Isolated Gallbladder Intramucosal Metastatic Melanoma With Features Mimicking Lymphoepithelial Carcinoma.

Malignant melanoma has a variety of morphologic patterns and can metastasize and mimic any type of neoplastic process creating significant diagnostic difficulty. When metastasis to the gastrointestinal system is identified, it is most commonly associated with widely metastatic disease. We report a rare case of isolated gallbladder intramucosal metastatic melanoma with features mimicking lymphoepithelial carcinoma in an adult patient who presented with cholecystitis.

Concurrent Acute Necrotizing Adenovirus Hepatitis and Enterocolitis in an Adult Patient After Double Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplant for Refractory Crohn's Disease.

It has been recently recognized that adenovirus is a pathogen with high morbidity and mortality among immunocompromised patients, particularly after solid organ or stem cell transplant. Confluent necrotizing hepatitis secondary to adenovirus infection alone or together with other organ involvement is extremely rare. There are only 32 cases of confluent necrotizing hepatitis reported in adults since 1960 and most occur after iatrogenic immunosuppression for bone marrow or solid organ transplantation or in other states of immunosuppression, including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or chemotherapy treatment.

Fistulains A and B, New Bischromones from the Bark of Cassia fistula, and Their Activities.

Fistulains A and B (1 and 2), two novel bischromones with unique coupling patterns, alone with their biosynthetic related compound 3, were isolated from the bark of Cassia fistula. Fistulain A represents a new type of dimeric chromone alkaloid biogenetically derived from a chromone and a tricyclic alkaloid through an unusual C-14-N linkage. Fistulain B has a new carbon skeleton with a C-14-C-5' linkage formed between two different chromone units.

Anti-TMV activity flavones from the leaves of Yunnan local air cured tobacco.

Four new flavones, tobaflavones E-H (1-4), together with two known flavones (5 and 6), were isolated from the leaves of Dali Tiandeng tobacco (a variety of Yunnan local air cured tobacco). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including extensive 1D- and 2D NMR techniques. Compound 2 is the first naturally occurring flavone bearing a (4-hydroxy-6-methyl-2-oxo-2H-pyran-3-yl)methyl moiety.

A FRET probe for cell-based imaging of ganglioside-processing enzyme activity and high-throughput screening.

Gangliosides are important signaling molecules in the cell membrane and are processed by several enzymes. Deficiencies in these enzymes can cause human lysosomal storage diseases. Building an understanding of the pathways of glycosphingolipid catabolism requires methods for the analysis of these enzymatic activities A GM3-derived FRET probe was synthesized chemoenzymatically for the detection and quantitation of a range of ganglioside-degrading enzymes, both in cell lysates and in living cells.

How do gastroenterologists assess overall activity of eosinophilic esophagitis in adult patients?

Objectives: There is no "gold standard" for assessing disease activity in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). We aimed to compare physicians' judgment of EoE activity with patients' judgment of symptom severity. We also aimed to examine the relative contribution of symptoms as well as endoscopic and histologic findings in shaping physicians' judgment of EoE activity.

Active site loop conformation regulates promiscuous activity in a lactonase from Geobacillus kaustophilus HTA426.

Enzyme promiscuity is a prerequisite for fast divergent evolution of biocatalysts. A phosphotriesterase-like lactonase (PLL) from Geobacillus kaustophilus HTA426 (GkaP) exhibits main lactonase and promiscuous phosphotriesterase activities. To understand its catalytic and evolutionary mechanisms, we investigated a "hot spot" in the active site by saturation mutagenesis as well as X-ray crystallographic analyses.

Comprehensive characterization of sphingolipid ceramide N-deacylase for the synthesis and fatty acid remodeling of glycosphingolipids.

Sphingolipid ceramide N-deacylase (SCDase) catalyzes reversible reactions in which the amide linkage in glycosphingolipids is hydrolyzed or synthesized. While SCDases show great value for the enzymatic synthesis of glycosphingolipids, they are relatively poorly characterized enzymes. In this work, the enzymatic properties of SCDase from Shewanella alga G8 (SA_SCD) were systematically characterized and compared with the commercially available SCDase from Pseudomonas sp.

