Case report. PET/CT appearance of desmoid tumour of the chest wall

Desmoid tumours are rare, poorly circumscribed tumours that have a firm consistency and, although benign, have a remarkable tendency to infiltrate into surrounding structures. Extra-abdominal desmoid tumours involve mainly the extremities or the chest wall and are usually managed by wide radical resection. Moreover, desmoid tumours involving the chest wall are locally aggressive tumours with a high recurrence rate. We report a case of a pathologically proven desmoid tumour of the chest wall in a patient with a history of bilateral breast cancer and oesophageal cancer. We discuss the imaging appearances of this tumour on positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (PET/CT) and magnetic resonance imaging.

Comparative study of SPORL and dilute-acid pretreatments of spruce for cellulosic ethanol production

The performance of two pretreatment methods, sulfite pretreatment to overcome recalcitrance of lignocellulose (SPORL) and dilute acid (DA), was compared in pretreating softwood (spruce) for fuel ethanol production at 180 degrees Celsius for 30 min with a sulfuric acid loading of 5% on oven-dry wood and a 5:1 liquor-to-wood ratio. SPORL was supplemented with 9% sodium sulfite (w/w of wood). The recoveries of total saccharides (hexoses and pentoses) were 87.9% (SPORL) and 56.7% (DA), while those of cellulose were 92.5% (SPORL) and 77.7% (DA). The total of known inhibitors (furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, and formic, acetic and levulinic acids) formed in SPORL were only 35% of those formed in DA pretreatment. SPORL pretreatment dissolved approximately 32% of the lignin as lignosulfonate, which is a potential high-value co-product. With an enzyme loading of 15 FPU (filter paper units) per gram of cellulose, the cellulose-to-glucose conversion yields were 91% at 24h for the SPORL substrate and 55% at 48 h for the DA substrate, respectively.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of Chaenomeles speciosa fractions in laboratory animals

The prescription of current existing anti-inflammatory drugs is hampered by their adverse effects over time. Botanical extracts are thought to be a potential source of a natural anti-inflammatory property with fewer adverse effects. Chaenomeles speciosa has long been used as an herbal medicine for treatment of various diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, prosopalgia, and hepatitis. Until now there have been no reports on the specific anti-inflammatory fractions of extract of C. speciosa (ECS). In the present study the anti-inflammatory activities of different fractions of ECS were evaluated using carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats. The 10% ethanol fraction (C3) was found to have stronger anti-inflammatory effects compared with other fractions at the same dose. We also found that chlorogenic acid was one of the active constituents responsible for the anti-inflammatory effect using bioassay-guided fractionation by means of high-performance liquid chromatography. Compared with controls, fraction C3 demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity in the xylene-induced ear edema test (P < .01), acetic acid-induced peritoneal capillary permeability test, and the cotton pellet granuloma test in mice or rats (P < .01); it also showed marked analgesic activity in the acetic acid-induced abdominal contraction test and formalin-induced paw licking test in mice and rats (P < .05 or .01). However, fraction C3 showed no significant effect in the hot plate test in mice. These findings justify the use of the C. speciosa for treating pain and inflammation. These results support the proposal of C. speciosa fraction C3 as a potential anti-inflammatory agent.

Ultrathin W-Al dual interlayer approach to depositing smooth and adherent nanocrystalline diamond films on stainless steel

The adherence of diamond coated on steel is commonly low and needs to be strengthened with thick intermediate layers. In this paper, a nanoscale W-Al dual metal interlayer has been applied on SS304 substrates to facilitate deposition of continuous, adherent and smooth diamond thin films. During the microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process, the Al inner layer 30 nm thick diffuses into steel surface inhibiting carbon diffusion and graphitization. The W outer layer 20 nm thick is transformed into W carbides, both preventing carbon diffusion and enhancing diamond nucleation. The diamond films synthesized are of high purity and have smooth surfaces and dense structures. Indentation and shear deformation tests indicate high delaminating tolerance of the diamond films.

