Analysis of plastid and mitochondrial DNA insertions in the nucleus (NUPTs and NUMTs) of six plant species: size, relative age and chromosomal localization.

PubMed

Michalovova, M; Vyskot, B; Kejnovsky, E

2013-10-01

We analysed the size, relative age and chromosomal localization of nuclear sequences of plastid and mitochondrial origin (NUPTs-nuclear plastid DNA and NUMTs-nuclear mitochondrial DNA) in six completely sequenced plant species. We found that the largest insertions showed lower divergence from organelle DNA than shorter insertions in all species, indicating their recent origin. The largest NUPT and NUMT insertions were localized in the vicinity of the centromeres in the small genomes of Arabidopsis and rice. They were also present in other chromosomal regions in the large genomes of soybean and maize. Localization of NUPTs and NUMTs correlated positively with distribution of transposable elements (TEs) in Arabidopsis and sorghum, negatively in grapevine and soybean, and did not correlate in rice or maize. We propose a model where new plastid and mitochondrial DNA sequences are inserted close to centromeres and are later fragmented by TE insertions and reshuffled away from the centromere or removed by ectopic recombination. The mode and tempo of TE dynamism determines the turnover of NUPTs and NUMTs resulting in their species-specific chromosomal distributions.

Positional cloning identifies zebrafish one-eyed pinhead as a permissive EGF-related ligand required during gastrulation.

PubMed

Zhang, J; Talbot, W S; Schier, A F

1998-01-23

The zebrafish one-eyed pinhead (oep) mutation disrupts embryonic development, resulting in cyclopia and defects in endoderm, prechordal plate, and ventral neuroectoderm formation. We report the molecular isolation of oep using a positional cloning approach. The oep gene encodes a novel EGF-related protein with similarity to the EGF-CFC proteins cripto, cryptic, and FRL-1. Wild-type oep protein contains a functional signal sequence and is membrane-associated. Following ubiquitous maternal and zygotic expression, highest levels of oep mRNA are found in the gastrula margin and in axial structures and forebrain. Widespread misexpression of both membrane-attached and secreted forms of oep rescues prechordal plate and forebrain development in mutant embryos but does not lead to the ectopic induction of these cell types in wild-type fish. These results establish an essential but permissive role for an EGF-related ligand during vertebrate gastrulation.

Compartmentalization of the yeast meiotic nucleus revealed by analysis of ectopic recombination.

PubMed

Schlecht, Hélène B; Lichten, Michael; Goldman, Alastair S H

2004-11-01

As yeast cells enter meiosis, chromosomes move from a centromere-clustered (Rabl) to a telomere-clustered (bouquet) configuration and then to states of progressive homolog pairing where telomeres are more dispersed. It is uncertain at which stage of this process sequences commit to recombine with each other. Previous analyses using recombination between dispersed homologous sequences (ectopic recombination) support the view that, on average, homologs are aligned end to end by the time of commitment to recombination. We have undertaken further analyses incorporating new inserts, chromosome rearrangements, an alternate mode of recombination initiation, and mutants that disrupt nuclear structure or telomere metabolism. Our findings support previous conclusions and reveal that distance from the nearest telomere is an important parameter influencing recombination between dispersed sequences. In general, the farther dispersed sequences are from their nearest telomere, the less likely they are to engage in ectopic recombination. Neither the mode of initiating recombination nor the formation of the bouquet appears to affect this relationship. We suggest that aspects of telomere localization and behavior influence the organization and mobility of chromosomes along their entire length, during a critical period of meiosis I prophase that encompasses the homology search.

Postoperative osteomyelitis following implant arthroplasty of the foot: diagnosis with indium-111 white blood cell scintigraphy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bakst, R.H.; Kanat, I.O.

1987-11-01

Many complications can occur following insertion of silicone elastomer implants into the foot. Postoperative infection may be difficult to distinguish from other conditions such as dislodgment, fracture, ectopic and heterotopic new bone formation, synovitis, and bursitis. White blood cell scintigraphy, in conjunction with the clinical scenario, may prove to be an invaluable tool in the diagnosis of postoperative osteomyelitis, subsequent to implant arthroplasties. 32 references.

Permanent Neonatal Diabetes Caused by Creation of an Ectopic Splice Site within the INS Gene

PubMed Central

Gastaldo, Elena; Harries, Lorna W.; Rubio-Cabezas, Oscar; Castaño, Luis

2012-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to characterize the genetic etiology in a patient who presented with permanent neonatal diabetes at 2 months of age. Methodology/Principal Findings Regulatory elements and coding exons 2 and 3 of the INS gene were amplified and sequenced from genomic and complementary DNA samples. A novel heterozygous INS mutation within the terminal intron of the gene was identified in the proband and her affected father. This mutation introduces an ectopic splice site leading to the insertion of 29 nucleotides from the intronic sequence into the mature mRNA, which results in a longer and abnormal transcript. Conclusions/Significance This study highlights the importance of routinely sequencing the exon-intron boundaries and the need to carry out additional studies to confirm the pathogenicity of any identified intronic genetic variants. PMID:22235272

Characterization of the mammalian DEAD-box protein DDX5 reveals functional conservation with S. cerevisiae ortholog Dbp2 in transcriptional control and glucose metabolism.

PubMed

Xing, Zheng; Wang, Siwen; Tran, Elizabeth J

2017-07-01

DEAD-box proteins are a class of nonprocessive RNA helicases that dynamically modulate the structure of RNA and ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs). However, the precise roles of individual members are not well understood. Work from our laboratory revealed that the DEAD-box protein Dbp2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an active RNA helicase in vitro that functions in transcription by promoting mRNP assembly, repressing cryptic transcription initiation, and regulating long noncoding RNA activity. Interestingly, Dbp2 is also linked to glucose sensing and hexose transporter gene expression. DDX5 is the mammalian ortholog of Dbp2 that has been implicated in cancer and metabolic syndrome, suggesting that the role of Dbp2 and DDX5 in glucose metabolic regulation is conserved. Herein, we present a refined biochemical and biological comparison of yeast Dbp2 and human DDX5 enzymes. We find that human DDX5 possesses a 10-fold higher unwinding activity than Dbp2, which is partially due to the presence of a mammalian/avian specific C-terminal extension. Interestingly, ectopic expression of DDX5 rescues the cold sensitivity, cryptic initiation defects, and impaired glucose import in dbp2 Δ cells, suggesting functional conservation. Consistently, we show that DDX5 promotes glucose uptake and glycolysis in mouse AML12 hepatocyte cells, suggesting that mammalian DDX5 and S. cerevisiae Dbp2 share conserved roles in cellular metabolism. © 2017 Xing et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press for the RNA Society.

Acute myeloid leukaemia (FAB AML-M4Eo) with cryptic insertion of cbfb resulting in cbfb-Myh11 fusion.

PubMed

Douet-Guilbert, Nathalie; Chauveau, Aurelie; Gueganic, Nadia; Guillerm, Gaëlle; Tous, Corine; Le Bris, Marie-Josee; Basinko, Audrey; Morel, Frederic; Ugo, Valerie; De Braekeleer, Marc

2017-09-01

Inv(16)(p13q22) and t(16;16)(p13;q22) are cytogenetic hallmarks of acute myelomonoblastic leukaemia, most of them associated with abnormal bone marrow eosinophils [acute myeloid leukaemia French-American-British classification M4 with eosinophilia (FAB AML-M4Eo)] and a relatively favourable clinical course. They generate a 5'CBFB-3'MYH11 fusion gene. However, in a few cases, although RT-PCR identified a CBFB-MYH11 transcript, normal karyotype and/or fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses using commercially available probes are found. We identified a 32-year-old woman with AML-M4Eo and normal karyotype and FISH results. Using two libraries of Bacterial Artificial Chromosome clones on 16p13 and 16q22, FISH analyses identified an insertion of 16q22 material in band 16p13, generating a CBFB-MYH11 type A transcript. Although very rare, insertions should be searched for in patients with discordant cytological and cytogenetic features because of the therapeutic consequences. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A TAD boundary is preserved upon deletion of the CTCF-rich Firre locus.

PubMed

Barutcu, A Rasim; Maass, Philipp G; Lewandowski, Jordan P; Weiner, Catherine L; Rinn, John L

2018-04-13

The binding of the transcriptional regulator CTCF to the genome has been implicated in the formation of topologically associated domains (TADs). However, the general mechanisms of folding the genome into TADs are not fully understood. Here we test the effects of deleting a CTCF-rich locus on TAD boundary formation. Using genome-wide chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C), we focus on one TAD boundary on chromosome X harboring ~ 15 CTCF binding sites and located at the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) locus Firre. Specifically, this TAD boundary is invariant across evolution, tissues, and temporal dynamics of X-chromosome inactivation. We demonstrate that neither the deletion of this locus nor the ectopic insertion of Firre cDNA or its ectopic expression are sufficient to alter TADs in a sex-specific or allele-specific manner. In contrast, Firre's deletion disrupts the chromatin super-loop formation of the inactive X-chromosome. Collectively, our findings suggest that apart from CTCF binding, additional mechanisms may play roles in establishing TAD boundary formation.

Retrotransposons of the Tnt1B family are mobile in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and can induce alternative splicing of the host gene upon insertion.

PubMed

Leprinc, A S; Grandbastien, M A; Christian, M

2001-11-01

Active retrotransposons have been identified in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia by their ability to disrupt the nitrate reductase gene in chlorate-resistant mutants selected from protoplast-derived cultures. In mutants E23 and F97, two independent insertions of Tnp2, a new retrotransposon closely related to the tobacco Tnt1 elements, were detected in the nitrate reductase gene. These two Tnp2 elements are members of the Tnt1B subfamily which shows that Tnt1B elements can be active and mutagenic in the N. plumbaginifolia genome. Furthermore, these results suggest that Tnt1B is the most active family of Tntl elements in N. plumbaginifolia, whereas in tobacco only members of the Tnt1A subfamily were found inserted in the nitrate reductase gene. The transcriptional regulations of Tnp2 and Tnt1A elements are most probably different due to non-conserved U3 regions. Our results thus support the hypothesis that different Nicotiana species contain different active Tntl subfamilies and that only one active Tntl subfamily might be maintained in each of these species. The Tnp2 insertion found in the F97 mutant was found to be spliced out of the nitrate reductase mRNA by activation of cryptic donor and acceptor sites in the nitrate reductase and the Tnp2 sequences respectively.

Large inserts for big data: artificial chromosomes in the genomic era.

PubMed

Tocchetti, Arianna; Donadio, Stefano; Sosio, Margherita

2018-05-01

The exponential increase in available microbial genome sequences coupled with predictive bioinformatic tools is underscoring the genetic capacity of bacteria to produce an unexpected large number of specialized bioactive compounds. Since most of the biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) present in microbial genomes are cryptic, i.e. not expressed under laboratory conditions, a variety of cloning systems and vectors have been devised to harbor DNA fragments large enough to carry entire BGCs and to allow their transfer in suitable heterologous hosts. This minireview provides an overview of the vectors and approaches that have been developed for cloning large BGCs, and successful examples of heterologous expression.

A Novel Intergenic ETnII-β Insertion Mutation Causes Multiple Malformations in Polypodia Mice

PubMed Central

Lehoczky, Jessica A.; Thomas, Peedikayil E.; Patrie, Kevin M.; Owens, Kailey M.; Villarreal, Lisa M.; Galbraith, Kenneth; Washburn, Joe; Johnson, Craig N.; Gavino, Bryant; Borowsky, Alexander D.; Millen, Kathleen J.; Wakenight, Paul; Law, William; Van Keuren, Margaret L.; Gavrilina, Galina; Hughes, Elizabeth D.; Saunders, Thomas L.; Brihn, Lesil; Nadeau, Joseph H.; Innis, Jeffrey W.

2013-01-01

Mouse early transposon insertions are responsible for ∼10% of spontaneous mutant phenotypes. We previously reported the phenotypes and genetic mapping of Polypodia, (Ppd), a spontaneous, X-linked dominant mutation with profound effects on body plan morphogenesis. Our new data shows that mutant mice are not born in expected Mendelian ratios secondary to loss after E9.5. In addition, we refined the Ppd genetic interval and discovered a novel ETnII-β early transposon insertion between the genes for Dusp9 and Pnck. The ETn inserted 1.6 kb downstream and antisense to Dusp9 and does not disrupt polyadenylation or splicing of either gene. Knock-in mice engineered to carry the ETn display Ppd characteristic ectopic caudal limb phenotypes, showing that the ETn insertion is the Ppd molecular lesion. Early transposons are actively expressed in the early blastocyst. To explore the consequences of the ETn on the genomic landscape at an early stage of development, we compared interval gene expression between wild-type and mutant ES cells. Mutant ES cell expression analysis revealed marked upregulation of Dusp9 mRNA and protein expression. Evaluation of the 5′ LTR CpG methylation state in adult mice revealed no correlation with the occurrence or severity of Ppd phenotypes at birth. Thus, the broad range of phenotypes observed in this mutant is secondary to a novel intergenic ETn insertion whose effects include dysregulation of nearby interval gene expression at early stages of development. PMID:24339789

IUD knowledge and experience among family medicine residents.

PubMed

Schubert, Finn D; Herbitter, Cara; Fletcher, Jason; Gold, Marji

2015-06-01

The intrauterine device (IUD) is a highly effective contraceptive method with few contraindications; however, clinician lack of training in insertion and misconceptions about IUD risks are barriers to utilization. Previous research has shown gaps in IUD training in family medicine residency programs. An online survey addressing experience with IUD insertion, knowledge of patient eligibility and IUD risks, and intent to insert IUDs in practice was circulated to residents at 15 US family medicine residency programs. Programs were eligible to participate if they were receiving funding to enhance training in family planning and abortion care and interested in additional support to enhance IUD training. The overall response rate for the surveys was 76.1% (332/436). Experience with the levonorgestrel intrauterine system was more common than with the copper IUD. Residents performed well on knowledge questions, but many would not insert in common patient scenarios in which insertion was not contraindicated, including a history of sexually transmitted infection in the past 6 months (48.2% would not insert), a history of ectopic pregnancy (37.0%), no pap smear in the past year (30.7%), or if the patient was not in a monogamous relationship (29.2%). The vast majority of residents (88.7%) reported that they were likely or very likely to provide IUDs in their future family medicine practice. Although residents overwhelmingly expressed interest in providing IUDs after residency, our results suggest that additional clinical and didactic training is needed, particularly interventions targeted at dispelling misconceptions about patient eligibility for IUDs.

A novel field method to distinguish between cryptic carcharhinid sharks, Australian blacktip shark Carcharhinus tilstoni and common blacktip shark C. limbatus, despite the presence of hybrids.

PubMed

Johnson, G J; Buckworth, R C; Lee, H; Morgan, J A T; Ovenden, J R; McMahon, C R

2017-01-01

Multivariate and machine-learning methods were used to develop field identification techniques for two species of cryptic blacktip shark. From 112 specimens, precaudal vertebrae (PCV) counts and molecular analysis identified 95 Australian blacktip sharks Carcharhinus tilstoni and 17 common blacktip sharks Carcharhinus limbatus. Molecular analysis also revealed 27 of the 112 were C. tilstoni × C. limbatus hybrids, of which 23 had C. tilstoni PCV counts and four had C. limbatus PCV counts. In the absence of further information about hybrid phenotypes, hybrids were assigned as either C. limbatus or C. tilstoni based on PCV counts. Discriminant analysis achieved 80% successful identification, but machine-learning models were better, achieving 100% successful identification, using six key measurements (fork length, caudal-fin peduncle height, interdorsal space, second dorsal-fin height, pelvic-fin length and pelvic-fin midpoint to first dorsal-fin insertion). Furthermore, pelvic-fin markings could be used for identification: C. limbatus has a distinct black mark >3% of the total pelvic-fin area, while C. tilstoni has markings with diffuse edges, or has smaller or no markings. Machine learning and pelvic-fin marking identification methods were field tested achieving 87 and 90% successful identification, respectively. With further refinement, the techniques developed here will form an important part of a multi-faceted approach to identification of C. tilstoni and C. limbatus and have a clear management and conservation application to these commercially important sharks. The methods developed here are broadly applicable and can be used to resolve species identities in many fisheries where cryptic species exist. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

The transposon Galileo generates natural chromosomal inversions in Drosophila by ectopic recombination.

PubMed

Delprat, Alejandra; Negre, Bàrbara; Puig, Marta; Ruiz, Alfredo

2009-11-18

Transposable elements (TEs) are responsible for the generation of chromosomal inversions in several groups of organisms. However, in Drosophila and other Dipterans, where inversions are abundant both as intraspecific polymorphisms and interspecific fixed differences, the evidence for a role of TEs is scarce. Previous work revealed that the transposon Galileo was involved in the generation of two polymorphic inversions of Drosophila buzzatii. To assess the impact of TEs in Drosophila chromosomal evolution and shed light on the mechanism involved, we isolated and sequenced the two breakpoints of another widespread polymorphic inversion from D. buzzatii, 2z(3). In the non inverted chromosome, the 2z(3) distal breakpoint was located between genes CG2046 and CG10326 whereas the proximal breakpoint lies between two novel genes that we have named Dlh and Mdp. In the inverted chromosome, the analysis of the breakpoint sequences revealed relatively large insertions (2,870-bp and 4,786-bp long) including two copies of the transposon Galileo (subfamily Newton), one at each breakpoint, plus several other TEs. The two Galileo copies: (i) are inserted in opposite orientation; (ii) present exchanged target site duplications; and (iii) are both chimeric. Our observations provide the best evidence gathered so far for the role of TEs in the generation of Drosophila inversions. In addition, they show unequivocally that ectopic recombination is the causative mechanism. The fact that the three polymorphic D. buzzatii inversions investigated so far were generated by the same transposon family is remarkable and is conceivably due to Galileo's unusual structure and current (or recent) transpositional activity.

A familial {open_quotes}balanced{close_quotes} 3;9 translocation with cryptic 8q insertion leading to deletion and duplication of 9p23 loci in siblings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wagstaff, J.; Hemann, M.

1995-01-01

A child with phenotypic features of the 9p{sup {minus}} syndrome, including metopic craniosynostosis, small ears, abdominal wall defect, and mental retardation, as well as hypopigmentation, was found to have a cytogenetically balanced 3;9 translocation, with breakpoints at 3p11 and 9p23, inherited from his phenotypically normal father. Molecular analysis showed heterozygous deletion of the TYRP (tyrosinase-related protein) locus, as well as loci D9S157, D9S274, D9S268, and D9S267, in the child but in neither parent. FISH analysis of the proband`s father indicated that loci deleted in his son, including TYRP, were present on neither the der(3) nor the der(9) translocation products butmore » had been inserted into the long arm of chromosome 8. Therefore, the apparent deletion of these loci in the proband was the result of meiotic segregation of the father`s 3;9 translocation chromosomes together with his normal chromosome 8 (not bearing the insertion from 9p23). Neither the deletion of these 9p23 loci from the translocation chromosomes nor their insertion into 8q was detectable by standard chromosome banding techniques. The proband`s sister exhibited speech delay, mild facial dysmorphism, and renal malformation, and her karyotype was 46,XX. Molecular analysis showed that she had inherited normal chromosomes 3 and 9, as well as the chromosome 8 with the insertion of 9p23 material, from her father. This analysis illustrates a new mechanism to explain cases in which an apparently balanced translocation has been transmitted from a normal parent to a child with a phenotypic abnormality: submicroscopic deletion of material from the translocation breakpoint and insertion into a third chromosome in the balanced parent, with meiotic segregation leading to loss of the inserted material in the child. 36 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab.« less

Directed targeting of chromatin to the nuclear lamina is mediated by chromatin state and A-type lamins.

PubMed

Harr, Jennifer C; Luperchio, Teresa Romeo; Wong, Xianrong; Cohen, Erez; Wheelan, Sarah J; Reddy, Karen L

2015-01-05

Nuclear organization has been implicated in regulating gene activity. Recently, large developmentally regulated regions of the genome dynamically associated with the nuclear lamina have been identified. However, little is known about how these lamina-associated domains (LADs) are directed to the nuclear lamina. We use our tagged chromosomal insertion site system to identify small sequences from borders of fibroblast-specific variable LADs that are sufficient to target these ectopic sites to the nuclear periphery. We identify YY1 (Ying-Yang1) binding sites as enriched in relocating sequences. Knockdown of YY1 or lamin A/C, but not lamin A, led to a loss of lamina association. In addition, targeted recruitment of YY1 proteins facilitated ectopic LAD formation dependent on histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation and histone H3 lysine di- and trimethylation. Our results also reveal that endogenous loci appear to be dependent on lamin A/C, YY1, H3K27me3, and H3K9me2/3 for maintenance of lamina-proximal positioning. © 2015 Harr et al.

Radiographic and histological evaluation of ectopic application of deproteinized bovine bone matrix.

PubMed

da Silva, Rodrigo Carlos; Crivellaro, Viviane Rozeira; Giovanini, Allan Fernando; Scariot, Rafaela; Gonzaga, Carla Castiglia; Zielak, João César

2016-01-01

To evaluate, through radiographic and histological analysis, the tissue reaction induced by a biomaterial based on deproteinized bovine bone matrix (DBBM) in the muscle of sheep. Sixteen sheep were used. The animals underwent surgery to insert polyethylene tubes containing the biomaterial in the muscle of the lower back (ectopic site) and were euthanized after 3 and 6 months. Each sheep received three tubes: Group 1 - sham group (negative control - tube without biomaterial), Group 2 - particulate autogenous bone (positive control), and Group 3 - DBBM biomaterial (GenOx Inorg). The material removed was evaluated by radiographic, macroscopic, and microscopic analysis, descriptively. Macroscopic analysis showed that Group 3 had a greater tissue volume maintenance. Microscopic analysis indicated that Group 1 had a higher concentration of dense, thin collagen fibers (3 and 6 months); in Group 2, there was a decrease in the inflammatory process and the deposition of dense, thin collagen fibers (3 and 6 months); in Group 3, the presence of a dense connective tissue was noted, in which the DBBM particles (3 months) were found. On the periphery of these particles, a deposition of basophilic material was found, indicating the formation of mineral particles and the formation of tissues with osteoid characteristics (6 months). Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the biomaterial based on DBBM led to the formation of tissue with similar characteristics to an osteoid matrix in a postoperative period of 6 months. However, none of the groups evaluated showed ectopic bone neoformation.

Cryptic or pseudocryptic: can morphological methods inform copepod taxonomy? An analysis of publications and a case study of the Eurytemora affinis species complex

PubMed Central

Lajus, Dmitry; Sukhikh, Natalia; Alekseev, Victor

2015-01-01

Interest in cryptic species has increased significantly with current progress in genetic methods. The large number of cryptic species suggests that the resolution of traditional morphological techniques may be insufficient for taxonomical research. However, some species now considered to be cryptic may, in fact, be designated pseudocryptic after close morphological examination. Thus the “cryptic or pseudocryptic” dilemma speaks to the resolution of morphological analysis and its utility for identifying species. We address this dilemma first by systematically reviewing data published from 1980 to 2013 on cryptic species of Copepoda and then by performing an in-depth morphological study of the former Eurytemora affinis complex of cryptic species. Analyzing the published data showed that, in 5 of 24 revisions eligible for systematic review, cryptic species assignment was based solely on the genetic variation of forms without detailed morphological analysis to confirm the assignment. Therefore, some newly described cryptic species might be designated pseudocryptic under more detailed morphological analysis as happened with Eurytemora affinis complex. Recent genetic analyses of the complex found high levels of heterogeneity without morphological differences; it is argued to be cryptic. However, next detailed morphological analyses allowed to describe a number of valid species. Our study, using deep statistical analyses usually not applied for new species describing, of this species complex confirmed considerable differences between former cryptic species. In particular, fluctuating asymmetry (FA), the random variation of left and right structures, was significantly different between forms and provided independent information about their status. Our work showed that multivariate statistical approaches, such as principal component analysis, can be powerful techniques for the morphological discrimination of cryptic taxons. Despite increasing cryptic species designations, morphological techniques have great potential in determining copepod taxonomy. PMID:26120427

The Transposon Galileo Generates Natural Chromosomal Inversions in Drosophila by Ectopic Recombination

PubMed Central

Delprat, Alejandra; Ruiz, Alfredo

2009-01-01

Background Transposable elements (TEs) are responsible for the generation of chromosomal inversions in several groups of organisms. However, in Drosophila and other Dipterans, where inversions are abundant both as intraspecific polymorphisms and interspecific fixed differences, the evidence for a role of TEs is scarce. Previous work revealed that the transposon Galileo was involved in the generation of two polymorphic inversions of Drosophila buzzatii. Methodology/Principal Findings To assess the impact of TEs in Drosophila chromosomal evolution and shed light on the mechanism involved, we isolated and sequenced the two breakpoints of another widespread polymorphic inversion from D. buzzatii, 2z 3. In the non inverted chromosome, the 2z 3 distal breakpoint was located between genes CG2046 and CG10326 whereas the proximal breakpoint lies between two novel genes that we have named Dlh and Mdp. In the inverted chromosome, the analysis of the breakpoint sequences revealed relatively large insertions (2,870-bp and 4,786-bp long) including two copies of the transposon Galileo (subfamily Newton), one at each breakpoint, plus several other TEs. The two Galileo copies: (i) are inserted in opposite orientation; (ii) present exchanged target site duplications; and (iii) are both chimeric. Conclusions/Significance Our observations provide the best evidence gathered so far for the role of TEs in the generation of Drosophila inversions. In addition, they show unequivocally that ectopic recombination is the causative mechanism. The fact that the three polymorphic D. buzzatii inversions investigated so far were generated by the same transposon family is remarkable and is conceivably due to Galileo's unusual structure and current (or recent) transpositional activity. PMID:19936241

DNA barcoding, ecology and geography of the cryptic species of Aneura pinguis and their relationships with Aneura maxima and Aneura mirabilis (Metzgeriales, Marchantiophyta)

PubMed Central

Szczecińska, Monika; Sawicki, Jakub; Stebel, Adam; Buczkowska, Katarzyna

2017-01-01

Aneura pinguis is a thalloid liverwort species with broad geographical distribution. It is composed of cryptic species, however, the number of cryptic species within A. pinguis is not known. Five cpDNA regions (matK, rbcL, rpoC1, trnH-psbA and trnL-trnF) and the entire nuclear ITS region were studied in 130 samples of A. pinguis from different geographical regions. The relationships between the cryptic species of A. pinguis, A. maxima and A. mirabilis were analyzed. All of the examined samples were clustered into 10 clades corresponding to 10 cryptic species of A. pinguis (marked A to J). Aneura mirabilis and A. maxima were nested among different cryptic species of A. pinguis, which indicates that A. pinguis is a paraphyletic taxon. Subgroups were found in cryptic species A, B, C and E. As single barcodes, all tested DNA regions had 100% discriminant power and fulfilled DNA barcode criteria for species identification; however, the only combination detected in all subgroups was trnL-trnF with trnH-psbA or ITS2. The distances between cryptic species were 11- to 35-fold higher than intraspecific distances. In all analyzed DNA regions, the distances between most pairs of cryptic A. pinguis species were higher than between A. maxima and A. mirabilis. All cryptic species of A. pinguis clearly differed in their habitat preferences, which suggests that habitat adaptation could be the main driving force behind cryptic speciation within this taxon. PMID:29206876

DNA barcoding, ecology and geography of the cryptic species of Aneura pinguis and their relationships with Aneura maxima and Aneura mirabilis (Metzgeriales, Marchantiophyta).

PubMed

Bączkiewicz, Alina; Szczecińska, Monika; Sawicki, Jakub; Stebel, Adam; Buczkowska, Katarzyna

2017-01-01

Aneura pinguis is a thalloid liverwort species with broad geographical distribution. It is composed of cryptic species, however, the number of cryptic species within A. pinguis is not known. Five cpDNA regions (matK, rbcL, rpoC1, trnH-psbA and trnL-trnF) and the entire nuclear ITS region were studied in 130 samples of A. pinguis from different geographical regions. The relationships between the cryptic species of A. pinguis, A. maxima and A. mirabilis were analyzed. All of the examined samples were clustered into 10 clades corresponding to 10 cryptic species of A. pinguis (marked A to J). Aneura mirabilis and A. maxima were nested among different cryptic species of A. pinguis, which indicates that A. pinguis is a paraphyletic taxon. Subgroups were found in cryptic species A, B, C and E. As single barcodes, all tested DNA regions had 100% discriminant power and fulfilled DNA barcode criteria for species identification; however, the only combination detected in all subgroups was trnL-trnF with trnH-psbA or ITS2. The distances between cryptic species were 11- to 35-fold higher than intraspecific distances. In all analyzed DNA regions, the distances between most pairs of cryptic A. pinguis species were higher than between A. maxima and A. mirabilis. All cryptic species of A. pinguis clearly differed in their habitat preferences, which suggests that habitat adaptation could be the main driving force behind cryptic speciation within this taxon.

Biofluorescence as a survey tool for cryptic marine species.

PubMed

De Brauwer, Maarten; Hobbs, Jean-Paul A; Ambo-Rappe, Rohani; Jompa, Jamaluddin; Harvey, Euan S; McIlwain, Jennifer L

2017-10-06

As ecosystems come under increasing anthropogenic pressure, rare species face the highest risk of extinction. Paradoxically, data necessary to evaluate the conservation status of rare species are often lacking because of the challenges of detecting species with low abundance. One group of fishes subject to this undersampling bias are those with cryptic body patterns. Twenty-one percent of cryptic fish species assessed for their extinction risk (International Union for Conservation of Nature [IUCN]) are data deficient. We developed a nondestructive method for surveying cryptically patterned marine fishes based on the presence of biofluorescence (underwater biofluorescence census, UBC). Blue LED torches were used to investigate how widespread biofluorescence was in cryptic reef fishes in the Coral Triangle region. The effectiveness of UBC to generate abundance data was tested on a data-deficient pygmy seahorse species (Hippocampus bargibanti) and compared with data obtained from standard underwater visual census (UVC) surveys. We recorded 95 reef fish species displaying biofluorescence, 73 of which had not been previously described as biofluorescent. Of those fish with cryptic patterns, 87% were biofluorescent compared with 9% for noncryptic fishes. The probability of species displaying biofluorescence was 70.9 times greater for cryptic species than for noncryptic species. Almost twice the number of H. bargibanti was counted using the UBC compared with UVC. For 2 triplefin species (Ucla xenogrammus, Enneapterygius tutuilae), the abundance detected with UBC was triple that detected with UVC. The UBC method was effective at finding cryptic species that would otherwise be difficult to detect and thus will reduce interobserver variability inherent to UVC surveys. Biofluorescence is ubiquitous in cryptic fishes, making this method applicable across a wide range of species. Data collected using UBC could be used with multiple IUCN criteria to assess the extinction risk of cryptic species. Adopting this technique will enhance researchers' ability to survey cryptic species and facilitate management and conservation of cryptic marine species. © 2017 Society for Conservation Biology.

Development of genetic tools for in vivo virulence analysis of Streptococcus sanguinis.

PubMed

Turner, Lauren Senty; Das, Sankar; Kanamoto, Taisei; Munro, Cindy L; Kitten, Todd

2009-08-01

Completion of the genome sequence of Streptococcus sanguinis SK36 necessitates tools for further characterization of this species. It is often desirable to insert antibiotic resistance markers and other exogenous genes into the chromosome; therefore, we sought to identify a chromosomal site for ectopic expression of foreign genes, and to verify that insertion into this site did not affect important cellular phenotypes. We designed three plasmid constructs for insertion of erm, aad9 or tetM resistance determinants into a genomic region encoding only a small (65 aa) hypothetical protein. To determine whether this insertion affected important cellular properties, SK36 and its erythromycin-resistant derivative, JFP36, were compared for: (i) growth in vitro, (ii) genetic competence, (iii) biofilm formation and (iv) virulence for endocarditis in the rabbit model of infective endocarditis (IE). The spectinomycin-resistant strain, JFP56, and tetracycline-resistant strain, JFP76, were also tested for virulence in vivo. Insertion of erm did not affect growth, competence or biofilm development of JFP36. Recovery of bacteria from heart valves of co-inoculated rabbits was similar to wild-type for JFP36, JFP56 and JFP76, indicating that IE virulence was not significantly affected. The capacity for mutant complementation in vivo was explored in an avirulent ssaB mutant background. Expression of ssaB from its predicted promoter in the target region restored IE virulence. Thus, the chromosomal site utilized is a good candidate for further manipulations of S. sanguinis. In addition, the resistant strains developed may be further applied as controls to facilitate screening for virulence factors in vivo.

Development of genetic tools for in vivo virulence analysis of Streptococcus sanguinis

PubMed Central

Senty Turner, Lauren; Das, Sankar; Kanamoto, Taisei; Munro, Cindy L.; Kitten, Todd

2009-01-01

Completion of the genome sequence of Streptococcus sanguinis SK36 necessitates tools for further characterization of this species. It is often desirable to insert antibiotic resistance markers and other exogenous genes into the chromosome; therefore, we sought to identify a chromosomal site for ectopic expression of foreign genes, and to verify that insertion into this site did not affect important cellular phenotypes. We designed three plasmid constructs for insertion of erm, aad9 or tetM resistance determinants into a genomic region encoding only a small (65 aa) hypothetical protein. To determine whether this insertion affected important cellular properties, SK36 and its erythromycin-resistant derivative, JFP36, were compared for: (i) growth in vitro, (ii) genetic competence, (iii) biofilm formation and (iv) virulence for endocarditis in the rabbit model of infective endocarditis (IE). The spectinomycin-resistant strain, JFP56, and tetracycline-resistant strain, JFP76, were also tested for virulence in vivo. Insertion of erm did not affect growth, competence or biofilm development of JFP36. Recovery of bacteria from heart valves of co-inoculated rabbits was similar to wild-type for JFP36, JFP56 and JFP76, indicating that IE virulence was not significantly affected. The capacity for mutant complementation in vivo was explored in an avirulent ssaB mutant background. Expression of ssaB from its predicted promoter in the target region restored IE virulence. Thus, the chromosomal site utilized is a good candidate for further manipulations of S. sanguinis. In addition, the resistant strains developed may be further applied as controls to facilitate screening for virulence factors in vivo. PMID:19423626

Pay Attention to the Overlooked Cryptic Diversity in Existing Barcoding Data: the Case of Mollusca with Character-Based DNA Barcoding.

PubMed

Zou, Shanmei; Li, Qi

2016-06-01

With the global biodiversity crisis, DNA barcoding aims for fast species identification and cryptic species diversity revelation. For more than 10 years, large amounts of DNA barcode data have been accumulating in publicly available databases, most of which were conducted by distance or tree-building methods that have often been argued, especially for cryptic species revelation. In this context, overlooked cryptic diversity may exist in the available barcoding data. The character-based DNA barcoding, however, has a good chance for detecting the overlooked cryptic diversity. In this study, marine mollusk was as the ideal case for detecting the overlooked potential cryptic species from existing cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) sequences with character-based DNA barcode. A total of 1081 COI sequences of mollusks, belonging to 176 species of 25 families of Gastropoda, Cephalopoda, and Lamellibranchia, were conducted by character analysis. As a whole, the character-based barcoding results were consistent with previous distance and tree-building analysis for species discrimination. More importantly, quite a number of species analyzed were divided into distinct clades with unique diagnostical characters. Based on the concept of cryptic species revelation of character-based barcoding, these species divided into separate taxonomic groups might be potential cryptic species. The detection of the overlooked potential cryptic diversity proves that the character-based barcoding mode possesses more advantages of revealing cryptic biodiversity. With the development of DNA barcoding, making the best use of barcoding data is worthy of our attention for species conservation.

The tripartite leader sequence is required for ectopic expression of HAdV-B and HAdV-E E3 CR1 genes.

PubMed

Bair, Camden R; Kotha Lakshmi Narayan, Poornima; Kajon, Adriana E

2017-05-01

The unique repertoire of genes that characterizes the early region 3 (E3) of the different species of human adenovirus (HAdV) likely contributes to their distinct pathogenic traits. The function of many E3 CR1 proteins remains unknown possibly due to unidentified intrinsic properties that make them difficult to express ectopically. This study shows that the species HAdV-B- and HAdV-E-specific E3 CR1 genes can be expressed from vectors carrying the HAdV tripartite leader (TPL) sequence but not from traditional mammalian expression vectors. Insertion of the TPL sequence upstream of the HAdV-B and HAdV-E E3 CR1 open reading frames was sufficient to rescue protein expression from pCI-neo constructs in transfected 293T cells. The detection of higher levels of HAdV-B and HAdV-E E3 CR1 transcripts suggests that the TPL sequence may enhance gene expression at both the transcriptional and translational levels. Our findings will facilitate the characterization of additional AdV E3 proteins. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Members of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Cryptic Species and the Status of Two Invasive Alien Species in the Yunnan Province (China)

PubMed Central

Hu, Jian; Jiang, Zhi-Lin; Nardi, Francesco; Liu, Yuan-Yuan; Luo, Xiao-Rong; Li, Hong-Xiang; Zhang, Zhong-Kai

2014-01-01

Abstract Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a cryptic species complex that includes some of the most significant pests of agriculture and horticulture worldwide. To understand the diversity and distribution of B. tabaci cryptic species in Yunnan, a famous biodiversity hotspot in China, a large-scale sampling was conducted from year 2010 to 2013 in 10 prefectures. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene sequences were used to identify different cryptic species. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using Bayesian methods to assess the position of a new B. tabaci cryptic species in the context of the B. tabaci diversity in Asia. The survey indicates at least eight B. tabaci cryptic species are present in Yunnan, two invasive (MEAM1 and MED) and six indigenous (China 2, China3, China 4, Asia I, Asia II 1, and Asia II 6), MEAM1, MED, and Asia I being the three predominant cryptic species in Yunnan. Compared with MEAM1, MED has a wider distribution. Based on molecular data, a new cryptic species, here named China 4, was identified that appears to be related to China 1, China 2, and China 3. Future efforts should focus on the interactions between predominant B. tabaci cryptic species and begomoviruses and on the development of effective control strategies. PMID:25502045

Members of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) cryptic species and the status of two invasive alien species in the Yunnan Province (China).

PubMed

Hu, Jian; Jiang, Zhi-Lin; Nardi, Francesco; Liu, Yuan-Yuan; Luo, Xiao-Rong; Li, Hong-Xiang; Zhang, Zhong-Kai

2014-01-01

Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a cryptic species complex that includes some of the most significant pests of agriculture and horticulture worldwide. To understand the diversity and distribution of B. tabaci cryptic species in Yunnan, a famous biodiversity hotspot in China, a large-scale sampling was conducted from year 2010 to 2013 in 10 prefectures. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene sequences were used to identify different cryptic species. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using Bayesian methods to assess the position of a new B. tabaci cryptic species in the context of the B. tabaci diversity in Asia. The survey indicates at least eight B. tabaci cryptic species are present in Yunnan, two invasive (MEAM1 and MED) and six indigenous (China 2, China3, China 4, Asia I, Asia II 1, and Asia II 6), MEAM1, MED, and Asia I being the three predominant cryptic species in Yunnan. Compared with MEAM1, MED has a wider distribution. Based on molecular data, a new cryptic species, here named China 4, was identified that appears to be related to China 1, China 2, and China 3. Future efforts should focus on the interactions between predominant B. tabaci cryptic species and begomoviruses and on the development of effective control strategies. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.

Cryptic Species Identification and Composition of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Complex in Henan Province, China

PubMed Central

Hu, Jian; Wang, Lun-Ji; Dong, Jun-Feng; Song, Yue-Qin; Sun, Hui-Zhong

2017-01-01

Abstract Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a cryptic species complex, causing significant crop losses in China during the last decade. Although knowledge of cryptic species composition and dynamics within B. tabaci complex is critical for developing sustainable pest management strategies, limited information is available on this pest in the Henan province of China. A systematic survey of the cryptic species composition and distribution of B. tabaci complex in different locations of Henan province was conducted in 2012. The results of RAPD-PCR and the gene for the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit-1 (mtCOI) based phylogenetic relationships established using Bayesian method indicated there were four known cryptic species MEAM1, MED, Asia II 3, Asia II 9 and a new cryptic species named China 6 in Henan province. In the survey, the invasive cryptic species MED and MEAM1 were found to be predominant with wide spread distribution across the surveyed regions. On the contrary, the indigenous B. tabaci cryptic species including Asia II 3, Asia II 9 and China 6 remained with low prevalence in some surveyed regions. Cryptic species MEAM1 and MED have not completely displaced the native B. tabaci in Henan province. This current study for the first time unifies our knowledge of the diversity and distribution of B. tabaci across Henan province of China. PMID:28973577

Targeting a Hidden Enemy: Pyriproxyfen Autodissemination Strategy for the Control of the Container Mosquito Aedes albopictus in Cryptic Habitats

PubMed Central

Suman, Devi Shankar; Wang, Yi; Unlu, Isik; Williges, Eric; Williams, Gregory M.; Gaugler, Randy

2016-01-01

Background The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is a vector of dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika viruses. This mosquito inhabits a wide range of artificial water-holding containers in urban and suburban areas making it difficult to control. We tested the hypothesis that female-driven autodissemination of an insect growth regulator could penetrate cryptic oviposition habitats difficult to treat with conventional insecticidal sprays. Methodology Oviposition preferences of Ae. albopictus females for open and cryptic cups were tested in semi-field experiments. Two conventional larvicidal sprayers were tested to determine droplet penetration and larvicidal efficacy in open and cryptic habitats using Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) in the field. Finally, the efficacy of pyriproxyfen autodissemination stations was assessed in cryptic and open cups in residential areas during 2013 and 2014. Principal Findings Gravid females strongly preferred cryptic (53.1±12.9 eggs/cup) over open (10.3±4.3 eggs/cup) cups for oviposition. Cryptic cups showed limited droplet penetration and produced 0.1–0.3% larval mortality with a conventional backpack and low-volume sprays of Bti. The autodissemination stations effectively contaminated these cryptic cups (59.3–84.6%) and produced 29.7–40.8% pupal mortality during 2013–2014. Significant pupal mortality was also observed in open cups. Conclusions The autodissemination station effectively exploits the oviposition behavior of wild gravid females to deliver pyriproxyfen to targeted oviposition habitats. Although the pupal mortality in cryptic cups was relatively lower than expected for the effective vector control. Autodissemination approach may be a suitable supporting tool to manage Ae. albopictus immatures in the cryptic habitats those are less accessible to conventional larvicidal sprays. PMID:28033379

Cryptic Species Identification and Composition of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Complex in Henan Province, China.

PubMed

Jiu, Min; Hu, Jian; Wang, Lun-Ji; Dong, Jun-Feng; Song, Yue-Qin; Sun, Hui-Zhong

2017-05-01

Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a cryptic species complex, causing significant crop losses in China during the last decade. Although knowledge of cryptic species composition and dynamics within B. tabaci complex is critical for developing sustainable pest management strategies, limited information is available on this pest in the Henan province of China. A systematic survey of the cryptic species composition and distribution of B. tabaci complex in different locations of Henan province was conducted in 2012. The results of RAPD-PCR and the gene for the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit-1 (mtCOI) based phylogenetic relationships established using Bayesian method indicated there were four known cryptic species MEAM1, MED, Asia II 3, Asia II 9 and a new cryptic species named China 6 in Henan province. In the survey, the invasive cryptic species MED and MEAM1 were found to be predominant with wide spread distribution across the surveyed regions. On the contrary, the indigenous B. tabaci cryptic species including Asia II 3, Asia II 9 and China 6 remained with low prevalence in some surveyed regions. Cryptic species MEAM1 and MED have not completely displaced the native B. tabaci in Henan province. This current study for the first time unifies our knowledge of the diversity and distribution of B. tabaci across Henan province of China. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.

Cryptic diversity in a fig wasp community-morphologically differentiated species are sympatric but cryptic species are parapatric.

PubMed

Darwell, C T; Cook, J M

2017-02-01

A key debate in ecology centres on the relative importance of niche and neutral processes in determining patterns of community assembly with particular focus on whether ecologically similar species with similar functional traits are able to coexist. Meanwhile, molecular studies are increasingly revealing morphologically indistinguishable cryptic species with presumably similar ecological roles. Determining the geographic distribution of such cryptic species provides opportunities to contrast predictions of niche vs. neutral models. Discovery of sympatric cryptic species increases alpha diversity and supports neutral models, while documentation of allopatric/parapatric cryptic species increases beta diversity and supports niche models. We tested these predictions using morphological and molecular data, coupled with environmental niche modelling analyses, of a fig wasp community along its 2700-km latitudinal range. Molecular methods increased previous species diversity estimates from eight to eleven species, revealing morphologically cryptic species in each of the four wasp genera studied. Congeneric species pairs that were differentiated by a key morphological functional trait (ovipositor length) coexisted sympatrically over large areas. In contrast, morphologically similar species, with similar ovipositor lengths, typically showed parapatric ranges with very little overlap. Despite parapatric ranges, environmental niche models of cryptic congeneric pairs indicate large regions of potential sympatry, suggesting that competitive processes are important in determining the distributions of ecologically similar species. Niche processes appear to structure this insect community, and cryptic diversity may typically contribute mostly to beta rather than alpha diversity. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

How hidden are hidden processes? A primer on crypticity and entropy convergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahoney, John R.; Ellison, Christopher J.; James, Ryan G.; Crutchfield, James P.

2011-09-01

We investigate a stationary process's crypticity—a measure of the difference between its hidden state information and its observed information—using the causal states of computational mechanics. Here, we motivate crypticity and cryptic order as physically meaningful quantities that monitor how hidden a hidden process is. This is done by recasting previous results on the convergence of block entropy and block-state entropy in a geometric setting, one that is more intuitive and that leads to a number of new results. For example, we connect crypticity to how an observer synchronizes to a process. We show that the block-causal-state entropy is a convex function of block length. We give a complete analysis of spin chains. We present a classification scheme that surveys stationary processes in terms of their possible cryptic and Markov orders. We illustrate related entropy convergence behaviors using a new form of foliated information diagram. Finally, along the way, we provide a variety of interpretations of crypticity and cryptic order to establish their naturalness and pervasiveness. This is also a first step in developing applications in spatially extended and network dynamical systems.

Selectivity and Efficiency of Late Transgene Expression by Transcriptionally Targeted Oncolytic Adenoviruses Are Dependent on the Transgene Insertion Strategy

PubMed Central

Quirin, Christina; Rohmer, Stanimira; Fernández-Ulibarri, Inés; Behr, Michael; Hesse, Andrea; Engelhardt, Sarah; Erbs, Philippe; Enk, Alexander H.

2011-01-01

Abstract Key challenges facing cancer therapy are the development of tumor-specific drugs and potent multimodal regimens. Oncolytic adenoviruses possess the potential to realize both aims by restricting virus replication to tumors and inserting therapeutic genes into the virus genome, respectively. A major effort in this regard is to express transgenes in a tumor-specific manner without affecting virus replication. Using both luciferase as a sensitive reporter and genetic prodrug activation, we show that promoter control of E1A facilitates highly selective expression of transgenes inserted into the late transcription unit. This, however, required multistep optimization of late transgene expression. Transgene insertion via internal ribosome entry site (IRES), splice acceptor (SA), or viral 2A sequences resulted in replication-dependent expression. Unexpectedly, analyses in appropriate substrates and with matching control viruses revealed that IRES and SA, but not 2A, facilitated indirect transgene targeting via tyrosinase promoter control of E1A. Transgene expression via SA was more selective (up to 1,500-fold) but less effective than via IRES. Notably, we also revealed transgene-dependent interference with splicing. Hence, the prodrug convertase FCU1 (a cytosine deaminase–uracil phosphoribosyltransferase fusion protein) was expressed only after optimizing the sequence surrounding the SA site and mutating a cryptic splice site within the transgene. The resulting tyrosinase promoter-regulated and FCU1-encoding adenovirus combined effective oncolysis with targeted prodrug activation therapy of melanoma. Thus, prodrug activation showed potent bystander killing and increased cytotoxicity of the virus up to 10-fold. We conclude that armed oncolytic viruses can be improved substantially by comparing and optimizing strategies for targeted transgene expression, thereby implementing selective and multimodal cancer therapies. PMID:20939692

Ectopic Kidney

MedlinePlus

... Ectopic Kidney Medullary Sponge Kidney Kidney Dysplasia Ectopic Kidney What is an ectopic kidney? An ectopic kidney is a birth defect in ... has an ectopic kidney. 1 What are the kidneys and what do they do? The kidneys are ...

Differences in life-histories refute ecological equivalence of cryptic species and provide clues to the origin of bathyal Halomonhystera (Nematoda).

PubMed

Van Campenhout, Jelle; Derycke, Sofie; Moens, Tom; Vanreusel, Ann

2014-01-01

The discovery of morphologically very similar but genetically distinct species complicates a proper understanding of the link between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Cryptic species have been frequently observed to co-occur and are thus expected to be ecological equivalent. The marine nematode Halomonhystera disjuncta contains five cryptic species (GD1-5) that co-occur in the Westerschelde estuary. In this study, we investigated the effect of three abiotic factors (salinity, temperature and sulphide) on life-history traits of three cryptic H. disjuncta species (GD1-3). Our results show that temperature had the most profound influence on all life-cycle parameters compared to a smaller effect of salinity. Life-history traits of closely related cryptic species were differentially affected by temperature, salinity and presence of sulphides which shows that cryptic H. disjuncta species are not ecologically equivalent. Our results further revealed that GD1 had the highest tolerance to a combination of sulphides, high salinities and low temperatures. The close phylogenetic position of GD1 to Halomonhystera hermesi, the dominant species in sulphidic sediments of the Håkon Mosby mud volcano (Barent Sea, 1280 m depth), indicates that both species share a recent common ancestor. Differential life-history responses to environmental changes among cryptic species may have crucial consequences for our perception on ecosystem functioning and coexistence of cryptic species.

Cytogenetic and molecular characterization of double inversion 3 associated with a cryptic BCR-ABL1 rearrangement and additional genetic changes.

PubMed

Toydemir, Reha; Rowe, Leslie; Hibbard, Michele; Salama, Mohamed; Shetty, Shashirekha

2010-09-01

Rearrangements of chromosome 3 involving bands 3q21 and 3q26 have been reported in about 2% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia, and rarely in myelodysplastic syndrome or chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). To date, only six cases of inversion of both homologues have been reported. Loss of normal chromosome 3 and duplication of the inverted chromosome have been proposed as the most likely mechanism, but have not been shown experimentally. We present a 36-year-old male with an initial diagnosis of CML and resistance to imatinib mesylate. Chromosome analysis showed an inversion within the long arm of both homologues of chromosome 3 and an interstitial deletion within the long arm of one chromosome 7. The rearrangement of EVI1 locus on both homologues of chromosome 3 was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Additional FISH studies showed a cryptic insertion of ABL1 into the BCR region, and subsequent duplication of the derivative chromosome 22. The single-nucleotide polymorphism array showed copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity on chromosomes 3 and 22, suggesting that a somatic repair mechanism is involved in the evolution of these genetic alterations. This case illustrates the complexity of genetic aberrations in neoplastic cells, and the value of array technology, used in concert with conventional cytogenetic methods, for a better understanding of the pathogenesis. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A familial {open_quotes}balanced{close_quotes} 3;9 translocation with cryptic 8q insertion leading to deletion and duplication of 9p23 loci in siblings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wagstaff, J.; Hemann, M.

1994-09-01

Families in which a balanced translocation has been transmitted from a normal parent to a child with a phenotypic abnormality have been a longstanding puzzle for human geneticists. A child with phenotypic features of the 9p- syndrome, including metopic craniosynostosis, small ears, abdominal wall defect, and mental retardation, was found to have a cytogenetically balanced 3;9 translocation, with breakpoints at 3p11 and 9p23, inherited from his normal father. He also exhibited marked hypopigmentation of hair and skin. Analysis with a cDNA probe from the TYRP1 (tyrosinase-related protein 1) gene in 9p23 showed heterozygous deletion in the child but in neithermore » parent. This submicroscopic deletion also included loci D9S157, D9S274, D9S268, and D9S267. FISH analysis of the proband`s father indicated the 9p23 loci deleted in his son were present on neither the der(3) nor the der(9) translocation product, but had been inserted into the long arm of chromosome 8. Therefore, the apparent deletion of these loci in the proband was the result of meiotic segregation of the father`s 3;9 translocation chromosomes together with his normal chromosome 8. Neither the deletion from the translocation chromosomes nor the insertion into 8q was detectable by standard chromosome banding techniques. The proband`s sister exhibited speech delay, mild facial dysmorphism, and renal malformation, and her karyotype was 46,XX. Molecular analysis of this sister showed 3 copies of 9p23 sequences, indicating that she had inherited normal chromosomes 3 and 9 from her father as well as the chromosome 8 with the insertion from 9p23. This analysis illustrates a new mechanism to explain cases of phenotypic discordance in familial balanced translocations: submicroscopic deletion of material from the translocation breakpoint and insertion into a third chromosome in the balanced parent, with meiotic segregation leading to loss of the inserted material in the child.« less

Intrauterine contraception.

PubMed

Reinprayoon, D

1992-08-01

Currently 85 million women use an intrauterine device (IUD), making it the most widely used, reliable, reversible contraceptive method worldwide. Although the exact mechanisms by which copper-bearing IUDs produce contraceptive action are not completely defined, recent evidence indicates that they act primarily to prevent sperm from fertilizing ova. The future of the IUD is brighter than it has been for the past 20 years. The latest generation of IUDs, such as the TCu 380A (Paragard, GynoPharma, Somerville, NJ), are safer and more effective than ever. In World Health Organization large, multicenter trials, pregnancy rates for the TCu 380A are 1.0, 1.4, 1.6, and 1.8 at 3, 5, 7, and 9 years of use, respectively. The ectopic pregnancy rates and removal for pelvic inflammatory disease are very low. The device may soon be the major IUD available in most countries. The acceptability of IUD use can be increased by good clinical management, sympathetic counseling, careful client selection, proper device selection, careful insertion, timing of insertion, and regular follow-up with quick access to medical care.

Understanding Cryptic Pocket Formation in Protein Targets by Enhanced Sampling Simulations.

PubMed

Oleinikovas, Vladimiras; Saladino, Giorgio; Cossins, Benjamin P; Gervasio, Francesco L

2016-11-02

Cryptic pockets, that is, sites on protein targets that only become apparent when drugs bind, provide a promising alternative to classical binding sites for drug development. Here, we investigate the nature and dynamical properties of cryptic sites in four pharmacologically relevant targets, while comparing the efficacy of various simulation-based approaches in discovering them. We find that the studied cryptic sites do not correspond to local minima in the computed conformational free energy landscape of the unliganded proteins. They thus promptly close in all of the molecular dynamics simulations performed, irrespective of the force-field used. Temperature-based enhanced sampling approaches, such as Parallel Tempering, do not improve the situation, as the entropic term does not help in the opening of the sites. The use of fragment probes helps, as in long simulations occasionally it leads to the opening and binding to the cryptic sites. Our observed mechanism of cryptic site formation is suggestive of an interplay between two classical mechanisms: induced-fit and conformational selection. Employing this insight, we developed a novel Hamiltonian Replica Exchange-based method "SWISH" (Sampling Water Interfaces through Scaled Hamiltonians), which combined with probes resulted in a promising general approach for cryptic site discovery. We also addressed the issue of "false-positives" and propose a simple approach to distinguish them from druggable cryptic pockets. Our simulations, whose cumulative sampling time was more than 200 μs, help in clarifying the molecular mechanism of pocket formation, providing a solid basis for the choice of an efficient computational method.

Novel genetic linkage of rat Sp6 mutation to Amelogenesis imperfecta

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) is an inherited disorder characterized by abnormal formation of tooth enamel. Although several genes responsible for AI have been reported, not all causative genes for human AI have been identified to date. AMI rat has been reported as an autosomal recessive mutant with hypoplastic AI isolated from a colony of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat strain, but the causative gene has not yet been clarified. Through a genetic screen, we identified the causative gene of autosomal recessive AI in AMI and analyzed its role in amelogenesis. Methods cDNA sequencing of possible AI-candidate genes so far identified using total RNA of day 6 AMI rat molars identified a novel responsible mutation in specificity protein 6 (Sp6). Genetic linkage analysis was performed between Sp6 and AI phenotype in AMI. To understand a role of SP6 in AI, we generated the transgenic rats harboring Sp6 transgene in AMI (Ami/Ami + Tg). Histological analyses were performed using the thin sections of control rats, AMI, and Ami/Ami + Tg incisors in maxillae, respectively. Results We found the novel genetic linkage between a 2-bp insertional mutation of Sp6 gene and the AI phenotype in AMI rats. The position of mutation was located in the coding region of Sp6, which caused frameshift mutation and disruption of the third zinc finger domain of SP6 with 11 cryptic amino acid residues and a stop codon. Transfection studies showed that the mutant protein can be translated and localized in the nucleus in the same manner as the wild-type SP6 protein. When we introduced the CMV promoter-driven wild-type Sp6 transgene into AMI rats, the SP6 protein was ectopically expressed in the maturation stage of ameloblasts associated with the extended maturation stage and the shortened reduced stage without any other phenotypical changes. Conclusion We propose the addition of Sp6 mutation as a new molecular diagnostic criterion for the autosomal recessive AI patients. Our findings expand the spectrum of genetic causes of autosomal recessive AI and sheds light on the molecular diagnosis for the classification of AI. Furthermore, tight regulation of the temporospatial expression of SP6 may have critical roles in completing amelogenesis. PMID:22676574

A small indel mutation in an anthocyanin transporter causes variegated colouration of peach flowers.

PubMed

Cheng, Jun; Liao, Liao; Zhou, Hui; Gu, Chao; Wang, Lu; Han, Yuepeng

2015-12-01

The ornamental peach cultivar 'Hongbaihuatao (HBH)' can simultaneously bear pink, red, and variegated flowers on a single tree. Anthocyanin content in pink flowers is extremely low, being only 10% that of a red flower. Surprisingly, the expression of anthocyanin structural and potential regulatory genes in white flowers was not significantly lower than that in both pink and red flowers. However, proteomic analysis revealed a GST encoded by a gene-regulator involved in anthocyanin transport (Riant)-which is expressed in the red flower, but almost undetectable in the variegated flower. The Riant gene contains an insertion-deletion (indel) polymorphism in exon 3. In white flowers, the Riant gene is interrupted by a 2-bp insertion in the last exon, which causes a frameshift and a premature stop codon. In contrast, both pink and red flowers that arise from bud sports are heterozygous for the Riant locus, with one functional allele due to the 2-bp deletion or a novel 1-bp insertion. Southern blot analysis indicated that the Riant gene occurs in a single copy in the peach genome and it is not interrupted by a transposon. The function of the Riant gene was confirmed by its ectopic expression in the Arabidopsis tt19 mutant, where it complements the anthocyanin phenotype, but not the proanthocyanidin pigmentation in seed coat. Collectively,these results indicate that a small indel mutation in the Riant gene, which is not the result of a transposon insertion or excision, causes variegated colouration of peach flowers. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

A small indel mutation in an anthocyanin transporter causes variegated colouration of peach flowers

PubMed Central

Cheng, Jun; Liao, Liao; Zhou, Hui; Gu, Chao; Wang, Lu; Han, Yuepeng

2015-01-01

The ornamental peach cultivar ‘Hongbaihuatao (HBH)’ can simultaneously bear pink, red, and variegated flowers on a single tree. Anthocyanin content in pink flowers is extremely low, being only 10% that of a red flower. Surprisingly, the expression of anthocyanin structural and potential regulatory genes in white flowers was not significantly lower than that in both pink and red flowers. However, proteomic analysis revealed a GST encoded by a gene—regulator involved in anthocyanin transport (Riant)—which is expressed in the red flower, but almost undetectable in the variegated flower. The Riant gene contains an insertion-deletion (indel) polymorphism in exon 3. In white flowers, the Riant gene is interrupted by a 2-bp insertion in the last exon, which causes a frameshift and a premature stop codon. In contrast, both pink and red flowers that arise from bud sports are heterozygous for the Riant locus, with one functional allele due to the 2-bp deletion or a novel 1-bp insertion. Southern blot analysis indicated that the Riant gene occurs in a single copy in the peach genome and it is not interrupted by a transposon. The function of the Riant gene was confirmed by its ectopic expression in the Arabidopsis tt19 mutant, where it complements the anthocyanin phenotype, but not the proanthocyanidin pigmentation in seed coat. Collectively,these results indicate that a small indel mutation in the Riant gene, which is not the result of a transposon insertion or excision, causes variegated colouration of peach flowers. PMID:26357885

Dominant Drop mutants are gain-of-function alleles of the muscle segment homeobox gene (msh) whose overexpression leads to the arrest of eye development.

PubMed

Mozer, B A

2001-05-15

Dominant Drop (Dr) mutations are nearly eyeless and have additional recessive phenotypes including lethality and patterning defects in eye and sensory bristles due to cis-regulatory lesions in the cell cycle regulator string (stg). Genetic analysis demonstrates that the dominant small eye phenotype is the result of separate gain-of-function mutations in the closely linked muscle segment homeobox (msh) gene, encoding a homeodomain transcription factor required for patterning of muscle and nervous system. Reversion of the Dr(Mio) allele was coincident with the generation of lethal loss-of-function mutations in msh in cis, suggesting that the dominant eye phenotype is the result of ectopic expression. Molecular genetic analysis revealed that two dominant Dr alleles contain lesions upstream of the msh transcription start site. In the Dr(Mio) mutant, a 3S18 retrotransposon insertion is the target of second-site mutations (P-element insertions or deletions) which suppress the dominant eye phenotype following reversion. The pattern of 3S18 expression and the absence of msh in eye imaginal discs suggest that transcriptional activation of the msh promoter accounts for ectopic expression. Dr dominant mutations arrest eye development by blocking the progression of the morphogenetic furrow leading to photoreceptor cell loss via apoptosis. Gal4-mediated ubiquitous expression of msh in third-instar larvae was sufficient to arrest the morphogenetic furrow in the eye imaginal disc and resulted in lethality prior to eclosion. Dominant mutations in the human msx2 gene, one of the vertebrate homologs of msh, are associated with craniosynostosis, a disease affecting cranial development. The Dr mutations are the first example of gain-of-function mutations in the msh/msx gene family identified in a genetically tractible model organism and may serve as a useful tool to identify additional genes that regulate this class of homeodomain proteins. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Aerial ULV control of Aedes aegypti with naled (Dibrom) inside simulated rural village and urban cryptic habitats.

PubMed

Britch, Seth C; Linthicum, Kenneth J; Aldridge, Robert L; Breidenbaugh, Mark S; Latham, Mark D; Connelly, Peter H; Rush, Mattie J E; Remmers, Jennifer L; Kerce, Jerry D; Silcox, Charles A

2018-01-01

We conducted aerial fixed wing ultra low volume (ULV) spray trials with naled to investigate penetration of exposed and simulated cryptic habitat within opened buildings, partially sealed buildings, and outdoor locations targeting sentinel adult Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in north central Florida. Mortality was observed in open and closed buildings and outdoors, even in mosquitoes placed in cryptic habitats. Observations on the impact of building type, mosquito exposure method such as placement in cryptic habitat, and spray nozzle size on mosquito mortality are described and analyzed.

New putative cryptic species detection and genetic network analysis of Bemisia tabaci (Hempitera: Aleyrodidae) in China based on mitochondrial COI sequences.

PubMed

Hu, Jian; Zhang, Xiaoyun; Jiang, Zhilin; Zhang, Feifei; Liu, Yuanyuan; Li, Zhan; Zhang, Zhongkai

2018-04-01

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a cryptic species complex and widely distributed throughout tropical and subtropical regions. To understand the B. tabaci cryptic species diversity in China more comprehensively, in the year 2014 and 2016, a large-scale sampling was conducted from the famous biodiversity hotspot of China, Yunnan province. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene sequences were used to identify new putative cryptic species. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using Bayesian methods to evaluate the position of new cryptic species in the context of the B. tabaci diversity in Asia. Two new cryptic species, China 5 and Asia V were identified. In total, 19 B. tabaci cryptic species are present in China, two invasive (MED and MEAM1) and 17 indigenous. A new sibling species of B. tabaci was first defined and reported. Based on the mtCOI sequences and haplotype network analyses, the genetic diversity of MED was far higher than MEAM1. We confirmed the exotic MED was originated from the western Mediterranean regions and first invaded into Yunnan, China. The genetic structures of other four indigenous species (Asia I, Asia II 1, Asia II 6, and China 1) with relatively wide distribution ranges in China were also discussed.

