Exploring the anti-apoptotic role of HAX-1 versus BCL-XL in cytokine-dependent bone marrow-derived cells from mice

HS-1-associated protein X-1 (HAX-1) is a multi-functional protein that has been implicated in the regulation of apoptosis, cell motility and calcium homeostasis. In the present study, we set out to assess the postulated functional resemblance of HAX-1 to the BCL-2 family of anti-apoptotic proteins using non-transformed, cytokine-dependent murine bone marrow cells as a model system. BCL-X_L, but not HAX-1 protected against cytokine withdrawal-induced apoptosis while HAX-1 and BCL-X_L significantly reduced thapsigargin-triggered (calcium-dependent) apoptosis. The data argue in favor of cell type- and stimulus-specific roles of HAX-1 in regulation of cell survival.     

Moderate mental retardation and mild dysmorphic syndrome in proximal 7q interstitial deletion

In this report we describe a proximal 7q interstitial deletion in a 3-years-old moderately mentally retarded girl with mild dysmorphic features but absence of severe malformations.     

Physical activity and risk of rheumatoid arthritis in women: a population-based prospective study

IntroductionOnly one study has analysed the association between exercise and development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), showing no association. Aim of this paper was to evaluate the association of physical activity in all its aspect with RA.MethodsTo examine this association, middle age and elderly women from the Swedish Mammography Cohort, a population-based prospective study, were analysed. Data on physical activity were collected in 1997 by self-administrated food-frequency questionnaire. Risk of RA associated with physical activity was estimated using Cox proportional hazard regression models.ResultsAmong 30,112 women born between 1914 and 1948 followed-up from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2010, 201 RA cases were identified (226,477 person-years). There was a statistically significant 35% lower risk of RA (relative risk (RR), 0.65; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.43-0.96) among women in the highest category of leisure-time activity (combining more than 20 minute per day of walking/bicycling (median 40–60 minute per day) and more than 1 hour per week of exercise (median 2–3 hours per week)) as compared to women in the lowest category (less than 20 minute per day of walking/bicycling and less than 1 hour per week of exercise). A non-statistically significant decreased risk was observed for household work (−32%) and work/occupation (−15%), while an increased risk was observed for leisure-time physical inactivity (+27%). Daily energy expenditure was not associated with risk of RA.ConclusionsThis prospective population-based cohort study of women supports the hypothesis that physical activity can be a protective factor in the etiology of rheumatoid arthritis. Our results add to accumulated evidence on benefits of modifiable leisure-time physical activity for prevention of many other chronic diseases.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13075-015-0560-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Acrocentric/18p translocation in two mentally retarded males. Delineation of the adult phenotype

In this report we describe two adult male patients with a chromosomal rearrangement involving the short arm of chromosome 18 and an acrocentric chromosome. In addition to moderate mental retardation and verbal disability they presented dysmorphic stigmata similar to those found in the Noonan syndrome.     

On the excess of mental retardation and/or congenital malformations in apparently balanced reciprocal translocations. A critical review of the Leuven data 1966-1991.

In this report we review 286 reciprocal translocations (rcpt) diagnosed in Leuven in the period 1966, mid 1991. They were selected from a total number of 82,000 patients karyotyped for constitutional reasons. Special attention is paid to: (1) the phenotypic effect of de novo reciprocal chromosomal rearrangements and (2) the incidence of mental retardation/congenital malformations (MR/CM) in familial rcpt. Important conclusions of this study were: 1) The high incidence of MR/CM in de novo rcpt, not only in patients with complex chromosomal rearrangements (greater than 80%) but also in patients with classical two breaks rcpt (greater than 60%). In contrast, the phenotypic effect of normal/mosaic rcpt seems to be minimal. 2) The overall incidence of MR/CM in carriers of familial balanced rcpt was 6.4%. Interestingly, the incidence of MR/CM problems in rcpt carriers from families detected because of reproductive failure was not increased (2.3%). However, the risk to find MR/CM in a rcpt carrier was much higher (12.8%) if he/she belonged to a family in which the rcpt was detected in an index patient with MR/CM.     

Autofluorescence Reveals Different Histological Localizations of Furanocoumarins in Fruit of Some Umbelliferae and Leguminosae

Differences were shown in histological localization of psoralensof Angelica archangelica, Daucus carota, Sium suave and Psoraleabituminosa. All the fruits examined contained furanocoumarinson the surface. Fruit tissues contained very low (Sium), medium(Angelica) or high (Psoralea) concentrations of these compounds.Seed covers showed low autofluorescence in Angelica but highin Sium . Not all the glands in fruit or seed tissue exhibitedautofluorescence. Embryos always contained furanocoumarins ontheir surface and in their tissues in varying proportions. Autofluorescencecan be homogeneously distributed among all cells of the embryo(Sium) or can be concentrated in certain cells (Psoralea).Copyright1993, 1999 Academic Press Autofluorescence, furanocoumarins     

Establishment of phage and bacteria in a sterilized compost in a glasshouse

Summary Four strains ofRhizobium trifolii were individually inoculated to pots containing sterilized sand vermiculite mixture, half of which were seeded with red clover and half not. Pots were maintained in an ordinary glasshouse and watered with tap water.Phage was first detected after 4 months, and almost all pots contained one or more phages againstRhizobium trifolii after 9 months. The presence of plants increased the titer of phages in some pots inoculated withR. trifolii, but had no effect on the number of different phages.The pots also contained phages against soil bacteria other than Rhizobium indicating that phages are spread readily and constitute a normal part of the life cycle of soil bacteria.The number of different phages isolated from the pots was affected by the strain of Rhizobium used as inoculum.