Large B-cell lymphoma of thyroid. Two cases with a marginal zone distribution of the neoplastic cells

We report 2 cases of B-cell lymphoma of the thyroid in which although a marginal zone distribution of the neoplastic cells was present, the cytologic features of the cells indicated large cell lymphoma. One of the cases showed an accumulation of crystalline inclusions within the cytoplasm of the neoplastic cells. Many of these inclusion-bearing cells showed plasmacytoid features. By immunohistochemical studies performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue, both of the cases showed a B-cell phenotype as indicated by CD20 expression, and 1 showed kappa light chain restriction. In both cases, Ki-67 staining corroborated the impression of an aggressive neoplasm with staining of 50% and 90% of the tumor cells. Both patients received cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone with radiation therapy, and both are without evidence of disease after 17 and 18 months of follow-up. It is important to recognize this pattern of large B-cell lymphoma of the thyroid gland. While the indolent course typical of most low-grade extranodal marginal zone lymphomas is not likely in these cases, the outcome may be favorable if patients are treated aggressively with therapy for large cell lymphoma.     

Immunoblot analysis of anti-Ureaplasma urealyticum antibody in pregnant women and newborn infants.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the frequency in which antibody reactive to Ureaplasma urealyticum could be detected in a population of pregnant women and newborn infants. Serum samples from a prospective cohort of 80 healthy, U. urealyticum culture-positive and culture-negative pregnant women and a retrospective cohort of 522 infants born at between 25 and 42 weeks of gestation were studied by immunoblot analysis. Cultures of specimens from the lower genital tract were positive for U. urealyticum for 83% of the pregnant women, and serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody which reacted to U. urealyticum was detectable in 93% of the pregnant women. Samples from five women (8%) had increases in the number of anti-U. urealyticum IgG bands over the course of the pregnancy. Samples from four of these five women had corresponding increases in the number of antibody bands present in IgA immunoblots. Six of the 522 samples from newborns or cord blood (1.1%) were positive for anti-U. urealyticum IgA; 5 of these 6 samples were also positive for IgM. The six anti-U. urealyticum IgA-positive infants were distributed as follows; 3 of 67 (4.5%) infants were delivered at 25 to 30 weeks of gestation, 3 of 176 (1.7%) infants were delivered at 31 to 34 weeks of gestation, and 0 of 279 infants were delivered at > or = 35 weeks of gestation. An antibody response to U. urealyticum can be detected in pregnant women and preterm infants and may serve as a marker of infection.     

Increased Contact Time and Strength Deficits in Runners With Exercise-Related Lower Leg Pain

ContextExercise-related lower leg pain (ERLLP) is common in runners.ObjectiveTo compare biomechanical (kinematic, kinetic, and spatiotemporal) measures obtained from wearable sensors as well as lower extremity alignment, range of motion, and strength during running between runners with and those without ERLLP.DesignCase-control study.SettingField and laboratory.Patients or Other ParticipantsOf 32 young adults who had been running regularly (>10 mi [16 km] per week) for ≥3 months, 16 had ERLLP for ≥2 weeks and 16 were healthy control participants.Main Outcome Measure(s)Both field and laboratory measures were collected at the initial visit. The laboratory measures consisted of alignment (arch height index, foot posture index, navicular drop, tibial torsion, Q-angle, and hip anteversion), range of motion (great toe, ankle, knee, and hip), and strength. Participants then completed a 1.67-mi (2.69-km) run along a predetermined route to calibrate the RunScribe devices. The RunScribe wearable sensors collected kinematic (pronation excursion and maximum pronation velocity), kinetic (impact g and braking g), and spatiotemporal (stride length, step length, contact time, stride pace, and flight ratio) measures. Participants then wore the sensors during at least 3 training runs in the next week.ResultsThe ERLLP group had a slower stride pace than the healthy group, which was accounted for as a covariate in subsequent analyses. The ERLLP group had a longer contact time during the stance phase of running (mean difference [MD] = 18.00 ± 8.27 milliseconds) and decreased stride length (MD = −0.11 ± 0.05 m) than the control group. For the clinical measures, the ERLLP group demonstrated increased range of motion for great-toe flexion (MD = 13.9 ± 4.6°) and ankle eversion (MD = 6.3 ± 2.7°) and decreased strength for ankle inversion (MD = −0.49 ± 0.23 N/kg), ankle eversion (MD = −0.57 ± 0.27 N/kg), and hip flexion (MD = −0.99 ± 0.39 N/kg).ConclusionsThe ERLLP group exhibited a longer contact time and decreased stride length during running as well as strength deficits at the ankle and hip. Gait retraining and lower extremity strengthening may be warranted as clinical interventions in runners with ERLLP.     