Volatile compounds in cryptic species of the Aneura pinguis complex and Aneura maxima (Marchantiophyta, Metzgeriidae).

PubMed

Wawrzyniak, Rafał; Wasiak, Wiesław; Bączkiewicz, Alina; Buczkowska, Katarzyna

2014-09-01

Aneura pinguis is one of the liverwort species complexes that consist of several cryptic species. Ten samples collected from different regions in Poland are in the focus of our research. Eight of the A. pinguis complex belonging to four cryptic species (A, B, C, E) and two samples of closely related species Aneura maxima were tested for the composition of volatile compounds. The HS-SPME technique coupled to GC/FID and GC/MS analysis has been applied. The fiber coated with DVB/CAR/PDMS has been used. The results of the present study, revealed the qualitative and quantitative differences in the composition of the volatile compounds between the studied species. Mainly they are from the group of sesquiterpenoids, oxygenated sesquiterpenoids and aliphatic hydrocarbons. The statistical methods (CA and PCA) showed that detected volatile compounds allow to distinguish cryptic species of A. pinguis. All examined cryptic species of the A. pinguis complex differ from A. maxima. Species A and E of A. pinguis, in CA and PCA, form separate clusters remote from two remaining cryptic species of A. pinguis (B and C) and A. maxima. Relationship between the cryptic species appeared from the chemical studies are in accordance with that revealed on the basis of DNA sequences. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ectopic Pregnancy

MedlinePlus

... Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Ectopic Pregnancy KidsHealth / For Parents / Ectopic Pregnancy What's in this ... loss) lower back pain What Causes an Ectopic Pregnancy? An ectopic pregnancy usually happens because a fertilized ...

Drosophila tan Encodes a Novel Hydrolase Required in Pigmentation and Vision

PubMed Central

True, John R; Yeh, Shu-Dan; Hovemann, Bernhard T; Kemme, Tobias; Meinertzhagen, Ian A; Edwards, Tara N; Liou, Shian-Ren; Han, Qian; Li, Jianyong

2005-01-01

Many proteins are used repeatedly in development, but usually the function of the protein is similar in the different contexts. Here we report that the classical Drosophila melanogaster locus tan encodes a novel enzyme required for two very different cellular functions: hydrolysis of N-β-alanyl dopamine (NBAD) to dopamine during cuticular melanization, and hydrolysis of carcinine to histamine in the metabolism of photoreceptor neurotransmitter. We characterized two tan-like P-element insertions that failed to complement classical tan mutations. Both are inserted in the 5′ untranslated region of the previously uncharacterized gene CG12120, a putative homolog of fungal isopenicillin-N N-acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.164). Both P insertions showed abnormally low transcription of the CG12120 mRNA. Ectopic CG12120 expression rescued tan mutant pigmentation phenotypes and caused the production of striking black melanin patterns. Electroretinogram and head histamine assays indicated that CG12120 is required for hydrolysis of carcinine to histamine, which is required for histaminergic neurotransmission. Recombinant CG12120 protein efficiently hydrolyzed both NBAD to dopamine and carcinine to histamine. We conclude that D. melanogaster CG12120 corresponds to tan. This is, to our knowledge, the first molecular genetic characterization of NBAD hydrolase and carcinine hydrolase activity in any organism and is central to the understanding of pigmentation and photoreceptor function. PMID:16299587

An EAV-HP Insertion in 5′ Flanking Region of SLCO1B3 Causes Blue Eggshell in the Chicken

PubMed Central

Yang, Xiaolin; Li, Guangqi; Zhang, Yuanyuan; Li, Junying; Wang, Xiaotong; Bai, Jirong; Xu, Guiyun; Deng, Xuemei; Yang, Ning; Wu, Changxin

2013-01-01

The genetic determination of eggshell coloration has not been determined in birds. Here we report that the blue eggshell is caused by an EAV-HP insertion that promotes the expression of SLCO1B3 gene in the uterus (shell gland) of the oviduct in chicken. In this study, the genetic map location of the blue eggshell gene was refined by linkage analysis in an F2 chicken population, and four candidate genes within the refined interval were subsequently tested for their expression levels in the shell gland of the uterus from blue-shelled and non-blue-shelled hens. SLCO1B3 gene was found to be the only one expressed in the uterus of blue-shelled hens but not in that of non-blue-shelled hens. Results from a pyrosequencing analysis showed that only the allele of SLCO1B3 from blue-shelled chickens was expressed in the uterus of heterozygous hens (O*LC/O*N). SLCO1B3 gene belongs to the organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP) family; and the OATPs, functioning as membrane transporters, have been reported for the transportation of amphipathic organic compounds, including bile salt in mammals. We subsequently resequenced the whole genomic region of SLCO1B3 and discovered an EAV-HP insertion in the 5′ flanking region of SLCO1B3. The EAV-HP insertion was found closely associated with blue eggshell phenotype following complete Mendelian segregation. In situ hybridization also demonstrated that the blue eggshell is associated with ectopic expression of SLCO1B3 in shell glands of uterus. Our finding strongly suggests that the EAV-HP insertion is the causative mutation for the blue eggshell phenotype. The insertion was also found in another Chinese blue-shelled breed and an American blue-shelled breed. In addition, we found that the insertion site in the blue-shelled chickens from Araucana is different from that in Chinese breeds, which implied independent integration events in the blue-shelled chickens from the two continents, providing a parallel evolutionary example at the molecular level. PMID:23359636

Cryptic species diversity reveals biogeographic support for the ‘mountain passes are higher in the tropics’ hypothesis

PubMed Central

Gill, B. A.; Kondratieff, B. C.; Casner, K. L.; Encalada, A. C.; Flecker, A. S.; Gannon, D. G.; Ghalambor, C. K.; Guayasamin, J. M.; Poff, N. L.; Simmons, M. P.; Thomas, S. A.; Zamudio, K. R.; Funk, W. C.

2016-01-01

The ‘mountain passes are higher in the tropics’ (MPHT) hypothesis posits that reduced climate variability at low latitudes should select for narrower thermal tolerances, lower dispersal and smaller elevational ranges compared with higher latitudes. These latitudinal differences could increase species richness at low latitudes, but that increase may be largely cryptic, because physiological and dispersal traits isolating populations might not correspond to morphological differences. Yet previous tests of the MPHT hypothesis have not addressed cryptic diversity. We use integrative taxonomy, combining morphology (6136 specimens) and DNA barcoding (1832 specimens) to compare the species richness, cryptic diversity and elevational ranges of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) in the Rocky Mountains (Colorado; approx. 40°N) and the Andes (Ecuador; approx. 0°). We find higher species richness and smaller elevational ranges in Ecuador than Colorado, but only after quantifying and accounting for cryptic diversity. The opposite pattern is found when comparing diversity based on morphology alone, underscoring the importance of uncovering cryptic species to understand global biodiversity patterns. PMID:27306051

In the shadows: Phylogenomics and coalescent species delimitation unveil cryptic diversity in a Cerrado endemic lizard (Squamata: Tropidurus).

PubMed

Domingos, Fabricius M C B; Colli, Guarino R; Lemmon, Alan; Lemmon, Emily Moriarty; Beheregaray, Luciano B

2017-02-01

The recognition of cryptic diversity within geographically widespread species is gradually becoming a trend in the highly speciose Neotropical biomes. The statistical methods to recognise such cryptic lineages are rapidly advancing, but have rarely been applied to genomic-scale datasets. Herein, we used phylogenomic data to investigate phylogenetic history and cryptic diversity within Tropidurus itambere, a lizard endemic to the Cerrado biodiversity hotspot. We applied a series of phylogenetic methods to reconstruct evolutionary relationships and a coalescent Bayesian species delimitation approach (BPP) to clarify species limits. The BPP results suggest that the widespread nominal taxon comprises a complex of 5 highly supported and geographically structured cryptic species. We highlight and discuss the different topological patterns recovered by concatenated and coalescent species tree methods for these closely related lineages. Finally, we suggest that the existence of cryptic lineages in the Cerrado is much more common than traditionally thought, highlighting the value of using NGS data and coalescent techniques to investigate patterns of species diversity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integrating molecular and morphological approaches for characterizing parasite cryptic species: implications for parasitology.

PubMed

Nadler, Steven A; DE León, Gerardo Pérez-Ponce

2011-11-01

Herein we review theoretical and methodological considerations important for finding and delimiting cryptic species of parasites (species that are difficult to recognize using traditional systematic methods). Applications of molecular data in empirical investigations of cryptic species are discussed from an historical perspective, and we evaluate advantages and disadvantages of approaches that have been used to date. Developments concerning the theory and practice of species delimitation are emphasized because theory is critical to interpretation of data. The advantages and disadvantages of different molecular methodologies, including the number and kind of loci, are discussed relative to tree-based approaches for detecting and delimiting cryptic species. We conclude by discussing some implications that cryptic species have for research programmes in parasitology, emphasizing that careful attention to the theory and operational practices involved in finding, delimiting, and describing new species (including cryptic species) is essential, not only for fully characterizing parasite biodiversity and broader aspects of comparative biology such as systematics, evolution, ecology and biogeography, but to applied research efforts that strive to improve development and understanding of epidemiology, diagnostics, control and potential eradication of parasitic diseases.

Aerial ULV control of Aedes aegypti with naled (Dibrom) inside simulated rural village and urban cryptic habitats

PubMed Central

Linthicum, Kenneth J.; Aldridge, Robert L.; Breidenbaugh, Mark S.; Latham, Mark D.; Connelly, Peter H.; Rush, Mattie J. E.; Remmers, Jennifer L.; Kerce, Jerry D.; Silcox, Charles A.

2018-01-01

We conducted aerial fixed wing ultra low volume (ULV) spray trials with naled to investigate penetration of exposed and simulated cryptic habitat within opened buildings, partially sealed buildings, and outdoor locations targeting sentinel adult Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in north central Florida. Mortality was observed in open and closed buildings and outdoors, even in mosquitoes placed in cryptic habitats. Observations on the impact of building type, mosquito exposure method such as placement in cryptic habitat, and spray nozzle size on mosquito mortality are described and analyzed. PMID:29352307

Reduction of excess sludge in a sequencing batch reactor by lysis-cryptic growth using quick lime for disintegration under low temperature.

PubMed

Lv, Xiao-Mei; Song, Ju-Sheng; Li, Ji; Zhai, Kun

2017-08-01

In the present study, quick-lime-based thermal-alkaline sludge disintegration (SD) under low temperature was combined with cryptic growth to investigate the excess sludge reduction efficiency in the sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The optimized condition of SD was as follows: T = 80℃, pH = 11, t = 180 min, and the SD rate was about 42.1%. With 65.6% of excess sludge disintegrated and returned to the SBR, the system achieved sludge reduction rate of about 40.1%. The lysis-cryptic growth still obtained satisfactory sludge reduction efficiency despite the comparative low SD rate, which suggested that disintegration rate might not be the decisive factor for cryptic-growth-based sludge reduction. Lysis-cryptic growth did not impact the effluent quality, yet the phosphorus removal performance was enhanced, with effluent total phosphorus concentration decreased by 0.3 mg/L (33%). Crystal compounds of calcium phosphate precipitate were detected in the system by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, which indicated the phosphorus removal potential of SD using lime. Moreover, endogenous dehydrogenase activity of activated sludge in the lysis-cryptic system was enhanced, which was beneficial for sludge reduction. SD and cryptic growth in the present study demonstrates an economical and effective approach for sludge reduction.

DNA barcoding applied to ex situ tropical amphibian conservation programme reveals cryptic diversity in captive populations.

PubMed

Crawford, Andrew J; Cruz, Catalina; Griffith, Edgardo; Ross, Heidi; Ibáñez, Roberto; Lips, Karen R; Driskell, Amy C; Bermingham, Eldredge; Crump, Paul

2013-11-01

Amphibians constitute a diverse yet still incompletely characterized clade of vertebrates, in which new species are still being discovered and described at a high rate. Amphibians are also increasingly endangered, due in part to disease-driven threats of extinctions. As an emergency response, conservationists have begun ex situ assurance colonies for priority species. The abundance of cryptic amphibian diversity, however, may cause problems for ex situ conservation. In this study we used a DNA barcoding approach to survey mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation in captive populations of 10 species of Neotropical amphibians maintained in an ex situ assurance programme at El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center (EVACC) in the Republic of Panama. We combined these mtDNA sequences with genetic data from presumably conspecific wild populations sampled from across Panama, and applied genetic distance-based and character-based analyses to identify cryptic lineages. We found that three of ten species harboured substantial cryptic genetic diversity within EVACC, and an additional three species harboured cryptic diversity among wild populations, but not in captivity. Ex situ conservation efforts focused on amphibians are therefore vulnerable to an incomplete taxonomy leading to misidentification among cryptic species. DNA barcoding may therefore provide a simple, standardized protocol to identify cryptic diversity readily applicable to any amphibian community. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Intronic splicing mutations in PTCH1 cause Gorlin syndrome.

PubMed

Bholah, Zaynab; Smith, Miriam J; Byers, Helen J; Miles, Emma K; Evans, D Gareth; Newman, William G

2014-09-01

Gorlin syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by multiple early-onset basal cell carcinoma, odontogenic keratocysts and skeletal abnormalities. It is caused by heterozygous mutations in the tumour suppressor PTCH1. Routine clinical genetic testing, by Sanger sequencing and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) to confirm a clinical diagnosis of Gorlin syndrome, identifies a mutation in 60-90 % of cases. We undertook RNA analysis on lymphocytes from ten individuals diagnosed with Gorlin syndrome, but without known PTCH1 mutations by exonic sequencing or MLPA. Two altered PTCH1 transcripts were identified. Genomic DNA sequence analysis identified an intron 7 mutation c.1068-10T>A, which created a strong cryptic splice acceptor site, leading to an intronic insertion of eight bases; this is predicted to create a frameshift p.(His358Alafs*12). Secondly, a deep intronic mutation c.2561-2057A>G caused an inframe insertion of 78 intronic bases in the cDNA transcript, leading to a premature stop codon p.(Gly854fs*3). The mutations are predicted to cause loss of function of PTCH1, consistent with its tumour suppressor function. The findings indicate the importance of RNA analysis to detect intronic mutations in PTCH1 not identified by routine screening techniques.

Complete Genome Sequence of ER2796, a DNA Methyltransferase-Deficient Strain of Escherichia coli K-12.

PubMed

Anton, Brian P; Mongodin, Emmanuel F; Agrawal, Sonia; Fomenkov, Alexey; Byrd, Devon R; Roberts, Richard J; Raleigh, Elisabeth A

2015-01-01

We report the complete sequence of ER2796, a laboratory strain of Escherichia coli K-12 that is completely defective in DNA methylation. Because of its lack of any native methylation, it is extremely useful as a host into which heterologous DNA methyltransferase genes can be cloned and the recognition sequences of their products deduced by Pacific Biosciences Single-Molecule Real Time (SMRT) sequencing. The genome was itself sequenced from a long-insert library using the SMRT platform, resulting in a single closed contig devoid of methylated bases. Comparison with K-12 MG1655, the first E. coli K-12 strain to be sequenced, shows an essentially co-linear relationship with no major rearrangements despite many generations of laboratory manipulation. The comparison revealed a total of 41 insertions and deletions, and 228 single base pair substitutions. In addition, the long-read approach facilitated the surprising discovery of four gene conversion events, three involving rRNA operons and one between two cryptic prophages. Such events thus contribute both to genomic homogenization and to bacteriophage diversification. As one of relatively few laboratory strains of E. coli to be sequenced, the genome also reveals the sequence changes underlying a number of classical mutant alleles including those affecting the various native DNA methylation systems.

Complete Genome Sequence of ER2796, a DNA Methyltransferase-Deficient Strain of Escherichia coli K-12

PubMed Central

Anton, Brian P.; Mongodin, Emmanuel F.; Agrawal, Sonia; Fomenkov, Alexey; Byrd, Devon R.; Roberts, Richard J.; Raleigh, Elisabeth A.

2015-01-01

We report the complete sequence of ER2796, a laboratory strain of Escherichia coli K-12 that is completely defective in DNA methylation. Because of its lack of any native methylation, it is extremely useful as a host into which heterologous DNA methyltransferase genes can be cloned and the recognition sequences of their products deduced by Pacific Biosciences Single-Molecule Real Time (SMRT) sequencing. The genome was itself sequenced from a long-insert library using the SMRT platform, resulting in a single closed contig devoid of methylated bases. Comparison with K-12 MG1655, the first E. coli K-12 strain to be sequenced, shows an essentially co-linear relationship with no major rearrangements despite many generations of laboratory manipulation. The comparison revealed a total of 41 insertions and deletions, and 228 single base pair substitutions. In addition, the long-read approach facilitated the surprising discovery of four gene conversion events, three involving rRNA operons and one between two cryptic prophages. Such events thus contribute both to genomic homogenization and to bacteriophage diversification. As one of relatively few laboratory strains of E. coli to be sequenced, the genome also reveals the sequence changes underlying a number of classical mutant alleles including those affecting the various native DNA methylation systems. PMID:26010885

Causative Agents of Aspergillosis Including Cryptic Aspergillus Species and A. fumigatus.

PubMed

Toyotome, Takahito

2016-01-01

Aspergillosis is an important deep mycosis. The causative agents are Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus terreus, of which A. fumigatus is the most prevalent. Cryptic Aspergillus spp., which morphologically resemble representative species of each Aspergillus section, also cause aspergillosis. Most of the cryptic species reveal different susceptibility patterns and/or different secondary metabolite profiles, also called exometabolome in this manuscript, from those representative species. On the other hand, azole-resistant A. fumigatus strains in clinical specimens and in the environment have been reported. Therefore, it is imperative to precisely identify the species, including cryptic Aspergillus spp., and evaluate the susceptibility of isolates.In this manuscript, some of the causative cryptic Aspergillus spp. are briefly reviewed. In addition, the exometabolome of Aspergillus section Fumigati is described. Finally, azole resistance of A. fumigatus is also discussed, in reference to several studies from Japan.

Multi-resistant aspergillosis due to cryptic species.

PubMed

Howard, Susan Julie

2014-12-01

Reports of cryptic species causing aspergillosis in humans are increasing in the literature. Cryptic species are defined as those which are morphologically indistinguishable, although their identifications can be confirmed using molecular or other techniques which continue to become more widely available in the clinical setting. Antifungal resistance has often been noted in these cases, and indeed there does appear to be a higher prevalence of reduced susceptibility in cryptic species. Many of these observations are published as individual case reports or as a small component of larger data sets, making it challenging to review and compare the data fully. This review article seeks to describe the susceptibility trends and key learning outcomes of specific cases of infections caused by cryptic species, including Aspergillus alliaceus, Aspergillus calidoustus, Aspergillus felis, Aspergillus lentulus, Aspergillus tubingensis, Aspergillus viridinutans and Neosartorya pseudofischeri. These reports highlight the clinical need for full accurate identification and susceptibility testing to guide patient care.

Prevalence of cryptic species in morphologically uniform taxa - fast speciation and evolutionary radiation in Asian toads.

PubMed

Liu, Zuyao; Chen, Guoling; Zhu, Tianqi; Zeng, Zhaochi; Lyu, Zhitong; Wang, Jian; Messenger, Kevin; Greenberg, Anthony J; Guo, Zixiao; Yang, Ziheng; Shi, Suhua; Wang, Yingyong

2018-06-16

Diversity and distributions of cryptic species have long been a vexing issue. Identification of species boundaries is made difficult by the lack of obvious morphological differences. Here, we investigate the cryptic diversity and evolutionary history of an underappreciated group of Asian frog species (Megophrys) to explore the pattern and dynamic of amphibian cryptic species. We sequenced four mitochondrial genes and five nuclear genes and delineated species using multiple approaches, combining DNA and mating-call data. A Bayesian species tree was generated to estimate divergence times and to reconstruct ancestral ranges. Macroevolutionary analyses and hybridization tests were conducted to explore the evolutionary dynamics of this cryptic group. Our phylogenies support the current subgenera. We revealed 43 cryptic species, 158% higher than previously thought. The species-delimitation results were further confirmed by mating-call data and morphological divergence. We found that these Asian frogss entered China from the Sunda Shelf 48 Mya, followed by an ancient radiation event during middle Miocene. We confirmed the efficiency of the multispecies coalescent model for delimitation of species with low morphological diversity. Species diversity of Megophrys is severely underappreciated, and species distributions have been misestimated as a result. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Reproductive isolation and patterns of genetic differentiation in a cryptic butterfly species complex

PubMed Central

Dincâ, V; Wiklund, C; Lukhtanov, V A; Kodandaramaiah, U; Norén, K; Dapporto, L; Wahlberg, N; Vila, R; Friberg, M

2013-01-01

Molecular studies of natural populations are often designed to detect and categorize hidden layers of cryptic diversity, and an emerging pattern suggests that cryptic species are more common and more widely distributed than previously thought. However, these studies are often decoupled from ecological and behavioural studies of species divergence. Thus, the mechanisms by which the cryptic diversity is distributed and maintained across large spatial scales are often unknown. In 1988, it was discovered that the common Eurasian Wood White butterfly consisted of two species (Leptidea sinapis and Leptidea reali), and the pair became an emerging model for the study of speciation and chromosomal evolution. In 2011, the existence of a third cryptic species (Leptidea juvernica) was proposed. This unexpected discovery raises questions about the mechanisms preventing gene flow and about the potential existence of additional species hidden in the complex. Here, we compare patterns of genetic divergence across western Eurasia in an extensive data set of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences with behavioural data on inter- and intraspecific reproductive isolation in courtship experiments. We show that three species exist in accordance with both the phylogenetic and biological species concepts and that additional hidden diversity is unlikely to occur in Europe. The Leptidea species are now the best studied cryptic complex of butterflies in Europe and a promising model system for understanding the formation of cryptic species and the roles of local processes, colonization patterns and heterospecific interactions for ecological and evolutionary divergence. PMID:23909947

Left-right axis asymmetry determining human Cryptic gene is transcriptionally repressed by Snail.

PubMed

Gupta, Kartik; Pilli, Vijaya Satish Sekhar; Aradhyam, Gopala Krishna

2016-10-28

Establishment of the left-right axis is important for positioning organs asymmetrically in the developing vertebrate-embryo. A number of factors like maternally deposited molecules have emerged essential in initiating the specification of the axis; the downstream events, however, are regulated by signal-transduction and gene-expression changes identifying which remains a crucial challenge. The EGF-CFC family member Cryptic, that functions as a co-receptor for some TGF-beta ligands, is developmentally expressed in higher mammals and mutations in the gene cause loss or change in left-right axis asymmetry. Despite the strong phenotype, no transcriptional-regulator of this gene is known till date. Using promoter-analyses tools, we found strong evidence that the developmentally essential transcription factor Snail binds to the human Cryptic-promoter. We cloned the promoter-region of human Cryptic in a reporter gene and observed decreased Cryptic-promoter activation upon increasing Snail expression. Further, the expression of Cryptic is down-regulated upon exogenous Snail expression, validating the reporter assays and the previously identified role of Snail as a transcriptional repressor. Finally, we demonstrate using gel-shift assay that Snail in nuclear extract of PANC1 cells interacts with the promoter-construct bearing putative Snail binding sites and confirm this finding using chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Snail represses the expression of human Cryptic and therefore, might affect the signaling via Nodal that has previously been demonstrated to specify the left-right axis using the EGF-CFC co-receptors.

Tracing shifts of oceanic fronts using the cryptic diversity of the planktonic foraminifera Globorotalia inflata

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morard, Raphaël.; Reinelt, Melanie; Chiessi, Cristiano M.; Groeneveld, Jeroen; Kucera, Michal

2016-09-01

The use of planktonic foraminifera in paleoceanographic studies relies on the assumption that morphospecies represent biological species with ecological preferences that are stable through time and space. However, genetic surveys unveiled a considerable level of diversity in most morphospecies of planktonic foraminifera. This diversity is significant for paleoceanographic applications because cryptic species were shown to display distinct ecological preferences that could potentially help refine paleoceanographic proxies. Subtle morphological differences between cryptic species of planktonic foraminifera have been reported, but so far, their applicability within paleoceanographic studies remains largely unexplored. Here we show how information on genetic diversity can be transferred to paleoceanography using Globorotalia inflata as a case study. The two cryptic species of G. inflata are separated by the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence (BMC), a major oceanographic feature in the South Atlantic. Based on this observation, we developed a morphological model of cryptic species detection in core top material. The application of the cryptic species detection model to Holocene samples implies latitudinal oscillations in the position of the confluence that are largely consistent with reconstructions obtained from stable isotope data. We show that the occurrence of cryptic species in G. inflata can be detected in the fossil record and used to trace the migration of the BMC. Since a similar degree of morphological separation as in G. inflata has been reported from other species of planktonic foraminifera, the approach presented in this study can potentially yield a wealth of new paleoceanographical proxies.

Cryptic biodiversity and phylogeographic patterns of Seychellois Ligia isopods

PubMed Central

Bluemel, Joanna K.; Bunbury, Nancy; Curran, Melinda

2017-01-01

Ligia isopods are conspicuous inhabitants of rocky intertidal habitats exhibiting several biological traits that severely limit their dispersal potential. Their presence in patchy habitats and low vagility may lead to long term isolation, allopatric isolation and possible cryptic speciation. Indeed, various species of Ligia have been suggested to represent instead cryptic species complexes. Past studies; however, have largely focused in Eastern Pacific and Atlantic species of Ligia, leaving in doubt whether cryptic diversity occurs in other highly biodiverse areas. The Seychelles consists of 115 islands of different ages and geological origins spread across the western Indian Ocean. They are well known for their rich biodiversity with recent reports of cryptic species in terrestrial Seychellois organisms. Despite these studies, it is unclear whether coastal invertebrates from the Seychelles harbor any cryptic diversity. In this study, we examined patterns of genetic diversity and isolation within Ligia isopods across the Seychelles archipelago by characterizing individuals from locations across both inner and outer islands of the Seychelles using mitochondrial and nuclear markers. We report the presence of highly divergent lineages of independent origin. At Aldabra Atoll, we uncovered a lineage closely related to the Ligia vitiensis cryptic species complex. Within the inner islands of Cousine, Silhouette, and Mahé we detected the presence of two moderately divergent and geographically disjunct lineages most closely related to Ligia dentipes. Our findings suggest that the Seychelles may harbor at least three novel species of Ligia in need of description and that these species may have originated independently. PMID:29018626

Molecular phylogeography and cryptic speciation in the mosses, Mielichhoferia elongata and M. mielichhoferiana (Bryaceae).

PubMed

Shaw, A J

2000-05-01

Nucleotide sequence variation in the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) from 70 populations of Mielichhoferia elongata and M. mielichhoferiana, plus two outgroup species, was analysed using maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood methods. High levels of nucleotide substitution and numerous insertion-deletion events were detected within and between the two species. M. elongata is monophyletic with regard to nrDNA variation, but M. mielichhoferiana is paraphyletic. (M. elongata is nested within it.) A clade within M. mielichhoferiana provides evidence of vicariance, with North American and Scandinavian sister groups of populations. Two major clades are resolved in M. elongata by sequence data that are completely congruent with previous isozyme work. One clade includes populations from both North America and Europe whereas the other is strictly North American. These two clades, resolved by multiple independent loci, clearly represent cryptic species within the morphologically uniform M. elongata. Certain geographical areas, most notably southwestern Colorado in Ouray and San Juan Counties, harbour diverse populations of M. elongata with distinct phylogenetic and phylogeographical histories. Morphologically indistinguishable but phylogenetically distant populations were detected a few metres apart at one site. In contrast, all populations collected over hundreds of kilometres in California belong to a single clade. Arctic North American populations belong to a clade that includes disjunct populations in Alaska, northern Ellesmere Island, and the northeastern USA, but not subarctic Swedish populations, which are more closely related to plants from the Rocky Mountains. Morphological uniformity belies complex infraspecific phylogenetic patterns within M. elongata and M. mielichhoferiana.

Myofibroblasts Electrotonically Coupled to Cardiomyocytes Alter Conduction: Insights at the Cellular Level from a Detailed In silico Tissue Structure Model

PubMed Central

Jousset, Florian; Maguy, Ange; Rohr, Stephan; Kucera, Jan P.

2016-01-01

Fibrotic myocardial remodeling is typically accompanied by the appearance of myofibroblasts (MFBs). In vitro, MFBs were shown to slow conduction and precipitate ectopic activity following gap junctional coupling to cardiomyocytes (CMCs). To gain further mechanistic insights into this arrhythmogenic MFB-CMC crosstalk, we performed numerical simulations in cell-based high-resolution two-dimensional tissue models that replicated experimental conditions. Cell dimensions were determined using confocal microscopy of single and co-cultured neonatal rat ventricular CMCs and MFBs. Conduction was investigated as a function of MFB density in three distinct cellular tissue architectures: CMC strands with endogenous MFBs, CMC strands with coating MFBs of two different sizes, and CMC strands with MFB inserts. Simulations were performed to identify individual contributions of heterocellular gap junctional coupling and of the specific electrical phenotype of MFBs. With increasing MFB density, both endogenous and coating MFBs slowed conduction. At MFB densities of 5–30%, conduction slowing was most pronounced in strands with endogenous MFBs due to the MFB-dependent increase in axial resistance. At MFB densities >40%, very slow conduction and spontaneous activity was primarily due to MFB-induced CMC depolarization. Coating MFBs caused non-uniformities of resting membrane potential, which were more prominent with large than with small MFBs. In simulations of MFB inserts connecting two CMC strands, conduction delays increased with increasing insert lengths and block appeared for inserts >1.2 mm. Thus, electrophysiological properties of engineered CMC-MFB co-cultures depend on MFB density, MFB size and their specific positioning in respect to CMCs. These factors may influence conduction characteristics in the heterocellular myocardium. PMID:27833567

Rh Incompatibility

MedlinePlus

... An ectopic pregnancy, a miscarriage, or an induced abortion. (An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that starts ... An ectopic pregnancy, a miscarriage, or an induced abortion. (An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that starts ...

Clinicopathological Features and Treatment of Ectopic Varices with Portal Hypertension

PubMed Central

Sato, Takahiro; Akaike, Jun; Toyota, Jouji; Karino, Yoshiyasu; Ohmura, Takumi

2011-01-01

Bleeding from ectopic varices, which is rare in patients with portal hypertension, is generally massive and life-threatening. Forty-three patients were hospitalized in our ward for gastrointestinal bleeding from ectopic varices. The frequency of ectopic varices was 43/1218 (3.5%) among portal hypertensive patients in our ward. The locations of the ectopic varices were rectal in thirty-two, duodenal in three, intestinal in two, vesical in three, stomal in one, and colonic in two patients. Endoscopic or interventional radiologic treatment was performed successfully for ectopic varices. Hemorrhage from ectopic varices should be kept in mind in patients with portal hypertension presenting with lower gastrointestinal bleeding. PMID:21994879

Genomic Landscape of Long Terminal Repeat Retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) and Solo LTRs as Shaped by Ectopic Recombination in Chicken and Zebra Finch.

PubMed

Ji, Yanzhu; DeWoody, J Andrew

2016-06-01

Transposable elements (TEs) are nearly ubiquitous among eukaryotic genomes, but TE contents vary dramatically among phylogenetic lineages. Several mechanisms have been proposed as drivers of TE dynamics in genomes, including the fixation/loss of a particular TE insertion by selection or drift as well as structural changes in the genome due to mutation (e.g., recombination). In particular, recombination can have a significant and directional effect on the genomic TE landscape. For example, ectopic recombination removes internal regions of long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) as well as one long terminal repeat (LTR), resulting in a solo LTR. In this study, we focus on the intra-species dynamics of LTR-RTs and solo LTRs in bird genomes. The distribution of LTR-RTs and solo LTRs in birds is intriguing because avian recombination rates vary widely within a given genome. We used published linkage maps and whole genome assemblies to study the relationship between recombination rates and LTR-removal events in the chicken and zebra finch. We hypothesized that regions with low recombination rates would harbor more full-length LTR-RTs (and fewer solo LTRs) than regions with high recombination rates. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the ratio of full-length LTR-RTs and solo LTRs across chromosomes, across non-overlapping megabase windows, and across physical features (i.e., centromeres and telomeres). The chicken data statistically supported the hypothesis that recombination rates are inversely correlated with the ratio of full-length to solo LTRs at both the chromosome level and in 1-Mb non-overlapping windows. We also found that the ratio of full-length to solo LTRs near chicken telomeres was significantly lower than those ratios near centromeres. Our results suggest a potential role of ectopic recombination in shaping the chicken LTR-RT genomic landscape.

Ectopic eruption of first permanent molars: presenting features and associations.

PubMed

Mooney, G C; Morgan, A G; Rodd, H D; North, S

2007-09-01

To investigate presenting features of ectopically erupting first permanent molars and associations with other dental anomalies. Prospective convenience study. 28 panoral radiographs were collected, over a 24-month period, of 7-11 year-old children with radiographic evidence of ectopic eruption of first permanent molars who presented to a Dental Teaching Hospital in the North of England. A further 20 radiographs were collected of matched patients with no evidence of ectopic molar eruption. All radiographs were analysed under standard conditions to record the distribution and type of ectopic eruption (if present). In addition, the presence of the following dental anomalies was noted: cleft lip and/or palate; supernumerary teeth; hypodontia, and infraocclusion of primary molars. Chi-squared analysis was performed to determine any significant differences in the frequency of these dental anomalies between ectopic molar and control groups. For patients with ectopic molar eruption, the majority demonstrated ectopic eruption of either one or two first permanent molars (32% and 57% of subjects respectively). There were a similar proportion of 'jumps' and 'holds'. 92% of these were maxillary teeth and there was equal left and right distribution. Interestingly, a positive record of ectopic eruption was only documented in the dental records of 35.7% of these subjects. Children with ectopic eruption were significantly more likely to have at least one additional dental anomaly than was the case for the control group (60.7% versus 25%). Notably, primary molar infraocclusion and cleft lip/palate were significantly more frequent in the ectopic group. This study, the first in a British population, has identified a significant association between ectopic eruption of first permanent molars and other dental anomalies. A multifactorial aetiology is thus supported and clinicians should be alert to the co-existence of ectopic eruption and other dental anomalies.

The identification of sympatric cryptic free-living nematode species in the Antarctic intertidal

PubMed Central

Canales-Aguirre, Cristian B.; Nuñez, Daniela; Pérez, Karla; Hernández, Crisitan E.; Brante, Antonio

2017-01-01

The diversity of free-living nematodes in the beaches of two Antarctic islands, King George and Deception islands was investigated. We used morphological and molecular (LSU, and two fragments of SSU sequences) approaches to evaluate 236 nematodes. Specimens were assigned to at least genera using morphology and were assessed for the presence of cryptic speciation. The following genera were identified: Halomonhystera, Litoditis, Enoploides, Chromadorita, Theristus, Oncholaimus, Viscosia, Gammanema, Bathylaimus, Choanolaimus, and Paracanthonchus; along with specimens from the families Anticomidae and Linhomoeidae. Cryptic speciation was identified within the genera Halomonhystera and Litoditis. All of the cryptic species identified live sympatrically. The two cryptic species of Halomonhystera exhibited no significant morphological differences. However, Litoditis species 2 was significantly larger than Litoditis species 1. The utility of molecular data in confirming the identifications of some of the morphologically more challenging families of nematodes was demonstrated. In terms of which molecular sequences to use for the identification of free-living nematodes, the SSU sequences were more variable than the LSU sequences, and thus provided more resolution in the identification of cryptic speciation. Finally, despite the considerable amount of time and effort required to put together genetic and morphological data, the resulting advance in our understanding of diversity and ecology of free-living marine nematodes, makes that effort worthwhile. PMID:28982192

Analysis of Cryptic, Systemic Botrytis Infections in Symptomless Hosts

PubMed Central

Shaw, Michael W.; Emmanuel, Christy J.; Emilda, Deni; Terhem, Razak B.; Shafia, Aminath; Tsamaidi, Dimitra; Emblow, Mark; van Kan, Jan A. L.

2016-01-01

Botrytis species are generally considered to be aggressive, necrotrophic plant pathogens. By contrast to this general perception, however, Botrytis species could frequently be isolated from the interior of multiple tissues in apparently healthy hosts of many species. Infection frequencies reached 50% of samples or more, but were commonly less, and cryptic infections were rare or absent in some plant species. Prevalence varied substantially from year to year and from tissue to tissue, but some host species routinely had high prevalence. The same genotype was found to occur throughout a host, representing mycelial spread. Botrytis cinerea and Botrytis pseudocinerea are the species that most commonly occur as cryptic infections, but phylogenetically distant isolates of Botrytis were also detected, one of which does not correspond to previously described species. Sporulation and visible damage occurred only when infected tissues were stressed, or became mature or senescent. There was no evidence of cryptic infection having a deleterious effect on growth of the host, and prevalence was probably greater in plants grown in high light conditions. Isolates from cryptic infections were often capable of causing disease (to varying extents) when spore suspensions were inoculated onto their own host as well as on distinct host species, arguing against co-adaptation between cryptic isolates and their hosts. These data collectively suggest that several Botrytis species, including the most notorious pathogenic species, exist frequently in cryptic form to an extent that has thus far largely been neglected, and do not need to cause disease on healthy hosts in order to complete their life-cycles. PMID:27242829

Ectopic Pregnancy

MedlinePlus

... if you have risk factors for an ectopic pregnancy Causes A tubal pregnancy — the most common type of ectopic pregnancy — happens ... smoke, the greater the risk. Complications An ectopic pregnancy can cause your fallopian tube to burst open. Without treatment, ...

Metabolism of Cryptic Peptides Derived from Neuropeptide FF Precursors: The Involvement of Insulin-Degrading Enzyme

PubMed Central

Grasso, Giuseppe; Mielczarek, Przemyslaw; Niedziolka, Magdalena; Silberring, Jerzy

2014-01-01

The term “cryptome” refers to the subset of cryptic peptides with bioactivities that are often unpredictable and very different from the parent protein. These cryptic peptides are generated by proteolytic cleavage of proteases, whose identification in vivo can be very challenging. In this work, we show that insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) is able to degrade specific amino acid sequences present in the neuropeptide pro-NPFFA (NPFF precursor), generating some cryptic peptides that are also observed after incubation with rat brain cortex homogenate. The reported experimental findings support the increasingly accredited hypothesis, according to which, due to its wide substrate selectivity, IDE is involved in a wide variety of physiopathological processes. PMID:25247577

Evolutionary transgenomics: prospects and challenges.

PubMed

Correa, Raul; Baum, David A

2015-01-01

Many advances in our understanding of the genetic basis of species differences have arisen from transformation experiments, which allow us to study the effect of genes from one species (the donor) when placed in the genetic background of another species (the recipient). Such interspecies transformation experiments are usually focused on candidate genes - genes that, based on work in model systems, are suspected to be responsible for certain phenotypic differences between the donor and recipient species. We suggest that the high efficiency of transformation in a few plant species, most notably Arabidopsis thaliana, combined with the small size of typical plant genes and their cis-regulatory regions allow implementation of a screening strategy that does not depend upon a priori candidate gene identification. This approach, transgenomics, entails moving many large genomic inserts of a donor species into the wild type background of a recipient species and then screening for dominant phenotypic effects. As a proof of concept, we recently conducted a transgenomic screen that analyzed more than 1100 random, large genomic inserts of the Alabama gladecress Leavenworthia alabamica for dominant phenotypic effects in the A. thaliana background. This screen identified one insert that shortens fruit and decreases A. thaliana fertility. In this paper we discuss the principles of transgenomic screens and suggest methods to help minimize the frequencies of false positive and false negative results. We argue that, because transgenomics avoids committing in advance to candidate genes it has the potential to help us identify truly novel genes or cryptic functions of known genes. Given the valuable knowledge that is likely to be gained, we believe the time is ripe for the plant evolutionary community to invest in transgenomic screens, at least in the mustard family Brassicaceae where many species are amenable to efficient transformation.

Risk of Gonadoblastoma Development in Patients with Turner Syndrome with Cryptic Y Chromosome Material.

PubMed

Kwon, Ahreum; Hyun, Sei Eun; Jung, Mo Kyung; Chae, Hyun Wook; Lee, Woo Jung; Kim, Tae Hyuk; Kim, Duk Hee; Kim, Ho-Seong

2017-06-01

Current guidelines recommend that testing for Y chromosome material should be performed only in patients with Turner syndrome harboring a marker chromosome and exhibiting virilization in order to detect individuals who are at high risk of gonadoblastoma. However, cryptic Y chromosome material is suggested to be a risk factor for gonadoblastoma in patients with Turner syndrome. Here, we aimed to estimate the frequency of cryptic Y chromosome material in patients with Turner syndrome and determine whether Y chromosome material increased the risk for development of gonadoblastoma. A total of 124 patients who were diagnosed with Turner syndrome by conventional cytogenetic techniques underwent additional molecular analysis to detect cryptic Y chromosome material. In addition, patients with Turner syndrome harboring Y chromosome cell lines had their ovaries removed prophylactically. Finally, we assessed the occurrence of gonadoblastoma in patients with Turner syndrome. Molecular analysis demonstrated that 10 patients had Y chromosome material among 118 patients without overt Y chromosome (8.5%). Six patients with overt Y chromosome and four patients with cryptic Y chromosome material underwent oophorectomy. Histopathological analysis revealed that the occurrence of gonadoblastoma in the total group was 2.4%, and gonadoblastoma occurred in one of six patients with an overt Y chromosome (16.7%) and 2 of 10 patients with cryptic Y chromosome material (20.0%). The risk of developing gonadoblastoma in patients with cryptic Y chromosome material was similar to that in patients with overt Y chromosome. Therefore, molecular screening for Y chromosome material should be recommended for all patients with Turner syndrome to detect individuals at a high risk of gonadoblastoma and to facilitate proper management of the disease.

Designing small molecules to target cryptic pockets yields both positive and negative allosteric modulators

PubMed Central

Moeder, Katelyn E.; Ho, Chris M. W.; Zimmerman, Maxwell I.; Frederick, Thomas E.; Bowman, Gregory R.

2017-01-01

Allosteric drugs, which bind to proteins in regions other than their main ligand-binding or active sites, make it possible to target proteins considered “undruggable” and to develop new therapies that circumvent existing resistance. Despite growing interest in allosteric drug discovery, rational design is limited by a lack of sufficient structural information about alternative binding sites in proteins. Previously, we used Markov State Models (MSMs) to identify such “cryptic pockets,” and here we describe a method for identifying compounds that bind in these cryptic pockets and modulate enzyme activity. Experimental tests validate our approach by revealing both an inhibitor and two activators of TEM β-lactamase (TEM). To identify hits, a library of compounds is first virtually screened against either the crystal structure of a known cryptic pocket or an ensemble of structures containing the same cryptic pocket that is extracted from an MSM. Hit compounds are then screened experimentally and characterized kinetically in individual assays. We identify three hits, one inhibitor and two activators, demonstrating that screening for binding to allosteric sites can result in both positive and negative modulation. The hit compounds have modest effects on TEM activity, but all have higher affinities than previously identified inhibitors, which bind the same cryptic pocket but were found, by chance, via a computational screen targeting the active site. Site-directed mutagenesis of key contact residues predicted by the docking models is used to confirm that the compounds bind in the cryptic pocket as intended. Because hit compounds are identified from docking against both the crystal structure and structures from the MSM, this platform should prove suitable for many proteins, particularly targets whose crystal structures lack obvious druggable pockets, and for identifying both inhibitory and activating small-molecule modulators. PMID:28570708

Abdominal ectopic pregnancy after in vitro fertilization and single embryo transfer: a case report and systematic review.

PubMed

Yoder, Nicole; Tal, Reshef; Martin, J Ryan

2016-10-19

Ectopic pregnancy is the leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality during the first trimester and the incidence increases dramatically with assisted-reproductive technology (ART), occurring in approximately 1.5-2.1 % of patients undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Abdominal ectopic pregnancy is a rare yet clinically significant form of ectopic pregnancy due to potentially high maternal morbidity. While risk factors for ectopic pregnancy after IVF have been studied, very little is known about risk factors specific for abdominal ectopic pregnancy. We present a case of a 30 year-old woman who had an abdominal ectopic pregnancy following IVF and elective single embryo transfer, which was diagnosed and managed by laparoscopy. We performed a systematic literature search to identify case reports of abdominal or heterotopic abdominal ectopic pregnancies after IVF. A total of 28 cases were identified. Patients' ages ranged from 23 to 38 (Mean 33.2, S.D. = 3.2). Infertility causes included tubal factor (46 %), endometriosis (14 %), male factor (14 %), pelvic adhesive disease (7 %), structural/DES exposure (7 %), and unexplained infertility (14 %). A history of ectopic pregnancy was identified in 39 % of cases. A history of tubal surgery was identified in 50 % of cases, 32 % cases having had bilateral salpingectomy. Transfer of two embryos or more (79 %) and fresh embryo transfer (71 %) were reported in the majority of cases. Heterotopic abdominal pregnancy occurred in 46 % of cases while 54 % were abdominal ectopic pregnancies. Our systematic review has revealed several trends in reported cases of abdominal ectopic pregnancy after IVF including tubal factor infertility, history of tubal ectopic and tubal surgery, higher number of embryos transferred, and fresh embryo transfers. These are consistent with known risk factors for ectopic pregnancy following IVF. Further research focusing on more homogenous population may help in better characterizing this rare IVF complication and its risks.

Empirical Evidence Supporting Frequent Cryptic Speciation in Epiphyllous Liverworts: A Case Study of the Cololejeunea lanciloba Complex

PubMed Central

Yu, Ying; Heinrichs, Jochen; Zhu, Rui-Liang; Schneider, Harald

2013-01-01

Cryptic species are frequently recovered in plant lineages, and considered an important cause for divergent of morphological disparity and species diversity. The identification of cryptic species has important implications for the assessment of conservation needs of species aggregates. The mechanisms and processes of the origin of cryptic species diversity are still poorly understand based on the lack of studies especially in context of environment factors. Here we explored evidence for cryptic species within the epiphyllous liverworts Cololejeunea lanciloba complex based on two loci, the plastid trnL-F region and the nuclear ribosomal ITS region. Several analytic approaches were employed to delimit species based on DNA sequence variation including phylogenetic reconstruction, statistical parsimony networks analysis and two recently introduced species delimitation criteria: Rosenberg’s reciprocal monophyly and Rodrigo’s randomly distinct. We found evidence for thirteen genetically distinct putative species, each consisting of more than one haplotype, rather than four morphologically-circumscribed species. The results implied that the highly conserved phenotypes are not congruent with the genetic differentiation, contributing to incorrect assessments of the biodiversity of epiphyllous liverworts. We hypothesize that evolution of cryptic species recovered may be caused by selection of traits critical to the survival in epiphyllous habitats combined with limited developmental options designed in the small body. PMID:24367634

PREST-plus identifies pedigree errors and cryptic relatedness in the GAW18 sample using genome-wide SNP data.

PubMed

Sun, Lei; Dimitromanolakis, Apostolos

2014-01-01

Pedigree errors and cryptic relatedness often appear in families or population samples collected for genetic studies. If not identified, these issues can lead to either increased false negatives or false positives in both linkage and association analyses. To identify pedigree errors and cryptic relatedness among individuals from the 20 San Antonio Family Studies (SAFS) families and cryptic relatedness among the 157 putatively unrelated individuals, we apply PREST-plus to the genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data and analyze estimated identity-by-descent (IBD) distributions for all pairs of genotyped individuals. Based on the given pedigrees alone, PREST-plus identifies the following putative pairs: 1091 full-sib, 162 half-sib, 360 grandparent-grandchild, 2269 avuncular, 2717 first cousin, 402 half-avuncular, 559 half-first cousin, 2 half-sib+first cousin, 957 parent-offspring and 440,546 unrelated. Using the genotype data, PREST-plus detects 7 mis-specified relative pairs, with their IBD estimates clearly deviating from the null expectations, and it identifies 4 cryptic related pairs involving 7 individuals from 6 families.

Minimally Invasive Management of Ectopic Pancreas.

PubMed

Vitiello, Gerardo A; Cavnar, Michael J; Hajdu, Cristina; Khaykis, Inessa; Newman, Elliot; Melis, Marcovalerio; Pachter, H Leon; Cohen, Steven M

2017-03-01

The management of ectopic pancreas is not well defined. This study aims to determine the prevalence of symptomatic ectopic pancreas and identify those who may benefit from treatment, with a particular focus on robotically assisted surgical management. Our institutional pathology database was queried to identify a cohort of ectopic pancreas specimens. Additional clinical data regarding clinical symptomatology, diagnostic studies, and treatment were obtained through chart review. Nineteen cases of ectopic pancreas were found incidentally during surgery for another condition or found incidentally in a pathologic specimen (65.5%). Eleven patients (37.9%) reported prior symptoms, notably abdominal pain and/or gastrointestinal bleeding. The most common locations for ectopic pancreas were the duodenum and small bowel (31% and 27.6%, respectively). Three out of 29 cases (10.3%) had no symptoms, but had evidence of preneoplastic changes on pathology, while one harbored pancreatic cancer. Over the years, treatment of ectopic pancreas has shifted from open to laparoscopic and more recently to robotic surgery. Our experience is in line with existing evidence supporting surgical treatment of symptomatic or complicated ectopic pancreas. In the current era, minimally invasive and robotic surgery can be used safely and successfully for treatment of ectopic pancreas.

Ectopic pregnancy: current clinical trends, a fifteen year study.

PubMed

Weekes, L R

1981-09-01

This paper reviews the clinical recognition, diagnosis, and management of ectopic pregnancy at the Queen of Angels Hospital for the past 15 years. The incidence of ectopic pregnancy to deliveries is 1:195. Pain is the cardinal symptom of ectopic pregnancy, and amenorrhea of some degree was present in all cases. Pelvic inflammatory disease is a factor in the development of tubal pregnancy in some women. A careful history and thorough physical examination are important in making a careful diagnosis. The only laboratory procedures which are of any value are the blood type and the Rh determination. While examination of endometrial tissue obtained by biopsy or curettage has proved useful in ectopic pregnancy diagnosis, it is not totally decisive. Culdocentesis has proved to be the diagnostic procedure of the greatest value in recognizing intraperitoneal hemorrhage and it increases the correct preoperative diagnosis from 65-70% to 95%. Laparoscopy is useful when the physician is in doubt about the nature of the problem and it has produced an increase in the number of ectopic pregnancies diagnosed. Ultrasound is another useful tool in confirming a diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy; its accuracy ranges from 70-92%. A newly developed pregnancy test is more sensitive than conventional pregnancy tests and would be positive for pregnancy. Women who have had a previous ectopic pregnancy have a higher subsequent incidence of persistent infertility, recurrent ectopic pregnancy, and pregnancy wastage; the risk of another ectopic pregnancy increases 30-50 fold. While extopic pregnancy does recur, it is true that about 1/3 of those women do have successful pregnancies. Where previous induced abortion has occurred, there is a 10-fold increased risk of ectopic pregnancy. Women who become pregnant accidentally with an IUD in place have a greater likelihood of experiencing an extrauterine pregnancy. Abdominal pregnancy is often encountered as an aborting ectopic pregnancy during the 1st trimester. In cases such as this, there can be local excision and hemostasis. Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura was another encountered complication. Salpingectomy is inappropriate and even dangerous when used with an ectopic pregnancy. Early diagnosis and prompt surgery can help increase the survival rate. However, conservative surgery which preserves the tube is feasible and practical using salpingotomy and partial salpingectomy. Maternal death resulting from ectopic pregnancy is usually the result of sudden massive hemorrhage. The initiation of therapy prior to rupture is helpful. Ectopic pregnancy rate has remained fairly consistent among the white population but has decreased significantly in the nonwhite population. This is likely tied to an improvement in socioeconomic status, better patient education, and a greater awareness of medical needs. To decrease the maternal mortality rate from ectopic pregnancy, obstetricians and gynecologists must be more aggressive in research and treatment of ectopic pregnancy.

Cryptic Patterning of Avian Skin Confers a Developmental Facility for Loss of Neck Feathering

PubMed Central

Mou, Chunyan; Pitel, Frederique; Gourichon, David; Vignoles, Florence; Tzika, Athanasia; Tato, Patricia; Yu, Le; Burt, Dave W.; Bed'hom, Bertrand; Tixier-Boichard, Michele; Painter, Kevin J.; Headon, Denis J.

2011-01-01

Vertebrate skin is characterized by its patterned array of appendages, whether feathers, hairs, or scales. In avian skin the distribution of feathers occurs on two distinct spatial levels. Grouping of feathers within discrete tracts, with bare skin lying between the tracts, is termed the macropattern, while the smaller scale periodic spacing between individual feathers is referred to as the micropattern. The degree of integration between the patterning mechanisms that operate on these two scales during development and the mechanisms underlying the remarkable evolvability of skin macropatterns are unknown. A striking example of macropattern variation is the convergent loss of neck feathering in multiple species, a trait associated with heat tolerance in both wild and domestic birds. In chicken, a mutation called Naked neck is characterized by a reduction of body feathering and completely bare neck. Here we perform genetic fine mapping of the causative region and identify a large insertion associated with the Naked neck trait. A strong candidate gene in the critical interval, BMP12/GDF7, displays markedly elevated expression in Naked neck embryonic skin due to a cis-regulatory effect of the causative mutation. BMP family members inhibit embryonic feather formation by acting in a reaction-diffusion mechanism, and we find that selective production of retinoic acid by neck skin potentiates BMP signaling, making neck skin more sensitive than body skin to suppression of feather development. This selective production of retinoic acid by neck skin constitutes a cryptic pattern as its effects on feathering are not revealed until gross BMP levels are altered. This developmental modularity of neck and body skin allows simple quantitative changes in BMP levels to produce a sparsely feathered or bare neck while maintaining robust feather patterning on the body. PMID:21423653

Use of a cryptic splice site for the expression of huntingtin interacting protein 1 in select normal and neoplastic tissues.

PubMed

Graves, Chiron W; Philips, Steven T; Bradley, Sarah V; Oravecz-Wilson, Katherine I; Li, Lina; Gauvin, Alice; Ross, Theodora S

2008-02-15

Huntingtin interacting protein 1 (HIP1) is a 116-kDa endocytic protein, which is necessary for the maintenance of several tissues in vivo as its deficiency leads to degenerative adult phenotypes. HIP1 deficiency also inhibits prostate tumor progression in mice. To better understand how deficiency of HIP1 leads to such phenotypes, we analyzed tumorigenic potential in mice homozygous for a Hip1 mutant allele, designated Hip1(Delta 3-5), which is predicted to result in a frame-shifted, nonsense mutation in the NH(2) terminus of HIP1. In contrast to our previous studies using the Hip1 null allele, an inhibition of tumorigenesis was not observed as a result of the homozygosity of the nonsense Delta 3-5 allele. To further examine the contrasting results from the prior Hip1 mutant mice, we cultured tumor cells from homozygous Delta 3-5 allele-bearing mice and discovered the presence of a 110-kDa form of HIP1 in tumor cells. Upon sequencing of Hip1 DNA and message from these tumors, we determined that this 110-kDa form of HIP1 is the product of splicing of a cryptic U12-type AT-AC intron. This event results in the insertion of an AG dinucleotide between exons 2 and 6 and restoration of the reading frame. Remarkably, this mutant protein retains its capacity to bind lipids, clathrin, AP2, and epidermal growth factor receptor providing a possible explanation for why tumorigenesis was not altered after this knockout mutation. Our data show how knowledge of the transcript that is produced by a knockout allele can lead to discovery of novel types of molecular compensation at the level of splicing.

Use of a Cryptic Splice Site for the Expression of Huntingtin Interacting Protein 1 in Select Normal and Neoplastic Tissues

PubMed Central

Graves, Chiron W.; Philips, Steven T.; Bradley, Sarah V.; Oravecz-Wilson, Katherine I.; Li, Lina; Gauvin, Alice; Ross, Theodora S.

2011-01-01

Huntingtin interacting protein 1 (HIP1) is a 116-kDa endocytic protein, which is necessary for the maintenance of several tissues in vivo as its deficiency leads to degenerative adult phenotypes. HIP1 deficiency also inhibits prostate tumor progression in mice. To better understand how deficiency of HIP1 leads to such phenotypes, we analyzed tumorigenic potential in mice homozygous for a Hip1 mutant allele, designated Hip1Δ3-5, which is predicted to result in a frame-shifted, nonsense mutation in the NH2 terminus of HIP1. In contrast to our previous studies using the Hip1 null allele, an inhibition of tumorigenesis was not observed as a result of the homozygosity of the nonsense Δ3-5 allele. To further examine the contrasting results from the prior Hip1 mutant mice, we cultured tumor cells from homozygous Δ3-5 allele–bearing mice and discovered the presence of a 110-kDa form of HIP1 in tumor cells. Upon sequencing of Hip1 DNA and message from these tumors, we determined that this 110-kDa form of HIP1 is the product of splicing of a cryptic U12-type AT-AC intron. This event results in the insertion of an AG dinucleotide between exons 2 and 6 and restoration of the reading frame. Remarkably, this mutant protein retains its capacity to bind lipids, clathrin, AP2, and epidermal growth factor receptor providing a possible explanation for why tumorigenesis was not altered after this knockout mutation. Our data show how knowledge of the transcript that is produced by a knockout allele can lead to discovery of novel types of molecular compensation at the level of splicing. PMID:18281481

Microfollicular adenoma of ectopic thyroid gland masquerading as salivary gland tumor - a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge: a case report.

PubMed

Deshmukh, Sanjay D; Khandeparkar, Siddhi G Sinai; Gulati, Harveen K; Naik, Chetana S

2014-08-07

Ectopic thyroid tissue may appear in any location along the trajectory of the thyroglossal duct from the foramen cecum to the mediastinum. Rarely, there is incomplete descent of the gland where the final resting point may be high resulting in sublingual ectopic thyroid tissue. Ectopic thyroid tissue carries a low risk of malignancy. Most recently reported neoplasms in ectopic thyroid tissue have been papillary carcinoma of thyroid. Individual case reports of clear cell type of follicular adenoma within the ectopic thyroid tissue have been described in the literature. We present a rare case of microfollicular follicular adenoma in an ectopic sublingual thyroid tissue presenting as submental swelling in a euthyroid 24-year-old Dravidian woman. Findings in this case emphasize that when confronted with a submental/sublingual mass lesion, the evaluation of thyroid function tests and ultrasonography of the neck should be included in a pre-operative workup.

The history of the diagnosis and treatment of ectopic pregnancy: a medical adventure.

PubMed

Lurie, S

1992-01-09

From its indirect reference by Abulcasis (936-1013) and until the 19th century the ectopic pregnancy was known as a universally fatal accident. By reporting successful treatment of tubal pregnancy with salpingectomy in 1884 Robert Lawson Tait (1845-1899) started an era of almost 70 years of exclusively extirpative treatment of ectopic pregnancy. The technologic revolution of the 20th century improved diagnostic capabilities so that diagnosis of unruptured ectopic pregnancy becomes feasible and even mandatory. Side by side our understanding of the natural history of ectopic pregnancy improved. Many patients with early-resolving ectopic pregnancies escape surgical treatment. Preservation of future fertility became possible with the introduction of conservative surgical procedures and with the use of methotrexate. The main achievement in the treatment of ectopic pregnancy over the past 110 years is the dramatic decrease in mortality rate: from 72-90% in 1880 to 0.14% in 1990.

Meckel's diverticulum and ectopic epithelium: Evaluation of a complex relationship

PubMed Central

Burjonrappa, Sathyaprasad; Khaing, Phue

2014-01-01

Introduction: Meckel's diverticulum is the most common congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract. Currently, for any incidentally discovered Meckel's diverticulum, the management approach is based on weighing the statistical odds of future complications against the risks of a diverticulectomy. Materials and Methods: The temporal relationship between age at Meckel's diverticulectomy and the presence of ectopic epithelium was evaluated in our series. A meta-analysis of all reported recent literature on this condition was subsequently performed to evaluate the strength of the relationship between ectopic epithelium and symptomatic Meckel's diverticulum. Results: There was a paucity of ectopic epithelium in Meckel's diverticulectomy specimens in infants operated on at less than 1 year of age. Having two or more ectopic epithelia in a diverticulum does not appear to carry an additive risk for complications. The meta-analysis confirmed that ectopic epithelium was the most significant factor that influenced surgical intervention in all series of Meckel's diverticulum. Conclusion: The relationship between ectopic epithelium and the development of symptomatic Meckel's diverticulum is complex. Further understanding of the development of ectopic rests in the diverticulum will facilitate elucidating the pathophysiology in symptomatic cases. PMID:24741211

Meckel's diverticulum and ectopic epithelium: Evaluation of a complex relationship.

PubMed

Burjonrappa, Sathyaprasad; Khaing, Phue

2014-04-01

Meckel's diverticulum is the most common congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract. Currently, for any incidentally discovered Meckel's diverticulum, the management approach is based on weighing the statistical odds of future complications against the risks of a diverticulectomy. The temporal relationship between age at Meckel's diverticulectomy and the presence of ectopic epithelium was evaluated in our series. A meta-analysis of all reported recent literature on this condition was subsequently performed to evaluate the strength of the relationship between ectopic epithelium and symptomatic Meckel's diverticulum. There was a paucity of ectopic epithelium in Meckel's diverticulectomy specimens in infants operated on at less than 1 year of age. Having two or more ectopic epithelia in a diverticulum does not appear to carry an additive risk for complications. The meta-analysis confirmed that ectopic epithelium was the most significant factor that influenced surgical intervention in all series of Meckel's diverticulum. The relationship between ectopic epithelium and the development of symptomatic Meckel's diverticulum is complex. Further understanding of the development of ectopic rests in the diverticulum will facilitate elucidating the pathophysiology in symptomatic cases.

Inferior ectopic pupil and typical ocular coloboma in RCS rats.

PubMed

Tsuji, Naho; Ozaki, Kiyokazu; Narama, Isao; Matsuura, Tetsuro

2011-08-01

Ocular coloboma is sometimes accompanied by corectopia in humans and therefore ectopic pupil may indicate ocular coloboma in experimental animals. The RCS strain of rats has a low incidence of microphthalmia. We found that inferior ectopic pupil is associated exclusively with small-sized eyes in this strain. The objective of the current study was to evaluate whether inferior ectopic pupil is associated with iridal coloboma and other types of ocular coloboma in RCS rats. Both eyes of RCS rats were examined clinically, and those with inferior ectopic pupils underwent morphologic and morphometric examinations. In a prenatal study, coronal serial sections of eyeballs from fetuses at gestational day 16.5 were examined by using light microscopy. Ectopic pupils in RCS rats were found exclusively in an inferior position, where the iris was shortened. Fundic examination revealed severe chorioretinal coloboma in all cases of inferior ectopic pupil. The morphologic characteristics closely resembled those of chorioretinal coloboma in humans. Histopathologic examination of primordia showed incomplete closure of the optic fissure in 4 eyeballs of RCS fetuses. Neither F(1) rats nor N(2) (progeny of RCS × BN matings) displayed any ocular anomalies, including ectopic pupils. The RCS strain is a suitable model for human ocular coloboma, and inferior ectopic pupil appears to be a strong indicator of ocular coloboma.

Inferior Ectopic Pupil and Typical Ocular Coloboma in RCS Rats

PubMed Central

Tsuji, Naho; Ozaki, Kiyokazu; Narama, Isao; Matsuura, Tetsuro

2011-01-01

Ocular coloboma is sometimes accompanied by corectopia in humans and therefore ectopic pupil may indicate ocular coloboma in experimental animals. The RCS strain of rats has a low incidence of microphthalmia. We found that inferior ectopic pupil is associated exclusively with small-sized eyes in this strain. The objective of the current study was to evaluate whether inferior ectopic pupil is associated with iridal coloboma and other types of ocular coloboma in RCS rats. Both eyes of RCS rats were examined clinically, and those with inferior ectopic pupils underwent morphologic and morphometric examinations. In a prenatal study, coronal serial sections of eyeballs from fetuses at gestational day 16.5 were examined by using light microscopy. Ectopic pupils in RCS rats were found exclusively in an inferior position, where the iris was shortened. Fundic examination revealed severe chorioretinal coloboma in all cases of inferior ectopic pupil. The morphologic characteristics closely resembled those of chorioretinal coloboma in humans. Histopathologic examination of primordia showed incomplete closure of the optic fissure in 4 eyeballs of RCS fetuses. Neither F1 rats nor N2 (progeny of RCS × BN matings) displayed any ocular anomalies, including ectopic pupils. The RCS strain is a suitable model for human ocular coloboma, and inferior ectopic pupil appears to be a strong indicator of ocular coloboma. PMID:22330254

Frozen-Thawed Embryo Transfer Cycles Have a Lower Incidence of Ectopic Pregnancy Compared With Fresh Embryo Transfer Cycles.

