Mature cerebellar teratoma in adulthood

Extragonadal teratomas in adulthood are exceptionally rare and usually not located within the cerebellum. We here report on a 66‐year‐old male patient clinically presenting with chronic occipital headache and episodes of severe vertigo. Neuroradiological investigations revealed a hemorrhagic tumor mass in the cerebellar vermis which was surgically removed and histologically diagnosed as mature teratoma. Hence, the presented case is extraordinary with regard to age, late clinical onset of symptoms and cerebellar location. Late clinical manifestation of the tumor in this case is probably due to an acute late‐onset hemorrhage within the tumor.     

Endoplasmic reticulum chaperone gp96 is essential for infection with vesicular stomatitis virus

The envelope glycoprotein of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV-G) enables viral entry into hosts as distant as insects and vertebrates. Because of its ability to support infection of most, if not all, human cell types VSV-G is used in viral vectors for gene therapy. However, neither the receptor nor any specific host factor for VSV-G has been identified. Here we demonstrate that infection with VSV and innate immunity via Toll-like receptors (TLRs) require a shared component, the endoplasmic reticulum chaperone gp96. Cells without gp96 or with catalytically inactive gp96 do not bind VSV-G. The ubiquitous expression of gp96 is therefore essential for the remarkably broad tropism of VSV-G. Cells deficient in gp96 also lack functional TLRs, which suggests that pathogen-driven pressure for TLR-mediated immunity maintains the broad host range of VSV-G by positively selecting for the ubiquitous expression of gp96.     

Stimulation of Toll-like receptor 3 and 4 induces interleukin-1beta maturation by caspase-8

The cytokine interleukin (IL)-1β is a key mediator of the inflammatory response and has been implicated in the pathophysiology of acute and chronic inflammation. IL-1β is synthesized in response to many stimuli as an inactive pro–IL-1β precursor protein that is further processed by caspase-1 into mature IL-1β, which is the secreted biologically active form of the cytokine. Although stimulation of membrane-bound Toll-like receptors (TLRs) up-regulates pro–IL-1β expression, activation of caspase-1 is believed to be mainly initiated by cytosolic Nod-like receptors. In this study, we show that polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly[I:C]) and lipopolysaccharide stimulation of macrophages induces pro–IL-1β processing via a Toll/IL-1R domain–containing adaptor-inducing interferon-β–dependent signaling pathway that is initiated by TLR3 and TLR4, respectively. Ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi)–mediated knockdown of the intracellular receptors NALP3 or MDA5 did not affect poly(I:C)-induced pro–IL-1β processing. Surprisingly, poly(I:C)- and LPS-induced pro–IL-1β processing still occurred in caspase-1–deficient cells. In contrast, pro–IL-1β processing was inhibited by caspase-8 peptide inhibitors, CrmA or vFLIP expression, and caspase-8 knockdown via RNAi, indicating an essential role for caspase-8. Moreover, recombinant caspase-8 was able to cleave pro–IL-1β in vitro at exactly the same site as caspase-1. These results implicate a novel role for caspase-8 in the production of biologically active IL-1β in response to TLR3 and TLR4 stimulation.     

Development of an instrument to assess perceived self-efficacy in the parents of infants

In addition to research applications, the measurement of perceived parental self-efficacy (PPSE) could be useful clinically in screening for parenting difficulties, targeting interventions, and evaluating outcomes. In this research we examined the psychometric properties of the Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale (KPCS), a new 15-item PPSE measure. A no-problem control group and three clinical groups comprising 187 mothers with infants were recruited. The KPCS showed acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .81), test-retest reliability (r = .88), and discriminant and convergent validity. A cut-off score was determined, and the scale's sensitivity and positive predictive power was 86% and 88%, respectively. The KPCS may prove a useful addition to tools for the assessment of parents and infants presenting to clinical services.     

A qualitative exploration of relationship and attachment themes in families with an eating disorder

A qualitative study is described which explored the experiences of four families each of which contained a young person who had suffered with anorexia nervosa. The focus included an exploration of current relationships in the family, transgenerational patterns of relating, and the role of food in relation to comfort. Individual interviews were conducted with the young person with anorexia, a key sibling, both parents, and a joint family interview was also conducted. Interpretative theme analysis and discourse analysis were combined to generate a set of common themes across the families: False or Fragile Reality, Troubled Relationships, Arguments and Triangulation, Lack of Comfort, and Negative Relationships with Food. The findings suggest that experiences of relationships as conflictual and of communicational processes as confusing was common to all family members. Across all four families it appeared that the young person with anorexia was playing a pivotal role in the parents' attempts to correct their negative experiences from their own childhoods. The article concludes with an attempt to extend our understanding of eating disorders by offering an integration of concepts from attachment and systemic perspectives. Implications are offered for clinical work with families.     

