Diagnostic approach to recurrent bacterial meningitis in children.

Recurrence of bacterial meningitis in children is not only potentially life-threatening, but also involves or induces psychological trauma to the patients through repeated hospitalization and multiple invasive investigations if the underlying cause remains undetected. Bacteria migration, along congenital or acquired pathways from the skull or spinal dural defects, gains entrance into the central nervous system (CNS) and should be taken into consideration when children face recurrent bacterial meningitis, however, symptoms and signs of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea or otorrhea are rare in such patients. Without evidence of CSF leakage, a cranial symptom/sign or coccygeal cutaneous stigmata may suggest the approximate lesion site, diagnosis and detection remains difficult.

Over-expression of SR-cyclophilin, an interaction partner of nuclear pinin, releases SR family splicing factors from nuclear speckles.

Pre-mRNA splicing takes place within a dynamic ribonucleoprotein particle called the spliceosome and occurs in an ordered pathway. Although it is known that spliceosome consists of five small nuclear RNAs and at least 50 proteins, little is known about how the interaction among the proteins changes during splicing. Here we identify that SR-cyp, a Moca family of nuclear cyclophilin, interacts and colocalizes with nuclear pinin (pnn), a SR-related protein involving in pre-mRNA splicing.

Molecular characterization of a novel nucleolar protein, pNO40.

We report the discovery and characterization of a novel nucleolar protein. This protein, referred to as pNO40 based on its molecular weight on SDS-PAGE, was identified through yeast two hybrid interaction screen of a human kidney cDNA library using pinin (pnn) protein as the bait. The deduced amino acids of pNO40 derived from cDNA cloning of diverse species display high conservation; 95% identify between human and mouse and 57.

Biliary cutaneous stent insertion via T-tube tract by choledochoscopy.

Background: Postoperative biliary ductal dilation and stent insertion are mandatory for managing complicated residual hepatolithiasis with intrahepatic strictures. Usually this procedure is performed under fluoroscopic guidance. Choledochoscopic examination is a routine procedure for residual hepatolithiasis.

Peripheral cholangiocarcinoma (cholangiocellular carcinoma): clinical features, diagnosis and treatment.

Peripheral cholangiocarcinoma is a relatively rare cancer. However, it is known to have an unfavourable prognosis compared with that of hepatocellular carcinoma. Little is known about its aetiology, clinical or pathological features.

Antibodies differentiate desmosome-form and nucleus-form pinin: evidence that pinin is a moonlighting protein with dual location at the desmosome and within the nucleus.

Pinin is a desmosome-associated protein occurring in epithelia, cardiac muscle, and meninges. This molecule was found to be capable of enhancing cell junction formation and thought to play a key role in reorganization and stabilization of the desmosome-intermediate filament complex in epithelial cells (J. Cell Biol.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in Taiwan.

We report our experience of the surgical treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) in Taiwanese patients. A total of 162 patients with histologically proven ICC were treated of whom 106 (65. 4%) had associated hepatolithiasis.