Down-regulation of the transcription factor snail in the placentas of patients with preeclampsia and in a rat model of preeclampsia.

Background: Placental malfunction in preeclampsia is believed to be a consequence of aberrant differentiation of trophoblast lineages and changes in utero-placental oxygenation. The transcription factor Snail, a master regulator molecule of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in embryonic development and in cancer, is shown to be involved in trophoblast differentiation as well. Moreover, Snail can be controlled by oxidative stress and hypoxia.

Ouabain and insulin induce sodium pump endocytosis in renal epithelium.

Cardiotonic steroids signaling through the basolateral sodium pump (Na/K-ATPase) have been shown to alter renal salt handling in intact animals. Because the relationship between renal salt handling and blood pressure is a key determinant of hypertension, and patients with insulin resistance are frequently hypertensive, we chose to examine whether there might be competition for resources necessary for receptor-mediated endocytosis. In LLC-PK1 cells, the Na/K-ATPase-α1 and carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion molecule 1, a plasma membrane protein that promotes receptor-mediated endocytosis, colocalized in the plasma membranes and translocated to the intracellular region in response to ouabain.

A rare case of juvenile acute non-proliferative glomerulonephritis with a 6-year follow-up experience.

Juvenile acute non-proliferative glomerulonephritis (JANG) is a relatively new clinico-pathological entity established in 2000. A PubMed search revealed only two published reports encompassing 14 cases of JANG. It is distinguished from acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis by the presence of normal serum complement and the absence of diffuse proliferation of mesangial cells in the glomeruli.

Body mass index and waist circumference associate to a comparable degree with insulin resistance and related metabolic abnormalities in South Asian women and men.

Aim: The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) associate to a comparable degree with insulin resistance and cardiometabolic risk factors in South Asians.

Methods: We measured blood pressure and fasting glucose, insulin, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and fibrinogen and calculated the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in a community-based sample of 923 nondiabetic South Asians.

Results: BMI and WC were highly correlated in both genders (r = 0.

Review of computational fluid dynamics applications in biotechnology processes.

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is well established as a tool of choice for solving problems that involve one or more of the following phenomena: flow of fluids, heat transfer,mass transfer, and chemical reaction. Unit operations that are commonly utilized in biotechnology processes are often complex and as such would greatly benefit from application of CFD. The thirst for deeper process and product understanding that has arisen out of initiatives such as quality by design provides further impetus toward usefulness of CFD for problems that may otherwise require extensive experimentation.

High frequencies of de novo CNVs in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

While it is known that rare copy-number variants (CNVs) contribute to risk for some neuropsychiatric disorders, the role of CNVs in bipolar disorder is unclear. Here, we reasoned that a contribution of CNVs to mood disorders might be most evident for de novo mutations. We performed a genome-wide analysis of de novo CNVs in a cohort of 788 trios.

Association of variants in BAT1-LTA-TNF-BTNL2 genes within 6p21.3 region show graded risk to leprosy in unrelated cohorts of Indian population.

Host immune response against Mycobacterium leprae plays an important role in providing resistance to infection and disease progression. Genome-wide linkage and association studies suggest the possibility of multiple risk loci within HLA (6p21.3) region.

Denitrosylation of HDAC2 by targeting Nrf2 restores glucocorticosteroid sensitivity in macrophages from COPD patients.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is caused primarily by cigarette smoking, is a major health problem worldwide. The progressive decline in lung function that occurs in COPD is a result of persistent inflammation of the airways and destruction of the lung parenchyma. Despite the key role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of COPD, treatment with corticosteroids - normally highly effective antiinflammatory drugs - has little therapeutic benefit.

Regulated release of nitric oxide by nonhematopoietic stroma controls expansion of the activated T cell pool in lymph nodes.

Fibroblastic reticular cells (FRCs) and lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) are nonhematopoietic stromal cells of lymphoid organs. They influence the migration and homeostasis of naive T cells; however, their influence on activated T cells remains undescribed. Here we report that FRCs and LECs inhibited T cell proliferation through a tightly regulated mechanism dependent on nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS2).

Genetic variations and interactions in anti-inflammatory cytokine pathway genes in the outcome of leprosy: a study conducted on a MassARRAY platform.

Background: Mycobacterium leprae is the etiologic pathogen that causes leprosy. The outcome of disease is dependent on the host genetic background.

Methods: We investigated the association of 51 single-nucelotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10, TGFB1, IL-6, IL-4, and IL-13) and receptors (IL-10RA, IL-10RB, TGFBR1, TGFBR2, IL-6R, IL-4R, IL-5RA, IL-5RB, and IL-13RA1) with susceptibility to leprosy in a case-control study from New Delhi in northern India.

Lymphoid organ-resident dendritic cells exhibit unique transcriptional fingerprints based on subset and site.

Lymphoid organ-resident DC subsets are thought to play unique roles in determining the fate of T cell responses. Recent studies focusing on a single lymphoid organ identified molecular pathways that are differentially operative in each DC subset and led to the assumption that a given DC subset would more or less exhibit the same genomic and functional profiles throughout the body. Whether the local milieu in different anatomical sites can also influence the transcriptome of DC subsets has remained largely unexplored.

Gold-catalyzed, intramolecular, oxygen-transfer reactions of 2-alkynyl-1,5-diketones or 2-alkynyl-5-ketoesters: scope, expansion, and mechanistic investigations on a new [4+2] cycloaddition.