红景天抑制人脐静脉内皮细胞生长的初步研究

目的:利用体外培养人脐静脉内皮细胞,观察中药红景天对细胞生长的影响,初步探讨急、慢性高原病患者服用中药红景天防治高原病及改善症状等的作用机制。方法:培养人脐静脉内皮细胞EVC-304,设对照组与加药组,加药组分别加入不同浓度的红景天,培养3d后计数。加药组及对照组细胞用瑞氏染料染色并拍照。收集细胞以流式细胞术检测细胞周期。结果:对照组细胞形态正常,成梭形,排列紧密,分散均匀。加药组细胞数量明显减少,细胞皱缩,聚集成团,形态各异。流式细胞术检测显示加药组G1期细胞含量增多,S期细胞减少。结论:红景天具有抑制血管内皮细胞生长的作用,可能是通过抑制细胞的增殖来抑制内皮细胞生长。抑制血管内皮细胞生长对于阻止血管内膜增生,防止形成肺动脉高压,降低慢性高原病发病率具有实际应用意义。     

Is fecundability associated with month of birth? An analysis of 19th and early 20th century family reconstitution data from The Netherlands

The relationship between fecundability and month of birth was investigated in a cohort of 1526 women who married between 1802 and 1929, using only women whose first marriage occurred before the age of 35 years. On the basis of their time to pregnancy (TTP, calculated as time between wedding and first birth minus gestational length), women were categorized into two groups: fecunds (TTP up to 12 months or prenuptial conceptions, n = 1348) and subfecunds (TTP >18 months, n = 118). By use of logistic regression, cosinor functions with a period of 1 year or 6 months and variable shift and amplitude were fitted through the monthly odds of subfecunds versus fecunds. The best fitting curve was unimodal, with a zenith in September (P = 0.13 for H0: no differences). Exclusion of childless women (n = 36, minimum follow-up 5 years) from the subfecunds led to a similar curve (P < 0.01), while childless women, as compared with fecunds, showed a birth distribution that was best represented with a bimodal curve with zeniths in January and July (P = 0.06). This study provides evidence for the existence of differences in fecundability by month of birth. The cause of this relationship is unclear, but may lie in a melatonin-dependent circannual variability of the quality of the oocyte.      

Differences Between Treatment Seekers in an Obese Population: Medical Intervention vs. Dietary Restriction

This study examined two groups of people who were pursuing treatment for obesity: either medical intervention (a hospital group; N = 20) or support for dietary restriction (a community group; N = 18). This study addressed four questions: (1) Were there differences between the two groups in terms of their psychological distress (as measured by the Symptom Checklist)? (2) Does binge eating moderate psychological distress? (3) Do feelings of ineffectiveness moderate psychological distress? and (4) Which variables best accounted for group membership (i.e., type of treatment sought)? Results suggested that the hospital group was significantly more distressed than the community group. However, there were no differences between the two groups with respect to binge eating or feelings of ineffectiveness. These findings suggest that it is the effects of morbid obesity that are most likely to moderate psychological distress.     

Endocytosis of horseradish peroxidase-poly-lysine conjugate by glomerular epithelial cells: an in vivo study

Native horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is known to pass rapidly through glomeruli when injected into rats. We have found that a conjugate of HRP with poly-lysine is readily endocytosed by glomerular epithelial cells (GEC). We have used this conjugate to study the GEC endocytotic process in male Wistar rats. The conjugate has an approximate molecular weight of 55-58,000, a pI of greater than 10.0, and almost the same secondary conformation as HRP; it does not increase urinary protein excretion significantly or alter the morphology of the renal glomeruli. After intravenous injection of the conjugate, it could be found in the GBM from 1 min to 4 h. At 1 min, it was evenly distributed on GEC foot processes and plasma membrane. GEC start to take up the conjugate from 1 min post-injection, by cellular membrane invagination. This reached a maximum at 4 h. Some of the endocytosed conjugate passed to lysosomes from the endosomal system. The amount of peroxidase demonstrable in the glomerular epithelial cells was considerably reduced by 24 h.     

Clinical aspects of the MASA syndrome in a large family, including expressing females

We have evaluated, both clinically and by linkage analysis, a large family with 22 known affected males with the MASA syndrome (McKusick 303300). Clinical findings varied widely amongst the affected family members, with some appearing initially to have the MASA syndrome and others to have X-linked hydrocephalus (HSAS) (McKusick 307000). Important findings included the presence of adducted thumbs in two obligate carriers, learning problems or mild mental retardation in three females, two of whom were obligate carriers, and hydrocephalus with neonatal death in three females born to obligate carriers. X-inactivation analysis in lymphocytes from the two women with adducted thumbs revealed preferential inactivation of one X chromosome, suggesting that nonrandom X-inactivation may be responsible for clinical expression in females. The presence of HSAS in some individuals of this family and the MASA syndrome in others further supports the hypothesis that these two conditions are the result of a mutation in the same gene.