Interaction of estrogen receptor‐α ligand binding domain with nuclear proteins of aging mouse brain

After the interaction of estrogen with the ligand binding domain (LBD) of mouse estrogen receptor‐α (mERα) and hormone‐responsive elements of target genes, many nuclear proteins are recruited to regulate the expression of specific genes. Because it is not known which brain proteins interact with LBD or whether these proteins vary with age and sex, we used pull‐down assay and far Western blotting to detect five nuclear proteins of 160, 140, 87, 60, and 46 kD in the mouse brain. These interacting proteins were identified as PELP1, RIP140, PGC1α, BAF60, and ADA3, respectively. The level of PELP1, RIP140, PGC1α, and BAF60 decreased drastically in old compared with adult male mice, whereas the ADA3 level showed no significant change. PELP1, PGC1α, and BAF60 levels were lower in old male compared with female mice. Thus we report the identification and interaction of five nuclear proteins with mERα‐LBD, indicating their role in estrogen signaling and brain functions during aging. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Gastric teratoma in children including the third reported female case

Gastric teratoma is a very rare benign tumor. Fifty-three cases, only two of which were females, have previously been reported. This report concerns two cases of teratoma arising from stomach. One of them is the third female case described in the literature.     

Altered chromatin landscape in circulating T follicular helper and regulatory cells following grass pollen subcutaneous and sublingual immunotherapy

1. Download : Download high-res image (285KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image

     

Clinical significance of suprascapular nerve mobilization

The anatomy of the suprascapular nerve is important to surgeons when focal nerve lesions necessitate surgical repair. Recent experience with a patient who had a complete suprascapular nerve lesion in the retroclavicular region (combined with axillary and musculocutaneous nerve lesions) is presented to illustrate that successful direct nerve repair is possible despite resection of a neuroma. Specifically, we found that neurolysis and mobilization of the suprascapular nerve and release of the superior transverse scapular ligament provided the necessary nerve length to achieve direct nerve repair after the neuroma was removed. A combined supraclavicular and infraclavicular approach to the suprascapular nerve provided excellent visualization, especially in the retroclavicular region. Postoperatively, the patient recovered complete shoulder abduction and external rotation with the direct repair, an outcome uncommonly achieved with interpositional grafting. Based on our operative experience, we set out to quantify the length that the suprascapular nerve could be mobilized with neurolysis. Mobilization of the nerve and release of the superior transverse scapular ligament generated an average of 1.6 cm and 0.7 cm of extra nerve length respectively, totaling 2.3 cm of additional usable nerve length overall. The ability to expose the suprascapular nerve in the retroclavicular/infraclavicular region and to mobilize the suprascapular nerve for possible direct repair has not been previously emphasized and is clinically important. This surgical approach and technique permits direct nerve repair after resection of a focal neuroma in the retroclavicular or infraclavicular region, thus avoiding interpositional grafting, and improving outcomes.     

Hepatitis B virus genotypes and serotypes in western India: lack of clinical significance

To determine hepatitis B virus genotype and subtype distribution among HBV infected individuals with different clinical manifestations in western India, serum samples from 19 asymptomatic hepatitis B surface antigen carriers, 30 chronic hepatitis B patients, 8 acute hepatitis B patients, 5 fulminant hepatitis B patients, and with circulating HBV DNA were genotyped and subtyped on the basis of the nucleotide sequence analysis of S region of the HBV genome. Genotype D was the predominant genotype circulating in western India (57/62; 91.93%). All 19 asymptomatic hepatitis B surface antigen carriers, 8 acute hepatitis B patients, 5 fulminant hepatic failure patients and 25/30 chronic hepatitis B patients were circulating genotype D and ayw3/ayw2 subtypes. HBV genotype A was prevalent in 8% (5/62) of the total number of patients and all belonged to chronic hepatitis B category. Subtyping analysis showed that all genotype A isolates were of subtype adw2. As most of the patients from different clinical categories were infected with HBV genotype D, it is concluded that this genotype did not influence the outcome of HBV infection.