Genitourinary anomalies in the CHARGE association

PURPOSE: We identified the incidence and types of genital and urinary anomalies, and established a plan for evaluating the urinary system in the CHARGE association. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 32 patients in whom the CHARGE association was diagnosed. RESULTS: Of the 32 patients identified 22 (69%) had genitourinary abnormalities. Genital anomalies, including micropenis, penile agenesis, hypospadias, chordee, cryptorchidism, a bifid scrotum, atresia of the uterus, cervix and vagina, and hypoplastic labia majora, labia minora and clitoris, were present in 18 patients (56%). Of the 24 patients who underwent renal ultrasound 10 (42%) were diagnosed with urinary tract anomalies including a solitary kidney, hydronephrosis, renal hypoplasia and duplex kidneys. Further evaluation revealed vesicoureteral reflux, neurogenic bladder secondary to spinal dysraphism, nephrolithiasis, ureteropelvic junction obstruction and a nonfunctioning upper pole in both duplex kidneys. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high incidence of genitourinary anomalies in the CHARGE association. Because of this high incidence of anomalies, patients with this condition should undergo a careful genitourinary evaluation, including renal and bladder ultrasound, and voiding cystourethrography screening.     

Identification of 130 kDa cell surface LDL-binding protein from smooth muscle cells as a partially processed T-cadherin precursor

Atypical cell surface lipoprotein-binding proteins of 105 kDa and 130 kDa are present in membranes of vascular smooth muscle cells. We recently identified the 105 kDa protein from human aortic media as T-cadherin, an unusual glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored member of the cadherin family of cell adhesion proteins. The goal of the present study was to determine the identity of 130 kDa lipoprotein-binding protein of smooth muscle cells. We applied different approaches that included protein sequencing of purified protein from human aortic media, the use of human T-cadherin peptide-specific antisera, and enzymatic treatment of cultured cells with trypsin and GPI-specific phospholipase C. Our results indicate that the 130 kDa protein is a partially processed form of T-cadherin which is attached to the membrane surface of smooth muscle cells via a GPI anchor and contains uncleaved N-terminal propeptide sequence. Our data disclose that, in contrast to classical cadherins, T-cadherin is expressed on the cell surface in both its precursor (130 kDa) and mature (105 kDa) forms.     

A single course of remission reinduction chemotherapy for acute myelogenous leukemia relapsing after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation is complicated by graft-versus-host disease and followed by sustained complete remission

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains a major immunological complication after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (allo-BMT), but also favors development of the beneficial graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect. A patient with AML-M4 (inv (16)) is described, who was given non-myeloablative remission reinduction therapy for leukemic relapse (inv (16), trisomy 8) diagnosed on day 184 after HLA-compatible sibling BMT. On day 236, ie about 6 weeks after completion of this course, a clinical syndrome suggestive of acute GVHD grade 3 had developed. Skin biopsy confirmed the clinical diagnosis of GVHD, with a compatible liver biopsy. Transfusion-associated GVHD was ruled out by analysis of short tandem repeat (STR) alleles in the skin biopsy, revealing alleles from donor and recipient but not from third party origin. Cyclosporin A (CsA) therapy, which had been tapered between days 150 and 175, was resumed, resulting in a favorable response and gradual transition to limited chronic GVHD. The patient has since remained in complete remission with an excellent performance status for more than 40 months, without further chemotherapy. Thus this biopsy proven case of GVHD was induced by marrow donor lymphocytes more than 200 days after transplantation and apparently triggered by remission reinduction chemotherapy. The case indicates that intensive non-myeloablative chemotherapy can cure AML relapsing after allo-BMT. The therapeutic effect in this case probably involved a direct pharmacological suppression of the leukemic clone followed by a GVL effect initiated by donor-derived alloreactive T lymphocytes.     

Use of cyclodextrins for manipulating cellular cholesterol content

Previous studies from this laboratory have demonstrated that exposure of tissue culture cells to cyclodextrins results in rapid cholesterol depletion. In the present study, we have developed experimental systems for using solutions of cyclodextrins, either 2-hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin or methylated beta-cyclodextrin, complexed with varying amounts of free cholesterol to manipulate cell cholesterol content. Cholesterol delivered via the cyclodextrin has been found to be metabolically active, as measured by the acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT)-mediated esterification of [3H]cholesterol in Fu5AH rat hepatoma cells and Chinese hamster ovary cells. The methylated beta-cyclodextrin was found to be a more efficient donor in all cell types studied, with an average cholesterol uptake of at least 100 microg cholesterol/mg protein within 6 h. By modifying the cyclodextrin:cholesterol molar ratio, it is possible to manipulate the cellular cholesterol content of cells, producing conditions ranging from net cholesterol enrichment to depletion. The use of cyclodextrins provides a convenient, precise and reproducible method for modulating the cholesterol content of tissue culture cells.     

