Cancer-Related Causes of Death among HIV-Infected Patients in France in 2010: Evolution since 2000

Objectives

The current study aimed at describing the distribution and characteristics of malignancy related deaths in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients in 2010 and at comparing them to those obtained in 2000 and 2005.

Methods

Data were obtained from three national surveys conducted in France in 2010, 2005 and 2000. The underlying cause of death was documented using a standardized questionnaire fulfilled in French hospital wards involved in the management of HIV infection.

Results

Among the 728 deaths reported in 2010, 262 were cancer-related (36%). After a significant increase from 28% in 2000 to 33% in 2005 and 36% in 2010, cancers represent the leading cause of mortality in HIV infected patients. The proportion of deaths attributed to non-AIDS/non-hepatitis-related cancers significantly increased from 2000 to 2010 (11% of the deaths in 2000, 17% in 2005 and 22% in 2010, p<0.001), while those attributed to AIDS-defining cancers decreased during the same period (16% in 2000, 13% in 2005 and 9% in 2010, p = 0.024). Particularly, the proportion of respiratory cancers significantly increased from 5% in 2000 to 6% in 2005 and 11% in 2010 (p = 0.004). Lung cancer was the most common cancer-related cause of death in 2010 (instead of non-Hodgkin lymphoma so far) and represented the leading cause of death in people living with HIV overall.

Conclusions

Cancer prevention (especially smoking cessation), screening strategies and therapeutic management need to be optimized in HIV-infected patients in order to reduce mortality, particularly in the field of respiratory cancers.     

Some possibilities of representing microcirculation in human spleen

The representation of microcirculation can be approached in several ways. One of the possibilities is to represent the endothelium (endothelial or sinus lining cells) and their basement membrane on the basis of detecting the known components and the expression of the surface antigenes by the methods of immuno-, enzyme- or lectino-histochemical analysis, or by staining or impregnation histological methods. The other possibility is the examination of samples by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. For three-dimensional demonstration corrosion casts techniques or laser scanning confocal microscopy can be used. In this paper we describe the survey of immuno-, enzyme- and lectino-histochemical characteristics of selected components of microcirculation and our own results of its demonstration in human spleen.     

A test of biotic interactions among two alpine plant species in Australia

This study examines the extent to which interactions among two common alpine/subalpine plant species and their neighbours at the Bogong High Plains in southern Australia are characterized by competition or facilitation. The two target species were Celmisia pugioniformis (Asteraceae) and Carex breviculmis (Cyperaceae). Biotic interactions were examined using vegetation removal manipulations over three growing seasons at five sites across the altitudinal range of tall alpine herbfield communities. Observations recorded growth and mortality. Results for C. pugioniformis clearly indicated facilitation as a dominant process across all sites and seasons. Plants that had their neighbours removed tended to perform worse than plants that had their neighbours left intact. Growth observations for Ca. breviculmis were less clear, but again suggested facilitation. Mortality was distinctly higher among Ca. breviculmis individuals that had their neighbours removed relative to those with neighbours left intact. Results collectively suggest the removal of neighbours acts to reduce growth and increase mortality in C. pugioniformis and Ca. breviculmis throughout the altitudinal range of tall alpine herbfields at the Bogong High Plains. Facilitative and competitive interactions need to be recognized in efforts aimed at mitigating climate change‐associated impacts on the ecology of alpine plant communities. The extent to which biotic interactions may exacerbate or buffer abiotic change is difficult to predict, emphasizing the need for ecological monitoring.     

