Interactions between cancer cells and immune cells drive transitions to mesenchymal-like states in glioblastoma

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Pregnant women’s use and attitude toward herbal,vitamin, and mineral supplements in an academic tertiary care center,Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background

Herbal medicine has been widely utilized by pregnant women despite the limited available evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of that practice. The current available studies, from different countries, estimated that the use of herbal medicine during pregnancy range from 7% up to 96%. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence, attitude, source of information, and reasoning behind the use of herbal medicine among pregnant women in Saudia Arabia.

伴随结节性硬化的浸润性视网膜星形细胞瘤4例

众所周知，视网膜星形细胞瘤常伴有结节性硬化的表现。视网膜星形细胞瘤一般是发生在视网膜神经纤维层的无蒂轻度隆起性病变。临床上可以是单侧发生，也可以是双侧发生。可以单个病灶，也可以多个病灶。可以是透明的，也可以是不透明的。可以有钙化，也可以没有钙化。视网膜星形细胞瘤相对固定的伴有眼内结节性硬化，很少表现为浸润性增长。在很少的情况下视网膜星形细胞瘤可以表现出浸润性增长，造成局部严重并发症。     

Oilseed rape and seasonal symptoms: epidemiological and environmental studies.

BACKGROUND--There is widespread concern that the cultivation of oilseed rape leads to seasonal epidemics of respiratory symptoms in populations living in the neighbourhood, and it has been suggested that the plant is a potent allergen. A study was therefore undertaken to determine the prevalence of seasonal symptoms in rural populations close to and far from areas of oilseed rape cultivation, and to measure the levels of allergen and other potentially harmful substances released by the crop. METHODS--Random samples of 1000 adults from the general practice populations of two villages surrounded by oilseed rape fields, and 1000 adults from one village far from such cultivation, were taken. The subjects completed a previously validated questionnaire on respiratory and other symptoms, including questions on symptom seasonality, occupation, and smoking habits. Pollen and fungal spore counts were made around fields of oilseed rape and in the villages. The chemicals released by oilseed rape were measured in the field. RESULTS--Overall, 86.8% of the subjects completed the questionnaires and the populations of the two samples were generally comparable. Spring and summer exacerbations of symptoms occurred equally in the two areas in approximately 25% of the population. There were small but significant excesses of cough, wheeze, and headaches in spring in the oilseed rape area (2.3% v 1.1%, 6.8% v 4.6%, and 4.8% v 2.8%, respectively), and cough, wheeze, and itchy skin were more prevalent in smokers. Counts of oilseed rape pollen were generally low except adjacent to fields, and counts of fungal spores were mostly higher in the rape than the non-rape areas. Oilseed rape was shown to give off terpenes and these were detected close to fields. CONCLUSIONS--While it is likely that a proportion of the spring symptoms occurring in people living in close proximity to oilseed rape is caused by the plant, the excess of such symptoms is small. This, together with the low levels of pollen in the area, suggests that allergy to oilseed rape pollen is uncommon. The general prevalence of seasonal symptoms in rural areas is of interest, and a proportion of these cases is likely to be caused by factors other than allergy. Release of chemicals by plants and natural rises in summer ozone levels may be contributors.     

Chemotherapy for Chagas' disease: a perspective of current therapy and considerations for future research

Our current knowledge of the biology of Trypanosoma cruzi and its relation to the development of chemotherapy for Chagas' disease are reviewed. This includes recent developments in the understanding of kinetoplast DNA and glycosomes; the action of oxygen radicals; intermediary metabolism of purines, pyrimidines, and folic acid; and the formation of microtubules. At this time, these organelles and metabolic pathways appear to be the most promising for potential exploitation for chemotherapeutic purposes. Compounds of current experimental interest also are discussed. These are agents that have shown promise in the laboratory and for which data exist regarding probable mechanisms of action. The activities of these agents correlated, in so far as is possible, with those structures or metabolic pathways in the trypanonsome that are affected by their actions. The compounds are of two general groups: nitro compounds and purine analogues.     

Intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 gene polymorphisms in Behçet’s disease

Intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1) gene polymorphisms have been implicated in the susceptibility to inflammatory diseases, including multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease. The expression of both soluble and tissue ICAM‐1 is increased in Behçet’s disease (BD) but the contribution of ICAM‐1 gene polymorphisms to this disease remains unknown. Associations with BD have been reported for genes within the MHC, including HLA‐B51, TNF and MICA, but the role of non‐MHC genes in BD remains largely unexplored. We have investigated the frequency of the R/G 241 and K/E 469 ICAM‐1 gene polymorphisms in 83 patients with BD disease and 103 healthy controls, all of Palestinian and Jordanian descent, and demonstrated an association between BD and the ICAM‐1 E469 allele (P_c = 0.046, OR = 2.1). Among patients, no association was found between the presence of ocular disease and ICAM‐1 polymorphisms. While the functional correlate of this polymorphism remains unclear, this finding indicates that a genetic polymorphism in the ICAM‐1 gene domain, which is independent of the MHC, may contribute to disease.     

In vivo and in vitro analysis of chloroquine resistance in Plasmodium falciparum isolates from Senegal

To determine the predictive value of chloroquine (CQ) resistance markers in Senegal, Plasmodium falciparum DNA polymorphisms in pfmdr1and pfcrt were examined in relation to clinical outcome. Despite CQ treatment, 17% of patients had parasitemia after 28 days. Examination of molecular markers of CQ resistance revealed that 64% of all isolates had the T76 resistant allele at the pfcrt locus, while 30% carried the Y86 resistant allele at the pfmdr1 locus. The pfcrt T76 allele was present not only in all in vivo resistant isolates, 89% of in vitro resistant isolates, but also in 35% of in vitro sensitive isolates. The pfmdr1 N86Y polymorphism did not correlate with in vitro or in vivo CQ resistance. Our data suggest that the pfcrt T76 allele alone is required but not a sufficient predictor for in vivo CQ resistance.     

Genetic diversity among clinical isolates of Acremonium strictum determined during an investigation of a fatal mycosis

Primarily saprophytic in nature, fungi of the genus Acremonium are a well-documented cause of mycetoma and other focal diseases. More recently, a number of Acremonium spp. have been implicated in invasive infections in the setting of severe immunosuppression. During the course of routine microbiological studies involving a case of fatal mycosis in a nonmyeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplant patient, we identified a greater-than-expected variation among strains previously identified as Acremonium strictum by clinical microbiologists. Using DNA sequence analysis of the ribosomal DNA intergenic transcribed spacer (ITS) regions and the D1-D2 variable domain of the 28S ribosomal DNA gene (28S), the case isolate and four other clinical isolates phenotypically identified as A. strictum were found to have <99% homology to the A. strictum type strain, CBS 346.70, at the ITS and 28S loci, while a sixth isolate phenotypically identified only as Acremonium sp. had >99% homology to the type strain at both loci. These results suggest that five out of the six clinical isolates belong to species other than A. strictum or that the A. strictum taxon is genetically diverse. Based upon these sequence data, the clinical isolates were placed into three genogroups.