient with esophageal cancer. The primary tumor wasn't found in 1 patient. The rapid decrease of visual acuity showed in 10 patients with posterior choroidal metastatic carcinoma, 8 of them accompanied with extensive retinal detachment and 6 of them had secondary glaucoma. The multiple gray-white nodule or pink cauliflower mass on the papillary margin of iris were showed respectively in 2 patients with iris metastatic carcinoma. The pathological examination found that posterior choroidal metastatic carcinoma mainly located in temporal or nasal side choroids in 10 cases, among them, local or diffuse flat choroidal masses showed in 6cases, extensive mass involving choroid and ciliary body showed in 1 case, large nodular or globular choroidal mass showed in 2 cases, choroidal mass surrounded the optic disc in 1 case, optic nerve invasion showed in 3 cases and extraocular or orbital invasion showed in 3 cases. The scleral and subconjunctival invasion showed in 1 case of anterior choroid and ciliary body metastatic carcinoma. Conclusions: Uveal metastatic carcinoma manifested various growth pattern, the rapid decrease of visual acuity, flat or nodular choroidal solid mass, secondary retinal detachment and glaucoma were common clinical features. Some cases might invade extraocular or orbital tissue. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2016, 52: 769-774).

Enzyme activity and morphological change in the spleens of crucian carp in the Yongcheng coal mine subsidence area, China

The goal of the current study was to investigate the effects of pollution on aquatic organisms in the Yongcheng coal mine subsidence area. Crucian carp (Carassius auratus) were collected from Yongcheng natural fishpond (experimental group) and Tianmu Lake (control group), and the spleens were isolated for analysis. Subsequently, histological changes, DNA damage, and antioxidant enzyme activity were assessed. The result showed that there were more vacuoles, widened blood sinus cavities, increased partial dot necrosis, and a larger number of brown-yellow nodules in splenic sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin in the experimental group than in the control group. Additionally, it was not easy to distinguish red pulp from white pulp in the experimental group. The antioxidant enzyme activity in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.01). Comet assay results showed varying degrees of tailing and DNA chain breaks in the experimental group, and further analysis demonstrated that the tail length and tail moment were significantly increased compared to those in the control group (P < 0.01). These results suggest that the spleen antioxidant defense system was severely damaged in crucian carp from the Yongcheng coal mine subsidence area.

Antisite disorder driven spontaneous exchange bias effect in La(2-x)Sr(x) CoMnO₆ (0 ⩽ x ⩽ 1)

Doping at the rare-earth site by divalent alkaline-earth ions in perovskite lattice has witnessed a variety of magnetic and electronic orders with spatially correlated charge, spin and orbital degrees of freedom. Here, we report an antisite disorder driven spontaneous exchange bias effect as a result of hole carrier (Sr(2+)) doping in La(2-x)Sr(x)CoMnO6 (0  <  x  <  1) double perovskites. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy have evidenced an increase in disorder with the increase of Sr content up to x  =  0.5 and thereby a decrease from x  =  0.5 to 1. X-ray absorption spectroscopy has revealed that only Co is present in the mixed valence of Co(2+) and Co(3+) states with Sr doping to compensate the charge neutrality. Magnetotransport is strongly correlated with the increase of antisite disorder. The antisite disorder at the B-site interrupts the long-range ferromagnetic order by introducing various magnetic interactions and instigates reentrant glassy dynamics, phase separation and canted type antiferromagnetic behavior with the decrease of temperature. This leads to a novel magnetic microstructure with unidirectional anisotropy that causes a spontaneous exchange bias effect that can be tuned with the amount of antisite disorder.

Characterization and functional analysis of a chitin synthase gene (HcCS1) identified from the freshwater pearlmussel Hyriopsis cumingii

