A pulmonary paragonimiasis case mimicking metastatic pulmonary tumor

Pulmonary paragonimiasis is a relatively rare cause of lung disease revealing a wide variety of radiologic findings, such as air-space consolidation, nodules, and cysts. We describe here a case of pulmonary paragonimiasis in a 27-year-old woman who presented with a 2-month history of cough and sputum. Based on chest computed tomography (CT) scans and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) findings, the patient was suspected to have a metastatic lung tumor. However, she was diagnosed as having Paragonimus westermani infection by an immunoserological examination using ELISA. Follow-up chest X-ray and CT scans after chemotherapy with praziquantel showed an obvious improvement. There have been several reported cases of pulmonary paragonimiasis mimicking lung tumors on FDG-PET. However, all of them were suspected as primary lung tumors. To our knowledge, this patient represents the first case of paragonimiasis mimicking metastatic lung disease on FDG-PET CT imaging.     

A newly recognized virus associated with a fatal case of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Louisiana.

Genetic analysis of virus detected in autopsy tissues of a fatal hantavirus pulmonary syndrome-like case in Louisiana revealed the presence of a previously unrecognized hantavirus. Nucleotide sequence analysis of PCR fragments of the complete S and M segments of the virus amplified from RNA extracted from the tissues showed the virus to be novel, differing from the closest related hantavirus, Sin Nombre virus, by approximately 30%. Both genome segments were unique, and there was no evidence of genetic reassortment with previously characterized hantaviruses. The primary rodent reservoir of Sin Nombre virus, the deer mouse Peromyscus maniculatus, is absent from Louisiana. Thus, the virus detected in Louisiana, referred to here as Bayou virus, must possess a different rodent reservoir.     

MicroRNAs associated with metastatic prostate cancer

Objective

Metastasis is the most common cause of death of prostate cancer patients. Identification of specific metastasis biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets is considered essential for improved prognosis and management of the disease. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) form a class of non-coding small RNA molecules considered to be key regulators of gene expression. Their dysregulation has been shown to play a role in cancer onset, progression and metastasis, and miRNAs represent a promising new class of cancer biomarkers. The objective of this study was to identify down- and up-regulated miRNAs in prostate cancer that could provide potential biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets for prostate cancer metastasis.

Methods

Next generation sequencing technology was applied to identify differentially expressed miRNAs in a transplantable metastatic versus a non-metastatic prostate cancer xenograft line, both derived from one patient''s primary cancer. The xenografts were developed via subrenal capsule grafting of cancer tissue into NOD/SCID mice, a methodology that tends to preserve properties of the original cancers (e.g., tumor heterogeneity, genetic profiles).

Results

Differentially expressed known miRNAs, isomiRs and 36 novel miRNAs were identified. A number of these miRNAs (21/104) have previously been reported to show similar down- or up-regulation in prostate cancers relative to normal prostate tissue, and some of them (e.g., miR-16, miR-34a, miR-126*, miR-145, miR-205) have been linked to prostate cancer metastasis, supporting the validity of the analytical approach.

Conclusions

The use of metastatic and non-metastatic prostate cancer subrenal capsule xenografts derived from one patient''s cancer makes it likely that the differentially expressed miRNAs identified in this study include potential biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets for human prostate cancer metastasis.     

A further case of a 22;22 Robertsonian translocation associated with recurrent abortions

Summary A case of 22;22 Robertsonian translocation, identified in the husband of a woman who had five early abortions, is reported.     

鹦鹉热衣原体感染致复视1例

鹦鹉热衣原体是一种胞内寄生的革兰阴性菌,可引发人畜共患病。鹦鹉热衣原体感染多表现为呼吸道症状,在中枢神经系统受累时通常表现为脑膜炎、颅神经麻痹、吉兰巴雷综合征以及癫痫。本文介绍了1例鹦鹉热衣原体致重症肺炎且合并颅神经损害的病例,经过多西环素抗感染治疗后肺部感染及颅神经病变好转。该病例报告不仅帮助临床医师进一步熟悉鹦鹉热衣原体感染累及中枢神经系统的临床表现,更有助于其了解鹦鹉热病原体目前的诊断手段。     

VACTERL-H associated with central hypothyroidism: a case report

The VACTERL-H syndrome is a rare combination of vertebral anomalies, anal atresia, congenital heart defects, tracheo-esophageal fistula, abnormalities of kidneys and limb anomalies together with hydrocephalus. This condition is recognized as a hereditary entity with poor prognosis. We present a newborn weighing 3400 g, born by cesarean section to a 27 years old mother who had had an irregular antenatal follow-up. The patient had severe hydrocephalus, proximal esophageal atresia and distal tracheoesophageal fistula, gastric outlet obstruction, imperforated anus and recto-urethral fistula, patent ductus arterious, a bifid scrotum, a vertebral defect, sacral dimple and central hypothyroidism. The patient had no limb defects. The association of central hypothyroidism and VACTERL-H has previously not been reported.     

Sublethal costs associated with the consumption of toxic prey by snakes

Costs of plant defences to herbivores have been extensively studied, but costs of chemical defences to carnivores are less well understood. We examine the costs to Australian keelback snakes (Tropidonophis mairii, Gray 1841) of consuming cane toads (Bufo[Rhinella]marinus Linnaeus 1758). Cane toads (an invasive species in Australia) are highly toxic. Although keelbacks can consume toads without dying (unlike most Australian snakes), we show that cane toads are poor quality prey for keelbacks. Toads are of low net nutritional value, take longer to consume than do native frogs and reduce the snake's locomotor performance for up to 6 h after ingestion of a meal. These latter effects may increase a snake's vulnerability to predation. Nutritional content of vertebrate prey is not the only factor driving the evolution of foraging behaviour; other more subtle costs, such as risk of predation, may be widespread.