PubMed

Zhang, Xinyu; Ma, Caihong; Wu, Zhangxin; Tao, Liyuan; Li, Rong; Liu, Ping; Qiao, Jie

2017-01-01

To evaluate the risk of ectopic pregnancy of embryo transfer. A retrospective cohort study on the incidence of ectopic pregnancy in fresh and frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles from January 1 st , 2010, to January 1 st , 2015. Infertile women undergoing frozen-thawed transfer cycles or fresh transfer cycles. In-vitro fertilization, fresh embryo transfer, frozen-thawed embryo transfer, ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy rate and clinical pregnancy rate. A total of 69 756 in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer cycles from 2010 to 2015 were analyzed, including 45 960 (65.9%) fresh and 23 796 (34.1%) frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles. The clinical pregnancy rate per embryo transfer was slightly lower in fresh embryo transfer cycles compared with frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles (40.8% vs 43.1%, P < .001). Frozen-thawed embryo transfer is associated with a lower incidence of ectopic pregnancy per clinical pregnancy, compared with fresh embryo transfers (odds ratio = 0.31; 95% confidence interval = 0.24-0.39). Female age and body mass index have no influence on ectopic pregnancy. In the frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles, blastocyst transfer shows a significantly lower incidence of ectopic pregnancy (0.8% vs 1.8%, P = .002) in comparison with day 3 cleavage embryo transfer. The risk of ectopic pregnancy is lower in frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles than fresh embryo transfer cycles, and blastocyst transfer could further decrease the ectopic pregnancy rate in frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles.

Cuticular hydrocarbon phenotypes do not indicate cryptic species in fungus-growing termites (Isoptera: Macrotermitinae).

PubMed

Marten, Andreas; Kaib, Manfred; Brandl, Roland

2009-05-01

In several termite species, distinct differences in the composition of cuticular hydrocarbons among colonies correspond to high genetic divergence of mitochondrial DNA sequences. These observations suggest that hydrocarbon phenotypes represent cryptic species. Different cuticular hydrocarbon phenotypes also are found among colonies of fungus-growing termites of the genus Macrotermes. To determine if these hydrocarbon differences in Macrotermes also indicate cryptic species, we sequenced the mitochondrial CO I gene from species in West and East Africa. Among individuals of a supposed species but belonging to different cuticular hydrocarbon phenotypes, the genetic distances are much smaller than distances between species. Unlike what has been observed in other termites, Macrotermes hydrocarbon phenotypes do not represent cryptic species. Our findings suggest fundamental differences in the evolution and/or function of cuticular hydrocarbons among different termite lineages.

Why do cryptic species tend not to co-occur? A case study on two cryptic pairs of butterflies.

PubMed

Vodă, Raluca; Dapporto, Leonardo; Dincă, Vlad; Vila, Roger

2015-01-01

As cryptic diversity is being discovered, mostly thanks to advances in molecular techniques, it is becoming evident that many of these taxa display parapatric distributions in mainland and that they rarely coexist on islands. Genetic landscapes, haplotype networks and ecological niche modeling analyses were performed for two pairs of non-sister cryptic butterfly species, Aricia agestis-A. cramera and Polyommatus icarus-P. celina (Lycaenidae), to specifically assess non-coexistence on western Mediterranean islands, and to test potential causes producing such chequered distribution patterns. We show that the morphologically and ecologically equivalent pairs of species do not coexist on any of the studied islands, although nearly all islands are colonized by one of them. According to our models, the cryptic pairs displayed marked climatic preferences and 'precipitation during the driest quarter' was recovered as the most important climatic determinant. However, neither dispersal capacity, nor climatic or ecological factors fully explain the observed distributions across particular sea straits, and the existence of species interactions resulting in mutual exclusion is suggested as a necessary hypothesis. Given that the studied species are habitat generalists, feeding on virtually unlimited resources, we propose that reproductive interference, together with climatic preferences, sustain density-dependent mechanisms like "founder takes all" and impede coexistence on islands. Chequered distributions among cryptic taxa, both sister and non-sister, are common in butterflies, suggesting that the phenomenon revealed here could be important in determining biodiversity patterns.

FOLLITROPIN RECEPTORS CONTAIN CRYPTIC LIGAND BINDING SITES1

PubMed Central

Lin, Win; Bernard, Michael P.; Cao, Donghui; Myers, Rebecca V.; Kerrigan, John E.; Moyle, William R.

2007-01-01

Human choriogonadotropin (hCG) and follitropin (hFSH) have been shown to contact different regions of the extracellular domains of G-protein coupled lutropin (LHR) and follitropin (FSHR) receptors. We report here that hCG and hFSH analogs interact with an FSHR/LHR chimera having only two unique LHR residues similar to the manners in which they dock with LHR and FSHR, respectively. This shows that although the FSHR does not normally bind hCG, it contains a cryptic lutropin binding site that has the potential to recognize hCG in a manner similar to the LHR. The presence of this cryptic site may explain why equine lutropins bind many mammalian FSHR and why mutations in the transmembrane domain distant from the extracellular domain enable the FSHR to bind hCG. The leucine-rich repeat domain (LRD) of the FSHR also appears to contain a cryptic FSH binding site that is obscured by other parts of the extracellular domain. This will explain why contacts seen in crystals of hFSH complexed with an LRD fragment of the human FSHR are hard to reconcile with the abilities of FSH analogs to interact with membrane G-protein coupled FSHR. We speculate that cryptic lutropin binding sites in the FSHR, which are also likely to be present in thyrotropin receptors (TSHR), permit the physiological regulation of ligand binding specificity. Cryptic FSH binding sites in the LRD may enable alternate spliced forms of the FSHR to interact with FSH. PMID:17059863

Cryptic diversity and ecosystem functioning: a complex tale of differential effects on decomposition.

PubMed

De Meester, N; Gingold, R; Rigaux, A; Derycke, S; Moens, T

2016-10-01

Marine ecosystems are experiencing accelerating population and species loss. Some ecosystem functions are decreasing and there is growing interest in the link between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The role of cryptic (morphologically identical but genetically distinct) species in this biodiversity-ecosystem functioning link is unclear and has not yet been formally tested. We tested if there is a differential effect of four cryptic species of the bacterivorous nematode Litoditis marina on the decomposition process of macroalgae. Bacterivorous nematodes can stimulate or slow down bacterial activity and modify the bacterial assemblage composition. Moreover, we tested if interspecific interactions among the four cryptic species influence the decomposition process. A laboratory experiment with both mono- and multispecific nematode cultures was conducted, and loss of organic matter and the activity of two key extracellular enzymes for the degradation of phytodetritus were assessed. L. marina mainly influenced qualitative aspects of the decomposition process rather than its overall rate: an effect of the nematodes on the enzymatic activities became manifest, although no clear nematode effect on bulk organic matter weight loss was found. We also demonstrated that species-specific effects on the decomposition process existed. Combining the four cryptic species resulted in high competition, with one dominant species, but without complete exclusion of other species. These interspecific interactions translated into different effects on the decomposition process. The species-specific differences indicated that each cryptic species may play an important and distinct role in ecosystem functioning. Functional differences may result in coexistence among very similar species.

Why Do Cryptic Species Tend Not to Co-Occur? A Case Study on Two Cryptic Pairs of Butterflies

PubMed Central

Vodă, Raluca; Dapporto, Leonardo; Dincă, Vlad; Vila, Roger

2015-01-01

As cryptic diversity is being discovered, mostly thanks to advances in molecular techniques, it is becoming evident that many of these taxa display parapatric distributions in mainland and that they rarely coexist on islands. Genetic landscapes, haplotype networks and ecological niche modeling analyses were performed for two pairs of non-sister cryptic butterfly species, Aricia agestis-A. cramera and Polyommatus icarus—P. celina (Lycaenidae), to specifically assess non-coexistence on western Mediterranean islands, and to test potential causes producing such chequered distribution patterns. We show that the morphologically and ecologically equivalent pairs of species do not coexist on any of the studied islands, although nearly all islands are colonized by one of them. According to our models, the cryptic pairs displayed marked climatic preferences and ‘precipitation during the driest quarter’ was recovered as the most important climatic determinant. However, neither dispersal capacity, nor climatic or ecological factors fully explain the observed distributions across particular sea straits, and the existence of species interactions resulting in mutual exclusion is suggested as a necessary hypothesis. Given that the studied species are habitat generalists, feeding on virtually unlimited resources, we propose that reproductive interference, together with climatic preferences, sustain density-dependent mechanisms like “founder takes all” and impede coexistence on islands. Chequered distributions among cryptic taxa, both sister and non-sister, are common in butterflies, suggesting that the phenomenon revealed here could be important in determining biodiversity patterns. PMID:25692577

Evolution in karst massifs: Cryptic diversity among bent-toed geckos along the Truong Son Range with descriptions of three new species and one new country record from Laos.

PubMed

Luu, Vinh Quang; Bonkowski, Michael; Nguyen, Truong Quang; Le, Minh Duc; Schneider, Nicole; Ngo, Hanh Thi; Ziegler, Thomas

2016-05-02

Species designated as 'cryptic' share a similar morphotype, and are often only clearly separable by molecular data. Cyrtodactylus, the most diverse gecko genus of the family Gekkonidae, is a prime example, because many morphologically similar taxa have only recently been identified as new species as a result of available genetic evidence. However, while cryptic diversity of Cyrtodactylus is already well documented on the Vietnamese side of the Truong Son range, only scarce data is available from central Laos. In this study, we address this issue by means of an integrative approach, which employs morphological, molecular, and ecological data to distinguish cryptic species of the Cyrtodacylus phongnhakebangensis species group primarily distributed along the northern Truong Son Range. Our analyses based on 12 selected morphological characters, a partial mitochondrial gene (COI), and five ecological parameters revealed three undescribed cryptic Cyrtodactylus species from Hin Nam No National Protected Area, which are described as Cyrtodactylus calamei sp. nov., Cyrtodactylus hinnamnoensis sp. nov., and Cyrtodactylus sommerladi sp. nov. A fourth discovered Cyrtodactylus population in Hin Nam No proved to be the first country record of C. cryptus for Laos. Our results highlight the importance of applying an integrative approach to resolving the taxonomy of complex and cryptic species groups, and the role of the Truong Son Range in maintaining the high level of biodiversity over time.

Causes and methods to estimate cryptic sources of fishing mortality.

PubMed

Gilman, E; Suuronen, P; Hall, M; Kennelly, S

2013-10-01

Cryptic, not readily detectable, components of fishing mortality are not routinely accounted for in fisheries management because of a lack of adequate data, and for some components, a lack of accurate estimation methods. Cryptic fishing mortalities can cause adverse ecological effects, are a source of wastage, reduce the sustainability of fishery resources and, when unaccounted for, can cause errors in stock assessments and population models. Sources of cryptic fishing mortality are (1) pre-catch losses, where catch dies from the fishing operation but is not brought onboard when the gear is retrieved, (2) ghost-fishing mortality by fishing gear that was abandoned, lost or discarded, (3) post-release mortality of catch that is retrieved and then released alive but later dies as a result of stress and injury sustained from the fishing interaction, (4) collateral mortalities indirectly caused by various ecological effects of fishing and (5) losses due to synergistic effects of multiple interacting sources of stress and injury from fishing operations, or from cumulative stress and injury caused by repeated sub-lethal interactions with fishing operations. To fill a gap in international guidance on best practices, causes and methods for estimating each component of cryptic fishing mortality are described, and considerations for their effective application are identified. Research priorities to fill gaps in understanding the causes and estimating cryptic mortality are highlighted. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology © 2013 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Ectopic expression of different cytokinin-regulated transcription factor genes of Arabidopsis thaliana alters plant growth and development.

PubMed

Köllmer, Ireen; Werner, Tomáš; Schmülling, Thomas

2011-08-15

The plant hormone cytokinin rapidly alters the steady state transcript levels of a number of transcription factor genes suggesting that these might have a function in mediating cytokinin effects. Here we report the analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana plants with an altered expression level of four different cytokinin-regulated transcription factor genes. These include GATA22 (also known as CGA1/GNL), two genes coding for members of the homeodomain zip (HD zip) class II transcription factor family (HAT4, HAT22), and bHLH64. Ectopic expression of the GATA22 gene induced the development of chloroplasts in root tissue where it is normally suppressed and led to the formation of shorter and less branched roots. Overexpression of HAT22 lowered the seedlings chlorophyll content and caused an earlier onset of leaf senescence. Enhanced expression of the HAT4 gene led to severe defects in inflorescence stem development and to a decrease in root growth and branching, while hat4 insertional mutants developed a larger root system. 35S:bHLH64 transgenic plants showed a pleiotropic phenotype, consisting of larger rosettes, reduced chlorophyll content and an elongated and thickened hypocotyl. Flower development was strongly disturbed leading to sterile plants. The results are consistent with specific functions of these transcription factor genes in regulating part of the cytokinin activities and suggest their action as convergence point with other signalling pathways, particularly those of gibberellin and light. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Submandibular ectopic thyroid with normally located thyroid gland.

PubMed

Yılmaz, Mahmut Sinan; Aytürk, Semra; Güven, Mehmet; Dilek, Fatma Hüsniye

2014-01-01

Ectopic thyroid is a rare developmental anomaly of the thyroid gland which is defined as the presence of thyroid tissue at a site other than the pretracheal area. Nearly 1 to 3% of all ectopic thyroids are located in the lateral neck. Simultaneous submandibular ectopic thyroid tissue presenting with a functional orthotopic thyroid gland is extremely rare. In this article, we report a 37-year-old female case admitted to our clinic with a complaint of swollen neck in whom ultrasonography revealed submandibular ectopic thyroid tissue presenting with an orthotopic thyroid gland.

Ectopic pregnancy.

PubMed

Carr, R J; Evans, P

2000-03-01

Ectopic pregnancy occurs in approximately 2% of all pregnancies in the United States, and is the nation's leading cause of first trimester maternal death. Its incidence has increased sixfold in the past 25 years, despite significant improvements in techniques for early diagnosis and management. This article reviews the epidemiology, risk factors, and common clinical presentations of ectopic pregnancy. Both traditional and newly developed strategies for diagnosis and management are described. The primary care physician is in an excellent position to screen for and diagnose ectopic pregnancy, and to counsel patients regarding treatment options and future risks. With the increasing trend toward outpatient nonsurgical management of ectopics, it is expected that the roll of the primary care physician in managing patients with ectopic pregnancy will continue to increase.

Use of radiation to discourage ectopic bone. A nine-year study in surgery about the hip

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Coventry, M.B.; Scanlon, P.W.

1981-02-01

Patients who had total hip arthroplasty were categorized according to the risk of development of ectopic bone. Radiation therapy was administered after operation to those considered to be at high risk of formation of ectopic bone. The dosage used was 2000 rads given in ten fractions (875 rets). Forty-eight hips in forty-two patients were treated from 1970 to 1977. Massive formation of ectopic bone did not occur in any hip when the radiation was given relatively early after operation. Thus, we believe that radiation aids in the prevention of formation of ectopic bone. Radiation was found to be of doubtfulmore » value, however, hence the ectopic bone was visible on radiography.« less

High levels of cryptic species diversity uncovered in Amazonian frogs

PubMed Central

Funk, W. Chris; Caminer, Marcel; Ron, Santiago R.

2012-01-01

One of the greatest challenges for biodiversity conservation is the poor understanding of species diversity. Molecular methods have dramatically improved our ability to uncover cryptic species, but the magnitude of cryptic diversity remains unknown, particularly in diverse tropical regions such as the Amazon Basin. Uncovering cryptic diversity in amphibians is particularly pressing because amphibians are going extinct globally at an alarming rate. Here, we use an integrative analysis of two independent Amazonian frog clades, Engystomops toadlets and Hypsiboas treefrogs, to test whether species richness is underestimated and, if so, by how much. We sampled intensively in six countries with a focus in Ecuador (Engystomops: 252 individuals from 36 localities; Hypsiboas: 208 individuals from 65 localities) and combined mitochondrial DNA, nuclear DNA, morphological, and bioacoustic data to detect cryptic species. We found that in both clades, species richness was severely underestimated, with more undescribed species than described species. In Engystomops, the two currently recognized species are actually five to seven species (a 150–250% increase in species richness); in Hypsiboas, two recognized species represent six to nine species (a 200–350% increase). Our results suggest that Amazonian frog biodiversity is much more severely underestimated than previously thought. PMID:22130600

High-model abundance may permit the gradual evolution of Batesian mimicry: an experimental test

PubMed Central

Kikuchi, David W.; Pfennig, David W.

2010-01-01

In Batesian mimicry, a harmless species (the ‘mimic’) resembles a dangerous species (the ‘model’) and is thus protected from predators. It is often assumed that the mimetic phenotype evolves from a cryptic phenotype, but it is unclear how a population can transition through intermediate phenotypes; such intermediates may receive neither the benefits of crypsis nor mimicry. Here, we ask if selection against intermediates weakens with increasing model abundance. We also ask if mimicry has evolved from cryptic phenotypes in a mimetic clade. We first present an ancestral character-state reconstruction showing that mimicry of a coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) by the scarlet kingsnake (Lampropeltis elapsoides) evolved from a cryptic phenotype. We then evaluate predation rates on intermediate phenotypes relative to cryptic and mimetic phenotypes under conditions of both high- and low-model abundances. Our results indicate that where coral snakes are rare, intermediate phenotypes are attacked more often than cryptic and mimetic phenotypes, indicating the presence of an adaptive valley. However, where coral snakes are abundant, intermediate phenotypes are not attacked more frequently, resulting in an adaptive landscape without a valley. Thus, high-model abundance may facilitate the evolution of Batesian mimicry. PMID:19955153

High-model abundance may permit the gradual evolution of Batesian mimicry: an experimental test.

PubMed

Kikuchi, David W; Pfennig, David W

2010-04-07

In Batesian mimicry, a harmless species (the 'mimic') resembles a dangerous species (the 'model') and is thus protected from predators. It is often assumed that the mimetic phenotype evolves from a cryptic phenotype, but it is unclear how a population can transition through intermediate phenotypes; such intermediates may receive neither the benefits of crypsis nor mimicry. Here, we ask if selection against intermediates weakens with increasing model abundance. We also ask if mimicry has evolved from cryptic phenotypes in a mimetic clade. We first present an ancestral character-state reconstruction showing that mimicry of a coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) by the scarlet kingsnake (Lampropeltis elapsoides) evolved from a cryptic phenotype. We then evaluate predation rates on intermediate phenotypes relative to cryptic and mimetic phenotypes under conditions of both high- and low-model abundances. Our results indicate that where coral snakes are rare, intermediate phenotypes are attacked more often than cryptic and mimetic phenotypes, indicating the presence of an adaptive valley. However, where coral snakes are abundant, intermediate phenotypes are not attacked more frequently, resulting in an adaptive landscape without a valley. Thus, high-model abundance may facilitate the evolution of Batesian mimicry.

Cryptic introductions and the interpretation of island biodiversity.

PubMed

Avery, Julian D; Fonseca, Dina M; Campagne, Pascal; Lockwood, Julie L

2013-04-01

Species with cryptic origins (i.e. those that cannot be reliably classed as native or non-native) present a particular challenge to our understanding of the generation and maintenance of biodiversity. Such species may be especially common on islands given that some islands have had a relatively recent history of human settlement. It is likely that select island species considered native might have achieved their current distributions via direct or indirect human actions. As an example, we explore the origins of eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis bermudensis) on the island of Bermuda. Considered native to the island and a distinct subspecies, this population has diverged in morphology relative to mainland North America. Using microsatellite markers and simulation of island colonization, we show that the Bermuda population of bluebirds is the likely result of a single colonization event that occurred during the 1600s, making this a cryptic invader. To our knowledge, this is one of the youngest examples of a terrestrial vertebrate cryptic invader. We suggest that the eastern bluebird is not an isolated case of cryptic invader on either Bermuda or elsewhere and that caution be exercised when studying present-day distributions of organisms. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Loss of PodJ in Agrobacterium tumefaciens Leads to Ectopic Polar Growth, Branching, and Reduced Cell Division

PubMed Central

Anderson-Furgeson, James C.; Zupan, John R.; Grangeon, Romain

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a rod-shaped Gram-negative bacterium that elongates by unipolar addition of new cell envelope material. Approaching cell division, the growth pole transitions to a nongrowing old pole, and the division site creates new growth poles in sibling cells. The A. tumefaciens homolog of the Caulobacter crescentus polar organizing protein PopZ localizes specifically to growth poles. In contrast, the A. tumefaciens homolog of the C. crescentus polar organelle development protein PodJ localizes to the old pole early in the cell cycle and accumulates at the growth pole as the cell cycle proceeds. FtsA and FtsZ also localize to the growth pole for most of the cell cycle prior to Z-ring formation. To further characterize the function of polar localizing proteins, we created a deletion of A. tumefaciens podJ (podJAt). ΔpodJAt cells display ectopic growth poles (branching), growth poles that fail to transition to an old pole, and elongated cells that fail to divide. In ΔpodJAt cells, A. tumefaciens PopZ-green fluorescent protein (PopZAt-GFP) persists at nontransitioning growth poles postdivision and also localizes to ectopic growth poles, as expected for a growth-pole-specific factor. Even though GFP-PodJAt does not localize to the midcell in the wild type, deletion of podJAt impacts localization, stability, and function of Z-rings as assayed by localization of FtsA-GFP and FtsZ-GFP. Z-ring defects are further evidenced by minicell production. Together, these data indicate that PodJAt is a critical factor for polar growth and that ΔpodJAt cells display a cell division phenotype, likely because the growth pole cannot transition to an old pole. IMPORTANCE How rod-shaped prokaryotes develop and maintain shape is complicated by the fact that at least two distinct species-specific growth modes exist: uniform sidewall insertion of cell envelope material, characterized in model organisms such as Escherichia coli, and unipolar growth, which occurs in several alphaproteobacteria, including Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Essential components for unipolar growth are largely uncharacterized, and the mechanism constraining growth to one pole of a wild-type cell is unknown. Here, we report that the deletion of a polar development gene, podJAt, results in cells exhibiting ectopic polar growth, including multiple growth poles and aberrant localization of cell division and polar growth-associated proteins. These data suggest that PodJAt is a critical factor in normal polar growth and impacts cell division in A. tumefaciens. PMID:27137498

Insertional Polymorphisms of Endogenous Feline Leukemia Viruses

PubMed Central

Roca, Alfred L.; Nash, William G.; Menninger, Joan C.; Murphy, William J.; O'Brien, Stephen J.

2005-01-01

The number, chromosomal distribution, and insertional polymorphisms of endogenous feline leukemia viruses (enFeLVs) were determined in four domestic cats (Burmese, Egyptian Mau, Persian, and nonbreed) using fluorescent in situ hybridization and radiation hybrid mapping. Twenty-nine distinct enFeLV loci were detected across 12 of the 18 autosomes. Each cat carried enFeLV at only 9 to 16 of the loci, and many loci were heterozygous for presence of the provirus. Thus, an average of 19 autosomal copies of enFeLV were present per cat diploid genome. Only five of the autosomal enFeLV sites were present in all four cats, and at only one autosomal locus, B4q15, was enFeLV present in both homologues of all four cats. A single enFeLV occurred in the X chromosome of the Burmese cat, while three to five enFeLV proviruses occurred in each Y chromosome. The X chromosome and nine autosomal enFeLV loci were telomeric, suggesting that ectopic recombination between nonhomologous subtelomeres may contribute to enFeLV distribution. Since endogenous FeLVs may affect the infectiousness or pathogenicity of exogenous FeLVs, genomic variation in enFeLVs represents a candidate for genetic influences on FeLV leukemogenesis in cats. PMID:15767400

Endovascular technique using a snare and suture for retrieving a migrated peripherally inserted central catheter in the left pulmonary artery

PubMed Central

Teragawa, Hiroki; Sueda, Takashi; Fujii, Yuichi; Takemoto, Hiroaki; Toyota, Yasushi; Nomura, Shuichi; Nakagawa, Keigo

2013-01-01

We report a successful endovascular technique using a snare with a suture for retrieving a migrated broken peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) in a chemotherapy patient. A 62-year-old male received monthly chemotherapy through a central venous port implanted into his right subclavian area. The patient completed chemotherapy without complications 1 mo ago; however, he experienced pain in the right subclavian area during his last chemotherapy session. Computed tomography on that day showed migration of a broken PICC in his left pulmonary artery, for which the patient was admitted to our hospital. We attempted to retrieve the ectopic PICC through the right jugular vein using a gooseneck snare, but were unsuccessful because the catheter was lodged in the pulmonary artery wall. Therefore, a second attempt was made through the right femoral vein using a snare with triple loops, but we could not grasp the migrated PICC. Finally, a string was tied to the top of the snare, allowing us to curve the snare toward the pulmonary artery by pulling the string. Finally, the catheter body was grasped and retrieved. The endovascular suture technique is occasionally extremely useful and should be considered by interventional cardiologists for retrieving migrated catheters. PMID:24109502

Human Chorionic Gonadotropine in Cul-de-sac Fluid in Tubal Ectopic Pregnacy; A New Diagnostic Approach.

PubMed

Karahasanoglu, Ayse; Uzun, Isil; Ozdemir, Mucize; Yazicioglu, Fehmi

2016-04-01

Although new diagnostic abilities are being utilised increasingly yet early detection of tubal pregnancy remains a challenge. The use of highly sensitive hCG kits has facilitated the early diagnosis of a pregnancy. But it takes time to determine the localisation of the pregnancy. Early diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy may reduce the morbidity of ectopic pregnancy. This study was conducted to analyse the cul-de-sac and serum βhCG ratio in tubal ectopic pregnancy cases which may be a new diagnostic approach for ectopic pregnancy. Between January 2004 and July 2011, 263 patients with ectopic pregnancy were included in the study. Risk factors of patients and treatment modalities were evaluated. hCG was measured in peripheral serum and peritoneal fluid, obtained by puncture of Douglas pouch in 52 patients with tubal ectopic pregnancy. hCG level was determined in the cul-de-sac fluid and in the maternal serum for comparison. Tubectomy (5.3%), history of abortion (9.5%), history of previous surgery (14.8%), previous cesarean section (8%) and pelvic infamatorry disease (15.9 %) were the important risk factors for ectopic pregnancy in our cases. In 51 of 52 patients with tubal pregnancy, the cul-de-sac hCG vaule and the serum hCG value ratio was >1. It is concluded that the ratio of hCG in cul-de -sac and serum can be used for the verification of tubal ectopic pregnancy in addition to other diagnostic methods. This may help rapid confirmation of the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy.

Prevalence of ectopic intrathyroidal thymus in Japan: the Fukushima health management survey.

PubMed

Fukushima, Toshihiko; Suzuki, Satoru; Ohira, Tetsuya; Shimura, Hiroki; Midorikawa, Sanae; Ohtsuru, Akira; Sakai, Akira; Abe, Masafumi; Yamashita, Shunichi; Suzuki, Shinichi

2015-05-01

Ectopic intrathyroidal thymus is thought to be a rare entity, often discovered incidentally, and is due to aberrant thymic migration during embryogenesis. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of ectopic intrathyroidal thymus in children using ultrasound screening. This study was cross-sectional and was conducted with the initial preliminary survey of the Fukushima Health Management Survey between October 9, 2011, and March 31, 2012, after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. A total of 37,816 children were examined in the survey. Diagnostic criteria are based on the ultrasonographic appearance of ectopic intrathyroidal thymus, which were round, oval, or polygonal hypoechoic or hyperechoic areas, with multiple granular and punctate echogenic foci. A total of 375 (0.99%) cases (164 girls) with ectopic intrathyroidal thymus were observed. The mean age was 7.0 years (range 0-18 years). Ectopic intrathyroidal thymus was located in the right (n=180), left (n=178), or bilateral (n=17) thyroid lobes. The incidence of ectopic intrathyroidal thymus was inversely correlated with age and body mass index. The results reflect the prevalence of ectopic intrathyroidal thymus using ultrasonography in the general population. Further examination will be needed by way of longitudinal follow-up.

Ectopic Pregnancy

MedlinePlus

... woman is pregnant. If you have an ectopic pregnancy, the fertilized egg grows in the wrong place, ... tubes. The result is usually a miscarriage. Ectopic pregnancy can be a medical emergency if it ruptures. ...

A new cryptic virus belonging to the family Partitiviridae was found in watermelon co-infected with Melon necrotic spot virus.

PubMed

Sela, Noa; Lachman, Oded; Reingold, Victoria; Dombrovsky, Aviv

2013-10-01

A novel virus was detected in watermelon plants (Citrullus lanatus Thunb.) infected with Melon necrotic spot virus (MNSV) using SOLiD next-generation sequence analysis. In addition to the expected MSNV genome, two double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) segments of 1,312 and 1,118 bp were also identified and sequenced from the purified virus preparations. These two dsRNA segments encode two putative partitivirus-related proteins, an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) and a capsid protein, which were sequenced. Genomic-sequence analysis and analysis of phylogenetic relationships indicate that these two dsRNAs together make up the genome of a novel Partitivirus. This virus was found to be closely related to the Pepper cryptic virus 1 and Raphanus sativus cryptic virus. It is suggested that this novel virus putatively named Citrullus lanatus cryptic virus be considered as a new member of the family Partitiviridae.

Ectopic hepatic parenchyma attached to the diaphragm: simulating a pulmonary mass in a cat.

PubMed

Dhaliwal, Ravinder S; Lacey, Janice K

2009-01-01

A case of an ectopic lobe of the liver connected to a normal diaphragm is described. A 9-year-old, castrated male cat underwent thoracotomy for a pulmonary mass. The removed mass was attached to the diaphragm that histologically was ectopic liver. The ectopic liver had no connection with the main liver. Because the occurrence of ectopic supradiaphragmatic hepatic tissue is a possibility, this should be considered as a differential diagnosis for caudal pulmonary or caudal mediastinal masses in a cat. This report describes, to the authors' knowledge, the first case of ectopic hepatic tissue attached to the diaphragm of a cat. The authors also characterize the asymptomatic clinical presentation and radiographic findings of this cat and suggest further imaging with computed tomography in unusual case presentations.

Secondary abdominal appendicular ectopic pregnancy.

PubMed

Nama, Vivek; Gyampoh, Bright; Karoshi, Mahantesh; McRae, Reynold; Opemuyi, Isaac

2007-01-01

Although the case fatality rate for ectopic pregnancies has decreased to 0.08% in industrialized countries, it still represents 3.8% of maternal mortality in the United States alone. In developing countries, the case fatality rate varies from 3% to 27%. Laparoscopic management of tubal pregnancies is now the standard form of treatment where this technology is available. Abdominal pregnancies are rare, and secondary implantation of tubal ectopic pregnancies is the most common cause of abdominal gestations. We present an interesting case of secondary implantation of a tubal ectopic pregnancy to highlight the appendix as a possible secondary implantation site after a tubal ectopic pregnancy.

Accurate population genetic measurements require cryptic species identification in corals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheets, Elizabeth A.; Warner, Patricia A.; Palumbi, Stephen R.

2018-06-01

Correct identification of closely related species is important for reliable measures of gene flow. Incorrectly lumping individuals of different species together has been shown to over- or underestimate population differentiation, but examples highlighting when these different results are observed in empirical datasets are rare. Using 199 single nucleotide polymorphisms, we assigned 768 individuals in the Acropora hyacinthus and A. cytherea morphospecies complexes to each of eight previously identified cryptic genetic species and measured intraspecific genetic differentiation across three geographic scales (within reefs, among reefs within an archipelago, and among Pacific archipelagos). We then compared these calculations to estimated genetic differentiation at each scale with all cryptic genetic species mixed as if we could not tell them apart. At the reef scale, correct genetic species identification yielded lower F ST estimates and fewer significant comparisons than when species were mixed, raising estimates of short-scale gene flow. In contrast, correct genetic species identification at large spatial scales yielded higher F ST measurements than mixed-species comparisons, lowering estimates of long-term gene flow among archipelagos. A meta-analysis of published population genetic studies in corals found similar results: F ST estimates at small spatial scales were lower and significance was found less often in studies that controlled for cryptic species. Our results and these prior datasets controlling for cryptic species suggest that genetic differentiation among local reefs may be lower than what has generally been reported in the literature. Not properly controlling for cryptic species structure can bias population genetic analyses in different directions across spatial scales, and this has important implications for conservation strategies that rely on these estimates.

Shock Condition Forensics and Cryptic Phase Transformations from Crystallographic Orientation Relationships in Zircon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Timms, N. E.; Erickson, T. M.; Cavosie, A. J.; Pearce, M. A.; Reddy, S. M.; Zanetti, M.; Tohver, E.; Schmieder, M.; Nemchin, A. A.; Wittmann, A.

2016-08-01

We present an approach to constrain pressure and temperature conditions during impact events involving identification of cryptic histories of phase transformations from orientation relationships in shocked zircon, linked to new P-T phase diagrams.

Interactions of phosphatidylinositol kinase, GTPase-activating protein (GAP), and GAP-associated proteins with the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor.

PubMed Central

Reedijk, M; Liu, X Q; Pawson, T

1990-01-01

The interactions of the macrophage colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) receptor with potential targets were investigated after ligand stimulation either of mouse macrophages or of fibroblasts that ectopically express mouse CSF-1 receptors. In Rat-2 cells expressing the mouse CSF-1 receptor, full activation of the receptor and cellular transformation require exogenous CSF-1, whereas NIH 3T3 cells expressing mouse c-fms are transformed by autocrine stimulation. Activated CSF-1 receptors physically associate with a phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3'-kinase. A mutant CSF-1 receptor with a deletion of the kinase insert region was deficient in its ability to bind functional PI 3'-kinase and to induce PI 3'-kinase activity precipitable with antiphosphotyrosine antibodies. In fibroblasts, CSF-1 stimulation also induced the phosphorylation of the GTPase-activating protein (GAP)-associated protein p62 on tyrosine, although GAP itself was a relatively poor substrate. In contrast to PI 3'-kinase association, phosphorylation of p62 and GAP was not markedly affected by deletion of the kinase insert region. These results indicate that the kinase insert region selectively enhances the CSF-1-dependent association of the CSF-1 receptor with active PI 3'-kinase. The insert deletion mutant retains considerable transforming activity in NIH 3T3 cells (G. Taylor, M. Reedijk, V. Rothwell, L. Rohrschneider, and T. Pawson, EMBO J. 8:2029-2037, 1989). This mutant was more seriously impaired in Rat-2 cell transformation, although mutant-expressing Rat-2 cells still formed small colonies in soft agar in the presence of CSF-1. Therefore, phosphorylation of GAP and p62 through activation of the CSF-1 receptor does not result in full fibroblast transformation. The interaction between the CSF-1 receptor and PI 3'-kinase may contribute to c-fms fibroblast transformation and play a role in CSF-1-stimulated macrophages. Images PMID:2172781

Human Chorionic Gonadotropine in Cul-de-sac Fluid in Tubal Ectopic Pregnacy; A New Diagnostic Approach

PubMed Central

Karahasanoglu, Ayse; Ozdemir, Mucize; Yazicioglu, Fehmi

2016-01-01

Introduction Although new diagnostic abilities are being utilised increasingly yet early detection of tubal pregnancy remains a challenge. The use of highly sensitive hCG kits has facilitated the early diagnosis of a pregnancy. But it takes time to determine the localisation of the pregnancy. Early diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy may reduce the morbidity of ectopic pregnancy. Aim This study was conducted to analyse the cul-de-sac and serum βhCG ratio in tubal ectopic pregnancy cases which may be a new diagnostic approach for ectopic pregnancy. Materials and Methods Between January 2004 and July 2011, 263 patients with ectopic pregnancy were included in the study. Risk factors of patients and treatment modalities were evaluated. hCG was measured in peripheral serum and peritoneal fluid, obtained by puncture of Douglas pouch in 52 patients with tubal ectopic pregnancy. hCG level was determined in the cul-de-sac fluid and in the maternal serum for comparison. Results Tubectomy (5.3%), history of abortion (9.5%), history of previous surgery (14.8%), previous cesarean section (8%) and pelvic infamatorry disease (15.9 %) were the important risk factors for ectopic pregnancy in our cases. In 51 of 52 patients with tubal pregnancy, the cul-de-sac hCG vaule and the serum hCG value ratio was >1. Conclusion It is concluded that the ratio of hCG in cul-de –sac and serum can be used for the verification of tubal ectopic pregnancy in addition to other diagnostic methods. This may help rapid confirmation of the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy. PMID:27190895

Triple ectopic thyroid: A rare entity

PubMed Central

Nilegaonkar, Sujit; Naik, Chetna; Sonar, Sameer; Hirawe, Deepti

2011-01-01

Ectopic thyroid tissue is an uncommon congenital aberration. It is extremely rare to have three ectopic foci at three different sites. The thyroid scan has been used successfully to diagnose ectopic thyroid tissue. We report a case of ectopic thyroid tissue at base of tongue, another at the level of hyoid and third one as aberrant tissue at suprahyoid location in a 16 year old female who presented with swelling in front of neck. This patient was clinically diagnosed as thyroglossal cyst and was being planned for surgery. Preoperative thyroid scan helped in establishing diagnosis of ectopic thyroid which was the only functioning thyroid tissue. Thus, it prevented unnecessary surgery. Therefore it is suggested that thyroid scan and USG/CT scan must be done as routine work up in neck swellings pre operatively to avoid unnecessary surgeries. PMID:23559716

Ectopic recurrence of craniopharyngioma: Reporting three new cases.

PubMed

Yang, Yang; Shrestha, David; Shi, Xiang-En; Zhou, Zhongqing; Qi, Xueling; Qian, Hai

2015-04-01

Ectopic recurrence of craniopharyngioma is extremely rare following transcranial procedures of primary tumour. Here we describe 3 new cases of ectopic recurrence along the surgical route after transcranial gross total resection of primary tumour. All 3 cases are male adults--2 of them had papillary-type tumour with the other being adamantinomatous. All ectopic tumours were safely resected via repeated craniotomy. Long-term surveillance of patients with resected craniopharyngioma is essential.

Geochemical evidence for cryptic sulfur cycling in salt marsh sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mills, Jennifer V.; Antler, Gilad; Turchyn, Alexandra V.

2016-11-01

Cryptic sulfur cycling is an enigmatic process in which sulfate is reduced to some lower-valence state sulfur species and subsequently quantitatively reoxidized; the rate and microbial energetics of this process and how prevalent it may be in the environment remain controversial. Here we investigate sulfur cycling in salt marsh sediments from Norfolk, England where we observe high ferrous iron concentrations with no depletion of sulfate or change in the sulfur isotope ratio of that sulfate, but a 5‰ increase in the oxygen isotope ratio in sulfate, indicating that sulfate has been through a reductive cycle replacing its oxygen atoms. This cryptic sulfur cycle was replicated in laboratory incubations using 18O-enriched water, demonstrating that the field results do not solely result from mixing processes in the natural environment. Numerical modeling of the laboratory incubations scaled to represent the salt marsh sediments suggests that the uptake rate of sulfate during this cryptic sulfur cycling is similar to the uptake rate of sulfate during the fastest microbial sulfate reduction that has been measured in the natural environment. The difference is that during cryptic sulfur cycling, all of the sulfur is subsequently reoxidized to sulfate. We discuss mechanisms for this pathway of sulfur cycling including the possible link to the subsurface iron cycle.

DNA barcode reference library for Iberian butterflies enables a continental-scale preview of potential cryptic diversity

PubMed Central

Dincă, Vlad; Montagud, Sergio; Talavera, Gerard; Hernández-Roldán, Juan; Munguira, Miguel L.; García-Barros, Enrique; Hebert, Paul D. N.; Vila, Roger

2015-01-01

How common are cryptic species - those overlooked because of their morphological similarity? Despite its wide-ranging implications for biology and conservation, the answer remains open to debate. Butterflies constitute the best-studied invertebrates, playing a similar role as birds do in providing models for vertebrate biology. An accurate assessment of cryptic diversity in this emblematic group requires meticulous case-by-case assessments, but a preview to highlight cases of particular interest will help to direct future studies. We present a survey of mitochondrial genetic diversity for the butterfly fauna of the Iberian Peninsula with unprecedented resolution (3502 DNA barcodes for all 228 species), creating a reliable system for DNA-based identification and for the detection of overlooked diversity. After compiling available data for European butterflies (5782 sequences, 299 species), we applied the Generalized Mixed Yule-Coalescent model to explore potential cryptic diversity at a continental scale. The results indicate that 27.7% of these species include from two to four evolutionary significant units (ESUs), suggesting that cryptic biodiversity may be higher than expected for one of the best-studied invertebrate groups and regions. The ESUs represent important units for conservation, models for studies of evolutionary and speciation processes, and sentinels for future research to unveil hidden diversity. PMID:26205828

Clinical and genetic features of dyskeratosis congenita, cryptic dyskeratosis congenita, and Hoyeraal-Hreidarsson syndrome in Japan.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Hiroki; Sakaguchi, Hirotoshi; Yoshida, Kenichi; Yabe, Miharu; Yabe, Hiromasa; Okuno, Yusuke; Muramatsu, Hideki; Takahashi, Yoshiyuki; Yui, Shunsuke; Shiraishi, Yuichi; Chiba, Kenichi; Tanaka, Hiroko; Miyano, Satoru; Inokuchi, Koiti; Ito, Etsuro; Ogawa, Seishi; Kojima, Seiji

2015-11-01

Dyskeratosis congenita (DKC) is an inherited bone marrow failure (BMF) syndrome typified by reticulated skin pigmentation, nail dystrophy, and mucosal leukoplakia. Hoyeraal-Hreidarsson syndrome (HHS) is considered to be a severe form of DKC. Unconventional forms of DKC, which develop slowly in adulthood but without the physical anomalies characteristic of DKC (cryptic DKC), have been reported. Clinical and genetic features of DKC have been investigated in Caucasian, Black, and Hispanic populations, but not in Asian populations. The present study aimed to determine the clinical and genetic features of DKC, HHS, and cryptic DKC among Japanese patients. We analyzed 16 patients diagnosed with DKC, three patients with HHS, and 15 patients with cryptic DKC. We found that platelet count was significantly more depressed than neutrophil count or hemoglobin value in DKC patients, and identified DKC patients with large deletions in the telomerase reverse transcriptase and cryptic DKC patients with RTEL1 mutations on both alleles. This led to some patients previously considered to have unclassifiable BMF being diagnosed with cDKC through identification of new gene mutations. It thus seems important from a clinical viewpoint to re-examine the clinical characteristics, frequency of genetic mutations, and treatment efficacy in DKC, HHS, and cDKC.

A Microphysically-based Approach to Inferring Porosity, Grain Size, and Dust Abundance in the Seasonal Caps from Atmospherically-corrected TES Spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eluszkiewicz, J.; Titus, T. N.

2003-01-01

One of the highlights of the TES observations in the polar regions has been the identification of a "cryptic" region in the south where CO2 appears to be in the form of a solid slab rather than a fluffy frost. While the exact mechanism(s) by which the cryptic region is formed are still subject of some debate, it appears certain that a type of rapid metamorphism related to the high volatility of CO2 ice is involved. The high volatility of CO2 ice under martian conditions has several Solar System analogs (N2 on Triton and Pluto, SO2 on Io), thus making the martian cryptic region somewhat less cryptic and certainly non-unique among planetary objects. In an endmember scenario, both the formation and the spectral properties of the cryptic region (and of other areas in the seasonal caps) can be quantitatively modeled by considering sintering of an ensemble of quasi-spherical CO2 grains. This model includes the special case of instanteneous slab formation, which occurs when the grains are sufficiently small (in the submicron range) so that their sintering timescale is short relative to the deposition timescale (a situation analogous to the "sintering" of water droplets falling into a pond).

[Early diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy].

PubMed

Belics, Zoran; Gérecz, Balázs; Csákány, M György

2014-07-20

Ectopic pregnancy is a high-risk condition that occurs in 2% of reported pregnancies. This percentage is fivefold higher than that registered in the 1970s. Since 1970 there has been a two-fold increase in the ratio of ectopic pregnancies to all reported pregnancies in Hungary and in 2012 7.4 ectopic pregnancies per thousand registered pregnancies were reported. Recently, the majority (80%) of cases can be diagnosed in early stage, and the related mortality objectively decreased in the past few decades to 3.8/10,000 ectopic pregnancies. If a woman with positive pregnancy test has abdominal pain and/or vaginal bleeding the physician should perform a work-up to safely exclude the possibility of ectopic pregnancy. The basis of diagnosis is ultrasonography, especially vaginal ultrasound examination and measurement of the β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin. The ultrasound diagnosis is based on the visualization of an ectopic mass rather than the inability to visualize an intrauterine pregnancy. In some questionable cases the diagnostic uterine curettage or laparoscopy may be useful. The actuality of this topic is justified by practical difficulties in obtaining correct diagnosis, especially in the early gestational time.

Comparative contraceptive effectiveness of levonorgestrel-releasing and copper intrauterine devices: the European Active Surveillance Study for Intrauterine Devices.

PubMed

Heinemann, Klaas; Reed, Suzanne; Moehner, Sabine; Minh, Thai Do

2015-04-01

The objective was to measure the rate of unintended pregnancies in women using levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine systems (LNG IUSs, releasing 20 mcg LNG daily) and copper intrauterine devices (IUDs) in a typical population of IUD users and to describe associated complications. A multinational, prospective, non-interventional cohort study of new users of LNG IUS and copper IUDs was performed. Following a baseline survey, study participants and their physicians completed one follow-up questionnaire after 12 months. A multifaceted four-level follow-up procedure minimized loss to follow-up. Patient-reported outcomes were validated by the treating physicians. A total of 61,448 women with a newly inserted IUD were enrolled in six European countries between 2006 and 2012. The copper IUD cohort contained more than 30 different types. Validated 1-year follow-up information for 58,324 users between 18 and 50 years of age (70% using LNG IUS, 30% using copper IUDs) was collected. A total of 118 contraceptive failures occurred (26 LNG, 92 copper). Both types of IUD were highly effective, with overall Pearl indices of 0.06 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.04-0.09] and 0.52 (95% CI: 0.42-0.64) for LNG IUS and copper IUDs, respectively. The adjusted hazard ratio for LNG IUS vs. copper IUDs was 0.16 (95% CI: 0.10-0.25). Tenty-one pregnancies (7 LNG IUS, 14 copper IUD) were ectopic, yielding an adjusted hazard ratio for ectopic pregnancy of 0.26 (95% CI: 0.10-0.66). The contraceptive failure rate was low with both IUDs. However, the LNG IUS was associated with a significantly lower risk of pregnancy, including ectopic pregnancy, than the copper IUDs. To our knowledge, this is the first large-scale, multinational, prospective epidemiological study to measure and compare the contraceptive effectiveness of LNG IUSs and copper IUDs during routine clinical practice. Clinicians and patients should be aware of differences in rates of unintended pregnancies and associated complications in relation to IUD us. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Functional conservation of atonal and Math1 in the CNS and PNS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ben-Arie, N.; Hassan, B. A.; Bermingham, N. A.; Malicki, D. M.; Armstrong, D.; Matzuk, M.; Bellen, H. J.; Zoghbi, H. Y.

2000-01-01

To determine the extent to which atonal and its mouse homolog Math1 exhibit functional conservation, we inserted (beta)-galactosidase (lacZ) into the Math1 locus and analyzed its expression, evaluated consequences of loss of Math1 function, and expressed Math1 in atonal mutant flies. lacZ under the control of Math1 regulatory elements duplicated the previously known expression pattern of Math1 in the CNS (i.e., the neural tube, dorsal spinal cord, brainstem, and cerebellar external granule neurons) but also revealed new sites of expression: PNS mechanoreceptors (inner ear hair cells and Merkel cells) and articular chondrocytes. Expressing Math1 induced ectopic chordotonal organs (CHOs) in wild-type flies and partially rescued CHO loss in atonal mutant embryos. These data demonstrate that both the mouse and fly homologs encode lineage identity information and, more interestingly, that some of the cells dependent on this information serve similar mechanoreceptor functions.

Improving a Synechocystis-based photoautotrophic chassis through systematic genome mapping and validation of neutral sites

PubMed Central

Pinto, Filipe; Pacheco, Catarina C.; Oliveira, Paulo; Montagud, Arnau; Landels, Andrew; Couto, Narciso; Wright, Phillip C.; Urchueguía, Javier F.; Tamagnini, Paula

2015-01-01

The use of microorganisms as cell factories frequently requires extensive molecular manipulation. Therefore, the identification of genomic neutral sites for the stable integration of ectopic DNA is required to ensure a successful outcome. Here we describe the genome mapping and validation of five neutral sites in the chromosome of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, foreseeing the use of this cyanobacterium as a photoautotrophic chassis. To evaluate the neutrality of these loci, insertion/deletion mutants were produced, and to assess their functionality, a synthetic green fluorescent reporter module was introduced. The constructed integrative vectors include a BioBrick-compatible multiple cloning site insulated by transcription terminators, constituting robust cloning interfaces for synthetic biology approaches. Moreover, Synechocystis mutants (chassis) ready to receive purpose-built synthetic modules/circuits are also available. This work presents a systematic approach to map and validate chromosomal neutral sites in cyanobacteria, and that can be extended to other organisms. PMID:26490728

Optical reprogramming with ultrashort femtosecond laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchugonova, Aisada; Breunig, Hans G.; Batista, Ana; König, Karsten

2015-03-01

The use of sub-15 femtosecond laser pulses in stem cell research is explored with particular emphasis on the optical reprogramming of somatic cells. The reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can be evoked through the ectopic expression of defined transcription factors. Conventional approaches utilize retro/lenti-viruses to deliver genes/transcription factors as well as to facilitate the integration of transcription factors into that of the host genome. However, the use of viruses may result in insertional mutations caused by the random integration of genes and as a result, this may limit the use within clinical applications due to the risk of the formation of cancer. In this study, a new approach is demonstrated in realizing non-viral reprogramming through the use of ultrashort laser pulses, to introduce transcription factors into the cell so as to generate iPS cells.

Balloon-Occluded Antegrade Transvenous Sclerotherapy to Treat Rectal Varices: A Direct Puncture Approach to the Superior Rectal Vein Through the Greater Sciatic Foramen Under CT Fluoroscopy Guidance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ono, Yasuyuki, E-mail: onoyasy@hirakata.kmu.ac.jp; Kariya, Shuji, E-mail: kariyas@hirakata.kmu.ac.jp; Nakatani, Miyuki, E-mail: nakatanm@hirakata.kmu.ac.jp

Rectal varices occur in 44.5 % of patients with ectopic varices caused by portal hypertension, and 48.6 % of these patients are untreated and followed by observation. However, bleeding occurs in 38 % and shock leading to death in 5 % of such patients. Two patients, an 80-year-old woman undergoing treatment for primary biliary cirrhosis (Child-Pugh class A) and a 63-year-old man with class C hepatic cirrhosis (Child-Pugh class A), in whom balloon-occluded antegrade transvenous sclerotherapy was performed to treat rectal varices are reported. A catheter was inserted by directly puncturing the rectal vein percutaneously through the greater sciatic foramen under computed tomographic fluoroscopymore » guidance. In both cases, the rectal varices were successfully treated without any significant complications, with no bleeding from rectal varices after embolization.« less

Relationships Between RNA Polymerase II Activity and Spt Elongation Factors to Spt- Phenotype and Growth in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

PubMed Central

Cui, Ping; Jin, Huiyan; Vutukuru, Manjula Ramya; Kaplan, Craig D.

2016-01-01

The interplay between adjacent transcription units can result in transcription-dependent alterations in chromatin structure or recruitment of factors that determine transcription outcomes, including the generation of intragenic or other cryptic transcripts derived from cryptic promoters. Mutations in a number of genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae confer both cryptic intragenic transcription and the Suppressor of Ty (Spt-) phenotype for the lys2-128∂ allele of the LYS2 gene. Mutants that suppress lys2-128∂ allow transcription from a normally inactive Ty1 ∂ promoter, conferring a LYS+ phenotype. The arrangement of transcription units at lys2-128∂ is reminiscent of genes containing cryptic promoters within their open reading frames. We set out to examine the relationship between RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) activity, functions of Spt elongation factors, and cryptic transcription because of the previous observation that increased-activity Pol II alleles confer an Spt- phenotype. We identify both cooperating and antagonistic genetic interactions between Pol II alleles and alleles of elongation factors SPT4, SPT5, and SPT6. We find that cryptic transcription at FLO8 and STE11 is distinct from that at lys2-128∂, though all show sensitivity to reduction in Pol II activity, especially the expression of lys2-128∂ found in Spt- mutants. We determine that the lys2-128∂ Spt- phenotypes for spt6-1004 and increased activity rpo21/rpb1 alleles each require transcription from the LYS2 promoter. Furthermore, we identify the Ty1 transcription start site (TSS) within the ∂ element as the position of Spt- transcription in tested Spt- mutants. PMID:27261007

Single point biochemical measurement algorithm for early diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy.

PubMed

Butler, Stephen A; Abban, Thomas K A; Borrelli, Paola T A; Luttoo, Jameel M; Kemp, Bryn; Iles, Ray K

2013-09-01

Tubal rupture as a result of an ectopic pregnancy is the leading cause of first trimester maternal mortality. Currently, the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy depends on transvaginal ultrasound and serial serum measurements of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), which requires follow up. The objective of this study was to examine whether single point measurements at presentation could distinguish between women with ectopic pregnancy, viable pregnancy, and spontaneous miscarriage. Serum total hCG (hCGt), hyperglycosylated hCG (hCGh), free beta subunit of hCG (hCGβ), progesterone (P), and CA-125 were measured by chemiluminescence immunoassay over a 3 month period in 441 women presenting at the emergency room with abdominal pain and a positive pregnancy test. Patient outcomes were followed and confirmed by histology. 65 samples were excluded due to poor sample storage, or lost to follow up. The pregnancy outcomes were 175 viable pregnancies, 175 spontaneous miscarriages, and 26 ectopic pregnancies. A serum hCGt <3736 mIU/mL cut off was 100% sensitive, with 76% specificity, for distinguishing ectopic pregnancy from viable pregnancy; but did not differentiate spontaneous miscarriage. Serum CA125 <41.98 U/mL produced 100% sensitivity and 43% specificity in distinguishing ectopic pregnancy from spontaneous miscarriage. Sequential application of hCGt and CA-125 cut off followed by ultrasound could detect 100% of ectopic pregnancies with 87% specificity for all intrauterine pregnancies. The combination of serum hCGt <3736 mIU/mL, followed by CA125 <41.98 U/mL is a promising algorithm for detecting all ectopic pregnancy at initial presentation. © 2013.

Evaluation of cystoscopic-guided laser ablation of intramural ectopic ureters in female dogs.

PubMed

Berent, Allyson C; Weisse, Chick; Mayhew, Philipp D; Todd, Kimberly; Wright, Monika; Bagley, Demetrius

2012-03-15

To describe and evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes in female dogs after cystoscopic-guided laser ablation of ectopic ureters (CLA-EU). Prospective case series. 32 incontinent female dogs with intramural ectopic ureters. A diagnosis of intramural ectopic ureters was made via cystoscopy and fluoroscopy in all patients. Transurethral CLA-EU (via diode laser [n = 27] or Holmium:yttrium aluminum garnet laser [3]) was performed to relocate the ectopic ureteral orifice cranially into the urinary bladder. All vaginal anomalies were treated with the laser concurrently. Follow-up evaluation was standardized and included urinary continence scoring, serial bacteriologic culture of urine samples, and a follow-up cystoscopy 6 to 8 weeks after CLA-EU. Ectopic ureteral orifices of all dogs were initially located in the urethra. Eighteen of 30 dogs had bilateral ectopic ureters, and 12 had unilateral ectopic ureters. All dogs had other concurrent urinary anomalies. At the time of last follow-up (median, 2.7 years after CLA-EU, [range, 12 to 62 months]), 14 of 30 (47%) dogs did not require any additional treatments following CLA-EU to maintain urinary continence. For the 16 residually incontinent dogs, the addition of medical management, transurethral bulking-agent injection, or placement of a hydraulic occluder was effective in 3, 2, and 4 dogs, respectively, improving the overall urinary continence rate to 77% (23/30 dogs). One dog had evidence of polypoid cystitis at the neoureteral orifice 6 weeks after CLA-EU that was resolved at 3 months. CLA-EU provided an effective, safe, and minimally invasive alternative to surgery for intramural ectopic ureters in female dogs.

Mitochondrial F1Fo-ATP synthase translocates to cell surface in hepatocytes and has high activity in tumor-like acidic and hypoxic environment.

PubMed

Ma, Zhan; Cao, Manlin; Liu, Yiwen; He, Yiqing; Wang, Yingzhi; Yang, Cuixia; Wang, Wenjuan; Du, Yan; Zhou, Muqing; Gao, Feng

2010-08-01

F1Fo-ATP synthase was originally thought to exclusively locate in the inner membrane of the mitochondria. However, recent studies prove the existence of ectopic F1Fo-ATP synthase on the outside of the cell membrane. Ectopic ATP synthase was proposed as a marker for tumor target therapy. Nevertheless, the protein transport mechanism of the ectopic ATP synthase is still unclear. The specificity of the ectopic ATP synthase, with regard to tumors, is questioned because of its widespread expression. In the current study, we constructed green fluorescent protein-ATP5B fusion protein and introduced it into HepG2 cells to study the localization of the ATP synthase. The expression of ATP5B was analyzed in six cell lines with different 'malignancies'. These cells were cultured in both normal and tumor-like acidic and hypoxic conditions. The results suggested that the ectopic expression of ATP synthase is a consequence of translocation from the mitochondria. The expression and catalytic activity of ectopic ATP synthase were similar on the surface of malignant cells as on the surface of less malignant cells. Interestingly, the expression of ectopic ATP synthase was not up-regulated in tumor-like acidic and hypoxic microenvironments. However, the catalytic activity of ectopic ATP synthase was up-regulated in tumor-like microenvironments. Therefore, the specificity of ectopic ATP synthase for tumor target therapy relies on the high level of catalytic activity that is observed in acidic and hypoxic microenvironments in tumor tissues.

Comparison of ectopic pregnancy risk among transfers of embryos vitrified on day 3, day 5, and day 6.

PubMed

Du, Tong; Chen, Hong; Fu, Rong; Chen, Qiuju; Wang, Yun; Mol, Ben W; Kuang, Yanping; Lyu, Qifeng

2017-07-01

To compare ectopic pregnancy risk among transfers of embryos vitrified on day 3, day 5, and day 6. Retrospective cohort study. Academic tertiary-care medical center. A total of 10,736 pregnancies after 23,730 frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles of in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection from March 2003 to May 2015. The ectopic pregnancy rate was compared among pregnancies resulting from transfers of embryos vitrified on day 3, day 5, and day 6. Generalized estimation equation regression models were used to calculate unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association between ectopic pregnancy and selected patient and treatment characteristics. We studied this association in both the group that achieved pregnancy and the group that underwent an FET cycle. Odds of ectopic pregnancy. The overall rate of ectopic pregnancy was 2.8% (304/10,736). Ectopic pregnancy rates after day-3, day-5, and day-6 vitrified embryo transfers were 3.1% (287/9,224), 2.0% (11/562), and 0.6% (6/950), respectively. After adjusting for confounders, the risks of ectopic pregnancy in day-3 and day-5 vitrified embryo transfers were both significantly higher than in day-6 vitrified embryo transfers. The associations were similar when we did calculations per cycle. In women undergoing FET, day-6 vitrified embryo transfer is associated with a significantly lower risk of ectopic pregnancy than both day-3 and day-5 vitrified embryo transfers. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

42 CFR 136.55 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... pregnancies. 136.55 Section 136.55 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies. Federal funds are available for drugs or devices to... an ectopic pregnancy. ...

42 CFR 136.55 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... pregnancies. 136.55 Section 136.55 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies. Federal funds are available for drugs or devices to... an ectopic pregnancy. ...

42 CFR 136.55 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... pregnancies. 136.55 Section 136.55 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies. Federal funds are available for drugs or devices to... an ectopic pregnancy. ...

42 CFR 136.55 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... pregnancies. 136.55 Section 136.55 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies. Federal funds are available for drugs or devices to... an ectopic pregnancy. ...

42 CFR 136.55 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... pregnancies. 136.55 Section 136.55 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies. Federal funds are available for drugs or devices to... an ectopic pregnancy. ...

Ectopic Pregnancy

MedlinePlus

... are experiencing a typical pregnancy or an ectopic pregnancy. Abnormal bleeding and pelvic pain should be reported to your obstetrician–gynecologist ( ... health care professional suspects you may have ectopic pregnancy, he or she may perform a pelvic exam perform an ultrasound exam to see where ...

Severe hypertension and hypokalemia as first clinical manifestations in ectopic Cushing's syndrome.

PubMed

Fernández-Rodríguez, Eva; Villar-Taibo, Rocío; Pinal-Osorio, Iria; Cabezas-Agrícola, José Manuel; Anido-Herranz, Urbano; Prieto, Alma; Casanueva, Felipe F; Araujo-Vilar, David

2008-08-01

Ectopic ACTH production occurs in about 10% of all cases of Cushing's syndrome, and about 25% of cases of ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome. Diverse tumor types are able to produce ACTH ectopically, including small cell lung carcinoma. Ectopic ACTH secretion by malignant neoplasm has been reported to have earlier and more aggressive metabolic effects. We report a 59-year-old male patient with severe hypertension, metabolic alkalosis and hypokalemia as the first clinical manifestations of an ACTH-secreting small cell lung carcinoma, although the typical phenotypic features of Cushing's syndrome were not present. Ectopic Cushing's syndrome should always be ruled out in patients with severe hypertension and hypokalemia.

Integrative Taxonomic Approach for Describing a New Cryptic Species of Bush Frog (Raorchestes: Anura: Rhacophoridae) from the Western Ghats, India

PubMed Central

Roshmi, Rekha Sarma; Ramya, Badrinath; Sudhira, H. S.; Ravikanth, G.; Aravind, Neelavara Anantharam

2016-01-01

A new cryptic species of bush frog Raorchestes honnametti sp. nov. is described from the south-eastern part of the Western Ghats, India. This newly described species belongs to the Charius clade and is morphologically similar to other clade members—R. charius and R. griet. Therefore, an integrative taxonomic approach based on molecular and bioacoustic analysis along with morphology was used to delimit the new species. Raorchestes honnametti sp. nov., is currently known only from Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve, a part of Biligiri Rangaswamy horst mountain range (a mountain formed due movement of two faults) formed during the Late Quaternary period (1.8–2.58 Ma). Discovery of cryptic species from a highly speciose and well-studied genus Raorchestes hints at the possible existence of several more cryptic species in this genus. We discuss the possible reasons for crypsis and emphasize the need for continued systematic surveys of amphibians across the Western Ghats. PMID:26934213

Carbohydrate Microarrays Identify Blood Group Precursor Cryptic Epitopes as Potential Immunological Targets of Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Wang, Denong; Tang, Jin; Liu, Shaoyi

2015-01-01

Using carbohydrate microarrays, we explored potential natural ligands of antitumor monoclonal antibody HAE3. This antibody was raised against a murine mammary tumor antigen but was found to cross-react with a number of human epithelial tumors in tissues. Our carbohydrate microarray analysis reveals that HAE3 is specific for an O-glycan cryptic epitope that is normally hidden in the cores of blood group substances. Using HAE3 to screen tumor cell surface markers by flow cytometry, we found that the HAE3 glycoepitope, gpHAE3, was highly expressed by a number of human breast cancer cell lines, including some triple-negative cancers that lack the estrogen, progesterone, and Her2/neu receptors. Taken together, we demonstrate that HAE3 recognizes a conserved cryptic glycoepitope of blood group precursors, which is nevertheless selectively expressed and surface-exposed in certain breast tumor cells. The potential of this class of O-glycan cryptic antigens in breast cancer subtyping and targeted immunotherapy warrants further investigation. PMID:26539555

Cryptic Species or Inadequate Taxonomy? Implementation of 2D Geometric Morphometrics Based on Integumental Organs as Landmarks for Delimitation and Description of Copepod Taxa.