The triangle sail mussel, Hyriopsis cumingii, is the most important freshwater pearl mussel in China. However, the mechanisms underlying its chitin-mediated shell and nacre formation remain largely unknown. Here, we characterized a chitin synthase (CS) gene (HcCS1) in H. cumingii, and analyzed its possible physiological function. The complete ORF sequence of HcCS1 contained 6903 bp, encoding a 2300-amino acid protein (theoretical molecular mass = 264 kDa; isoelectric point = 6.22), and no putative signal peptide was predicted. A myosin motor head domain, a CS domain, and 12 transmembrane domains were found. The predicted spatial structures of the myosin head and CS domains were similar to the electron microscopic structure of the heavy meromyosin subfragment of chicken smooth muscle myosin and the crystal structure of bacterial cellulose synthase, respectively. This structural similarity indicates that the functions of these two domains might be conserved. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR results showed that HcCS1 was present in all detected tissues, with the highest expression levels detected in the mantle. The HcCS1 transcripts in the mantle were upregulated following shell damage from 12 to 24 h post-damage, and they peaked (approximately 1.5-fold increase) at 12 h after shell damage. These findings suggest that HcCS1 was involved in shell regeneration, and that it might participate in shell and nacre formation in this species via chitin synthesis. HcCS1 might also dynamically regulate chitin deposition during the process of shell and nacre formation with the help of its conserved myosin head domain.

Nitride micro-LEDs and beyond--a decade progress review

Since their inception, micro-size light emitting diode (µLED) arrays based on III-nitride semiconductors have emerged as a promising technology for a range of applications. This paper provides an overview on a decade progresses on realizing III-nitride µLED based high voltage single-chip AC/DC-LEDs without power converters to address the key compatibility issue between LEDs and AC power grid infrastructure; and high-resolution solid-state self-emissive microdisplays operating in an active driving scheme to address the need of high brightness, efficiency and robustness of microdisplays. These devices utilize the photonic integration approach by integrating µLED arrays on-chip. Other applications of nitride µLED arrays are also discussed.

Optical coupling from InGaAs subcell to InGaP subcell in InGaP/InGaAs/Ge multi-junction solar cells

Spatially-resolved electroluminescence (EL) images in the triple-junction InGaP/InGaAs/Ge solar cell have been investigated to demonstrate the subcell coupling effect. Upon irradiating the infrared light with an energy below bandgap of the active layer in the top subcell, but above that in the middle subcell, the EL of the top subcell quenches. By analysis of EL intensity as a function of irradiation level, it is found that the coupled p-n junction structure and the photovoltaic effect are responsible for the observed EL quenching. With optical coupling and photoswitching effects in the multi-junction diode, a concept of infrared image sensors is proposed.

Field observations and management strategy for hot spring wastewater in Wulai area, Taiwan

Hot springs are important centers for recreation and tourism. However, the pollution that may potentially be caused by hot spring wastewater has rarely been discussed. More than half of Taiwan's hot springs are located in areas where the water quality of water bodies is to be protected, and untreated wastewater could pollute the receiving water bodies. In this study, we investigate hot spring wastewater in the Wulai area, one of Taiwan's famous hot spring resorts. Used water from five hot spring hotels was sampled and ten sampling events were carried out to evaluate the changes in the quality of used water in different seasons, at different periods of the week, and from different types of hotels. The concentrations of different pollutants in hot spring wastewater were found to exhibit wide variations, as follows: COD, 10-250 mg/L; SS, N.D.-93 mg/L; NH(3)-N, 0.01-1.93 mg/L; TP, 0.01-0.45 mg/L; and E. coli, 10-27,500 CFU/100 mL. The quality of hot spring wastewater depends on the operation of public pools, because this affects the frequency of supplementary fresh water and the outflow volume. Two management strategies, namely, onsite treatment systems and individually packaged treatment equipment, are considered, and a multi-objective optimization model is used to determine the optimal strategy.

Detection of human cytomegalovirus in the atherosclerotic cerebral arteries in Han population in China

The association of atherosclerosis (AS) and Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection was studied. AS plays an important role in the brain stroke and HCMV infection is supposed to be involved in the process of atherosclerotic formation. The presence of HCMV DNA and antigens was examined in the internal carotid arteries collected from 35 patients with ischemic stroke and from 20 patients from the control population. All patients belonged to the ethnic Han population in China. Three methods, immunohistochemistry (IHC), hybridization in situ (HIS), and PCR were used to detect the HCMV immediate early (IE) and late (L) antigens as well as viral DNA in vessel walls. Levels of HCMV IE gene/protein were significantly higher in the stroke group than in control group detected by the three methods (IHC 34.3% vs. 10.0%; HIS 40.0% vs. 10.0; PCR 60.0% vs. 30.0%). However, there was no significant difference in the levels of HCMV L gene/protein between these two groups of patients (IHC 11.4% vs. 5.0%; HIS 11.4% vs. 10.0%; PCR 20.0% vs. 20.0%). We concluded that the presence of HCMV IE antigen and HCMV DNA in the vessel wall was associated with the pathological process of AS formation.