Icetexane diterpenoids from Perovskia atriplicifolia.

Five new icetexane diterpenoids, namely, perovskatones B-D (1, 3, 4), 1α-hydroxybrussonol (2), and 1α-hydroxypisiferanol (5), were isolated from Perovskia atriplicifolia, together with a new natural product (6) and two known compounds, przewalskin E (7) and brussonol (8). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by detailed analyses of their MS, IR, 1D, and 2D NMR data. Compounds 1-8 were assayed for their inhibitory hepatitis B virus activities in the HepG 2.

Ubiquitin-specific protease 22 is a deubiquitinase of CCNB1.

The elevated level of CCNB1 indicates more aggressive cancer and poor prognosis. However, the factors that cause CCNB1 upregulation remain enigmatic. Herein, we identify USP22 as a CCNB1 interactor and discover that both USP22 and CCNB1 are dramatically elevated with a strong positive correlation in colon cancer tissues.

Design of hyperthermophilic lipase chimeras by key motif-directed recombination.

Recombination of diverse natural evolved domains within a superfamily offers greater opportunity for enzyme function leaps. How to recombine protein modules from distant parents with less disruption in cross-interfaces is a challenging issue. Here, we identified the existence of a key motif, the sequence VVSVN(D)YR, within a structural motif ψ loop in the α/β-hydrolase fold superfamily, by using a MEME server and the PROMOTIF program.

Toxicity of extracts from disposable chopsticks, toothpicks, and paper cups on L-929 cells.

Objective: To evaluate the toxicity of extracts from disposable chopsticks, toothpicks, and paper cups on L-929 cells.

Methods: We followed national standards to prepare the extracts from disposable chopsticks, toothpicks, and paper cups used for the cell culture media, and the morphology of L-929 cells was observed with an optical microscope. The loss rate for adherent cells was evaluated with the trypan blue exclusion method, and cell proliferation was determined using the WST-1 assay.

Knockdown or inhibition of aldo-keto reductase 1B10 inhibits pancreatic carcinoma growth via modulating Kras-E-cadherin pathway.

Aldo-keto reductase 1B10 (AKR1B10) has relatively specific lipid substrates including carbonyls, retinal and farnesal/geranylgeranial. Metabolizing these lipid substrates appears crucial to carcinogenesis, particularly for farnesal/geranylgeranial that involves protein prenylation. Mutant Kras is a most common active oncogene in pancreatic cancer, and its activation requires protein prenylation.

Analysis of 121 fatal passenger car-adult pedestrian accidents in China.

To study the characteristics of fatal vehicle-pedestrian accidents in China，a team was established and passenger car-pedestrian crash cases occurring between 2006 and 2011 in Beijing and Chongqing, China were collected. A total of 121 fatal passenger car-adult pedestrian collisions were sampled and analyzed. The pedestrian injuries were scored according to Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) and Injury Severity Score (ISS).

Aspergillines A-E, highly oxygenated hexacyclic indole-tetrahydrofuran-tetramic acid derivatives from Aspergillus versicolor.

Aspergillines A-E (1-5) are highly oxygenated cyclopiazonic acid (CPA)-derived alkaloids bearing a rigid and sterically congested hexacyclic indole-tetrahydrofuran-tetramate scaffold, isolated from the endophytic fungus Aspergillus vesicolor. Apergillines A-C represent a new subclass of CPA-derived alkaloids, and aspergillines B and E possess a butanoic acid methyl ester moiety. The structures, including absolute configuration, were elucidated by interpretation of the NMR, X-ray crystallographic, and circular dichroism data.

Rhabdoid carcinoma of anal canal: role of electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry in establishing lineage.

