Silencing Bcl-2 in models of mantle cell lymphoma is associated with decreases in cyclin D1, nuclear factor-kappaB, p53, bax, and p27 levels

Molecular mechanisms responsible for lymphoma resistance to apoptosis often involve the bcl-2 pathway. In this study, we investigated the cell signaling pathways activated in bcl-2-overexpressing human mantle cell lymphoma cell lines (JVM-2 and Z-138) that have been treated with oblimersen, a molecular gene silencing strategy that effectively suppresses bcl-2 in vitro and in vivo. Z-138 cells expressed higher levels of bcl-2 and were more sensitive to the effects of bcl-2 silencing, mediated by oblimersen or bcl-2 small interfering RNA, in vitro. Tumors derived following injection of Z-138 cells were sensitive to oblimersen as judged by decreases in tumor growth rate and decreases in cell proliferation (as measured by Ki-67). Immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis of oblimersen-treated Z-138 tumors revealed a dose-dependent decrease in bcl-2 levels and an associated increase in the proapoptotic proteins caspase-3 and caspase-9. Silencing bcl-2 in Z-138 xenografts revealed an associated dose-dependent suppression of bax, a decrease in nuclear factor-kappaB and phospho-nuclear factor-kappaB, and transient loss of p53 levels. Coimmunoprecipitation studies suggest that the latter observation is mediated by an association between bcl-2 and phospho-mdm2. Bcl-2 silencing also led to p27 down-regulation and coimmunoprecipitation studies point to a role for bcl-2 in regulation of p27 localization/degradation. Bcl-2 silencing was also correlated with loss of cyclin D1a protein levels but not cyclin D1b levels. Coimmunoprecipitation studies indicate that bcl-2 may mediate its effects on cyclin D1a via interaction with p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase as well as a previously unreported interaction between bcl-2 and cyclin D1a.

Fecal egg count reductions and performance effect of Dectomax, Cydectin, and Cydectin plus Synanthic as used in feedlot steers

A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness (fecal egg count reductions) and benefit (improvement in feed efficiency, average daily gain, health, and so forth) of a macrocyclic lactone (moxidectin [Cydectin Injectable] or doramectin [Dectomax 1% Injectable]) alone or in combination with a benzimidazole (oxfendazole [Synanthic Bovine Dewormer]) as used in steers upon their arrival at a feedlot. The cattle were kept in the feedlot for 181 days. Only minor differences in fecal egg count reductions were seen among treatments, with all egg counts reduced by more than 98% by 28 days posttreatment. Likewise, no statistically significant differences among treatments were seen in terms of animal performance (feed efficiency, intake, gain, morbidity, mortality, and carcass quality). All three treatment regimens appear to be comparable in decreasing nematode burdens and the consequences thereof in feedlot cattle.

A field trial evaluation of the effectiveness and benefit of cydectin long-acting injectable and ivomec injectable as used one time in grazing stocker cattle

Use of moxidectin long-acting injectable and ivermectin injectable in female Bos taurus beef-type calves was evaluated in terms of efficacy (fecal egg counts) and performance parameters (weight gain). In this 150-day study, moxidectin-treated calves gained 20% more weight than did ivermectin-treated and control calves. Mean fecal egg count reductions ranged from 76.7 to 99.0 for moxidectin and -0.8 to 83.4 for ivermectin. Moxidectin long-acting injection provided efficacious (immediate as well as long-term) egg count suppressions as well as enhanced animal productivity (weight gains). The study also showed that Cooperia spp appear poised to present the most immediate challenges once long-acting macrocyclic lactone treatments become available.

