Oncocytic papillary renal cell carcinoma with solid architecture: mimic of renal oncocytoma

Papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC) can display extensive areas of solid and non-papillary architecture and extensive areas with oncocytic cytoplasm. Eleven oncocytic renal cell neoplasms (ORCN) with histopathological features posing a diagnostic problem between renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with oncocytic features and renal oncocytoma (RO) were identified. The neoplasms were well circumscribed or encapsulated tumors with solid and diffuse growth pattern. Very occasional papillae were seen in four and tumoral necrosis in two of 11. Six ORCN displayed a CD117+/progesterone receptor (PR)+ immunophenotype (feature shared by RO) and five tumors displayed a CD117–/PR– immunophenotype (feature shared by RCC). The CD117–/PR– ORCN also displayed α-methylacyl-coenzyme A racemase and RCC antigen reactivity as well as varying reactivity for cytokeratin 7, vimentin and CD10 (features of oncocytic PRCC). These five cases had tumor sizes ranging from 1 to 6 cm. Two patients in the latter group developed progression of the disease with metastases. In conclusion, oncocytic PRCC with solid architecture is a rare type of RCC. The carcinoma often poses differential diagnostic problems with RO and has similar immunohistochemical properties to the common type of PRCC. Cytogenetic and molecular studies have not been performed yet for this variant of RCC.     

The oxidation ratio of LDL: a predictor for coronary artery disease

Objective: Oxidized LDL cholesterol (ox-LDL-C) is considered to be a key factor of initiating and accelerating atherosclerosis (AS). The purpose of this study is to elucidate the sensitivity and specificity of ox-LDL and oxidation ratio of LDL in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). For the first time, we investigated the ratio of ox-LDL to ALB(ox-LDL/ALB). Methods and results: Blood ox-LDL, total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride (TG) and albumin (ALB) were measured in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI, n = 80), unstable angina pectoris (UAP, n = 80), stable angina pectoris (SAP, n = 80), normal control (n = 60), and dyslipidemia control (n = 60). Ox-LDL was measured by competitive ELISA. The level of ox-LDL and oxidation ratio of LDL(ox-LDL/TC, ox-LDL/HDL-C, ox-LDL/ LDL-C and ox-LDL/ALB) were significantly higher in each diseased group than controls (P < 0.001). In CAD group, ox-LDL and oxidation ratio of LDL in subjects complicated with hypertension (HT) and/or diabetes mellitus (DM) increased further (P < 0.001). Ox-LDL/ALB in the AMI group was 7 times higher than normal control group (0.068 ± 0.017 vs 0.009 ± 0.007, P < 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) is a criterium to evaluate the accuracy of diagnosing a disease. The AUC of ROC curve of ox-LDL/TC, ox-LDL/HDL-C, ox-LDL, ox-LDL/ALB and ox-LDL/ LDL-C for diagnosing CAD were 0.975, 0.975, 0.966, 0.966, 0.957 respectively (P < 0.001). When ox-LDL/TC = 0.175, the sensitivity and specificity of diagnosing CAD were 0.917 and 0.925, which were almost equal to each other, indicating that the rates of missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis for CAD were the lowest. Conclusions: The level of ox-LDL and the ratio of ox-LDL/TC, ox-LDL/LDL-C, ox-LDL/HDL-C and ox-LDL/ALB are better biomarkers than TC, TG, HDL-C and LDL-C for discriminating between patients with coronary artery disease and healthy subjects. And patients who have a high ratio of ox-LDL /TC may have a higher risk for CAD.     

