Central giant cell lesion of the jaws: study of CCND1 gene amplification and p16INK4a protein levels

Central giant cell lesions (CGCLs) are uncommon benign jaw lesions with uncertain etiology and a variable clinical behavior. In neoplasms, alterations in molecules involved in the G1/S checkpoint are frequently found. Loss of p16^INK4a expression or overexpression of cyclin D1 may stimulate cell proliferation. The purpose of this study was to analyze CCND1 gene amplification and the expression of p16^INK4a in CGCLs. Structural analysis of the CCND1 was performed using chromogenic in situ hybridization. Immmunohistochemistry was used to identify p16^INK4a protein levels. Statistical analysis correlated the two biomarkers with clinical behavior and between each other. Twenty-four lesions were included, being 11 aggressive and 13 non-aggressive. Moderate/high-level CCND1 amplification was found in 12 lesions. Also, immunoreactivity for p16^INK4a was present in 12 cases, mainly in mononuclear cells. There was a significantly higher level of p16^INK4a expression in mononuclear cells of non-aggressive lesions and lesions with moderate/high-level CCND1 amplification in mononuclear cells. It could be speculated that some CGCLs may develop as a true benign neoplasm. The higher expression of p16^INK4a in non-aggressive lesions and in cases with moderate/high-level CCND1 amplification may show that these molecules have a role in CGCLs.     

Epigenetic alterations in folate transport genes in placental tissue from fetuses with neural tube defects and in leukocytes from subjects with hyperhomocysteinemia

The objectives of this study were to identify tissue-specific differentially methylated regions (T-DMR’s) in the folate transport genes in placental tissue compared with leukocytes, and from placental tissues obtained from normal infants or with neural tube defects (NTDs). Using pyrosequencing, we developed methylation assays for the CpG islands (CGIs) and the CGI shore regions of the folate receptor α (FOLR1), proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT) and reduced folate carrier 1 (RFC1) genes. The T-DMRs differed in location for each gene and the difference in methylation ranged between 2 and 54%. A higher T-DMR methylated fraction was associated with a lower mRNA level of the FOLR1 and RFC1 genes. Methylation fractions differed according to RFC1 80G > A genotype in the NTD cases and in leukocytes from subjects with high total plasma homocysteine (tHcy). There were no differences in methylated fraction of folate transporter genes between NTD cases and controls. We suggest that T-DMRs participate in the regulation of expression of the FOLR1 and RFC1 genes, that the RFC1 80G > A polymorphism exerts a gene-nutrition interaction on DNA methylation in the RFC1 gene, and that this interaction appears to be most prominent in NTD-affected births and in subjects with high tHcy concentrations.     

The timing of sexual maturation among boys and girls in eastern Poland, 1980–2000: A rural–urban comparison

The aim of this study was to determine secular changes in the sexual maturation of children and adolescents from Eastern regions of Poland between 1980 and 2000, with special attention paid to rural–urban differences. Our sample comprised 34,055 girls and 28,100 boys from 9 to 18 years of age. The age at which each gender reached each stage of sexual maturation was examined, along with menarcheal age in girls. An increase in the rate of sexual maturation was observed over the 20-year period of this study. Menarcheal age in girls decreased by 0.59 years. The length of sexual maturation decreased: from 6.58 years to 3.85 years in girls and from 5.84 years to 3.65 years in boys. A significantly faster rate of sexual maturation was observed between 1990 and 2000. Over the entire 20-year period, adolescents living in rural settings experienced a slower rate of sexual maturation than did their urban peers.     

Derivation of endothelial cells from human embryonic stem cells in fully defined medium enables identification of lysophosphatidic acid and platelet activating factor as regulators of eNOS localization

The limited availability of human vascular endothelial cells (ECs) hampers research into EC function whilst the lack of precisely defined culture conditions for this cell type presents problems for addressing basic questions surrounding EC physiology. We aimed to generate endothelial progenitors from human pluripotent stem cells to facilitate the study of human EC physiology, using a defined serum-free protocol. Human embryonic stem cells (hESC-ECs) differentiated under serum-free conditions generated CD34⁺KDR⁺ endothelial progenitor cells after 6 days that could be further expanded in the presence of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The resultant EC population expressed CD31 and TIE2/TEK, took up acetylated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and up-regulated expression of ICAM-1, PAI-1 and ET-1 following treatment with TNFα. Immunofluorescence studies indicated that a key mediator of vascular tone, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), was localised to a perinuclear compartment of hESC-ECs, in contrast with the pan-cellular distribution of this enzyme within human umbilical vein ECs (HUVECs). Further investigation revealed that that the serum-associated lipids, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and platelet activating factor (PAF), were the key molecules that affected eNOS localisation in hESC-ECs cultures. These studies illustrate the feasibility of EC generation from hESCs and the utility of these cells for investigating environmental cues that impact on EC phenotype. We have demonstrated a hitherto unrecognized role for LPA and PAF in the regulation of eNOS subcellular localization.     

