Structural Relatedness Between the 18S rRNA Genes and the Formyl Peptide Receptor Genes: New Insights into the Phylogenesis of Immune Receptors

In this study the authors examined the sequences of the ribosomal 18S rRNA of Drosophila and man and 16 mRNA sequences coding for different members of the family of the mammalian formyl peptide receptors (FPRs). The positions in the sequences of all ≥7-base oligonucleotide identities occurring in at least one of the 18S rRNAs and one of the FPR mRNAs were recorded. On the basis of the positional data, the Drosophila 18S-FPR and human 18S-FPR distances (in nucleotides) were determined for each identity. Then the actual frequency distribution of the distances (grouped into 200-unit classes) was derived. The theoretical frequency distribution of distances was also calculated under the assumption of non-relatedness between the 18S and FPR sequences. Comparison between the theoretical and the actual distributions showed that at class –500 (range from ??400 to ??600) of the 18S-FPR values the actual frequency was significantly (p < 0.01) higher than the theoretical frequency, in both Drosophila and man, suggesting that the second section of the FPR genes (approximately from nucleotide 400 to the end of sequence) may be structurally related to the first section of the ribosomal 18S genes (approximately nucelotides 1–650). The authors advance the hypothesis that the two families of genes may have used common ancestral raw genetic materials in the building of the extant sequences.     

Mesenteric Cyst with GI Symptoms: A Fluid Approach to Treatment—Case Report and Literature Review

Digestive Diseases and Sciences - Mesenteric cysts are defined as a heterogeneous group of intra-abdominal cystic lesions of the mesentery or omentum that may be found in any portion of the...     

Suprasellar granular cell tumor of the neurohypophysis: surgical outcome of a very rare tumor

Purpose

Granular cell tumors of the neurohypophysis are rare, solitary lesions, mostly presenting in the adult age. They rarely grow to a sufficient size to cause mass effect related symptoms and they may be found in most cases incidentally at autopsy. Because of their rarity as of now they have been described only as case reports or included in small clinical series.

Methods

We report a series of 11 patients, who underwent surgery for granular cell tumors of the neurohypophysis between 1996 and 2013 in a single center.

Results

Mean follow-up time after treatment was 92.2 months (range 9–231 months). Mean age at surgery was 40.7 years (range 12–66 years). There were 7 males (63.6 %) and 4 females (36.4 %). Main symptoms at presentation were: hyperprolactinemia (72.7 %), visual impairment (45.5 %) and headache (36 %). Except for 2 patients, all the others underwent surgery as primary treatment at our Institution, through a transsphenoidal (54.5 %) or a transcranial approach (45.5 %). Overall- and progression-free survival times for the entire series (calculated from the time of diagnosis) were 112.9 and 100.5 months respectively. There was one case of perioperative death in a patient who had undergone repeat transcranial surgery for residual tumor.

Conclusions

Although extremely rare, granular cell tumors of the neurohypophysis have to be considered in the differential diagnosis of suprasellar masses, to avoid misleading interpretation and consequent wrong therapeutic management. Early diagnosis, extensive tumor removal, opportune indication of adjuvant radiotherapy are the keys to manage these cases.

     

Concurrent detection of other respiratory viruses in children shedding viable human respiratory syncytial virus

Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is an important cause of respiratory disease. The majority of studies addressing the importance of virus co‐infections to the HRSV‐disease have been based on the detection of HRSV by RT‐PCR, which may not distinguish current replication from prolonged shedding of remnant RNA from previous HRSV infections. To assess whether co‐detections of other common respiratory viruses are associated with increased severity of HRSV illnesses from patients who were shedding viable‐HRSV, nasopharyngeal aspirates from children younger than 5 years who sought medical care for respiratory infections in Ribeirão Preto (Brazil) were tested for HRSV by immunofluorescence, RT‐PCR and virus isolation in cell culture. All samples with viable‐HRSV were tested further by PCR for other respiratory viruses. HRSV‐disease severity was assessed by a clinical score scale. A total of 266 samples from 247 children were collected and 111 (42%) were HRSV‐positive. HRSV was isolated from 70 (63%), and 52 (74%) of them were positive for at least one additional virus. HRSV‐positive diseases were more severe than HRSV‐negative ones, but there was no difference in disease severity between patients with viable‐HRSV and those HRSV‐positives by RT‐PCR. Co‐detection of other viruses did not correlate with increased disease severity. HRSV isolation in cell culture does not seem to be superior to RT‐PCR to distinguish infections associated with HRSV replication in studies of clinical impact of HRSV. A high rate of co‐detection of other respiratory viruses was found in samples with viable‐HRSV, but this was not associated with more severe HRSV infection. J Med. Virol. 85:1852–1859, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

     

Secondary prevention of cryptogenic stroke in patients with patent foramen ovale: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The aim of our study is to compare patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure versus medical treatment and antiplatelet versus anticoagulant therapy in patients with cryptogenic stroke (CS) and PFO. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis (TSA) of randomized trials. Primary outcomes are stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) and all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes are peripheral embolism, bleeding, serious adverse events, myocardial infarction and atrial dysrhythmias. We performed an intention to treat meta-analysis with a random-effects model. We include six trials (3677 patients, mean age 47.3 years, 55.8% men). PFO closure is associated with a lower recurrence of stroke or TIA at a mean follow-up of 3.88 years compared to medical therapy [risk ratio (RR) 0.55, 95% CI 0.38–0.81; I²?=?40%]. The TSA confirms this result. No difference is found in mortality (RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.35–1.60; I²?=?0%), while PFO closure is associated with a higher incidence of atrial dysrhythmias (RR 4.55, 95% CI 2.16–9.60; I²?=?25%). The rate of the other outcomes is not different among the two groups. The comparison between anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy shows no difference in terms of stroke recurrence, mortality and bleeding. There is conclusive evidence that PFO closure reduces the recurrence of stroke or TIA in patients younger than 60 years of age with CS. More data are warranted to assess the consequences of the increase in atrial dysrhythmias and the advantage of PFO closure over anticoagulants.     

The removal from plasma of chylomicrons and remnants is reduced in heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia subjects with identified LDL receptor mutations: study with artificial emulsions

Chylomicron remnants bind to both their specific receptors (LRP) and to the LDL receptor (LDLR) in the liver. There is controversy whether disturbances of chylomicron metabolism occur in subjects with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there are defects on the removal from plasma of chylomicrons and their remnants in heterozygous FH patients with determined LDLR mutations. We studied 20 heterozygous FH patients (43.2±12 years old, 60% males) and 50 normolipidemic subjects matched for age and gender. FH subjects were not in use of LDL-lowering drugs for at least 6 weeks. The removal from plasma of chylomicrons and their remnants was measured by isotopic decay after venous injection of a chylomicron-like emulsion radiolabeled with (14)C-cholesteryl ester ((14)C-CE) and (3)H-triolein ((3)H-TO). These track respectively removal from plasma of chylomicrons and remnants and lipolysis. There was a significant reduction in the fractional catabolic rates (FCR in h(-1)) of (14)C-CE in FH in comparison with normolipidemics: 0.048 (1.46.10(-7); 0.57) vs. 0.71(0.049; 1.62), [median (25th-75th percentile)], p=0.003. No differences were found in FCR of (3)H-TO between FH and controls, respectively 1.62 (1.02; 2.331) and 1.914 (1.34; 2.878), p=0.405. In conclusion heterozygous FH subjects had a significant decrease on the removal from plasma of chylomicrons and their remnants compared with normolipidemics.