ABSTRACT
Little is known about the underlying mechanisms that result in a sexually dimorphic response to Vibrio vulnificus endotoxic shock. V. vulnificus is a gram-negative bacterium, considered one of the most invasive and rapidly fatal human pathogens known. However, 85% of individuals that develop endotoxic shock from V. vulnificus are males. Using the rat, we have developed a model for V. vulnificus endotoxic shock that mimics the sexually dimorphic response in humans. Gonadectomy in females results in increased mortality, and estrogen replacement results in decreased mortality in both gonadectomized males and females. These results demonstrate that estrogen is providing protection against V. vulnificus lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxic shock.
Subject(s)
Estrogens/physiology , Shock, Septic/prevention & control , Vibrio , Animals , Disease Models, Animal , Estradiol/metabolism , Estradiol/pharmacology , Estrogens/metabolism , Estrogens/pharmacology , Female , Lipopolysaccharides/toxicity , Male , Ovariectomy/adverse effects , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Sex Factors , Shock, Septic/mortalityABSTRACT
The light-harvesting chlorophyll protein system of the alga Chlamydobotrys stellata consists of an as yet uncharacterized algal chlorophyll a-protein, called LHCPa, and a common photosystem II-related chlorophyll a/b-protein, called LHCPb (Brandt, Kaiser-Jarry, Wiessner 1982 Biochim Biophys Acta 679: 404-409). For further characterization, this LHCPa was isolated from the organism by polyacrylamide isoelectrofocusing and reelectrophoresis. It contains only chlorophyll a and has only one apoprotein (32,000 daltons). When separated from autotrophically grown cells, its absorption peak is at 674 nm and its isoelectric point at 5.3. Photoheterotrophic cultivation of the algae shifts the absorption maximum of LHCPa to 679 nm and its isoelectric point to 4.8. This LHCPa is a component of photosystem I particles. In relation to the total chlorophyll a content, the amount of LHCPa is low in autotrophic algae, but increases under photoheterotrophic growth conditions, where the organisms do not have the ability to assimilate CO(2) photosynthetically.
ABSTRACT
Fifty-six patients with osteosarcoma were studied to determine the onset of pulmonary and bone metastases. While pulmonary metastases were always detected prior to bone metastases in the era before adjuvant chemotherapy, in this study of patients on adjuvant therapy 16% of patients with metastases showed osseous metastases prior to or without pulmonary metastases.
Subject(s)
Bone Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Neoplasm Metastasis/diagnosis , Osteosarcoma/diagnostic imaging , Actuarial Analysis , Adolescent , Adult , Bone Neoplasms/secondary , Child , Female , Femoral Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Lung Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Lung Neoplasms/secondary , Male , Osteosarcoma/pathology , Osteosarcoma/therapy , Radionuclide Imaging , Retrospective Studies , Time FactorsABSTRACT
In this retrospective study, 28 cases of Ewing's sarcoma are reviewed for the onset of metastasis. Bone scans demonstrated bone metastasis in three out of 28 patients at presentation. Of the 22 patients free of metastases at presentation, ten subsequently developed bone metastases. In six of these patients, the bone scan was the earliest demonstrator of metastatic disease. Bone scans are recommended at presentation and periodically during follow-up.
