Leydig cell tumor after treatment for Ewing's sarcoma.

Leydig cell tumors account for 3% of testicular tumors and have never been reported after treatment for Ewing's sarcoma. We report the unusual occurrence of a patient who developed a Leydig cell tumor of the testis 18 years after successful treatment for Ewing's sarcoma. Additional monitoring for second malignancies may become appropriate as long-term survival continues to improve for patients with Ewing's sarcoma.

Left paraduodenal hernia presenting as recurrent small bowel obstruction.

Internal herniation of the small bowel is a relatively rare cause of intestinal obstruction. Left paraduodenal hernia resulting from abnormal rotation of the midgut during embryonic development is the most common form of congenital internal hernia. We report our experience in the diagnosis and management of a young male with left paraduodenal hernia presenting as recurrent intestinal obstruction.

Delayed resolution of negative pressure pulmonary edema associated with low-molecular-weight dextran after microsurgery--a case report.

Negative pressure pulmonary edema (NPPE) is an uncommon perioperative complication after total or partial upper airway obstruction during anesthesia or respiratory distress. The cardinal event causative of the pathophysiology is believed to be the generation of a sudden and marked negative intrapleural pressure against a closed glottis, resulting in a disruption of the normal intravascular Starling mechanism. Ultimately, excessive intravascular fluid which transudes into the interstitial space eventuates in pulmonary edema.

Tension pneumothorax complicated by double-lumen endotracheal tube intubation.

Tension pneumothorax is not a rare complication of mechanical ventilation, but its occurrence immediately after intubation with a double-lumen endotracheal tube (DLT) is very rare. Subsequent impairment of the respiratory and cardiovascular function can be life threatening if it is not detected early enough and managed properly. Most reported cases of tension pneumothorax during DLT intubation occurred when one-lung ventilation was applied.

Treatment of osteosarcoma at first recurrence after contemporary therapy: the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center experience.

Background: Overall survival after recurrence of osteosarcoma (OS) is < 30%. The authors reported their experience treating recurrent OS at the time of first recurrence (R1).

Methods: Patients with high-grade OS who achieved complete disease remission (CR) after primary surgery and chemotherapy, and patients who were treated at R1 at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (New York, NY) after 1990 were analyzed by retrospective chart review.

Polyglutamine-expanded ataxin-3 activates mitochondrial apoptotic pathway by upregulating Bax and downregulating Bcl-xL.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by polyglutamine-expanded ataxin-3. In the present study, we expressed disease-causing mutant ataxin-3-Q79 in neuronal cultures of cerebellum, striatum and substantia nigra by using recombinant adenoviruses. Subsequently, SCA3 cellular model was used to investigate the molecular mechanism by which ataxin-3-Q79 causes neuronal death.

Two C-terminal amino acids, Ser(334) and Ser(335), are required for homologous desensitization and agonist-induced phosphorylation of opioid receptor-like 1 receptors.

Various cellular signaling pathways induced by nociceptin activation of ORL1 (opioid receptor-like 1 receptor) develop homologous desensitization. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that agonist-induced phosphorylation of serine (Ser)/threonine (Thr) residues at intracellular carboxyl tail leads to homologous desensitization of G protein-coupled receptors. In the present study, we investigated the functional role played by C-terminal Ser/Thr residues in agonist-induced desensitization and phosphorylation of ORL1.

Polyglutamine-expanded ataxin-7 activates mitochondrial apoptotic pathway of cerebellar neurons by upregulating Bax and downregulating Bcl-x(L).

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by polyglutamine-expanded ataxin-7. In the present investigation, we expressed disease-causing mutant ataxin-7-Q75 in the primary neuronal culture of cerebellum with the aid of recombinant adenoviruses. Subsequently, this in vitro cellular model of SCA7 was used to study the molecular mechanism by which mutant ataxin-7-Q75 induces neuronal death.

Variation in outpatient mental health service utilization under capitation.

Background: To improve the financing of Colorado's public mental health system, the state designed, implemented, and evaluated a pilot program that consisted of three reimbursement models for the provision of outpatient services. Community mental health centers (CMHCs), the primary providers of comprehensive mental health services to Medicaid recipients in Colorado, had to search for innovative ways to provide cost-effective services.

Study Aims: This study assessed outpatient service delivery to Medicaid-eligible consumers under this program.

Immunophenotypic and molecular cytogenetic features of the cell line UP-LN1 established from a lymph node metastasis of a poorly-differentiated carcinoma.

A lymph node metastatic cell line (UP-LN1) was established in vitro from a poorly-differentiated epithelial tumor, and characterized for immunobiological and molecular cytogenetic profiles. The morphology of UP-LN1 cells when grown as monolayers was unique in that, apart from typical colonies of adherent epithelial cells, many loosely attached round cell colonies emerged on and around the patches of epithelial cells. By means of immunofluorescence/flow cytometric analysis, UP-LN1 cells showed selective expression of cytokeratin markers AE1 and CK20, but expressed AE3 and CK7 poorly.

Direct measurements of Ab and Ac using vertex and kaon charge tags at the SLAC detector.