Four human t(11;14)(q13;q32)-containing cell lines having classic and variant features of Mantle Cell Lymphoma

The objectives of this study were foremost to further characterize pre-existing cell lines containing the t(11;14)(q13;q32) translocation. This translocation along with cyclin D1 overexpression is characteristic of Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL), an aggressive B cell neoplasm. Considerable variation in the abundance of cyclin D1 expression was observed. mRNA levels were examined by RT-PCR as differences in cyclin D1 mRNA abundance have been shown to synergize with INK4A/Arf deletions to dictate proliferation rate and survival in MCL patient samples. In this study, the cell lines, Z-138 and HBL-2, which exhibited the fastest growth rates and the shortest survival times in Rag2-M mice, had high expression of either one or both cyclin D1 mRNA isoforms and had negligible expression of p16. On the other hand, NCEB-1 and JVM-2 had low expression of both mRNA isoforms, retained p16 expression, and had slower growth rates and exhibited longer survival times in Rag2-M mice. Furthermore, JVM-2, which was found to have the lowest expression of cyclin D1, was the only cell line that expressed cyclin D2. The results of the characterization of Z-138, HBL-2, NCEB-1 and JVM-2 reveal that this group of cell lines represents both classic and variant features of MCL.

Recognition of Yersinia enterocolitica multiple strain infection in twin infants using PCR-based DNA fingerprinting

AIMS

Yersinia enterocolitica causes several syndromes in humans. The most common presentation is enterocolitis in children, presenting as fever and diarrhoea. A Y. enterocolitica multiple strain infection in twin infants was investigated.

METHODS AND RESULTS

One isolate was recovered from one patient and two morphologically-different isolates were recovered from the other infant. Biochemically, all isolates were identified as Y. enterocolitica group. The genomic DNA from each strain was purified and DNA fingerprinting was performed. The banding patterns observed for Y. enterocolitica isolates 2 and 3, from patients 1 and 2, respectively, were identical when comparing the presence or absence of major bands. However, Y. enterocolitica isolate 1, from patient 1, showed a distinctive banding pattern from isolates 2 and 3.

CONCLUSION

The findings indicate that one infant was colonized by more than one strain of Y. enterocolitica, demonstrating that multiple strains can colonize and invade a patient.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Recognition of multiple strain infections can be important in diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of Y. enterocolitica infections, as well as in disease epidemiology. The technique described here offers a straightforward method for strain comparison.

Comparison of vertical ground reaction forces during overground and treadmill walking

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to compare vertical ground reaction forces walking overground with vertical foot-belt forces for treadmill gait.

METHODS

Twenty-four subjects walked overground and on a treadmill at three speeds (slow, normal, and fast), and at comparable cadences and stride length at each of the speeds. Treadmill and overground vertical force curves were normalized to 100% of stance time and compared using Person's product moment correlation. Selected measures from vertical force records were compared between the two modes of locomotion via repeated measures ANOVA (P < 0.05). Post-hoc analysis consisted of paired t-tests with Bonferroni correction. All comparisons were made across conditions (treadmill vs overground) at each of the three walking speeds.

RESULTS

The pattern of reaction forces were similar. Correlation between curves were 0.998, 0.983, and 0.983 for the slow (1.03-1.05 m.s-1), normal (1.40-1.44 m.s-1) and fast (1.65-1.71 m.s-1) walking trials. Small (5-9%) but significant differences in force magnitude for the two forms of locomotion were evident during mid-stance for normal (P = 0.00009) and fast (P = 0.0007) walking speeds and in late stance for normal (P = 0.0014) and fast (P = 0.0005) trials.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the patterns of the vertical reaction forces for the two forms of locomotion were nearly identical, small but significant differences in selected force magnitudes were evident. The interpretation of locomotion data collected on a treadmill should consider that forces during mid- and late-stance may be different than if the subject walked overground.

Multiple-dose activated charcoal compared to urinary alkalinization for the enhancement of phenobarbital elimination

BACKGROUND

Urinary alkalinization and multiple-dose activated charcoal are modalities advocated for the enhancement of phenobarbital elimination in poisoned patients. However, no studies exist comparing the efficacy of these two means of elimination enhancement. We compared their effects on the pharmacokinetic disposition of intravenously administered phenobarbital.