The gold-catalyzed intramolecular oxygen-transfer reactions of 2-alkynyl-1,5-diketones or 2-alkynyl-5-ketoesters-obtained from tetra-n-butylammonium fluoride mediated Michael addition of activated allenes to electron-deficient olefins-furnished cyclopentenyl ketones under very mild conditions. These reactions proceeded much easier and faster than similar reactions reported in literature, and the corresponding products were obtained in very good yields. Mechanistic investigations on the cycloisomerization were carried out by means of both (18) O isotopic experiments and quantum chemical calculations.

Exposure to neonatal cigarette smoke causes durable lung changes but does not potentiate cigarette smoke-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adult mice.

The impact of early childhood cigarette smoke (CS) exposure on CS-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is unknown. This study was performed to evaluate the individual and combined effects of neonatal and adult CS exposure on lung structure, function, and gene expression in adult mice. To model a childhood CS exposure, neonatal C57/B6 mice were exposed to 14 days of CS (Neo CS).

Minimal change disease associated with MALT lymphoma.

Low-grade Extranodal Marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue, a subtype of non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, involving the kidney is a rare clinical entity. Association of Minimal change disease nephrotic range proteinuria with Hodgkin's lymphoma is well described, however is extremely uncommon with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. We describe a patient who presented with nephrotic syndrome and a kidney biopsy revealed marginal zone lymphoma and diffuse epithelial foot process effacement.

Hydralazine-induced ANCA vasculitis with pulmonary renal syndrome: a rare clinical presentation.

Hydralazine is a commonly used drug for treatment of hypertension and is known to cause drug-induced lupus erythematosus. It has rarely been reported to cause anti neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody positive vasculitis, a life-threatening complication. Presentation could be extremely variable delaying diagnosis.

Impairment of Na/K-ATPase signaling in renal proximal tubule contributes to Dahl salt-sensitive hypertension.

We have observed that, in renal proximal tubular cells, cardiotonic steroids such as ouabain in vitro signal through Na/K-ATPase, which results in inhibition of transepithelial (22)Na(+) transport by redistributing Na/K-ATPase and NHE3. In the present study, we investigate the role of Na/K-ATPase signaling in renal sodium excretion and blood pressure regulation in vivo. In Sprague-Dawley rats, high salt diet activated c-Src and induced redistribution of Na/K-ATPase and NHE3 in renal proximal tubules.

Reduced transcript expression of genes affected by inherited and de novo CNVs in autism.

Individuals with autism are more likely to carry rare inherited and de novo copy number variants (CNVs). However, further research is needed to establish which CNVs are causal and the mechanisms by which these CNVs influence autism. We examined genomic DNA of children with autism (N = 41) and healthy controls (N = 367) for rare CNVs using a high-resolution array comparative genomic hybridization platform.

Multidisciplinary care in the oncology setting: historical perspective and data from lung and gynecology multidisciplinary clinics.

Multidisciplinary care refers to a practice in which physicians from multiple specialties attend to the same patient population. There are many advantages to the model, including reduced time to treatment, coordinated treatment plans, increased patient and physician satisfaction, and increased enrollment onto clinical trials. At Central Dupage Hospital, multidisciplinary clinics have been instituted in lung and gynecologic cancer.

Duplications of the neuropeptide receptor gene VIPR2 confer significant risk for schizophrenia.

Rare copy number variants (CNVs) have a prominent role in the aetiology of schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders. Substantial risk for schizophrenia is conferred by large (>500-kilobase) CNVs at several loci, including microdeletions at 1q21.1 (ref.

Endogenous cardiotonic steroids in chronic renal failure.

Background: Previous reports demonstrated that digitalis-like cardiotonic steroids (CTS) contribute to the pathogenesis of end-stage renal disease. The goal of the present study was to define the nature of CTS in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and in partially nephrectomized (PNx) rats.

Methods: In patients with CKD and in healthy controls, we determined plasma levels of marinobufagenin (MBG) and endogenous ouabain (EO) and erythrocyte Na/K-ATPase activity in the absence and in the presence of 3E9 anti-MBG monoclonal antibody (mAb) and Digibind.

Reproducible isolation of lymph node stromal cells reveals site-dependent differences in fibroblastic reticular cells.

Within lymph nodes, non-hematopoietic stromal cells organize and interact with leukocytes in an immunologically important manner. In addition to organizing T and B cell segregation and expressing lymphocyte survival factors, several recent studies have shown that lymph node stromal cells shape the naïve T cell repertoire, expressing self-antigens which delete self-reactive T cells in a unique and non-redundant fashion. A fundamental role in peripheral tolerance, in addition to an otherwise extensive functional portfolio, necessitates closer study of lymph node stromal cell subsets using modern immunological techniques; however this has not routinely been possible in the field, due to difficulties reproducibly isolating these rare subsets.

Lymph node stroma broaden the peripheral tolerance paradigm.

Research into how self-reactive T cells are tolerized in lymph nodes has focused largely on dendritic cells (DCs). We now know that lymph node stromal cells (LNSC) are important mediators of deletional tolerance to peripheral tissue-restricted antigens (PTAs), which are constitutively expressed and presented by LNSCs. Of the major LNSC subsets, fibroblastic reticular cells and lymphatic endothelial cells are known to directly induce tolerance of responding naïve CD8 T cells.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in South Asians residing in the United States.

Aims/hypothesis: The aim of this study was to define the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and its component risk factors among individuals of South Asian origin living in the United States.

Methods: We analyzed baseline data from 1,445 participants enrolled in a cohort study investigating risk factors for cardiovascular disease in South Asians. We defined the metabolic syndrome using the International Diabetes Federation criteria for waist circumference (>90 cm for men; >80 cm, women), triglycerides (>150 mg/dL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (<40 mg/dL (men), < mg/dL (women)), blood pressure (>135/80 mmHg), and fasting glucose (>100 mg/dL).