PubMed

Karanovic, Tomislav; Djurakic, Marko; Eberhard, Stefan M

2016-03-01

Discovery of cryptic species using molecular tools has become common in many animal groups but it is rarely accompanied by morphological revision, creating ongoing problems in taxonomy and conservation. In copepods, cryptic species have been discovered in most groups where fast-evolving molecular markers were employed. In this study at Yeelirrie in Western Australia we investigate a subterranean species complex belonging to the harpacticoid genus Schizopera Sars, 1905, using both the barcoding mitochondrial COI gene and landmark-based two-dimensional geometric morphometrics. Integumental organs (sensilla and pores) are used as landmarks for the first time in any crustacean group. Complete congruence between DNA-based species delimitation and relative position of integumental organs in two independent morphological structures suggests the existence of three distinct evolutionary units. We describe two of them as new species, employing a condensed taxonomic format appropriate for cryptic species. We argue that many supposedly cryptic species might not be cryptic if researchers focus on analyzing morphological structures with multivariate tools that explicitly take into account geometry of the phenotype. A perceived supremacy of molecular methods in detecting cryptic species is in our view a consequence of disparity of investment and unexploited recent advancements in morphometrics among taxonomists. Our study shows that morphometric data alone could be used to find diagnostic morphological traits and gives hope to anyone studying small animals with a hard integument or shell, especially opening the door to assessing fossil diversity and rich museum collections. We expect that simultaneous use of molecular tools with geometry-oriented morphometrics may yield faster formal description of species. Decrypted species in this study are a good example for urgency of formal descriptions, as they display short-range endemism in small groundwater calcrete aquifers in a paleochannel, where their conservation may be threatened by proposed mining. ©The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Society of Systematic Biologists. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A coumaroyl-ester-3-hydroxylase Insertion Mutant Reveals the Existence of Nonredundant meta-Hydroxylation Pathways and Essential Roles for Phenolic Precursors in Cell Expansion and Plant Growth1[W][OA

PubMed Central

Abdulrazzak, Nawroz; Pollet, Brigitte; Ehlting, Jürgen; Larsen, Kim; Asnaghi, Carole; Ronseau, Sebastien; Proux, Caroline; Erhardt, Mathieu; Seltzer, Virginie; Renou, Jean-Pierre; Ullmann, Pascaline; Pauly, Markus; Lapierre, Catherine; Werck-Reichhart, Danièle

2006-01-01

Cytochromes P450 monooxygenases from the CYP98 family catalyze the meta-hydroxylation step in the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway. The ref8 Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mutant, with a point mutation in the CYP98A3 gene, was previously described to show developmental defects, changes in lignin composition, and lack of soluble sinapoyl esters. We isolated a T-DNA insertion mutant in CYP98A3 and show that this mutation leads to a more drastic inhibition of plant development and inhibition of cell growth. Similar to the ref8 mutant, the insertion mutant has reduced lignin content, with stem lignin essentially made of p-hydroxyphenyl units and trace amounts of guaiacyl and syringyl units. However, its roots display an ectopic lignification and a substantial proportion of guaiacyl and syringyl units, suggesting the occurrence of an alternative CYP98A3-independent meta-hydroxylation mechanism active mainly in the roots. Relative to the control, mutant plantlets produce very low amounts of sinapoyl esters, but accumulate flavonol glycosides. Reduced cell growth seems correlated with alterations in the abundance of cell wall polysaccharides, in particular decrease in crystalline cellulose, and profound modifications in gene expression and homeostasis reminiscent of a stress response. CYP98A3 thus constitutes a critical bottleneck in the phenylpropanoid pathway and in the synthesis of compounds controlling plant development. CYP98A3 cosuppressed lines show a gradation of developmental defects and changes in lignin content (40% reduction) and structure (prominent frequency of p-hydroxyphenyl units), but content in foliar sinapoyl esters is similar to the control. The purple coloration of their leaves is correlated to the accumulation of sinapoylated anthocyanins. PMID:16377748

Ectopic Male Breast Cancer: A Case Report

PubMed Central

Samanta, Dipti Rani; Upadhyay, Ashish; Sheet, Saikat; Senapati, Surendra Nath

2015-01-01

Carcinoma of male breast constitutes 1% of total breast malignancy. Carcinoma arising from ectopic breast tissue in male is an extremely rare entity and can be misdiagnosed. Ectopic breast tissue may be supernumerary or aberrant one. Despite morphologic difference, ectopic breast tissue presents characteristics analogous to orthoptic breast in terms of functional and pathologic degeneration. Most of the ectopic breast tissue occurs in thoracic or abdominal portion of milk line. If found in a location outside the milk line, it proves a diagnostic dilemma. We are reporting a case of 60-year-old male who presented with a fixed mass of size 10cm×8cm, in right chest wall infraclavicular area of 6 months duration. Histopathology of the mass revealed invasive duct carcinoma. He had no evidence of malignant or occult primary lesion in the bilateral mammary glands. Due to the paucity of the literature, incidence of ectopic male breast cancer and its management is not well understood. There is high probability of misdiagnosis of this disease. To the best of our knowledge this is the first described case of ectopic male breast cancer in the chest wall, not along the milk line, which is being reported here for documentation. PMID:26436033

Ectopic pregnancy morbidity and mortality in low-income women, 2004-2008.

PubMed

Stulberg, D B; Cain, L; Dahlquist, I H; Lauderdale, D S

2016-03-01

Does the risk of adverse outcomes at the time of ectopic pregnancy vary by race/ethnicity among women receiving Medicaid, the public health insurance program for low-income people in the USA? Among Medicaid beneficiaries with ectopic pregnancy, 11% experienced at least one complication, and women from all racial/ethnic minority groups were significantly more likely than whites to experience complications. In this population of Medicaid recipients, African American women are significantly more likely than whites to experience ectopic pregnancy, but the risk of adverse outcomes has not previously been assessed. We conducted a cross-sectional observational study of all women (n = 19 135 106) ages 15-44 enrolled in Medicaid for any amount of time during 2004-2008 who lived in one of the following 14 US states: Arizona; California; Colorado; Florida; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Louisiana; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; Mississippi; New York; and Texas. We analyzed Medicaid claims records for inpatient and outpatient encounters and identified ectopic pregnancies with a principal diagnosis code for ectopic pregnancy from 2004-2008. We calculated the ectopic pregnancy complication rate as the number of ectopic pregnancies with at least one complication (blood transfusion, hysterectomy, any sterilization, or length-of-stay (LOS) > 2 days) divided by the total number of ectopic pregnancies. We used Poisson regression to assess the risk of ectopic pregnancy complication by race/ethnicity. Secondary outcomes were each individual complication, and ectopic pregnancy-related death. We calculated the ectopic pregnancy mortality ratio as the number of deaths divided by live births. Ectopic pregnancy-associated complications occurred in 11% of cases. Controlling for age and state, the risk of any complication was significantly higher among women who were black (incidence risk ratio [IRR] 1.47, 95% CI 1.43-1.53, P < 0.0001), Hispanic (IRR 1.16, 95% CI 1.12-1.21, P < 0.0001), Asian (IRR 1.34, 95% CI 1.24-1.45, P < 0.0001), American Indian/Alaskan Native (IRR 1.34 95% CI 1.16-1.55, P < 0.0001), and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (IRR 1.61, 95% CI 1.39-1.87, P < 0.0001) compared with white women. The ectopic pregnancy mortality ratio was 0.48 per 100 000 live births, similar to that reported in previous US surveillance. This is a secondary analysis of insurance claims. Among women at higher baseline risk of pregnancy complications due to their economic status, women from racial/ethnic minority groups face an additional risk of ectopic pregnancy adverse outcomes compared with whites. Systematic changes to reduce racial disparities are an essential part of improving maternal health in the USA. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (1 K08 HD060663 to D.B.S.). The authors report no conflict of interest. Not applicable. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Risk of ectopic pregnancy lowest with transfer of single frozen blastocyst.

PubMed

Li, Z; Sullivan, E A; Chapman, M; Farquhar, C; Wang, Y A

2015-09-01

What type of transferred embryo is associated with a lower rate of ectopic pregnancy? The lowest risk of ectopic pregnancy was associated with the transfer of blastocyst, frozen and single embryo compared with cleavage stage, fresh and multiple embryos. Ectopic pregnancy is a recognized complication following assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment. It has been estimated that the rate of ectopic pregnancy is doubled in pregnancies following ART treatment compared with spontaneous pregnancies. However, it was not clear whether the excess rate of ectopic pregnancy following ART treatment is related to the underlying demographic factors of women undergoing ART treatment, the number of embryos transferred or the developmental stage of the embryo. A population-based cohort study of pregnancies following autologous treatment cycles between January 2009 and December 2011 were obtained from the Australian and New Zealand Assisted Reproduction Technology Database (ANZARD). The ANZARD collects ART treatment information and clinical outcomes annually from all fertility centres in Australia and New Zealand. Between 2009 and 2011, a total of 44 102 pregnancies were included in the analysis. The rate of ectopic pregnancy was compared by demographic and ART treatment factors. Generalized linear regression of Poisson distribution was used to estimate the likelihood of ectopic pregnancy. Odds ratios, adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. The overall rate of ectopic pregnancy was 1.4% for women following ART treatment in Australia and New Zealand. Pregnancies following single embryo transfers had 1.2% ectopic pregnancies, significantly lower than double embryo transfers (1.8%) (P < 0.01). The highest ectopic pregnancy rate was 1.9% for pregnancies from transfers of fresh cleavage embryo, followed by transfers of frozen cleavage embryo (1.7%), transfers of fresh blastocyst (1.3%), and transfers of frozen blastocyst (0.8%). Compared with fresh blastocyst transfer, the likelihood of ectopic pregnancy was 30% higher for fresh cleavage stage embryo transfers (AOR 1.30, 95% CI 1.07-1.59) and was consistent across subfertility groups. Transfer of frozen blastocyst was associated with a significantly decreased risk of ectopic pregnancy (AOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.54-0.91) compared with transfer of fresh blastocyst. A limitation of this population-based study is the lack of information available on clinical- specific protocols and processes for embryo transfer (i.e. embryo quality, cryopreservation protocol, transfer techniques, etc.) and the potential impact on outcomes. The lowest risk of ectopic pregnancy was associated with the transfer of a single frozen blastocyst. This finding adds to the increasing evidence of better perinatal outcomes following frozen embryo transfers. The approach of freezing all embryos in the initiated fresh cycle and transfer of a single frozen blastocyst in the subsequent thaw cycle may improve the overall pregnancy and birth outcomes following ART treatment, in part by reducing the ectopic pregnancy rate. There is no funding for this study. Authors declared no competing interest related to this study. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Nest Construction by a Ground-nesting Bird Represents a Potential Trade-off Between Egg Crypticity and Thermoregulation

EPA Science Inventory

Predation selects against conspicuous colors in bird eggs and nests, while thermoregulatory constraints select for nest building behavior that regulates incubation temperatures. We present results that reveal a trade-off between nest crypticity and thermoregulation of eggs base...

42 CFR 136a.55 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... pregnancies. 136a.55 Section 136a.55 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies. Federal funds are available for drugs or devices... termination of an ectopic pregnancy. ...

42 CFR 136a.55 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... pregnancies. 136a.55 Section 136a.55 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies. Federal funds are available for drugs or devices... termination of an ectopic pregnancy. ...

42 CFR 136a.55 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... pregnancies. 136a.55 Section 136a.55 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies. Federal funds are available for drugs or devices... termination of an ectopic pregnancy. ...

42 CFR 136a.55 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... pregnancies. 136a.55 Section 136a.55 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies. Federal funds are available for drugs or devices... termination of an ectopic pregnancy. ...

42 CFR 136a.55 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... pregnancies. 136a.55 Section 136a.55 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies. Federal funds are available for drugs or devices... termination of an ectopic pregnancy. ...

Sonography of Methotrexate for Ectopics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urzicǎ, Denise; Dorohoi, Dana-Ortansa

2007-04-01

Treatment unruptured ectopic pregnancy with methotrexate (MTX) and citrovorum factor is now an established alternative to surgical therapy. Serial measurements of serum beta-HCG and early ultrasound examination have allowed detection of early and unruptured tubal ectopic pregnancies, permitting treatment without removal of the tube. It is believed that preserving the tube increases the chance of subsequent live births. Our findings suggest that outpatient transvaginal intratubal methorexate administration can provide a safe and effective alternative to surgical treatment for patients with early and unruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy.

A multiplex PCR method for rapid identification of Brachionus rotifers.

PubMed

Vasileiadou, Kalliopi; Papakostas, Spiros; Triantafyllidis, Alexander; Kappas, Ilias; Abatzopoulos, Theodore J

2009-01-01

Cryptic species are increasingly being recognized in many organisms. In Brachionus rotifers, many morphologically similar yet genetically distinct species/biotypes have been described. A number of Brachionus cryptic species have been recognized among hatchery strains. In this study, we present a simple, one-step genetic method to detect the presence of those Brachionus sp. rotifers that have been found in hatcheries. With the proposed technique, each of the B. plicatilis sensu stricto, B. ibericus, Brachionus sp. Nevada, Brachionus sp. Austria, Brachionus sp. Manjavacas, and Brachionus sp. Cayman species and/or biotypes can be identified with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Based on 233 cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequences, we reviewed all the available cryptic Brachionus sp. genetic polymorphisms, and we designed six nested primers. With these primers, a specific amplicon of distinct size is produced for every one of the involved species/biotypes. Two highly sensitive protocols were developed for using the primers. Many of the primers can be combined in the same PCR. The proposed method has been found to be an effective and practical tool to investigate the presence of the above six cryptic species/biotypes in both individual and communal (bulk) rotifer deoxyribonucleic acid extractions from hatcheries. With this technique, hatchery managers could easily determine their rotifer composition at the level of cryptic species and monitor their cultures more efficiently.

Predation cues rather than resource availability promote cryptic behaviour in a habitat-forming sea urchin.

PubMed

Spyksma, Arie J P; Taylor, Richard B; Shears, Nick T

2017-03-01

It is well known that predators often influence the foraging behaviour of prey through the so-called "fear effect". However, it is also possible that predators could change prey behaviour indirectly by altering the prey's food supply through a trophic cascade. The predator-sea urchin-kelp trophic cascade is widely assumed to be driven by the removal of sea urchins by predators, but changes in sea urchin behaviour in response to predators or increased food availability could also play an important role. We tested whether increased crevice occupancy by herbivorous sea urchins in the presence of abundant predatory fishes and lobsters is a response to the increased risk of predation, or an indirect response to higher kelp abundances. Inside two New Zealand marine reserves with abundant predators and kelp, individuals of the sea urchin Evechinus chloroticus were rarer and remained cryptic (i.e. found in crevices) to larger sizes than on adjacent fished coasts where predators and kelp are rare. In a mesocosm experiment, cryptic behaviour was induced by simulated predation (the addition of crushed conspecifics), but the addition of food in the form of drift kelp did not induce cryptic behaviour. These findings demonstrate that the 'fear' of predators is more important than food availability in promoting sea urchin cryptic behaviour and suggest that both density- and behaviourally mediated interactions are important in the predator-sea urchin-kelp trophic cascade.

Morphometric study of third-instar larvae from five morphotypes of the Anastrepha fraterculus cryptic species complex (Diptera, Tephritidae)

PubMed Central

Canal, Nelson A.; Hernández-Ortiz, Vicente; Salas, Juan O. Tigrero; Selivon, Denise

2015-01-01

Abstract The occurrence of cryptic species among economically important fruit flies strongly affects the development of management tactics for these pests. Tools for studying cryptic species not only facilitate evolutionary and systematic studies, but they also provide support for fruit fly management and quarantine activities. Previous studies have shown that the South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus, is a complex of cryptic species, but few studies have been performed on the morphology of its immature stages. An analysis of mandible shape and linear morphometric variability was applied to third-instar larvae of five morphotypes of the Anastrepha fraterculus complex: Mexican, Andean, Ecuadorian, Peruvian and Brazilian-1. Outline geometric morphometry was used to study the mouth hook shape and linear morphometry analysis was performed using 24 linear measurements of the body, cephalopharyngeal skeleton, mouth hook and hypopharyngeal sclerite. Different morphotypes were grouped accurately using canonical discriminant analyses of both the geometric and linear morphometry. The shape of the mandible differed among the morphotypes, and the anterior spiracle length, number of tubules of the anterior spiracle, length and height of the mouth hook and length of the cephalopharyngeal skeleton were the most significant variables in the linear morphometric analysis. Third-instar larvae provide useful characters for studies of cryptic species in the Anastrepha fraterculus complex. PMID:26798253

Mitochondrial phylogeny of grey mullets (Acanthopterygii: Mugilidae) suggests high proportion of cryptic species.

PubMed

Durand, Jean-Dominique; Borsa, Philippe

2015-04-01

The low level of morphometric variability and the poor phylogenetic information borne by the morpho-anatomical characters used thus far in the systematics of grey mullets (Mugilidae) emphasize the utility of molecular systematics in this family. A recent mitochondrial phylogeny of grey mullets has uncovered multiple deep lineages within several species, flagging putative cryptic species. Here, we considered that several of the deeply divergent lineages represent separate species based on either the tree topology, independent data from nuclear markers, geographic distributions, or a combination of the foregoing. By analogy with these well-documented cases, we considered other deep lineages in seven genera we focused on to represent putative cryptic species. Up to two cryptic species were thus potentially detected in the genus Chelon, three in Crenimugil (including two within the single Crenimugil seheli), two in Dajaus, one in Ellochelon, 16 in Mugil (including 13 within the single M. cephalus), two in Osteomugil, and 10 in Planiliza. Wherever possible, we kept the current species epithets to designate those lineages that unambiguously correspond to the type material, based on type locality, and we assigned arbitrary letters (sp. A, B, etc.) to the other lineages. We present a molecular diagnosis for 24 of the species analysed in this work, as well as for 25 putative cryptic species. Copyright © 2015 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Tendon Mineralization Is Progressive and Associated with Deterioration of Tendon Biomechanical Properties, and Requires BMP-Smad Signaling in the Mouse Achilles Tendon Injury Model

PubMed Central

Zhang, Kairui; Asai, Shuji; Hast, Michael W.; Liu, Min; Usami, Yu; Iwamoto, Masahiro; Soslowsky, Louis J.; Enomoto-Iwamoto, Motomi

2016-01-01

Ectopic tendon mineralization can develop following tendon rupture or trauma surgery. The pathogenesis of ectopic tendon mineralization and its clinical impact have not been fully elucidated yet. In this study, we utilized a mouse Achilles tendon injury model to determine whether ectopic tendon mineralization alters the biomechanical properties of the tendon and whether BMP signaling is involved in this condition. A complete transverse incision was made at the midpoint of the right Achilles tendon in 8-week-old CD1 mice and the gap was left open. Ectopic cartilaginous mass formation was found in the injured tendon by 4 weeks post-surgery and ectopic mineralization was detected at 8–10 weeks post-surgery. Ectopic mineralization grew over time and volume of the mineralized materials of 25-weeks samples was about 2.5 fold bigger than that of 10-weeks samples, indicating that injury-induced ectopic tendon mineralization is progressive. In vitro mechanical testing showed that max force, max stress and mid-substance modulus in the 25-weeks samples were significantly lower than the 10-weeks samples. We observed substantial increases in expression of bone morphogenetic protein family genes in injured tendons 1 week post-surgery. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that phosphorylation of both Smad1 and Smad3 were highly increased in injured tendons as early as 1 week post-injury and remained high in ectopic chondrogenic lesions 4 weeks post-injury. Treatment with the BMP receptor kinase inhibitor (LDN193189) significantly inhibited injury-induced tendon mineralization. These findings indicate that injury-induced ectopic tendon mineralization is progressive, involves BMP signaling and associated with deterioration of tendon biomechanical properties. PMID:26825318

Developing a knowledge base to support the annotation of ultrasound images of ectopic pregnancy.

PubMed

Dhombres, Ferdinand; Maurice, Paul; Friszer, Stéphanie; Guilbaud, Lucie; Lelong, Nathalie; Khoshnood, Babak; Charlet, Jean; Perrot, Nicolas; Jauniaux, Eric; Jurkovic, Davor; Jouannic, Jean-Marie

2017-01-31

Ectopic pregnancy is a frequent early complication of pregnancy associated with significant rates of morbidly and mortality. The positive diagnosis of this condition is established through transvaginal ultrasound scanning. The timing of diagnosis depends on the operator expertise in identifying the signs of ectopic pregnancy, which varies dramatically among medical staff with heterogeneous training. Developing decision support systems in this context is expected to improve the identification of these signs and subsequently improve the quality of care. In this article, we present a new knowledge base for ectopic pregnancy, and we demonstrate its use on the annotation of clinical images. The knowledge base is supported by an application ontology, which provides the taxonomy, the vocabulary and definitions for 24 types and 81 signs of ectopic pregnancy, 484 anatomical structures and 32 technical elements for image acquisition. The knowledge base provides a sign-centric model of the domain, with the relations of signs to ectopic pregnancy types, anatomical structures and the technical elements. The evaluation of the ontology and knowledge base demonstrated a positive feedback from a panel of 17 medical users. Leveraging these semantic resources, we developed an application for the annotation of ultrasound images. Using this application, 6 operators achieved a precision of 0.83 for the identification of signs in 208 ultrasound images corresponding to 35 clinical cases of ectopic pregnancy. We developed a new ectopic pregnancy knowledge base for the annotation of ultrasound images. The use of this knowledge base for the annotation of ultrasound images of ectopic pregnancy showed promising results from the perspective of clinical decision support system development. Other gynecological disorders and fetal anomalies may benefit from our approach.

Behavior of ectopic surface: effects of β-adrenergic stimulation and uncoupling

PubMed Central

Arutunyan, Ara; Pumir, Alain; Krinsky, Valentin; Swift, Luther; Sarvazyan, Narine

2011-01-01

By using both experimental and theoretical means, we have addressed the progression of ectopic activity from individual cardiac cells to a multicellular two-dimensional network. Experimental conditions that favor ectopic activity have been created by local perfusion of a small area of cardiomyocyte network (I-zone) with an isoproterenol-heptanol containing solution. The application of this solution initially slowed down and then fully blocked wave propagation inside the I-zone. After a brief lag period, ectopically active cells appeared in the I-zone, followed by evolution of the ectopic clusters into slowly propagating waves. The changing pattern of colliding and expanding ectopic waves confined to the I-zone persisted for as long as the isoproterenol-heptanol environment was present. On restoration of the control environment, the ectopic waves from the I-zone broke out into the surrounding network causing arrhythmias. The observed sequence of events was also modeled by FitzHugh-Nagumo equations and included a cell’s arrangement of two adjacent square regions of 20 × 20 cells. The control zone consisted of well-connected, excitable cells, and the I-zone was made of weakly coupled cells (heptanol effect), which became spontaneously active as time evolved (isoproterenol effect). The dynamic events in the system have been studied numerically with the use of a finite difference method. Together, our experimental and computational data have revealed that the combination of low coupling, increased excitability, and spatial heterogeneity can lead to the development of ectopic waves confined to the injured network. This transient condition appears to serve as an essential step for the ectopic activity to “mature” before escaping into the surrounding control network. PMID:12893638

Behavior of ectopic surface: effects of beta-adrenergic stimulation and uncoupling.

PubMed

Arutunyan, Ara; Pumir, Alain; Krinsky, Valentin; Swift, Luther; Sarvazyan, Narine

2003-12-01

By using both experimental and theoretical means, we have addressed the progression of ectopic activity from individual cardiac cells to a multicellular two-dimensional network. Experimental conditions that favor ectopic activity have been created by local perfusion of a small area of cardiomyocyte network (I-zone) with an isoproterenol-heptanol containing solution. The application of this solution initially slowed down and then fully blocked wave propagation inside the I-zone. After a brief lag period, ectopically active cells appeared in the I-zone, followed by evolution of the ectopic clusters into slowly propagating waves. The changing pattern of colliding and expanding ectopic waves confined to the I-zone persisted for as long as the isoproterenol-heptanol environment was present. On restoration of the control environment, the ectopic waves from the I-zone broke out into the surrounding network causing arrhythmias. The observed sequence of events was also modeled by FitzHugh-Nagumo equations and included a cell's arrangement of two adjacent square regions of 20 x 20 cells. The control zone consisted of well-connected, excitable cells, and the I-zone was made of weakly coupled cells (heptanol effect), which became spontaneously active as time evolved (isoproterenol effect). The dynamic events in the system have been studied numerically with the use of a finite difference method. Together, our experimental and computational data have revealed that the combination of low coupling, increased excitability, and spatial heterogeneity can lead to the development of ectopic waves confined to the injured network. This transient condition appears to serve as an essential step for the ectopic activity to "mature" before escaping into the surrounding control network.

Unanswered questions on ectopic pregnancy.

PubMed

Jonas, E G

1980-07-19

In a previous article (3 May, p. 1127), the British Medical Journal attempted to assess the demography of ectopic pregnancy and noted that a rise in incidence might lead to a better diagnosis of the condition. Cited as possible causes of ectopic pregnancy are pelvic sepsis and IUD usage. There is clinical confirmation of the relationship between pelvic sepsis and IUD usage. A review of the records of 325 consecutive patients diagnosed as having ectopic pregnancy in 4 large London Hospitals during the period 1967-79 revealed that PID (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease) was uncommon (11%). 12% of the remaining patients had IUDs and a further 2% were progestogen-only contraceptive failures. As regards the role of IUDs in ectopic pregnancy, failed intrauterine contraception is hypothesized to result in pregnancy, but with an incidence of ectopic, mainly tubal, implantation by reasons of disturbed ovum migration along the oviduct. The physiology of the human oviduct is not well known. Further research should be done on the many common aberations of human reproduction, iatrogenic and spontaneous.

A near-infrared spectroscopy routine for unambiguous identification of cryptic ant species

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The identification of species – of importance for most biological disciplines – is not always straightforward as cryptic species present a hurdle for traditional species discrimination. Fibre-optic near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a rapid and cheap method for a wide range of different applicatio...

Diagnostic dilemma in ovarian pregnancy: a case series.

PubMed

Begum, Jasmina; Pallavee, P; Samal, Sunita

2015-04-01

Ovarian pregnancy is a rare form of ectopic pregnancy but it is the most common type of nontubal ectopic pregnancy. Many times it is operated with a misdiagnosis of ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy or hemorrhagic corpus luteum. The high resolution transvaginal ultrasonography is a valuable tool for diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy but ovarian pregnancy still remains a diagnostic problem and a continuous challenge to the gynecologist. The correct diagnosis is made at the time of surgery and confirmation is by histopathological report. Here we report three cases of primary ovarian ectopic pregnancies, consistent with the Spiegelberg's criteria. Out of this, two cases have corroboration of ovarian ectopic pregnancy with use of intrauterine contraceptive device and one case by chance without any preexisting risk factors, probably due to interference in the release of ovum from the follicle. In all the three cases, emergency laparotomy was done for ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy and the diagnosis of ruptured primary ovarian pregnancy was made at the time of surgery, this was subsequently confirmed by histopathology report. In the era where wider usage of intrauterine devices, ovulatory drugs and assisted reproductive techniques are rife, there is a possibility of an increase in the incidence of this rare entity, so ovarian ectopic pregnancy should be kept in mind as a possibility. Thereby early diagnosis by high resolution transvaginal ultrasound and laparoscopy can decrease the risk of complications like rupture, secondary implantation, hemorrhagic shock and maternal mortality.

42 CFR 441.207 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... pregnancies. 441.207 Section 441.207 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF... APPLICABLE TO SPECIFIC SERVICES Abortions § 441.207 Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies... and for medical procedures necessary for the termination of an ectopic pregnancy. ...

42 CFR 441.207 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... pregnancies. 441.207 Section 441.207 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF... APPLICABLE TO SPECIFIC SERVICES Abortions § 441.207 Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies... and for medical procedures necessary for the termination of an ectopic pregnancy. ...

42 CFR 441.207 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... pregnancies. 441.207 Section 441.207 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF... APPLICABLE TO SPECIFIC SERVICES Abortions § 441.207 Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies... and for medical procedures necessary for the termination of an ectopic pregnancy. ...

42 CFR 441.207 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... pregnancies. 441.207 Section 441.207 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF... APPLICABLE TO SPECIFIC SERVICES Abortions § 441.207 Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies... and for medical procedures necessary for the termination of an ectopic pregnancy. ...

42 CFR 441.207 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... pregnancies. 441.207 Section 441.207 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF... APPLICABLE TO SPECIFIC SERVICES Abortions § 441.207 Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies... and for medical procedures necessary for the termination of an ectopic pregnancy. ...

Pro-apoptotic Bid induces membrane perturbation by inserting selected lysolipids into the bilayer.

PubMed

Goonesinghe, Alexander; Mundy, Elizabeth S; Smith, Melanie; Khosravi-Far, Roya; Martinou, Jean-Claude; Esposti, Mauro D

2005-04-01

Bid is a BH3-only member of the Bcl-2 family that regulates cell death at the level of mitochondrial membranes. Bid appears to link the mitochondrial pathway with the death receptor-mediated pathway of cell death. It is generally assumed that the f.l. (full-length) protein becomes activated after proteolytic cleavage, especially by apical caspases like caspase 8. The cleaved protein then relocates to mitochondria and promotes membrane permeabilization, presumably by interaction with mitochondrial lipids and other Bcl-2 proteins that facilitate the release of apoptogenic proteins like cytochrome c. Although the major action may reside in the C-terminus part, tBid (cleaved Bid), un-cleaved Bid also has pro-apoptotic potential when ectopically expressed in cells or in vitro. This pro-apoptotic action of f.l. Bid has remained unexplained, especially at the biochemical level. In the present study, we show that f.l. (full-length) Bid can insert specific lysolipids into the membrane surface, thereby priming mitochondria for the release of apoptogenic factors. This is most effective for lysophosphatidylcholine species that we report to accumulate in mitochondria during apoptosis induction. A Bid mutant that is not pro-apoptotic in vivo is defective in lysophosphatidylcholine-mediated membrane perturbation in vitro. Our results thus provide a biochemical explanation for the pro-apoptotic action of f.l. Bid.

Formation of ectopic osteogenesis in weightlessness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

An ectopic osteogenesis experiment aboard the Cosmos-936 biosatellite is described. Decalcified, lyophilized femur and tibia were implanted under the fascia or in the anterior wall of the abdomen in rats. Bone formation before and after the tests is described and illustrated. The extent of formation of ectopic bone in weightlessness did not differ significantly from that in the ground controls, but the bone marrow of the ectopic bone of the flight rats consisted exclusively of fat cells. The deficit of support-muscle loading was considered to cause the disturbance in skeletal bone tissue development.

Papillary Carcinoma in Median Aberrant Thyroid (Ectopic) - Case Report

PubMed Central

K, Shashidhar; Deshmane, Vijaya Laxmi; Kumar, Veerendra; Arjunan, Ravi

2014-01-01

Median ectopic thyroid may be encountered anywhere from the foramen caecum to the diaphragm. Non lingual median aberrant thyroid (incomplete descent) usually found in the infrahyoid region and malignant transformation in this ectopic thyroid tissue is very rare. We report an extremely rare case of papillary carcinoma in non lingual median aberrant thyroid in a 25-year-old female. The differentiation between a carcinoma arising in the median ectopic thyroid tissue and a metastatic papillary carcinoma from an occult primary in the main thyroid gland is also discussed. PMID:25121039

Papillary carcinoma in median aberrant thyroid (ectopic) - case report.

PubMed

Hebbar K, Ashwin; K, Shashidhar; Deshmane, Vijaya Laxmi; Kumar, Veerendra; Arjunan, Ravi

2014-06-01

Median ectopic thyroid may be encountered anywhere from the foramen caecum to the diaphragm. Non lingual median aberrant thyroid (incomplete descent) usually found in the infrahyoid region and malignant transformation in this ectopic thyroid tissue is very rare. We report an extremely rare case of papillary carcinoma in non lingual median aberrant thyroid in a 25-year-old female. The differentiation between a carcinoma arising in the median ectopic thyroid tissue and a metastatic papillary carcinoma from an occult primary in the main thyroid gland is also discussed.

Combined use of serum HCG and sonography in the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kadar, N.; Taylor, K.J.W.; Rosenfield, A.T.

1983-09-01

During an 18 month period, 320 patients were referred with clinical suspicion of an ectopic pregnancy. This study is based on 19 patients with ectopic pregnancy who had both a sonographic examination of the pelvis and determination of serum beta human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) before surgery. Emphasis is focused on the spectrum of sonographic appearances that may occur in ectopic gestation. These are illustrated, and the sonographic criteria that have been used both for a positive diagnosis and for the exclusion of ectopic pregnancy in the past are analyzed. It is suggested that the accuracy of sonography can be increasedmore » by determining the serum HCG level on the day of the scan and by interpreting the findings with reference to the discriminatory HCG zone.« less

Ruptured ectopic pregnancy with contralateral adnexal torsion after spontaneous conception.

PubMed

DiLuigi, Andrea J; Maier, Donald B; Benadiva, Claudio A

2008-11-01

To describe a case of ruptured ectopic pregnancy and contralateral adnexal torsion after spontaneous conception. Case report. Tertiary university medical center. A 23-year-old multiparous female with severe bilateral pelvic pain and a positive pregnancy test. Operative laparoscopy with detorsion of left adnexa, drainage of left ovarian hemorrhagic corpus luteum cyst, right salpingectomy, and dilation and curettage. Laparoscopy revealed a 5 cm hemorrhagic corpus luteum cyst of the left ovary, torsion of the left ovary and fallopian tube, and a ruptured right ampullary ectopic pregnancy. Normal perfusion of left ovary and fallopian tube after detorsion, resolution of left ovarian hemorrhagic corpus luteum cyst, patent left fallopian tube with chromopertubation, and successful removal of ectopic pregnancy. This is a unique case of adnexal torsion and contralateral ectopic pregnancy occurring after spontaneous conception.

Simulation of Ectopic Pacemakers in the Heart: Multiple Ectopic Beats Generated by Reentry inside Fibrotic Regions

PubMed Central

Gouvêa de Barros, Bruno; Weber dos Santos, Rodrigo; Alonso, Sergio

2015-01-01

The inclusion of nonconducting media, mimicking cardiac fibrosis, in two models of cardiac tissue produces the formation of ectopic beats. The fraction of nonconducting media in comparison with the fraction of healthy myocytes and the topological distribution of cells determines the probability of ectopic beat generation. First, a detailed subcellular microscopic model that accounts for the microstructure of the cardiac tissue is constructed and employed for the numerical simulation of action potential propagation. Next, an equivalent discrete model is implemented, which permits a faster integration of the equations. This discrete model is a simplified version of the microscopic model that maintains the distribution of connections between cells. Both models produce similar results when describing action potential propagation in homogeneous tissue; however, they slightly differ in the generation of ectopic beats in heterogeneous tissue. Nevertheless, both models present the generation of reentry inside fibrotic tissues. This kind of reentry restricted to microfibrosis regions can result in the formation of ectopic pacemakers, that is, regions that will generate a series of ectopic stimulus at a fast pacing rate. In turn, such activity has been related to trigger fibrillation in the atria and in the ventricles in clinical and animal studies. PMID:26583127

Unilateral Atraumatic Expulsion of an Ectopic Pregnancy in a Case of Bilateral Ectopic Pregnancy

PubMed Central

Mogekwu, Oluremi; Ahmed, Ammar; Bano, Farida

2017-01-01

Ectopic pregnancy occurs in 1-2% of pregnancies. The fallopian tube is the most common site; however, bilateral tubal ectopic pregnancy is an extremely rare phenomenon, seen in approximately 1/200,000 pregnancies. It is usually the result of assisted reproductive techniques (ART). Ultrasound (USS) and serial beta-hCG levels have shown poor efficacy for accurate diagnosis. Laparoscopy is the diagnostic gold standard. The majority of cases are managed surgically with bilateral salpingectomy. A 26-year-old female presented to our early pregnancy unit with pain and vaginal bleeding at 5-week gestation after IVF. USS was inconclusive and her b-hCG levels rose with worsening pain; therefore, a decision was made for diagnostic laparoscopy. Although there was a clear right sided ectopic pregnancy, the left tube was swollen and therefore a methylene blue dye test was carried out to confirm blockage. Atraumatic milking, to expose the dye, expelled necrotic tissue which histology confirmed to be a second ectopic pregnancy. She made a good recovery with falling beta-hCG levels and left tubal preservation. As the use of ART increases, bilateral ectopic pregnancies will become more common. Novel and established techniques should be used to help confirm the diagnosis and assist in tubal preservation. PMID:29090103

Phylogeographic insights into cryptic glacial refugia.

PubMed

Provan, Jim; Bennett, K D

2008-10-01

The glacial episodes of the Quaternary (2.6 million years ago-present) were a major factor in shaping the present-day distributions of extant flora and fauna, with expansions and contractions of the ice sheets rendering large areas uninhabitable for most species. Fossil records suggest that many species survived glacial maxima by retreating to refugia, usually at lower latitudes. Recently, phylogeographic studies have given support to the existence of previously unknown, or cryptic, refugia. Here we summarise many of these insights into the glacial histories of species in cryptic refugia gained through phylogeographic approaches. Understanding such refugia might be important as the Earth heads into another period of climate change, in terms of predicting the effects on species distribution and survival.

First report of Persimmon cryptic virus and Persimmon virus A in Korea

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In 2014, a total of 77 persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) trees from Korean commercial persimmon orchards were surveyed for Persimmon cryptic virus (PeCV) and Persimmon virus A (PeVA). Leaf samples were collected from symptomatic trees with necrosis (two), or mosaic and leaf malformations (one) and 7...

ACTIVATION OF A CRYPTIC D-SERINE DEAMINASE (DSD) GENE FROM PSEUDOMONAS CEPACIA 17616

EPA Science Inventory

D-serine inhibits growth of P. cepacia 17616; however, resistant mutants able to express an ordinarily cryptic D-serine deaminase (dsd) gene were isolated readily. The resistant strains formed high levels of a D-serine deaminase active on D-threonine as well as D-serine. IS eleme...

A nearly cryptic scorpionfly, Panorpa cryptica n sp.(Mecoptera: Panorpidae) from North America

Treesearch

Wesley Bicha; Nathan Schiff; Aaron Lancaster; Brian Scheffler

2015-01-01

The first nearly cryptic species of scorpionfly from the United States, Strong>Panorpa cryptica Bicha and Schiff, n. sp., is described from northern Georgia, southwestern North Carolina and northwestern South Carolina. This insect was initially differentiated from the very similar Panorpa nebulosa Westwood by its unique cytochrome...

Molecular species identification of cryptic apple and snowberry maggots (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Western and Central Washington

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In Washington state, identification of the quarantine apple pest Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh) is complicated by the presence of the cryptic species R. zephyria Snow (Diptera: Tephritidae). Distinguishing the two flies is important because there is a zero tolerance policy for R. pomonella in apple p...

Field identification of the cryptic vespertilionid bats, Myotis lucifugus and M. yumanensis

Treesearch

Theodore J. Weller; Shonene A. Scott; Thomas J. Rodhouse; Patricia C. Ormsbee; Jan M. Zinck

2007-01-01

Recent advances in molecular techniques have provided new tools for confirming species identities, however they can be expensive and results are not immediately available. Myotis lucificugus and M. yumanensis are morphologically cryptic species of bats sympatric in western North America that can be difficult to distinguish in the...

Cryptic speciation in the Acari: a function of species lifestyles or our ability to separate species?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

There are approximately 55,000 described Acari species, accounting for almost half of all known Arachnida species, but total estimated Acari diversity is reckoned to be far greater. One important source of currently hidden Acari diversity is cryptic speciation, which poses challenges to taxonomists ...

Excess sludge reduction using pilot-scale lysis-cryptic growth system integrated ultrasonic/alkaline disintegration and hydrolysis/acidogenesis pretreatment.

PubMed

Ma, Huaji; Zhang, Shuting; Lu, Xuebin; Xi, Bo; Guo, Xingli; Wang, Han; Duan, Jingxiao

2012-07-01

A pilot-scale lysis-cryptic growth system was built and operated continuously for excess sludge reduction. Combined ultrasonic/alkaline disintegration and hydrolysis/acidogenesis were integrated into its sludge pretreatment system. Continuous operation showed that the observed biomass yield and the sludge reduction efficiency of the lysis-cryptic growth system were 0.27 kg VSS/kg COD consumed and 56.5%, respectively. The water quality of its effluent was satisfactory. The sludge pretreatment system performed well and its TCOD removal efficiency was 7.9% which contributed a sludge reduction efficiency of 2.1%. The SCOD, VFA, TN, NH(4)(+)-N, TP and pH in the supernatant of pretreated sludge were 1790 mg/L, 1530 mg COD/L, 261.1mg/L, 114.0mg/L, 93.1mg/L and 8.69, respectively. The total operation cost of the lysis-cryptic growth system was $ 0.186/m(3) wastewater, which was 11.4% less than that of conventional activated sludge (CAS) system without excess sludge pretreatment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diagnosis and treatment of ectopic pregnancy.

PubMed

Epee-Bekima, Mathias; Overton, Caroline

2013-03-01

The most common site of localisation of an ectopic pregnancy is the fallopian tube. Rarely an ectopic pregnancy can be found in the ovary, a caesarean section scar, the abdomen or the cervix. Risk factors are previous ectopic pregnancy, PID, endometriosis, previous pelvic surgery, the presence of a coil and infertility. However, a third of women with an ectopic pregnancy have no known risk factors. NICE recommends a low threshold for offering a pregnancy test to women of childbearing age when they attend the surgery. Symptoms and signs appear when the tube starts to tear. When the tube ruptures, the woman will quickly become unwell and haemodynamically unstable because of rapid intra-abdominal blood loss. The most common symptoms of ectopic pregnancy are pelvic or abdominal pain, amenorrhoea, missed period or abnormal period and vaginal bleeding. A positive diagnosis of a urinary tract infection or gastroenteritis does not exclude an ectopic pregnancy. Signs of suspected ectopic pregnancy include pelvic, abdominal, adnexal or cervical motion tenderness, rebound tenderness and abdominal distension. Women who are haemodynamically unstable, or in whom there is significant concern about the degree of pain or bleeding, should be referred directly to A&E, irrespective of the result of the pregnancy test. Stable patients with bleeding who have pain or a pregnancy of six weeks gestation or more or a pregnancy of uncertain gestation should be referred immediately to an early pregnancy assessment (EPA) service, or out-of-hours gynaecology service if the EPA service is not available. Diagnosis is confirmed by transvaginal ultrasound scan to identify the location of the pregnancy.

[Cornual ectopic pregnancy. A report of a case and five-year-retrospective review].

PubMed

Ramírez Arreola, Leonardo; Nieto Galicia, Leyza Angélica; Escobar Valencia, Alfredo; Cerón Saldaña, Miguel Angel

2007-04-01

This article presents a clinical report of a cornual ectopic pregnancy as well as a five-year restrospective review of ectopic gestations at Hospital General de Matamoros Dr. Alfredo Pumarejo L, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The list with histopatological reports was checked up from January 2001 to May 2006. There were 66 results, of which only 31 files were complete. The presentation ages in these patients were between 16 and 39 years old, with a media of 25.6 years old and a mode of 21 years. The circumstances why patients attended to the hospital were: transvaginal bleeding and abdominal pain in 14 cases (45.1%), abdominal pain only in 12 cases (38.7%), and transvaginal bleeding only in five cases (16.2%). The clinical presentation was acute in 19 patients (61.3%), and it was insidious in 12 (38.7%). All women presented menstrual delay. Diagnoses were done by clinical findings in 12 women (38.7%), by clinical findings and ultrasonography in 18 (58.1%), and due to clinical findings and culdocentesis in just one patient (3.2%). Ectopic pregnancy was located in different places on each patient, such as: ampula, 24 cases (77.5%); isthmus, four patients (12.8%); fimbria, one case (3.2%); ovary, one woman (3.2%), and cornual in one patient (3.2%). Twenty-seven cases of broken ectopic pregnancies (87%), were found as transoperative findings, and the other four (13%) were not broken ectopic. There were not demises. Cornual ectopic pregnancy represents 1.5% of the ectopic gestations, as it is reported in the literature.

PRL-3 Is Involved in Estrogen- and IL-6-Induced Migration of Endometrial Stromal Cells From Ectopic Endometrium.

PubMed

Ren, Shifan; Zhou, Yefang; Fang, Xiaoling; She, Xiaoling; Wu, Yilin; Wu, Xianqing

2016-05-24

To investigate the role of phosphatase of regenerating liver-3 (PRL-3) in the 17β-estradiol (E2)- and interleukin 6 (IL-6)-induced migration of endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) from ectopic endometrium. Ectopic endometrial tissues were collected from patients with endometriosis, and PRL-3 expression in ectopic and eutopic endometrium was examined by immunohistochemistry. Endometrial stromal cells isolated from ectopic endometrium were treated with E2, progesterone (P), IL-6, or sodium orthovanadate (Sov) to inhibit PRL-3. Total RNA and protein were extracted from ESCs after treatment for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses. Cell migration was assessed using a scratch wound assay. Phosphatase of regenerating liver 3 protein was highly expressed in the endometrial glandular cells (EGCs) and ESCs in ectopic endometrium, whereas its weak expression was observed only in EGCs in eutopic endometrium. Both E2 and IL-6 treatment significantly increased PRL-3 messenger RNA and protein expression, and P treatment significantly inhibited PRL-3 expression. However, E2-induced PRL-3 expression in ESCs from ectopic endometrium was significantly blocked by IL-6 antibody. Moreover, E2- and IL-6-enhanced cell migration was completely abrogated by Sov treatment. Furthermore, Sov treatment could significantly promote PTEN expression but inhibit E2- and IL-6-induced p-AKT activation. Phosphatase of regenerating liver 3 plays a key role in the E2- and IL-6-induced migration of ESCs from ectopic endometrium, a process that is involved in the PTEN-AKT signaling pathway. © The Author(s) 2016.

Ectopic Atoh1 expression drives Merkel cell production in embryonic, postnatal and adult mouse epidermis.

PubMed

Ostrowski, Stephen M; Wright, Margaret C; Bolock, Alexa M; Geng, Xuehui; Maricich, Stephen M

2015-07-15

Merkel cells are mechanosensitive skin cells whose production requires the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor Atoh1. We induced ectopic Atoh1 expression in the skin of transgenic mice to determine whether Atoh1 was sufficient to create additional Merkel cells. In embryos, ectopic Atoh1 expression drove ectopic expression of the Merkel cell marker keratin 8 (K8) throughout the epidermis. Epidermal Atoh1 induction in adolescent mice similarly drove widespread K8 expression in glabrous skin of the paws, but in the whisker pads and body skin ectopic K8+ cells were confined to hair follicles and absent from interfollicular regions. Ectopic K8+ cells acquired several characteristics of mature Merkel cells in a time frame similar to that seen during postnatal development of normal Merkel cells. Although ectopic K8+ cell numbers decreased over time, small numbers of these cells remained in deep regions of body skin hair follicles at 3 months post-induction. In adult mice, greater numbers of ectopic K8+ cells were created by Atoh1 induction during anagen versus telogen and following disruption of Notch signaling by conditional deletion of Rbpj in the epidermis. Our data demonstrate that Atoh1 expression is sufficient to produce new Merkel cells in the epidermis, that epidermal cell competency to respond to Atoh1 varies by skin location, developmental age and hair cycle stage, and that the Notch pathway plays a key role in limiting epidermal cell competency to respond to Atoh1 expression. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

T Cell Adaptive Immunity Proceeds through Environment-Induced Adaptation from the Exposure of Cryptic Genetic Variation

PubMed Central

Whitacre, James M.; Lin, Joseph; Harding, Angus

2011-01-01

Evolution is often characterized as a process involving incremental genetic changes that are slowly discovered and fixed in a population through genetic drift and selection. However, a growing body of evidence is finding that changes in the environment frequently induce adaptations that are much too rapid to occur by an incremental genetic search process. Rapid evolution is hypothesized to be facilitated by mutations present within the population that are silent or “cryptic” within the first environment but are co-opted or “exapted” to the new environment, providing a selective advantage once revealed. Although cryptic mutations have recently been shown to facilitate evolution in RNA enzymes, their role in the evolution of complex phenotypes has not been proven. In support of this wider role, this paper describes an unambiguous relationship between cryptic genetic variation and complex phenotypic responses within the immune system. By reviewing the biology of the adaptive immune system through the lens of evolution, we show that T cell adaptive immunity constitutes an exemplary model system where cryptic alleles drive rapid adaptation of complex traits. In naive T cells, normally cryptic differences in T cell receptor reveal diversity in activation responses when the cellular population is presented with a novel environment during infection. We summarize how the adaptive immune response presents a well studied and appropriate experimental system that can be used to confirm and expand upon theoretical evolutionary models describing how seemingly small and innocuous mutations can drive rapid cellular evolution. PMID:22363338

Molecular species delimitation methods and population genetics data reveal extensive lineage diversity and cryptic species in Aglaopheniidae (Hydrozoa).

PubMed

Postaire, Bautisse; Magalon, Hélène; Bourmaud, Chloé A-F; Bruggemann, J Henrich

2016-12-01

A comprehensive inventory of global biodiversity would be greatly improved by automating methods for species delimitation. The Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery method, the Poisson tree processes algorithm and the Generalized mixed Yule-coalescent model have been proposed as means of increasing the rate of biodiversity description using single locus data. We applied these methods to explore the diversity within the Aglaopheniidae, a hydrozoan family with many species widely distributed across tropical and temperate oceans. Our analyses revealed widespread cryptic diversity in this family, almost half of the morpho-species presenting several independent evolutionary lineages, as well as support for cases of synonymy. For two common species of this family, Lytocarpia brevirostris and Macrorhynchia phoenicea, we compared the outputs to clustering analyses based on microsatellite data and to nuclear gene phylogenies. For L. brevirostris, microsatellite data were congruent with results of the species delimitation methods, revealing the existence of two cryptic species with Indo-Pacific distribution. For M. phoenicea, all analyses confirmed the presence of two cryptic species within the South-Western Indian Ocean. Our study suggests that the diversity of Aglaopheniidae might be much higher than assumed, likely related to low dispersal capacities. Sequence-based species delimitation methods seem highly valuable to reveal cryptic diversity in hydrozoans; their application in an integrative framework will be very useful in describing the phyletic diversity of these organisms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stridulations Reveal Cryptic Speciation in Neotropical Sympatric Ants

PubMed Central

Ferreira, Ronara Souza; Poteaux, Chantal; Delabie, Jacques Hubert Charles; Fresneau, Dominique; Rybak, Fanny

2010-01-01

The taxonomic challenge posed by cryptic species underlines the importance of using multiple criteria in species delimitation. In the current paper we tested the use of acoustic analysis as a tool to assess the real diversity in a cryptic species complex of Neotropical ants. In order to understand the potential of acoustics and to improve consistency in the conclusions by comparing different approaches, phylogenetic relationships of all the morphs considered were assessed by the analysis of a fragment of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b. We observed that each of the cryptic morph studied presents a morphologically distinct stridulatory organ and that all sympatric morphs produce distinctive stridulations. This is the first evidence of such a degree of specialization in the acoustic organ and signals in ants, which suggests that stridulations may be among the cues used by these ants during inter-specific interactions. Mitochondrial DNA variation corroborated the acoustic differences observed, confirming acoustics as a helpful tool to determine cryptic species in this group of ants, and possibly in stridulating ants in general. Congruent morphological, acoustic and genetic results constitute sufficient evidence to propose each morph studied here as a valid new species, suggesting that P. apicalis is a complex of at least 6 to 9 species, even if they present different levels of divergence. Finally, our results highlight that ant stridulations may be much more informative than hitherto thought, as much for ant communication as for integrative taxonomists. PMID:21203529

Orthodontic treatment of a stubborn palatally ectopic canine: a case report.

PubMed

Al-Musfir, Tumadher M; Morris, David O

2014-03-01

This is a case report that highlights a different treatment approach in dealing with palatally ectopic canines. The modified transpalatal arch with an 'active' arm was used to align a palatally ectopic canine with 'push' mechanics after the initial use of more conventional 'pull' mechanics (piggy-back archwire technique) had failed.

Ectopic canine associated with a dentigerous cyst in the maxilla.

PubMed

Thakur, Jagdeep S; Mohindroo, Narinder K; Sharma, Dev R; Minhas, Ravinder S; Thakur, Anamika

2011-06-01

Ectopic eruption of a tooth is common in the dental arch, palate, and nose, but it is rare in the maxillary antrum. We present the case of a 35-year-old man with an ectopic canine and an associated dentigerous cyst in the maxillary sinus that masqueraded as an antrochoanal polyp.

Ectopic Pregnancy and Emergency Contraceptive Pills: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Cleland, Kelly; Raymond, Elizabeth; Trussell, James; Cheng, Linan; Zhu, Haoping

2014-01-01

Objective To evaluate the existing data to estimate the rate of ectopic pregnancy among emergency contraceptive pill treatment failures. Data Sources Our initial reference list was generated from a 2008 Cochrane review of emergency contraception. In August 2009, we searched Biosys Previews, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Medline, Global Health Database, Health Source: Popline, and Wanfang Data (a Chinese database). Methods of Study Selection This study included data from 136 studies which followed a defined population of women treated one time with emergency contraceptive pills (either mifepristone or levonorgestrel), and in which the number and location of pregnancies were ascertained. Results Data from each article were abstracted independently by two reviewers. In the studies of mifepristone, 3 out of 494 (0.6%) pregnancies were ectopic; in the levonorgestrel studies, 3 out of 307 (1%) were ectopic. Conclusion The rate of ectopic pregnancy when treatment with emergency contraceptive pills fails does not exceed the rate observed in the general population. Since emergency contraceptive pills are effective in lowering the risk of pregnancy, their use should reduce the chance that an act of intercourse will result in ectopic pregnancy. PMID:20502299

Evaluation of a novel 5-group classification system of sepsis by vasopressor use and initial serum lactate in the emergency department.

PubMed

Swenson, Kai E; Dziura, James D; Aydin, Ani; Reynolds, Jesse; Wira, Charles R

2018-03-01

Prognostication in sepsis is limited by disease heterogeneity, and measures to risk-stratify patients in the proximal phases of care lack simplicity and accuracy. Hyperlactatemia and vasopressor dependence are easily identifiable risk factors for poor outcomes. This study compares incidence and hospital outcomes in sepsis based on initial serum lactate level and vasopressor use in the emergency department (ED). In a retrospective analysis of a prospectively identified dual-center ED registry, patients with sepsis were categorized by ED vasopressor use and initial serum lactate level. Vasopressor-dependent patients were categorized as dysoxic shock (lactate >4.0 mmol/L) and vasoplegic shock (≤4.0 mmol/L). Patients not requiring vasopressors were categorized as cryptic shock major (lactate >4.0 mmol/L), cryptic shock minor (>2.0 and ≤4.0 mmol/L), and sepsis without lactate elevation (≤2.0 mmol/L). Of 446 patients included, 4.9% (n = 22) presented in dysoxic shock, 11.7% (n = 52) in vasoplegic shock, 12.1% (n = 54) in cryptic shock major, 30.9% (n = 138) in cryptic shock minor, and 40.4% (n = 180) in sepsis without lactate elevation. Group mortality rates at 28 days were 50.0, 21.1, 18.5, 12.3, and 7.2%, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounders, odds ratios for mortality at 28 days were 15.1 for dysoxic shock, 3.6 for vasoplegic shock, 3.8 for cryptic shock major, and 1.9 for cryptic shock minor, when compared to sepsis without lactate elevation. Lactate elevation is associated with increased mortality in both vasopressor dependent and normotensive infected patients presenting to the emergency department (ED). Cryptic shock mortality (normotension + lactate >4 mmol/L) is equivalent to vasoplegic shock mortality (vasopressor requirement + lactate <4 mmol/L) in our population. The odds of normotensive, infected patients decompensating is three to fourfold higher with hyperlactemia. The proposed Sepsis-3 definitions exclude an entire group of high-risk ED patients. A simple classification in the ED by vasopressor requirement and initial lactate level may identify high-risk subgroups of sepsis. This study may inform prognostication and triage decisions in the proximal phases of care.

Transcription factor mutations in myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms

PubMed Central

Ernst, Thomas; Chase, Andrew; Zoi, Katerina; Waghorn, Katherine; Hidalgo-Curtis, Claire; Score, Joannah; Jones, Amy; Grand, Francis; Reiter, Andreas; Hochhaus, Andreas; Cross, Nicholas C.P.

2010-01-01

Background Aberrant activation of tyrosine kinases, caused by either mutation or gene fusion, is of major importance for the development of many hematologic malignancies, particularly myeloproliferative neoplasms. We hypothesized that hitherto unrecognized, cytogenetically cryptic tyrosine kinase fusions may be common in non-classical or atypical myeloproliferative neoplasms and related myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms. Design and Methods To detect genomic copy number changes associated with such fusions, we performed a systematic search in 68 patients using custom designed, targeted, high-resolution array comparative genomic hybridization. Arrays contained 44,000 oligonucleotide probes that targeted 500 genes including all 90 tyrosine kinases plus downstream tyrosine kinase signaling components, other translocation targets, transcription factors, and other factors known to be important for myelopoiesis. Results No abnormalities involving tyrosine kinases were detected; however, nine cytogenetically cryptic copy number imbalances were detected in seven patients, including hemizygous deletions of RUNX1 or CEBPA in two cases with atypical chronic myeloid leukemia. Mutation analysis of the remaining alleles revealed non-mutated RUNX1 and a frameshift insertion within CEBPA. A further mutation screen of 187 patients with myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms identified RUNX1 mutations in 27 (14%) and CEBPA mutations in seven (4%) patients. Analysis of other transcription factors known to be frequently mutated in acute myeloid leukemia revealed NPM1 mutations in six (3%) and WT1 mutations in two (1%) patients with myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms. Univariate analysis indicated that patients with mutations had a shorter overall survival (28 versus 44 months, P=0.019) compared with patients without mutations, with the prognosis for cases with CEBPA, NPM1 or WT1 mutations being particularly poor. Conclusions We conclude that mutations of transcription and other nuclear factors are frequent in myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms and are generally mutually exclusive. CEBPA, NPM1 or WT1 mutations may be associated with a poor prognosis, an observation that will need to be confirmed by detailed prospective studies. PMID:20421268

Fibroadenoma in Axillary Ectopic Breast Tissue Mimicking Lymphadenopathy

PubMed Central

Maheshwari, Ujwala M

2017-01-01

Swellings in the axilla especially in women are always viewed with suspicion owing to a large number of these being associated with breast carcinoma presenting as nodal metastasis. In a country like India, tuberculous lymphadenopathy is also amongst the first differentials. We present a case of a woman with right sided axillary swelling mimicking lymphadenopathy which on Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) turned out to be fibroadenoma of the ectopic breast tissue. This condition is a rare occurrence in Ectopic Breast Tissue (EBT) as opposed to that in the normal breast, the most common pathology affecting ectopic breast being carcinomas. PMID:28511397

Papillary carcinoma in ectopic thyroid detected by Tl-201 scintigraphy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Michigishi, T.; Mizukami, Y.; Mura, T.

1991-05-01

A 37-year-old man with papillary carcinoma in an ectopic thyroid is presented. Excisional biopsy revealed the cervical mass to be a metastasis from thyroid cancer. X-ray, ultrasonography, and computed tomography, however, failed to identify the primary tumor in the thyroid. Incidental TI-201 uptake was noted in the midline of the anterior neck, and a palpable nodule was discovered in this area. Fine needle aspiration cytology demonstrated Class V papillary adenocarcinoma, and subsequent surgery confirmed a papillary carcinoma in the ectopic thyroid. This case suggests the usefulness of TI-201 scintigraphy for the detection of ectopic thyroid malignancy.

Ectopic Cushing's syndrome secondary to olfactory neuroblastoma.

PubMed

Yu, Kenny; Roncaroli, Federico; Kearney, Tara; Ewins, David; Beeharry, Deepa; Naylor, Thomas; Ray, David; Bhalla, Rajiv; Gnanalingham, Kanna

2018-05-01

We present the case of a patient with Cushing's syndrome secondary to ectopic ACTH secretion. A MR of the head showed a left-sided nasal mass extending down from the cribriform plate. The patient underwent endoscopic resection with nearly complete removal of the mass. Histological examination showed an ACTH-secreting olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB). The patient's cortisol levels returned to normal range after surgery and have remained normal for over a year. ONB is a rare cause for ectopic ACTH secretion. This case highlights the diagnostic and management difficulties in patients with ectopic ACTH secretion, and provides a brief review of ONB.

Dual ectopic thyroid associated with thyroid hemiagenesis.

PubMed

Nakamura, Shigenori; Masuda, Teruyuki; Ishimori, Masatoshi

2018-01-01

We report a case of a 15-year-old girl with a midline neck mass that was first noted 2 or 3 years previously. She had been treated with levothyroxine (L-T4) for congenital hypothyroidism until 11 years of age. Ultrasonography revealed an atrophic right thyroid (1.0 × 1.6 × 2.6 cm in size) and a mass (2.3 × 1.0 × 3.5 cm in size) in the upper part of the neck. No left lobe of the thyroid was detected. On further evaluation, Tc-99m pertechnetate thyroid scintigraphy and CT showed ectopic thyroid tissue in the lingual region and infrahyoid region. Thus, she was diagnosed as having dual ectopic thyroid and thyroid hemiagenesis. The atrophic right thyroid was thought be non-functional. Treatment with L-T4 was started to reduce the size of the dual ectopic thyroid tissue. This may be the first reported case of dual ectopic thyroid associated with hemiagenesis detected only by ultrasonography. Ultrasonography can confirm the presence or absence of orthotopic thyroid tissue in patients with ectopic thyroid.The cause of congenital hypothyroidism should be examined.Clinical manifestation of ectopic thyroid may appear when the treatment with L-T4 is discontinued.Annual follow-up is needed in all children when their thyroid hormone replacement is stopped.

Ectopic KNOX Expression Affects Plant Development by Altering Tissue Cell Polarity and Identity[OPEN

PubMed Central

Rebocho, Alexandra B.

2016-01-01

Plant development involves two polarity types: tissue cell (asymmetries within cells are coordinated across tissues) and regional (identities vary spatially across tissues) polarity. Both appear altered in the barley (Hordeum vulgare) Hooded mutant, in which ectopic expression of the KNOTTED1-like Homeobox (KNOX) gene, BKn3, causes inverted polarity of differentiated hairs and ectopic flowers, in addition to wing-shaped outgrowths. These lemma-specific effects allow the spatiotemporal analysis of events following ectopic BKn3 expression, determining the relationship between KNOXs, polarity, and shape. We show that tissue cell polarity, based on localization of the auxin transporter SISTER OF PINFORMED1 (SoPIN1), dynamically reorients as ectopic BKn3 expression increases. Concurrently, ectopic expression of the auxin importer LIKE AUX1 and boundary gene NO APICAL MERISTEM is activated. The polarity of hairs reflects SoPIN1 patterns, suggesting that tissue cell polarity underpins oriented cell differentiation. Wing cell files reveal an anisotropic growth pattern, and computational modeling shows how polarity guiding growth can account for this pattern and wing emergence. The inverted ectopic flower orientation does not correlate with SoPIN1, suggesting that this form of regional polarity is not controlled by tissue cell polarity. Overall, the results suggest that KNOXs trigger different morphogenetic effects through interplay between tissue cell polarity, identity, and growth. PMID:27553356

Association of anti-Chlamydia antibodies with ectopic pregnancy in Benin city, Nigeria: a case-control study.

PubMed

Agholor, K; Omo-Aghoja, L; Okonofua, F

2013-06-01

Ectopic pregnancy remains a major public health problem especially in many developing countries where it is a significant contributor to pregnancy related morbidity and mortality. To determine the association between prior Chlamydia trachomatis infection and the risk of ectopic pregnancy. A case-control study from two tertiary health care facilities in Benin City, Nigeria. Ninety eight women with ectopic pregnancy (cases) and another 98 women with uncomplicated intrauterine pregnancy (controls) matched for age, were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire and evaluated for serological evidence of prior Chlamydia trachomatis infection. The antibody titres in cases (48%) were significantly higher than in controls (16.3%) (p<0.001). However, the association between Chlamydia antibodies and ectopic pregnancy was attenuated when the effects of indicators of previous pelvic infections, socio-demographic characteristics, contraceptive and sexual history were controlled for. Primary level of education (OR = 6.32; CI, 2.31 - 17.3), three or more lifetime sexual partners (OR = 5.71; CI, 2.39 - 13.65) and prior history of vaginal discharge (OR = 5.00; CI, 2.03 - 12.3) were more likely to be associated with ectopic pregnancy than with the presence of antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis (OR = 2.82; 95% CI, 1.33 - 5.95). The Population Attributable Risk was 30.9%. Chlamydial infections play only a limited role in the pathogenesis of ectopic pregnancy.