METHODS

Ten healthy volunteers participated in each of three randomly ordered study phases. During each phase, 5 mg of intravenous phenobarbital per kilogram of body weight was administered. During phase I, no interventions were made in attempt to enhance phenobarbital elimination. In phase II, participants underwent 24 hours of urinary alkalinization. Throughout phase III, volunteers received six doses of activated charcoal and two doses of sorbitol over 24 hours.

RESULTS

The phenobarbital elimination half-life was 148 hours, 47 hours and 19 hours during the control, alkalinization and charcoal phases, respectively. Statistically significant differences in the elimination of phenobarbital were detected when each of the following phases were compared: I vs II, I vs III and II vs III.

CONCLUSIONS

Both urinary alkalinization and multiple doses of activated charcoal are effective for the enhancement of phenobarbital elimination but multiple-dose charcoal was superior to urinary alkalinization in our study population.

A survey into the prevalence of poultry helminths in northwest Arkansas commercial broiler chickens

A 12-month survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of poultry helminths in Northwest Arkansas commercial broiler chickens. Intestinal tracts from market-ready broilers were collected weekly from two commercial broiler companies; a total of 3542 intestinal tracts were collected for parasite enumeration from 67 company A and 52 company B farms. Ascaridia galli was found on 37.3% of company A farms and 3.9% of company B farms, Raillietina cesticillus was found on 67.2% of company A farms and 69.2% of company B farms, and Heterakis gallinarum was found on 7.5% of company A farms and 1.9% of company B farms. No other parasitic helminths were found. No significant relationship was detected between grow-out feed efficiency and helminth infection rate or magnitude.

Evaluation of skin microtopography as a measure of ultraviolet exposure

A pilot study was conducted to investigate the use of skin microtopography as a semiquantitative noninvasive method for estimating cumulative sun exposure in epidemiologic studies of eye disease. The subjects received a kit through the mail containing materials needed to make a replica of the skin texture of a sun-exposed area of the hand. Each subject previously had undergone a skin biopsy around the same site to evaluate elastotic degeneration, and all were interviewed about past sun exposures. A gradable skin impression was obtained from 96 of 115 (83%) participants after two mailings. The impressions were graded according to the degree of skin texture alteration using standard photographs; interobserver reliability was 0.73 using a weighted kappa statistic. The impression score was correlated most strongly with age (r = 0.53). Independent predictors of higher impression scores (more skin texture changes) were older age, cigar or pipe smoking, less education, lighter iris color, lighter skin color, male gender, and tendency to sunburn. After adjustment for age and the other predictor variables, the biopsy score was not correlated with the impression grade (r = 0.18, P = 0.13). Behaviors indexing sun exposure were not correlated with microtopography. These results suggest that skin microtopography as done in this study reflects aging from intrinsic parameters more than from actinic damage.

Management of early nasal injuries with long term follow up

Postnatal nasal injury occurring before full growth results in certain changes in the development of the nose and of the face. An assessment of the role of the cartilaginous nasal septum in this growth has been attempted by observing adults who had dissolution of the cartilaginous septum in childhood. The immediate management of long term follow up care of patients so afflicted is discussed. Also observed into adult life were several patients on whom lateral, medial or transverse osteotomies or combinations of these had been performed in childhood to determine if such procedures interfered with growth of the nose and face.

A clinical evaluation of the Cottle rhinomanometry "flow" nozzle

A clinical study was undertaken to establish what changes in values were caused by the nozzle used in the Cottle flow-pressure technique of rhinomanometry. Cottle rhino-sphygmo-manometry was performed over seven hundred times, half with the nozzle and half without and the results analyzed using pattern, rate, amplitude, work co-efficient and four breath factor as outlined by Cottle. In many instances marked changes did occur but were unpredictable by examination prior to testing. It is suggested that Cottle rhino-sphygmo-manometry be carried out routinely with and without this nozzle in order to better evaluate results of flow-pressure relationship in which this nozzle is used.