MMSE scores correlate with local ventricular enlargement in the spectrum from cognitively normal to Alzheimer disease

In this work, we aimed at correlating focal atrophy in periventricular structures with cognitive function, in the spectrum from healthy subjects to severe Alzheimer disease: 28 subjects with normal cognition and 84 patients presenting various degrees of cognitive impairment were included in the study. The cognitive level of each subject was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Atrophy in periventricular structures was inferred by modeling and analyzing local shape variations of brain ventricles: for a given subject, we distinguished between the severity of atrophy, estimated as local enlargement (in mm) of the ventricular surface relative to an average normal subject, and the extent of atrophy, defined as the percentage of the ventricular surface (global or per anatomical region) significantly different from an average control. Linear regression across subjects was performed to evaluate the correlation between atrophy and MMSE score. The severity of atrophy showed good correlation with MMSE score in the left thalamus, the left temporal horn, the left corona radiata, and the right caudate nuclei. The extent of atrophy showed no significant correlations. In conclusion, the MMSE scores correlate with localized depth of atrophy in well-defined periventricular structures.     

Synthesis and Evaluation of <Superscript>99m</Superscript>Tc-Labelled Monoclonal Antibody 1D09C3 for Molecular Imaging of Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II Protein Expression

Purpose  

It is known that major histocompatibility complex class II protein HLA-DR is highly expressed in B-cell lymphomas and in a variety of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Therefore, a radiolabelled fully humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) can provide useful prognostic and diagnostic information. Aims of the present study were to radiolabel an anti-HLA-DR mAb with technetium-99m and to evaluate its binding specificity, tissue distribution and targeting potential.     

Musculoskeletal symptom survey among mason tenders

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) constitutes a major problem in construction. The magnitude and musculoskeletal injury characteristics in certain construction trades have been studied extensively. Musculoskeletal research targeting mason tenders is limited. High physical demands of the job primarily contribute to an increased risk of LBP experienced by these laborers. METHODS: A symptom survey was conducted to determine the magnitude and musculoskeletal injury characteristics among the mason tenders, and to identify work-related activities perceived by them as contributing to their disorders. RESULTS: The findings revealed that 82% of the mason tenders experienced at least one musculoskeletal symptom in the last year. LBP was the most frequently reported symptom (65%). Due to LBP, 12% of the laborers missed work and 18% of them visited a physician. Bending or twisting the back, working in the same position or in pain, and heavy lifting they perceived as the most problematic work-related activities. The vast majority of the laborers requested job-safety training. CONCLUSIONS: The mason tenders experienced high prevalence of LBP. To address the problem a model for primary prevention of LBP was developed and implemented in the trade. The model incorporated ergonomic principles, hazard recognition, and problem solving in the training curriculum for the union instructors teaching apprentices the trade-specific skills.     

Variation in the CBP gene involved in epigenetic control associates with cognitive function

Research into the pathologic mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases has revealed that CREB binding protein (CBP) plays an important role in cognitive dysfunction. Loss of one copy of this gene leads to a syndrome with severe cognitive dysfunction. We investigated the association between four common variants in the CBP gene and cognitive function in 5804 participants of the PROspective Study of Pravastatin in the Elderly at Risk (PROSPER). Baseline associations between genetic variation and cognitive function were assessed with linear regression. Longitudinal associations were assessed with linear mixed models. All analyses were adjusted for sex, age, education, country, version of test, and pravastatin use. The intron 4CT and intron 3AC polymorphisms in the CBP gene were associated with better cognitive performance at baseline and during follow-up. Furthermore, the haplotype with the variant alleles of these two polymorphisms also showed a protective effect on cognitive function in all cognitive domains (all p < 0.03). Genetic variation in the CBP gene is associated with better cognitive performance in an elderly population. Future research is necessary to investigate the effect of these polymorphisms on the expression of CBP levels and how these polymorphisms affect the gene expression mediated by CBP.