Cellular and molecular defects in a patient with Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome type 5.

PubMed

Stephen, Joshi; Yokoyama, Tadafumi; Tolman, Nathanial J; O'Brien, Kevin J; Nicoli, Elena-Raluca; Brooks, Brian P; Huryn, Laryssa; Titus, Steven A; Adams, David R; Chen, Dong; Gahl, William A; Gochuico, Bernadette R; Malicdan, May Christine V

2017-01-01

Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS) is a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders typically manifesting with tyrosinase-positive oculocutaneous albinism, bleeding diathesis, and pulmonary fibrosis, in some subtypes. Most HPS subtypes are associated with defects in Biogenesis of Lysosome-related Organelle Complexes (BLOCs), which are groups of proteins that function together in the formation and/or trafficking of lysosomal-related endosomal compartments. BLOC-2, for example, consists of the proteins HPS3, HPS5, and HPS6. Here we present an HPS patient with defective BLOC-2 due to a novel intronic mutation in HPS5 that activates a cryptic acceptor splice site. This mutation leads to the insertion of nine nucleotides in-frame and results in a reduced amount of HPS5 at the transcript and protein level. In studies using skin fibroblasts derived from the proband and two other individuals with HPS-5, we found a perinuclear distribution of acidified organelles in patient cells compared to controls. Our results suggest the role of HPS5 in the endo-lysosomal dynamics of skin fibroblasts.

Interstitial insertion of RARα gene into PML gene in a patient with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) lacking the classic t(15;17).

PubMed

Goldschmidt, Neta; Yehuda-Gafni, Orly; Abeliovich, Deborah; Slyusarevsky, Elena; Rund, Deborah

2010-10-01

The diagnosis of APL is based on clinical and morphological tests though the final diagnosis is at the molecular level. An accurate diagnosis is important as it mandates targeted therapy to improve survival. We report a case of APL without t(15;17) in conventional cytogenetic study and with initially negative fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) study on cells in interphase. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the promyelocytic/retinoic acid receptor alpha gene (PML/RARα) fusion oncogene proved the clinical diagnosis as well as FISH study on cells in metaphase. The cause was a cryptic translocation of the RARα gene into PML. We reviewed 36 additional cases of APL diagnosed in our hospital since 1992. This was the only case that failed to show t(15;17) in cytogenetics. However, three cases with t(15;17) in cytogenetics had negative RT-PCR for PML/RARα. Our case emphasizes that cytogenetics, FISH and RT-PCR studies are complementary studies for the molecular diagnosis of APL.

Characterization of a complex chromosomal rearrangement using chromosome, FISH, and microarray assays in a girl with multiple congenital abnormalities and developmental delay.

PubMed

Hemmat, Morteza; Yang, Xiaojing; Chan, Patricia; McGough, Robert A; Ross, Leslie; Mahon, Loretta W; Anguiano, Arturo L; Boris, Wang T; Elnaggar, Mohamed M; Wang, Jia-Chi J; Strom, Charles M; Boyar, Fatih Z

2014-01-01

Complex chromosomal rearrangements (CCRs) are balanced or unbalanced structural rearrangements involving three or more cytogenetic breakpoints on two or more chromosomal pairs. The phenotypic anomalies in such cases are attributed to gene disruption, superimposed cryptic imbalances in the genome, and/or position effects. We report a 14-year-old girl who presented with multiple congenital anomalies and developmental delay. Chromosome and FISH analysis indicated a highly complex chromosomal rearrangement involving three chromosomes (3, 7 and 12), seven breakpoints as a result of one inversion, two insertions, and two translocations forming three derivative chromosomes. Additionally, chromosomal microarray study (CMA) revealed two submicroscopic deletions at 3p12.3 (467 kb) and 12q13.12 (442 kb). We postulate that microdeletion within the ROBO1 gene at 3p12.3 may have played a role in the patient's developmental delay, since it has potential activity-dependent role in neurons. Additionally, factors other than genomic deletions such as loss of function or position effects may also contribute to the abnormal phenotype in our patient.

Genetic diversity in two introduced biofouling amphipods (Amphipods valida and Jassa marmorata) along the Pacific North American coast: investigation into molecular identification and cryptic diversity

EPA Science Inventory

We investigated patterns of genetic diversity among invasive populations of A. valida and J. marmorata from the Pacific North American coast to assess the accuracy of morphological identification and determine whether or not cryptic diversity and multiple introductions contribute...

Cryptic chromosome 9q34 deletion generates TAF-Ialpha/CAN and TAF-Ibeta/CAN fusion transcripts in acute myeloid leukemia.

PubMed

Rosati, Roberto; La Starza, Roberta; Barba, Gianluca; Gorello, Paolo; Pierini, Valentina; Matteucci, Caterina; Roti, Giovanni; Crescenzi, Barbara; Aloisi, Teresa; Aversa, Franco; Martelli, Massimo Fabrizio; Mecucci, Cristina

2007-02-01

In hematologic malignancies chromosome aberrations generating fusion genes include cryptic deletions. In a patient with acute myeloid leukemia and normal karyo-type we discovered a new cryptic 9q34 deletion and here report the cytogenetic and molecular findings. The 9q34 deletion extends 2.5 megabases and juxtaposes the 5' TAF-I to the 3' CAN producing a TAF-I/CAN fusion gene. TAF-I/CAN transcribes into two fusion proteins bearing either TAF-Ialpha or TAF-Ibeta moieties. We set up molecular assays to monitor the chimeric TAF-Ialpha/CAN and TAF-Ibeta/CAN transcripts which, after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from an HLA-identical sibling, were no longer detected.

Location of Sites Within 'Cryptic Terrain'

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

A regional landscape near Mars' south pole is called 'cryptic terrain' because it once defied explanation, but new observations bolster and refine interpretations of how springtime outbursts of carbon-dioxide gas there sculpt intricate patterns and paint seasonal splotches. This map indicates locations of three sites that have been examined within the area of cryptic terrain, informally designated 'Manhattan,' 'Giza' and 'Ithaca.'

The underlying map offers context of brightness measurements from the Thermal Emission Spectrometer instrument draped over a shaded relief map based on data from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter instrument. Cool colors are areas with a low albedo (dark) and warm colors are areas which have high albedo (bright). Both of those instruments flew on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor orbiter.

A painful perineal lump: an unusual case of ectopic breast tissue

PubMed Central

Yongue, G; Leff, D; Lamb, BW; Karim, S; Aref, F; Vashisht, R

2011-01-01

We report the case of a 40-year-old lady who presented with an episodically painful perineal lump. Clinical and radiological investigations were inconclusive. Excision biopsy confirmed an ectopic breast mass. Ectopic breast tissue is difficult to diagnose but close attention to clinical findings can help to guide further investigation and diagnosis. PMID:22004627

Potential link between excess added sugar intake and ectopic fat: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Context: The effect of added sugar intake on ectopic fat accumulation is a subject of debate. Objective: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to examine the potential effect of added sugar intake on ectopic fat depots. Data Sources: MEDLINE, CA...

Long-term effectiveness of surgical treatment of ectopic atrial tachycardia.

PubMed

Prager, N A; Cox, J L; Lindsay, B D; Ferguson, T B; Osborn, J L; Cain, M E

1993-07-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the long-term clinical outcome of patients with ectopic atrial tachycardias treated surgically. Ectopic atrial tachycardia is an uncommon arrhythmia that can be symptomatic and is associated with the development of a cardiomyopathy. Management strategies are not well defined because of the paucity of data on the long-term effectiveness of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies. The long-term clinical impact of medical and surgical therapy was determined in 15 consecutive patients with ectopic atrial tachycardia. All 15 patients were initially treated with antiarrhythmic drugs (mean 5.7 +/- 2.2 drugs/patient). An effective drug regimen was identified in only 5 (33%) of the 15 patients; the remaining 10 patients were treated surgically. In each, individualized surgical procedures were guided by computer-assisted intraoperative mapping, with atrial plaques comprising up to 156 electrodes. Focal ablation was performed in four patients and atrial isolation procedures in six. The 10 patients treated surgically were followed up a mean of 4 +/- 3.2 years. Ectopic atrial tachycardia recurred in one patient. A permanent pacemaker was implanted in two patients, one of whom also required reoperation for constrictive pericarditis. There were no operative deaths. Ectopic atrial tachycardia recurred in three (60%) of the five patients discharged on antiarrhythmic drug therapy during a mean follow-up interval of 6.4 +/- 4.3 years. There was one nonarrhythmic death. Map-guided surgery demonstrated long-term efficacy in abolishing symptoms in 9 of the 10 patients with ectopic atrial tachycardia. Results demonstrate that surgery is effective for patients with ectopic atrial tachycardias who are not easily treated with antiarrhythmic drugs.

Serum β-hCG levels post-treatment of ectopic pregnancy with a single dose of intramuscular methotrexate.

PubMed

Hadinata, Ignatius E; Doyle, Lex W; Thompson, Derrick; Reti, Leslie

2015-04-01

The cytotoxic management of ectopic pregnancy using a single dose of intramuscular methotrexate injection has been well established as effective for a select number of women with unruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy where there are minimal symptoms. The purpose of this study was to create centile curves of serum β-hCG levels following successful treatment with a single dose of 50 mg/m(2) of intramuscular methotrexate to treat ectopic pregnancy. Data were retrieved from women treated at the Royal Women's Hospital for ectopic pregnancy between 2006 and 2012. Only women with minimal symptoms, initial serum β-hCG ≤5000 IU/L and ectopic mass size of ≤35 mm on ultrasound were included. Two hundred and fifty-three cases of ectopic pregnancy were analysed. Initial β-hCG of women in the study ranged from 18 to 3995 IU/L with a median of 497 (25th to 75th centiles; 222-1160) IU/L. The median levels of β-hCG levels at day 4, 7 and 14 postmethotrexate injection were 73.8, 47.2 and 10.4% of the initial β-hCG level, respectively. The 90th centiles of β-hCG levels at day 4, 7 and 14 were 124.7, 93.8 and 40.0% of initial β-hCG level, respectively. Whilst no comparison with those unsuccessfully treated was made, pending further validation studies, the use of these curves may reduce the reliance on specialist units and streamline care for many women with ectopic pregnancy, such as those whose β-hCG regress in line with centile values without crossing a certain threshold. © 2015 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

A rare case of an ACTH/CRH co-secreting midgut neuroendocrine tumor mimicking Cushing's disease.

PubMed

Streuli, Regina; Krull, Ina; Brändle, Michael; Kolb, Walter; Stalla, Günter; Theodoropoulou, Marily; Enzler-Tschudy, Annette; Bilz, Stefan

2017-01-01

Ectopic ACTH/CRH co-secreting tumors are a very rare cause of Cushing's syndrome and only a few cases have been reported in the literature. Differentiating between Cushing's disease and ectopic Cushing's syndrome may be particularly difficult if predominant ectopic CRH secretion leads to pituitary corticotroph hyperplasia that may mimic Cushing's disease during dynamic testing with both dexamethasone and CRH as well as bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling (BIPSS). We present the case of a 24-year-old man diagnosed with ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome caused by an ACTH/CRH co-secreting midgut NET. Both high-dose dexamethasone testing and BIPSS suggested Cushing's disease. However, the clinical presentation with a rather rapid onset of cushingoid features, hyperpigmentation and hypokalemia led to the consideration of ectopic ACTH/CRH-secretion and prompted a further workup. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen revealed a cecal mass which was identified as a predominantly CRH-secreting neuroendocrine tumor. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of an ACTH/CRH co-secreting tumor of the cecum presenting with biochemical features suggestive of Cushing's disease. The discrimination between a Cushing's disease and ectopic Cushing's syndrome is challenging and has many caveats.Ectopic ACTH/CRH co-secreting tumors are very rare.Dynamic tests as well as BIPSS may be compatible with Cushing's disease in ectopic CRH-secretion.High levels of CRH may induce hyperplasia of the corticotroph cells in the pituitary. This could be the cause of a preserved pituitary response to dexamethasone and CRH.Clinical features of ACTH-dependent hypercortisolism with rapid development of Cushing's syndrome, hyperpigmentation, high circulating levels of cortisol with associated hypokalemia, peripheral edema and proximal myopathy should be a warning flag of ectopic Cushing's syndrome and lead to further investigations.

Dysregulated endocardial TGFβ signaling and mesenchymal transformation result in heart outflow tract septation failure.

PubMed

Ma, Mancheong; Li, Peng; Shen, Hua; Estrada, Kristine D; Xu, Jian; Kumar, S Ram; Sucov, Henry M

2016-01-01

Heart outflow tract septation in mouse embryos carrying mutations in retinoic acid receptor genes fails with complete penetrance. In this mutant background, ectopic TGFβ signaling in the distal outflow tract is responsible for septation failure, but it was uncertain what tissue was responsive to ectopic TGFβ and why this response interfered with septation. By combining RAR gene mutation with tissue-specific Cre drivers and a conditional type II TGFβ receptor (Tgfbr2) allele, we determined that ectopic activation of TGFβ signaling in the endocardium is responsible for septation defects. Ectopic TGFβ signaling results in ectopic mesenchymal transformation of the endocardium and thereby in improperly constituted distal OFT cushions. Our analysis highlights the interactions between myocardium, endocardium, and neural crest cells in outflow tract morphogenesis, and demonstrates the requirement for proper TGFβ signaling in outflow tract cushion organization and septation. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Calvarial ectopic meningothelial meningioma

PubMed Central

Vital, Roberto Bezerra; Hamamoto Filho, Pedro Tadao; Lapate, Renan Luiz; Martins, Vinícius Zanin; de Oliveira Lima, Flávio; Romero, Flávio Ramalho; Zanini, Marco Antônio

2015-01-01

Background Meningiomas are the most common benign neoplasm of the brain whereas ectopic presentation, although reported, is rare. Among these ectopic tumors, there are a group of purely intraosseous meningiomas, which usually are diagnosed differentially from common primary osseous tumor such as fibrous dysplasia and osteoid osteoma. Case description We report a 62-year-old female with a history of headaches and 6 months of progressive right parietal bulging, with no neurological signs. Parietal craniotomy was performed with immediate titanium cranioplasty of the parietal convexity. Histopathology exams revealed an ectopic intradiploic meningioma without invasion of cortical layers, with positive staining for progesterone receptors and epithelial membrane antigen. Conclusions Ectopic intraosseous meningiomas remain a rare neoplasm with only a few cases reported. The main theories to justify the unusual topography appear to be embryological remains of neuroectodermal tissue or cellular dedifferentiation. Surgical treatment seems the best curative option. PMID:25805612

Syringomyelia with intramedullary ectopic choroid plexus: Case report.

PubMed

Duan, Hongzhou; Zhang, Jiayong; Xu, Feifan; Zhang, Zongqiang; Zhao, Xiaowen

2018-06-01

Intramedullary ectopic choroid plexus is rarely reported, here, we reported a rare case of symptomatic syringomyelia resulted of intramedullary ectopic choroid plexus. The patient was a 30-year-old female who presented with a 2-month history of progressive pain of upper back and bilateral ankle joint and progressive loss of upper-extremity function. MRI examination showed an intramedullary cystic lesion at T2-T4 without enhancement. Operative exploration was indicated. A reddish vascular villus-like lesion was found being located in the left dorsal part of the cyst, which was enblock removed and was confirmed as an ectopic choroid plexus tissue by pathological examination. The patient recovered uneventful and the symptom resolved during follow-up. Although ectopic choroid plexus is extremely rare, it should be taken into acount in the differential diagnosis of pathogenesis in syringomyelia or intramedullary cyst, aggressive surgical exploration should be considered when necessary. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Crossed Unfused Ectopic Pelvic Kidneys: A Case Illustration.

PubMed

Degheili, Jad A; AbuSamra, Murad M; El-Merhi, Fadi; El-Hajj, Albert

2018-01-01

Crossed unfused ectopia constitutes a very rare variant of ectopic kidneys, with an approximate incidence of 1 : 75000. We hereby describe a rare case of an incidental finding of crossed unfused ectopic kidneys, in a 45-year-old gentleman incidentally found to have a bladder lesion. The unique blood supply of his kidneys has also been described. The present case also highlights the different subtypes of renal ectopia, the different embryological hypotheses behind their presentation, and the various systematic anomalies, associated with them. Variations in vasculature of ectopic kidneys have been only described in case reports and are crucial to recognize in case any further intervention is needed.

Lactational ectopic breast tissue of the vulva: case report and brief historical review.

PubMed

Pieh-Holder, Kelly L

2013-04-01

Ectopic breast tissue is defined as glands of breast tissue located outside of the normal anatomic breasts. Historically, ectopic breast tissue has been thought to arise from a remnant of the embryonic mammary ridge along the "milk line" or the midaxillary line from the axilla to the groin, including the vulvar region. Extramammary tissue displays the same pathologic and physiologic changes as normal breast tissue and is often discovered in multiparous women as the result of swelling from lactational activity. We present a case report of a gravid patient with lactating vulvar mass and a brief historical perspective of vulvar ectopic breast tissue.

Failure rate of single dose methotrexate in managment of ectopic pregnancy.

PubMed

Sendy, Feras; AlShehri, Eman; AlAjmi, Amani; Bamanie, Elham; Appani, Surekha; Shams, Taghreed

2015-01-01

Background. One of the treatment modalities for ectopic pregnancy is methotrexate. The purpose of this study is to identify the failure rate of methotrexate in treating patients with ectopic pregnancy as well as the risk factors leading to treatment failure. Methods. A retrospective chart review of 225 patients who received methotrexate as a primary management option for ectopic pregnancy. Failure of single dose of methotrexate was defined as drop of BHCG level less than or equal to 14% in the seventh day after administration of methotrexate. Results. 225 patients had methotrexate. Most of the patients (151 (67%)) received methotrexate based on the following formula: f 50 mg X body surface area. Single dose of methotrexate was successful in 72% (162/225) of the patients. 28% (63/225) were labeled as failure of single dose of methotrexate because of suboptimal drop in BhCG. 63% (40/63) of failure received a second dose of methotrexate, and 37% (23/63) underwent surgical treatment. Among patient who received initial dose of methotrexate, 71% had moderate or severe pain, and 58% had ectopic mass size of more than 4 cm on ultrasound. Conclusion. Liberal use of medical treatment of ectopic pregnancy results in 71% success rate.

Ectopic Molar Pregnancy: Diagnostic Efficacy of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Yamada, Yasushi; Ohira, Satoshi; Yamazaki, Teruyuki; Shiozawa, Tanri

2016-01-01

Ectopic molar pregnancy is extremely rare, and preoperative diagnosis is difficult. Our literature search found only one report of molar pregnancy diagnosed preoperatively. Moreover, there is no English literature depicting magnetic resonance image (MRI) findings of ectopic molar pregnancy. We report a case of ectopic molar pregnancy preoperatively diagnosed using MRI. A literature review of 31 cases of ectopic molar pregnancy demonstrated that lesions have been found in the fallopian tube (19 cases, 61%), ovary (5 cases, 16%), cornu (3 cases, 10%), peritoneum (2 cases, 6%), uterine cervix (1 case, 3%), and cesarean scar (1 case, 3%). Abdominal pain and abnormal vaginal bleeding were reported in 70% and 61% of the patients, respectively. Twenty-one cases (67%) presented with rupture and hemoperitoneum. All patients underwent surgical resection or dilatation and curettage. Methotrexate therapy was performed in one case because residual trophoblastic tissue was suspected. A second operation was performed in one case of ovarian molar pregnancy because serum hCG levels increased again after primary focal ovarian resection. No patients developed metastatic disease or relapsed. These findings suggest the prognosis of ectopic molar pregnancy to be favorable.

Radiographic assessment of dental anomalies in patients with ectopic maxillary canines.

PubMed

Sørensen, Helle Budtz; Artmann, Lone; Larsen, Helle Juul; Kjaer, Inger

2009-03-01

The aetiology of palatally and labially located ectopic maxillary canines is multifactorial. Accordingly, early prediction of this eruptional disturbance is in most cases not possible. The purpose of this study was to analyse dental deviations in cases with either palatal or labial ectopic canines. Panoramic and intra-oral radiographs from 50 patients with palatally located (38 females and 12 males) and 19 patients with labially located ectopic canines (11 females and 8 males), aged 10 years, 2 months-18 years, 1 month, were analysed. Dental deviations registered were crown and root malformations, agenesis, and eruption deviations. Registrations were performed in the maxillary incisor field and in the dentition in general. The study documented that palatally as well as labially located ectopic canines can occur in dentitions without other dental deviations. Dental deviations occurred in approximately two-thirds of all cases, more often in females and in cases with palatally located canines. More than half of the females with palatally located canines had deviations in the maxillary incisors and in the dentition in general. Dental deviations may be considered a risk factor for maxillary canine ectopia. Early identification of patients at risk and appropriate interceptive treatment may reduce ectopic eruption of maxillary canines.

Upper gastrointestinal ectopic variceal bleeding treated with various endoscopic modalities: Case reports and literature review.

PubMed

Park, Sang Woo; Cho, Eunae; Jun, Chung Hwan; Choi, Sung Kyu; Kim, Hyun Soo; Park, Chang Hwan; Rew, Jong Sun; Cho, Sung Bum; Kim, Hee Joon; Han, Mingui; Cho, Kyu Man

2017-01-01

Ectopic variceal bleeding is a rare (2-5%) but fatal gastrointestinal bleed in patients with portal hypertension. Patients with ectopic variceal bleeding manifest melena, hematochezia, or hematemesis, which require urgent managements. Definitive therapeutic modalities of ectopic varices are not yet standardized because of low incidence. Various therapeutic modalities have been applied on the basis of the experiences of experts or availability of facilities, with varying results. We have encountered eight cases of gastrointestinal ectopic variceal bleeding in five patients in the last five years. All patients were diagnosed with liver cirrhosis presenting melena or hematemesis. All patients were treated with various endoscopic modalities (endoscopic variceal obturation [EVO] with cyanoacrylate in five cases, endoscopic variceal band ligation (EVL) in two cases, hemoclipping in one case). Satisfactory hemostasis was achieved without radiologic interventions in all cases. EVO and EVL each caused one case of portal biliopathy, and EVL induced ulcer bleeding in one case. EVO generally accomplished better results of variceal obturations than EVL or hemoclipping, without serious adverse events. EVO may be an effective modality for control of ectopic variceal bleeding without radiologic intervention or surgery.

Requirements for FGF3 and FGF10 during inner ear formation.

PubMed

Alvarez, Yolanda; Alonso, Maria Teresa; Vendrell, Victor; Zelarayan, Laura Cecilia; Chamero, Pablo; Theil, Thomas; Bösl, Michael R; Kato, Shigeaki; Maconochie, Mark; Riethmacher, Dieter; Schimmang, Thomas

2003-12-01

Members of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) gene family control formation of the body plan and organogenesis in vertebrates. FGF3 is expressed in the developing hindbrain and has been shown to be involved in inner ear development of different vertebrate species, including zebrafish, Xenopus, chick and mouse. In the mouse, insertion of a neomycin resistance gene into the Fgf3 gene via homologous recombination results in severe developmental defects during differentiation of the otic vesicle. We have addressed the precise roles of FGF3 and other FGF family members during formation of the murine inner ear using both loss- and gain-of-function experiments. We generated a new mutant allele lacking the entire FGF3-coding region but surprisingly found no evidence for severe defects either during inner ear development or in the mature sensory organ, suggesting the functional involvement of other FGF family members during its formation. Ectopic expression of FGF10 in the developing hindbrain of transgenic mice leads to the formation of ectopic vesicles, expressing some otic marker genes and thus indicating a role for FGF10 during otic vesicle formation. Expression analysis of FGF10 during mouse embryogenesis reveals a highly dynamic pattern of expression in the developing hindbrain, partially overlapping with FGF3 expression and coinciding with formation of the inner ear. However, FGF10 mutant mice have been reported to display only mild defects during inner ear differentiation. We thus created double mutant mice for FGF3 and FGF10, which form severely reduced otic vesicles, suggesting redundant roles of these FGFs, acting in combination as neural signals for otic vesicle formation.

Analysis of piRNA-mediated silencing of active TEs in Drosophila melanogaster suggests limits on the evolution of host genome defense.

PubMed

Kelleher, Erin S; Barbash, Daniel A

2013-08-01

The Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway defends animal genomes against the harmful consequences of transposable element (TE) infection by imposing small-RNA-mediated silencing. Because silencing is targeted by TE-derived piRNAs, piRNA production is posited to be central to the evolution of genome defense. We harnessed genomic data sets from Drosophila melanogaster, including genome-wide measures of piRNA, mRNA, and genomic abundance, along with estimates of age structure and risk of ectopic recombination, to address fundamental questions about the functional and evolutionary relationships between TE families and their regulatory piRNAs. We demonstrate that mRNA transcript abundance, robustness of "ping-pong" amplification, and representation in piRNA clusters together explain the majority of variation in piRNA abundance between TE families, providing the first robust statistical support for the prevailing model of piRNA biogenesis. Intriguingly, we also discover that the most transpositionally active TE families, with the greatest capacity to induce harmful mutations or disrupt gametogenesis, are not necessarily the most abundant among piRNAs. Rather, the level of piRNA targeting is largely independent of recent transposition rate for active TE families, but is rapidly lost for inactive TEs. These observations are consistent with population genetic theory that suggests a limited selective advantage for host repression of transposition. Additionally, we find no evidence that piRNA targeting responds to selection against a second major cost of TE infection: ectopic recombination between TE insertions. Our observations confirm the pivotal role of piRNA-mediated silencing in defending the genome against selfish transposition, yet also suggest limits to the optimization of host genome defense.

Ectopic expression of a fruit phytoene synthase from Citrus paradisi Macf. promotes abiotic stress tolerance in transgenic tobacco.

PubMed

Cidade, Luciana C; de Oliveira, Tahise M; Mendes, Amanda F S; Macedo, Amanda F; Floh, Eny I S; Gesteira, Abelmon S; Soares-Filho, Walter S; Costa, Marcio G C

2012-12-01

Abscisic acid (ABA) is an important regulator of plant responses to environmental stresses and an absolute requirement for stress tolerance. Recently, a third phytoene synthase (PSY3) gene paralog was identified in monocots and demonstrated to play a specialized role in stress-induced ABA formation, thus suggesting that the first committed step in carotenogenesis is a key limiting step in ABA biosynthesis. To examine whether the ectopic expression of PSY, other than PSY3, would similarly affect ABA level and stress tolerance, we have produced transgenic tobacco containing a fruit-specific PSY (CpPSY) of grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macf.). The transgenic plants contained a single- or double-locus insertion and expressed CpPSY at varying transcript levels. In comparison with the wild-type plants, the CpPSY expressing transgenic plants showed a significant increase on root length and shoot biomass under PEG-, NaCl- and mannitol-induced osmotic stress. The enhanced stress tolerance of transgenic plants was correlated with the increased endogenous ABA level and expression of stress-responsive genes, which in turn was correlated with the CpPSY copy number and expression level in different transgenic lines. Collectively, these results provide further evidence that PSY is a key enzyme regulating ABA biosynthesis and that the altered expression of other PSYs in transgenic plants may provide a similar function to that of the monocot's PSY3 in ABA biosynthesis and stress tolerance. The results also pave the way for further use of CpPSY, as well as other PSYs, as potential candidate genes for engineering tolerance to drought and salt stress in crop plants.

The retrovirus HTLV-1 inserts an ectopic CTCF-binding site into the human genome.

PubMed

Satou, Yorifumi; Miyazato, Paola; Ishihara, Ko; Yaguchi, Hiroko; Melamed, Anat; Miura, Michi; Fukuda, Asami; Nosaka, Kisato; Watanabe, Takehisa; Rowan, Aileen G; Nakao, Mitsuyoshi; Bangham, Charles R M

2016-03-15

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a retrovirus that causes malignant and inflammatory diseases in ∼10% of infected people. A typical host has between 10(4) and 10(5) clones of HTLV-1-infected T lymphocytes, each clone distinguished by the genomic integration site of the single-copy HTLV-1 provirus. The HTLV-1 bZIP (HBZ) factor gene is constitutively expressed from the minus strand of the provirus, whereas plus-strand expression, required for viral propagation to uninfected cells, is suppressed or intermittent in vivo, allowing escape from host immune surveillance. It remains unknown what regulates this pattern of proviral transcription and latency. Here, we show that CTCF, a key regulator of chromatin structure and function, binds to the provirus at a sharp border in epigenetic modifications in the pX region of the HTLV-1 provirus in T cells naturally infected with HTLV-1. CTCF is a zinc-finger protein that binds to an insulator region in genomic DNA and plays a fundamental role in controlling higher order chromatin structure and gene expression in vertebrate cells. We show that CTCF bound to HTLV-1 acts as an enhancer blocker, regulates HTLV-1 mRNA splicing, and forms long-distance interactions with flanking host chromatin. CTCF-binding sites (CTCF-BSs) have been propagated throughout the genome by transposons in certain primate lineages, but CTCF binding has not previously been described in present-day exogenous retroviruses. The presence of an ectopic CTCF-BS introduced by the retrovirus in tens of thousands of genomic locations has the potential to cause widespread abnormalities in host cell chromatin structure and gene expression.

Ectopic Mineralization in the Middle Ear and Chronic Otitis Media with Effusion Caused by RPL38 Deficiency in the Tail-short (Ts) Mouse*

PubMed Central

Noben-Trauth, Konrad; Latoche, Joseph R.

2011-01-01

Inflammation of the middle ear cavity (otitis media) and the abnormal deposition of bone at the otic capsule are common causes of conductive hearing impairment in children and adults. Although a host of environmental factors can contribute to these conditions, a genetic predisposition has an important role as well. Here, we analyze the Tail-short (Ts) mouse, which harbors a spontaneous semi-dominant mutation that causes skeletal defects and hearing loss. By genetic means, we show that the Ts phenotypes arise from an 18-kb deletion/insertion of the Rpl38 gene, encoding a ribosomal protein of the large subunit. We show that Ts mutants exhibit significantly elevated auditory-brain stem response thresholds and reduced distortion-product otoacoustic emissions, in the presence of normal endocochlear potentials and typical inner ear histology suggestive of a conductive hearing impairment. We locate the cause of the hearing impairment to the middle ear, demonstrating over-ossification at the round window ridge, ectopic deposition of cholesterol crystals in the middle ear cavity, enlarged Eustachian tube, and chronic otitis media with effusion all beginning at around 3 weeks after birth. Using specific antisera, we demonstrate that Rpl38 is an ∼8-kDa protein that is predominantly expressed in mature erythrocytes. Finally, using an Rpl38 cDNA transgene, we rescue the Ts phenotypes. Together, these data present a previously uncharacterized combination of interrelated middle ear pathologies and suggest Rpl38 deficiency as a model to dissect the causative relationships between neo-ossification, cholesterol crystal deposition, and Eustachian tubes in the etiology of otitis media. PMID:21062742

The Role of Integrative Taxonomy in the Conservation Management of Cryptic Species: The Taxonomic Status of Endangered Earless Dragons (Agamidae: Tympanocryptis) in the Grasslands of Queensland, Australia

PubMed Central

Melville, Jane; Smith, Katie; Hobson, Rod; Hunjan, Sumitha; Shoo, Luke

2014-01-01

Molecular phylogenetics is increasingly highlighting the prevalence of cryptic species, where morphologically similar organisms have long independent evolutionary histories. When such cryptic species are known to be declining in numbers and are at risk of extinction due to a range of threatening processes, the disjunction between molecular systematics research and conservation policy becomes a significant problem. We investigate the taxonomic status of Tympanocryptis populations in Queensland, which have previously been assigned to T. tetraporophora, using three species delimitation approaches. The taxonomic uncertainties in this species-group are of particular importance in the Darling Downs Earless Dragon (T. cf. tetraporophora), which is ranked as an endangered ‘species’ of high priority for conservation by the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection. We undertook a morphological study, integrated with a comprehensive genetic study and species delimitation analyses, to investigate the species status of populations in the region. Phylogenetic analyses of two gene regions (mtDNA: ND2; nuclear: RAG1) revealed high levels of genetic divergence between populations, indicating isolation over long evolutionary time frames, and strongly supporting two independent evolutionary lineages in southeastern Queensland, from the Darling Downs, and a third in the Gulf Region of northern Queensland. Of the three species delimitation protocols used, we found integrative taxonomy the most applicable to this cryptic species complex. Our study demonstrates the utility of integrative taxonomy as a species delimitation approach in cryptic complexes of species with conservation significance, where limited numbers of specimens are available. PMID:25076129

Interannual and seasonal changes in the south seasonal polar cap of Mars: Observations from MY 28-31 using MARCI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calvin, W. M.; Cantor, B. A.; James, P. B.

2017-08-01

The Mars Color Imager (MARCI) camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter provides daily synoptic coverage that allows monitoring of seasonal cap retreat and interannual changes that occur between Mars Years (MY) and over the southern summer. We present the first analysis of this data for the southern seasonal cap evolution observed in MY 28, 29, 30 and 31 (2/2007 to 07/2013). Observation over multiple Mars years allows us to compare changes between years as well as longer-term evolution of the high albedo deposits at the poles. Seasonal cap retreat is similar in all years and to retreats observed in other years by both optical and thermal instruments. The cryptic terrain has a fairly consistent boundary in each year, but numerous small-scale variations occur in each MY observed. Additionally, numerous small dark deposits are identified outside the classically identified cyptic region, including Inca City and other locations not previously noted. The large water ice outlier is observed to retain seasonal frost the longest (outside the polar dome) and is also highly variable in each MY. The development of the cryptic/anti-cryptic hemispheres is inferred to occur due to albedo variations that develop after dust venting starts and may be caused by recondensation of CO2 ice on the brightest and coldest regions controlled by topographic winds. Ground ice may play a role in which regions develop cryptic terrain, as there is no elevation control on either cryptic terrain or the late season brightest deposits.

Mitochondrial and nuclear phylogenetic analysis with Sanger and next-generation sequencing shows that, in Área de Conservación Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica, the skipper butterfly named Urbanus belli (family Hesperiidae) comprises three morphologically cryptic species

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Skipper butterflies (Hesperiidae) are a relatively well-studied family of Lepidoptera. However, a combination of DNA barcodes, morphology, and natural history data has revealed several cryptic species complexes within them. Here, we investigate three DNA barcode lineages of what has been identified as Urbanus belli (Hesperiidae, Eudaminae) in Área de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG), northwestern Costa Rica. Results Although no morphological traits appear to distinguish among the three, congruent nuclear and mitochondrial lineage patterns show that “Urbanus belli” in ACG is a complex of three sympatric species. A single strain of Wolbachia present in two of the three cryptic species indicates that Urbanus segnestami Burns (formerly Urbanus belliDHJ01), Urbanus bernikerni Burns (formerly Urbanus belliDHJ02), and Urbanus ehakernae Burns (formerly Urbanus belliDHJ03) may be biologically separated by Wolbachia, as well as by their genetics. Use of parallel sequencing through 454-pyrosequencing improved the utility of ITS2 as a phylogenetic marker and permitted examination of the intra- and interlineage relationships of ITS2 variants within the species complex. Interlineage, intralineage and intragenomic compensatory base pair changes were discovered in the secondary structure of ITS2. Conclusion These findings corroborate the existence of three cryptic species. Our confirmation of a novel cryptic species complex, initially suggested by DNA barcode lineages, argues for using a multi-marker approach coupled with next-generation sequencing for exploration of other suspected species complexes. PMID:25005355

The role of integrative taxonomy in the conservation management of cryptic species: the taxonomic status of endangered earless dragons (Agamidae: Tympanocryptis) in the grasslands of Queensland, Australia.

PubMed

Melville, Jane; Smith, Katie; Hobson, Rod; Hunjan, Sumitha; Shoo, Luke

2014-01-01

Molecular phylogenetics is increasingly highlighting the prevalence of cryptic species, where morphologically similar organisms have long independent evolutionary histories. When such cryptic species are known to be declining in numbers and are at risk of extinction due to a range of threatening processes, the disjunction between molecular systematics research and conservation policy becomes a significant problem. We investigate the taxonomic status of Tympanocryptis populations in Queensland, which have previously been assigned to T. tetraporophora, using three species delimitation approaches. The taxonomic uncertainties in this species-group are of particular importance in the Darling Downs Earless Dragon (T. cf. tetraporophora), which is ranked as an endangered 'species' of high priority for conservation by the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection. We undertook a morphological study, integrated with a comprehensive genetic study and species delimitation analyses, to investigate the species status of populations in the region. Phylogenetic analyses of two gene regions (mtDNA: ND2; nuclear: RAG1) revealed high levels of genetic divergence between populations, indicating isolation over long evolutionary time frames, and strongly supporting two independent evolutionary lineages in southeastern Queensland, from the Darling Downs, and a third in the Gulf Region of northern Queensland. Of the three species delimitation protocols used, we found integrative taxonomy the most applicable to this cryptic species complex. Our study demonstrates the utility of integrative taxonomy as a species delimitation approach in cryptic complexes of species with conservation significance, where limited numbers of specimens are available.

Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 barcode data of fish of the Nayband National Park in the Persian Gulf and analysis using meta-data flag several cryptic species.

PubMed

Asgharian, Hosseinali; Sahafi, Homayoun Hosseinzadeh; Ardalan, Aria Ashja; Shekarriz, Shahrokh; Elahi, Elahe

2011-05-01

We provide cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) barcode sequences of fishes of the Nayband National Park, Persian Gulf, Iran. Industrial activities, ecological considerations and goals of The Fish Barcode of Life campaign make it crucial that fish species residing in the park be identified. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of barcoding data on fishes of the Persian Gulf. We examined 187 individuals representing 76 species, 56 genera and 32 families. The data flagged potentially cryptic species of Gerres filamentosus and Plectorhinchus schotaf. 16S rDNA data on these species are provided. Exclusion of these two potential cryptic species resulted in a mean COI intraspecific distance of 0.18%, and a mean inter- to intraspecific divergence ratio of 66.7. There was no overlap between maximum Kimura 2-parameter distances among conspecifics (1.66%) and minimum distance among congeneric species (6.19%). Barcodes shared among species were not observed. Neighbour-joining analysis showed that most species formed cohesive sequence units with little variation. Finally, the comparison of 16 selected species from this study with meta-data of conspecifics from Australia, India, China and South Africa revealed high interregion divergences and potential existence of six cryptic species. Pairwise interregional comparisons were more informative than global divergence assessments with regard to detection of cryptic variation. Our analysis exemplifies optimal use of the expanding barcode data now becoming available. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Through thick and thin: cryptic sympatric speciation in the submersed genus Najas (Hydrocharitaceae).

PubMed

Les, Donald H; Peredo, Elena L; King, Ursula M; Benoit, Lori K; Tippery, Nicholas P; Ball, Cassandra J; Shannon, Robynn K

2015-01-01

Cryptic sympatric species arise when reproductive isolation is established in sympatry, leading to genetically divergent lineages that are highly similar morphologically or virtually indistinguishable. Although cryptic sympatric species have been reported in various animals, fungi, and protists, there are few compelling examples for plants. This investigation presents a case for cryptic sympatric speciation in Najas flexilis, a widespread aquatic plant, which extends throughout northern North America and Eurasia. The taxon is noted for its variable seed morphology, which earlier research associated with cytotypes; i.e., diploids were characterized by thicker seeds and tetraploids by thinner seeds. However, cytotypes are not patterned geographically with diploid and tetraploid plants often found in close proximity within the same lake. Using digital image and DNA sequence analyses, we found that diploids and tetraploids are well-isolated and remain genetically distinct throughout their sympatric range, where sterile hybrids occur frequently. Incorporation of sequence data from the single-copy nuclear phytoene desaturase locus revealed further that the tetraploids are allopolyploid derivatives of N. flexilis and N. guadalupensis, the latter a closely related species with an overlapping distribution. We conclude that the taxon widely known as N. flexilis actually comprises two cryptic, sibling species, which diverged in sympatry by interspecific hybridization and subsequent chromosomal isolation. By comparing seed morphology of type specimens, we associated the names N. flexilis and N. canadensis to the diploids and tetraploids respectively. Additionally, the narrowly restricted taxon known formerly as N. muenscheri is shown via morphological and genetic evidence to be synonymous with N. canadensis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The evolutionary duplication and probable demise of an endodermal GATA factor in Caenorhabditis elegans.

PubMed

Fukushige, Tetsunari; Goszczynski, Barbara; Tian, Helen; McGhee, James D

2003-10-01

We describe the elt-4 gene from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. elt-4 is predicted to encode a very small (72 residues, 8.1 kD) GATA-type zinc finger transcription factor. The elt-4 gene is located approximately 5 kb upstream of the C. elegans elt-2 gene, which also encodes a GATA-type transcription factor; the zinc finger DNA-binding domains are highly conserved (24/25 residues) between the two proteins. The elt-2 gene is expressed only in the intestine and is essential for normal intestinal development. This article explores whether elt-4 also has a role in intestinal development. Reporter fusions to the elt-4 promoter or reporter insertions into the elt-4 coding regions show that elt-4 is indeed expressed in the intestine, beginning at the 1.5-fold stage of embryogenesis and continuing into adulthood. elt-4 reporter fusions are also expressed in nine cells of the posterior pharynx. Ectopic expression of elt-4 cDNA within the embryo does not cause detectable ectopic expression of biochemical markers of gut differentiation; furthermore, ectopic elt-4 expression neither inhibits nor enhances the ectopic marker expression caused by ectopic elt-2 expression. A deletion allele of elt-4 was isolated but no obvious phenotype could be detected, either in the gut or elsewhere; brood sizes, hatching efficiencies, and growth rates were indistinguishable from wild type. We found no evidence that elt-4 provided backup functions for elt-2. We used microarray analysis to search for genes that might be differentially expressed between L1 larvae of the elt-4 deletion strain and wild-type worms. Paired hybridizations were repeated seven times, allowing us to conclude, with some confidence, that no candidate target transcript could be identified as significantly up- or downregulated by loss of elt-4 function. In vitro binding experiments could not detect specific binding of ELT-4 protein to candidate binding sites (double-stranded oligonucleotides containing single or multiple WGATAR sequences); ELT-4 protein neither enhanced nor inhibited the strong sequence-specific binding of the ELT-2 protein. Whereas ELT-2 protein is a strong transcriptional activator in yeast, ELT-4 protein has no such activity under similar conditions, nor does it influence the transcriptional activity of coexpressed ELT-2 protein. Although an elt-2 homolog was easily identified in the genomic sequence of the related nematode C. briggsae, no elt-4 homolog could be identified. Analysis of the changes in silent third codon positions within the DNA-binding domains indicates that elt-4 arose as a duplication of elt-2, some 25-55 MYA. Thus, elt-4 has survived far longer than the average duplicated gene in C. elegans, even though no obvious biological function could be detected. elt-4 provides an interesting example of a tandemly duplicated gene that may originally have been the same size as elt-2 but has gradually been whittled down to its present size of little more than a zinc finger. Although elt-4 must confer (or must have conferred) some selective advantage to C. elegans, we suggest that its ultimate evolutionary fate will be disappearance from the C. elegans genome.

Contamination delays the release of Laricobius osakensis for biological control of hemlock woolly adelgid: cryptic diversity in Japanese Laricobius spp

Treesearch

Melissa J. Fischer; Nathan P. Havill; Carrie S. Jubb; Sean W. Prosser; Brent D. Opell; Scott M. Salom; Loke T. Kok

2014-01-01

Laricobius osakensis (Coleoptera: Derodontidae) was imported from Japan to the United States in 2006 for study in quarantine facilities as a potential biological control of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid. Laricobius osakensis was released from quarantine in 2010, but it was soon discovered that the colony also contained a cryptic species...

Cryptic photosynthesis--extrasolar planetary oxygen without a surface biological signature.

PubMed

Cockell, Charles S; Kaltenegger, Lisa; Raven, John A

2009-09-01

On Earth, photosynthetic organisms are responsible for the production of virtually all the oxygen in the atmosphere. On land, vegetation reflects in the visible and leads to a "red edge," which developed about 450 million years ago on Earth and has been proposed as a biosignature for life on extrasolar planets. However, in many regions on Earth, particularly where surface conditions are extreme--in hot and cold deserts, for example--photosynthetic organisms can be driven into and under substrates where light is still sufficient for photosynthesis. These communities exhibit no detectable surface spectral signature to indicate life. The same is true of the assemblages of photosynthetic organisms at more than a few meters' depth in water bodies. These communities are widespread and dominate local photosynthetic productivity. We review known cryptic photosynthetic communities and their productivity. We have linked geomicrobiology with observational astronomy by calculating the disk-averaged spectra of cryptic habitats and identifying detectable features on an exoplanet dominated by such a biota. The hypothetical cryptic photosynthesis worlds discussed here are Earth analogues that show detectable atmospheric biosignatures like our own planet but do not exhibit a discernable biological surface feature in the disc-averaged spectrum.

[Management of ectopic pregnancy in Conakry, Guinea].

PubMed

Sy, T; Diallo, Y; Toure, A; Diallo, F B; Balde, A A; Hyjazi, Y; Diallo, M S

2009-12-01

Ectopic pregnancy is one of the most frequent hemorrhagic emergencies encountered in gynecology and obstetrics. The purpose of this 16-month descriptive prospective study at the Ignace Deen Gynecology-Obstetric clinic at Conakry University Hospital in Guinea was to assess diagnostic techniques and therapeutic attitudes regarding ectopic pregnancy in a low-resource setting. The frequency of ectopic pregnancy was 1.4%. Mean patient age was 28.9 years. Ectopic pregnancy was often observed at the second or third pregnancy (47.1%) in women who were giving birth for the second or third time (36.0%) and had a history of sexually transmitted infections (88.2%) or abortions (43.1%). Most women had no schooling (60.8 %), were poor and lived in a marital home (86.3%). Presenting symptoms included the classic triad of amenorrhea (98.0%), abdominopelvic pain (92.2%), and vaginal bleeding (62.7%). Definitive diagnosis was achieved by ultrasound examination in 76.6% of cases and by puncture of the Douglas pouch in 84%. The most frequent site of ectopic pregnancy was the ampulla of the uterine tube (66.9%). Abdominal and ovarian pregnancy was observed in 3 and 4 of the 51 cases respectively. Surgical management was performed in all cases. The most frequent procedure was salpingectomy (80.3%). Proper treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STI), start-up of post-abortion care facilities, and provision of information during early consultation at the first signs of pregnancy would help reduce the frequency and improve the prognosis of ectopic pregnancy.

E2F1-mediated human POMC expression in ectopic Cushing's syndrome.

PubMed

Araki, Takako; Liu, Ning-Ai; Tone, Yukiko; Cuevas-Ramos, Daniel; Heltsley, Roy; Tone, Masahide; Melmed, Shlomo

2016-11-01

Cushing's syndrome is caused by excessive adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion derived from pituitary corticotroph tumors (Cushing disease) or from non-pituitary tumors (ectopic Cushing's syndrome). Hypercortisolemic features of ectopic Cushing's syndrome are severe, and no definitive treatment for paraneoplastic ACTH excess is available. We aimed to identify subcellular therapeutic targets by elucidating transcriptional regulation of the human ACTH precursor POMC (proopiomelanocortin) and ACTH production in non-pituitary tumor cells and in cell lines derived from patients with ectopic Cushing's syndrome. We show that ectopic hPOMC transcription proceeds independently of pituitary-specific Tpit/Pitx1 and demonstrate a novel E2F1-mediated transcriptional mechanism regulating hPOMC We identify an E2F1 cluster binding to the proximal hPOMC promoter region (-42 to +68), with DNA-binding activity determined by the phosphorylation at Ser-337. hPOMC mRNA expression in cancer cells was upregulated (up to 40-fold) by the co-expression of E2F1 and its heterodimer partner DP1. Direct and indirect inhibitors of E2F1 activity suppressed hPOMC gene expression and ACTH by modifying E2F1 DNA-binding activity in ectopic Cushing's cell lines and primary tumor cells, and also suppressed paraneoplastic ACTH and cortisol levels in xenografted mice. E2F1-mediated hPOMC transcription is a potential target for suppressing ACTH production in ectopic Cushing's syndrome. © 2016 Society for Endocrinology.

Irish women's experience of Ectopic pregnancy.

PubMed

Spillane, N; Meaney, S; O' Donoghue, K

2018-06-01

Ectopic pregnancy can become a life threatening condition. Due to the specific nature of Ectopic pregnancy the grief experienced may well be overlooked compared to other pregnancy losses. Fertility concerns for the future and recovery from surgical or medical treatment may instead become the focus of care. The objective of this study was to gain insight into women's experience of Ectopic pregnancy. A qualitative semi-structured interview format was utilised. Seven women who had experienced an Ectopic pregnancy in a large tertiary-level Irish maternity hospital were interviewed. This sample was recruited purposively ensuring inclusion of women whose treatment included expectant, medical or surgical management. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed as the analytic strategy as it has an ideographic approach which allows us to gain insight into the women's experiences of Ectopic pregnancy. Key findings were the importance of clear information on treatment options, the diagnostic scan was highlighted as important as it helped the women emotionally detach from the pregnancy. Lack of bereavement counselling and satisfactory completion of outpatient care hindered closure and recovery for these women. There was increased apprehension about fertility and women reported feeling reluctant to conceive again. Women reported difficulty coming to terms with their diagnosis which in turn impacted their recovery and illustrated women's reservations to embark on future pregnancies. This study has implications for the care of women who experience Ectopic pregnancy particularly in relation to how they are managed from diagnosis to completion of treatment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A challenging case of an ectopic parathyroid adenoma.

PubMed

Panchani, Roopal; Varma, Tarun; Goyal, Ashutosh; Gupta, Nitinranjan; Saini, Ashish; Tripathi, Sudhir

2012-12-01

The occurrence of ectopic parathyroid adenomas is not uncommon (3-4% of all parathyroid adenomas). A 42-year-old female diagnosed as having GH secreting pituitary adenoma presented with an ectopic mediastinal parathyroid adenoma located between left (Lt) pulmonary artery and Lt main bronchus. The aim of presenting this case is not to appreciate the rarity of the condition but to rather discuss some of the vital practical problems faced during its management. Patient presenting in endocrine OPD with nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and chronic constipation was investigated biochemically and with various imaging modalities and accordingly managed. Patient was also investigated from the perspective of MEN 1 syndrome. Baseline routine investigations revealed hypercalcemia (corrected S. Ca- 16.9 mg/dl) due to primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP, PTH-1190 ng/L) with adenoma located between Lt main bronchus and Lt pulmonary artery. Patient was medically managed and after proper preoperative preparation, surgical excision by open thoracotomy was planned but two days before surgery she developed pulmonary embolism and was shifted to ICU where she died after 20 days. An accurate preoperative localization by various imaging procedures plays a decisive role in case of ectopic adenomas in the chest. Ectopic parathyroid adenomas are frequent cause of failed initial surgery. The best surgical approach to these ectopic adenomas is still controversial. Equally effective newer medical treatment modalities are also required in patients who are awaiting or are unfit for surgery. Lastly combination of MEN 1 with ectopic parathyroid adenoma is rare.

Neurologic impairment from ectopic bone in the lumbar canal: a potential complication of off-label PLIF/TLIF use of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2).

PubMed

Wong, David A; Kumar, Anant; Jatana, Sanjay; Ghiselli, Gary; Wong, Katherine

2008-01-01

Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) (Infuse) has been approved for use in anterior lumbar fusion in conjunction with an LT cage. However, off-label use is seen with anterior cervical fusion, posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). The Federal Food and Drug Administration trial of BMP-2 in a PLIF application was halted because of a high incidence of ectopic bone forming in the neural canal (75%). The authors did not find a correlation between ectopic bone and increased leg pain. They concluded that the ectopic bone was a radiographic phenomenon and not associated with clinical findings. Complications using BMP in the cervical spine have been reported. Heretofore, there has not been a similar warning voiced for use of BMP in a lumbar PLIF or TLIF. The purpose was to report five cases of ectopic bone in the canal associated with PLIF/TLIF off-label use of BMP-2 potentially contributing to abnormal neurologic findings. This is an observational cohort study of patients referred to a tertiary care private medical center. This was a retrospective chart review of patients referred to a tertiary spine institute with complications after surgery where BMP-2 had been used in an off-label PLIF or TLIF application. Patient demographics, operating room (OR) notes from the index BMP surgery, imaging studies, and current clinical status were reviewed. Five cases of ectopic bone in the spinal canal with potential neurologic compromise were identified. It does appear that ectopic bone in the spinal canal associated with BMP-2 use in PLIF or TLIF may contribute to symptomatic neurologic findings in rare cases. Revision surgeries are difficult. This article challenges a previous publication, which concluded that the high incidence of ectopic bone was of no clinical significance. Isolating BMP anteriorly in the disc space using layered barriers of bone graft between the BMP and the annular defect may reduce the incidence of ectopic bone in the spinal canal. Surgeons need to weigh the benefits versus risks of any technology used off label when making treatment decisions with their patients.

Improving a Synechocystis-based photoautotrophic chassis through systematic genome mapping and validation of neutral sites.

PubMed

Pinto, Filipe; Pacheco, Catarina C; Oliveira, Paulo; Montagud, Arnau; Landels, Andrew; Couto, Narciso; Wright, Phillip C; Urchueguía, Javier F; Tamagnini, Paula

2015-12-01

The use of microorganisms as cell factories frequently requires extensive molecular manipulation. Therefore, the identification of genomic neutral sites for the stable integration of ectopic DNA is required to ensure a successful outcome. Here we describe the genome mapping and validation of five neutral sites in the chromosome of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, foreseeing the use of this cyanobacterium as a photoautotrophic chassis. To evaluate the neutrality of these loci, insertion/deletion mutants were produced, and to assess their functionality, a synthetic green fluorescent reporter module was introduced. The constructed integrative vectors include a BioBrick-compatible multiple cloning site insulated by transcription terminators, constituting robust cloning interfaces for synthetic biology approaches. Moreover, Synechocystis mutants (chassis) ready to receive purpose-built synthetic modules/circuits are also available. This work presents a systematic approach to map and validate chromosomal neutral sites in cyanobacteria, and that can be extended to other organisms. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Kazusa DNA Research Institute.

Psoriasiform skin disease in transgenic pigs with high-copy ectopic expression of human integrins α2 and β1

PubMed Central

Staunstrup, Nicklas Heine; Stenderup, Karin; Mortensen, Sidsel; Primo, Maria Nascimento; Steiniche, Torben; Liu, Ying; Li, Rong; Schmidt, Mette; Purup, Stig; Dagnæs-Hansen, Frederik; Schrøder, Lisbeth Dahl; Svensson, Lars; Petersen, Thomas Kongstad; Callesen, Henrik; Bolund, Lars

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Psoriasis is a complex human-specific disease characterized by perturbed keratinocyte proliferation and a pro-inflammatory environment in the skin. Porcine skin architecture and immunity are very similar to that in humans, rendering the pig a suitable animal model for studying the biology and treatment of psoriasis. Expression of integrins, which is normally confined to the basal layer of the epidermis, is maintained in suprabasal keratinocytes in psoriatic skin, modulating proliferation and differentiation as well as leukocyte infiltration. Here, we generated minipigs co-expressing integrins α2 and β1 in suprabasal epidermal layers. Integrin-transgenic minipigs born into the project displayed skin phenotypes that correlated with the number of inserted transgenes. Molecular analyses were in good concordance with histological observations of psoriatic hallmarks, including hypogranulosis and T-lymphocyte infiltration. These findings mark the first creation of minipigs with a psoriasiform phenotype resembling human psoriasis and demonstrate that integrin signaling plays a key role in psoriasis pathology. PMID:28679670

Cooperation between a hierarchical set of recruitment sites targets the X chromosome for dosage compensation

PubMed Central

Albritton, Sarah Elizabeth; Kranz, Anna-Lena; Winterkorn, Lara Heermans; Street, Lena Annika; Ercan, Sevinc

2017-01-01

In many organisms, it remains unclear how X chromosomes are specified for dosage compensation, since DNA sequence motifs shown to be important for dosage compensation complex (DCC) recruitment are themselves not X-specific. Here, we addressed this problem in C. elegans. We found that the DCC recruiter, SDC-2, is required to maintain open chromatin at a small number of primary DCC recruitment sites, whose sequence and genomic context are X-specific. Along the X, primary recruitment sites are interspersed with secondary sites, whose function is X-dependent. A secondary site can ectopically recruit the DCC when additional recruitment sites are inserted either in tandem or at a distance (>30 kb). Deletion of a recruitment site on the X results in reduced DCC binding across several megabases surrounded by topologically associating domain (TAD) boundaries. Our work elucidates that hierarchy and long-distance cooperativity between gene-regulatory elements target a single chromosome for regulation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.23645.001 PMID:28562241

Crossed Unfused Ectopic Pelvic Kidneys: A Case Illustration

PubMed Central

AbuSamra, Murad M.; El-Merhi, Fadi

2018-01-01

Crossed unfused ectopia constitutes a very rare variant of ectopic kidneys, with an approximate incidence of 1 : 75000. We hereby describe a rare case of an incidental finding of crossed unfused ectopic kidneys, in a 45-year-old gentleman incidentally found to have a bladder lesion. The unique blood supply of his kidneys has also been described. The present case also highlights the different subtypes of renal ectopia, the different embryological hypotheses behind their presentation, and the various systematic anomalies, associated with them. Variations in vasculature of ectopic kidneys have been only described in case reports and are crucial to recognize in case any further intervention is needed. PMID:29854552

The evolutionary biology of cryptic pregnancy: A re-appraisal of the "denied pregnancy" phenomenon.

PubMed

Del Giudice, Marco

2007-01-01

Previous research on 'denied pregnancy', i.e. lack of subjective awareness of pregnancy until the end of gestation in pregnant women, is reviewed and reinterpreted in an evolutionary biological framework. Recent epidemiological studies show that this condition has a much higher incidence than previously thought (about 1:475). Very often, bodily symptoms of pregnancy (nausea, amenorrhea and abdomen swelling) are absent or greatly reduced, and neonates tend to be underweight; in many cases, pregnancy goes undetected also by relatives and physicians. Current explanations in the clinical literature are based on psychodynamic hypotheses about pregnancy-related unconscious conflicts; the lack of symptoms is accounted for by 'somatic denial'. I argue that such psychodynamic accounts are misguided for two reasons: (1) they rest on a failure to recognize the active biological role of the fetus in determining the course of pregnancy, and (2) they ignore the many levels of mother-fetus conflict over resource allocation described by biological theories of parent-offspring conflict. Here I propose to redefine this condition as 'cryptic pregnancy', and begin to explore its possible physiological correlates and evolutionary significance. In the light of parent-offspring conflict theory, cryptic pregnancy appears to reduce the costs of pregnancy, both energetic and ecological (mobility, dependence on kin/mate, etc.), thus favoring the mother at the expense of the fetus. Reduced hCG production and/or effectiveness is likely to be involved in the process. I propose and discuss three nonexclusive evolutionary hypotheses to account for this phenomenon: (1) cryptic pregnancy could be a nonadaptive outcome of conflict resolution processes over resource allocation in pregnancy, possibly related to minor disruptions of genomic imprinting mechanisms. (2) Cryptic pregnancy could result from missed spontaneous abortions of low-quality fetuses. (3) Finally, cryptic pregnancy could be an adaptive pattern of 'forced cooperation' between mother and fetus in stressful or threatening ecological circumstances, as suggested by the reported association with elevated psychosocial stress. In case of reduced survival probability, both mother and fetus would benefit if the mother reduced investment in pregnancy in order to maximize her chances of surviving and reaching delivery.

Presence of multiple sites containing polar material in spherical Escherichia coli cells that lack MreB.

PubMed

Nilsen, Trine; Yan, Arthur W; Gale, Gregory; Goldberg, Marcia B

2005-09-01

In rod-shaped bacteria, certain proteins are specifically localized to the cell poles. The nature of the positional information that leads to the proper localization of these proteins is unclear. In a screen for factors required for the localization of the Shigella sp. actin assembly protein IcsA to the bacterial pole, a mutant carrying a transposon insertion in mreB displayed altered targeting of IcsA. The phenotype of cells containing a transposon insertion in mreB was indistinguishable from that of cells containing a nonpolar mutation in mreB or that of wild-type cells treated with the MreB inhibitor A22. In cells lacking MreB, a green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion to a cytoplasmic derivative of IcsA localized to multiple sites. Secreted full-length native IcsA was present in multiple faint patches on the surfaces of these cells in a pattern similar to that seen for the cytoplasmic IcsA-GFP fusion. EpsM, the polar Vibrio cholerae inner membrane protein, also localized to multiple sites in mreB cells and colocalized with IcsA, indicating that localization to multiple sites is not unique to IcsA. Our results are consistent with the requirement, either direct or indirect, for MreB in the restriction of certain polar material to defined sites within the cell and, in the absence of MreB, with the formation of ectopic sites containing polar material.

Tissue-specific composite cell aggregates drive periodontium tissue regeneration by reconstructing a regenerative microenvironment.

PubMed

Zhu, Bin; Liu, Wenjia; Zhang, Hao; Zhao, Xicong; Duan, Yan; Li, Dehua; Jin, Yan

2017-06-01

Periodontitis is the most common cause of periodontium destruction. Regeneration of damaged tissue is the expected treatment goal. However, the regeneration of a functional periodontal ligament (PDL) insertion remains a difficulty, due to complicated factors. Recently, periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) have been shown to participate in PDL regeneration, both pathologically and physiologically. Besides, interactions affect the biofunctions of different derived cells during the regenerative process. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to discuss the different derived composite cell aggregate (CA) systems of PDLSCs and BMMSCs (iliac-derived or jaw-derived) for periodontium regeneration under regenerative microenvironment reconstruction. Our results showed although all three mono-MSC CAs were compacted and the cells arranged regularly in them, jaw-derived BMMSC (JBMMSC) CAs secreted more extracellular matrix than the others. Furthermore, PDLSC/JBMMSC compound CAs highly expressed ALP, Col-I, fibronectin, integrin-β1 and periostin, suggesting that their biofunction is more appropriate for periodontal structure regeneration. Inspiringly, PDLSC/JBMMSC compound CAs regenerated more functional PDL-like tissue insertions in both nude mice ectopic and minipig orthotopic transplantation. The results indicated that the different derived CAs of PDLSCs/JBMMSCs provided an appropriate regenerative microenvironment facilitating a more stable and regular regeneration of functional periodontium tissue. This method may provide a possible strategy to solve periodontium defects in periodontitis and powerful experimental evidence for clinical applications in the future. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Locations of ectopic beats coincide with spatial gradients of NADH in a regional model of low-flow reperfusion.

PubMed

Kay, Matthew; Swift, Luther; Martell, Brian; Arutunyan, Ara; Sarvazyan, Narine

2008-05-01

We studied the origins of ectopic beats during low-flow reperfusion after acute regional ischemia in excised rat hearts. The left anterior descending coronary artery was cannulated. Perfusate was delivered to the cannula using an high-performance liquid chromatography pump. This provided not only precise control of flow rate but also avoided mechanical artifacts associated with vessel occlusion and deocclusion. Optical mapping of epicardial transmembrane potential served to identify activation wavefronts. Imaging of NADH fluorescence was used to quantify local ischemia. Our experiments suggest that low-flow reperfusion of ischemic myocardium leads to a highly heterogeneous ischemic substrate and that the degree of ischemia between adjacent patches of tissue changes in time. In contrast to transient ectopic activity observed during full-flow reperfusion, persistent ectopic arrhythmias were observed during low-flow reperfusion. The origins of ectopic beats were traceable to areas of high spatial gradients of changes in NADH fluorescence caused by low-flow reperfusion.

Tethered Hsp90 Inhibitors Carrying Optical or Radioiodinated Probes Reveal Selective Internalization of Ectopic Hsp90 in Malignant Breast Tumor Cells

PubMed Central

Barrott, Jared J.; Hughes, Philip F.; Osada, Takuya; Yang, Xiao-Yi; Hartman, Zachary C.; Loiselle, David R.; Spector, Neil L.; Neckers, Len; Rajaram, Narasimhan; Hu, Fangyao; Ramanujam, Nimmi; Vaidyanathan, Ganesan; Zalutsky, Michael R.; Lyerly, H. Kim; Haystead, Timothy A.