Exploiting the manipulation of the SLAC Linear Collider electron-beam polarization, we present precise direct measurements of the parity-violation parameters A(c) and A(b) in the Z-boson-c-quark and Z-boson-b-quark coupling. Quark-antiquark discrimination is accomplished via a unique algorithm that takes advantage of the precise SLAC Large Detector charge coupled device vertex detector, employing the net charge of displaced vertices as well as the charge of kaons that emanate from those vertices. From the 1996-1998 sample of 400 000 Z decays, produced with an average beam polarization of 73.

Intrathecal gene delivery of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor ameliorated paraplegia in rats after spinal ischemia.

Paraplegia is a catastrophic complication of thoracic aortic surgery. At present, there is no effective mean to prevent the ischemia-induced spinal cord trauma. Gene delivery of neurotrophic factors may hold promises for prevention of spinal injury.

Demonstration of the importance of oxygenated species at the ends of carbon nanotubes for their favourable electrochemical properties.

Definitive evidence is presented for the favourable electrochemical properties of carbon nanotube modified electrodes arising from the ends of SWNTs due to oxygenated carbon species in general, and carboxylic acid moieties in particular, produced during acid purification.

Hepatitis C virus core protein modulates TRAIL-mediated apoptosis by enhancing Bid cleavage and activation of mitochondria apoptosis signaling pathway.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major human pathogen causing chronic liver disease, which leads to cirrhosis of liver and hepatocellular carcinoma. The HCV core protein, a viral nucleocapsid, has been shown to affect various intracellular events, including cell proliferation and apoptosis. However, the precise mechanisms of the effects are not fully understood.

Oxidative stress is the master operator of drug and chemically-induced programmed and unprogrammed cell death: Implications of natural antioxidants in vivo.

ROS, RNS, BRIs and ROS-RNS hybrids are produced during drug or chemical metabolism in vivo. These reactive species are instrumental to the culmination of cellular oxidative stress (OS). OS, once turned on, does not spare any vital intracellular macromolecule, such as glutathione, DNA, RNA, proteins, enzymes, lipids and ATP.

Sudden onset of paraplegia after total hip replacement surgery in a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma--a case report.

Postoperative paraplegia is a major complication, of which the pathogenesis is usually multifactorial. This report is to discuss the case of a 36-year-old male patient who, after total hip replacement (THR), right, sustained a sudden-onset postoperative paraplegia. On subsequent examination, it was discovered that the patient had multiple vertebral metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) resulting in thecal sac compression at L1 and S1 levels.

Risk factors of pneumothorax and bleeding: multivariate analysis of 660 CT-guided coaxial cutting needle lung biopsies.

Background: The results of studies identifying the risk factors for pneumothorax and bleeding in CT-guided coaxial lung needle biopsies were inconsistent and some were even contradictory. All reported series were small with patient populations averaging about 200.

Study Objectives: To determine the risk factors for pneumothorax and bleeding after CT-guided coaxial cutting needle biopsy of lung lesions.

Helicobacter pylori enhances tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand-mediated apoptosis in human gastric epithelial cells.

Aim: To investigate the relations between tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection in apoptosis of gastric epithelial cells and to assess the expression of TRAIL on the surface of infiltrating T-cells in H pylori-infected gastric mucosa.

Methods: Human gastric epithelial cell lines and primary gastric epithelial cells were co-cultured with H pylori in vitro, then recombinant TRAIL proteins were added to the culture. Apoptosis of gastric epithelial cells was determined by a specific ELISA for cell death.

Induction of costimulation of human CD4 T cells by tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand: possible role in T cell activation in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) has recently been shown to induce costimulation of mouse T cells in conjunction with signals from the T cell receptor. This study was undertaken to investigate TRAIL-induced costimulation of human T cells in order to determine the role of TRAIL-induced T cell activation in human systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: An in vitro T cell stimulation system with immobilized anti-CD3 and recombinant TRAIL receptor DR4-Fc proteins was used to activate human T cells purified from healthy individuals and from patients with SLE.

Gene therapy for bladder pain with gene gun particle encoding pro-opiomelanocortin cDNA.

Purpose: Interstitial cystitis is a bladder hypersensitivity disease associated with bladder pain that has been a major challenge to understand and treat. We hypothesized that targeted and localized expression of endogenous opioid peptide in the bladder could be useful for the treatment of bladder pain. Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) is one of such precursor molecules.

The ion gating effect: using a change in flexibility to allow label free electrochemical detection of DNA hybridisation.

A label free electrochemical method of detecting DNA hybridisation is presented based on the change in flexibility between a single strand of DNA and a duplex causing an ion-gating effect where hybridisation opens up the electrode to access of ions.

In vivo electroporation of proopiomelanocortin induces analgesia in a formalin-injection pain model in rats.

Opioids remain the most efficacious pharmacological agents for various clinical pain syndromes. Recently, various engineered cells capable of secreting opioidergic peptides have been applied to relieve pain in animal models. In vivo gene delivery by viruses encoding endogenous opioids has also been used with success.

Primary medulla oblongata germinoma: a case report and review of the literature.

We describe a case of primary intracranial medulla oblongata germinoma in a 16-year-old girl who presented with progressive headache and blurred vision. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a heterogeneous exophytic mass arising from dorsal aspect of medulla oblongata with extension into fourth ventricle. The differential diagnosis for this patient had included ependymoma, exophytic glioma, medulloblastoma and choroid plexus papilloma.