Preparation and characterization of cationic chitosan-modified poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer nanospheres as DNA carriers

Chitosan (CS)-modified poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA/CS) nanoparticles with cationic surface were prepared by means of emulsion-solvent evaporation technique using polyviny alcohol and chitosan as costabilizers. The preparation conditions of the cationic nanoparticles were optimized by orthogonal factorial design, and the influences of the experiment variables such as polymer concentration, the molecular weight of chitosan, etc., on the size and zeta potential of the nanoparticles were evaluated. It was shown that the diameter of the PLGA/CS nanoparticles can be controlled in the range of 150-200 nm as determined by dynamic light scattering with the optimized conditions. The zeta potential of PLGA/CS nanoparticles increased with increasing the concentration of CS (C(CS)) or decreasing the pH, it was up to 55 mV when C(CS) was 3 mg/mL at pH 4 and inversed around pH 8. The optimization conditions for fabricating the relatively small diameter and high zeta potential cationic nanoparticles were C(CS) 3 mg/mL, C(PLGA) 10 mg/mL, and the volume ratio of organic solution to aqueous medium 1/4. X-ray photo electron spectroscopy and fluorescence inverted microscope observations approved that CS molecules were adsorbed on the surface of PLGA nanoparticles, DNA-condensing ability of the PLGA/CS nanoparticles and cell transfection efficiency of the nanoparticle-DNA complexes were estimated by gel electrophoresis and transfection experiment to 293FT cell, respectively.     

Sleep deprivation predisposes liver to oxidative stress and phospholipid damage: a quantitative molecular imaging study

Sleep disorders are associated with an increased rate of various metabolic disturbances, which may be related to oxidative stress and consequent lipid peroxidation. Since hepatic phosphatidylcholine plays an important role in metabolic regulation, the aim of the present study was to determine phosphatidylcholine expression in the liver following total sleep deprivation. To determine the effects of total sleep deprivation, we used adult rats implanted for polygraphic recording. Phosphatidylcholine expression was examined molecularly by the use of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, along with biochemical solid-phase extraction. The parameters of oxidative stress were investigated by evaluating the hepatic malondialdehyde levels as well as heat shock protein 25 immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. In normal rats, the time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry spectra revealed specific peaks (m/z 184 and 224) that could be identified as molecular ions for phosphatidylcholine. However, following total sleep deprivation, the signals for phosphatidylcholine were significantly reduced to nearly one-third of the normal values. The results of solid-phase extraction also revealed that the phosphatidylcholine concentration was noticeably decreased, from 15.7 micromol g-1 to 9.4 micromol g-1, after total sleep deprivation. By contrast, the biomarkers for oxidative stress were drastically up-regulated in the total sleep deprivation-treated rats as compared with the normal ones (4.03 vs. 1.58 nmol mg-1 for malondialdehyde levels, and 17.1 vs. 6.7 as well as 1.8 vs. 0.7 for heat shock protein 25 immunoblotting and immunoreactivity, respectively). Given that phosphatidylcholine is the most prominent component of all plasma lipoproteins, decreased expression of hepatic phosphatidylcholine following total sleep deprivation may be attributed to the enhanced oxidative stress and the subsequent lipid peroxidation, which would play an important role in the formation or progression of total sleep deprivation-induced metabolic diseases.     

H2N5 influenza virus isolates from terns in Australia: genetic reassortants between those of the Eurasian and American lineages

To investigate the prevalence of influenza viruses in feral water birds in the Southern Hemisphere, fecal samples of terns were collected on Heron Island, Australia, in December 2004. Six H2N5 influenza viruses were isolated. This is the first report of the isolation of the H2 subtype from shore birds in Australia. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the M gene belonged to the American lineage of avian influenza viruses and the other genes belonged to the Eurasian lineages, indicating that genetic reassortment occurs between viruses of Eurasian and American lineages in free flying birds in nature.     

Calretinin and CD34 immunoreactivity of the endometrial stroma in normal endometrium and change of the immunoreactivity in dysfunctional uterine bleeding with evidence of 'disordered endometrial stroma'