2013-01-01

Summary Hsp90 inhibitors have demonstrated unusual selectivity for tumor cells despite its ubiquitous expression. This phenomenon has remained unexplained but could be influenced by ectopically expressed Hsp90 in tumors. We have synthesized novel Hsp90 inhibitors that can carry optical or radioiodinated probes via a PEG tether. We show that these tethered inhibitors selectively recognize cells expressing ectopic Hsp90 and become internalized. The internalization process is blocked by Hsp90 antibodies, suggesting that active cycling of the protein is occurring at the plasma membrane. In mice, we show exquisite accumulation of the fluor-tethered versions within breast tumors at very sensitive levels. Cell-based assays with the radiolabeled version showed picomolar detection in cells that express ectopic Hsp90. Our findings show that fluor-tethered or radiolabeled inhibitors targeting ectopic Hsp90 can be used to detect breast cancer malignancies through non-invasive imaging. PMID:24035283

Lack of Evidence That Male Fetal Microchimerism is Present in Endometriosis

PubMed Central

Fassbender, Amelie; Debiec-Rychter, Maria; Bree, Rieta Van; Vermeesch, Joris Robert; Meuleman, Christel; Tomassetti, Carla; Peeraer, Karen; D’Hooghe, Thomas; Lebovic, Dan I.

2015-01-01

Introduction: Fetal microchimerism has been implicated in the etiology of autoimmune diseases. This study was done to test the hypothesis that male fetal microchimerism is present in eutopic and ectopic endometrium (EM) obtained from women with endometriosis but not in eutopic EM from women without endometriosis. Methods: A total of 31 patients were selected, including women with endometriosis (paired eutopic and ectopic EM; n = 19) and women without endometriosis (eutopic EM; n = 12). Tricolor interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis was performed by cohybridization of CEP Y SpectrumAqua and CEP X SpectrumGreen (SG)/CEP Y SpectrumOrange probes. Results: Ectopic EM from women with endometriosis had 75% XX chromosomes (double SG signals) and 25% X chromosomes (single SG signal). Y chromosomes were not observed in any of the eutopic/ectopic endometrial tissues from cases or controls. Conclusions: We were unable to confirm our hypothesis that male fetal microchimerism is present in eutopic and/or ectopic EM obtained from women with endometriosis. PMID:25749809

Early Ectopic Recurrence of Craniopharyngioma in the Cerebellopontine Angle.

PubMed

Mahdi, Mohamad-Motaz Al; Krauss, Joachim K; Nakamura, Makoto; Brandis, Almuth; Hong, Bujung

2018-01-01

Ectopic recurrence of craniopharyngioma in the cerebellopontine angle after surgical resection of a suprasellar craniopharyngioma is rare. Thus, only 5 cases were reported with a delay ranging between 4 and 26 years after removal of the primary tumor. We report a unique case of ectopic recurrence of craniopharyngioma in the cerebellopontine angle, which occurred at only 4 months after surgical resection of the primary tumor. A 24-year-old man underwent resection of a suprasellar craniopharyngioma via a right pterional approach four months earlier. During follow-up, cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a round homogeneous contrast-enhancing tumor in the right cerebellopontine angle with neither relation to the internal auditory canal nor to the dura mater. After microsurgical resection, histopathological findings revealed ectopic recurrence of craniopharyngioma with similar tumors like the primary tumor. Although infrequent, craniopharyngioma may disseminate via the cerebrospinal fluid during surgical resection and grow in an ectopic place. Early follow-up and MRI scan following resection of a craniopharyngioma is recommended.

Complications of misdiagnosis of maxillary canine ectopic eruption.

PubMed

Garib, Daniela Gamba; Janson, Guilherme; Baldo, Taiana de Oliveira; dos Santos, Patrícia Bittencourt Dutra

2012-08-01

Ectopic eruption of maxillary canines can be associated with root resorption of adjacent teeth. This case report describes and discusses an interesting case of a 15-year-old girl with a Class III malocclusion and an impacted maxillary canine. Because of the unfavorable position of the ectopic canine and the severe root resorption of the maxillary left central and lateral incisors, the treatment options included extraction of the maxillary permanent canines. The mandibular first premolars were extracted to compensate for the Class III malocclusion. A panoramic radiograph taken earlier in the mixed dentition already indicated a possible eruption disturbance of the maxillary left permanent canine. The importance of early diagnosis of maxillary canine ectopic eruption is highlighted in this case report. The early identification of radiographic signs of an ectopic pathway of eruption should be followed by deciduous canine extraction to prevent canine retention and maxillary incisor root resorption. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

High EVI1 expression is associated with MLL rearrangements and predicts decreased survival in paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia: a report from the children's oncology group.

PubMed

Ho, Phoenix A; Alonzo, Todd A; Gerbing, Robert B; Pollard, Jessica A; Hirsch, Betsy; Raimondi, Susana C; Cooper, Todd; Gamis, Alan S; Meshinchi, Soheil

2013-09-01

Ectopic viral integration site-1 (EVI1) is highly expressed in certain cytogenetic subsets of adult acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), and has been associated with inferior survival. We sought to examine the clinical and biological associations of EVI1(high) , defined as expression in excess of normal controls, in paediatric AML. EVI1 mRNA expression was measured via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in diagnostic specimens obtained from 206 patients. Expression levels were correlated with clinical features and outcome. EVI1(high) was present in 58/206 (28%) patients. MLL rearrangements occurred in 40% of EVI1(high) patients as opposed to 12% of the EVI1(low/absent) patients (P < 0·001). No abnormalities of 3q26 were found in EVI1(high) patients by conventional cytogenetic analysis, nor were cryptic 3q26 abnormalities detected in a subset of patients screened by next-generation sequencing. French-American-British class M7 was enriched in the EVI1(high) group, accounting for 24% of these patients. EVI1(high) patients had significantly lower 5-year overall survival from study entry (51% vs. 68%, P = 0·015). However, in multivariate analysis including other established prognostic markers, EVI1 expression did not retain independent prognostic significance. EVI1 expression is currently being studied in a larger cohort of patients enrolled on subsequent Children's Oncology Group trials, to determine if EVI1(high) has prognostic value in MLL-rearranged or intermediate-risk subsets. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Supradiaphragmatic ectopic liver: delayed traumatic hepatic hernia mimics pulmonary tumor.

PubMed

Huang, C-S; Hsu, W-H; Hsia, C-Y

2007-06-01

We present a rare case of a 63-year-old woman, the oldest one in the literature, with supradiaphragmatic ectopic liver that mimics a pulmonary nodule. The chest roentgenogram and chest computer tomography showed a lobulated tumor nearby the diaphragm. Pathological examination of the resected tumor disclosed only remarkable fatty liver change. Ectopic liver should be kept in mind to differentiate for the pulmonary tumor nearby the diaphragm.

Ectopic Multinodular Goiter: Multidetector Computed Tomography Findings

PubMed Central

Karakaya, Afak Durur; Kantarci, Mecit; Yalcin, Ahmet; Demir, Berrin

2008-01-01

The thyroid is the first endocrine gland to form during embryogenesis. At this stage, incomplete or anomalous migration of thyroid tissue causes ectopic localization of the gland. In our case, a 55-year-old woman who was evaluated via ultrasonography (USG) and multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) had no thyroid gland at the normal location, but did have ectopic thyroid tissue in the left submandibular and submental regions. PMID:25610021

Failure Rate of Single Dose Methotrexate in Managment of Ectopic Pregnancy

PubMed Central

Sendy, Feras; AlShehri, Eman; AlAjmi, Amani; Bamanie, Elham; Appani, Surekha; Shams, Taghreed

2015-01-01

Background. One of the treatment modalities for ectopic pregnancy is methotrexate. The purpose of this study is to identify the failure rate of methotrexate in treating patients with ectopic pregnancy as well as the risk factors leading to treatment failure. Methods. A retrospective chart review of 225 patients who received methotrexate as a primary management option for ectopic pregnancy. Failure of single dose of methotrexate was defined as drop of BHCG level less than or equal to 14% in the seventh day after administration of methotrexate. Results. 225 patients had methotrexate. Most of the patients (151 (67%)) received methotrexate based on the following formula: f 50 mg X body surface area. Single dose of methotrexate was successful in 72% (162/225) of the patients. 28% (63/225) were labeled as failure of single dose of methotrexate because of suboptimal drop in BhCG. 63% (40/63) of failure received a second dose of methotrexate, and 37% (23/63) underwent surgical treatment. Among patient who received initial dose of methotrexate, 71% had moderate or severe pain, and 58% had ectopic mass size of more than 4 cm on ultrasound. Conclusion. Liberal use of medical treatment of ectopic pregnancy results in 71% success rate. PMID:25861275

Association of ectopic fat with abdominal aorto-illiac and coronary artery calcification in african ancestry men.

PubMed

Kuipers, Allison L; Zmuda, Joseph M; Carr, J Jeffrey; Terry, James G; Nair, Sangeeta; Cvejkus, Ryan; Bunker, Clareann H; Patrick, Alan L; Wassel, Christina L; Miljkovic, Iva

2017-08-01

There is strong evidence that fat accumulating in non-adipose sites, "ectopic fat", is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), including vascular calcification. Most previous studies of this association have assessed only a single ectopic fat depot. Therefore, our aim was to assess the association of total, regional, and ectopic fat with abdominal aorto-illiac calcification (AAC) and coronary artery calcification (CAC) in 798 African ancestry men. Participants (mean age 62) were from the Tobago Bone Health Study cohort. Adiposity was assessed via clinical examination, dual x-ray absorptiometry, and computed tomography (CT). Ectopic fat depots included: abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT), liver attenuation, and calf intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT). Vascular calcification was assessed by CT and quantified as present versus absent. Associations were tested using multiple logistic regression adjusted for traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Models of ectopic fat were additionally adjusted for total body fat and standing height. All adiposity measures, except VAT, were associated with AAC. Lower liver attenuation or greater calf IMAT was associated with 1.2-1.3-fold increased odds of AAC (p < 0.03 for both), though calf IMAT was a stronger predictor than liver attenuation (p < 0.001) when entered in a single model. No ectopic fat measure was associated with CAC. Greater adiposity in the skeletal muscle and liver, but not in the visceral compartment, was associated with increased odds of AAC in African ancestry men. These results highlight the potential importance of both quantity and location of adiposity accumulation throughout the body. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ectopic Varices in the Gastrointestinal Tract: Short- and Long-Term Outcomes of Percutaneous Therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Macedo, Thanila A., E-mail: macedo.thanila@mayo.edu; Andrews, James C.; Kamath, Patrick S.

2005-04-15

To evaluate the results of percutaneous management of ectopic varices, a retrospective review was carried out of 14 patients (9 men, 5 women; mean age 58 years) who between 1992 and 2001 underwent interventional radiological techniques for management of bleeding ectopic varices. A history of prior abdominal surgery was present in 12 of 14 patients. The interval between the surgery and percutaneous intervention ranged from 2 to 38 years. Transhepatic portal venography confirmed ectopic varices to be the source of portal hypertension-related gastrointestinal bleeding. Embolization of the ectopic varices was performed by a transhepatic approach with coil embolization of themore » veins draining into the ectopic varices. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) was performed in the standard fashion. Eighteen procedures (12 primary coil embolizations, 1 primary TIPS, 2 re-embolizations, 3 secondary TIPS) were performed in 13 patients. One patient was not a candidate for percutaneous treatment. All interventions but one (re-embolization) were technically successful. In 2 of 18 interventions, re-bleeding occurred within 72 hr (both embolization patients). Recurrent bleeding (23 days to 27 months after initial intervention) was identified in 9 procedures (8 coil embolizations, 1 TIPS due to biliary fistula). One patient had TIPS revision because of ultrasound surveillance findings. New encephalopathy developed in 2 of 4 TIPS patients. Percutaneous coil embolization is a simple and safe treatment for bleeding ectopic varices; however, recurrent bleeding is frequent and reintervention often required. TIPS can offer good control of bleeding at the expense of a more complex procedure and associated risk of encephalopathy.« less

Development of functional ectopic compound eyes in scarabaeid beetles by knockdown of orthodenticle.

PubMed

Zattara, Eduardo E; Macagno, Anna L M; Busey, Hannah A; Moczek, Armin P

2017-11-07

Complex traits like limbs, brains, or eyes form through coordinated integration of diverse cell fates across developmental space and time, yet understanding how complexity and integration emerge from uniform, undifferentiated precursor tissues remains limited. Here, we use ectopic eye formation as a paradigm to investigate the emergence and integration of novel complex structures following massive ontogenetic perturbation. We show that down-regulation via RNAi of a single head patterning gene- orthodenticle -induces ectopic structures externally resembling compound eyes at the middorsal adult head of both basal and derived scarabaeid beetle species (Onthophagini and Oniticellini). Scanning electron microscopy documents ommatidial organization of these induced structures, while immunohistochemistry reveals the presence of rudimentary ommatidial lenses, crystalline cones, and associated neural-like tissue within them. Further, RNA-sequencing experiments show that after orthodenticle down-regulation, the transcriptional signature of the middorsal head-the location of ectopic eye induction-converges onto that of regular compound eyes, including up-regulation of several retina-specific genes. Finally, a light-aversion behavioral assay to assess functionality reveals that ectopic compound eyes can rescue the ability to respond to visual stimuli when wild-type eyes are surgically removed. Combined, our results show that knockdown of a single gene is sufficient for the middorsal head to acquire the competence to ectopically generate a functional compound eye-like structure. These findings highlight the buffering capacity of developmental systems, allowing massive genetic perturbations to be channeled toward orderly and functional developmental outcomes, and render ectopic eye formation a widely accessible paradigm to study the evolution of complex systems. Published under the PNAS license.

Seropositivity for the human heat shock protein (Hsp)60 accompanying seropositivity for Chlamydia trachomatis is less prevalent among tubal ectopic pregnancy cases than individuals with normal reproductive history.

PubMed

Ozyurek, Eser S; Karacan, Tolga; Ozdalgicoglu, Cenk; Yilmaz, Salih; Isik, Salman; San, Mevlide; Kaya, Erdal

2018-04-01

To investigate the role of anti-human heat shock protein 60 (hHsp60) antibody positivity in the pathogenesis of ectopic pregnancy, following Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection. In a case-control study, serological tests for anti-hHsp60 were performed in ectopic pregnancies (study group) and parturients with normal reproductive histories (control group). All participants in both groups were CT IgG(+). hHsp60 IgG(+) prevalences were compared between the two groups, by semiquantitative ELISA. Data were evaluated using nonparametric and parametric tests and multivariable regression. After an initial pilot study, two groups were formed: 63 ectopic gestations (study group) and 95 normal parturients (control group), all CT IgG(+). Blood samples from all cases were tested for anti-hHsp60 IgG. Age, gravidity, and practising contraception were higher in the control group, while a history of pelvic infections were more common in the study group. Hsp60 IgG(+) was found to be significantly higher in the control group (63/95, 66.3%) compared to study group (30/63, 47.6%). Regression analysis revealed anti-hHsp60 positivity was an independent factor delineating the two groups. Immunity to hHsp60 is less common in CT IgG(+) ectopic pregnancies than CT IgG(+) fertile subjects without a history of ectopic pregnancies. Hence, our findings suggest that hHsp60 seropositivity may decrease the probability of an ectopic gestation in subjects with previous CT infections. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Diversity and Distribution of Cryptic Species of the Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) complex in Pakistan.

PubMed

Masood, Mariyam; Amin, Imran; Hassan, Ishtiaq; Mansoor, Shahid; Brown, Judith K; Briddon, Rob W

2017-12-05

Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius; Hempitera: Aleyrodidae) is considered to be a cryptic (sibling) species complex, the members of which exhibit morphological invariability while being genetically and behaviorally distinct. Members of the complex are agricultural pests that cause direct damage by feeding on plants, and indirectly by transmitting viruses that cause diseases leading to reduced crop yield and quality. In Pakistan, cotton leaf curl disease, caused by multiple begomovirus species, is the most economically important viral disease of cotton. In the study outlined here, the diversity and geographic distribution of B. tabaci cryptic species was investigated by analyzing a taxonomically informative fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase 1 gene (mtCOI-3'). The mtCOI-3' sequence was determined for 285 adult whiteflies and found to represent six cryptic species, the most numerous being Asia II-1 and Middle East Asia Minor 1 (MEAM-1), the later also referred to as the B-biotype, which was previously thought to be confined to Sindh province but herein, was also found to be present in the Punjab province. The endemic Asia I was restricted to Sindh province, while an individual in the Asia II-8 was identified in Pakistan for the first time. Also for the first time, samples were collected from northwestern Pakistan and Asia II-1 was identified. Results indicate that in Pakistan the overall diversity of B. tabaci cryptic species is high and, based on comparisons with findings from previous studies, the distribution is dynamic. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

SSU rDNA divergence in planktonic foraminifera: molecular taxonomy and biogeographic implications.

PubMed

André, Aurore; Quillévéré, Frédéric; Morard, Raphaël; Ujiié, Yurika; Escarguel, Gilles; de Vargas, Colomban; de Garidel-Thoron, Thibault; Douady, Christophe J

2014-01-01

The use of planktonic foraminifera in paleoceanography requires taxonomic consistency and precise assessment of the species biogeography. Yet, ribosomal small subunit (SSUr) DNA analyses have revealed that most of the modern morpho-species of planktonic foraminifera are composed of a complex of several distinct genetic types that may correspond to cryptic or pseudo-cryptic species. These genetic types are usually delimitated using partial sequences located at the 3'end of the SSUrDNA, but typically based on empirical delimitation. Here, we first use patristic genetic distances calculated within and among genetic types of the most common morpho-species to show that intra-type and inter-type genetic distances within morpho-species may significantly overlap, suggesting that genetic types have been sometimes inconsistently defined. We further apply two quantitative and independent methods, ABGD (Automatic Barcode Gap Detection) and GMYC (General Mixed Yule Coalescent) to a dataset of published and newly obtained partial SSU rDNA for a more objective assessment of the species status of these genetic types. Results of these complementary approaches are highly congruent and lead to a molecular taxonomy that ranks 49 genetic types of planktonic foraminifera as genuine (pseudo)cryptic species. Our results advocate for a standardized sequencing procedure allowing homogenous delimitations of (pseudo)cryptic species. On the ground of this revised taxonomic framework, we finally provide an integrative taxonomy synthesizing geographic, ecological and morphological differentiations that can occur among the genuine (pseudo)cryptic species. Due to molecular, environmental or morphological data scarcities, many aspects of our proposed integrative taxonomy are not yet fully resolved. On the other hand, our study opens up the potential for a correct interpretation of environmental sequence datasets.

SSU rDNA Divergence in Planktonic Foraminifera: Molecular Taxonomy and Biogeographic Implications

PubMed Central

André, Aurore; Quillévéré, Frédéric; Morard, Raphaël; Ujiié, Yurika; Escarguel, Gilles; de Vargas, Colomban; de Garidel-Thoron, Thibault; Douady, Christophe J.

2014-01-01

The use of planktonic foraminifera in paleoceanography requires taxonomic consistency and precise assessment of the species biogeography. Yet, ribosomal small subunit (SSUr) DNA analyses have revealed that most of the modern morpho-species of planktonic foraminifera are composed of a complex of several distinct genetic types that may correspond to cryptic or pseudo-cryptic species. These genetic types are usually delimitated using partial sequences located at the 3′end of the SSUrDNA, but typically based on empirical delimitation. Here, we first use patristic genetic distances calculated within and among genetic types of the most common morpho-species to show that intra-type and inter-type genetic distances within morpho-species may significantly overlap, suggesting that genetic types have been sometimes inconsistently defined. We further apply two quantitative and independent methods, ABGD (Automatic Barcode Gap Detection) and GMYC (General Mixed Yule Coalescent) to a dataset of published and newly obtained partial SSU rDNA for a more objective assessment of the species status of these genetic types. Results of these complementary approaches are highly congruent and lead to a molecular taxonomy that ranks 49 genetic types of planktonic foraminifera as genuine (pseudo)cryptic species. Our results advocate for a standardized sequencing procedure allowing homogenous delimitations of (pseudo)cryptic species. On the ground of this revised taxonomic framework, we finally provide an integrative taxonomy synthesizing geographic, ecological and morphological differentiations that can occur among the genuine (pseudo)cryptic species. Due to molecular, environmental or morphological data scarcities, many aspects of our proposed integrative taxonomy are not yet fully resolved. On the other hand, our study opens up the potential for a correct interpretation of environmental sequence datasets. PMID:25119900

Genetic differentiation and phylogeographical structure of the Brachionus calyciflorus complex in eastern China.

PubMed

Xiang, Xian-Ling; Xi, Yi-Long; Wen, Xin-Li; Zhang, Gen; Wang, Jin-Xia; Hu, Ke

2011-07-01

Spatio-temporal patterns and processes of genetic differentiation in passively dispersing zooplankton are drawing much attention from both ecologists and evolutionary biologists. Two opposite phylogeographical scenarios have already been demonstrated in rotifers, which consist of high levels of genetic differentiation among populations even on small geographical scales on the one hand and the traditionally known cosmopolitanism that is associated with high levels of gene flow and long-distance dispersal via diapausing stages on the other hand. Here, we analysed the population genetic structure and the phylogeography of the Brachionus calyciflorus species complex in eastern China. By screening a total of 318 individuals from ten locations along a 2320-km gradient and analysing samples from two growing seasons, we aimed at focusing on both small- and large-scale patterns. We identified eight cryptic species and verified species status of two of these by sexual reproduction tests. Samples in summer and winter yielded different cryptic species. The distribution patterns of these genetically distinct cryptic species were diverse across eastern China, from full cosmopolitanism to local endemism. The two most abundant cryptic species BcWIII and BcSW showed a pattern of strong genetic differentiation among populations and no significant isolation by distance. Long-distance colonization, secondary contact and recent range expansion are probably responsible for the indistinct pattern of isolation by distance. Our results suggest that geographical distance is more important than temporal segregation across seasons in explaining population differentiation and the occurrence of cryptic species. We explain the current phylogeographical structure in the B. calyciflorus species complex by a combination of recent population expansion, restricted gene flow, priority effects and long-distance colonization. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Pinpointing cryptic borders: Fine-scale phylogeography and genetic landscape analysis of the Hormogaster elisae complex (Oligochaeta, Hormogastridae).

PubMed

Marchán, Daniel F; Fernández, Rosa; de Sosa, Irene; Díaz Cosín, Darío J; Novo, Marta

2017-07-01

Spatial and temporal aspects of the evolution of cryptic species complexes have received less attention than species delimitation within them. The phylogeography of the cryptic complex Hormogaster elisae (Oligochaeta, Hormogastridae) lacks knowledge on several aspects, including the small-scale distribution of its lineages or the palaeogeographic context of their diversification. To shed light on these topics, a dense specimen collection was performed in the center of the Iberian Peninsula - resulting in 28 new H. elisae collecting points, some of them as close as 760m from each other- for a higher resolution of the distribution of the cryptic lineages and the relationships between the populations. Seven molecular regions were amplified: mitochondrial subunit 1 of cytochrome c oxidase (COI), 16S rRNA and tRNA Leu, Ala, and Ser (16S t-RNAs), one nuclear ribosomal gene (a fragment of 28S rRNA) and one nuclear protein-encoding gene (histone H3) in order to infer their phylogenetic relationships. Different representation methods of the pairwise divergence in the cytochrome oxidase I sequence (heatmap and genetic landscape graphs) were used to visualize the genetic structure of H. elisae. A nested approach sensu Mairal et al. (2015) (connecting the evolutionary rates of two datasets of different taxonomic coverage) was used to obtain one approximation to a time-calibrated phylogenetic tree based on external Clitellata fossils and a wide molecular dataset. Our results indicate that limited active dispersal ability and ecological or biotic barriers could explain the isolation of the different cryptic lineages, which never co-occur. Rare events of long distance dispersal through hydrochory appear as one of the possible causes of range expansion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Potential link between excess added sugar intake and ectopic fat: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

PubMed Central

Ma, Jiantao; Karlsen, Micaela C.; Chung, Mei; Jacques, Paul F.; Saltzman, Edward; Smith, Caren E.; Fox, Caroline S.

2016-01-01

Context: The effect of added sugar intake on ectopic fat accumulation is a subject of debate. Objective: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to examine the potential effect of added sugar intake on ectopic fat depots. Data Sources: MEDLINE, CAB Abstracts, CAB Global Health, and EBM (Evidence-Based Medicine) Reviews – Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched for studies published from 1973 to September 2014. Data Extraction: RCTs with a minimum of 6 days’ duration of added sugar exposure in the intervention group were selected. The dosage of added sugar intake as a percentage of total energy was extracted or calculated. Means and standard deviations of pre- and post-test measurements or changes in ectopic fat depots were collected. Data Synthesis: Fourteen RCTs were included. Most of the studies had a medium to high risk of bias. Meta-analysis showed that, compared with eucaloric controls, subjects who consumed added sugar under hypercaloric conditions likely increased ectopic fat, particularly in the liver (pooled standardized mean difference = 0.9 [95%CI, 0.6–1.2], n = 6) and muscles (pooled SMD = 0.6 [95%CI, 0.2–1.0], n = 4). No significant difference was observed in liver fat, visceral adipose tissue, or muscle fat when isocaloric intakes of different sources of added sugars were compared. Conclusions: Data from a limited number of RCTs suggest that excess added sugar intake under hypercaloric diet conditions likely increases ectopic fat depots, particularly in the liver and in muscle fat. There are insufficient data to compare the effect of different sources of added sugars on ectopic fat deposition or to compare intake of added sugar with intakes of other macronutrients. Future well-designed RCTs with sufficient power and duration are needed to address the role of sugars on ectopic fat deposition. PMID:26518034

Ectopic pregnancy: exploration of its global research architecture using density-equalising mapping and socioeconomic benchmarks

PubMed Central

Brüggmann, Dörthe; Kollascheck, Jana; Quarcoo, David; Bendels, Michael H; Klingelhöfer, Doris; Louwen, Frank; Jaque, Jenny M; Groneberg, David A

2017-01-01

Objective About 2% of all pregnancies are complicated by the implantation of the zygote outside the uterine cavity and termed ectopic pregnancy. Whereas a multitude of guidelines exists and related research is constantly growing, no thorough assessment of the global research architecture has been performed yet. Hence, we aim to assess the associated scientific activities in relation to geographical and chronological developments, existing research networks and socioeconomic parameters. Design Retrospective, descriptive study. Setting On the basis of the NewQIS platform, scientometric methods were combined with novel visualising techniques such as density-equalising mapping to assess the scientific output on ectopic pregnancy. Using the Web of Science, we identified all related entries from 1900 to 2012. Results 8040 publications were analysed. The USA and the UK were dominating the field in regard to overall research activity (2612 and 723 publications), overall citation numbers and country-specific H-Indices (US: 80, UK: 42). Comparison to economic power of the most productive countries demonstrated that Israel invested more resources in ectopic pregnancy-related research than other nations (853.41 ectopic pregnancy-specific publications per 1000 billlion US$ gross domestic product (GDP)), followed by the UK (269.97). Relation to the GDP per capita index revealed 49.3 ectopic pregnancy-specific publications per US$1000 GDP per capita for the USA in contrast to 17.31 for the UK. Semiqualitative indices such as country-specific citation rates ranked Switzerland first (24.7 citations per ectopic pregnancy-specific publication), followed by the Scandinavian countries Finland and Sweden. Low-income countries did not exhibit significant research activities. Conclusions This is the first in-depth analysis of global ectopic pregnancy research since 1900. It offers unique insights into the global scientific landscape. Besides the USA and the UK, Scandinavian countries and Switzerland can also be regarded as leading nations with regard to their relative socioeconomic input. PMID:29025848

A rare case of an ACTH/CRH co-secreting midgut neuroendocrine tumor mimicking Cushing's disease

PubMed Central

Streuli, Regina; Krull, Ina; Brändle, Michael; Kolb, Walter; Stalla, Günter; Theodoropoulou, Marily; Enzler-Tschudy, Annette

2017-01-01

Ectopic ACTH/CRH co-secreting tumors are a very rare cause of Cushing’s syndrome and only a few cases have been reported in the literature. Differentiating between Cushing’s disease and ectopic Cushing’s syndrome may be particularly difficult if predominant ectopic CRH secretion leads to pituitary corticotroph hyperplasia that may mimic Cushing’s disease during dynamic testing with both dexamethasone and CRH as well as bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling (BIPSS). We present the case of a 24-year-old man diagnosed with ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome caused by an ACTH/CRH co-secreting midgut NET. Both high-dose dexamethasone testing and BIPSS suggested Cushing’s disease. However, the clinical presentation with a rather rapid onset of cushingoid features, hyperpigmentation and hypokalemia led to the consideration of ectopic ACTH/CRH-secretion and prompted a further workup. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen revealed a cecal mass which was identified as a predominantly CRH-secreting neuroendocrine tumor. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of an ACTH/CRH co-secreting tumor of the cecum presenting with biochemical features suggestive of Cushing’s disease. Learning points: The discrimination between a Cushing’s disease and ectopic Cushing’s syndrome is challenging and has many caveats. Ectopic ACTH/CRH co-secreting tumors are very rare. Dynamic tests as well as BIPSS may be compatible with Cushing’s disease in ectopic CRH-secretion. High levels of CRH may induce hyperplasia of the corticotroph cells in the pituitary. This could be the cause of a preserved pituitary response to dexamethasone and CRH. Clinical features of ACTH-dependent hypercortisolism with rapid development of Cushing’s syndrome, hyperpigmentation, high circulating levels of cortisol with associated hypokalemia, peripheral edema and proximal myopathy should be a warning flag of ectopic Cushing’s syndrome and lead to further investigations. PMID:28680643

The Lin28/Let-7 System in Early Human Embryonic Tissue and Ectopic Pregnancy

PubMed Central

Steffani, Liliana; Martínez, Sebastián; Monterde, Mercedes; Ferri, Blanca; Núñez, Maria Jose; AinhoaRomero-Espinós; Zamora, Omar; Gurrea, Marta; Sangiao-Alvarellos, Susana; Vega, Olivia; Simón, Carlos; Pellicer, Antonio; Tena-Sempere, Manuel

2014-01-01

Our objective was to determine the expression of the elements of the Lin28/Let-7 system, and related microRNAs (miRNAs), in early stages of human placentation and ectopic pregnancy, as a means to assess the potential role of this molecular hub in the pathogenesis of ectopic gestation. Seventeen patients suffering from tubal ectopic pregnancy (cases) and forty-three women with normal on-going gestation that desired voluntary termination of pregnancy (VTOP; controls) were recruited for the study. Embryonic tissues were subjected to RNA extraction and quantitative PCR analyses for LIN28B, Let-7a, miR-132, miR-145 and mir-323-3p were performed. Our results demonstrate that the expression of LIN28B mRNA was barely detectable in embryonic tissue from early stages of gestation and sharply increased thereafter to plateau between gestational weeks 7–9. In contrast, expression levels of Let-7, mir-132 and mir-145 were high in embryonic tissue from early gestations (≤6-weeks) and abruptly declined thereafter, especially for Let-7. Opposite trends were detected for mir-323-3p. Embryonic expression of LIN28B mRNA was higher in early stages (≤6-weeks) of ectopic pregnancy than in normal gestation. In contrast, Let-7a expression was significantly lower in early ectopic pregnancies, while miR-132 and miR-145 levels were not altered. Expression of mir-323-3p was also suppressed in ectopic embryonic tissue. We are the first to document reciprocal changes in the expression profiles of the gene encoding the RNA-binding protein, LIN28B, and the related miRNAs, Let-7a, mir-132 and mir-145, in early stages of human placentation. This finding suggests the potential involvement of LIN28B/Let-7 (de)regulated pathways in the pathophysiology of ectopic pregnancy in humans. PMID:24498170

β-hCG resolution times during expectant management of tubal ectopic pregnancies.

PubMed

Mavrelos, D; Memtsa, M; Helmy, S; Derdelis, G; Jauniaux, E; Jurkovic, D

2015-05-21

A subset of women with a tubal ectopic pregnancy can be safely managed expectantly. Expectant management involves a degree of disruption with hospital visits to determine serum β-hCG (β-human chorionic gonadotrophin) concentration until the pregnancy test becomes negative and expectant management is considered complete. The length of time required for the pregnancy test to become negative and the parameters that influence this interval have not been described. Information on the likely length of follow up would be useful for women considering expectant management of their tubal ectopic pregnancy. This was a retrospective study at a tertiary referral center in an inner city London Hospital. We included women who were diagnosed with a tubal ectopic pregnancy by transvaginal ultrasound between March 2009 and March 2014. During the study period 474 women were diagnosed with a tubal ectopic pregnancy and 256 (54 %) of them fulfilled our management criteria for expectant management. A total of 158 (33 %) women had successful expectant management and in those cases we recorded the diameter of the ectopic pregnancy (mm), the maximum serum β-hCG (IU/L) and levels during follow up until resolution as well as the interval to resolution (days). The median interval from maximum serum β-hCG concentration to resolution was 18.0 days (IQR 11.0-28.0). The maximum serum β-hCG concentration and the rate of decline of β-hCG were independently associated with the length of follow up. Women's age and size of ectopic pregnancy did not have significant effects on the length of follow up. Women undergoing expectant management of ectopic pregnancy can be informed that the likely length of follow up is under 3 weeks and that it positively correlates with initial β-hCG level at the time of diagnosis.

Primary and repeated surgeries for ectopic pregnancies and distribution by patient age, surgeon age, and hospital levels: an 11-year nationwide population-based descriptive study in Taiwan.

PubMed

Hsu, Ming-I; Tang, Chao-Hsiun; Hsu, Pei-Yang; Huang, Yu-Tung; Long, Cheng-Yu; Huang, Kuan-Hui; Wu, Ming-Ping

2012-01-01

To describe the changing trend, repeat operation rate, and distribution of laparoscopy, as compared with laparotomy, in treating ectopic pregnancy, according to patient age, preoperative conditions, surgeon age, and hospital accreditation level, in Taiwan over 11-years. Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Population-based nationwide insurance database. Women who underwent either laparotomy or laparoscopy because of ectopic pregnancy. Women who had National Health Insurance (NHI) underwent various surgical procedures to treat ectopic pregnancy. Data for this study were obtained from the Inpatient Expenditures by Admissions files of the NHI Research Database, released by the NHI program in Taiwan between 1997 and 2007. A total of 43 170 women with 44 928 operations were identified. Only the primary surgeries, via either laparotomy or laparoscopy, performed because of ectopic pregnancy were included for analysis. The annual number of procedures to treat ectopic pregnancies decreased in the later years of the 11-year study. Laparotomy decreased significantly, from 81.2% in 1997 to 26.2% in 2007, whereas laparoscopic procedures increased significantly, from 18.8% in 1997 to 73.8% in 2007, as evidenced at log-linear regression analysis (p < .001). The rate of repeat operations because of persistent ectopic pregnancy was higher in the laparoscopy group than in the laparotomy group (0.38% vs 0.14 %; p < .001). Patients were more likely to undergo the same type of operation for the repeated surgery (i.e., laparotomy to laparotomy in 73.1% or laparoscopy to laparoscopy in 80.2%; p = 0.43). Use of laparoscopy (58.1%) and laparotomy (41.9%) differed according to patient age, preoperative comorbidities, surgeon age, and hospital accreditation level and ownership type. With older patients, those with preoperative anemia or shock, and elder surgeons, there was a greater chance that laparotomy would be performed. The probability of undergoing laparotomy was greater in patients in regional hospitals, local hospitals, and office-based clinics compared with those in medical centers. There has been considerable change in the type of surgical approach used to treat ectopic pregnancy in Taiwan over the past 11 years. Laparoscopy is preferred to laparotomy, and has become the standard surgical approach to treating ectopic pregnancies in Taiwan. However, laparoscopy is associated with a higher rate of repeat operations. The laparoscopic approach signifies a profound change in treating ectopic pregnancies among patients, surgeons, and hospital types. Copyright © 2012 AAGL. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ectopic pregnancy

MedlinePlus

Tubal pregnancy; Cervical pregnancy; Tubal ligation - ectopic pregnancy ... In most pregnancies, the fertilized egg travels through the fallopian tube to the womb (uterus). If the movement of the egg ...

Transcervical excision of thymoma and video-assisted thoracoscopic extended thymectomy (VATET) for ectopic cervical thymoma with myasthenia gravis: report of a case.

PubMed

Kumazawa, Sachiko; Ishibashi, Hironori; Takahashi, Ken; Okubo, Kenichi

2016-12-01

Myasthenia gravis is the most common disease associated with thymoma, but it is rarely accompanied by ectopic thymoma. We describe a 47-year-old woman who presented with an ectopic cervical thymoma with myasthenia gravis. She was admitted to our neurology department with ptosis, diplopia, and mandibular muscle fatigue, and was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis. The mass was located posterior to the right lobe of thyroid gland on computed tomography and was diagnosed as ectopic thymoma on fine-needle aspiration biopsy examination. Transcervical excision of thymoma and VATET were performed. The patient has been free of neurological symptoms and has displayed no evidence of recurrent thymoma for 2 years.

Intranasal tooth: ectopic eruption 1 year after maxillofacial trauma

PubMed Central

Agrawal, Mamta; Khan, Tayyeb Sultan; Gupta, Tulika; Khanna, Shally

2014-01-01

Injury to the permanent central incisors due to trauma in the maxillofacial region, though common, may result in an uncommon sequel. We report a case of traumatic injury in a 5-year-old child with displacement of the tooth bud into the nasal floor. The identification of ectopic tooth buds poses little diagnostic challenge due to the available imaging facilities, however, in the present case the ectopic bud remained unnoticed and resulted in ectopic eruption of the tooth in the nasal cavity 1 year later. This report highlights a rare case of nasal eruption of a permanent tooth and places stress on the need for close attention to detail during maxillofacial trauma for early detection and proper management. PMID:25103317

Intranasal tooth: ectopic eruption 1 year after maxillofacial trauma.

PubMed

Agrawal, Mamta; Khan, Tayyeb Sultan; Gupta, Tulika; Khanna, Shally

2014-08-06

Injury to the permanent central incisors due to trauma in the maxillofacial region, though common, may result in an uncommon sequel. We report a case of traumatic injury in a 5-year-old child with displacement of the tooth bud into the nasal floor. The identification of ectopic tooth buds poses little diagnostic challenge due to the available imaging facilities, however, in the present case the ectopic bud remained unnoticed and resulted in ectopic eruption of the tooth in the nasal cavity 1 year later. This report highlights a rare case of nasal eruption of a permanent tooth and places stress on the need for close attention to detail during maxillofacial trauma for early detection and proper management. 2014 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

Scary gas: a spectrum of soft tissue gas encountered in the axial body (part II).

PubMed

Sandstrom, Claire K; Osman, Sherif F; Linnau, Ken F

2017-08-01

Ectopic gas in the mediastinum, subperitoneal abdomen, and superficial soft tissues is concerning and can be seen in the setting of trauma, iatrogenic injuries, infection, and inflammation. It can spread along different dissection pathways and may present remotely from the involved organ as described in part one. Recognition of ectopic gas on imaging and differentiating it from other causes of benign gas is very important as these conditions associated with ectopic gas can lead to rapid patient deterioration and usually require urgent surgery. In part two, the different causes of ectopic and benign gas in the torso are reviewed as well as the imaging features that can help to narrow the differential diagnosis.

Morphological, molecular and biological evidence reveal two cryptic species in Mecinus janthinus Germar (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), a successful biological control agent of Dalmatian toadflax, Linaria dalmatica (Lamiales, Plantaginaceae)

Treesearch

Ivo Tosevski; Roberto Caldara; Jelena Jovic; Gerardo Hernandez-Vera; Cosimo Baviera; Andre Gassmann; Brent C. Emerson

2011-01-01

A combined morphological, molecular and biological study shows that the weevil species presently named Mecinus janthinus is actually composed of two different cryptic species: M. janthinus Germar, 1821 and M. janthiniformis Tosevski & Caldara sp.n. These species are morphologically distinguishable from each other by a few very subtle morphological characters. On...

Increased Furan Tolerance in Escherichia coli Due to a Cryptic ucpA Gene

PubMed Central

Wang, Xuan; Miller, Elliot N.; Yomano, Lorraine P.; Shanmugam, K. T.

2012-01-01

Expression arrays were used to identify 4 putative oxidoreductases that were upregulated (>3-fold) by furfural (15 mM, 15 min). Plasmid expression of one (ucpA) increased furan tolerance in ethanologenic strain LY180 and wild-type strain W. Deleting ucpA decreased furfural tolerance. Although the mechanism remains unknown, the cryptic ucpA gene is now associated with a phenotype: furan resistance. PMID:22267665

Standardized molecular diagnostic tool for the identification of cryptic species within the Bemisia tabaci complex.

PubMed

Elfekih, Samia; Tay, Wee Tek; Gordon, Karl; Court, Leon N; De Barro, Paul J

2018-01-01

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci complex harbours over 40 cryptic species that have been placed in 11 phylogenetically distinct clades based on the molecular characterization of partial mitochondrial DNA COI (mtCOI) gene region. Four cryptic species are currently within the invasive clade, i.e. MED, MEAM1, MEAM2 and IO. Correct identification of these species is a critical step towards implementing reliable measures for plant biosecurity and border protection; however, no standardized B. tabaci-specific primers are currently available which has caused inconsistencies in the species identification processes. We report three sets of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers developed to amplify the mtCOI region which can be used for genotyping MED, MEAM1 and IO species, and tested these primers on 91 MED, 35 MEAM1 and five IO individuals. PCR and sequencing of amplicons identified a total of 21, six and one haplotypes in MED, MEAM1 and IO respectively, of which six haplotypes were new to the B. tabaci database. These primer pairs enabled standardization and robust molecular species identification via mtCOI screening of the targeted invasive cryptic species and will improve quarantine decisions. Use of this diagnostic tool could be extended to other species within the complex. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Nuclear genomes distinguish cryptic species suggested by their DNA barcodes and ecology

PubMed Central

Janzen, Daniel H.; Burns, John M.; Cong, Qian; Hallwachs, Winnie; Dapkey, Tanya; Manjunath, Ramya; Hajibabaei, Mehrdad; Hebert, Paul D. N.; Grishin, Nick V.

2017-01-01

DNA sequencing brings another dimension to exploration of biodiversity, and large-scale mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase I barcoding has exposed many potential new cryptic species. Here, we add complete nuclear genome sequencing to DNA barcoding, ecological distribution, natural history, and subtleties of adult color pattern and size to show that a widespread neotropical skipper butterfly known as Udranomia kikkawai (Weeks) comprises three different species in Costa Rica. Full-length barcodes obtained from all three century-old Venezuelan syntypes of U. kikkawai show that it is a rainforest species occurring from Costa Rica to Brazil. The two new species are Udranomia sallydaleyae Burns, a dry forest denizen occurring from Costa Rica to Mexico, and Udranomia tomdaleyi Burns, which occupies the junction between the rainforest and dry forest and currently is known only from Costa Rica. Whereas the three species are cryptic, differing but slightly in appearance, their complete nuclear genomes totaling 15 million aligned positions reveal significant differences consistent with their 0.00065-Mbp (million base pair) mitochondrial barcodes and their ecological diversification. DNA barcoding of tropical insects reared by a massive inventory suggests that the presence of cryptic species is a widespread phenomenon and that further studies will substantially increase current estimates of insect species richness. PMID:28716927

CRYPTIC CHOICE OF CONSPECIFIC SPERM CONTROLLED BY THE IMPACT OF OVARIAN FLUID ON SPERM SWIMMING BEHAVIOR

PubMed Central

Yeates, Sarah E; Diamond, Sian E; Einum, Sigurd; Emerson, Brent C; Holt, William V; Gage, Matthew J G

2013-01-01

Despite evidence that variation in male–female reproductive compatibility exists in many fertilization systems, identifying mechanisms of cryptic female choice at the gamete level has been a challenge. Here, under risks of genetic incompatibility through hybridization, we show how salmon and trout eggs promote fertilization by conspecific sperm. Using in vitro fertilization experiments that replicate the gametic microenvironment, we find complete interfertility between both species. However, if either species’ ova were presented with equivalent numbers of both sperm types, conspecific sperm gained fertilization precedence. Surprisingly, the species’ identity of the eggs did not explain this cryptic female choice, which instead was primarily controlled by conspecific ovarian fluid, a semiviscous, protein-rich solution that bathes the eggs and is released at spawning. Video analyses revealed that ovarian fluid doubled sperm motile life span and straightened swimming trajectory, behaviors allowing chemoattraction up a concentration gradient. To confirm chemoattraction, cell migration tests through membranes containing pores that approximated to the egg micropyle showed that conspecific ovarian fluid attracted many more spermatozoa through the membrane, compared with heterospecific fluid or water. These combined findings together identify how cryptic female choice can evolve at the gamete level and promote reproductive isolation, mediated by a specific chemoattractive influence of ovarian fluid on sperm swimming behavior. PMID:24299405

Efficient generation of mutations mediated by CRISPR/Cas9 in the hairy root transformation system of Brassica carinata.

PubMed

Kirchner, Thomas W; Niehaus, Markus; Debener, Thomas; Schenk, Manfred K; Herde, Marco

2017-01-01

A protocol for the induction of site-directed deletions and insertions in the genome of Brassica carinata with CRISPR is described. The construct containing the Cas9 nuclease and the guide RNA (gRNA) was delivered by the hairy root transformation technique, and a successful transformation was monitored by GFP fluorescence. PAGE analysis of an amplified region, presumably containing the deletions and insertions, demonstrated up to seven different indels in one transgenic root and in all analyzed roots a wildtype allele of the modified gene was not detectable. Interestingly, many of these mutations consisted of relatively large indels with up to 112 bp. The exact size of the deletions was determined to allow an estimation whether the targeted gene was not functional due to a considerable deletion or a frame shift within the open reading frame. This allowed a direct phenotypic assessment of the previously characterized roots and, in fact, deletions in FASCICLIN-LIKE ARABINOGALACTAN PROTEIN 1 (BcFLA1)-a gene with an expression pattern consistent with a role in root hair architecture-resulted in shorter root hairs compared to control roots ectopically expressing an allele of the gene that cannot be targeted by the gRNA in parallel to the CRISPR construct. As an additional line of evidence, we monitored BcFLA1 expression with qPCR and detected a significant reduction of the transcript in roots with an active CRISPR construct compared to the control, although residual amounts of the transcript were detected, possibly due to inefficient nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. Additionally, the presence of deletions and insertions were verified by Sanger sequencing of the respective amplicons. In summary we demonstrate the successful application of CRISPR/Cas9 in hairy roots of B. carinata, the proof of its effectiveness and its effect on the root hair phenotype. This study paves the way for experimental strategies involving the phenotypic assessment of gene lesions by CRISPR which do not require germline transmission.

Intrinsic neurophysiological properties of hilar ectopic and normotopic dentate granule cells in human temporal lobe epilepsy and a rat model.

PubMed

Althaus, A L; Sagher, O; Parent, J M; Murphy, G G

2015-02-15

Hilar ectopic dentate granule cells (DGCs) are a salient feature of aberrant plasticity in human temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and most rodent models of the disease. Recent evidence from rodent TLE models suggests that hilar ectopic DGCs contribute to hyperexcitability within the epileptic hippocampal network. Here we investigate the intrinsic excitability of DGCs from humans with TLE and the rat pilocarpine TLE model with the objective of comparing the neurophysiology of hilar ectopic DGCs to their normotopic counterparts in the granule cell layer (GCL). We recorded from 36 GCL and 7 hilar DGCs from human TLE tissue. Compared with GCL DGCs, hilar DGCs in patient tissue exhibited lower action potential (AP) firing rates, more depolarized AP threshold, and differed in single AP waveform, consistent with an overall decrease in excitability. To evaluate the intrinsic neurophysiology of hilar ectopic DGCs, we made recordings from retrovirus-birthdated, adult-born DGCs 2-4 mo after pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus or sham treatment in rats. Hilar DGCs from epileptic rats exhibited higher AP firing rates than normotopic DGCs from epileptic or control animals. They also displayed more depolarized resting membrane potential and wider AP waveforms, indicating an overall increase in excitability. The contrasting findings between disease and disease model may reflect differences between the late-stage disease tissue available from human surgical specimens and the earlier disease stage examined in the rat TLE model. These data represent the first neurophysiological characterization of ectopic DGCs from human hippocampus and prospectively birthdated ectopic DGCs in a rodent TLE model. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Ectopic Cushing' syndrome caused by a neuroendocrine carcinoma of the mesentery.

PubMed

Fasshauer, Mathias; Lincke, Thomas; Witzigmann, Helmut; Kluge, Regine; Tannapfel, Andrea; Moche, Michael; Buchfelder, Michael; Petersenn, Stephan; Kratzsch, Juergen; Paschke, Ralf; Koch, Christian A

2006-04-27

ACTH overproduction within the pituitary gland or ectopically leads to hypercortisolism. Here, we report the first case of Cushing' syndrome caused by an ectopic ACTH-secreting neuroendocrine carcinoma of the mesentery. Moreover, diagnostic procedures and pitfalls associated with ectopic ACTH-secreting tumors are demonstrated and discussed. A 41 year-old man presented with clinical features and biochemical tests suggestive of ectopic Cushing's syndrome. First, subtotal thyroidectomy was performed without remission of hypercortisolism, because an octreotide scan showed increased activity in the left thyroid gland and an ultrasound revealed nodules in both thyroid lobes one of which was autonomous. In addition, the patient had a 3 mm hypoenhancing lesion of the neurohypophysis and a 1 cm large adrenal tumor. Surgical removal of the pituitary lesion within the posterior lobe did not improve hypercortisolism and we continued to treat the patient with metyrapone to block cortisol production. At 18-months follow-up from initial presentation, we detected an ACTH-producing neuroendocrine carcinoma of the mesentery by using a combination of octreotide scan, computed tomography scan, and positron emission tomography. Intraoperatively, use of a gamma probe after administration of radiolabeled (111)In-pentetreotide helped identify the mesenteric neuroendocrine tumor. After removal of this carcinoma, the patient improved clinically. Laboratory testing confirmed remission of hypercortisolism. An octreotide scan 7 months after surgery showed normal results. This case underscores the diagnostic challenge in identifying an ectopic ACTH-producing tumor and the pluripotency of cells, in this case of mesenteric cells that can start producing and secreting ACTH. It thereby helps elucidate the pathogenesis of neuroendocrine tumors. This case also suggests that patients with ectopic Cushing's syndrome and an octreotide scan positive in atypical locations may benefit from explorative radioguided surgery using (111)In-pentetreotide and a gamma probe.

Ectopic Cushing' syndrome caused by a neuroendocrine carcinoma of the mesentery

PubMed Central

Fasshauer, Mathias; Lincke, Thomas; Witzigmann, Helmut; Kluge, Regine; Tannapfel, Andrea; Moche, Michael; Buchfelder, Michael; Petersenn, Stephan; Kratzsch, Juergen; Paschke, Ralf; Koch, Christian A

2006-01-01

Background ACTH overproduction within the pituitary gland or ectopically leads to hypercortisolism. Here, we report the first case of Cushing' syndrome caused by an ectopic ACTH-secreting neuroendocrine carcinoma of the mesentery. Moreover, diagnostic procedures and pitfalls associated with ectopic ACTH-secreting tumors are demonstrated and discussed. Case presentation A 41 year-old man presented with clinical features and biochemical tests suggestive of ectopic Cushing's syndrome. First, subtotal thyroidectomy was performed without remission of hypercortisolism, because an octreotide scan showed increased activity in the left thyroid gland and an ultrasound revealed nodules in both thyroid lobes one of which was autonomous. In addition, the patient had a 3 mm hypoenhancing lesion of the neurohypophysis and a 1 cm large adrenal tumor. Surgical removal of the pituitary lesion within the posterior lobe did not improve hypercortisolism and we continued to treat the patient with metyrapone to block cortisol production. At 18-months follow-up from initial presentation, we detected an ACTH-producing neuroendocrine carcinoma of the mesentery by using a combination of octreotide scan, computed tomography scan, and positron emission tomography. Intraoperatively, use of a gamma probe after administration of radiolabeled 111In-pentetreotide helped identify the mesenteric neuroendocrine tumor. After removal of this carcinoma, the patient improved clinically. Laboratory testing confirmed remission of hypercortisolism. An octreotide scan 7 months after surgery showed normal results. Conclusion This case underscores the diagnostic challenge in identifying an ectopic ACTH-producing tumor and the pluripotency of cells, in this case of mesenteric cells that can start producing and secreting ACTH. It thereby helps elucidate the pathogenesis of neuroendocrine tumors. This case also suggests that patients with ectopic Cushing's syndrome and an octreotide scan positive in atypical locations may benefit from explorative radioguided surgery using 111In-pentetreotide and a gamma probe. PMID:16643652

Osteophyte formation and matrix mineralization in a TMJ osteoarthritis mouse model are associated with ectopic hedgehog signaling

PubMed Central

Bechtold, Till E.; Saunders, Cheri; Decker, Rebekah S.; Um, Hyo-Bin; Cottingham, Naiga; Salhab, Imad; Kurio, Naito; Billings, Paul C.; Pacifici, Maurizio; Nah, Hyun-Duck; Koyama, Eiki

2016-01-01

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a diarthrodial joint that relies on lubricants for frictionless movement and long-term function. It remains unclear what temporal and causal relationships may exist between compromised lubrication and onset and progression of TMJ disease. Here we report that Proteoglycan 4 (Prg4)-null TMJs exhibit irreversible osteoarthritis-like changes over time and are linked to formation of ectopic mineralized tissues and osteophytes in articular disc, mandibular condyle and glenoid fossa. In the presumptive layer of mutant glenoid fossa’s articulating surface, numerous chondrogenic cells and/or chondrocytes emerged ectopically within the type I collagen-expressing cell population, underwent endochondral bone formation accompanied by enhanced Ihh expression, became entrapped into temporal bone mineralized matrix, and thereby elicited excessive chondroid bone formation. As the osteophytes grew, the roof of the glenoid fossa/eminence became significantly thicker and flatter, resulting in loss of its characteristic concave shape for accommodation of condyle and disc. Concurrently, the condyles became flatter and larger and exhibited ectopic bone along their neck, likely supporting the enlarged condylar heads. Articular discs lost their concave configuration, and ectopic cartilage developed and articulated with osteophytes. In glenoid fossa cells in culture, hedgehog signaling stimulated chondrocyte maturation and mineralization including alkaline phosphatase, while treatment with hedgehog inhibitor HhAntag prevented such maturation process. In sum, our data indicate that Prg4 is needed for TMJ integrity and long-term postnatal function. In its absence, progenitor cells near presumptive articular layer and disc undergo ectopic chondrogenesis and generate ectopic cartilage, possibly driven by aberrant activation of Hh signaling. The data suggest also that the Prg4-null mice represent a useful model to study TMJ osteoarthritis-like degeneration and clarify its pathogenesis. PMID:26945615

Extrauterine Choriocarcinoma in the Fallopian Tube Following Infertility Treatment: Implications for the Management of Early-Detected Ectopic Pregnancies.

PubMed

Jwa, Seung Chik; Kamiyama, Shigeru; Takayama, Hisako; Tokunaga, Yoshimitsu; Sakumoto, Tetsuro; Higashi, Masahiro

Extrauterine choriocarcinoma in the fallopian tube is very rare and is often diagnosed and treated as an ectopic tubal pregnancy. A 34-year-old woman who initially became pregnant after infertility treatment using ovulation induction with clomiphene citrate and intrauterine insemination was later diagnosed with an extrauterine choriocarcinoma in the left fallopian tube. Because of suspected left ectopic tubal pregnancy based on ultrasonography findings and a high level of β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG; 7054.3 mIU/mL), the patient underwent diagnostic laparoscopy at a gestational age of 6 weeks. Left salpingectomy was performed based on the operative diagnosis of an ectopic tubal pregnancy. No signs of tubal rupture or leakage of contents from the fallopian tube were observed during the operation. Her serum β-hCG dropped to 10.3 mIU/mL at 15 days postoperatively. Histopathology demonstrated an extrauterine choriocarcinoma in the removed fallopian tube, and the patient was referred to a regional oncologic hospital to receive additional adjuvant chemotherapy. This case indicates that conservative treatment for ectopic pregnancy should be chosen carefully, and that histopathology diagnosis and appropriate β-hCG monitoring following treatment are important not only to diagnose persistent ectopic pregnancy, but also to rule out the possibility of a tubal choriocarcinoma. Copyright © 2017 AAGL. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of aerobic exercise on ectopic lipids in patients with growth hormone deficiency before and after growth hormone replacement therapy.

PubMed

Christ, Emanuel R; Egger, Andrea; Allemann, Sabin; Buehler, Tania; Kreis, Roland; Boesch, Chris

2016-01-21

Growth hormone replacement therapy (GHRT) increases exercise capacity and insulin resistance while it decreases fat mass in growth hormone-deficient patients (GHD). Ectopic lipids (intramyocellular (IMCL) and intrahepatocellular lipids (IHCL) are related to insulin resistance. The effect of GHRT on ectopic lipids is unknown. It is hypothesized that exercise-induced utilization of ectopic lipids is significantly decreased in GHD patients and normalized by GHRT. GHD (4 females, 6 males) and age/gender/waist-matched control subjects (CS) were studied. VO2max was assessed on a treadmill and insulin sensitivity determined by a two-step hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp. Visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous (SAT) fat were quantified by MR-imaging. IHCL and IMCL were measured before and after a 2 h exercise at 50-60% of VO2max using MR-spectroscopy (∆IMCL, ∆IHCL). Identical investigations were performed after 6 months of GHRT. VO2max was similar in GHD and CS and significantly increased after GHRT; GHRT significantly decreased SAT and VAT. 2 h-exercise resulted in a decrease in IMCL (significant in CS and GHRT) and a significant increase in IHCL in CS and GHD pre and post GHRT. GHRT didn't significantly impact on ∆IMCL and ∆IHCL. We conclude that aerobic exercise affects ectopic lipids in patients and controls. GHRT increases exercise capacity without influencing ectopic lipids.

A complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the wild two-humped camel (Camelus bactrianus ferus): an evolutionary history of camelidae

PubMed Central

Cui, Peng; Ji, Rimutu; Ding, Feng; Qi, Dan; Gao, Hongwei; Meng, He; Yu, Jun; Hu, Songnian; Zhang, Heping

2007-01-01

Background The family Camelidae that evolved in North America during the Eocene survived with two distinct tribes, Camelini and Lamini. To investigate the evolutionary relationship between them and to further understand the evolutionary history of this family, we determined the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the wild two-humped camel (Camelus bactrianus ferus), the only wild survivor of the Old World camel. Results The mitochondrial genome sequence (16,680 bp) from C. bactrianus ferus contains 13 protein-coding, two rRNA, and 22 tRNA genes as well as a typical control region; this basic structure is shared by all metazoan mitochondrial genomes. Its protein-coding region exhibits codon usage common to all mammals and possesses the three cryptic stop codons shared by all vertebrates. C. bactrianus ferus together with the rest of mammalian species do not share a triplet nucleotide insertion (GCC) that encodes a proline residue found only in the nd1 gene of the New World camelid Lama pacos. This lineage-specific insertion in the L. pacos mtDNA occurred after the split between the Old and New World camelids suggests that it may have functional implication since a proline insertion in a protein backbone usually alters protein conformation significantly, and nd1 gene has not been seen as polymorphic as the rest of ND family genes among camelids. Our phylogenetic study based on complete mitochondrial genomes excluding the control region suggested that the divergence of the two tribes may occur in the early Miocene; it is much earlier than what was deduced from the fossil record (11 million years). An evolutionary history reconstructed for the family Camelidae based on cytb sequences suggested that the split of bactrian camel and dromedary may have occurred in North America before the tribe Camelini migrated from North America to Asia. Conclusion Molecular clock analysis of complete mitochondrial genomes from C. bactrianus ferus and L. pacos suggested that the two tribes diverged from their common ancestor about 25 million years ago, much earlier than what was predicted based on fossil records. PMID:17640355

An Ectopic Breast Tissue Presenting with Fibroadenoma in Axilla

PubMed Central

Amaranathan, Anandhi; Balaguruswamy, Kanchana; Bhat, Ramachandra V.; Bora, Manash Kumar

2013-01-01

Introduction. The congenital anomalies of breast, especially the polymastia (supernumerary breast) and polythelia (supernumerary nipple), always do not fail to amuse the clinicians because of their varied presentations, associated renal anomalies, and pathologies arising from them. The axillary polymastia is a variant of ectopic breast tissue (EBT). Ectopic breast tissue can undergo the same physiological and pathological processes as the normally located breast. The incidence of fibroadenoma developing in ectopic breast is reported as a rare entity, the most common being the carcinoma. Case Presentation. A 31-year-old Dravidian female presented with a lump of 4 cm in the right axilla for the past year which gradually increased in size, giving discomfort. Our initial differential diagnosis was fibroadenoma, lipoma, and lymphadenopathy. Further investigation and histopathological report of excision biopsy confirmed it as a fibroadenoma on ectopic breast tissue in the axilla. Patient has no associated urological or cardiac anomaly. Conclusion. This case has been reported for its rarity and to reemphasise the importance of screening of EBT for any pathology during routine screening of breast. PMID:23607040

An ectopic breast tissue presenting with fibroadenoma in axilla.

PubMed

Amaranathan, Anandhi; Balaguruswamy, Kanchana; Bhat, Ramachandra V; Bora, Manash Kumar

2013-01-01

Introduction. The congenital anomalies of breast, especially the polymastia (supernumerary breast) and polythelia (supernumerary nipple), always do not fail to amuse the clinicians because of their varied presentations, associated renal anomalies, and pathologies arising from them. The axillary polymastia is a variant of ectopic breast tissue (EBT). Ectopic breast tissue can undergo the same physiological and pathological processes as the normally located breast. The incidence of fibroadenoma developing in ectopic breast is reported as a rare entity, the most common being the carcinoma. Case Presentation. A 31-year-old Dravidian female presented with a lump of 4 cm in the right axilla for the past year which gradually increased in size, giving discomfort. Our initial differential diagnosis was fibroadenoma, lipoma, and lymphadenopathy. Further investigation and histopathological report of excision biopsy confirmed it as a fibroadenoma on ectopic breast tissue in the axilla. Patient has no associated urological or cardiac anomaly. Conclusion. This case has been reported for its rarity and to reemphasise the importance of screening of EBT for any pathology during routine screening of breast.

The Flexibility of Ectopic Lipids

PubMed Central

Loher, Hannah; Kreis, Roland; Boesch, Chris; Christ, Emanuel

2016-01-01

In addition to the subcutaneous and the visceral fat tissue, lipids can also be stored in non-adipose tissue such as in hepatocytes (intrahepatocellular lipids; IHCL), skeletal (intramyocellular lipids; IMCL) or cardiac muscle cells (intracardiomyocellular lipids; ICCL). Ectopic lipids are flexible fuel stores that can be depleted by physical exercise and repleted by diet. They are related to obesity and insulin resistance. Quantification of IMCL was initially performed invasively, using muscle biopsies with biochemical and/or histological analysis. 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) is now a validated method that allows for not only quantifying IMCL non-invasively and repeatedly, but also assessing IHCL and ICCL. This review summarizes the current available knowledge on the flexibility of ectopic lipids. The available evidence suggests a complex interplay between quantitative and qualitative diet, fat availability (fat mass), insulin action, and physical exercise, all important factors that influence the flexibility of ectopic lipids. Furthermore, the time frame of the intervention on these parameters (short-term vs. long-term) appears to be critical. Consequently, standardization of physical activity and diet are critical when assessing ectopic lipids in predefined clinical situations. PMID:27649157

The Flexibility of Ectopic Lipids.