Is leptin sensitivity the link between smoking cessation and weight gain?

We performed a case-control study to investigate the association of the poor metaboliser genotype of the cytochrome P450 2D6 gene with Parkinson's disease (PD). Genotyping was determined by the polymerase chain reaction followed by digestion with restriction enzymes. The poor metaboliser genotype was more frequent in 112 patients with PD than in 206 matched controls (odds ratio 1.7, 95% CI: 0.94-2.45). A meta-analysis of these results together with ten other published studies gave a pooled odds ratio for the poor metaboliser genotype of 1.47 (95% CI: 1.18-1.96, P=0.01). Thus, the poor metaboliser genotype has a small but highly significant association with PD which would be easily missed in small studies. Research now should focus on the mechanism of this association.     

Ability of the Higgins Nutrition Intervention Program to improve adolescent pregnancy outcome

Weaning onto chow diets causes the highest incidence of diabetes in the BB rat. Changes in gut development and absorption of nutrients in the diabetes prone rat and the subsequent effect on pancreatic function may play a role in the ultimate development of the disease. BB diabetes prone (dp) and BB normal (n) dams were fed chow diets. Pups were killed at various ages ranging from 7 to 30 days. BBdp rats had higher small intestine and colon weights expressed per body weight at all ages (p < 0.0001). RNA content (mg/g) in the jejunum, ileum and colon was higher in the BBdp rats beginning at the critical period at 21 days and maintained at 24 days and 30 days (p < 0.0001). Proglucagon message decreased with age in both BBdp and BBn animals (p < 0.0001). Levels of proglucagon mRNA were higher in BBdp compared to BBn animals only in the ileum at 10 days (p < 0.01). Adjusting for total ileal and colonic RNA content resulted in BBdp animals having higher total colonic proglucagon mRNA at 21, 24 and 30 days (p < 0.0001). Plasma GLP-1(7-36) amide was more than doubled in BBdp compared to BBn animals (p < 0.0005) at 30 days. Expressing sodium-dependent D-glucose co-transporter (SGLT-1), GLUT2 and GLUT5 mRNA per total jejunal RNA shows increased transporter mRNA in BBdp compared to BBn rats at weaning (21 days) (p < 0.05). Radical differences exist between BBdp and BBn animals at 'critical periods' in both proglucagon and glucose transporter gene expression. These differences may help explain altered growth and diseases incidence between these two strains.     

Image-guided endoscopic surgery: results of accuracy and performance in a multicenter clinical study using an electromagnetic tracking system

Image-guided surgery has recently been described in the literature as a useful technology for improved functional endoscopic sinus surgery localization. Image-guided surgery yields accurate knowledge of the surgical field boundaries, allowing safer and more thorough sinus surgery. We have previously reviewed our initial experience with The InstaTrak System. This article presents a multicenter clinical study (n=55) that assesses the system's capability for localizing structures in critical surgical sites. The purpose of this paper is to present quantitative data on accuracy and performance. We describe several new advances including an automated registration technique that eliminates the redundant computed tomography scan, compensation for head movement, and the ability to use interchangeable instruments.     

How the rich (and happy) get richer (and happier): Relationship of core self-evaluations to trajectories in attaining work success.

In this study, the authors linked core self-evaluations to job and work success. Utilizing a dynamic design from participants in the National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth (NLSY79), core self-evaluations were hypothesized to predict individuals' intercepts (starting levels of success), and their growth trajectories (slope of individuals' success over time) with respect to job satisfaction, pay, and occupational status. Results indicated that higher core self-evaluations were associated with both higher initial levels of work success and steeper work success trajectories. Education and health problems that interfere with work mediated a portion of the hypothesized relationships, suggesting that individuals with high core self-evaluations have more ascendant jobs and careers, in part, because they are more apt to pursue further education and maintain better health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Disruption of syntaxin-mediated protein interactions blocks neurotransmitter secretion

The membrane protein syntaxin participates in several protein-protein interactions that have been implicated in neurotransmitter release. To probe the physiological importance of these interactions, we microinjected into the squid giant presynaptic terminal botulinum toxin C1, which cleaves syntaxin, and the H3 domain of syntaxin, which mediates binding to other proteins. Both reagents inhibited synaptic transmission yet did not affect the number or distribution of synaptic vesicles at the presynaptic active zone. Recombinant H3 domain inhibited the interactions between syntaxin and SNAP-25 that underlie the formation of stable SNARE complexes in vitro. These data support the notion that syntaxin-mediated SNARE complexes are necessary for docked synaptic vesicles to fuse.