Aspergillus Terreus Causing Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis With Air-Crescent Sign

Aspergillus terreus is an uncommon cause of human disease. A patient with acute myelomonocytic leukemia is described who developed an invasive pulmonary infection with A terreus characterized by an air-crescent sign on chest roentgenogram. Previous reports of A terreus infections and the pathogenesis and significance of an air-crescent sign in invasive pulmonary aspergillosis are reviewed.     

No association between the Pro197Leu polymorphism in the glutathione peroxidase (GPX1) gene and schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: Oxidative stress such as free radical-mediated neuronal dysfunction may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The human glutathione peroxidase (GPX1) is a selenium-dependent enzyme, which plays an important role in the detoxification of free radicals. We therefore hypothesized that the GPX1 gene, which is located on chromosome 3p21.3, may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The aim of this study is to examine whether a potentially functional polymorphism, a proline (Pro) to leucine (Leu) substitution at codon 197 (Pro197Leu) of the human GPX1 gene, is associated with susceptibility to schizophrenia. METHODS: We genotyped the Pro197Leu polymorphism in a total of 113 nuclear families that had a proband with schizophrenia. Genetic association was tested using the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT), the sib transmission disequilibrium test (STDT), and the family-based association test (FBAT). RESULTS: The minor allele (Leu) frequency was calculated to be 0.282. We could not find significant transmission disequilibrium of the alleles for the Pro197Leu polymorphism in the GPX1 gene in association with the presence of schizophrenia in our family sample (TDT, chi2=0.03, degrees of freedom=1, P=0.86; combined TDT-STDT, Z'=-0.052, P=0.47; FBAT, Z=0.000, P=1.000). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the GPX1 polymorphism is unlikely to be associated with susceptibility to schizophrenia.     

Crystalline morphology of block-copoly(oxypropylene/oxyethylene/oxypropylene) by small-angle X-ray and Raman scattering

Block-copoly(oxypropylene/oxyethylene/oxypropylene)s, with central-block lengths of 39 and 75 oxyethylene units and end-block lengths in the range 1 to 13 oxypropylene units, were investigated in their solid states by small-angle X-ray diffraction and low-frequency Raman spectroscopy, supplemented by differential scanning calorimetry. Low-frequency Raman transitions were assigned to longitudinal modes (LAM) of either unfolded or once-folded chains. The solid state comprised stacked monolayer lamellae in which the chains were usually tilted with respect to the lamellar end plane.     

Effects of methacholine and uridine 5'-triphosphate on tracheal mucus rheology in mice

We compared the action of methacholine (MCh) and uridine 5'-triphosphate (UTP) with and without pretreatment with the chloride channel blocker 4,4'-diisothiocyano-2,2'-stilbenedisulfonate (DIDS) on the transepithelial potential difference (PD), the mucus collection rate (MCR), and tracheal mucus rheology using anesthetized C57BL/6 mice. The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) blocker 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoate (NPPB) was also used as a pretreatment for MCh. After collecting baseline mucus for 1.5 h, mucus secretion was stimulated by instilling 5 microl of 10(-2) M MCh or UTP around the upper trachea. There was a significant increase in PD after MCh or UTP stimulation (-21.3+/-2.0 mV MCh versus -14.1+/-1.6 mV control; -25.4+/-2.5 mV UTP versus -19.2+/-1.9 mV control). When UTP administration was preceded by DIDS, PD shifted from -15.2+/-2.9 to -12.0+/-2.2 mV. When MCh was preceded by DIDS or by NPPB, there was no change in PD. There was a significant decrease in mucus rigidity index, logG*, with MCh (2.54+/-0.09 versus 2.99+/-0.14 for control), similar to that previously reported in other species. With UTP, 14 of 16 mice responded in terms of PD becoming more negative, and of these, there was a significant difference in logG* after UTP administration (2.29 +/-0.10 versus 2.57+/-0.10 for control), whereas there was no change in logG* with DIDS administration before UTP. When DIDS administration preceded MCh, there was a diminished but still significant decrease in logG* from control, whereas there was no change in logG* when NPPB was preadministered. The control mucus collection rate was 0.19+/-0.09 mg/h, whereas after MCh stimulation, it increased to 2.83+/-0.78 mg/h. No significant difference was measured in the MCR after either UTP or DIDS+UTP stimulation. DIDS+MCh and NPPB+MCh both resulted in significant increases in MCR, but of a much smaller magnitude than that for MCh alone. We conclude that hypersecretion owing to UTP in C57BL/6 mice is less vigorous than with MCh, reflecting the limited population of Ca(2+)-dependent Cl(-) channels stimulated by UTP P(2) receptors. The action of MCh on tracheal mucus secretion in mice appears to involve both CFTR- and non-CFTR-dependent chloride channels.     

Effects of signaled and unsignaled stressor on ECG T-wave amplitude

Thirty-six human subjects were exposed to noise (noxious US) under one of the following signal (CS) conditions: signaled stressor (SS), unsignaled stressor (NS) and a truly random control group (RS). Changes in ECG T-wave amplitude were used to index the stress response and the greatest change in amplitude occurred in the SS group. T-wave amplitude change was compared to HR change as an index of sympathetic stimulation and the former proved the more sensitive. The increased sympathetic responding in the SS condition suggests that a reliable signal may serve a physiologically adaptive purpose.     

Rapid neurofibrillary tangle formation after localized gene transfer of mutated tau

Neurofibrillary pathology was produced in the brains of adult rats after localized gene transfer of human tau carrying the P301L mutation, which is associated with frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism. Within 1 month of in situ transfection of the basal forebrain region of normal rats, tau-immunoreactive and argyrophilic neuronal lesions formed. The fibrillar lesions had features of neurofibrillary tangles and tau immunoreactivity at light and electron microscopic levels. In addition to neurofibrillary tangles, other tau pathology, including pretangles and neuropil threads, was abundant and widespread. Tau gene transfer to the hippocampal region of amyloid-depositing transgenic mice produced pretangles and threads, as well as intensely tau-immunoreactive neurites in amyloid plaques. The ability to produce neurofibrillary pathology in adult rodents makes this a useful method to study tau-related neurodegeneration.     

Upper gastrointestinal cancer pathology reporting: a regional audit to compare standards with minimum datasets

AIMS: Accurate pathological (pTNM) staging of oesophageal and gastric cancer provides important prognostic information. The aim of this study was to compare the standard of pathology reporting of oesophageal and gastric cancer resections from a cancer network with standards set by the Royal College of Pathologists. METHODS: All reports for oesophageal and gastric cancer resections from the five hospitals in the cancer network in 2001 were collected. Individual items of information were compared with minimum datasets provided by the Royal College of Pathologists. Items were classified as "complete", "partially complete", or "absent". RESULTS: One hundred and ten reports were audited (54 oesophageal and 56 gastric). Fourteen gastric and 17 oesophagectomy reports were over 75% complete. Clinically important missing data occurred most frequently for the pM component of TNM staging (pMx omitted in 87 reports) and completeness of resection expressed as a bold statement (absent in 50 reports). Twelve reports could not be classified because the specimen contained no residual tumour after neoadjuvant treatment. CONCLUSION: The use of a standard proforma for reporting upper gastrointestinal cancers based on a minimum dataset provided by the Royal College of Pathologists is recommended, with modifications to allow for specimens with no tumour after neoadjuvant treatment.