PubMed

Loher, Hannah; Kreis, Roland; Boesch, Chris; Christ, Emanuel

2016-09-14

In addition to the subcutaneous and the visceral fat tissue, lipids can also be stored in non-adipose tissue such as in hepatocytes (intrahepatocellular lipids; IHCL), skeletal (intramyocellular lipids; IMCL) or cardiac muscle cells (intracardiomyocellular lipids; ICCL). Ectopic lipids are flexible fuel stores that can be depleted by physical exercise and repleted by diet. They are related to obesity and insulin resistance. Quantification of IMCL was initially performed invasively, using muscle biopsies with biochemical and/or histological analysis. ¹H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-MRS) is now a validated method that allows for not only quantifying IMCL non-invasively and repeatedly, but also assessing IHCL and ICCL. This review summarizes the current available knowledge on the flexibility of ectopic lipids. The available evidence suggests a complex interplay between quantitative and qualitative diet, fat availability (fat mass), insulin action, and physical exercise, all important factors that influence the flexibility of ectopic lipids. Furthermore, the time frame of the intervention on these parameters (short-term vs. long-term) appears to be critical. Consequently, standardization of physical activity and diet are critical when assessing ectopic lipids in predefined clinical situations.

Virilization caused by an ectopic adrenal tumor located behind the iliopsoas muscle.

PubMed

Mavroudis, Konstantinos; Aloumanis, Kyriakos; Papapetrou, Peter D; Voros, Dionisios; Spanos, Iraklis

2007-06-01

Virilization due to androgen-secreting neoplasms in women is a result of androgen overproduction from benign or malignant tumors that are found in the ovaries or rarely in the adrenal glands. Virilizing tumors that arise from ectopic adrenal tissue are extremely rare. We describe a very rare case of an ectopic androgen-producing adrenal tumor. Case report study. Endocrinology outpatient department of university-affiliated teaching hospital. A 45-year-old woman with symptoms of virilization of abrupt onset and rapid progression, with high serum androgen hormone levels and normal glucocorticoid secretion. Basal hormonal levels, stimulation and suppression tests, imaging techniques, and selective venous sampling. Localization and surgical removal of the source of androgen production. An ectopic mass was detected behind the left iliopsoas muscle. The patient was operated on and an oblong-shaped lesion, weighing 6 g, was removed. Histologically, the tissue was identified to be of adrenal origin. Postoperatively the androgen levels decreased to normal levels. This case illustrates difficulties in detecting and localizing the rare contingence of an ectopic adrenocortical androgen-secreting tumor.

Submandibular Lateral Ectopic Thyroid Tissue: Ultrasonography, Computed Tomography, and Scintigraphic Findings

PubMed Central

Çeliker, Metin; Beyazal Çeliker, Fatma; Turan, Arzu; Beyazal, Mehmet; Beyazal Polat, Hatice

2015-01-01

Ectopic thyroid can be encountered anywhere between the base of tongue and pretracheal region. The most common form is euthyroid neck mass. Herein, we aimed to present the findings of a female case with ectopic thyroid tissue localized in the left submandibular region. A 44-year-old female patient, who underwent bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy four years ago with the diagnosis of multinodular goiter, was admitted to our hospital due to a mass localized in the left submandibular area that gradually increased in the last six months. Neck ultrasonography, contrast-enhanced computed tomography, and scintigraphic examination were performed on the patient. On thyroid scintigraphy with Tc-99m pertechnetate, thyroid tissue activity uptake showing massive radioactivity was observed in the normal localization of the thyroid gland and in the submandibular localization. The focus in the submandibular region was excised. Pathological examination of the specimen showed normal thyroid follicle cells with no signs of malignancy. The submandibular mass is a rarely encountered lateral ectopic thyroid tissue. Accordingly, ectopic thyroid tissue should also be considered in the differential diagnosis of masses in the submandibular region. PMID:26634164

Ectopic mineralization disorders of the extracellular matrix of connective tissue: molecular genetics and pathomechanisms of aberrant calcification.

PubMed

Li, Qiaoli; Jiang, Qiujie; Uitto, Jouni

2014-01-01

Ectopic mineralization of connective tissues is a complex process leading to deposition of calcium phosphate complexes in the extracellular matrix, particularly affecting the skin and the arterial blood vessels and common in age-associated disorders. A number of initiating and contributing metabolic and environmental factors are linked to aberrant mineralization in these diseases, making the identification of precise pathomechanistic pathways exceedingly difficult. However, there has been significant recent progress in understanding the ectopic mineralization processes through study of heritable single-gene disorders, which have allowed identification of discrete pathways and contributing factors leading to aberrant connective tissue mineralization. These studies have provided support for the concept of an intricate mineralization/anti-mineralization network present in peripheral connective tissues, providing a perspective to development of pharmacologic approaches to limit the phenotypic consequences of ectopic mineralization. This overview summarizes the current knowledge of ectopic heritable mineralization disorders, with accompanying animal models, focusing on pseudoxanthoma elasticum and generalized arterial calcification of infancy, two autosomal recessive diseases manifesting with extensive connective tissue mineralization in the skin and the cardiovascular system. © 2013.

Ectopic mineralization disorders of the extracellular matrix of connective tissue: Molecular genetics and pathomechanisms of aberrant calcification

PubMed Central

Li, Qiaoli; Jiang, Qiujie; Uitto, Jouni

2013-01-01

Ectopic mineralization of connective tissues is a complex process leading to deposition of calcium phosphate complexes in the extracellular matrix, particularly affecting the skin and the arterial blood vessels and common in age-associated disorders. A number of initiating and contributing metabolic and environmental factors are linked to aberrant mineralization in these diseases, making the identification of precise pathomechanistic pathways exceedingly difficult. However, there has been significant recent progress in understanding the ectopic mineralization processes through study of heritable single-gene disorders, which have allowed identification of discreet pathways and contributing factors leading to aberrant connective tissue mineralization. These studies have provided support for the concept of an intricate mineralization/anti-mineralization network present in peripheral connective tissues, providing a perspective to development of pharmacologic approaches to limit the phenotypic consequences of ectopic mineralization. This overview summarizes the current knowledge of ectopic heritable mineralization disorders, with accompanying animal models, focusing on pseudoxanthoma elasticum and generalized arterial calcification of infancy, two autosomal recessive diseases manifesting with extensive connective tissue mineralization in the skin and the cardiovascular system. PMID:23891698

Clinical audit of ectopic pregnancy.

PubMed

Hamid, Alaa Aldin Abdel; Yousry, Almraghy; El Radi, Safwat Abd; Shabaan, Omar Mamdouh; Mazen, Elzahry; Nabil, Halal

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors of ectopic pregnancy in cases presented to the Woman's Health Hospital (WHH) in Assuit University, and to perform clinical audit on strategies for management of ectopic pregnancy in the WHH. This descriptive hospital based study was conducted at the Woman's Health Hospital (WHH) of Assuit University (Egypt). There were 210 patients who were admitted to the WHH with the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy in the period between February 1, 2015 through the end of October 2015. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 21, using descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, and Chi square. Ectopic pregnancy affects woman in the reproductive age. There are many risk factors that increase the chance of its occurrence; however, it may also occur in the absence of any risk factors (14.0%). Internal VD (72.5%) is the most frequent risk factor; other risk factors include history of abortion, previous CS, ovulation induction, history of infertility, or previous history of EP. Clinical audit is an important item of any adequate health care. As regards to the clinical audit of EP management, we are not adhering to the guidelines.

Damage-induced ectopic recombination in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Kupiec, M; Steinlauf, R

1997-06-09

Mitotic recombination in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is induced when cells are irradiated with UV or X-rays, reflecting the efficient repair of damage by recombinational repair mechanisms. We have used multiply marked haploid strains that allow the simultaneous detection of several types of ectopic recombination events. We show that inter-chromosomal ectopic conversion of lys2 heteroalleles and, to a lesser extent, direct repeat recombination (DRR) between non-tandem repeats, are increased by DNA-damaging agents; in contrast, ectopic recombination of the naturally occurring Ty element is not induced. We have tested several hypotheses that could explain the preferential lack of induction of Ty recombination by DNA-damaging agents. We have found that the lack of induction cannot be explained by a cell cycle control or by an effect of the mating-type genes. We also found no role for the flanking long terminal repeats (LTRs) of the Ty in preventing the induction. Ectopic conversion, DRR, and forward mutation of artificial repeats show different kinetics of induction at various positions of the cell cycle, reflecting different mechanisms of recombination. We discuss the mechanistic and evolutionary aspects of these results.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the cryptic "lineage B" big-fin reef squid, Sepioteuthis lessoniana (Cephalopoda: Loliginidae) in Indo-West Pacific.

PubMed

Shen, Kang-Ning; Yen, Ta-Chi; Chen, Ching-Hung; Ye, Jeng-Jia; Hsiao, Chung-Der

2016-05-01

In this study, the complete mitogenome sequence of the cryptic "lineage B" big-fin reef squid, Sepioteuthis lessoniana (Cephalopoda: Loliginidae) has been sequenced by next-generation sequencing method. The assembled mitogenome consisting of 16,694 bp, includes 13 protein coding genes, 25 transfer RNAs, 2 ribosomal RNAs genes. The overall base composition of "lineage B" S. lessoniana is 36.7% for A, 18.9 % for C, 34.5 % for T and 9.8 % for G and show 90% identities to "lineage C" S. lessoniana. It is also exhibits high T + A content (71.2%), two non-coding regions with TA tandem repeats. The complete mitogenome of the cryptic "lineage B" S. lessoniana provides essential and important DNA molecular data for further phylogeography and evolutionary analysis for big-fin reef squid species complex.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the cryptic "lineage A" big-fin reef squid, Sepioteuthis lessoniana (Cephalopoda: Loliginidae) in Indo-West Pacific.

PubMed

Hsiao, Chung-Der; Shen, Kang-Ning; Ching, Tzu-Yun; Wang, Ya-Hsien; Ye, Jeng-Jia; Tsai, Shiou-Yi; Wu, Shan-Chun; Chen, Ching-Hung; Wang, Chia-Hui

2016-07-01

In this study, the complete mitogenome sequence of the cryptic "lineage A" big-fin reef squid, Sepioteuthis lessoniana (Cephalopoda: Loliginidae) has been sequenced by the next-generation sequencing method. The assembled mitogenome consists of 16,605 bp, which includes 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and 2 ribosomal RNAs genes. The overall base composition of "lineage A" S. lessoniana is 37.5% for A, 17.4% for C, 9.1% for G, and 35.9% for T and shows 87% identities to "lineage C" S. lessoniana. It is also noticed by its high T + A content (73.4%), two non-coding regions with TA tandem repeats. The complete mitogenome of the cryptic "lineage A" S. lessoniana provides essential and important DNA molecular data for further phylogeography and evolutionary analysis for big-fin reef squid species complex.

Ectopic lens material in an otherwise healthy 5-week-old infant.

PubMed

Rigaudy, Axelle; Parulekar, Manoj; Gibbon, Caspar; Quinn, Anthony

2018-06-21

To report the unusual finding of ectopic lens material in an otherwise healthy 5-week-old infant. Case report and literature review. An asymptomatic 5-week-old female infant was found to have unilateral ectopic lens material in the retrolental space of the left eye associated with a posterior capsular defect. The abnormality is likely embryological in origin, and the established progression for similar conditions means long-term monitoring is required to ensure the best possible visual outcome.

Potential link between excess added sugar intake and ectopic fat: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Ma, Jiantao; Karlsen, Micaela C; Chung, Mei; Jacques, Paul F; Saltzman, Edward; Smith, Caren E; Fox, Caroline S; McKeown, Nicola M

2016-01-01

The effect of added sugar intake on ectopic fat accumulation is a subject of debate. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to examine the potential effect of added sugar intake on ectopic fat depots. MEDLINE, CAB Abstracts, CAB Global Health, and EBM (Evidence-Based Medicine) Reviews - Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched for studies published from 1973 to September 2014. RCTs with a minimum of 6 days' duration of added sugar exposure in the intervention group were selected. The dosage of added sugar intake as a percentage of total energy was extracted or calculated. Means and standard deviations of pre- and post-test measurements or changes in ectopic fat depots were collected. Fourteen RCTs were included. Most of the studies had a medium to high risk of bias. Meta-analysis showed that, compared with eucaloric controls, subjects who consumed added sugar under hypercaloric conditions likely increased ectopic fat, particularly in the liver (pooled standardized mean difference = 0.9 [95%CI, 0.6-1.2], n = 6) and muscles (pooled SMD = 0.6 [95%CI, 0.2-1.0], n = 4). No significant difference was observed in liver fat, visceral adipose tissue, or muscle fat when isocaloric intakes of different sources of added sugars were compared. Data from a limited number of RCTs suggest that excess added sugar intake under hypercaloric diet conditions likely increases ectopic fat depots, particularly in the liver and in muscle fat. There are insufficient data to compare the effect of different sources of added sugars on ectopic fat deposition or to compare intake of added sugar with intakes of other macronutrients. Future well-designed RCTs with sufficient power and duration are needed to address the role of sugars on ectopic fat deposition. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Barcoding against a paradox? Combined molecular species delineations reveal multiple cryptic lineages in elusive meiofaunal sea slugs

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Many marine meiofaunal species are reported to have wide distributions, which creates a paradox considering their hypothesized low dispersal abilities. Correlated with this paradox is an especially high taxonomic deficit for meiofauna, partly related to a lower taxonomic effort and partly to a high number of putative cryptic species. Molecular-based species delineation and barcoding approaches have been advocated for meiofaunal biodiversity assessments to speed up description processes and uncover cryptic lineages. However, these approaches show sensitivity to sampling coverage (taxonomic and geographic) and the success rate has never been explored on mesopsammic Mollusca. Results We collected the meiofaunal sea-slug Pontohedyle (Acochlidia, Heterobranchia) from 28 localities worldwide. With a traditional morphological approach, all specimens fall into two morphospecies. However, with a multi-marker genetic approach, we reveal multiple lineages that are reciprocally monophyletic on single and concatenated gene trees in phylogenetic analyses. These lineages are largely concordant with geographical and oceanographic parameters, leading to our primary species hypothesis (PSH). In parallel, we apply four independent methods of molecular based species delineation: General Mixed Yule Coalescent model (GMYC), statistical parsimony, Bayesian Species Delineation (BPP) and Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery (ABGD). The secondary species hypothesis (SSH) is gained by relying only on uncontradicted results of the different approaches (‘minimum consensus approach’), resulting in the discovery of a radiation of (at least) 12 mainly cryptic species, 9 of them new to science, some sympatric and some allopatric with respect to ocean boundaries. However, the meiofaunal paradox still persists in some Pontohedyle species identified here with wide coastal and trans-archipelago distributions. Conclusions Our study confirms extensive, morphologically cryptic diversity among meiofauna and accentuates the taxonomic deficit that characterizes meiofauna research. We observe for Pontohedyle slugs a high degree of morphological simplicity and uniformity, which we expect might be a general rule for meiofauna. To tackle cryptic diversity in little explored and hard-to-sample invertebrate taxa, at present, a combined approach seems most promising, such as multi-marker-barcoding (i.e., molecular systematics using mitochondrial and nuclear markers and the criterion of reciprocal monophyly) combined with a minimum consensus approach across independent methods of molecular species delineation to define candidate species. PMID:23244441

Characterization of a complex chromosomal rearrangement using chromosome, FISH, and microarray assays in a girl with multiple congenital abnormalities and developmental delay

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Complex chromosomal rearrangements (CCRs) are balanced or unbalanced structural rearrangements involving three or more cytogenetic breakpoints on two or more chromosomal pairs. The phenotypic anomalies in such cases are attributed to gene disruption, superimposed cryptic imbalances in the genome, and/or position effects. We report a 14-year-old girl who presented with multiple congenital anomalies and developmental delay. Chromosome and FISH analysis indicated a highly complex chromosomal rearrangement involving three chromosomes (3, 7 and 12), seven breakpoints as a result of one inversion, two insertions, and two translocations forming three derivative chromosomes. Additionally, chromosomal microarray study (CMA) revealed two submicroscopic deletions at 3p12.3 (467 kb) and 12q13.12 (442 kb). We postulate that microdeletion within the ROBO1 gene at 3p12.3 may have played a role in the patient’s developmental delay, since it has potential activity-dependent role in neurons. Additionally, factors other than genomic deletions such as loss of function or position effects may also contribute to the abnormal phenotype in our patient. PMID:25478007

VERSE: a novel approach to detect virus integration in host genomes through reference genome customization.

PubMed

Wang, Qingguo; Jia, Peilin; Zhao, Zhongming

2015-01-01

Fueled by widespread applications of high-throughput next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies and urgent need to counter threats of pathogenic viruses, large-scale studies were conducted recently to investigate virus integration in host genomes (for example, human tumor genomes) that may cause carcinogenesis or other diseases. A limiting factor in these studies, however, is rapid virus evolution and resulting polymorphisms, which prevent reads from aligning readily to commonly used virus reference genomes, and, accordingly, make virus integration sites difficult to detect. Another confounding factor is host genomic instability as a result of virus insertions. To tackle these challenges and improve our capability to identify cryptic virus-host fusions, we present a new approach that detects Virus intEgration sites through iterative Reference SEquence customization (VERSE). To the best of our knowledge, VERSE is the first approach to improve detection through customizing reference genomes. Using 19 human tumors and cancer cell lines as test data, we demonstrated that VERSE substantially enhanced the sensitivity of virus integration site detection. VERSE is implemented in the open source package VirusFinder 2 that is available at http://bioinfo.mc.vanderbilt.edu/VirusFinder/.

Taxonomic richness and abundance of cryptic peracarid crustaceans in the Puerto Morelos Reef National Park, Mexico

PubMed Central

Alvarez, Fernando

2017-01-01

Background and Aims Cryptic peracarids are an important component of the coral reef fauna in terms of diversity and abundance, yet they have been poorly studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the taxonomic richness and abundance of cryptic peracarids in coral rubble in the Puerto Morelos Reef National Park, Mexico (PMRNP), and their relationship with depth. Methods Three reef sites were selected: (1) Bonanza, (2) Bocana, and (3) Jardines. At each site six kilograms of coral rubble were collected over four sampling periods at three depths: 3 m (back-reef), 6–8 m (fore-reef), and 10–12 m (fore-reef). Results A total of 8,887 peracarid crustaceans belonging to 200 taxa distributed over five orders and 63 families was obtained; 70% of the taxa were identified to species and 25% to genus level. Fifty species of those collected represent new records for the Mexican Caribbean Sea. Isopoda was the most speciose order while Tanaidacea was the most abundant. Discussion Cryptic peracarid taxonomic richness and abundance were related to depth with higher values of both parameters being found in the shallow (3 m) back-reef, possibly due to a higher reef development and a greater accumulation of coral rubble produced during hurricanes. Peracarid data obtained in the present study can be used as a baseline for future monitoring programs in the PMRNP. PMID:28630800

Cryptic choice of conspecific sperm controlled by the impact of ovarian fluid on sperm swimming behavior.

PubMed

Yeates, Sarah E; Diamond, Sian E; Einum, Sigurd; Emerson, Brent C; Holt, William V; Gage, Matthew J G

2013-12-01

Despite evidence that variation in male-female reproductive compatibility exists in many fertilization systems, identifying mechanisms of cryptic female choice at the gamete level has been a challenge. Here, under risks of genetic incompatibility through hybridization, we show how salmon and trout eggs promote fertilization by conspecific sperm. Using in vitro fertilization experiments that replicate the gametic microenvironment, we find complete interfertility between both species. However, if either species' ova were presented with equivalent numbers of both sperm types, conspecific sperm gained fertilization precedence. Surprisingly, the species' identity of the eggs did not explain this cryptic female choice, which instead was primarily controlled by conspecific ovarian fluid, a semiviscous, protein-rich solution that bathes the eggs and is released at spawning. Video analyses revealed that ovarian fluid doubled sperm motile life span and straightened swimming trajectory, behaviors allowing chemoattraction up a concentration gradient. To confirm chemoattraction, cell migration tests through membranes containing pores that approximated to the egg micropyle showed that conspecific ovarian fluid attracted many more spermatozoa through the membrane, compared with heterospecific fluid or water. These combined findings together identify how cryptic female choice can evolve at the gamete level and promote reproductive isolation, mediated by a specific chemoattractive influence of ovarian fluid on sperm swimming behavior. © 2013 The Authors. Evolution published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Botrytis californica, a new cryptic species in the B. cinerea species complex causing gray mold in blueberries and table grapes.

PubMed

Saito, S; Margosan, D; Michailides, T J; Xiao, C L

2016-01-01

The Botrytis cinerea species complex comprises two cryptic species, originally referred to Group I and Group II based on Bc-hch gene RFLP haplotyping. Group I was described as a new cryptic species B. pseudocinerea During a survey of Botrytis spp. causing gray mold in blueberries and table grapes in the Central Valley of California, six isolates, three from blueberries and three from table grapes, were placed in Group I but had a distinct morphological character with conidiophores significantly longer than those of B. cinerea and B. pseudocinerea We compared these with B. cinerea and B. pseudocinerea by examining morphological and physiological characters, sensitivity to fenhexamid and phylogenetic analysis inferred from sequences of three nuclear genes. Phylogenetic analysis with the three partial gene sequences encoding glyceraldehyde-3-phosate dehydrogenase (G3PDH), heat-shock protein 60 (HSP60) and DNA-dependent RNA polymerase subunit II (RPB2) supported the proposal of a new Botrytis species, B. californica, which is closely related genetically to B. cinerea, B. pseudocinerea and B. sinoviticola, all known as causal agents of gray mold of grapes. Botrytis californica caused decay on blueberry and table grape fruit inoculated with the fungus. This study suggests that B. californica is a cryptic species sympatric with B. cinerea on blueberries and table grapes in California. © 2016 by The Mycological Society of America.

Hidden and cryptic species reflect parallel and correlated evolution in the phylogeny of the genus Callyntra (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) of Central Chile.

PubMed

Zúñiga-Reinoso, Álvaro; Méndez, Marco A

2018-04-24

The origin of cryptic species has traditionally been associated with events of recent speciation, genetic constraints, selection of an adaptive character, sexual selection and/or convergent evolution. Species of the genus Callyntra inhabit coastal terraces, mountain slopes, and peaks; their elytral designs are associated with each of these habitats. However, cryptic species have been described within each of these habitats; the taxonomy of this group has been problematic, thus establishing the phylogenetic relationships in this group is fundamental to clarify the systematics and evolutionary patterns of Callyntra. We reconstructed the phylogeny of this group using two mitochondrial genes (COI, 16S) and one nuclear gene (Mp20). We also performed species delimitation using PTP based methods (PTP, mlPTP, bPTP) and GMYC, and evaluated the evolution of the elytral design related to habitat preference. The results showed a tree with five clades, that together with the different methods of species delimitation recovered the described species and suggested at least five new species. The elytral design and habitat preference showed phylogenetic signals. We propose a new classification based on monophyletic groups recovered by phylogenetic analyses. We also suggest that parallel evolution in different habitats and later stasis in the elytral design would be the cause of the origin of cryptic species in this group from central Chile. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ectopic breast cancer: case report and review of the literature.

PubMed

Francone, Elisa; Nathan, Marco J; Murelli, Federica; Bruno, Maria Santina; Traverso, Enrico; Friedman, Daniele

2013-08-01

Ectopic breast tissue comes in two forms: supernumerary and aberrant. Despite morphologic differences, ectopic breast tissue presents characteristics analogous to orthotopic breast tissue in terms of function and, most importantly, pathologic degeneration. Data in the literature concerning its precise incidence, the probability of malignant degeneration, and its standardized management are scarce and controversial. This study selected more than 100 years of literature, and this report discusses a case of ectopic breast cancer treatment, suggesting novel therapeutic advice that could bring considerable clinical advantages, improve cosmetic results, and reduce the psychological impact on patients. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Ovarian ectopic pregnancy: diagnosis, treatment, correlation to Carnegie stage 16 and review based on a clinical case.

PubMed

Kraemer, Bernhard; Kraemer, Elizabeth; Guengoer, Ersin; Juhasz-Boess, Ingolf; Solomayer, Erich-Franz; Wallwiener, Diethelm; Rajab, Taufiek Konrad

2009-07-01

To present a case of a vital ectopic pregnancy after 8 weeks that was located in the right ovary. Case study and literature review. Hospital outpatient clinic. A 29-year-old primigravida presented with lower abdominal pain and mild vaginal bleeding at 8 weeks after her last menstrual period. Wedge resection of the ovary which did not affect subsequent fertility. Conservative treatment options and preservation of patient's reproductive capacity. The embryo was laparoscopically removed in toto and visualized. Therefore, macroscopic correlation to Carnegie stage 16 of development was possible. Approximately 3% of all ectopic pregnancies are located in the ovaries. Preoperative diagnosis of this extremely rare condition is challenging, because the ectopic tumor often resembles cysts of the corpus luteum. At surgery, the trophoblast tissue or the embryo can rarely be visualized completely.

Acute hemorrhage related to a residual cervical pregnancy: management with curettage, tamponade, and cerclage.

PubMed

Pereira, Nigel; Grias, Irene; Foster, Sarah E; Della Badia, Carl R

2013-01-01

Cervical ectopic pregnancy is uncommon, with no universally accepted protocol for conservative management of acute hemorrhage due to residual cervical ectopic pregnancy. Herein is presented the case of a 33-year-old woman with profuse vaginal bleeding 3 months after receiving treatment including intraamniotic potassium chloride injection, systemic methotrexate, and uterine artery embolization because of a cervical ectopic pregnancy. A residual cervical pregnancy was suspected. Hemorrhage was controlled using curettage, tamponade with a Bakri balloon, and cerclage. The balloon and cerclage were removed on postoperative day 2, with no recurrence of symptoms. Our experience suggests that a combination of curettage, balloon tamponade, and cerclage may be considered in the management of cervical ectopic pregnancies with acute hemorrhage, in particular in patients desiring future childbearing. Copyright © 2013 AAGL. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An unusual case of ectopic ACTH syndrome.

PubMed

Willhauck, M J; Pöpperl, G; Rachinger, W; Giese, A; Auernhammer, C J; Spitzweg, C

2012-02-01

Ectopic ACTH-syndrome is a rare cause of Cushing's disease. Despite extensive diagnostic procedures the source of ACTH secretion often remains occult. This case describes a 45-year old woman with an ectopic Cushing's syndrome. Extensive imaging procedures including CT scan of chest and abdomen, octreotide scan and MRI of the chest and pituitary did not reveal the source of ACTH secretion. In consideration of an occult source of ACTH secretion we started a therapeutic trial with cabergoline (0.5 mg/d), a dopamine receptor agonist, which has been shown to be effective in ectopic Cushing's syndrome. 2 months after cabergoline treatment had been initiated, ACTH and cortisol levels normalized in association with significant improvement of the clinical symptoms. During follow-up a [(68)Ga-DOTA-dPhe(1), Tyr(3)]-octreotate ([(68)Ga-DOTA]-TATE) PET-CT was performed revealing a somatostatin receptor positive lesion in the right sphenoidal sinus suggesting the source of ACTH secretion. The patient was cured by transnasal resection of the polypoid lesion, which was immunohistochemically characterized as an ACTH-positive neuroendocrine tumor. This case report demonstrates the management of ectopic ACTH-syndrome by molecularly -targeted therapy with dopamine receptor -agonists as well as improved detection of the ectopic ACTH source by novel imaging modalities, such as [(68)Ga-DOTA]-TATE PET specifically targeting somatostatin receptor subtype-2 with high affinity. © J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Early serum interleukin-8 evaluation may prove useful in localizing abnormally implanted human gestations after in vitro fertilization.

PubMed

Morelli, Sara S; Keegan, Debbra A; Krey, Lewis C; Katz, Joseph; Liu, Mengling; Noyes, Nicole

2008-12-01

To determine whether early measurement of the serum cytokines interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R), IL-6, and IL-8 along with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and progesterone (P(4)) can differentiate an ectopic from an intrauterine gestation. Retrospective analysis. University-based fertility center. 75 women who underwent treatment with in vitro fertilization (IVF) and subsequently had an ectopic gestation (n = 15), spontaneous abortion (SAB) (n = 30), or term delivery (TD) (n = 30). Serum samples were obtained 14 (day 28) and 21 (day 35) days after oocyte retrieval. Serum concentrations of IL-2R, IL-6, IL-8, P(4), and hCG. Median hCG readings on day 28 and day 35 were statistically significantly lower in the ectopic gestation group than in those with spontaneous abortion or term delivery. On day 28, median IL-8 levels were lower in the ectopic gestation group when compared with all intrauterine gestations combined. No statistically significant differences in IL-2R or IL-6 levels were noted between groups. Despite P(4) supplementation, median day-35 P(4) levels were lower in ectopic gestation than in the spontaneous abortion and term delivery cycles. In the setting of a rise or plateau in hCG levels, low day-28 IL-8 and day-35 P(4) levels suggested an extrauterine implantation. This assay combination may facilitate earlier diagnosis of an ectopic gestation when pregnancy location is unclear.

Morphological, diagnostic and surgical features of ectopic thyroid gland: a review of literature.

PubMed

Guerra, Germano; Cinelli, Mariapia; Mesolella, Massimo; Tafuri, Domenico; Rocca, Aldo; Amato, Bruno; Rengo, Sandro; Testa, Domenico

2014-01-01

Ectopic thyroid tissue remains a rare developmental abnormality involving defective or aberrant embryogenesis of the thyroid gland during its passage from the floor of the primitive foregut to its usual final position in pre-tracheal region of the neck. Its specific prevalence accounts about 1 case per 100.000-300.000 persons and one in 4.000-8.000 patients with thyroid disease show this condition. The cause of this defect is not fully known. Despite genetic factors have been associated with thyroid gland morphogenesis and differentiation, just recently some mutation has been associated with human thyroid ectopy. Lingual region in the most common site of thyroid ectopy but ectopic thyroid tissue were found in other head and neck locations. Nevertheless, aberrant ectopic thyroid tissue has been found in other places distant from the neck region. Ectopic tissue is affected by different pathological changes that occur in the normal eutopic thyroid. Patients may present insidiously or as an emergency. Diagnostic management of thyroid ectopy is performed by radionuclide thyroid imaging, ultrasonography, CT scan, MRI, biopsy and thyroid function tests. Asymptomatic euthyroid patients with ectopic thyroid do not usually require therapy but are kept under observation. For those with symptoms, treatment depends on size of the gland, nature of symptoms, thyroid function status and histological findings. Surgical excision is often required as treatment for this condition. Copyright © 2014 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Indole-3-Butyric Acid Induces Ectopic Formation of Metaxylem in the Hypocotyl of Arabidopsis thaliana without Conversion into Indole-3-Acetic Acid and with a Positive Interaction with Ethylene.

PubMed

Fattorini, Laura; Della Rovere, Federica; Andreini, Eleonora; Ronzan, Marilena; Falasca, Giuseppina; Altamura, Maria Maddalena

2017-11-21

The role of the auxins indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and of the auxin-interacting phytohormone ethylene, on the ectopic formation of primary xylem (xylogenesis in planta) is still little known. In particular, auxin/ethylene-target tissue(s), modality of the xylary process (trans-differentiation vs. de novo formation), and the kind of ectopic elements formed (metaxylem vs. protoxylem) are currently unknown. It is also unclear whether IBA may act on the process independently of conversion into IAA. To investigate these topics, histological analyses were carried out in the hypocotyls of Arabidopsis wild type seedlings and ech2ibr10 and ein3eil1 mutants, which are blocked in IBA-to-IAA conversion and ethylene signalling, respectively. The seedlings were grown under darkness with either IAA or IBA, combined or not with the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid. Adventitious root formation was also investigated because this process may compete with xylogenesis. Our results show that ectopic formation of protoxylem and metaxylem occurred as an indirect process starting from the pericycle periclinal derivatives of the hypocotyl basal part. IAA favoured protoxylem formation, whereas IBA induced ectopic metaxylem with ethylene cooperation through the EIN3EIL1 network. Ectopic metaxylem differentiation occurred independently of IBA-to-IAA conversion as mediated by ECH2 and IBR10, and in the place of IBA-induced adventitious root formation.

Non-invasive localization of atrial ectopic beats by using simulated body surface P-wave integral maps

PubMed Central

Godoy, Eduardo J.; Lozano, Miguel; Martínez-Mateu, Laura; Atienza, Felipe; Saiz, Javier; Sebastian, Rafael

2017-01-01

Non-invasive localization of continuous atrial ectopic beats remains a cornerstone for the treatment of atrial arrhythmias. The lack of accurate tools to guide electrophysiologists leads to an increase in the recurrence rate of ablation procedures. Existing approaches are based on the analysis of the P-waves main characteristics and the forward body surface potential maps (BSPMs) or on the inverse estimation of the electric activity of the heart from those BSPMs. These methods have not provided an efficient and systematic tool to localize ectopic triggers. In this work, we propose the use of machine learning techniques to spatially cluster and classify ectopic atrial foci into clearly differentiated atrial regions by using the body surface P-wave integral map (BSPiM) as a biomarker. Our simulated results show that ectopic foci with similar BSPiM naturally cluster into differentiated non-intersected atrial regions and that new patterns could be correctly classified with an accuracy of 97% when considering 2 clusters and 96% for 4 clusters. Our results also suggest that an increase in the number of clusters is feasible at the cost of decreasing accuracy. PMID:28704537

Expression and regulation of estrogen-converting enzymes in ectopic human endometrial tissue.

PubMed

Fechner, Sabine; Husen, Bettina; Thole, Hubert; Schmidt, Markus; Gashaw, Isabella; Kimmig, Rainer; Winterhager, Elke; Grümmer, Ruth

2007-10-01

To investigate the regulation of estrogen-converting enzymes in human ectopic endometrial tissue. Animal study. Academic medical center. Sixty female nude mice with implanted human endometrial tissue. Twenty-two premenopausal women undergoing endometrial biopsy or hysterectomy. Human endometrial tissue was implanted into the peritoneal cavity of nude mice, and the effect of therapeutic drugs on transcription of steroid receptors and estrogen-converting enzymes was analyzed. Transcript levels of steroid hormone receptors, 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 and 2, aromatase, and steroid sulfatase as well as proliferation rate were analyzed in the human ectopic endometrial tissue. Steroid receptors and estrogen-converting enzymes were expressed in the ectopic human endometrial fragments. Application of medroxyprogesterone acetate, dydrogesterone, danazol, and the aromatase inhibitor finrozole significantly inhibited aromatase transcription. In addition, danazol caused a significant decrease in transcription of steroid sulfatase, and finrozole, of 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 in parallel to a decrease in proliferation rate in the ectopic human endometrial tissue. Pharmacological regulation of transcription of estrogen-converting enzymes in human endometrium cultured in nude mice may help to develop new therapeutic concepts based on local regulation of estrogen metabolism in endometriosis.

Outcomes of conception subsequent to methotrexate treatment for an unruptured ectopic pregnancy.

PubMed

Svirsky, Ran; Ben-Ami, Ido; Berkovitch, Matitiahu; Halperin, Reuvit; Rozovski, Uri

2017-11-01

To assess the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in subsequent pregnancies among women treated with methotrexate for ectopic pregnancy. In a retrospective single-center study, data were assessed for women treated with methotrexate for ectopic pregnancy at Asaf Harofe Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel, between May 2004 and May 2014. Overall, 226 women were treated with methotrexate for ectopic pregnancy and subsequently conceived. The median time from treatment to conception was 10 months (range 1-120 months), and 127 women conceived within 12 months of treatment. Except for early missed abortion-which affected 23 (10.2%) pregnancies-adverse pregnancy outcomes such as fetal malformations were rare. The frequency of early abortion was lowest for women who conceived within 6 months of treatment with methotrexate (3/93, 3.2%), increased between 6 and 23 months (15/83, 18.1%), and remained high thereafter (7/50, 14.0%; P=0.006). The frequency of fetal malformation in a subsequent pregnancy was low among women treated with methotrexate for ectopic pregnancy. The frequency of early missed abortion was lowest during the first 6 months after treatment with methotrexate. © 2017 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.

A randomized comparison of a novel nitinol-frame low-dose-copper intrauterine contraceptive and a copper T380S intrauterine contraceptive.

PubMed

Reeves, Matthew F; Katz, Bob H; Canela, Juan M; Hathaway, Mark J; Tal, Michael G

2017-06-01

We sought to compare VeraCept (VC175), a novel nitinol intrauterine contraceptive (IUC) with 175 square-mm of copper surface area, to a copper T380S IUC. We enrolled parous women into a randomized subject-blinded comparison of VC175 and a copper T380S in a 2:1 fashion at a single clinic. The primary outcomes were total adverse events and continuation at 12 months. We also examined pain on insertion, ease of placement, expulsion, tolerability and pregnancy. Subjective ratings were on a 5-point Likert scale (0, no pain to 5, worst pain). We followed subjects through 24-month follow-up. We enrolled 300 women with 199 randomized to VC175 and 101 to the T380S. Insertion was successful in 198 subjects for VC175 and 100 for the T380S. Mean age was 25 years (range 18, 41), and median parity was 2 (range 1, 8), with 39% having only had Cesarean deliveries. No subjects developed clinical infection or reported serious adverse events. In the VC175 and T380S groups, mean pain at insertion was 1.4 and 2.4, respectively (p<.01). At the 12-month primary endpoint for VC175 and T380S, respectively, continuation was 84% and 68% (p<.002) with expulsions in 5.0% and 12.0% (p<.05) and removal for pain/bleeding in 3.5% and 17.0% (p<.01). At the 24-month visit for VC175 and T380S, respectively, continuation was 77% and 62% (p<.02 by log-rank). One ectopic pregnancy was identified at the 12-month follow-up in a VC175 user. No other pregnancies were diagnosed. With 297.3 and 132.4 woman-years, pregnancy rates were 0.3 and 0.0 per 100 woman-years for VC175 and T380S, respectively. VC175 resulted in less pain at insertion, fewer expulsions and higher total continuation than the T380S, with similar contraceptive efficacy. VC175 is a promising new intrauterine copper contraceptive on a nitinol frame that warrants further clinical trials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rh Factor: How It Can Affect Your Pregnancy

MedlinePlus

... antibodies after a miscarriage , ectopic pregnancy , or induced abortion . If an Rh-negative woman gets pregnant after ... ectopic pregnancy or a first-trimester miscarriage or abortion after invasive procedures, such as amniocentesis, CVS, fetal ...

Interchromosomal insertional translocation at Xq26.3 alters SOX3 expression in an individual with XX male sex reversal.

PubMed

Haines, Bryan; Hughes, James; Corbett, Mark; Shaw, Marie; Innes, Josie; Patel, Leena; Gecz, Jozef; Clayton-Smith, Jill; Thomas, Paul

2015-05-01

46,XX male sex reversal occurs in approximately 1: 20 000 live births and is most commonly caused by interchromosomal translocations of the Y-linked sex-determining gene, SRY. Rearrangements of the closely related SOX3 gene on the X chromosome are also associated with 46,XX male sex reversal. It has been hypothesized that sex reversal in the latter is caused by ectopic expression of SOX3 in the developing urogenital ridge where it triggers male development by acting as an analog of SRY. However, altered regulation of SOX3 in individuals with XX male sex reversal has not been demonstrated. Here we report a boy with SRY-negative XX male sex reversal who was diagnosed at birth with a small phallus, mixed gonads, and borderline-normal T. Molecular characterization of the affected individual was performed using array comparative genomic hybridization, fluorescent in situ hybridization of metaphase chromosomes, whole-genome sequencing, and RT-PCR expression analysis of lymphoblast cell lines. The affected male carries ∼774-kb insertion translocation from chromosome 1 into a human-specific palindromic sequence 82 kb distal to SOX3. Importantly, robust SOX3 expression was identified in cells derived from the affected individual but not from control XX or XY cells, indicating that the translocation has a direct effect on SOX3 regulation. This is the first demonstration of altered SOX3 expression in an individual with XX male sex reversal and suggests that SOX3 can substitute for SRY to initiate male development in humans.

The Esg Gene Is Involved in Nicotine Sensitivity in Drosophila melanogaster

PubMed Central

Reyes-Taboada, José Luis; Covarrubias, Alejandra A; Narvaez-Padilla, Verónica; Reynaud, Enrique

2015-01-01

In humans, there is a strong correlation between sensitivity to substances of abuse and addiction risk. This differential tolerance to drugs has a strong genetic component. The identification of human genetic factors that alter drug tolerance has been a difficult task. For this reason and taking advantage of the fact that Drosophila responds similarly to humans to many drugs, and that genetically it has a high degree of homology (sharing at least 70% of genes known to be involved in human genetic diseases), we looked for genes in Drosophila that altered their nicotine sensitivity. We developed an instantaneous nicotine vaporization technique that exposed flies in a reproducible way. The amount of nicotine sufficient to “knock out” half of control flies for 30 minutes was determined and this parameter was defined as Half Recovery Time (HRT). Two fly lines, L4 and L70, whose HRT was significantly longer than control´s were identified. The L4 insertion is a loss of function allele of the transcriptional factor escargot (esg), whereas L70 insertion causes miss-expression of the microRNA cluster miR-310-311-312-313 (miR-310c). In this work, we demonstrate that esg loss of function induces nicotine sensitivity possibly by altering development of sensory organs and neurons in the medial section of the thoracoabdominal ganglion. The ectopic expression of the miR-310c also induces nicotine sensitivity by lowering Esg levels thus disrupting sensory organs and possibly to the modulation of other miR-310c targets. PMID:26222315

The Esg Gene Is Involved in Nicotine Sensitivity in Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Sanchez-Díaz, Iván; Rosales-Bravo, Fernando; Reyes-Taboada, José Luis; Covarrubias, Alejandra A; Narvaez-Padilla, Verónica; Reynaud, Enrique

2015-01-01

In humans, there is a strong correlation between sensitivity to substances of abuse and addiction risk. This differential tolerance to drugs has a strong genetic component. The identification of human genetic factors that alter drug tolerance has been a difficult task. For this reason and taking advantage of the fact that Drosophila responds similarly to humans to many drugs, and that genetically it has a high degree of homology (sharing at least 70% of genes known to be involved in human genetic diseases), we looked for genes in Drosophila that altered their nicotine sensitivity. We developed an instantaneous nicotine vaporization technique that exposed flies in a reproducible way. The amount of nicotine sufficient to "knock out" half of control flies for 30 minutes was determined and this parameter was defined as Half Recovery Time (HRT). Two fly lines, L4 and L70, whose HRT was significantly longer than control´s were identified. The L4 insertion is a loss of function allele of the transcriptional factor escargot (esg), whereas L70 insertion causes miss-expression of the microRNA cluster miR-310-311-312-313 (miR-310c). In this work, we demonstrate that esg loss of function induces nicotine sensitivity possibly by altering development of sensory organs and neurons in the medial section of the thoracoabdominal ganglion. The ectopic expression of the miR-310c also induces nicotine sensitivity by lowering Esg levels thus disrupting sensory organs and possibly to the modulation of other miR-310c targets.

Characterization of the cryptic plasmid pOfk55 from Legionella pneumophila and construction of a pOfk55-derived shuttle vector.

PubMed

Nishida, Takashi; Watanabe, Kenta; Tachibana, Masato; Shimizu, Takashi; Watarai, Masahisa

2017-03-01

In this study, a cryptic plasmid pOfk55 from Legionella pneumophila was isolated and characterized. pOfk55 comprised 2584bp with a GC content of 37.3% and contained three putative open reading frames (ORFs). orf1 encoded a protein of 195 amino acids and the putative protein shared 39% sequence identity with a putative plasmid replication protein RepL. ORF1 was needed for replication in L. pneumophila but pOfk55 did not replicate in Escherichia coli. orf2 and orf3 encoded putative hypothetical proteins of 114 amino acids and 78 amino acids, respectively, but the functions of the putative proteins ORF2 and OFR3 are not clear. The transfer mechanism for pOfk55 was independent on the type IVB secretion system in the original host. A L. pneumophila-E. coli shuttle vector, pNT562 (5058bp, Km R ), was constructed by In-Fusion Cloning of pOfk55 with a kanamycin-resistance gene from pUTmini-Tn5Km and the origin of replication from pBluescript SK(+) (pNT561). Multiple cloning sites from pBluescript SK(+) as well as the tac promoter region and lacI gene from pAM239-GFP were inserted into pNT561 to construct pNT562. The transformation efficiency of pNT562 in L. pneumophila strains ranged from 1.6×10 1 to 1.0×10 5 CFU/ng. The relative number of pNT562 was estimated at 5.7±1.0 copies and 73.6% of cells maintained the plasmid after 1week in liquid culture without kanamycin. A green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression vector, pNT563, was constructed by ligating pNT562 with the gfpmut3 gene from pAM239-GFP. pNT563 was introduced into L. pneumophila Lp02 and E. coli DH5α, and both strains expressed GFP successfully. These results suggest that the shuttle vector is useful for genetic studies in L. pneumophila. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Single-Session CT-Guided Percutaneous Microwave Ablation of Bilateral Adrenal Gland Hyperplasia Due to Ectopic ACTH Syndrome

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sarma, Asha, E-mail: ashasarma@gmail.com; Shyn, Paul B., E-mail: pshyn@partners.org; Vivian, Mark A.

Bilateral adrenalectomy is currently the only available treatment for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-dependent Cushing’s syndrome (ectopic ACTH syndrome) that is refractory to pharmacologic therapy. We describe two patients with refractory ectopic ACTH syndrome who were treated with CT-guided percutaneous microwave ablation of both hyperplastic adrenal glands in a single session: One was not a surgical candidate, and the other had undergone unsuccessful surgery. Following the procedure, both patients achieved substantial decreases in serum cortisol, symptomatic improvement, and decreased anti-hypertensive medication requirements.

A case of ectopic intraabdominal fascioliasis presented with acute abdomen.

PubMed

Tanir, Gönül; Karaman, Ayşe; Tüfekçı, Sehra Birgül; Erdoğan, Duygu; Tuygun, Nilden; Ozkan, Ayşegül Taylan

2011-06-01

Human fascioliasis with Fasciola species occurs worldwide and is most common among rural people who tend sheep and eat uncooked water vegetables, particularly watercress. The natural history of the acute phase begins with ingestion of metacercariae encysted on various kinds of aquatic vegetation such as watercress. Fascioliasis primarily involves the liver, bile ducts, gallbladder, and occasionally ectopic sites. We describe herein a case of ectopic fascioliasis. This uncommon form of disease was peritonitis; both visceral and parietal peritoneal layers were affected with the formation of multiple nodules and ascites.

Study of Chlamydia trachomatis in Military Women; Prevalence, Risk Factors, and a Cost Benefit Analysis of Early Diagnosis and Treatment

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-09-01

ectopic pregnancy, and infertility represent a large disease burden 1,3. Infection rates for young, sexually active women range from 5-20%. In men...Hospitalizations (PASBA) for PID (ICD9 codes 614 and 615), infertility (ICD9 code 628), and 18 * ectopic pregnancy (ICD9 code 633) in Army enlisted females...trachomatisinfections in women has been lim- flammatory disease, infertility , and ectopic pregnancy. ited by the need for access to a medical clinic and a To design

Ovum transmigration after salpingectomy for ectopic pregnancy.

PubMed

Ross, Jackie A; Davison, Amelia Z; Sana, Yasmin; Appiah, Adjoa; Johns, Jemma; Lee, Christopher T

2013-04-01

What proportion of pregnancies are a result of ovum transmigration after salpingectomy for ectopic pregnancy? Approximately one-third of spontaneously conceived pregnancies are a result of pick-up of the ovum from the ovary contralateral to the remaining tube in women with a history of salpingectomy. The corpus luteum has been found contralateral to tubal ectopic pregnancies in 32% of reported cases. The rate of contralateral ovum pick-up in intrauterine pregnancies is not known. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of clinical and ultrasound records collected over a 12-year period 1999-2010. Ten per cent of cases identified were excluded from the final analysis due to incomplete data or bilateral corpora lutea. Included were 842 pregnancies in 707 women with a history of unilateral salpingectomy for ectopic pregnancy and subsequent spontaneous pregnancy. The study was set in the Early Pregnancy Unit of a large UK inner city teaching hospital. The outcome measure was the side of the corpus luteum in relation to the side of the remaining tube. The corpus luteum was located in the ovary contralateral to the remaining tube in 266/842 pregnancies (31.6%; 95% CI 28.5-34.8%). There was no significant difference in this proportion between intrauterine and ectopic pregnancies [246/769 (32.0%) versus 21/73 (28.8%), P = 0.60]. This was a retrospective study and so did not address the conception rate according to the laterality of ovulation. Our findings were very similar to the frequency of ectopic pregnancies found contralateral to the corpus luteum described in previous studies. Ovum pick-up from the cul-de-sac probably occurs reasonably frequently and is unlikely to have a causative role in the pathogenesis of ectopic pregnancy. It is not known how often this phenomenon occurs in women with intact Fallopian tubes. No specific funding was obtained. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Endometrial cysteine-rich secretory protein 3 is inhibited by human chorionic gonadotrophin, and is increased in the decidua of tubal ectopic pregnancy.

PubMed

Horne, A W; Duncan, W C; King, A E; Burgess, S; Lourenco, P C; Cornes, P; Ghazal, P; Williams, A R; Udby, L; Critchley, H O D

2009-05-01

Ectopic pregnancy (EP) remains a considerable cause of morbidity and occasional mortality. Currently, there is no reliable test to differentiate ectopic from intrauterine gestation. We have previously used array technology to demonstrate that differences in gene expression in decidualized endometrium from women with ectopic and intrauterine gestations could be used to identify candidate diagnostic biomarkers for EP. The aim of this study was to further investigate the decidual gene with the highest fold increase in EP, cysteine-rich secretory protein-3 (CRISP-3). Decidualized endometrium from gestation-matched women undergoing surgical termination of pregnancy (n = 8), evacuation of uterus for miscarriage (n = 6) and surgery for EP (n = 11) was subjected to quantitative RT-PCR, morphological assessment, immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. Sera were analysed for progesterone and human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) levels. Immortalized endometrial epithelial cells were cultured with physiological concentrations of hCG. CRISP-3 mRNA and protein expression were greater in endometrium from ectopic when compared with intrauterine pregnancies (P < 0.05). CRISP-3 protein was localized to epithelium and granulocytes of endometrium. CRISP-3 serum concentrations were not different in women with ectopic compared with intrauterine pregnancies. CRISP-3 expression in endometrium was not related to the degree of decidualization or to serum progesterone levels. Endometrial CRISP-3 expression was inversely proportional to serum hCG concentrations (P < 0.001). Stimulation of endometrial epithelial cells with hCG in vitro caused a reduction in CRISP-3 expression (P < 0.01). The measurement of CRISP-3 in endometrium could provide an additional tool in the diagnosis of failing early pregnancy of unknown location. The absence of a local reduction in expression of CRISP-3 in decidualized endometrium of women with EP may be due to reduced exposure to hCG due to the ectopic location of the trophoblast.

Laparoscopy

MedlinePlus

... Laparoscopy may be done to remove an ectopic pregnancy. • Pelvic floor disorders —Laparoscopic surgery can be used to ... vagina. Chronic Pelvic Pain: Persistent pain in the pelvic region that has ... fluid. Ectopic Pregnancy: A pregnancy in which the fertilized egg begins ...

Expression of a repressor form of the Arabidopsis thaliana transcription factor TCP16 induces the formation of ectopic meristems.

PubMed

Uberti-Manassero, Nora G; Coscueta, Ezequiel R; Gonzalez, Daniel H

2016-11-01

Plants that express a fusion of the Arabidopsis thaliana class I TCP transcription factor TCP16 to the EAR repressor domain develop several phenotypic alterations, including rounder leaves, short petioles and pedicels, and delayed elongation of sepals, petals and anthers. In addition, these plants develop lobed cotyledons and ectopic meristems. Ectopic meristems are formed on the adaxial side of cotyledon petioles and arise from a cleft that is formed at this site. Analysis of the expression of reporter genes indicated that meristem genes are reactivated at the site of emergence of ectopic meristems, located near the bifurcation of cotyledon veins. The plants also show increased transcript levels of the boundary-specific CUP-SHAPED COTYLEDON (CUC) genes. The results suggest that TCP16 is able to modulate the induction of meristematic programs and the differentiation state of plant cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

High Titers ofChlamydia trachomatis Antibodies in Brazilian Women with Tubal Occlusion or Previous Ectopic Pregnancy

PubMed Central

Machado, A. C. S.; Guimarães, E. M. B.; Sakurai, E.; Fioravante, F. C. R.; Amaral, W. N.; Alves, M. F. C.

2007-01-01

Objective. To evaluate serum chlamydia antibody titers (CATs) in tubal occlusion or previous ectopic pregnancy and the associated risk factors.Methods. The study population consisted of 55 women wih tubal damage and 55 parous women. CAT was measured using the whole-cell inclusion immunofluorescence test and cervical chlamydial DNA detected by PCR. Odds ratios were calculated to assess variables associated withC. trachomatis infection.Results. The prevalence of chlamydial antibodies and antibody titers in women with tubal occlusion or previous ectopic pregnancy was significantly higher (P < .01) than in parous women. Stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that chlamydia IgG antibodies were associated with tubal damage and with a larger number of lifetime sexual partners.Conclusions. Chlamydia antibody titers were associated with tubal occlusion, prior ectopic pregnancy, and with sexual behavior, suggesting that a chlamydia infection was the major contributor to the tubal damage in these women. PMID:17541464

Surgical treatment for ectopic atrial tachycardia.

PubMed

Graffigna, A; Vigano, M; Pagani, F; Salerno, G

1992-08-01

Atrial tachycardia is an infrequent but potentially dangerous arrhythmia which often determines cardiac enlargement. Surgical ablation of the arrhythmia is effective and safe, provided a careful atrial mapping is performed and the surgical technique is tailored to the individual focus location. Eight patients underwent surgical ablation of ectopic atrial tachycardia between 1977 and 1990. Different techniques were adopted for each patient according to the anatomical location of the focus and possibly associated arrhythmias. Whenever possible, a closed heart procedure was chosen. In 1 patient a double focal origin was found and treated by separate procedures. In 1 patient with ostium secundum atrial septal defect and atrial flutter, surgical isolation of the right appendage and the ectopic focus was performed. In all patients ectopic atrial tachycardia was ablated with maintenance of the sinoatrial and atrioventricular nodal function as well as internodal conduction. In follow-up up to December 1991, no recurrency was recorded.

Usefulness of postoperative hip irradiation in the prevention of heterotopic bone formation in a high risk group of patients

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

MacLennan, I.; Keys, H.M.; Evarts, C.M.

1984-01-01

Heterotopic ossification is a complication of total hip arthroplasty in 14 to 30% of patients. Significant functional impairment will occur in up to 28% of patients with ectopic bone. The high risk group includes those with preexisting heterotopic bone in either hip, those suffering from hypertrophic osteoarthritis or ankylosing spondylitis and patients who have had multiple procedures on the hip. Fifty-eight patients (67 hips) were irradiated after surgical removal of ectopic bone (53 hips) or received radiation prophylaxis of heterotopic ossification (14 hips). Ninety-five percent of patients had either no bone visible or insignificant amounts of ectopic bone visible onmore » postoperative hip X-rays. Only 5% of patients showed significant persistence of ectopic bone. Postoperative hip function was dramatically improved compared to preoperative function in all patients treated. The importance of early commencement of irradiation is emphasized.« less

Ectopic Expression of Retrotransposon-Derived PEG11/RTL1 Contributes to the Callipyge Muscular Hypertrophy

PubMed Central

Xu, Xuewen; Ectors, Fabien; Davis, Erica E.; Pirottin, Dimitri; Cheng, Huijun; Farnir, Frédéric; Hadfield, Tracy; Cockett, Noelle; Charlier, Carole; Georges, Michel; Takeda, Haruko

2015-01-01

The callipyge phenotype is an ovine muscular hypertrophy characterized by polar overdominance: only heterozygous + Mat /CLPG Pat animals receiving the CLPG mutation from their father express the phenotype. + Mat /CLPG Pat animals are characterized by postnatal, ectopic expression of Delta-like 1 homologue (DLK1) and Paternally expressed gene 11/Retrotransposon-like 1 (PEG11/RTL1) proteins in skeletal muscle. We showed previously in transgenic mice that ectopic expression of DLK1 alone induces a muscular hypertrophy, hence demonstrating a role for DLK1 in determining the callipyge hypertrophy. We herein describe newly generated transgenic mice that ectopically express PEG11 in skeletal muscle, and show that they also exhibit a muscular hypertrophy phenotype. Our data suggest that both DLK1 and PEG11 act together in causing the muscular hypertrophy of callipyge sheep. PMID:26474044

Frequency of Cushing's syndrome due to ACTH-secreting adrenal medullary lesions: a retrospective study over 10 years from a single center.

PubMed

Falhammar, Henrik; Calissendorff, Jan; Höybye, Charlotte

2017-01-01

Cushing's syndrome due to ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone production from adrenal medullary lesions has occasionally been described. We retrospectively reviewed all 164 cases of Cushing's syndrome and 77 cases of pheochromocytomas during 10 years. Of all cases with Cushing's syndrome, only two cases (1.2 %) were due to ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone production from adrenal medullary lesions (one case of pheochromocytoma and one case of adrenal medullary hyperplasia). Of all pheochromocytomas only the above-mentioned case (1.3 %) also gave rise to an ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone syndrome. The clinical presentation of adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting pheochromocytoma and adrenal medullary hyperplasia can be anything from mild to dramatic. These are rare conditions important to bear in mind in the workup of a patient with Cushing's syndrome or with pheochromocytoma. The identification of ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion from adrenal medullary lesions can be life-saving.

Bleeding due to ectopic varices in a urinary diversion: A multidisciplinary diagnostic and therapeutic challenge

PubMed Central

Acosta, Eduardo Mariano Albers; Reyes, Alfonsi Friera; Menéndez, Ricardo Brime

2015-01-01

The ectopic varices in patients with portal hypertension are those that occur at any level of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, regardless of the varices that occur at the esophageal level. These ectopic varices account for 2–5% of the causes of GI bleeding varices. The risk of bleeding is quadrupled compared to the esophagogastric area, with a mortality of up to 40%. The transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, should be considered in cases secondary to recurrent bleeding varices. We present a case report of an urological emergency of bleeding in a urinary diversion secondary to ectopic varices successfully treated through the placement of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt. The condition described here is rare, but important, as it can be a life-threatening complication of portal hypertension. This kind of complication should be known by urologic surgeons managing patients with urinary diversions. PMID:26834901

Robotic partial nephrectomy for duplex kidney with ectopic ureter draining in the vagina in an adult patient with urinary incontinence.

PubMed

Mahmood, Humza; Hadjipavlou, Marios; Das, Raj; Anderson, Chris

2017-02-06

A duplex kidney system with an ectopic ureter draining into the vagina is a congenital malformation that typically presents as refractory urinary incontinence. Diagnosis is often difficult to establish and delayed due to a low incidence. We present the case of a patient aged 26 years with a life-long history of persistent urinary incontinence. Initial presentation was at childhood; however, the diagnosis went undetermined for 22 years. CT urography revealed a duplex kidney with an atrophic upper pole associated with an ectopic ureter that drained into the vaginal vault. This is the first description of such a case being managed successfully via a robot-assisted partial nephrectomy approach. Ectopic ureteral duplication should be considered in the differential diagnosis for young women with refractory urinary incontinence. Robotic partial nephrectomy is a safe and effective technique to manage such cases. 2017 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

Role of Architecture in the Function and Specificity of Two Notch-Regulated Transcriptional Enhancer Modules

PubMed Central

Liu, Feng; Posakony, James W.

2012-01-01

In Drosophila melanogaster, cis-regulatory modules that are activated by the Notch cell–cell signaling pathway all contain two types of transcription factor binding sites: those for the pathway's transducing factor Suppressor of Hairless [Su(H)] and those for one or more tissue- or cell type–specific factors called “local activators.” The use of different “Su(H) plus local activator” motif combinations, or codes, is critical to ensure that only the correct subset of the broadly utilized Notch pathway's target genes are activated in each developmental context. However, much less is known about the role of enhancer “architecture”—the number, order, spacing, and orientation of its component transcription factor binding motifs—in determining the module's specificity. Here we investigate the relationship between architecture and function for two Notch-regulated enhancers with spatially distinct activities, each of which includes five high-affinity Su(H) sites. We find that the first, which is active specifically in the socket cells of external sensory organs, is largely resistant to perturbations of its architecture. By contrast, the second enhancer, active in the “non-SOP” cells of the proneural clusters from which neural precursors arise, is sensitive to even simple rearrangements of its transcription factor binding sites, responding with both loss of normal specificity and striking ectopic activity. Thus, diverse cryptic specificities can be inherent in an enhancer's particular combination of transcription factor binding motifs. We propose that for certain types of enhancer, architecture plays an essential role in determining specificity, not only by permitting factor–factor synergies necessary to generate the desired activity, but also by preventing other activator synergies that would otherwise lead to unwanted specificities. PMID:22792075

Dacryocystitis following a nasolacrimal duct obstruction caused by an ectopic intranasal tooth in a dog.

PubMed

Voelter-Ratson, Katrin; Hagen, Regine; Grundmann, Stefan; Spiess, Bernhard Martin

2015-09-01

To describe a nasolacrimal duct (NLD) obstruction secondary to an ectopic tooth in a 5-year-old male Border collie. The dog was presented with a 1-month history of mucopurulent discharge from the left eye (OS) preceded by a lifelong history of epiphora OS. Treatment with neomycin/polymyxin B/dexamethasone ophthalmic solution had not improved the clinical signs, and the NLD was not patent when irrigated by the referring veterinarian. A complete ophthalmologic examination was performed followed by dacryocystorhinography and computed tomography (CT). The ophthalmologic examination revealed marked mucopurulent discharge, mild conjunctivitis, slightly elevated STT measurements, and a negative Jones test OS. Both nasolacrimal puncta OS could be cannulated without resistance for approximately 1.5 cm. Upon irrigation, copious amounts of mucopurulent discharge were exited through the corresponding punctum, while no fluid could be detected at the nares. Dacryocystorhinography was performed. Radiographs revealed an ectopic left canine tooth within the left nasal cavity. A cystic dilation of the NLD was observed proximal to the ectopic tooth. Computed tomography was performed to determine the exact position of the tooth and possible involvement of adjacent structures; CT confirmed the previous imaging findings. Treatment with systemic antibiotics, NSAIDs, and ofloxacin ophthalmic solution led to resolution of the clinical signs within several days. Surgery was declined by the owner. This is the first case report describing a blocked NLD due to an ectopic tooth in a dog. Ectopic teeth should be included as a differential diagnosis in cases of dacryocystitis and chronic epiphora in dogs. © 2014 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

Cytomorphology and sonographic features of ectopic thymic tissue diagnosed in paediatric FNA biopsies.

PubMed

Escobar, F A; Pantanowitz, L; Picarsic, J L; Craig, F E; Simons, J P; Viswanathan, P A; Yilmaz, S; Monaco, S E

2018-03-26

Ectopic thymic tissue can arise as an asymptomatic neck mass, which may be detected on imaging studies. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of ectopic thymic tissue in paediatric FNAs and to the correlate clinical, radiological and cytomorphological findings. FNAs in children with neck and mediastinal lesions performed between January 2012 and July 2016 were reviewed for cases of ectopic thymus. These were then evaluated and correlated with the cytology findings. Of 739 FNAs, 13 (1.8%) cases from 11 patients showed ectopic thymic tissue. The targeted lesions were in the thyroid (n = 7), submandibular region (n = 1), superior mediastinum (n = 1) and paratracheal region (n = 1). The most common indication was for microcalcifications concerning for papillary thyroid carcinoma on ultrasound (n = 6). Imaging findings included fusiform lesions with linear and punctuate bright echoes. The cytology evaluation showed small lymphocytes with discohesive epithelioid cells in most cases, and proteinaceous fluid in the cystic case. There were rare macrophages and Hassall's corpuscles. Flow cytometry and/or immunostains were performed in all cases, supporting thymic origin. Ectopic thymic tissue is rarely present as a neck mass or thyroid nodule on FNA biopsy. The ultrasound imaging findings reveal a well-defined fusiform lesion with punctate bright echoes that could be misinterpreted as papillary thyroid carcinoma. The aspirates show a small lymphoid population, immunophenotypically compatible with thymic T-cells, in addition to scattered epithelial cells. Therefore, knowledge of the typical ultrasonographic and cytopathological features can help make a definitive diagnosis and avoid more invasive procedures in paediatric patients. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Trends in ectopic pregnancy, hydatidiform mole and miscarriage in the largest obstetrics and gynaecology hospital in China from 2003 to 2013.