AIMS: We investigated the pattern of reactivity of calretinin and CD34 in normal and pathological endometria. METHODS: Various endometrial tissues were submitted for calretinin and CD34 immunostaining. RESULTS: Calretinin reactivity was limited to the endometrial stromal cells (ESC) of the superficial zone of the functionalis layer (FL) in the proliferative phase, and was extensive in all stages of the secretory phase. The ESC of the post-menopausal, ectopic, hyperplastic or neoplastic endometria showed negative or focal weak reactivity for calretinin. In dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) with a normal or an abnormal histopathological appearance on routine stain, there were varying degrees of focal to extensive decreases in calretinin reactivity. The foci of negative calretinin reactivity in the FL displayed varying reactivity for CD34 and appeared to be continuous with the basalis layer (BL). Endometrial polyps were often reactive for CD34, but not reactive for calretinin. CONCLUSIONS: Immunostaining for calretinin and CD34 is helpful in the diagnosis of endometrial polyp and hyperplasia. In DUB, with or without abnormal histopathological findings, there were alterations of the zonal pattern of calretinin reactivity in the FL. This alteration appears to be an expansion of the stroma of the BL into the FL, resulting in a 'disordered endometrial stroma'.     

Predictive value of first fasting plasma glucose compared with admission plasma glucose for undiagnosed diabetes in a stable cardiology population

ObjectivesThe study compared the predictive value of admission plasma glucose (APG) and first fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in stratifying patients meriting an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).Design and methodsCharacteristics of APG, FPG and OGTT 2-hour glucose as well as other blood measurements, physical examinations and medical information were assessed in 994 patients without known diabetes.ResultsThe prevalences of diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance were 24.6% and 37.9%, according to an OGTT, respectively. The first FPG demonstrated stronger predictive value in diagnosing diabetes than APG did both in overall and in patients with less clinical value. Compared to the first FPG, APG provided less value to coronary artery disease, hypertension and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein for diabetes screening.ConclusionsThe first FPG exerted more predictive value than APG did and was still a preferable reference prior to APG in stratifying patients for undiagnosed diabetes by an OGTT.     

Auditory recognition memory in 2-month-old infants as assessed by event-related potentials

Previous studies of auditory recognition memory in sleeping newborns reported 2 event-related potential (ERP) components, P2 and negative slow wave (NSW), reflecting voice discrimination and detection of novelty, respectively. In the present study, using high-density recording arrays, ERPs were acquired from 26 2-month-old awake infants as they were presented with a familiar and unfamiliar voice (i.e., mother and stranger) with equal probability. In addition to P2 and NSW, we observed a positive slow wave (PSW) over the right temporo-parietal scalp, indicating memory updating. Our study suggests that infants appear to have the capacity to encode novel stimuli as early as 2 months of age.     

Effect of angiotensin receptor blockade on insulin sensitivity and endothelial function in abdominally obese hypertensive patients with impaired fasting glucose

AngII (angiotensin II) may contribute to cardiovascular risk in obesity via adverse effects on insulin sensitivity and endothelial function. In the present study, we examined the effects of ARB (angiotensin receptor blocker) therapy (losartan, 100?mg/day) on insulin sensitivity and endothelial function in 53 subjects with stage I hypertension, abdominal obesity and impaired fasting glucose. The study design was a randomized double-blinded parallel design placebo-controlled multi-centre trial of 8?weeks duration. We used the hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp technique to measure insulin sensitivity (expressed as the 'M/I' value) and RH-PAT (reactive hyperaemia-peripheral arterial tonometry) to measure endothelial function. Additional measures included HOMA (homoeostasis model assessment)-B, an index of pancreatic β-cell function, and markers of inflammation [e.g. CRP (C-reactive protein)] and oxidative stress (e.g. F2-isoprostanes). ARB therapy did not alter insulin sensitivity [5.2 (2.7) pre-treatment and 4.6 (1.6) post-treatment] compared with placebo therapy [6.1 (2.9) pre-treatment and 5.3 (2.7) post-treatment; P value not significant], but did improve the HOMA-B compared with placebo therapy (P=0.05). ARB therapy also did not change endothelial function [RH-PAT, 2.15 (0.7) pre-treatment and 2.11 (0.7) post-treatment] compared with placebo therapy [RH-PAT, 1.81 (0.5) pre-treatment and 1.76 (0.7) post-treatment; P value not significant]. Markers of inflammation and oxidative stress were not significantly changed by ARB therapy. In conclusion, ARB therapy did not alter peripheral insulin sensitivity or endothelial function in this cohort of patients with essential hypertension, abdominal obesity and impaired fasting glucose, but did improve pancreatic β-cell function.