Differential expression and clinical significance of tyrosine-phosphorylated STAT3 in ALK+ and ALK- anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

Purpose: Recent data suggest that nucleophosmin-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (NPM-ALK) activates signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) directly, and ALK expression correlates with STAT3 activation in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. In this study, we evaluated comprehensively STAT3 activation status in anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) cell lines and pretreatment ALCL tumors.

Experimental Design: The study included five ALK(+)ALCL cell lines and 80 systemic ALCL tumors (31 ALK(+), 49 ALK(-)) that were formalin fixed and paraffin embedded.

Comparison of arthroplasty and arthrodesis for the rheumatoid wrist.

Purpose: To compare the outcomes of wrist arthrodesis and arthroplasty in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis using validated outcome patient surveys and a review of surgical complications in 2 matched cohorts.

Methods: Forty-six patients with 51 operated wrists (24 arthrodeses and 27 arthroplasties) were reviewed retrospectively at a follow-up range of 1 to 5 years. Patients completed the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) inventory, the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE), and a questionnaire designed specifically for this study.

CD36 mediates the innate host response to beta-amyloid.

Accumulation of inflammatory microglia in Alzheimer's senile plaques is a hallmark of the innate response to beta-amyloid fibrils and can initiate and propagate neurodegeneration characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The molecular mechanism whereby fibrillar beta-amyloid activates the inflammatory response has not been elucidated. CD36, a class B scavenger receptor, is expressed on microglia in normal and AD brains and binds to beta-amyloid fibrils in vitro.

Signaling through PI3K/Akt mediates stretch and PDGF-BB-dependent DNA synthesis in bladder smooth muscle cells.

Purpose: Smooth muscle cells (SMC) of the bladder undergo hypertrophy and hyperplasia following exposure to sustained mechanical overload. Although superficial similarities in the response of the heart and bladder to hypertrophic stimuli suggest that similar molecular mechanisms may be involved, this remains to be demonstrated. In this study we compared signal transduction pathway activation in primary culture bladder SMC and cardiac myofibroblasts in response to cyclic stretch.

Platelet derived growth factor-BB is a potent mitogen for rat ureteral and human bladder smooth muscle cells: dependence on lipid rafts for cell signaling.

Purpose: Fibromuscular tissues of the detrusor/bladder body (B), trigone (T) and ureter (U) display distinct patterns of tissue remodeling in pathologic contexts, however the mechanisms underlying these observations are unknown. In this study we asked whether B, T and U smooth muscle cells (SMC) respond to several SMC growth factors and explored the role of caveolae/lipid raft membrane microdomains in signaling by one of these factors, PDGF-BB.

Materials And Methods: SMC were isolated and cultured from B, T and U from newborn rats and from human bladder detrusor.

Composite thymoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma involving the anterior mediastinum.

Simultaneous involvement of the anterior mediastinum by thymoma and B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), to our knowledge, has not been previously reported. We describe a composite tumor composed of thymoma and CLL/SLL incidentally discovered in a 62-year-old man who had no history of malignant diseases or immunologic disorders. The preoperative peripheral blood specimen showed a normal complete blood cell count and differential count.

Expression of Mcl-1 in mantle cell lymphoma is associated with high-grade morphology, a high proliferative state, and p53 overexpression.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a distinct type of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma characterized by the t(11;14)(q13;q32) and cyclin D1 overexpression. Defects in apoptosis may contribute to pathogenesis. This study evaluated the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1 in two MCL cell lines and five frozen MCL tumours (four small-cell, one blastoid/large-cell) using western blot analysis.

A CD36-initiated signaling cascade mediates inflammatory effects of beta-amyloid.

beta-Amyloid accumulation is associated with pathologic changes in the brain in Alzheimer's disease and has recently been identified in plaques of another chronic inflammatory disorder, atherosclerosis. The class B scavenger receptor, CD36, mediates binding of fibrillar beta-amyloid to cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage, including brain macrophages (microglia). In this study, we demonstrate that in microglia and other tissue macrophages, beta-amyloid initiates a CD36-dependent signaling cascade involving the Src kinase family members, Lyn and Fyn, and the mitogen-activated protein kinase, p44/42.

Dramatic subperiosteal bone formation following physeal injury in patients with myelomeningocele.

We present five cases of dramatic subperiosteal bone formation following fracture of the distal femoral physis in children with myelomeningocele. These fractures often go unrecognized due to lack of displacement and/or pain. Children present with a swollen, warm extremity and often systemic signs of inflammation, but rarely any pain or history of trauma.

Adverse reactions to OsteoSet bone graft substitute, the incidence in a consecutive series.

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify factors that may be associated with the development of a sterile inflammatory reaction to OsteoSet (Wright Medical Technology) bone graft substitute. We report on a series of 58 consecutive cases of patients with benign bone lesions who developed an adverse reaction to Osteoset. All procedures were performed by a single orthopaedic oncology surgeon.

The utility of epithelial membrane antigen and vimentin in the diagnosis of chromophobe renal cell carcinoma.

We evaluated the immunohistochemical expression of epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and vimentin (VMT) in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (CHRCC). We also studied the utility of EMA and VMT immunostains in helping differentiate CHRCC from renal oncocytoma and conventional (clear cell) renal cell carcinoma with granular morphology (GCRCC). Immunohistochemical staining for EMA and VMT was performed on 21 cases of CHRCC, 16 cases of renal oncocytoma, and 28 cases of GCRCC.

Pulsed fluorescence measurements of trapped molecular ions with zero background detection.

Sensitive methods have been developed to measure laser-induced fluorescence from trapped ions by reducing the detection of background scattering to zero levels during the laser excitation pulse. The laser beam diameter has been reduced to approximately 150 microm to eliminate scattering on trap apertures and the resulting laser-ion interaction is limited to a volume of approximately 10(-5) cm which is approximately 0.03-0.

CD56(+) TdT(+) blastic natural killer cell tumor of the skin: a primitive systemic malignancy related to myelomonocytic leukemia.

Background: An unusual cutaneous tumor that has blastic morphology and coexpresses CD56 and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) has been recently recognized and termed blastic natural killer cell lymphoma.

Methods: The authors identified seven cases of such CD56(+)TdT(+) blastic tumors presenting in skin at their institution. The authors correlated clinical course with histomorphology and immunophenotype.

CD36, a class B scavenger receptor, is expressed on microglia in Alzheimer's disease brains and can mediate production of reactive oxygen species in response to beta-amyloid fibrils.

A pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease is the senile plaque, composed of beta-amyloid fibrils, microglia, astrocytes, and dystrophic neurites. We reported previously that class A scavenger receptors mediate adhesion of microglia and macrophages to beta-amyloid fibrils and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-coated surfaces. We also showed that CD36, a class B scavenger receptor and an oxLDL receptor, promotes H(2)O(2) secretion by macrophages adherent to oxLDL-coated surfaces.