Simvastatin and sildenafil combine to attenuate pulmonary hypertension

Statins have been proposed to be a potential treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension. If introduced into clinical practice, the statin would have to be used in conjunction with established therapy. We investigated the effects of combining simvastatin with a phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor, sildenafil, in the rat model of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension. Rats were allocated to either: 1) a prevention protocol, to receive simvastatin 20 mg x kg(-1) x day(-1) by intraperitoneal injection or sildenafil 75 mg x kg(-1) x day(-1) orally or the combination (or vehicle) for 2 weeks beginning at the start of exposure to hypoxia (10% inspired oxygen); or 2) a treatment protocol, where the same agents were administered in the last 2 weeks of a 4-week period of hypoxia. In both protocols, the combination of sildenafil and simvastatin lowered pulmonary artery pressure and produced a significantly greater reduction in right ventricular hypertrophy and pulmonary vascular muscularisation than either drug alone. Moreover, the combination augmented significantly endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression and cGMP levels in the lung and right ventricle above that produced by either drug independently and resulted in greater inhibition of RhoA activity. These data suggest that simvastatin can be usefully combined with sildenafil in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension to achieve greater therapeutic benefit.

Reduced Th17 response in patients with tuberculosis correlates with IL-6R expression on CD4+ T Cells

RATIONALE

Although it is well recognized that CD4(+) T cells and T helper (Th) 1 cytokines are critical in the cell-mediated response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, it is also clear that this immunity alone is not enough. Understanding the roles of other T cell subsets and cytokines is essential for vaccine design and clinical immunotherapy against tuberculosis (TB).

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the clinical significance and possible regulatory mechanism of Th17 responses in human TB.

METHODS

The frequencies of IFN-gamma-, IL-4-, IL-17-, FoxP3- and IL-6 receptor (IL-6R)-expressing CD4(+) T cells in blood and/or pleural effusion samples of healthy donors, subjects with latent TB infection, and patients with active TB were analyzed by flow cytometry. Cytokines, transforming growth factor-beta and IL-6, in plasma and pleural fluid samples were determined by ELISA.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The frequency of Th17 cells in patients with active TB is significantly lower than those in healthy donors and individuals with latent TB infection. Correlation analysis showed that reduced Th17 responses observed in patients with active TB was significantly correlated with the decreased expression of IL-6R on CD4(+) T cells, but did not correlate with the concentrations of the cytokines, transforming growth factor-beta and IL-6. Consistently; in vitro study showed that M. tuberculosis products inhibit the expression of IL-6R on CD4(+) T cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate that reduced Th17 responses were associated with the clinical outcome of M. tuberculosis infection. Suppression of Th17 response through down-regulation of IL-6R expression may be an important mechanism in the development of active TB.

Abnormalities of 53BP1 in Basal-Like Breast Cancer

Background: Abnormalities in the DNA repair mechanism have been proposed to play a central role in the development of breast cancers. However the specific mechanism underlying DNA repair defects in sporadic breast cancer are mostly unknown. As 53BP1 plays a critical role in DNA repair response and has been identified as a potential tumor suppressor, its expression in basal-like breast cancer cell lines and clinical samples was investigated.Experimental Design: mRNA expression of 53BP1 was investigated in publicly available gene expression data sets. Protein expression of 53BP1 was evaluated in a large set of clinically annotated breast cancer specimens by immunohistochemistry. Analysis of 53BP1 and related proteins was performed in a set of human and mouse breast cancer cell lines.Results: Gene expression analysis demonstrated that a subset of basal-like breast cancer had decreased expression of 53BP1. Analysis of over 400 breast cancers in a tissue microarray showed that loss of 53BP1 staining was almost exclusively found in tumors that lacked ER, PR and HER2 expression; this "triple-negative" phenotype is characteristic of BLC. Approximately 42% of "triple-negative" breast cancers have abnormally low levels of 53BP1, while &lt;2% of tumor that express either ER or HER2 lack 53BP1 expression. Tumors that have low 53BP1 expression are associated with worse distant metastasis free survival when compared to tumors with normal 53BP1 expression. A set of breast cancer cell lines with abnormal 53BP1 expression was also identified. 53BP1 abnormalities were present in some tumors and cell lines with known BRCA1 mutations.Discussion: These data suggest that a subset of basal-like breast cancers lack normal 53BP1 expression and imply that these tumors may have profound defects in DNA repair/check point function that could be exploited therapeutically. As 53BP1 abnormalities were found in some tumors with known BRCA1 mutations, this suggests that loss of 53BP1 may cooperate with abnormalities in the BRCA1-related DNA repair pathways in the pathogenesis of basal-like breast cancers. Data regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying 53BP1 abnormalities in breast cancer cell lines and samples will be presented.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 1122.

