Phenotypic markers and BCL-1 gene rearrangements in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a Cancer and Leukemia Group B study

The markers, CD11b, CD11c, CD14, CD21, CD23, CD25, CD38, and FMC7 were correlated with morphologic and other laboratory and clinical characteristics of 127 patients with untreated CD5+ chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Only CD38 and CD21 were significantly associated with atypical CLL morphology. The integrin associated markers CD11b and CD11c were associated with lower leukocyte count (white blood cell count [WBC]) and lower Rai stage. By contrast, the activation antigen CD23 was associated with a higher WBC, higher Rai stage, younger age group, and the presence of lymphadenopathy. Therefore, we conclude that CD23 positivity may reflect a more aggressive form of CLL, and CD11b and CD11c positivity a less aggressive form. The BCL-1 gene rearrangement was present in 5 of 84 (6%) CLL cases examined and was associated with atypical morphology and surface expression of CD11b. Patients with a BCL-1 gene rearrangement may represent a CLL subset or possibly a different B-cell disease.     

Interleukin-4 improves white matter integrity and functional recovery after murine traumatic brain injury via oligodendroglial PPARγ

Long-term neurological recovery after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is strongly linked to the repair and functional restoration of injured white matter. Emerging evidence suggests that the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-4 (IL-4) plays an important role in promoting white matter integrity after cerebral ischemic injury. Here, we report that delayed intranasal delivery of nanoparticle-packed IL-4 boosted sensorimotor neurological recovery in a murine model of controlled cortical impact, as assessed by a battery of neurobehavioral tests for up to five weeks. Post-injury IL-4 treatment failed to reduce macroscopic brain lesions after TBI, but preserved the structural and functional integrity of white matter, at least in part through oligodendrogenesis. IL-4 directly facilitated the differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) into mature myelin-producing oligodendrocytes in primary cultures, an effect that was attenuated by selective PPARγ inhibition. IL-4 treatment after TBI in vivo also failed to stimulate oligodendrogenesis or improve white matter integrity in OPC-specific PPARγ conditional knockout (cKO) mice. Accordingly, IL-4-afforded improvements in sensorimotor neurological recovery after TBI were markedly impaired in the PPARγ cKO mice compared to wildtype controls. These results support IL-4 as a potential novel neurorestorative therapy to improve white matter functionality and mitigate the long-term neurological consequences of TBI.     

Incidence,and Gender,Age and Ethnic Distribution of Sarcomas in the Republic of Suriname from 1980 to 2008

Objective:

We report on the incidence and the gender, age and ethnic distribution of sarcomas diagnosed between 1980 and 2008 in the multi-ethnic Republic of Suriname.

Methods:

Total and average yearly number of cases, crude rates, as well as relevant population data were derived from the records of the Pathologic Anatomy Laboratory and the General Bureau of Statistics, respectively, and stratified according to gender, age groups 0–19, 20–49 and 50+ years, and the largest ethnic groups (Hindustani, Creole, Javanese and Maroons).

Results:

Between 1980 and 2008, 258 sarcomas were diagnosed in Suriname, ie at a frequency of nine per year and an annual rate of two per 100 000. Overall, there was 0.9 male per female, two to four cases per year in each age group, and one to three patients in each ethnic group. Soft-tissue sarcomas comprised approximately 80% of overall cases, with a male/female ratio that was approximately 0.5; almost 90% of patients were older than 20 years; more than one-third was Creole. Leiomyosarcoma, fibrosarcoma and liposarcoma were most frequently encountered (90 cases), particularly above 20 years of age, while leiomyosarcomas seemed, additionally, more common in women and Creoles or Maroons. The most numerous bone tumours were primitive neuroectodermal tumour/Ewing tumour and osteosarcoma (37 cases). They were more common in males, the youngest age group, and Hindustanis and Creoles.

Conclusions:

The incidence of sarcomas in Suriname, and their gender, age and ethnic distribution in general, seemed comparable with international data. The main exception might be leiomyosarcoma which might have a predilection for Afro-Surinamese.     

Carpal avascular necrosis: MR imaging

The authors evaluated the use of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in diagnosis of avascular necrosis (AVN) of carpal bones by examining 21 patients with wrist pain and two healthy volunteers. MR images were compared with conventional radiographs in every case and with bone scintigrams in 18 cases. MR imaging was slightly less sensitive than bone scintigraphy in depicting AVN, but in patients who were imaged with long repetition time (TR)/long echo time (TE) sequences in addition to short TR/short TE sequences, MR imaging was found to be more specific. While the authors believe that bone scintigraphy remains the screening test of choice for patients with wrist pain and normal plain radiographs, MR imaging promises to add significant diagnostic information in cases in which bone scans are abnormal.     

Subcortical projections to the centromedian and parafascicular thalamic nuclei in the cat

The primary objective of this study is to identify the totality of input to the centromedian and parafascicular (CM-Pf) thalamic nuclear complex. The subcortical projections upon the CM-Pf complex were studied in the cat with three different retrograde tracers. The tracers used were unconjugated horseradish peroxidase (HRP), horseradish peroxidase conjugated to wheat germ agglutinin (WGA-HRP), and rhodamine-labeled fluorescent latex microspheres (RFM). Numerous subcortical structures or substructures contained labeled neurons with all three tracing techniques. These labeled structures included the central nucleus of the amygdala; the entopeduncular nucleus; the globus pallidus; the reticular and ventral lateral geniculate nuclei of the thalamus; parts of the hypothalamus including the dorsal, lateral, and posterior hypothalamic areas and the ventromedial and parvicellular nuclei; the zona incerta and fields of Forel; parts of the substantia nigra including the pars reticularis and pars lateralis, and the retrorubral area; the pretectum; the intermediate and deep layers of the superior colliculus; the periaqueductal gray; the dorsal nucleus of the raphe; portions of the reticular formation, including the mesencephalic, pontis oralis, pontis caudalis, gigantocellularis, ventralis, and lateralis reticular nuclei; the nucleus cuneiformis; the marginal nucleus of the brachium conjunctivum; the locus coeruleus; portions of the trigeminal complex, including the principal sensory and spinal nuclei; portions of the vestibular complex, including the lateral division of the superior nucleus and the medial nucleus; deep cerebellar nuclei, including the medial and lateral cerebellar nuclei; and lamina VII of the cervical spinal cord. Moreover, the WGA-HRP and rhodamine methods (known to be more sensitive than the HRP method) revealed several afferent sources not shown by HRP: the anterior hypothalamic area, ventral tegmental area, lateral division of the superior vestibular nucleus, nucleus interpositus, and the nucleus praepositus hypoglossi. Also, the rhodamine method revealed labeled neurons in laminae V and VI of the cervical spinal cord.     

Routine quantitation of white cells as low as 0.001 per microL in platelet components

A method is described for routine quantitation of very low numbers of white cells (WBCs) in platelet components, using flow cytometry and dual nucleic acid stains. The WBC quantitation is based on the detection of nucleated cells labeled with propidium iodide and thiazole orange, with chicken red cells added as an internal counting standard. Platelet concentrates containing 0.001 to 1500 WBCs per microL (2 × 10(2)-3 × 10(8) WBCs/component) and 600 to 2800 × 10(3) platelets per microL were analyzed for the number of contaminating WBCs. The method was found to be linear throughout the 7 log10 range and to have sufficient reproducibility and sensitivity for routine analysis of WBC- reduced platelet concentrates.