Molecular cloning,structure and bait region splice variants of alpha2-macroglobulin from the soft tick Ornithodoros moubata

The sequence of a alpha(2)-macroglobulin (alpha(2)M) from the soft tick Ornithodoros moubata (TAM) was determined by cloning and sequencing of overlapping polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends PCR products. The TAM cDNA sequence is 4,944 bp long and contains one open reading frame coding for a protein precursor composed of 1,494 amino-acid residues, including a 24-residue signal sequence. The mature protein is cleaved into two subunits similarly to the C3 and C4 components of complement and fish alpha(2)Ms. Phylogeny analysis revealed that TAM is closely related to Limulus alpha(2)M and displays the highest similarity to the partial sequence of alpha(2)M from hard tick Ixodes scapularis. The comparison of conserved cysteine residues between TAM and human and Limulus alpha(2)Ms made it possible to predict the pattern of disulfide bridges and explain the atypical molecular arrangement of TAM. Four variants of the TAM bait region differing only in a short central segment were found; our data indicate that TAM exists as a single-copy gene in the tick genome and its bait region variants likely arise by alternative splicing. TAM is produced by tick hemocytes and it is also significantly expressed in salivary glands. TAM mRNA levels were shown to be up-regulated upon blood meal.     

Concentration of nutrients in selected lakes in the High Tatra Mountains, Slovakia: effect of season and watershed

Concentrations of total phosphorus (TP), inorganic and organic nitrogen, organic matter, and chlorophyll-a were studied in ten mountain lakes at various stages of acidification, trophy, and type of watershed during each July and October from 1987 to 1990. Concentrations of TP and total organic matter were higher in July than in October. Concentrations of NH4₄ ⁺-N decreased and NO₃ ^–-N increased from July to October. The relative composition of total nitrogen (TN) and its concentration were strongly dependent on the type of watershed: the lowest TN concentrations were observed in lakes with forested watersheds, increasing above the timberline and reaching maximum values in acidified lakes with rocky watersheds. In the pool of TN, nitrate was most important in lakes above the timberline (70–86% of TN), and organic nitrogen in forest lakes (> 90% of TN). Lakes with rocky watersheds were characterized by high ratios of TN:TP (> 250 by mass). The concentration of chlorophyll-a varied widely, from 0.01 to 22.6 µg l^–1, without any consistent change between July and October, and were P limited.     

Expression of an auxin-inducible promoter of tobacco in Arabidopsis thaliana

The expression of the auxin-inducible Nt103-1 gene of tobacco was studied in Arabidopsis thaliana. For this purpose we introduced a gene fusion between the promoter of the gene and the -glucuronidase reporter gene (GUS) into Arabidopsis thaliana. The expression and location of GUS activity were studied histochemically in time and after incubation of seedlings on medium containing auxins or other compounds. The auxins 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and 1-naphthylacetic acid (1-NAA) were able to induce GUS activity in the root tips of transgenic seedlings. The auxin transport inhibitor 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid was able to induce GUS activity not only in the root tip, but also in other parts of the root. Induction by the inactive auxin analog 3,5-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid was much weaker. Compounds like glutathione and the heavy metal CuSO₄ were weak inducers. GUS activity observed after induction by glutathione was located in the transition zone. Salicylic acid and compounds increasing the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the cell were also very well able to induce GUS activity in the roots. The possible involvement of hydrogen peroxide as a second messenger in the pathway leading to the induction of the Nt103-1 promoter is discussed.     

Secondary structure model for bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA: phylogenetic, enzymatic and chemical evidence.

We have derived a secondary structure model for 16S ribosomal RNA on the basis of comparative sequence analysis, chemical modification studies and nuclease susceptibility data. Nucleotide sequences of the E. coli and B. brevis 16S rRNA chains, and of RNAse T1 oligomer catalogs from 16S rRNAs of over 100 species of eubacteria were used for phylogenetic comparison. Chemical modification of G by glyoxal, A by m-chloroperbenzoic acid and C by bisulfite in naked 16S rRNA, and G by kethoxal in active and inactive 30S ribosomal subunits was taken as an indication of single stranded structure. Further support for the structure was obtained from susceptibility to RNases A and T1. These three approaches are in excellent agreement. The structure contains fifty helical elements organized into four major domains, in which 46 percent of the nucleotides of 16S rRNA are involved in base pairing. Phylogenetic comparison shows that highly conserved sequences are found principally in unpaired regions of the molecule. No knots are created by the structure.