Room-temperature ferromagnetism in carbon-doped ZnO

We report ferromagnetism in carbon-doped ZnO. Our first-principles calculations based on density functional theory predicted a magnetic moment of 2.02 mu(B) per carbon when carbon substitutes oxygen in ZnO, and an ferromagnetic coupling among magnetic moments of the carbon dopants. The theoretical prediction was confirmed experimentally. C-doped ZnO films deposited by pulsed-laser deposition showed ferromagnetism with Curie temperatures higher than 400 K. The measured magnetic moment based on the content of carbide in the films [(1.5-3.0) mu(B) per carbon] was in agreement with the theoretical prediction. The magnetism is due to the Zn-C system in the ZnO environment.

The epidermal growth factor receptor intron1 (CA) n microsatellite polymorphism is a potential predictor of treatment outcome in patients with advanced lung cancer treated with Gefitinib

The goal of our study was to assess the association between R497K and intron1 (CA) n repeat genetic polymorphisms of the EGF (epidermal growth factor) receptor and the clinical outcome of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with EGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor. We determined the genotypes for R497K and intron1 (CA) n repeat genetic polymorphisms of 70 Chinese patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Genetic polymorphisms were correlated with the clinical outcome of treatment with EGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor. In a subgroup of patients whose tumor tissues were available for mutation analysis and IHC (immunohistochemistry) assay, the associations between the EGF receptor mutations, the EGF receptor protein expression levels and EGF receptor polymorphisms were analyzed. The results indicated that patients with a lower number of EGF receptor CA repeats (any allele < or =16 CA) were more likely to have higher EGF receptor protein expression levels, better response, and longer survival time than were patients with a higher number of CA repeats (both alleles >16 CA) after therapy targeted at the EGF receptor (P=0.021; P=0.014; P=0.0392, respectively). In contrast, the R497K polymorphism had no relationship with EGF receptor protein expression levels or the clinical outcome of the patients treated with EGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (P=0.49; P=0.452, respectively), and there were no associations between the two polymorphisms and somatic mutations (P=0.916; P=0.562, respectively). Overall, our data suggest that the intron1 (CA) n polymorphism of the EGF receptor gene may be associated with the sensitivity to and the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer after EGF receptor targeted inhibitor treatment.

Pigmentary disorders in Asian skin: treatment with laser and intense pulsed light sources

The development of selective photothermolysis has enabled removal of targets such as melanin. Both lasers and intense pulsed light (IPL) sources have been used in the treatment of pigmented lesions, however careful selection is important to ensure success. This is especially true in darker skinned individuals where the risk of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is high. The advent of the Q-switched laser, IPL, and now fractional photothermolysis (Fraxel, Reliant Technologies) offers a variety of ways to treat epidermal and dermal pigmentary disorders.

Integron-associated imipenem resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from a regional hospital in Taiwan

We investigated the genetic properties of imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii collected from a regional hospital in Taiwan. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis demonstrated that the isolates were genetically diverse. Polymerase chain reaction, DNA sequencing, and DNA-DNA hybridisation showed that the bla(IMP-1) gene resided as a cassette in a plasmid-borne class 1 integron in two isolates. The majority of the resistant isolates were plasmid-less and carried no bla(IMP), bla(VIM) or bla(CFI) genes, indicating that other uncharacterised metallo-beta-lactamases or mechanisms other than enzyme production are involved in carbapenem resistance in this group of A. baumannii. We conclude that multidrug resistance of A. baumannii was a combined effect of lateral gene transfer and clonal spread of multiple resistant clones. Strict measures should be implemented to control the further spread of resistance.

Effect of thermal treatment on carbon-doped silicon oxide low dielectric constant materials

Carbon-doped silicon oxide (SiOCH) low dielectric constant (low-k) material is a good candidate for advanced interconnect technology. Good thermal stability of the dielectric is required due to the many thermal processes involved during IC fabrication. The thermal stability of tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane (TMCTS) based plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) carbon doped low-k material with annealing temperature from 400 to 800 degrees C in N2 was studied. The thermal stability temperature of TMCTS based carbon doped low-k material is 600 degrees C. Above 600 degrees C annealing, the thermal energy can break Si-CH3, Si-C, Si-H, and C-H bonds leading to outgasing, which results in film composition change, weight loss, and thickness shrinkage. Film composition changes, especially carbon loss and oxygen incorporation, can degrade its reliability extremely. Carbon is desorbed in the form of CH4, CO, and other hydrocarbon.