Charge-transfer excitons at organic semiconductor surfaces and interfaces

When a material of low dielectric constant is excited electronically from the absorption of a photon, the Coulomb attraction between the excited electron and the hole gives rise to an atomic H-like quasi-particle called an exciton. The bound electron-hole pair also forms across a material interface, such as the donor/acceptor interface in an organic heterojunction solar cell; the result is a charge-transfer (CT) exciton. On the basis of typical dielectric constants of organic semiconductors and the sizes of conjugated molecules, one can estimate that the binding energy of a CT exciton across a donor/acceptor interface is 1 order of magnitude greater than k(B)T at room temperature (k(B) is the Boltzmann constant and T is the temperature). How can the electron-hole pair escape this Coulomb trap in a successful photovoltaic device? To answer this question, we use a crystalline pentacene thin film as a model system and the ubiquitous image band on the surface as the electron acceptor. We observe, in time-resolved two-photon photoemission, a series of CT excitons with binding energies < or = 0.5 eV below the image band minimum. These CT excitons are essential solutions to the atomic H-like Schrodinger equation with cylindrical symmetry. They are characterized by principal and angular momentum quantum numbers. The binding energy of the lowest lying CT exciton with 1s character is more than 1 order of magnitude higher than k(B)T at room temperature. The CT(1s) exciton is essentially the so-called exciplex and has a very low probability of dissociation. We conclude that hot CT exciton states must be involved in charge separation in organic heterojunction solar cells because (1) in comparison to CT(1s), hot CT excitons are more weakly bound by the Coulomb potential and more easily dissociated, (2) density-of-states of these hot excitons increase with energy in the Coulomb potential, and (3) electronic coupling from a donor exciton to a hot CT exciton across the D/A interface can be higher than that to CT(1s) as expected from energy resonance arguments. We suggest a design principle in organic heterojunction solar cells: there must be strong electronic coupling between molecular excitons in the donor and hot CT excitons across the D/A interface.

Effect of sulphur concentration on bioleaching of heavy metals from contaminated dredged sediments

The sulphur-based bioleaching process using sulphur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) has been demonstrated to be a feasible technology for removing heavy metals from contaminated sediments, but the excess sulphur application will lead to the re-acidification of bioleached sediments. The objective of the present study was to examine the effect of sulphur concentration on the bioleaching of heavy metals from contaminated sediments, with the ultimate purpose of minimizing the sulphur addition. The results showed that the inoculation of 7% of indigenous SOB, containing 3.6 x 10(8) colony forming units (CFU) mL(-1), and addition of elemental sulphur as a substrate (0.5 to 7.0 g L(-1)) resulted in a sharp decrease in sediment pH from an initial pH 8.0 to pH 1.4-2.4 and an increase in ORP (oxidation-reduction potential) from -10 mV to 500 mV within 10 days of bioleaching. Although the increase in sulphur concentration enhanced the rates of pH reduction and ORP elevation, the bioleaching process with the addition of 3.0 g L(-1) of sulphur was already sufficient to reach conditions of acidity (pH < 2.0) and ORP (500 mV) necessary for a satisfactory removal of metals, and, at day 10, 71.8% of Cu, 58.2% of Zn, and 25.3% of Cr were removed from the sediments. During the bioleaching process, Zn removal increased with a reduction in pH, whereas the removal of Cu and Cr increased not only with a reduction in pH but also with an increase in ORP. Results of sequential selective extraction indicated that the final levels of metal removals were dependent on their speciation distribution in the original sediments, and after bioleaching those unremoved metals in the bioleached sediments mainly existed in the residual fraction.

