Palliative brachytherapy to axilla and hypopharynx in elderly patient with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma — case report

Brachytherapy (BT) is an important local treatment of tumor and it can be applied to different anatomical sites either in a curative or palliative setting. BT can deliver large dose of radiation to the tumor while sparing the surrounding normal tissue which translates into a better therapeutic ratio compared to external beam radiotherapy. However, the evidence for the use of brachytherapy in the palliative setting is lacking in the literature. In this case report, we describe the brachytherapy technique and outcome of a patient with squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx who underwent palliative brachytherapy to the hypopharynx and metastatic tumor at the right axilla.     

Multimodality imaging of anomalous pulmonary veins

Partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection (PAPVC) is an extremely rare congenital condition where one or more of the pulmonary veins are connected to the venous circulation. Although initially suspected with unexplained right ventricular enlargement on transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), cardiac MRI is able to delineate the anatomical variant. We present a case of a 65-year-old male diagnosed with left sided PAPVC using multimodality cardiac imaging.     

Rapid SERS monitoring of lipid‐peroxidation‐derived protein modifications in cells using photonic crystal fiber sensor

We proposed a side channel photonic crystal fiber (SC‐PCF) based Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) platform which is able to accurately monitor lipid peroxidation derived protein modifications in cells. This platform incorporates linoleamide alkyne (LAA), which is oxidized and subsequently modifies proteins in cells with alkyne functional group upon lipid peroxidation. By loading the side channel of SC‐PCF with a mixture of gold nanoparticles and LAA treated cells, and subsequently measuring the interference‐free alkyne Raman peak from these proteins in cells, strong SERS signal was obtained. The platform provides a method for the rapid monitoring of lipid peroxidation derived protein modification in cells.

     

New players in heterochromatin silencing: histone variant H3.3 and the ATRX/DAXX chaperone

A number of studies have demonstrated that various components of the ATRX/DAXX/Histone H3.3 complex are important for heterochromatin silencing at multiple genomic regions. We provide an overview of the individual components (ATRX, DAXX and/or H3.3) tested in each study and propose a model where the ATRX/DAXX chaperone complex deposits H3.3 to maintain the H3K9me3 modification at heterochromatin throughout the genome.     

Improve protective efficacy of a TB DNA-HSP65 vaccine by BCG priming

Vaccines are considered by many to be one of the most successful medical interventions against infectious diseases. But many significant obstacles remain, such as optimizing DNA vaccines for use in humans or large animals. The amount of doses, route and easiness of administration are also important points to consider in the design of new DNA vaccines. Heterologous prime-boost regimens probably represent the best hope for an improved DNA vaccine strategy. In this study, we have shown that heterologous prime-boost vaccination against tuberculosis (TB) using intranasal BCG priming/DNA-HSP65 boosting (BCGin/DNA) provided significantly greater protection than that afforded by a single subcutaneous or intranasal dose of BCG. In addition, BCGin/DNA immunization was also more efficient in controlling bacterial loads than were the other prime-boost schedules evaluated or three doses of DNA-HSP65 as a naked DNA. The single dose of DNA-HSP65 booster enhanced the immunogenicity of a single subcutaneous BCG vaccination, as evidenced by the significantly higher serum levels of anti-Hsp65 IgG2a Th1-induced antibodies, as well as by the significantly greater production of IFN-γ by antigen-specific spleen cells. The BCG prime/DNA-HSP65 booster was also associated with better preservation of lung parenchyma. The improvement of the protective effect of BCG vaccine mediated by a DNA-HSP65 booster suggests that our strategy may hold promise as a safe and effective vaccine against TB.     

"Silent" sites in Drosophila genes are not neutral: evidence of selection among synonymous codons

The patterns of synonymous codon usage in 91 Drosophila melanogaster genes have been examined. Codon usage varies strikingly among genes. This variation is associated with differences in G+C content at silent sites, but (unlike the situation in mammalian genes) these differences are not correlated with variation in intron base composition and so are not easily explicable in terms of mutational biases. Instead, those genes with high G+C content at silent sites, resulting from a strong "preference" for a particular subset of the codons that are mostly C- ending, appear to be the more highly expressed genes. This suggests that G+C content is reduced in sequences where selective constraints are weaker, as indeed seen in a pseudogene. These and other data discussed are consistent with the effects of translational selection among synonymous codons, as seen in unicellular organisms. The existence of selective constraints on silent substitutions, which may vary in strength among genes, has implications for the use of silent molecular clocks.      

Two levels of resting potential in cardiac purkinje fibers

In an appropriate ionic environment, the resting potential of canine cardiac purkinje fibers may have either of two value. By changing the external K concentration, [K](0), in small steps, it was shown that, in the low (1 mM) Cl, Na-containing solutions used in this study, the two levels of resting potential could be obtained only within a narrow range of [K](0) values; that range was usually found between 1 and 4 mM. Within the critical [K](0) range the resting potential could be shifted from either level to the other by the application of small current pulses. It was shown that under these conditions the steady-state current- voltage relationship was “N-shaped,” and that a region of both negative slope, and negative chord conductance lay between the two stable zero-current potentials. The negative chord conductance was largely due to inward sodium current, only part of which was sensitive to tetrodotoxin (TTX). Under appropriate conditions, the negative chord conductance could be abolished by several experimental interventions and the membrane potential thereby shifted from the lower to the higher resting level: those interventions which were effective by presumably diminishing the steady-state inward current included reducing the external sodium concentration, adding TTX, or adding lidocaine; those which presumably increased the steady-state outward current included small increases in [K](0), brief depolarizations to around -20 mV, or the addition of acetylcholine chloride.