Oral administration of an edible-mushroom-derived protein inhibits the development of food-allergic reactions in mice

BACKGROUND

Food allergy is a common disease without effective treatment. Since strict elimination of food allergens may be difficult, strategies for effective intervention are urgently needed.

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to investigate the prophylactic use of orally administrated FIP-fve, an immunomodulatory protein isolated from the edible mushroom Flammulina velutipes, in a murine model of food allergy.

METHODS

BALB/c mice were immunized twice intraperitoneally with ovalbumin (OVA), at an interval of 2 weeks. Before and during each period of immunization, FIP-fve (200 microg per mouse) or phosphate-buffered saline was given orally every other day with a total of five doses. Then OVA-specific antibodies and cytokine profiles were determined. Subsequently, the mice were orally challenged with OVA. Symptoms of anaphylaxis, levels of plasma histamine, and histology of intestines were examined.

RESULTS

Mice receiving oral FIP-fve treatment during sensitization to OVA had an impaired OVA-specific IgE response with a Th1-predominant cytokine profile. These mice were protected from systemic anaphylaxis-like symptoms induced by subsequent oral challenge with OVA.

CONCLUSION

Oral administration of FIP-fve has a Th1-skewing effect on the development of the allergen-specific immune response, and may serve the purpose of immunoprophylaxis for food allergy and other allergic diseases.

[Exogenous nitric oxide induces apoptosis in tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii]

OBJECTIVE

To explore whether NO is able to induce apoptosis in Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites.

METHODS

Apoptosis induced by NO in T. gondii tachyzoites was investigated by TUNEL (terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated d-UTP nick end labeling) method, electron microscopy and agarose gel electrophoresis.

RESULTS

NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), was found to induce apoptosis in Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites in a time- and dose-dependent manner by TUNEL detection. N-acetylcysteine, a NO scavenger, could inhibit SNP-induced apoptosis in the tachyzoites while potassium ferricyanide could not induce apoptosis in the tachyzoite. Electron macroscopy showed that SNP-treated tachyzoites possessed typical morphological features of apoptosis, including chromatin condensation below the nuclear membrane, nuclear pyknosis, and formation of apoptotic body. Agarose gel electrophoresis revealed that SNP-treated tachyzoite DNA fragment exhibited characteristic "DNA ladder" after 15 to 20 h.

CONCLUSION

SNP, NO donor, might induce apoptosis in T. gondii tachyzoites in terms of characteristic morphological and biochemical features.

[The effect of nitric oxide donor on the DNA content in Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoite]

OBJECTIVE

To determine the role of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in regulating DNA synthesis of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites.

METHODS

Hypodiploid peak of tachyzoite DNA induced by SNP was assessed according to DNA fragmentation. The effect of SNP on appearance of hypodiploid peak and the effect of Ca2+ on the growth of tachyzoites were evaluated. The intracellular Ca2+ chelator (BAPTA/AM), antagonist of Ca2+ channel (verapamil) and the extracellular Ca2+ chelator (EGTA) were used. The change of DNA content was measured by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

SNP inhibited DNA synthesis of tachyzoites in a dose- and time-dependent pattern. The antiproliferative effect of SNP on tachyzoites was inhibited by verapamil, EGTA and BAPTA/AM. The inhibition of the growth of tachyzoites by SNP was associated with increased subploid peak through a Ca(2+)-dependent mechanism.

CONCLUSION

SNP induced a hypodiploid peak in tachyzoites by altering the Ca2+ concentration in the plasma of tachyzoite, resulting in damages of the parasite.