Bose-Einstein condensation of dark matter axions

We show that cold dark matter axions thermalize and form a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). We obtain the axion state in a homogeneous and isotropic universe, and derive the equations governing small axion perturbations. Because they form a BEC, axions differ from ordinary cold dark matter in the nonlinear regime of structure formation and upon entering the horizon. Axion BEC provides a mechanism for the production of net overall rotation in dark matter halos, and for the alignment of cosmic microwave anisotropy multipoles.

Fetal macrosomia and adolescence obesity: results from a longitudinal cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association between fetal macrosomia and adolescent obesity.

DESIGN

Longitudinal cohort study of the association between macrosomia and adolescent obesity.

SUBJECTS

Between 1 October 2005 and 1 February 2007, a follow-up study of live-born infants born in 1993-1995 in Wuxi, a suburban area of Shanghai, was conducted. Subjects with birth weight > 4000 g were selected as the exposed. For each exposed subject, one subject with a birth weight of 2500-4000 g, matched by year of birth, sex of infant, and type of institute at birth, was chosen as non-exposed. Clinical data were collected by structured interview and physical examination. Obesity was defined as body mass index (weight (kg)/height (m(2))) higher than the sex-age-specific criteria by the working group on obesity in China. Distribution of baseline characteristics and adolescent obesity rate between the exposed and non-exposed groups was compared.

RESULTS

A total of 1435 pairs of exposed and non-exposed subjects were included in the final analysis. No major difference in baseline characteristics (other than birth weight) was found between the exposed and non-exposed groups. Obesity rate was significantly higher in the exposed group (2.9%) than in the non-exposed group (1.6%). Adolescent obesity rates were 1.4, 1.9, 2.6, and 5.6%, respectively, in study subjects with a birth weight of 2500-3499, 3500-3999, 4000-4499, and > or =4500 g. The association between birth weight and adolescent obesity remained essentially the same when mother's demographic and anthropometric factors, breast feeding, and adolescent life-style factors were adjusted.

CONCLUSION

Compared with infants of normal birth weight, infants with birth weight >4000 g, especially those >4500 g, are at increased risk of adolescent obesity.

Prevalence of human respiratory viruses in adults with acute respiratory tract infections in Beijing, 2005-2007

To determine the aetiological role and epidemiological profile of common respiratory viruses in adults with acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs), a 2-year study was conducted in Beijing, China, from May 2005 to July 2007. Nose and throat swab samples from 5808 ARTI patients were analysed by PCR methods for common respiratory viruses, including influenza viruses (IFVs) A, B, and C, parainfluenza viruses (PIVs) 1-4, enteroviruses (EVs), human rhinoviruses (HRVs), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), human coronaviruses (HCoVs) OC43, 229E, NL63, and HKU1, and adenoviruses (ADVs). Viral pathogens were detected in 34.6% of patient samples, and 1.6% of the patients tested positive for more than one virus. IFVs (19.3%) were the dominant agents detected, followed by HRVs (6.5%), PIVs (4.3%), EVs (3.2%), and HCoVs (1.1%). ADVs, RSV and HMPV were also detected (<1%). The viral detection rates differed significantly between infections of the lower and upper respiratory tracts in the sample population: PIVs, the second most commonly detected viral agents in lower acute respiratory tract infections (LRTIs), were more prevalent than in upper acute respiratory tract infections, indicating that the pathogenic role of PIVs in LRTIs should be investigated. Currently, this study is the largest-scale investigation of respiratory virus infections in China with multiple agent detection, providing baseline data for further studies of respiratory virus infections in adults with ARTIs.