Comparative Analyses of Plastid Sequences between Native and Introduced Populations of Aquatic Weeds Elodea canadensis and E. nuttallii

Non-indigenous species (NIS) are species living outside their historic or native range. Invasive NIS often cause severe environmental impacts, and may have large economical and social consequences. Elodea (Hydrocharitaceae) is a New World genus with at least five submerged aquatic angiosperm species living in fresh water environments. Our aim was to survey the geographical distribution of cpDNA haplotypes within the native and introduced ranges of invasive aquatic weeds Elodea canadensis and E. nuttallii and to reconstruct the spreading histories of these invasive species. In order to reveal informative chloroplast (cp) genome regions for phylogeographic analyses, we compared the plastid sequences of native and introduced individuals of E. canadensis. In total, we found 235 variable sites (186 SNPs, 47 indels and two inversions) between the two plastid sequences consisting of 112,193 bp and developed primers flanking the most variable genomic areas. These 29 primer pairs were used to compare the level and pattern of intraspecific variation within E. canadensis to interspecific variation between E. canadensis and E. nuttallii. Nine potentially informative primer pairs were used to analyze the phylogeographic structure of both Elodea species, based on 70 E. canadensis and 25 E. nuttallii individuals covering native and introduced distributions. On the whole, the level of variation between the two Elodea species was 53% higher than that within E. canadensis. In our phylogeographic analysis, only a single haplotype was found in the introduced range in both species. These haplotypes H1 (E. canadensis) and A (E. nuttallii) were also widespread in the native range, covering the majority of native populations analyzed. Therefore, we were not able to identify either the geographic origin of the introduced populations or test the hypothesis of single versus multiple introductions. The divergence between E. canadensis haplotypes was surprisingly high, and future research may clarify mechanisms that structure native E. canadensis populations.     

FAS/FASL Expression Profile as a Prognostic Marker in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity

FAS/FASL altered expression may cause tumor protecting immunomodulation, with a direct impact on patient prognosis. FAS expression was studied in 60 squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity. FAS expression did not show a significant association with tumor histopathological characteristics, but was significantly associated with lymph node positivity. FAS expression was significantly associated with disease specific death and negative FAS expression was an independent risk factor, increasing risk 4 times when compared to positive expression. When FAS and FASL expression results were combined, we were able to define high, intermediate and low risk profiles. Disease-free and disease-specific survival were significantly correlated with FAS/FASL expression profiles. The high risk category was an independent marker for earlier disease relapse and disease-specific death, with approximately 4- and 6-fold increased risk, respectively, when compared to the low risk profile. Risk profiles based on FAS/FASL expression showed that high risk was significantly associated with increased disease relapse and death, as well as shorter disease-free or disease-specific survival. This categorization, added to patient clinical data, may facilitate the choice of therapy, minimizing treatment failure and increasing disease control.     

Industrial Scale Isolation,Structural and Spectroscopic Characterization of Epiisopiloturine from Pilocarpus microphyllus Stapf Leaves: A Promising Alkaloid against Schistosomiasis

This paper presents an industrial scale process for extraction, purification, and isolation of epiisopiloturine (EPI) (2(3H)-Furanone,dihydro-3-(hydroxyphenylmethyl)-4-[(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)methyl]-, [3S-[3a(R*),4b]]), which is an alkaloid from jaborandi leaves (Pilocarpus microphyllus Stapf). Additionally for the first time a set of structural and spectroscopic techniques were used to characterize this alkaloid. EPI has shown schistomicidal activity against adults and young forms, as well as the reduction of the egg laying adult worms and low toxicity to mammalian cells (in vitro). At first, the extraction of EPI was done with toluene and methylene chloride to obtain a solution that was alkalinized with ammonium carbonate. The remaining solution was treated in sequence by acidification, filtration and alkalinization. These industrial procedures are necessary in order to remove impurities and subsequent application of the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The HPLC was employed also to remove other alkaloids, to obtain EPI purity higher than 98%. The viability of the method was confirmed through HPLC and electrospray mass spectrometry, that yielded a pseudo molecular ion of m/z equal to 287.1 Da. EPI structure was characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD), ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in deuterated methanol/chloroform solution, vibrational spectroscopy and mass coupled thermal analyses. EPI molecule presents a parallel alignment of the benzene and the methyl imidazol ring separated by an interplanar spacing of 3.758 Å indicating a π-π bond interaction. The imidazole alkaloid melts at 225°C and decomposes above 230°C under air. EPI structure was used in theoretical Density Functional Theory calculations, considering the single crystal XRD data in order to simulate the NMR, infrared and Raman spectra of the molecule, and performs the signals attribution.     

Unbiased Approach for Virus Detection in Skin Lesions

To assess presence of virus DNA in skin lesions, swab samples from 82 squamous cell carcinomas of the skin (SCCs), 60 actinic keratoses (AKs), paraffin-embedded biopsies from 28 SCCs and 72 kerathoacanthomas (KAs) and fresh-frozen biopsies from 92 KAs, 85 SCCs and 92 AKs were analyzed by high throughput sequencing (HTS) using 454 or Ion Torrent technology. We found total of 4,284 viral reads, out of which 4,168 were Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-related, belonging to 15 known (HPV8, HPV12, HPV20, HPV36, HPV38, HPV45, HPV57, HPV59, HPV104, HPV105, HPV107, HPV109, HPV124, HPV138, HPV147), four previously described putative (HPV 915 F 06 007 FD1, FA73, FA101, SE42) and two putatively new HPV types (SE46, SE47). SE42 was cloned, sequenced, designated as HPV155 and found to have 76% similarity to the most closely related known HPV type. In conclusion, an unbiased approach for viral DNA detection in skin tumors has found that, although some new putative HPVs were found, known HPV types constituted most of the viral DNA.     

From empirical to theoretical models of light response curves - linking photosynthetic and metabolic acclimation

Photosynthesis Research - Light response curves (LRCs) describe how the rate of photosynthesis varies as a function of light. They provide information on the maximum photosynthetic capacity,...     

Rückkehr der Finnwale in die Antarktis

Return of the fin whales to Antarctica After their near-extirpation by commercial whaling, fin whales of the Southern Hemisphere have recently been observed to aggregate in large numbers along the islands of the Antarctic Peninsula. A dedicated research program currently employs a suite of non-lethal cetacean research methods to investigate population structure, abundance, habitat use and migratory origins in order to gain insights into population status and recovery.