Exogenous nitric oxide induces apoptosis in Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites via a calcium signal transduction pathway

The mechanism by which nitric oxide (NO)-dependent cytotoxicity acts against Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites is poorly understood. An NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), was used to induce death in T. gondii tachyzoites in vitro as a model for investigating (i) whether NO is capable of inducing apoptosis-like death in tachyzoites and (ii) whether a calcium signal transduction pathway is involved. Exposure to 2 mM SNP resulted in a pattern of tachyzoite death that shares many features with metazoan apoptosis and it may involve a calcium signal transduction pathway. Motility and cell survival in these parasites showed a gradual decline with increasing levels of SNP. Features common to metazoan apoptosis are observed after exposure to 2 mM SNP. Ethylene glycol bis-(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetra-acetic acid (EGTA), Verapamil and bis-(o-aminophenoxy) ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetra-acetic acid/acetoxymethyl ester (BAPTA/AM) partially increased the cell survival concomitant with decreased [Ca2+]i in cells exposed to SNP. An NO scavenger (N-acetylcysteine), the analogue of SNP (devoid of NO), inhibited the rate of apoptosis after SNP treatment compared with SNP treatment without scavenger, but alone did not induce apoptosis. Taken together, the results indicate that SNP is capable of inducing apoptosis in T. gondii tachyzoites via a calcium signal transduction pathway.

Estrogen receptor expression in an endometrial stromal sarcoma after tamoxifen therapy

INTRODUCTION

Several cases of low-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas in women with breast cancer have been reported to be associated with tamoxifen therapy. Estrogen receptor expression has been used to characterize the partial estrogenic action of tamoxifen on the endometrium and has been found in tamoxifen-associated endometrial pathologies.

CASE

A low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma in a woman with a history of breast cancer treated with adjuvant tamoxifen is presented. Steroid receptor studies performed on the tumor were negative for estrogen and positive for progesterone.

CONCLUSION

The absence of estrogen receptor expression suggests that endometrial stromal sarcomas are not necessarily caused by the estrogenic properties of tamoxifen.

Effects of SCH23390 and raclopride on a run-climb-run behavioral task in rats

The present study was designed to compare the putative differential behavioral consequences of treatment with SCH23390 (a selective dopamine D1 receptor blocker) and raclopride (a selective dopamine D2 receptor blocker) by employing a run-climb-run (RCR) behavioral task of different lengths. Rats were trained to traverse an uncovered floor alleyway (150 cm), climb a vertical rope (70 or 130 cm), and run across an upper board (100 cm) to access water for the reinforcement. At doses of 0.05, 0.10 and 0.15 mg/kg administered intraperitoneally 60 min before the behavioral session, both SCH23390 and raclopride significantly increased the total time to complete the tasks in a dose-related fashion. Microstructural analysis on the RCR behavioral performance revealed that the most apparent impairment induced by either drug was observed as the subject shifted motion from the end of the floor alleyway to the rope when hopping or to initiate climbing. However, the motion shift from climbing to running on the upper board was significantly impaired by raclopride, but not by SCH23390. Surprisingly, neither SCH23390 nor raclopride affected the climbing response itself. Running responses on the floor alleyway board were significantly disrupted by raclopride, whereas those on the upper board were significantly disrupted by SCH23390. Deficits induced by both drugs were more profound for the longer compared to the shorter rope, and were most notably shown at the transition area from running to climbing. These data indicate that both dopamine D1 and D2 receptors are involved in the RCR behavior performance. The results also suggest that the cost of motoric demand for behavioral performance is important for evaluating of the effects of drugs blocking dopamine receptors.

Cloning, characterization, and phylogenetic analysis of a shrimp white spot syndrome virus gene that encodes a protein kinase

An open reading frame (ORF) that encodes a 715-amino-acid polypeptide was found in an 8421-bp EcoRI fragment of the shrimp white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) genome. The polypeptide shows significant homology to eukaryotic serine/threonine protein kinase (PK) and contains the major conserved subdomains for eukaryotic protein kinases. Coupled in vitro transcription and translation generated a protein having an apparent molecular mass of about 87 kDa according to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. For transcriptional analysis of the pk gene, total RNA was isolated from WSSV-infected shrimp at different times after infection. Northern blot analysis with pk-specific riboprobe found a major and a minor transcript of 2.7 and 5.7 kb, respectively. Rapid amplification of the 5' cDNA ends of the major 2.7-kb pk transcript showed that there were two transcriptional initiation sites located at nucleotide residues -38(G) and -39(G) relative to the ATG translational start codon. Temporal expression analysis by RT-PCR indicated that the transcription of the pk gene started 2 h after infection and continued for at least 60 h. Phylogenetic analysis showed that WSSV protein kinase does not have any close relatives and does not fall into any of the major protein kinase groups.