ABSTRACT Rhabdoid carcinoma is a high-grade carcinoma with rhabdoid features and it is different from rhabdoid tumors that are broadly defined as malignant neoplasms with rhabdoid cellular appearance found primarily in the pediatric population, but adult cases have been reported in many anatomic locations. To date, no cases of anal canal rhabdoid carcinoma have been reported in the adult or pediatric population. We are reporting the first case of anal canal rhabdoid carcinoma, found in a 75-year-old male.

Vitronectin silencing inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo.

Aim: To explore if inhibition of vitronectin can be used for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Materials & Methods: RNAi technology was used to silence the expression of VTN in HepG2 and SMMC 7721 cells. Change of growth characteristics in these cells was evaluated.

Biphenyls from Nicotiana tabacum and their anti-tobacco mosaic virus.

Five new biphenyls, tababiphenyls A-E (1-5), together with five known ones (5-10), were isolated from the leaves of Nicotiana tabacum, of which compound 1 possessed a seldom reported 6-carbons unit in biphenyls. Their structures were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses. All compounds were tested for their anti-tobacco mosaic virus (anti-TMV) activities.

Vitronectin [correction of Vitronetcin] promotes cell growth and inhibits apoptotic stimuli in a human hepatoma cell line via the activation of caspases.

This study sought to understand the effects of vitronectin (VTN) on the growth of SMMC-7721 hepatoma cells. In addition, this study examined how VTN inhibits the induction of apoptosis in SMMC-7721 cells by 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM), a metabolite of natural phytochemicals, and preliminarily investigated the signaling molecules involved in this process. A cell proliferation reagent was used to observe the effects of VTN on cell proliferation rates.

Liraglutide-induced autoimmune hepatitis.

Importance: Use of incretin-based hypoglycemic agents is increasing, but safety data remain limited. We treated a woman with marker-negative autoimmune hepatitis associated with the glucagon-like peptide 1 agonist liraglutide.

Observations: A young woman with type 2 diabetes mellitus and vitiligo presented with a 10-day history of acute hepatitis.

Fatty acid synthase is required for mammary gland development and milk production during lactation.

The mammary gland is one of the few adult tissues that strongly induce de novo fatty acid synthesis upon physiological stimulation, suggesting that fatty acid is important for milk production during lactation. The committed enzyme to perform this function is fatty acid synthase (FASN). To determine whether de novo fatty acid synthesis is obligatory or dietary fat is sufficient for mammary gland development and function during lactation, Fasn was specifically knocked out in mouse mammary epithelial cells.

Unique morphologic and clinical features of liver predominant/primary small cell carcinoma--autopsy and biopsy case series.

Liver predominant small cell carcinoma is rare but often presents as hyperacute liver failure with unknown primary and is a medical emergency. We present 2 autopsy and 7 biopsy cases of liver predominant small cell carcinoma and demonstrate that these patients present with liver failure and identifiable hepatomegaly but lack discrete lesions on imaging as well as no mass lesions identified in other organs including lung. Compared with the multiple nodules of metastatic small cell carcinoma in the liver, unique morphologic feature of liver predominant/primary small cell carcinoma in autopsy and biopsy specimens was a diffuse infiltration of small blue neoplastic cells predominantly in the sinusoidal space in the liver parenchyma.

Aldoketoreductase family 1B10 (AKR1B10) as a biomarker to distinguish hepatocellular carcinoma from benign liver lesions.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common highly aggressive malignant tumors worldwide. Aldoketoreductase 1B10 (AKR1B10) was first isolated from HCC and further identified to be over-expressed in many cancers from various organs. AKR1B10 contributes to detoxification of xenobiotics by lipid peroxidation and metabolizes physiological substrates such as farnesal, retinal, and carbonyls.

Genetic polymorphisms in XPG could predict clinical outcome of platinum-based chemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

We conducted a prospective study to investigate the role of four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of XPG on the clinical outcome of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with platinum-based doublets chemotherapy. In total, 277 patients with histologically confirmed NSCLC were mainly from December 2007 and December 2008. The genotypes of rs2296147T>C, rs1047768C>T, rs873601G>A, and rs17655G>C were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism.