Investigating the influence of the gut microbiome on cholelithiasis: unveiling insights through sequencing and predictive modeling

BACKGROUND

Cholelithiasis is one of the most common disorders of hepatobiliary system. Gut bacteria may be involved in the process of gallstone formation and are, therefore considered as potential targets for cholelithiasis prediction.

OBJECTIVE

To reveal the correlation between cholelithiasis and gut bacteria.

METHODS

Stool samples were collected from 100 cholelithiasis and 250 healthy individuals from Huzhou Central Hospital; The 16S rRNA of gut bacteria in the stool samples was sequenced using the third-generation Pacbio sequencing platform; Mothur v.1.21.1 was used to analyze the diversity of gut bacteria; Wilcoxon rank-sum test and linear discriminant analysis of effect sizes (LEfSe) were used to analyze differences in gut bacteria between patients suffering from cholelithiasis and healthy individuals; Chord diagram and Plot-related heat maps were used to analyze the correlation between cholelithiasis and gut bacteria; six machine algorithms were used to construct models to predict cholelithiasis.

RESULTS

There were differences in the abundance of gut bacteria between cholelithiasis and healthy individuals, but there were no differences in their community diversity. Increased abundance of Costridia, Escherichia flexneri, and Klebsiella pneumonae were found in cholelithiasis, while Bacteroidia, Phocaeicola, and Phocaeicola vulgatus were more abundant in healthy individuals. The top four bacteria that were most closely associated with cholelithiasis were Escherichia flexneri, Escherichia dysenteriae, Streptococcus salivarius, and Phocaeicola vulgatus. The cholelithiasis model based on CatBoost algorithm had the best prediction effect (sensitivity: 90.48%, specificity: 88.32%, and AUC: 0.962).

CONCLUSION

The identification of characteristic gut bacteria may provide new predictive targets for gallstone screening. As being screened by the predictive model, people at high risk of cholelithiasis can determine the need for further testing, thus enabling early warning of cholelithiasis.

Analysis of Fecal Microbiota in Patients with Hypertension Complicated with Ischemic Stroke

Ischemic stroke is a disease with a very high incidence in the clinic, and hypertension is the most important variable risk factor of ischemic stroke. Studies have shown that intestinal microbes are involved in the occurrence and development of various diseases. This study aims to explore whether intestinal microbes play an important role in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke in a hypertensive population. In this study, the inpatients in the Department of Neurology and Cardiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University in April 2021 were selected, including seven patients with hypertension complicated with ischemic stroke and only seven patients with hypertension. After collecting the stool samples of patients, the gene sequence of the samples was detected by 16S rRNA sequencing technology, and the double-ended 2 × 150 bp sequencing was carried out. After sequencing, the results were analyzed by diversity analysis, species difference analysis, species function difference analysis, and other bioinformatics tests. According to the test results, serum proteomics and biochemical blood tests were carried out to verify. There was no significant difference in α diversity and β diversity between hypertension complicated with the cerebral infarction and hypertension groups. LEfSe analysis showed that at the genus level, compared with the hypertension group, Bacteroides, UCG_009, and Eisenbergiella had significantly increased relative abundance. The genera with relatively significantly reduced abundance are Ruminococcus_gnavus_group, Sutterellaceae, Burkholderia, and Prevotella and the LDA score of Prevotella is <  - 4, which indicates that there are significant differences. Compared with the blood biochemical indexes, the results showed that the level of APOA1 in hypertensive patients with ischemic stroke was significantly higher than that in hypertensive patients (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in total cholesterol (CHOL), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), apolipoprotein B (APOB), and free fatty acid (NEFA). Proteomic analysis showed that there were 89 up-regulated genes and 51 down-regulated genes in the serum of the two groups, and the expression of APOC2 and APOC3 in the cerebral infarction group with hypertension was significantly higher than that in the hypertension group (p < 0.05). The intestinal diversity of patients with hypertension complicated with stroke is similar to that of patients with hypertension, but there are differences in microbiota, among which Prevotella is the most significant. Prevotella could affect lipid metabolism so that APOC2 and APOC3 in the blood are significantly increased, leading to cerebral artery atherosclerosis and, finally, ischemic stroke. This provides a new idea for preventing and treating ischemic stroke in patients with hypertension, but the mechanism of Prevotella acting on apolipoprotein needs further verification by basic medical research.

Mutations in DARS2 result in global dysregulation of mRNA metabolism and splicing

Leukoencephalopathy with brainstem and spinal cord involvement and lactate elevation (LBSL) is a rare neurological disorder caused by the mutations in the DARS2 gene, which encodes the mitochondrial aspartyl-tRNA synthetase. The objective of this study was to understand the impact of DARS2 mutations on cell processes through evaluation of LBSL patient stem cell derived cerebral organoids and neurons. We generated human cerebral organoids (hCOs) from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) of seven LBSL patients and three healthy controls using an unguided protocol. Single cells from 70-day-old hCOs were subjected to SMART-seq2 sequencing and bioinformatic analysis to acquire high-resolution gene and transcript expression datasets. Global gene expression analysis demonstrated dysregulation of a number of genes involved in mRNA metabolism and splicing processes within LBSL hCOs. Importantly, there were distinct and divergent gene expression profiles based on the nature of the DARS2 mutation. At the transcript level, pervasive differential transcript usage and differential spliced exon events that are involved in protein translation and metabolism were identified in LBSL hCOs. Single-cell analysis of DARS2 (exon 3) showed that some LBSL cells exclusively express transcripts lacking exon 3, indicating that not all LBSL cells can benefit from the "leaky" nature common to splice site mutations. At the gene- and transcript-level, we uncovered that dysregulated RNA splicing, protein translation and metabolism may underlie at least some of the pathophysiological mechanisms in LBSL. To confirm hCO findings, iPSC-derived neurons (iNs) were generated by overexpressing Neurogenin 2 using lentiviral vector to study neuronal growth, splicing of DARS2 exon 3 and DARS2 protein expression. Live cell imaging revealed neuronal growth defects of LBSL iNs, which was consistent with the finding of downregulated expression of genes related to neuronal differentiation in LBSL hCOs. DARS2 protein was downregulated in iNs compared to iPSCs, caused by increased exclusion of exon 3. The scope and complexity of our data imply that DARS2 is potentially involved in transcription regulation beyond its canonical role of aminoacylation. Nevertheless, our work highlights transcript-level dysregulation as a critical, and relatively unexplored, mechanism linking genetic data with neurodegenerative disorders.

Photonic-assisted generation of a frequency-octupled triangular waveform based on spectrum manipulation

A new photonic approach for generating a triangular waveform with octupled frequency, to the best of our knowledge, is presented. The core principle is the frequency octupling technique based on two cascaded dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder modulators(MZMs). A dual-electrode MZM and a single-mode fiber are subsequently applied to manipulate the signal spectrum to satisfy the characteristics of a triangular waveform. By applying a 2 GHz radio frequency signal, a full-duty-cycle triangular waveform with a repetition rate of 16 GHz is obtained. The high-frequency multiplying factor shows great potential in generating a cost-effective waveform. Additionally, the phase imbalance of a hybrid coupler and bias drift of the MZM have been considered in our simulation, which further verify the feasibility and stability of our proposal.

Search for Subsolar-Mass Binaries in the First Half of Advanced LIGO's and Advanced Virgo's Third Observing Run

We report on a search for compact binary coalescences where at least one binary component has a mass between 0.2  M_{⊙} and 1.0  M_{⊙} in Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo data collected between 1 April 2019 1500 UTC and 1 October 2019 1500 UTC. We extend our previous analyses in two main ways: we include data from the Virgo detector and we allow for more unequal mass systems, with mass ratio q≥0.1. We do not report any gravitational-wave candidates. The most significant trigger has a false alarm rate of 0.14  yr^{-1}. This implies an upper limit on the merger rate of subsolar binaries in the range [220-24200]  Gpc^{-3} yr^{-1}, depending on the chirp mass of the binary. We use this upper limit to derive astrophysical constraints on two phenomenological models that could produce subsolar-mass compact objects. One is an isotropic distribution of equal-mass primordial black holes. Using this model, we find that the fraction of dark matter in primordial black holes in the mass range 0.2  M_{⊙}<m_{PBH}<1.0  M_{⊙} is f_{PBH}≡Ω_{PBH}/Ω_{DM}≲6%. This improves existing constraints on primordial black hole abundance by a factor of ∼3. The other is a dissipative dark matter model, in which fermionic dark matter can collapse and form black holes. The upper limit on the fraction of dark matter black holes depends on the minimum mass of the black holes that can be formed: the most constraining result is obtained at M_{min}=1  M_{⊙}, where f_{DBH}≡Ω_{DBH}/Ω_{DM}≲0.003%. These are the first constraints placed on dissipative dark models by subsolar-mass analyses.

Constraints on Cosmic Strings Using Data from the Third Advanced LIGO-Virgo Observing Run

We search for gravitational-wave signals produced by cosmic strings in the Advanced LIGO and Virgo full O3 dataset. Search results are presented for gravitational waves produced by cosmic string loop features such as cusps, kinks, and, for the first time, kink-kink collisions. A template-based search for short-duration transient signals does not yield a detection. We also use the stochastic gravitational-wave background energy density upper limits derived from the O3 data to constrain the cosmic string tension Gμ as a function of the number of kinks, or the number of cusps, for two cosmic string loop distribution models. Additionally, we develop and test a third model that interpolates between these two models. Our results improve upon the previous LIGO-Virgo constraints on Gμ by 1 to 2 orders of magnitude depending on the model that is tested. In particular, for the one-loop distribution model, we set the most competitive constraints to date: Gμ≲4×10^{-15}. In the case of cosmic strings formed at the end of inflation in the context of grand unified theories, these results challenge simple inflationary models.

Constraints on Cosmic Strings Using Data from the Third Advanced LIGO-Virgo Observing Run

We search for gravitational-wave signals produced by cosmic strings in the Advanced LIGO and Virgo full O3 dataset. Search results are presented for gravitational waves produced by cosmic string loop features such as cusps, kinks, and, for the first time, kink-kink collisions. A template-based search for short-duration transient signals does not yield a detection. We also use the stochastic gravitational-wave background energy density upper limits derived from the O3 data to constrain the cosmic string tension Gμ as a function of the number of kinks, or the number of cusps, for two cosmic string loop distribution models. Additionally, we develop and test a third model that interpolates between these two models. Our results improve upon the previous LIGO-Virgo constraints on Gμ by 1 to 2 orders of magnitude depending on the model that is tested. In particular, for the one-loop distribution model, we set the most competitive constraints to date: Gμ≲4×10^{-15}. In the case of cosmic strings formed at the end of inflation in the context of grand unified theories, these results challenge simple inflationary models.

Association of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and long-term mortality may differ from lipoprotein(a) levels among patients undergoing coronary angiography

Background

The use of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) as an inflammation biomarker in predicting long-term mortality remains controversial. We aimed to investigate whether the association of hs-CRP with long-term mortality differs from another inflammation biomarker, lipoprotein(a), in patients undergoing coronary angiography (CAG).

Methods

A total of 2422 patients undergoing CAG were included in the final analysis from a prospective, observational study. We divided them into 4 groups according to hs-CRP level (high ≥4.8 mg/l, low &lt;4.8 mg/l) and lipoprotein(a) level (high ≥17 mg/dl, low &lt;17 mg/dl).

Results

The overall incidence of all-cause long-term mortality was 133/2422 (5.5%). In the high lipoprotein(a) group, after adjusting for LDL-cholesterol concentration (LDL-C), age, sex, smoking status, diabetes mellitus and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), a high hs-CRP level was an independent predictor of all-cause long-term mortality (hazard ratio: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.13–3.54; p=0.02). In the low lipoprotein(a) group, a similar result was not found (hazard ratio: 1.42; 95% CI: 0.92–2.01; p=0.24).

Conclusions

Our data suggested that the association of hs-CRP with all-cause long-term mortality may differ from lipoprotein(a) levels among patients undergoing CAG. In addition to hs-CRP, a high lipoprotein(a) level might be a simultaneous intervention target for improving long-term prognosis in the future.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Unexpected cell type-dependent effects of autophagy on polyglutamine aggregation revealed by natural genetic variation in C. elegans

Background

Monogenic protein aggregation diseases, in addition to cell selectivity, exhibit clinical variation in the age of onset and progression, driven in part by inter-individual genetic variation. While natural genetic variants may pinpoint plastic networks amenable to intervention, the mechanisms by which they impact individual susceptibility to proteotoxicity are still largely unknown.

Results

We have previously shown that natural variation modifies polyglutamine (polyQ) aggregation phenotypes in C. elegans muscle cells. Here, we find that a genomic locus from C. elegans wild isolate DR1350 causes two genetically separable aggregation phenotypes, without changing the basal activity of muscle proteostasis pathways known to affect polyQ aggregation. We find that the increased aggregation phenotype was due to regulatory variants in the gene encoding a conserved autophagy protein ATG-5. The atg-5 gene itself conferred dosage-dependent enhancement of aggregation, with the DR1350-derived allele behaving as hypermorph. Surprisingly, increased aggregation in animals carrying the modifier locus was accompanied by enhanced autophagy activation in response to activating treatment. Because autophagy is expected to clear, not increase, protein aggregates, we activated autophagy in three different polyQ models and found a striking tissue-dependent effect: activation of autophagy decreased polyQ aggregation in neurons and intestine, but increased it in the muscle cells.

Conclusions

Our data show that cryptic natural variants in genes encoding proteostasis components, although not causing detectable phenotypes in wild-type individuals, can have profound effects on aggregation-prone proteins. Clinical applications of autophagy activators for aggregation diseases may need to consider the unexpected divergent effects of autophagy in different cell types.

[Factors affecting stability after fixed orthodontic treatment]

Objective: To analyze factors affecting stability after fixed orthodontic treatment. Methods: Five hundred and forty-four patients who had finished fixed orthodontic treatment more than two years in First Department of Orthodontics, China Medical University from January, 2000 to December, 2017 were investigated and the rate of regular revisit was counted. The data of 288 patients were successfully collected by calling or sending text messages and the rate of standard use of retainers as prescribed (patients wore retainers for 24 months or longer) was counted. According to the variation of peer assessment rating (PAR) index at the start of retention and the time the data collected, the patients were divided into relapse group (variation of PAR index >5) and non-relapse group (variation of PAR index ≤5). Difference significance analysis and multiple-factor logistic regression analysis were used. Sixty patients wearing retainers well were collected and the curative effects of Hawley retainer and vacuum formed retainer (VFR) were compared, which included overbite, overjet, maxillary irregularity index, mandibular irregularity index, width betwenn canine and width between first molar. Results: The rate of regular revisit was 41.0% (223/544). Two hundred and one of 288 patients (69.8%) who were visited successfully had regular revisit, and 60.4%(174/288) of the patients wore retainers well; 30.2% (87/288) of the patients who were visited successfully didn't have regular revisit, and 10.4% (30/288) of the patients wore retainers well. Difference significance analysis showed that there was highly significant difference between relapse group and non-relapse group in the type of retainer and duration of retention (P<0.01). One hundred and forty of 224 patients (62.5%) in non-relapse group and 37.5% (24/64) of the patients in relapse group used VFR, and the duration of retention in non-relapse group was significantly longer than that in relapse group (P<0.01). Multiple-factor Logistic regression analysis showed that wearing Hawley retainers (OR=3.067, P<0.05) was the risk factor influencing relapse. The duration of retention (OR=0.832, P<0.01) was the protective factor influencing relapse. Independent-sample t test indicated that the variations of maxillary [(0.82±0.36) mm] and mandibular [(1.05±0.22) mm] irregularity index in Hawley retainer group were larger than maxillary [(0.64±0.29) mm] and mandibular [(0.72±0.35) mm)] irregularity index in VFR group, respectively. The differences between the two groups were significant (P<0.05). Conclusions: Duration of retention was implicated in stability after orthodontic treatment. VFR had better effect in the aspects of irregularity index than Hawley retainer.

A Comparison of the Diagnostic Accuracy and Reliability of Subjective Grading and Computer-Aided Assessment of Intranodal Vascularity in Differentiating Metastatic and Reactive Cervical Lymphadenopathy

PURPOSE

Ultrasound is a well-established imaging modality in the assessment of malignant cervical lymphadenopathy. With the use of Doppler ultrasound, intranodal vascularity can be evaluated. However, the major limitation of ultrasound is operator dependency. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate and compare the diagnostic accuracy and reliability of the subjective grading and computer-aided approach in assessing intranodal vascularity for the differentiation of benign and malignant lymph nodes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present study retrospectively assessed 99 power Doppler ultrasound images of cervical lymph nodes and evaluated the degree of intranodal vascularity using qualitative subjective grading (QSG) and quantitative computer-aided (QCA) methods. The diagnostic accuracy of the two methods in distinguishing metastatic and reactive nodes and their inter- and intra-rater reliability in assessing intranodal vascularity were evaluated and compared.

RESULTS

The results showed that the QCA method was more accurate than the QSG method with a significantly higher sensitivity (67.8 % and 61.9 %, respectively, p < 0.05) and specificity (73.3 % and 57.3 %, respectively, p < 0.05). Using the intranodal vascularity index as determined by the QCA approach, the optimum cut-off to differentiate metastatic and reactive cervical lymph nodes was 32 %. The QCA method showed higher inter- and intra-rater reliability than the QSG method.

CONCLUSION

In the assessment of the degree of intranodal vascularity, the QCA method was more accurate and reliable than the QSG method in distinguishing metastatic and reactive lymph nodes.

A novel recurrent CHEK2 Y390C mutation identified in high-risk Chinese breast cancer patients impairs its activity and is associated with increased breast cancer risk

Certain predisposition factors such as BRCA1/2 and CHEK2 mutations cause familial breast cancers that occur early. In China, breast cancers are diagnosed at relatively younger age, and higher percentage of patients are diagnosed before 40 years, than that in Caucasians. However, the prevalence for BRCA1/2 mutations and reported CHEK2 germline mutations is much lower or absent in Chinese population, arguing for the need to study other novel risk alleles among Chinese breast cancer patients. In this study, we searched for CHEK2 mutations in young, high-risk breast cancer patients in China and detected a missense variant Y390C (1169A > G) in 12 of 150 patients (8.0%) and 2 in 250 healthy controls (0.8%, P = 0.0002). Four of the Y390C carriers have family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer. In patients without family history, Y390C carriers tend to develop breast cancer early, before 35 years of age. The codon change at Y390, a highly conserved residue located in CHEK2's kinase domain, appeared to significantly impair CHEK2 activity. Functional analysis suggested that the CHEK2 Y390C mutation is deleterious as judged by the mutant protein's inability to inactivate CDC25A or to activate p53 after DNA damage. Cells expressing the CHEK2 Y390C variant showed impaired p21 and Puma expression after DNA damage, and the deregulated cell cycle checkpoint and apoptotic response may help conserve mutations and therefore contribute to tumorigeneisis. Taken together, our results not only identified a novel CHEK2 allele that is associated with cancer families and confers increased breast cancer risk, but also showed that this allele significantly impairs CHEK2 function during DNA damage response. Our results provide further insight on how the function of such an important cancer gene may be impaired by existing mutations to facilitate tumorigenesis. It also offers a new subject for breast cancer monitoring, prevention and management.

Review of ultrasonography of malignant neck nodes: greyscale, Doppler, contrast enhancement and elastography

Assessment of neck lymph nodes is essential in patients with head and neck cancers for predicting the patient’s prognosis and selecting the appropriate treatment. Ultrasonography is a useful imaging tool in the assessment of neck lymph nodes. Greyscale ultrasonography assesses the size, distribution, and internal architecture of lymph nodes. Doppler ultrasonography evaluates the intranodal vascular pattern and resistance of lymph nodes. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography provides information on lymph node parenchymal perfusion. Elastography allows qualitative and quantitative assessment of lymph node stiffness. This article reviews the value of greyscale, Doppler and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography as well as elastography in the assessment of malignant nodes in the neck.

Human osteosarcoma CD49f(-)CD133(+) cells: impaired in osteogenic fate while gain of tumorigenicity

The biological relationships among self-renewal, tumorigenicity, and lineage differentiation of human osteosarcoma-initiating cells (OSIC) remain elusive, making it difficult to identify and distinguish OSIC from osteosarcoma-forming cells (OSFC) for developing OSIC-targeted therapies. Using a new inverse lineage tracking strategy coupled with serial human-to-mouse xenotransplantation, we identified a subpopulation of osteosarcoma cells with OSIC-like properties and sought to distinguish them from their progeny, OSFC. We found that serial transplantation of cells from different osteosarcoma cell lines and primary osteosarcoma tissues progressively increased the CD49f⁺ subpopulation composing the bulk of the osteosarcoma mass. These CD49f⁺ cells displayed characteristics of OSFC: limited in vivo tumorigenicity, weak lineage differentiation, more differentiated osteogenic feature, and greater chemo-sensitivity. By contrast, their parental CD49f⁻CD133⁺ cells had an inhibited osteogenic fate, together with OSIC-like properties of self-renewal, strong tumorigenicity, and differentiation to CD49f⁺ progeny. Hence, the CD49f⁻CD133⁺ phenotype appears to identify OSIC-like cells that possess strong tumorigenicity correlated with an impaired osteogenic fate and the ability to initiate tumor growth through generation of CD49f⁺ progeny. These findings advance our understanding of OSIC-like properties and, for the first time, provide a much-needed distinction between OSIC and OSFC in this cancer.

The effect of pressure pad location of spinal orthosis on the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS)

Patient with moderate AIS is usually prescribed with spinal orthosis aiming to mechanically support and prevent the spine from further deterioration. In the conventional fitting method, pre-brace X-ray is the main reference, thus, the pressure pad of spinal orthosis may not be accurately located to the strategic areas because the spinal deformities could change 3-dimensionally once pressure pad is applied. A high correlation (r > 0.98) between Cobb's angle and spinous process angle (SPA) was found in the recent studies. With the advancements of 3D clinical ultrasound (3D CUS), tracing SPA along a scoliotic spine becomes possible and this can be used to estimate Cobb's angle. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of pressure pad location of spinal orthosis in the treatment of AIS and 3D CUS was used to trace SPA for estimation of Cobb's angle. The in-brace X-rays were assessed for confirmation of treatment effectiveness. The subjects were divided into ultrasound-guided fitting group A (n=21) and conventional fitting group B (n=22). In the group A, pressure pads were tested at 5 locations - the prescribed location as in the conventional fitting (referred to the pre-brace X-ray), and 1 cm and 2 cm above and below the prescribed location, and 3D CUS was applied to trace the SPA in these 5 pad locations, and the pad location with the lowest estimated Cobb's angle was selected in the final fitting. The assessments of in-brace X-rays showed that the mean Cobb's angle of group A decreased from 28.9° (pre-brace) to 18.6° (immediate in-brace) while the mean Cobb's angle of group B decreased from 27.1° (pre-brace) to 22.5° (immediate in-brace). There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the correction of Cobb's angle between the two groups. The results showed that accurate pressure pad location does play an important role in the reduction of Cobb's angle and 3D CUS can be considered as a non-invasive and effective assessment tool to improve orthotic treatment of AIS.

Correlation between computerised findings and Newman's scaling on vascularity using power Doppler ultrasonography imaging and its predictive value in patients with plantar fasciitis

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to correlate findings on small vessel vascularity between computerised findings and Newman's scaling using power Doppler ultrasonography (PDU) imaging and its predictive value in patients with plantar fasciitis.

METHODS

PDU was performed on 44 patients (age range 30-66 years; mean age 48 years) with plantar fasciitis and 46 healthy subjects (age range 18-61 years; mean age 36 years). The vascularity was quantified using ultrasound images by a customised software program and graded by Newman's grading scale. Vascular index (VI) was calculated from the software program as the ratio of the number of colour pixels to the total number of pixels within a standardised selected area of proximal plantar fascia. The 46 healthy subjects were examined on 2 occasions 7-10 days apart, and 18 of them were assessed by 2 examiners. Statistical analyses were performed using intraclass correlation coefficient and linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

Good correlation was found between the averaged VI ratios and Newman's qualitative scale (ρ=0.70; p<0.001). Intratester and intertester reliability were 0.89 and 0.61, respectively. Furthermore, higher VI was correlated with less reduction in pain after physiotherapeutic intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

The computerised VI not only has a high level of concordance with the Newman grading scale but is also reliable in reflecting the vascularity of proximal plantar fascia, and can predict pain reduction after intervention. This index can be used to characterise the changes in vascularity of patients with plantar fasciitis, and it may also be helpful for evaluating treatment and monitoring the progress after intervention in future studies.

Abstract P1-11-11: Correlation between ER/PgR/Her-2/Ki67 Expression and Response to Neoadjuvant Endocrine Therapy for HR Positive Post-Menopausal Breast Cancer

Background: Endocrine therapy was standard adjuvant treatment for hormone receptor positive breast cancer. However, there were factors other than receptor status could influence endocrine responsiveness. Neoadjuvant therapy was an excellent platform for predictive factors research, but the standard for evaluating the efficacy of neoadjuvant endocrine therapy was controversy. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation among the results of different response evaluation system, and the relationships between ER/PgR/Her-2/Ki67 expression and the responses to neoadjuvant endocrine therapy for postmenopausal breast cancer.

Methods: Data of consecutive 133 core needle biopsy (CNB) confirmed hormone receptor strongly positive (more than 50% tumor cell stained ER or PgR) postmenopausal breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant endocrine therapy were analysis retrospectively. All pts. were planned to receive endocrine therapy alone as their adjuvant treatment and prescribed Anastrozole 1 mg per day for 16 weeks before surgery. Clinical response were evaluated by using documented ultrasound records,pathological response was evaluated by one senior pathologist with Miller & Payne classification. Cell cycle complete response was defined as post-treatment Ki67 ≥1%. The new slides of pre-treatment and surgical specimens were made for ER/PgR (ER\PR DakoCytomation)/Her-2 (Her-2 Dako HercepTest TM)/Ki67 (Ki67 Ventana) immunohistochemical staining through Benchmark XT Staining Instrument (Ventana Medical Systems. Inc. Arizona. USA) and classified by using image analysis system Ariol (Applied Imaging Inc., San-Jose, California, USA).

Results: Clinical response were CR:0.8% PR:33.1% SD:66.1%, pathological response were G5:3% G4+G3:47.4% G2+G1:49.6%, Ki67 change were &lt;1%: 22.8% decrease but &gt;1%:45.1% no decrease: 32.1%. The correlation and consistency among the response evaluated differently were poor [table 1]. The per-treatment ER/PR/Her-2/Ki67 showed low degree of correlation with responses [table 2]. Pre-treatment ER≥90% and PR≥90% and Her-2 coudln't predict better response.

The correlation and consistency among response evaluated in different system

Conclusion: The correlation and consistency among the results of response to neoadjuvant endocrine therapy evaluated by different system were poor. ER/PgR/Her-2/Ki67 showed low degree of correlation to responses. It's difficult to predict response to Arimidex neoadjuvant endocrine therapy by using ER/PgR/Her-2/Ki67 expression.

Application of 3-D ultrasound in assisting the fitting procedure of spinal orthosis to patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Spinal orthosis is generally applied to the patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) during puberty to mechanically support the spine and prevent further deterioration. However, the optimum location of pressure is not easy to be determined and the X-ray taken is not a real time presentation of the spinal curvature. With the advancement of clinical ultrasound, tracing spinal processes along a scoliotic spine becomes possible, which means spinous process angle (SPA) can be obtained from ultrasound images. Moreover, SPA is found to be highly correlated with Cobb's angle. Since the outcome of orthotic intervention for AIS is considered to be associated with accurate orthosis fitting, this study seeks to apply three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasound in the fitting procedure of spinal orthosis for patients with AIS. The accuracy of pressure pad location in brace can help to improve the effectiveness of spinal orthosis treatment. By means of the ultrasound assessments, spinous process angle is examined and used as the parameter to evaluate the optimal location for pressure pad. The intra-rater reliability [ICC (1, 3)] for using ultrasound to measure SPA is >0.9 (p<0.05). Furthermore, the correlation between Cobb's angle estimated from the measurement of SPA in 3-D ultrasound images and Cobb's angle measured from X-ray is highly significant (R=0.98, p<0.01). According to these findings, ultrasound can be further developed as a non-invasive real-time assessment tool for spinal curvature especially in fitting stage to improve the treatment effect of the spinal orthosis.

Biological profile of oestrogen receptor alpha positive (ERalpha+) primary breast cancers in the elderly and their response to primary endocrine therapy

e20622

Background: Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) have been shown to be superior to tamoxifen in several settings. However, it is unclear whether this superiority extends to its use as primary endocrine therapy in elderly patients with early operable primary breast cancer. Biological characteristics of the tumours may aid in selecting the most suitable agent. Methods: Primary endocrine therapy with one of the AIs (anastrozole) in 64 women >70 years with ERα+ breast cancer was compared to that in 84 treated with tamoxifen during the same period. Their selection was entirely based on contraindications e.g. thromboembolic risks. Needle core biopsies were assessed, by immunohistochemistry, for expression of biomarkers as described below. Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups (anastrozole vs tamoxifen) in terms of response at 6 months (clinical benefit (objective response + stable disease) rates = 97 vs 100%, p=0.099) or progression free survival (median = 16.5 vs 22.5 months, p=0.376). There were no withdrawals due to side effects from anastrozole, compared to four with tamoxifen. For all patients progesterone receptor (PgR), ERβ2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Ki-67 were over-expressed in 48%, 99%, 8%, 4% and 64% respectively. HER2 (18 vs 21 months, p=0.003) and Ki-67 (17.5 vs 23 months, p=0.042) over-expression were significantly associated with shorter progression free survival. Conclusions: These results thus far show that primary endocrine therapy with anastrozole in elderly patients with early operable ERα+ breast cancer is similar to tamoxifen in terms of efficacy, but may be better tolerated. In this population, ERα+ breast cancer also appears to have a less aggressive biological profile favouring better hormone sensitivity.

[Table: see text]

Ultrasound of malignant cervical lymph nodes

Malignant lymph nodes in the neck include metastases and lymphoma. Cervical nodal metastases are common in patients with head and neck cancers, and their assessment is important as it affects treatment planning and prognosis. Neck nodes are also a common site of lymphomatous involvement and an accurate diagnosis is essential as its treatment differs from other causes of neck lymphadenopathy. On ultrasound, grey scale sonography helps to evaluate nodal morphology, whilst power Doppler sonography is used to assess the vascular pattern. Grey scale sonographic features that help to identify metastatic and lymphomatous lymph nodes include size, shape and internal architecture (loss of hilar architecture, presence of intranodal necrosis and calcification). Soft tissue oedema and nodal matting are additional grey scale features seen in tuberculous nodes or in nodes that have been previously irradiated. Power Doppler sonography evaluates the vascular pattern of nodes and helps to identify the malignant nodes. In addition, serial monitoring of nodal size and vascularity are useful features in the assessment of treatment response.

Case of fibromatosis of male breast

Extra-abdominal fibromatosis of the breast is rare with the clinical and radiological features closely resembled malignant breast tumour. We describe, in a 40-year-old Chinese male patient with a palpable left breast mass, the clinical, radiological and pathological features of this benign though locally aggressive tumour.

Anastrozole compared to tamoxifen as primary endocrine therapy for early operable primary breast cancer in the elderly

11025

Background: The optimal management of operable primary breast cancer in elderly is controversial. A high proportion of elderly patients refuse or are unfit for surgery. However the majority have oestrogen receptor positive (ER+) cancer and respond extremely well to endocrine therapy. The use of tamoxifen as primary therapy is well established but its efficacy has not been compared with the newer aromatase inhibitors in this setting. We present the clinical data of the use of anastrozole when compared with tamoxifen in elderly patients as primary therapy for operable breast cancer. Methods: During a period of 2 years, elderly patients with ER+ operable breast cancer (<5cm), who either refused or were unfit for surgery, were given primary endocrine therapy. Tamoxifen was given by default but anastrozole was used when there were contraindications (eg thromboembolic and gynaecological risks). All had disease assessable to UICC criteria and were followed up in a dedicated clinic. Only patients who had treatment for =6 months (except for those who progressed prior) were included for analysis. Results: A total of 93 patients fulfilled the criteria for analysis thus far and the results are summarised as follows: 58 were given anastrozole and 35 with tamoxifen. At a median follow-up of 14.8 months (6 to 57), 8 patients have progressed. The results are summarised as follows: CR = complete response PR= partial response SD = stable disease Treatment was well tolerated in both groups and no patients withdrew due to side effects. Conclusions: The use of primary endocrine therapy in ER+ operable breast cancer in the elderly is highly effective. In this observational non randomised study there was no difference in efficacy detected between tamoxifen and anastrozole at this time, as seen in adjuvant trials. This may be due to the fact that majority of ER+ cancer in the elderly are highly ER rich as shown by high semi-quantitative scoring of immunhistological assays, making the superiority of the aromatase inhibitors less apparent.

[Table: see text]

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Randomized clinical trial comparing blue dye with combined dye and isotope for sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer

Background

Use of blue dye alone as a marker for sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is effective, but combining it with isotope marking can improve the success rate. Use of the isotope adds extra cost and there are potential radiation hazards. The two techniques were compared in a randomized trial.

Methods

Women with early breast cancer (less than 3 cm) and no palpable axillary nodes were recruited. Women older than 70 years with multicentric cancers or previous surgery to the breast or axilla were excluded. Patients were randomized to either blue dye alone or combined mapping for SLN biopsy. All women had a level I and II axillary dissection after the SLN biopsy.

Results

A total of 123 patients were recruited, of whom five were excluded from analysis. Blue dye alone was used in 57 women and 61 had combined mapping. Baseline demographic data were similar in the two cohorts. The success rate of SLN biopsy was higher with combined mapping than with blue dye alone (100 versus 86 per cent; P = 0·002). The accuracy and false-negative rate were similar (accuracy 100 per cent for combined mapping versus 98 per cent for blue dye; false-negative rate 0 versus 5 per cent).

Conclusion

Combined mapping was superior to blue dye alone in identification of the SLN, but accuracy and false-negative rates were similar.

A multistate outbreak of Salmonella enterica Serotype Newport infection linked to mango consumption: impact of water-dip disinfestation technology

Fresh produce increasingly is recognized as an important source of salmonellosis in the United States. In December 1999, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention detected a nationwide increase in Salmonella serotype Newport (SN) infections that had occurred during the previous month. SN isolates recovered from patients in this cluster had indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns (which identified the outbreak strain), suggesting a common source. Seventy-eight patients from 13 states were infected with the outbreak strain. Fifteen patients were hospitalized; 2 died. Among 28 patients enrolled in the matched case-control study, 14 (50%) reported they ate mangoes in the 5 days before illness onset, compared with 4 (10%) of the control subjects during the same period (matched odds ratio, 21.6; 95% confidence interval, 3.53- infinity; P=.0001). Traceback of the implicated mangoes led to a single Brazilian farm, where we identified hot water treatment as a possible point of contamination; this is a relatively new process to prevent importation of an agricultural pest, the Mediterranean fruit fly. This is the first reported outbreak of salmonellosis implicating mangoes. PFGE was critical to the timely recognition of this nationwide outbreak. This outbreak highlights the potential global health impact of foodborne diseases and newly implemented food processes.

Sonography of neck lymph nodes. Part I: normal lymph nodes

Grey scale and power Doppler sonography play an important role in assessment of cervical lymphadenopathy. However, before examination of pathological nodes, a clear understanding of the anatomy of cervical nodes, scanning technique and sonographic appearances of normal cervical nodes is essential. This article reviews these topics in order to provide a baseline for sonographic examination of cervical lymphadenopathy.

Sonography of neck lymph nodes. Part II: abnormal lymph nodes

Assessment of cervical lymph nodes is essential for patients with head and neck carcinomas, and ultrasound is a useful imaging technique. Sonographic features that help distinguish between the causes of neck lymphadenopathy, including grey scale and Doppler features, are discussed. In addition to the distribution and location of nodes, the useful grey-scale features are: size, shape, internal architecture, intranodal necrosis, absence of hilar structure and calcification. The useful Doppler features are: distribution of vascularity and intranodal resistance. Ancillary features such as oedema of soft tissue and nodal matting are particularly helpful to identify tuberculous nodes.

Is neck ultrasound necessary for early stage oral tongue carcinoma with clinically N0 neck?

OBJECTIVES

To define the necessity of neck ultrasound for investigation of T1 and T2 oral tongue carcinoma with N0 neck.

METHODS

The medical records of all patients with early stage (T1-2 N0) oral tongue cancer treated surgically between January 1985 and December 2000 were reviewed. Patients with 30 neck dissections were identified for analysis. The result of neck ultrasound examination was correlated with the histological examination.

RESULTS

The sensitivity, specificity and overall accuracy of ultrasound examination were found to be 47%, 93% and 70%, respectively. The implication of ultrasound examination with respect to elective neck treatment was discussed in the management of the N0 neck.

CONCLUSIONS

It is concluded that ultrasound alone is inadequate for making decisions regarding neck management of patients with T1 and T2 N0 carcinoma of the tongue and cannot replace a policy of elective neck dissection.

Power Doppler sonography of cervical lymphadenopathy

AIMS

The supraclavicular region is a common site for tuberculous and metastatic nodes from infraclavicular carcinomas. Grey scale sonographic features differentiating the two have been previously described. However, as power Doppler sonography is now frequently used in the assessment of neck nodes, power Doppler features that may help to differentiate the two are discussed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In 78 patients, power Doppler sonograms of nodes involved by metastases from infraclavicular carcinomas (n = 24) and tuberculosis (n = 54) were evaluated. The intranodal distribution of vessels and the intranodal vascular resistance of vessels was assessed and compared. In addition, the power Doppler features of metastatic nodes from infraclavicular carcinomas were compared with metastatic nodes from a head and neck primary (n = 38) such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

RESULTS

Tuberculous nodes frequently demonstrated displaced hilar vascularity or avascularity and the intranodal vascular resistance was low. Metastatic nodes from infraclavicular primaries demonstrated capsular or mixed vascularity and their intranodal resistance was significantly (P < 0.05) higher. In general, metastatic nodes from infraclavicular primaries had a higher intranodal vascular resistance compared to metastatic nodes from NPC, but this was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

In the supraclavicular region, the presence of displaced low resistance hilar vascularity or avascularity in nodes is suggestive of tuberculous nodes. Metastatic nodes from infraclavicular primaries have a capsular or mixed vascularity with high resistance.

Lymph node hilus: gray scale and power Doppler sonography of cervical nodes

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the difference in the nodal hilus evaluated by gray scale and power Doppler sonography.

METHODS

One hundred ninety-two patients with proven cervical lymphadenopathy were included in the study (metastases, n = 118; tuberculosis, n = 56; and lymphoma, n = 18). Lymph nodes were evaluated by gray scale sonography for the echogenic hilus and power Doppler sonography for hilar vascularity.

RESULTS

Hilar vascularity was found even though the lymph node did not show an echogenic hilus on gray scale sonography (metastases, 59%; tuberculosis, 66%; and lymphoma, 91%).

CONCLUSIONS

Sonologists should be aware that gray scale and Doppler sonography show different aspects of the hilus, and the absence of the hilus on gray scale sonography does not necessarily imply an associated absence of hilar vascularity.

Time-domain analyses of acoustics-structure interactions for piezoelectric transducers

Piezoelectric transducers coupled with a surrounding medium are analyzed in time domain using the coupled finite element and boundary element method. Three-dimensional solid elements are employed to model the piezoelectric transducer, while the surrounding medium is described by the boundary integral equation and the boundary of the medium is modeled by two-dimensional spatial elements. Verification studies were conducted to evaluate the accuracy and convergence of the present numerical algorithm and they show that the present numerical solutions agree well with the analytical ones. The influence of the surrounding medium on the acoustic field is studied. The interaction between the structure and surrounding medium affects the structure dynamic performances and acoustic pressure distributions significantly. However, in the present study we show that the radiation directivity is insignificantly influenced by the surrounding medium.

Vascularity and grey-scale sonographic features of normal cervical lymph nodes: variations with nodal size

AIM

This study was undertaken to investigate variations in the vascularity and grey-scale sonographic features of cervical lymph nodes with their size.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

High resolution grey-scale sonography and power Doppler sonography were performed in 1133 cervical nodes in 109 volunteers who had a sonographic examination of the neck. Standardized parameters were used in power Doppler sonography.

RESULTS

About 90% of lymph nodes with a maximum transverse diameter greater than 5 mm showed vascularity and an echogenic hilus. Smaller nodes were less likely to show vascularity and an echogenic hilus. As the size of the lymph nodes increased, the intranodal blood flow velocity increased significantly (P < 0.05), whereas there was no significant variation in the vascular resistance(P> 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings provide a baseline for grey-scale and power Doppler sonography of normal cervical lymph nodes. Sonologists will find varying vascularity and grey-scale appearances when encountering nodes of different sizes.Ying, M.et al. (2001). Clinical Radiology, 56, 416-419.

Power Doppler sonography to differentiate tuberculous cervical lymphadenopathy from nasopharyngeal carcinoma

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Tuberculous lymphadenitis and metastatic nodes from nasopharyngeal carcinoma are common in Asians and are often indistinguishable clinically. Because their treatment depends on prompt diagnosis, we undertook this study to evaluate if power Doppler sonography could distinguish these two pathologic abnormalities. The intranodal vascular appearances of tuberculous neck nodes are compared with benign reactive neck nodes and metastatic nodes from nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

METHODS

The appearances of power Doppler sonograms of 42 tuberculous nodes were compared with 28 metastatic nodes from nasopharyngeal carcinoma and 27 benign reactive nodes. The intranodal distribution of vessels and the intranodal vascular resistance of vessels were compared among these three groups. All examinations were performed by the same sonologist (A.A.), who had more than 3 years' scanning experience, and all data analysis was performed by the same investigator (M.Y.).

RESULTS

The intranodal vascular distribution in tuberculous nodes was varied and simulated both benign and malignant disease. Avascularity of nodes and displacement of hilar vascularity were frequent in tuberculous nodes. Metastatic nodes from nasopharyngeal carcinoma (resistive index [RI], 0.81+/-0.09; pulsatile index [PI], 1.91+/-0.81) had a higher vascular resistance than did tuberculous nodes (RI, 0.71+/-0.11; PI, 1.34+/-0.55). Tuberculous nodes had a higher vascular resistance than did reactive nodes (RI, 0.66+/-0.09; PI, 1.10+/-0.26).

CONCLUSION

Avascularity, displaced hilar vessels, and low intranodal vascular resistance are clues that may suggest the tuberculous nature of neck nodes. However, there is overlap of appearance between tuberculous nodes, benign reactive neck nodes, and metastatic nodes. Thus, histologic analysis is often required for a definitive diagnosis.

Power Doppler sonography of metastatic nodes from papillary carcinoma of the thyroid

AIMS

Metastatic nodes on power Doppler sonography tend to demonstrate high intranodal resistance and abnormal distribution of vascularity within a node. However, in our experience metastatic nodes from papillary carcinoma of the thyroid frequently demonstrate low intranodal resistance and some do not demonstrate the presence of any abnormal vascularity within. We were therefore interested to document these features.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The grey scale and power Doppler sonograms of 21 metastatic nodes from papillary carcinoma of the thyroid were evaluated. The intranodal distribution of vessels and the intranodal vascular resistance of vessels was assessed and compared with the reported features of metastatic nodes from other head and neck primaries.

RESULTS

A majority (17/20, 85%) of metastatic nodes from papillary carcinoma of the thyroid had a maximum resistance index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) < 0.8 and 1.6, respectively. A majority of the nodes (16/21, 76%) demonstrated abnormal capsular vascularity within the nodes.

CONCLUSION

Metastatic nodes from papillary carcinoma on power Doppler sonography frequently have low RI and PI and 24% demonstrate just prominent hilar vascularity similar to reactive nodes.

Gray scale and power Doppler sonography in cases of Kimura disease

SUMMARY

Kimura disease is a rare chronic inflammatory disorder mimicking malignancy. Nodes are present in the submental and submandibular regions, within the parotid gland, and in the upper cervical chain. On gray scale sonograms, they are hypoechoic and round, with normal hilar architecture and homogeneous internal echoes. On power Doppler sonograms, the nodes show prominent intranodal vessels with a hilar pattern and low intranodal resistance. The soft tissue and parotid lesions also show low-resistance vascularity within.

Distribution of intranodal vessels in differentiating benign from metastatic neck nodes

AIM

Recent studies report high accuracy of power Doppler sonography in the differentiation of benign from malignant cervical lymphadenopathy. This study was undertaken to identify which of the parameters used in Doppler sonography of cervical lymph nodes is accurate and readily applicable in routine clinical practice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed the power Doppler ultrasound examinations of 50 patients with cytologically proven metastatic nodes from nasopharyngeal carcinoma and 50 patients with proven reactive lymphadenopathy. All the examinations had been performed by an experienced sonologist, and intranodal vascular distribution and resistance were evaluated during real-time ultrasound. Twenty metastatic nodes and 40 reactive nodes were less than 10 mm in maximum transverse diameter. The vascular patterns of lymph nodes were classified into three categories: (1) hilar; (2) capsular; (3) hilar and capsular. The resistive index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) were measured by spectral Doppler.

RESULTS

Although metastatic nodes (RI, 0.81 +/- 0.11; PI, 1.89 +/- 0.89) tended to have higher intranodal vascular resistance than reactive nodes (RI, 0.65 +/- 0.08; PI, 1.07 +/- 0.26), there was considerable overlap of the resistance parameters between benign and malignant nodes. Most of the metastatic nodes showed the presence of capsular vascularity (capsular, 16%; capsular and hilar, 78%), whereas the majority of the reactive nodes showed hilar vascularity (98%), and the difference was significant.

CONCLUSION

The distribution of intranodal vascularity appears to be more useful than RI or PI in differentiating benign from malignant cervical lymphadenopathy. It is also easier to evaluate the distribution and the results are therefore readily applicable in routine clinical practice.

'Pseudocystic' appearance of non-Hodgkin's lymphomatous nodes: an infrequent finding with high-resolution transducers

AIMS

A pseudo-cystic appearance and posterior enhancement are previously reported to be diagnostic sonographic features of lymph node involvement in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This study was undertaken to determine whether these ultrasonic features remain with the use of high-resolution transducers.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A review of ultrasound examinations in 32 patients with proven lymphomatous cervical lymphadenopathy (27 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, five Hodgkin's disease) was performed. A total of 95 lymph nodes were assessed for size, shape, posterior enhancement and internal architecture. All examinations were performed with the same high-resolution transducer and by the same sonologist.

RESULTS

Lymphomatous nodes (irrespective of type) are frequently heterogeneous (68-86%), have a micronodular pattern (63-69%) and less commonly demonstrate posterior enhancement (9-26%).

CONCLUSION

Using a high-resolution ultrasonic transducer, cervical nodes involved with lymphoma (irrespective of type) commonly demonstrate a heterogeneous micronodular pattern. The pseudocystic appearance of nodes with posterior enhancement in non-Hodgkin's nodes is seen infrequently.

The p58-positive pre-golgi intermediates consist of distinct subpopulations of particles that show differential binding of COPI and COPII coats and contain vacuolar H(+)-ATPase

We have studied the structural and functional properties of the pre-Golgi intermediate compartment (IC) in normal rat kidney cells using analytical cell fractionation with p58 as the principal marker. The sedimentation profile (sediterm) of p58, obtained by analytical differential centrifugation, revealed in steady-state cells the presence of two main populations of IC elements whose average sedimentation coefficients, s(H)=1150+/-58S (‘heavy’) and s(L)=158+/-8S (‘light’), differed from the s-values obtained for elements of the rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. High resolution analysis of these subpopulations in equilibrium density gradients further revealed that the large difference in their s-values was mainly due to particle size. The ‘light’ particle population contained the bulk of COPI and COPII coats, and redistribution of p58 to these particles was observed in transport-arrested cells, showing that the two types of elements are also compositionally distinct and have functional counterparts in intact cells. Using a specific antibody against the 16 kDa proteolipid subunit of the vacuolar H(+)-ATPase, an enrichment of the V(o)domain of the ATPase was observed in the p58-positive IC elements. Interestingly, these elements could contain both COPI and COPII coats and their density distribution was markedly affected by GTP(γ)S. Together with morphological observations, these results demonstrate that, in addition to clusters of small tubules and vesicles, the IC also consists of large-sized structures and corroborate the proposal that the IC elements contain an active vacuolar H(+)-ATPase.