PubMed

Li, Xue-Lian; Du, Dan-Feng; Chen, Shang-Jie; Zheng, Sai-Hua; Lee, Arier C; Chen, Qi

2016-05-20

Ectopic pregnancies, miscarriages and hydatidiform moles are the major types of pathological pregnancies in the early gestations of pregnancy and constitute an important public health problem. The trends and incidences of these pathological pregnancies may vary by ethnicity and geographical regions. This has not been fully investigated in the Chinese population. In this study we retrospectively report the trends of pathological pregnancies in Chinese population. Data on 22,511 women with ectopic pregnancy, hydatidiform mole and miscarriage were collected from the largest obstetrics and gynaecology hospital in China from 2003 to 2013. Data included age at diagnosis and the annual number of women with diagnosed ectopic pregnancy, hydatidiform mole and miscarriage. The total number of ectopic pregnancy, hydatidiform mole and miscarriage was increased 3.5folds in 2013 compared to 2003. Ectopic pregnancy is the leading pathological pregnancy and miscarriage is increasing at a greater rate among the pathological pregnancies. The median age of women with hydatidiform mole at diagnosis significantly increased from 25.5 years to 29 years (p = 0.002), however the median age for other pathological pregnancies was not different between 2003 and 2013. The number of women with hydatidiform mole at diagnosis who were over 40 years old has increased. The mean maternal age is increased from 28.1 years old in 2003 to 29.4 years old in 2013 in this hospital. We speculate that the increased maternal age may contribute to the increase in these pathological pregnancies between 2003 and 2013 in China.

Non-linear imaging techniques visualize the lipid profile of C. elegans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mari, Meropi; Petanidou, Barbara; Palikaras, Konstantinos; Fotakis, Costas; Tavernarakis, Nektarios; Filippidis, George

2015-07-01

The non-linear techniques Second and Third Harmonic Generation (SHG, THG) have been employed simultaneously to record three dimensional (3D) imaging and localize the lipid content of the muscular areas (ectopic fat) of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Simultaneously, Two-Photon Fluorescence (TPEF) was used initially to localize the stained lipids with Nile Red, but also to confirm the THG potential to image lipids successfully. In addition, GFP labelling of the somatic muscles, proves the initial suggestion of the existence of ectopic fat on the muscles and provides complementary information to the SHG imaging of the pharynx. The ectopic fat may be related to a complex of pathological conditions including type-2 diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. The elucidation of the molecular path leading to the development of metabolic syndrome is a vital issue with high biological significance and necessitates accurate methods competent of monitoring lipid storage distribution and dynamics in vivo. THG microscopy was employed as a quantitative tool to monitor the lipid accumulation in non-adipose tissues in the pharyngeal muscles of 12 unstained specimens while the SHG imaging revealed the anatomical structure of the muscles. The ectopic fat accumulation on the pharyngeal muscles increases in wild type (N2) C. elegans between 1 and 9 days of adulthood. This suggests a correlation of the ectopic fat accumulation with the aging. Our results can provide new evidence relating the deposition of ectopic fat with aging, but also validate SHG and THG microscopy modalities as new, non-invasive tools capable of localizing and quantifying selectively lipid accumulation and distribution.

Towards ontology-based decision support systems for complex ultrasound diagnosis in obstetrics and gynecology.

PubMed

Maurice, P; Dhombres, F; Blondiaux, E; Friszer, S; Guilbaud, L; Lelong, N; Khoshnood, B; Charlet, J; Perrot, N; Jauniaux, E; Jurkovic, D; Jouannic, J-M

2017-05-01

We have developed a new knowledge base intelligent system for obstetrics and gynecology ultrasound imaging, based on an ontology and a reference image collection. This study evaluates the new system to support accurate annotations of ultrasound images. We have used the early ultrasound diagnosis of ectopic pregnancies as a model clinical issue. The ectopic pregnancy ontology was derived from medical texts (4260 ultrasound reports of ectopic pregnancy from a specialist center in the UK and 2795 Pubmed abstracts indexed with the MeSH term "Pregnancy, Ectopic") and the reference image collection was built on a selection from 106 publications. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the signs in 35 scans of ectopic pregnancy by six observers using the new system. The resulting ectopic pregnancy ontology consisted of 1395 terms, and 80 images were collected for the reference collection. The observers used the knowledge base intelligent system to provide a total of 1486 sign annotations. The precision, recall and F-measure for the annotations were 0.83, 0.62 and 0.71, respectively. The global proportion of agreement was 40.35% 95% CI [38.64-42.05]. The ontology-based intelligent system provides accurate annotations of ultrasound images and suggests that it may benefit non-expert operators. The precision rate is appropriate for accurate input of a computer-based clinical decision support and could be used to support medical imaging diagnosis of complex conditions in obstetrics and gynecology. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Cryptic glucocorticoid receptor-binding sites pervade genomic NF-κB response elements.

PubMed

Hudson, William H; Vera, Ian Mitchelle S de; Nwachukwu, Jerome C; Weikum, Emily R; Herbst, Austin G; Yang, Qin; Bain, David L; Nettles, Kendall W; Kojetin, Douglas J; Ortlund, Eric A

2018-04-06

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are potent repressors of NF-κB activity, making them a preferred choice for treatment of inflammation-driven conditions. Despite the widespread use of GCs in the clinic, current models are inadequate to explain the role of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) within this critical signaling pathway. GR binding directly to NF-κB itself-tethering in a DNA binding-independent manner-represents the standing model of how GCs inhibit NF-κB-driven transcription. We demonstrate that direct binding of GR to genomic NF-κB response elements (κBREs) mediates GR-driven repression of inflammatory gene expression. We report five crystal structures and solution NMR data of GR DBD-κBRE complexes, which reveal that GR recognizes a cryptic response element between the binding footprints of NF-κB subunits within κBREs. These cryptic sequences exhibit high sequence and functional conservation, suggesting that GR binding to κBREs is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism of controlling the inflammatory response.

Minimized state complexity of quantum-encoded cryptic processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riechers, Paul M.; Mahoney, John R.; Aghamohammadi, Cina; Crutchfield, James P.

2016-05-01

The predictive information required for proper trajectory sampling of a stochastic process can be more efficiently transmitted via a quantum channel than a classical one. This recent discovery allows quantum information processing to drastically reduce the memory necessary to simulate complex classical stochastic processes. It also points to a new perspective on the intrinsic complexity that nature must employ in generating the processes we observe. The quantum advantage increases with codeword length: the length of process sequences used in constructing the quantum communication scheme. In analogy with the classical complexity measure, statistical complexity, we use this reduced communication cost as an entropic measure of state complexity in the quantum representation. Previously difficult to compute, the quantum advantage is expressed here in closed form using spectral decomposition. This allows for efficient numerical computation of the quantum-reduced state complexity at all encoding lengths, including infinite. Additionally, it makes clear how finite-codeword reduction in state complexity is controlled by the classical process's cryptic order, and it allows asymptotic analysis of infinite-cryptic-order processes.

Evaluation of prophylactic and therapeutic effects of sildenafil on acute radiation proctitis in rats.

PubMed

Yavuz, Erkan; Ercan, Gulcin; Karagulle, Onur Olgac; Bayrak, Busra Yaprak; Biricik, Aytac; Ercetin, Candas; Gokcek, Berk; Yigitbas, Hakan; Kusaslan, Ramazan; Celik, Atilla; Gulcicek, Osman Bilgin

2018-04-01

To investigate the prophylactic and therapeutical effects of sildenafil in a model of acute radiation proctitis (ARP). All experimental procedures of this study was examined by histopathological, immunohistochemical and transmission electron microscopic analysis. Our histopathological evaluations indicated significant increases in lesion severity, cryptic apsis, cryptitis, cryptic distortion, reactive atypia and infiltration depth of the control (proctitis) group. While the prophylaxis group and the treatment group had significantly lower scores. High-dose group showed similar results as prophylaxis group. Histopathological findings of the prophylaxis group was more significant than the treatment group. Immunoreactivities of IL-1β, FGF-2, TNF- α and HIF-1α increased in the control group especially in the epithelial and cryptic regions. On the contrary, sildenafil application caused significant decreases of inflammatory markers in all treatment groups, specifically better results in the prophylaxis group. The sildenafil has anti-inflammatory effects on ARP, as well as protective effects against ARP and the protective effect of sildenafil surpasses its therapeutic effect histopathologically.

Characterization of a cryptic plasmid from an alpha-proteobacterial endosymbiont of Amoeba proteus.

PubMed

Park, Miey; Kim, Min-Soo; Lee, Kyung-Min; Hwang, Sue-Yun; Ahn, Tae In

2009-01-01

A new cryptic plasmid pAP3.9 was discovered in symbiotic alpha-proteobacteria present in the cytoplasm of Amoeba proteus. The plasmid is 3869bp with a GC content of 34.66% and contains replication origins for both double-strand (dso) and single-strand (sso). It has three putative ORFs encoding Mob, Rep and phosphoglycolate phosphatase (PGPase). The pAP3.9 plasmid appears to propagate by the conjugative rolling-circle replication (RCR), since it contains all required factors such as Rep, sso and dso. Mob and Rep showed highest similarities to those of the cryptic plasmid pBMYdx in Bacillus mycoides. The PGPase was homologous to that of Bacillus cereus and formed a clade with those of Bacillus sp. in molecular phylogeny. These results imply that the pAP3.9 plasmid evolved by the passage through Bacillus species. We hypothesize that the plasmid-encoded PGPase may have contributed to the establishment of bacterial symbiosis within the hostile environment of amoeba cytoplasm.

The Emerging Importance of Non-HLA Autoantibodies in Kidney Transplant Complications.

PubMed

Cardinal, Héloise; Dieudé, Mélanie; Hébert, Marie-Josée

2017-02-01

Antibodies that are specific to organ donor HLA have been involved in the majority of cases of antibody-mediated rejection in solid organ transplant recipients. However, recent data show that production of non-HLA autoantibodies can occur before transplant in the form of natural autoantibodies. In contrast to HLAs, which are constitutively expressed on the cell surface of the allograft endothelium, autoantigens are usually cryptic. Tissue damage associated with ischemia-reperfusion, vascular injury, and/or rejection creates permissive conditions for the expression of cryptic autoantigens, allowing these autoantibodies to bind antigenic targets and further enhance vascular inflammation and renal dysfunction. Antiperlecan/LG3 antibodies and antiangiotensin II type 1 receptor antibodies have been found before transplant in patients with de novo transplants and portend negative long-term outcome in patients with renal transplants. Here, we review mounting evidence suggesting an important role for autoantibodies to cryptic antigens as novel accelerators of kidney dysfunction and acute or chronic allograft rejection. Copyright © 2017 by the American Society of Nephrology.

CRISPR Display: A modular method for locus-specific targeting of long noncoding RNAs and synthetic RNA devices in vivo

PubMed Central

Shechner, David M.; Hacisüleyman, Ezgi; Younger, Scott T.; Rinn, John L.

2016-01-01

Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) comprise an important class of regulatory molecules that mediate a vast array of biological processes. This broad functional capacity has also facilitated the design of artificial ncRNAs with novel functions. To further investigate and harness these capabilities, we developed CRISPR-Display (“CRISP-Disp”), a targeted localization method that uses Sp. Cas9 to deploy large RNA cargos to DNA loci. We demonstrate that exogenous RNA domains can be functionally appended onto the CRISPR scaffold at multiple insertion points, allowing the construction of Cas9 complexes with protein-binding cassettes, artificial aptamers, pools of random sequences, and RNAs up to 4.8 kilobases in length, including natural lncRNAs. Unlike most existing CRISPR methods, CRISP-Disp allows simultaneous multiplexing of distinct functions at multiple targets, limited only by the number of available functional RNA motifs. We anticipate that this technology will provide a powerful method with which to ectopically localize functional RNAs and ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes at specified genomic loci. PMID:26030444

Structural requirements for PACSIN/Syndapin operation during zebrafish embryonic notochord development.

PubMed

Edeling, Melissa A; Sanker, Subramaniam; Shima, Takaki; Umasankar, P K; Höning, Stefan; Kim, Hye Y; Davidson, Lance A; Watkins, Simon C; Tsang, Michael; Owen, David J; Traub, Linton M

2009-12-03

PACSIN/Syndapin proteins are membrane-active scaffolds that participate in endocytosis. The structure of the Drosophila Syndapin N-terminal EFC domain reveals a crescent shaped antiparallel dimer with a high affinity for phosphoinositides and a unique membrane-inserting prong upon the concave surface. Combined structural, biochemical and reverse genetic approaches in zebrafish define an important role for Syndapin orthologue, Pacsin3, in the early formation of the notochord during embryonic development. In pacsin3-morphant embryos, midline convergence of notochord precursors is defective as axial mesodermal cells fail to polarize, migrate and differentiate properly. The pacsin3 morphant phenotype of a stunted body axis and contorted trunk is rescued by ectopic expression of Drosophila Syndapin, and depends critically on both the prong that protrudes from the surface of the bowed Syndapin EFC domain and the ability of the antiparallel dimer to bind tightly to phosphoinositides. Our data confirm linkage between directional migration, endocytosis and cell specification during embryonic morphogenesis and highlight a key role for Pacsin3 in this coupling in the notochord.

Suction curettage.

PubMed

English, E C

1983-12-01

In the decade after the legalization of elective abortion by a Supreme Court decision in January 1973, suction curettage has been widely used and accepted as a safe outpatient procedure for first-trimester abortion. Evaluation of the patient for feasibility of the procedure requires careful assessment of gestational age and the determination of the absence of an ectopic pregnancy and conditions that might contraindicate local anesthesia. Counseling clarifies the patient's options and ensures her understanding of the implications of abortion so that she can give an informed consent. Suction curettage is performed under local anesthesia using a sterile plastic cannula or curette inserted through a progressively dilated cervix with aspiration of the uterine contents by an electric pump. The procedure is completed by the physician's examination of the aspirate for the presence of placental villi. Postoperative instructions include contraception and monitoring for hemorrhage and infection prior to a return visit in 10 to 14 days. Complications can be reduced by careful selection of patients with appropriate duration of pregnancy, the use of gentle operative technique, antibiotics for prophylaxis of infection, and a continued maintenance of experience and procedural skill by the physician.

Psoriasiform skin disease in transgenic pigs with high-copy ectopic expression of human integrins α2 and β1.

PubMed

Staunstrup, Nicklas Heine; Stenderup, Karin; Mortensen, Sidsel; Primo, Maria Nascimento; Rosada, Cecilia; Steiniche, Torben; Liu, Ying; Li, Rong; Schmidt, Mette; Purup, Stig; Dagnæs-Hansen, Frederik; Schrøder, Lisbeth Dahl; Svensson, Lars; Petersen, Thomas Kongstad; Callesen, Henrik; Bolund, Lars; Mikkelsen, Jacob Giehm

2017-07-01

Psoriasis is a complex human-specific disease characterized by perturbed keratinocyte proliferation and a pro-inflammatory environment in the skin. Porcine skin architecture and immunity are very similar to that in humans, rendering the pig a suitable animal model for studying the biology and treatment of psoriasis. Expression of integrins, which is normally confined to the basal layer of the epidermis, is maintained in suprabasal keratinocytes in psoriatic skin, modulating proliferation and differentiation as well as leukocyte infiltration. Here, we generated minipigs co-expressing integrins α2 and β1 in suprabasal epidermal layers. Integrin-transgenic minipigs born into the project displayed skin phenotypes that correlated with the number of inserted transgenes. Molecular analyses were in good concordance with histological observations of psoriatic hallmarks, including hypogranulosis and T-lymphocyte infiltration. These findings mark the first creation of minipigs with a psoriasiform phenotype resembling human psoriasis and demonstrate that integrin signaling plays a key role in psoriasis pathology. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

42 CFR 50.308 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... pregnancies. 50.308 Section 50.308 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... pregnancies. Federal financial participation is available with respect to the cost of drugs or devices to... an ectopic pregnancy. ...

42 CFR 50.308 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... pregnancies. 50.308 Section 50.308 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... pregnancies. Federal financial participation is available with respect to the cost of drugs or devices to... an ectopic pregnancy. ...

42 CFR 50.308 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... pregnancies. 50.308 Section 50.308 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... pregnancies. Federal financial participation is available with respect to the cost of drugs or devices to... an ectopic pregnancy. ...

42 CFR 50.308 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... pregnancies. 50.308 Section 50.308 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... pregnancies. Federal financial participation is available with respect to the cost of drugs or devices to... an ectopic pregnancy. ...

42 CFR 50.308 - Drugs and devices and termination of ectopic pregnancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... pregnancies. 50.308 Section 50.308 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... pregnancies. Federal financial participation is available with respect to the cost of drugs or devices to... an ectopic pregnancy. ...

Cryptic MCAT enhancer regulation in fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells. Suppression of TEF-1 mediated activation by the single-stranded DNA-binding proteins, Pur alpha, Pur beta, and MSY1.

PubMed

Carlini, Leslie E; Getz, Michael J; Strauch, Arthur R; Kelm, Robert J

2002-03-08

An asymmetric polypurine-polypyrimidine cis-element located in the 5' region of the mouse vascular smooth muscle alpha-actin gene serves as a binding site for multiple proteins with specific affinity for either single- or double-stranded DNA. Here, we test the hypothesis that single-stranded DNA-binding proteins are responsible for preventing a cryptic MCAT enhancer centered within this element from cooperating with a nearby serum response factor-interacting CArG motif to trans-activate the minimal promoter in fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells. DNA binding studies revealed that the core MCAT sequence mediates binding of transcription enhancer factor-1 to the double-stranded polypurine-polypyrimidine element while flanking nucleotides account for interaction of Pur alpha and Pur beta with the purine-rich strand and MSY1 with the complementary pyrimidine-rich strand. Mutations that selectively impaired high affinity single-stranded DNA binding by fibroblast or smooth muscle cell-derived Pur alpha, Pur beta, and MSY1 in vitro, released the cryptic MCAT enhancer from repression in transfected cells. Additional experiments indicated that Pur alpha, Pur beta, and MSY1 also interact specifically, albeit weakly, with double-stranded DNA and with transcription enhancer factor-1. These results are consistent with two plausible models of cryptic MCAT enhancer regulation by Pur alpha, Pur beta, and MSY1 involving either competitive single-stranded DNA binding or masking of MCAT-bound transcription enhancer factor-1.

When to stop managing or surveying cryptic threatened species

PubMed Central

Chadès, Iadine; McDonald-Madden, Eve; McCarthy, Michael A.; Wintle, Brendan; Linkie, Matthew; Possingham, Hugh P.

2008-01-01

Threatened species become increasingly difficult to detect as their populations decline. Managers of such cryptic threatened species face several dilemmas: if they are not sure the species is present, should they continue to manage for that species or invest the limited resources in surveying? We find optimal solutions to this problem using a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process and rules of thumb derived from an analytical approximation. We discover that managing a protected area for a cryptic threatened species can be optimal even if we are not sure the species is present. The more threatened and valuable the species is, relative to the costs of management, the more likely we are to manage this species without determining its continued persistence by using surveys. If a species remains unseen, our belief in the persistence of the species declines to a point where the optimal strategy is to shift resources from saving the species to surveying for it. Finally, when surveys lead to a sufficiently low belief that the species is extant, we surrender resources to other conservation actions. We illustrate our findings with a case study using parameters based on the critically endangered Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae), and we generate rules of thumb on how to allocate conservation effort for any cryptic species. Using Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes in conservation science, we determine the conditions under which it is better to abandon management for that species because our belief that it continues to exist is too low. PMID:18779594

Acoustic divergence in the communication of cryptic species of nocturnal primates (Microcebus ssp.)

PubMed Central

Braune, Pia; Schmidt, Sabine; Zimmermann, Elke

2008-01-01

Background A central question in evolutionary biology is how cryptic species maintain species cohesiveness in an area of sympatry. The coexistence of sympatrically living cryptic species requires the evolution of species-specific signalling and recognition systems. In nocturnal, dispersed living species, specific vocalisations have been suggested to act as an ideal premating isolation mechanism. We studied the structure and perception of male advertisement calls of three nocturnal, dispersed living mouse lemur species, the grey mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus), the golden brown mouse lemur (M. ravelobensis) and the Goodman's mouse lemur (M. lehilahytsara). The first two species occur sympatrically, the latter lives allopatrically to them. Results A multi-parameter sound analysis revealed prominent differences in the frequency contour and in the duration of advertisement calls. To test whether mouse lemurs respond specifically to calls of the different species, we conducted a playback experiment with M. murinus from the field using advertisement calls and alarm whistle calls of all three species. Individuals responded significantly stronger to conspecific than to heterospecific advertisement calls but there were no differences in response behaviour towards statistically similar whistle calls of the three species. Furthermore, sympatric calls evoked weaker interest than allopatric advertisement calls. Conclusion Our results provide the first evidence for a specific relevance of social calls for speciation in cryptic primates. They furthermore support that specific differences in signalling and recognition systems represent an efficient premating isolation mechanism contributing to species cohesiveness in sympatrically living species. PMID:18462484

Discovering Hidden Diversity of Characins (Teleostei: Characiformes) in Ecuador's Yasuní National Park.

PubMed

Escobar-Camacho, Daniel; Barriga, Ramiro; Ron, Santiago R

2015-01-01

Management and conservation of biodiversity requires adequate species inventories. The Yasuní National Park is one of the most diverse regions on Earth and recent studies of terrestrial vertebrates, based on genetic evidence, have shown high levels of cryptic and undescribed diversity. Few genetic studies have been carried out in freshwater fishes from western Amazonia. Thus, in contrast with terrestrial vertebrates, their content of cryptic diversity remains unknown. In this study, we carried out genetic and morphological analyses on characin fishes at Yasuní National Park, in eastern Ecuador. Our goal was to identify cryptic diversity among one of the most speciose fish families in the Amazon region. This is the first time that genetic evidence has been used to assess the species content of the Napo Basin, one of the richest regions in vertebrate diversity. Phylogenetic analyses of partial mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA gene (∼600 pb) DNA sequences from 232 specimens of the family Characidae and its closest groups revealed eight candidate new species among 33 species sampled, representing a 24% increase in species number. Analyses of external morphology allowed us to confirm the species status of six of the candidate species. Our results show high levels of cryptic diversity in Amazonian characins. If this group is representative of other Amazonian fish, our results would imply that the species richness of the Amazonian ichthyofauna is highly underestimated. Molecular methods are a necessary tool to obtain more realistic inventories of Neotropical freshwater fishes.

Regulatory role of XynR (YagI) in catabolism of xylonate in Escherichia coli K-12.

PubMed

Shimada, Tomohiro; Momiyama, Eri; Yamanaka, Yuki; Watanabe, Hiroki; Yamamoto, Kaneyoshi; Ishihama, Akira

2017-12-01

The genome of Escherichia coli K-12 contains ten cryptic phages, altogether constituting about 3.6% of the genome in sequence. Among more than 200 predicted genes in these cryptic phages, 14 putative transcription factor (TF) genes exist, but their regulatory functions remain unidentified. As an initial attempt to make a breakthrough for understanding the regulatory roles of cryptic phage-encoded TFs, we tried to identify the regulatory function of CP4-6 cryptic prophage-encoded YagI with unknown function. After SELEX screening, YagI was found to bind mainly at a single site within the spacer of bidirectional transcription units, yagA (encoding another uncharacterized TF) and yagEF (encoding 2-keto-3-deoxy gluconate aldolase, and dehydratase, respectively) within this prophage region. YagEF enzymes are involved in the catabolism of xylose downstream from xylonate. We then designated YagI as XynR (regulator of xylonate catabolism), one of the rare single-target TFs. In agreement with this predicted regulatory function, the activity of XynR was suggested to be controlled by xylonate. Even though low-affinity binding sites of XynR were identified in the E. coli K-12 genome, they all were inside open reading frames, implying that the regulation network of XynR is still fixed within the CR4-6 prophage without significant influence over the host E. coli K-12. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Post-copulatory opportunities for sperm competition and cryptic female choice provide no offspring fitness benefits in externally fertilizing salmon

PubMed Central

Lumley, Alyson J.; Diamond, Sian E.; Einum, Sigurd; Yeates, Sarah E.; Peruffo, Danielle; Emerson, Brent C.; Gage, Matthew J. G.

2016-01-01

There is increasing evidence that females can somehow improve their offspring fitness by mating with multiple males, but we understand little about the exact stage(s) at which such benefits are gained. Here, we measure whether offspring fitness is influenced by mechanisms operating solely between sperm and egg. Using externally fertilizing and polyandrous Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), we employed split-clutch and split-ejaculate in vitro fertilization experiments to generate offspring using designs that either denied or applied opportunities for sperm competition and cryptic female choice. Following fertilizations, we measured 140 days of offspring fitness after hatch, through growth and survival in hatchery and near-natural conditions. Despite an average composite mortality of 61%, offspring fitness at every life stage was near-identical between groups fertilized under the absence versus presence of opportunities for sperm competition and cryptic female choice. Of the 21 551 and 21 771 eggs from 24 females fertilized under monandrous versus polyandrous conditions, 68% versus 67.8% survived to the 100-day juvenile stage; sub-samples showed similar hatching success (73.1% versus 74.3%), had similar survival over 40 days in near-natural streams (57.3% versus 56.2%) and grew at similar rates throughout. We therefore found no evidence that gamete-specific interactions allow offspring fitness benefits when polyandrous fertilization conditions provide opportunities for sperm competition and cryptic female choice. PMID:27069665

Global phylogeography of Oithona similis s.l. (Crustacea, Copepoda, Oithonidae) - A cosmopolitan plankton species or a complex of cryptic lineages?

PubMed

Cornils, Astrid; Wend-Heckmann, Britta; Held, Christoph

2017-02-01

Traditionally, many small-sized copepod species are considered to be widespread, bipolar or cosmopolitan. However, these large-scale distribution patterns need to be re-examined in view of increasing evidence of cryptic and pseudo-cryptic speciation in pelagic copepods. Here, we present a phylogeographic study of Oithona similis s.l. populations from the Arctic Ocean, the Southern Ocean and its northern boundaries, the North Atlantic and the Mediterrranean Sea. O. similis s.l. is considered as one of the most abundant species in temperate to polar oceans and acts as an important link in the trophic network between the microbial loop and higher trophic levels such as fish larvae. Two gene fragments were analysed: the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase c subunit I (COI), and the nuclear ribosomal 28 S genetic marker. Seven distinct, geographically delimitated, mitochondrial lineages could be identified, with divergences among the lineages ranging from 8 to 24%, thus representing most likely cryptic or pseudocryptic species within O. similis s.l. Four lineages were identified within or close to the borders of the Southern Ocean, one lineage in the Arctic Ocean and two lineages in the temperate Northern hemisphere. Surprisingly the Arctic lineage was more closely related to lineages from the Southern hemisphere than to the other lineages from the Northern hemisphere, suggesting that geographic proximity is a rather poor predictor of how closely related the clades are on a genetic level. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

When to stop managing or surveying cryptic threatened species.

PubMed

Chadès, Iadine; McDonald-Madden, Eve; McCarthy, Michael A; Wintle, Brendan; Linkie, Matthew; Possingham, Hugh P

2008-09-16

Threatened species become increasingly difficult to detect as their populations decline. Managers of such cryptic threatened species face several dilemmas: if they are not sure the species is present, should they continue to manage for that species or invest the limited resources in surveying? We find optimal solutions to this problem using a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process and rules of thumb derived from an analytical approximation. We discover that managing a protected area for a cryptic threatened species can be optimal even if we are not sure the species is present. The more threatened and valuable the species is, relative to the costs of management, the more likely we are to manage this species without determining its continued persistence by using surveys. If a species remains unseen, our belief in the persistence of the species declines to a point where the optimal strategy is to shift resources from saving the species to surveying for it. Finally, when surveys lead to a sufficiently low belief that the species is extant, we surrender resources to other conservation actions. We illustrate our findings with a case study using parameters based on the critically endangered Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae), and we generate rules of thumb on how to allocate conservation effort for any cryptic species. Using Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes in conservation science, we determine the conditions under which it is better to abandon management for that species because our belief that it continues to exist is too low.

Esthesioneuroblastoma (Olfactory Neuroblastoma) with Ectopic ACTH Syndrome: a multidisciplinary case presentation from the Joan Karnell cancer center of Pennsylvania Hospital.

PubMed

Mintzer, David M; Zheng, Sarah; Nagamine, Michiko; Newman, Jason; Benito, Maria

2010-01-01

The case of a patient with recurrent esthesioneuroblastoma complicated by ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone production is presented, including the workup and management of this uncommon complication of an uncommon disease.

Ectopic pinealoma: an unusual clinical presentation and a histochemical comparison with a seminoma of the testis

PubMed Central

Beeley, J. M.; Daly, J. J.; Timperley, W. R.; Warner, J.

1973-01-01

A patient with ectopic pinealoma first presented with apparent anorexia nervosa and hypernatraemic coma. A history of diabetes insipidus two months previously was not known on admission to hospital. The diabetes insipidus was unmasked by the administration of steroids. Neuroendocrinal and neuropathological aspects of the case are discussed with reference to the march of symptoms due to the growth of the tumour. Histochemical evidence is presented supporting the similarity between ectopic pinealoma and seminoma which suggests that they may more properly be referred to as atypical teratomas. Images PMID:4356733

[Successive ectopic pregnancies associated with tubal shistosomiasis in a French traveler].

PubMed

Laroche, Justine; Mottet, Nicolas; Malincenco, Marianna; Gay, Catherine; Royer, Pierre Yves; Riethmuller, Didier

2016-01-01

Schistosomiasis is the second endemic parasitic disease in the world and is a common cause of urogenital infections. Ectopic pregnancies due to tubal obstruction by schistosoma's eggs are usually reported in Africa. Schistosomiasis also affects travelers but infection of the female genital tract is less frequently described. We report an unusual clinical case of two successive ectopic pregnancies with tubal schistosomiasis in a French woman, seven years after a travel to Mali. The first event was discovered after histologic examination of salpingectomy and the second event required a controlateral salpingotomy with an injection of methotrexate, two months later.

Treating non-tubal ectopic pregnancy.

PubMed

Chetty, Maya; Elson, Janine

2009-08-01

The purpose of this review is to examine the current state of knowledge regarding the treatment of non-tubal ectopic pregnancies. This review looks at the management of cervical, caesarean scar, ovarian, interstitial, cornual and abdominal pregnancies. Traditionally these pregnancies have been diagnosed late and managed by open surgery. Earlier diagnosis has led to the use of minimal access techniques, medical and conservative management for all types of non-tubal pregnancies. Increased awareness and the experience of specialised centres have led to an improved understanding of the best way to manage non-tubal ectopic pregnancies and the development of new techniques.

Simple ectopic kidney in three dogs.

PubMed

Choi, Jiyoung; Lee, Heechun; Lee, Youngwon; Choi, Hojung

2012-10-01

Simple ectopic kidney was diagnosed in three dogs by means of radiography and ultrasonography. A 2-year-old castrated male Schnauzer, a 13-year-old female Schnauzer and a 9-year-old male Jindo were referred with vomiting, hematuria and ocular discharge, respectively. In all three dogs, oval-shaped masses with soft tissue density were observed in the mid to caudal abdomen bilaterally or unilaterally, and kidney silhouettes were not identified at the proper anatomic places on abdominal radiographs. Ultrasonography confirmed the masses were malpositioned kidney. The ectopic kidneys had relatively small size, irregular shape and short ureter but showed normal function on excretory urography.

Single-Tooth Osteotomy Combined Wide Linear Corticotomy Under Local Anesthesia for Correcting Anterior Protrusion With Ectopically Erupted Canine.

PubMed

Iskenderoglu, Nur Serife; Choi, Byung-Joon; Seo, Kyung Won; Lee, Yeon-Ji; Lee, Baek-Soo; Kim, Seong-Hun

2017-01-01

This article presents the alternative surgical treatments of both anterior protrusion by carrying out retraction on mandibular anterior fragment, meanwhile applying retraction force on maxilla anterior teeth and ectopically erupted canine with using platelet-rich fibrin (PRF). Anterior segmental osteotomy was combined with linear corticotomy under local anesthesia. The correction of right ectopic canine was achieved through 2 stages. First, dento-osseous osteotomy on palatal side was performed. Then second osteotomy with immediate manual repositioning of the canine with concomitant first premolar extraction was enhanced with PRF, which was prepared by centrifuging patient's blood, applied into buccal side of high canine during osteotomy. Mandibular retraction was accomplished by anterior segmental osteotomy. Single-tooth osteotomy is a more effective surgical method for ankylosed or ectopically erupted tooth in orthodontic treatment. It can reduce the total orthodontic treatment time and root resorption, 1 common complication. Significant improved bone formation was seen with the addition of PRF on noncritical size defects in the animal model. It is reasonable to think that PRF can promote bone regeneration. So early bone formation also can reduce the complication such as postoperative infection. As an alternative to anterior protrusion and ectopically erupted canine treatment, segmental osteotomy and corticotomy combined platelet-rich plasma can enhance orthodontic treatment outcome.

Nimesulide, a COX-2 inhibitor, does not reduce lesion size or number in a nude mouse model of endometriosis.

PubMed

Hull, M L; Prentice, A; Wang, D Y; Butt, R P; Phillips, S C; Smith, S K; Charnock-Jones, D S

2005-02-01

Women with endometriosis have elevated levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in peritoneal macrophages and endometriotic tissue. Inhibition of COX-2 has been shown to reduce inflammation, angiogenesis and cellular proliferation. It may also downregulate aromatase activity in ectopic endometrial lesions. Ectopic endometrial establishment and growth are therefore likely to be suppressed in the presence of COX-2 inhibitors. We hypothesized that COX-2 inhibition would reduce the size and number of ectopic human endometrial lesions in a nude mouse model of endometriosis. The selective COX-2 inhibitor, nimesulide, was administered to estrogen-supplemented nude mice implanted with human endometrial tissue. Ten days after implantation, the number and size of ectopic endometrial lesions were evaluated and compared with lesions from a control group. Immunohistochemical assessment of vascular development and macrophage and myofibroblast infiltration in control and treated lesions was performed. There was no difference in the number or size of ectopic endometrial lesions in control and nimesulide-treated nude mice. Nimesulide did not induce a visually identifiable difference in blood vessel development or macrophage or myofibroblast infiltration in nude mouse explants. The hypothesized biological properties of COX-2 inhibition did not influence lesion number or size in the nude mouse model of endometriosis.

Catheter ablation of junctional ectopic tachycardia in children, with preservation of atrioventricular conduction.

PubMed

Emmel, M; Sreeram, N; Brockmeier, K

2005-04-01

Idiopathic junctional ectopic tachycardia is a rare arrhythmia in children. Several studies have demonstrated that drug therapy is often ineffective and sometimes the only achieved effect is rate control. Early presentation and frequent recurrence are associated with adverse outcome. Three consecutive children, aged 9, 7 and 12 years respectively, underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation for junctional ectopic tachycardia, after having failed antiarrhythmic drug therapy. The entire His bundle was plotted out and marked, using the Localisa navigation system. The arrhythmia was readily and repeatedly inducible using intravenous isoprenaline infusion and the site of earliest retrograde conduction during tachycardia could be assessed. Ablations were performed in sinus rhythm, empirically targeting the site of earliest retrograde conduction during tachycardia. This approach was successful in abolishing tachyarrhythmia in the first two patients, in whom the successful ablation site was located superoparaseptally. In the third patient, junctional ectopic tachycardia was inducible, despite abolishing retrograde atrial activation, in a septal location on the tricuspid valve annulus. Further ablations in the superoparaseptal region, closer to the His bundle, were successful in rendering tachyarrhythmia noninducible. Over a median follow-up of 10 months, none of the patients has had recurrence of arrhythmia, despite discontinuing all antiarrhythmic medications. Radio frequency catheter ablation of junctional ectopic tachycardia is feasible with preservation of atrioventricular conduction.

Ectopic third molars in the sigmoid notch: etiology, diagnostic imaging and treatment options.

PubMed

Hanisch, Marcel; Fröhlich, Leopold F; Kleinheinz, Johannes

2016-12-06

The etiology of ectopic third molars located in the sigmoid notch of the mandible is unclear. Only a few cases have been reported. The aim of this article is to discuss the etiology as well as treatment options and diagnostic imaging techniques. A PubMed and Medline search of the literature from 1965 to 2015 to ectopic third molars in the mandibular notch was performed. Furthermore, a clinical case provided by the authors is reported. Among the eight reviewed cases, two male and six female patients were affected that ranged from 25 to 62 years of age (mean 48.4). Pain and swelling in the preauricular region or trismus but also the absence of symptoms was reported. Only in two of the summarized articles an extra-oral access for the removal of the tooth was used. The etiology seems to be individually different, however dentigerous cysts and chronic inflammation seem to play an important role in their appearance. While previous diagnostic reports described two-dimensional diagnostic imaging, currently the three-dimensional imaging is common for preoperative surgical planning with respect to removing ectopic molars. Ectopic third molars in the mandible are a rare condition. The etiology seems to be individually different. Nowadays, three-dimensional imaging is common for preoperative surgical planning.

Ectopic Osteoid and Bone Formation by Three Calcium-Phosphate Ceramics in Rats, Rabbits and Dogs

PubMed Central

Wang, Liao; Zhang, Bi; Bao, Chongyun; Habibovic, Pamela; Hu, Jing; Zhang, Xingdong

2014-01-01

Calcium phosphate ceramics with specific physicochemical properties have been shown to induce de novo bone formation upon ectopic implantation in a number of animal models. In this study we explored the influence of physicochemical properties as well as the animal species on material-induced ectopic bone formation. Three bioceramics were used for the study: phase-pure hydroxyapatite (HA) sintered at 1200°C and two biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) ceramics, consisting of 60 wt.% HA and 40 wt.% TCP (β-Tricalcium phosphate), sintered at either 1100°C or 1200°C. 108 samples of each ceramic were intramuscularly implanted in dogs, rabbits, and rats for 6, 12, and 24 weeks respectively. Histological and histomorphometrical analyses illustrated that ectopic bone and/or osteoid tissue formation was most pronounced in BCP sintered at 1100°C and most limited in HA, independent of the animal model. Concerning the effect of animal species, ectopic bone formation reproducibly occurred in dogs, while in rabbits and rats, new tissue formation was mainly limited to osteoid. The results of this study confirmed that the incidence and the extent of material-induced bone formation are related to both the physicochemical properties of calcium phosphate ceramics and the animal model. PMID:25229501

Esthesioneuroblastoma (Olfactory Neuroblastoma) with Ectopic ACTH Syndrome: A Multidisciplinary Case Presentation from the Joan Karnell Cancer Center of Pennsylvania Hospital

PubMed Central

Zheng, Sarah; Nagamine, Michiko; Newman, Jason; Benito, Maria

2010-01-01

The case of a patient with recurrent esthesioneuroblastoma complicated by ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone production is presented, including the workup and management of this uncommon complication of an uncommon disease. PMID:20053760

Copulatory courtship song in Lutzomyia migonei (Diptera: psychodidae).

PubMed

Vigoder, Felipe M; Souza, Nataly A; Peixoto, Alexandre A

2010-12-01

Lutzomyia migonei is a vector of leishmaniasis with a wide distribution in South America, which could favour population differentiation and speciation. Cryptic species of the Lutzomyia longipalpis complex, the widely distributed sand fly vector of visceral leishmaniasis in Latin America, have previously been shown to display distinct copulation songs. We found that Lu. migonei males also produce a song during copulation. This "lovesong" presents short trains (6-8 pulses) with an inter-pulse interval around 26 ms and is potentially involved in cryptic female choice and insemination success.

Serum Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (β- hCG) Clearance Curves in Women with Successfully Expectantly Managed Tubal Ectopic Pregnancies: A Retrospective Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Helmy, Samir; Mavrelos, Dimitrios; Sawyer, Elinor; Ben-Nagi, Jara; Koch, Marianne; Day, Andrea; Jurkovic, Davor

2015-01-01

Objective To establish clearance curves for serum β -hCG in women with successfully expectantly managed tubal ectopic pregnancies. Design Retrospective cohort study. Non- viable tubal ectopic pregnancy was diagnosed on transvaginal ultrasound. If initial serum β hCG was less than 5000 IU/L and patients were asymptomatic, expectant management was offered. Patients underwent serial β hCG measurements until serum β hCG was less than 20 IU/l, or the urine pregnancy test was negative. Setting Early Pregnancy and Gynaecology Assessment Unit, Kings College Hospital, London (December 1998 to July 2006). Patients We included 161 women with diagnosed non-viable tubal ectopic pregnancy who underwent successful expectant management. Main outcome measure Serum β hCG level. Results Mean initial serum β- hCG was 488 IU/L (41 - 4883) and median serum β hCG clearance time was 19 days (5 - 82). The average half-life of β hCG clearance was 82.5 hours (±SD 50.2) in patients with steadily declining serum β- hCG levels compared to 106.7 hours (±SD 72.0) in patients with primarily plateauing β-hCG levels in the declining phase. However, these differences were not significant (p>0.05). Conclusion We identified a median follow-up of 19 days until serum β hCG clearance in women with tubal ectopic pregnancy and successful expectant management. Although non- significant, women with initially plateauing serum β hCG showed a longer follow-up time until clearance compared to women with steadily declining β hCG levels. This information may serve as a guideline enabling clinicians to predict the length of follow-up for women with tubal ectopic pregnancy and expectant management. PMID:26135923

Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery for Remission of Cushing Disease Caused by Ectopic Intracavernous Macroadenoma: Case Report and Literature Review.

PubMed

Koutourousiou, Maria; Winstead, Welby I

2017-02-01

Complete surgical resection of an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting pituitary adenoma is the gold standard of treatment of Cushing disease. Ectopic location of these adenomas is an extremely rare condition that may compromise the diagnosis and surgical success. We present the first case of an ectopic intracavernous ACTH-secreting macroadenoma totally resected with endoscopic endonasal surgery (EES). A 36-year-old woman presented with Cushing syndrome. Increased ACTH, serum cortisol, and free urine cortisol levels were identified; however, pituitary magnetic resonance imaging failed to show a pituitary tumor; instead, a parasellar lesion in the left cavernous sinus (CS) was noticed. Inferior petrosal sinus sampling showed a significant central to peripheral and lateralized left-sided ACTH gradient. The patient underwent EES. No tumor was found in the sella; however, the left CS was widely explored and a tumor was found lateral to the paraclival segment of the carotid artery. There were no complications after EES. Pathology confirmed the diagnosis of an ACTH-secreting adenoma. During the immediate postoperative course, serum cortisol levels decreased lower than 5 μg/dL. Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging showed complete tumor resection. At 20 months follow-up, the patient remained in clinical and biochemical remission of Cushing disease. Only 12 cases of ectopic intracavernous ACTH-secreting adenomas have been reported and all were microadenomas. The presence of an ectopic ACTH-secreting macroadenoma in the CS represents a surgical challenge. EES is the ideal approach for complete resection of ectopic intracavernous adenomas, allowing for a wide exploration of the CS with no surgical complications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Ectopic pregnancy at the Ignace Deen University Hospital in Conakry: epidemiologic, social, demographic, therapeutic, and prognostic aspects].

PubMed

Baldé, I S; Diallo, F B; Conté, I; Diallo, M H; Sylla, I; Diallo, B S; Diallo, T S; Sy, T

2014-01-01

The objectives of this study were to calculate the frequency of ectopic pregnancy in the department, define its epidemiological, diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic aspects, and determine a clear therapeutic approach appropriate to our setting. In this prospective study, we compiled all cases of ectopic pregnancy seen in 2011 and 2012 in the obstetrics-gynecology department at Ignace Deen University Hospital in Conakry. Ectopic pregnancies represented 1.3% of all deliveries over this period. In the 111 cases in this population, women aged 30-34 years accounted for 31.5%, those pregnant for the first time 40.5%, nulliparous women 35.1%, married women 72.1%, those without schooling 43.2%), and those with a history of sexually transmitted infection 57.6% (these categories are not exclusive, and the same women may be included in several). Secondary amenorrhea with abdominopelvic pain and metrorrhagia was the reason for admission in 56.5% of cases. Ultrasound in early pregnancy is infrequent in Conakry. Almost all of our patients underwent emergency surgery (80.2%) More than half of the ectopic pregnancies were located in the ampulla of the uterine tubes (73.0%). There were three abdominal pregnancies and 2 ovarian. In all cases the treatment was surgical, most often salpingectomy. Postoperative complications occurred in 35.1% of cases, most often anemia (27.9% of all cases) requiring blood transfusion in 11.7% of all cases before, during, or after surgery. The maternal death rate was 1.8%. Ectopic pregnancy remains a major concern at Ignace Deen CHU. Reduction of its frequency requires increased population awareness of sexually transmitted infections and illegal abortions. Management should be prompt and appropriate.

Obesity and exercise-induced ectopic ventricular arrhythmias in apparently healthy middle aged adults.

PubMed

Sabbag, Avi; Sidi, Yechezkel; Kivity, Shaye; Beinart, Roy; Glikson, Michael; Segev, Shlomo; Goldenberg, Ilan; Maor, Elad

2016-03-01

Obesity and overweight are strongly associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, there are limited data on the association between excess weight and the risk of ectopic ventricular activity. We investigated the association between body mass index (BMI) and the risk for ectopic ventricular activity (defined as multiple ventricular premature beats (≥3), ventricular bigeminy, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia or sustained ventricular tachycardia) during exercise stress testing among 22,516 apparently healthy men and women who attended periodic health screening examinations between the years 2000 and 2014. All subjects had completed maximal exercise stress testing annually according to the Bruce protocol. Subjects were divided at baseline into three groups: normal weight (BMI ≥ 18.5 kg/m(2) and<25; N = 9,994), overweight (BMI ≥ 25 and < 30; N = 9,613) and obese (BMI ≥ 30; N = 2,906). The mean age of study subjects was 47 ± 10 years and 72% were men. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the cumulative probability for the development of exercise-induced ectopic ventricular activity arrhythmias was highest among obese subjects, intermediate among overweight subjects and lowest among subjects with normal weight (3.4%, 2.7% and 2.2% respectively; p < 0.001). Multivariate binary logistic regression with repeated measures of 92,619 ESTs, showed that obese subjects were 33% more likely to have ectopic ventricular arrhythmias during exercise compared with subjects with normal weight (p = 0.005), and that each 1 kg/m(2) increase in BMI was associated with a significant 4% (p = 0.002) increased adjusted risk for exercise-induced ventricular arrhythmias. Obesity is independently associated with increased likelihood of ectopic ventricular arrhythmia during exercise. © The European Society of Cardiology 2015.

Population-based study on the effect of socioeconomic factors and race on management and outcomes of 35,535 inpatient ectopic pregnancies.

PubMed

Papillon-Smith, Jessica; Imam, Basel; Patenaude, Valerie; Abenhaim, Haim Arie

2014-01-01

To evaluate whether socioeconomic variables influence the management and outcomes of ectopic pregnancies. Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Hospitals in the United States participating in the Health Care Cost and Utilization Project. Women (n = 35 535) with a primary discharge diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy. Effect of socioeconomic factors and race/ethnicity on management and adverse outcomes of ectopic pregnancy. During the 9-year study, 35 535 ectopic pregnancies were identified. The development of hemoperitoneum in 8706 patients (24.50%) was the most common complication. Asian race was the sociodemographic variable most predictive of hemoperitoneum (odds ratio [OR], 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24-1.61; p < .01) and transfusion (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.39-1.89; p < .01), and Medicare status was most influential on prolonged hospitalization (OR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.36-2.47; p < .01). Major complications were not affected by socioeconomic factors. Laparotomy in 25 075 patients (70.6%) was the most common treatment option. Patients of Asian or Pacific Islander descent were least likely to be treated non-surgically (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.51-0.76; p < .01), whereas Medicare recipients were most likely to be treated non-surgically (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.32-2.18; p < .01). All non-white groups were less likely to undergo a laparoscopic approach. Major complications from ectopic pregnancy are not influenced by socioeconomic variables; however, less serious complications and management approaches are persistently affected. Copyright © 2014 AAGL. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The ectopic expression of Pax4 in the mouse pancreas converts progenitor cells into alpha and subsequently beta cells.

PubMed

Collombat, Patrick; Xu, Xiaobo; Ravassard, Philippe; Sosa-Pineda, Beatriz; Dussaud, Sébastien; Billestrup, Nils; Madsen, Ole D; Serup, Palle; Heimberg, Harry; Mansouri, Ahmed

2009-08-07

We have previously reported that the loss of Arx and/or Pax4 gene activity leads to a shift in the fate of the different endocrine cell subtypes in the mouse pancreas, without affecting the total endocrine cell numbers. Here, we conditionally and ectopically express Pax4 using different cell-specific promoters and demonstrate that Pax4 forces endocrine precursor cells, as well as mature alpha cells, to adopt a beta cell destiny. This results in a glucagon deficiency that provokes a compensatory and continuous glucagon+ cell neogenesis requiring the re-expression of the proendocrine gene Ngn3. However, the newly formed alpha cells fail to correct the hypoglucagonemia since they subsequently acquire a beta cell phenotype upon Pax4 ectopic expression. Notably, this cycle of neogenesis and redifferentiation caused by ectopic expression of Pax4 in alpha cells is capable of restoring a functional beta cell mass and curing diabetes in animals that have been chemically depleted of beta cells.

Neonatal Bartter syndrome and unilateral ectopic renal cyst as new renal causes of hydrops fetalis: two case reports and review of the literature.

PubMed

Çetinkaya, Merih; Durmaz, Oguzhan; Büyükkale, Gökhan; Ozbek, Sibel; Acar, Deniz; Kilicaslan, Isin; Kavuncuoglu, Sultan

2013-07-01

Non-immune hydrops fetalis (NIHF) is a challenging entity as it represents the end stage of several different disorders. Renal and genitourinary causes of NIHF are rare and include congenital renal malformations, tumors and ureter-urethra disorders. Herein, two NIHF cases with different renal causes were presented. The first case that had antenatal NIHF was diagnosed neonatal Bartter syndrome. The second case of NIHF with antenatal large cyst in the surrenal gland area required surgery and ectopic renal cyst was diagnosed. To our best of knowledge, these are the first reports of NIHF associated with neonatal Bartter syndrome and ectopic renal cyst in neonates. Although it may be coincidental, these cases suggest that both neonatal Bartter syndrome and unilateral ectopic renal cyst may cause NIHF development in neonates by several different mechanisms. Therefore, these two rare entities should be suspected in cases of NIHF with similar findings.

Previous tubal ectopic pregnancy raises the incidence of repeated ectopic pregnancies in in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer patients.

PubMed

Weigert, Monika; Gruber, Diego; Pernicka, Elisabeth; Bauer, Peter; Feichtinger, Wilfried

2009-01-01

To investigate the incidence of Tubal Ectopic Pregnancies (TEP) in IVF-ET patients with respect to the status of the fallopian tubes after a previous TEP. This retrospective study compares patients undergoing 481 IVF-ET cycles after conservatively or surgically treated TEP(s) with a Control Group (idiopathic or male factor for IVF-ET indication). Medical reports of surgery and/or hysterosalpingograms prior to the IVF cycles classified the status of the fallopian tubes. 12 TEPs (8.95%/Pregnancies (PR)) occurred in the Study Group. In the Control Group one TEP (0.75%/PR; p < 0.001) was found. Smoking increased the probability of TEPs (p = 0.0028) and of pathological pregnancies (abortion, biochemical and ectopic PR; (p = 0.0411)). For statistic evolution logistic regression (PROC GENMOD) and a repeated measure model were applied. Women with a previous TEP should be informed about the significantly increased risk for a further TEP in IVF-ET treatment, especially if they are smoking.

High-dose bone morphogenetic protein-induced ectopic abdomen bone growth.

PubMed

Deutsch, Harel

2010-02-01

Infuse [bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)] is increasingly used in spinal fusion surgery. The authors report a rare complication of BMP use. This is a case report. A 55-year-old male underwent a thoracic T8 to the pelvis fusion for degenerative lumbar disc disease and pseudarthrosis at another institution. The procedure involved an anterior and posterior approach with the use of multiple units of BMP. The patient presented to our institution with complaints of weight loss, pain, tenderness, and increasing solid growth in the left lower quadrant several months after his surgery. A computed tomography revealed ectopic bone growth in the retroperitoneal area and pelvis contiguous to the anterior lumbar exposure. The anterior wound was re-explored, and a large sheet of ectopic bone was removed from the retroperitoneal space. We report a rare case of extraspinal ectopic bone growth because of the use of multiple packages of BMP. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater causing ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone-dependent Cushing's syndrome.

PubMed

Kato, Akihisa; Hayashi, Kazuki; Naitoh, Itaru; Seno, Kyoji; Okada, Yukiko; Ban, Tesshin; Kondo, Hiromu; Nishi, Yuji; Umemura, Shuichiro; Hori, Yasuki; Natsume, Makoto; Joh, Takashi

2016-07-01

Ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is rarely secreted by neuroendocrine tumors. Although neuroendocrine tumors may occur at any site in the gastrointestinal system, they very rarely occur in the ampulla of Vater and have a poor prognosis. The present study described the first Cushing's syndrome as a result of ectopic ACTH arising from the ampulla of Vater neuroendocrine carcinoma. A 69-year-old female was admitted with clinical features of Cushing's syndrome, confirmed biochemically by hypokalemia, and elevated levels of ACTH and cortisol. In further investigations, a tumor of the ampulla of Vater and liver metastases were detected. Pathological analysis of the biopsy confirmed a neuroendocrine carcinoma, which was immunohistochemically positive for chromogranin A, synaptophysin, cluster of differentiation 56 and ACTH. Therefore, the present study diagnosed a functional and metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater with ectopic ACTH production causing Cushing's syndrome. The patient succumbed to mortality 4 months later, despite administration of combined chemotherapy with irinotecan and cisplatin.

Status epilepticus increases mature granule cells in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus in rats★

PubMed Central

Liang, Zhaoliang; Gao, Fei; Wang, Fajun; Wang, Xiaochen; Song, Xinyu; Liu, Kejing; Zhan, Ren-Zhi

2013-01-01

Enhanced neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus following seizure activity, especially status epilepticus, is associated with ectopic residence and aberrant integration of newborn granule cells. Hilar ectopic granule cells may be detrimental to the stability of dentate circuitry by means of their electrophysiological properties and synaptic connectivity. We hypothesized that status epilepticus also increases ectopic granule cells in the molecular layer. Status epilepticus was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by intraperitoneal injection of pilocarpine. Immunostaining showed that many doublecortin-positive cells were present in the molecular layer and the hilus 7 days after the induction of status epilepticus. At least 10 weeks after status epilepticus, the estimated number of cells positive for both prospero homeobox protein 1 and neuron-specific nuclear protein in the hilus was significantly increased. A similar trend was also found in the molecular layer. These findings indicate that status epilepticus can increase the numbers of mature and ectopic newborn granule cells in the molecular layer. PMID:25206705

Prediction of Tubal Ectopic Pregnancy Using Offline Analysis of 3-Dimensional Transvaginal Ultrasonographic Data Sets: An Interobserver and Diagnostic Accuracy Study.

PubMed

Infante, Fernando; Espada Vaquero, Mercedes; Bignardi, Tommaso; Lu, Chuan; Testa, Antonia C; Fauchon, David; Epstein, Elisabeth; Leone, Francesco P G; Van den Bosch, Thierry; Martins, Wellington P; Condous, George

2018-06-01

To assess interobserver reproducibility in detecting tubal ectopic pregnancies by reading data sets from 3-dimensional (3D) transvaginal ultrasonography (TVUS) and comparing it with real-time 2-dimensional (2D) TVUS. Images were initially classified as showing pregnancies of unknown location or tubal ectopic pregnancies on real time 2D TVUS by an experienced sonologist, who acquired 5 3D volumes. Data sets were analyzed offline by 5 observers who had to classify each case as ectopic pregnancy or pregnancy of unknown location. The interobserver reproducibility was evaluated by the Fleiss κ statistic. The performance of each observer in predicting ectopic pregnancies was compared to that of the experienced sonologist. Women were followed until they were reclassified as follows: (1) failed pregnancy of unknown location; (2) intrauterine pregnancy; (3) ectopic pregnancy; or (4) persistent pregnancy of unknown location. Sixty-one women were included. The agreement between reading offline 3D data sets and the first real-time 2D TVUS was very good (80%-82%; κ = 0.89). The overall interobserver agreement among observers reading offline 3D data sets was moderate (κ = 0.52). The diagnostic performance of experienced observers reading offline 3D data sets had accuracy of 78.3% to 85.0%, sensitivity of 66.7% to 81.3%, specificity of 79.5% to 88.4%, positive predictive value of 57.1% to 72.2%, and negative predictive value of 87.5% to 91.3%, compared to the experienced sonologist's real-time 2D TVUS: accuracy of 94.5%, sensitivity of 94.4%, specificity of 94.5%, positive predictive value of 85.0%, and negative predictive value of 98.1%. The diagnostic accuracy of 3D TVUS by reading offline data sets for predicting ectopic pregnancies is dependent on experience. Reading only static 3D data sets without clinical information does not match the diagnostic performance of real time 2D TVUS combined with clinical information obtained during the scan. © 2017 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm with ectopic renal artery origins: a case report.

PubMed

Kotsis, T; Mylonas, S; Katsenis, K; Arapoglou, V; Dimakakos, P

2007-01-01

The coexistense of an abdominal aortic aneurysm with ectopic main renal vasculature complicates aortic surgery and mandates a focused imaging evaluation and a carefully planned operation to minimize renal ischemia. We present the case of a 75-year-old man with an abdominal aortic aneurysm and a right kidney with two ectopic main renal arteries, one originating from the aneurysmal distal aorta and the other from the right common iliac artery; the patient underwent a surgical repair and followed an uneventful course with no deterioration of renal function. The preoperative and intraoperative details are reported, along with a review of the literature.

Preoperative Localization of Mediastinal Parathyroid Adenoma with Intra-arterial Methylene Blue.

PubMed

Salman, Rida; Sebaaly, Mikhael G; Wehbe, Mohammad Rachad; Sfeir, Pierre; Khalife, Mohamad; Al-Kutoubi, Aghiad

2017-06-01

Ectopic parathyroid is found in 16% of patients with hyperparathyroidism. 2% of ectopic parathyroid adenomas are not accessible to standard cervical excision. In such cases, video-assisted thoracoscopic resection is the recommended definitive treatment. We present a case of mediastinal parathyroid adenoma localized preoperatively by injecting methylene blue within a branch of the internal mammary artery that is supplying the adenoma. Intra-arterial methylene blue injection facilitated visualization and resection of the adenoma. The preoperative intra-arterial infusion of methylene blue appears to be an effective and safe method for localization of ectopic mediastinal parathyroid adenomas and allows rapid identification during thoracoscopic resection.

Preoperative Localization of Mediastinal Parathyroid Adenoma with Intra-arterial Methylene Blue

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salman, Rida; Sebaaly, Mikhael G.; Wehbe, Mohammad Rachad

Ectopic parathyroid is found in 16% of patients with hyperparathyroidism. 2% of ectopic parathyroid adenomas are not accessible to standard cervical excision. In such cases, video-assisted thoracoscopic resection is the recommended definitive treatment. We present a case of mediastinal parathyroid adenoma localized preoperatively by injecting methylene blue within a branch of the internal mammary artery that is supplying the adenoma. Intra-arterial methylene blue injection facilitated visualization and resection of the adenoma. The preoperative intra-arterial infusion of methylene blue appears to be an effective and safe method for localization of ectopic mediastinal parathyroid adenomas and allows rapid identification during thoracoscopic resection.

Cryptic diversity in the estuarine copepod Acartia tonsa: reproductive isolation and lineage-specific divergence in transcriptomic response to salinity stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plough, L. V.

2016-02-01

Discovery of the near ubiquity of cryptic species among planktonic taxa marks a major advance in marine science over the last two decades. However, little is known about the potential drivers of divergence among species, and particularly how cryptic taxa may respond differentially to environmental stress as climate change and ocean acidification proceed. Here we report results from experimental studies characterizing reproduction and transcriptomic response to stress in Acartia tonsa, a dominant estuarine copepod that exhibits three sympatric (but morphologically cryptic) lineages that sort by salinity along the US Atlantic coast (lineage F - fresh, S - saline, and X - intermediate). Pair crosses between F and S individuals collected from Chesapeake Bay at a common ambient salinity (13ppt) revealed that while inter-lineage (FxS) crosses produced eggs, only eggs from intra-lineage (FxF or SxS) crosses successfully hatched. Analysis of whether 'hybrid' eggs were fertilized and failed to develop or did not fertilize, which could indicate pre vs post-zygotic isolation, is ongoing. Exposing replicate groups of 2nd gen. lab-cultured F and S individuals to ambient and low salinity (7 ppt) stress produced very different patterns of gene expression measured with RNAseq. First, the dynamic range of expression was much greater in the S lineage overall (both salinities), with more differentially expressed genes (DEG's) in comparisons of low vs control salinity (232 vs 77 DEGs at 0.01 FDR level for S, and F respectively). Gene ontology analysis of DEG function revealed a more targeted response in F to ion stress (up and down regulation of genes involved in ion transport, catalytic activity, and binding) while the S lineage showed a more varied and general response (up-regulation of metabolism, nucleic acid synthesis, and general stress response). Overall, these experiments confirm reproductive isolation among two cryptic A. tonsa ineages and identify key differences in thier physiological response to salinity stress. Future work will examine lineage-specific responses to other significant stressors such as hypoxia.

OneG: A Computational Tool for Predicting Cryptic Intermediates in the Unfolding Kinetics of Proteins under Native Conditions

PubMed Central

Richa, Tambi; Sivaraman, Thirunavukkarasu

2012-01-01

Understanding the relationships between conformations of proteins and their stabilities is one key to address the protein folding paradigm. The free energy change (ΔG) of unfolding reactions of proteins is measured by traditional denaturation methods and native hydrogen-deuterium (H/D) exchange methods. However, the free energy of unfolding (ΔGU) and the free energy of exchange (ΔGHX) of proteins are not in good agreement, though the experimental conditions of both methods are well matching to each other. The anomaly is due to any one or combinations of the following reasons: (i) effects of cis-trans proline isomerisation under equilibrium unfolding reactions of proteins (ii) inappropriateness in accounting the baselines of melting curves (iii) presence of cryptic intermediates, which may elude the melting curve analysis and (iv) existence of higher energy metastable states in the H/D exchange reactions of proteins. Herein, we have developed a novel computational tool, OneG, which accounts the discrepancy between ΔGU and ΔGHX of proteins by systematically accounting all the four factors mentioned above. The program is fully automated and requires four inputs: three-dimensional structures of proteins, ΔGU, ΔGU * and residue-specific ΔGHX determined under EX2-exchange conditions in the absence of denaturants. The robustness of the program has been validated using experimental data available for proteins such as cytochrome c and apocytochrome b562 and the data analyses revealed that cryptic intermediates of the proteins detected by the experimental methods and the cryptic intermediates predicted by the OneG for those proteins were in good agreement. Furthermore, using OneG, we have shown possible existence of cryptic intermediates and metastable states in the unfolding pathways of cardiotoxin III and cobrotoxin, respectively, which are homologous proteins. The unique application of the program to map the unfolding pathways of proteins under native conditions have been brought into fore and the program is publicly available at http://sblab.sastra.edu/oneg.html PMID:22412877

Morphological and molecular identification of cryptic species in the Sergentomyia bailyi (Sinton, 1931) complex in Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Tharmatha, T; Gajapathy, K; Ramasamy, R; Surendran, S N

2017-02-01

The correct identification of sand fly vectors of leishmaniasis is important for controlling the disease. Genetic, particularly DNA sequence data, has lately become an important adjunct to the use of morphological criteria for this purpose. A recent DNA sequencing study revealed the presence of two cryptic species in the Sergentomyia bailyi species complex in India. The present study was undertaken to ascertain the presence of cryptic species in the Se. bailyi complex in Sri Lanka using morphological characteristics and DNA sequences from cytochrome c oxidase subunits. Sand flies were collected from leishmaniasis endemic and non-endemic dry zone districts of Sri Lanka. A total of 175 Se. bailyi specimens were initially screened for morphological variations and the identified samples formed two groups, tentatively termed as Se. bailyi species A and B, based on the relative length of the sensilla chaeticum and antennal flagellomere. DNA sequences from the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and subunit II (COII) genes of morphologically identified Se. bailyi species A and B were subsequently analyzed. The two species showed differences in the COI and COII gene sequences and were placed in two separate clades by phylogenetic analysis. An allele specific polymerase chain reaction assay based on sequence variation in the COI gene accurately differentiated species A and B. The study therefore describes the first morphological and genetic evidence for the presence of two cryptic species within the Se. bailyi complex in Sri Lanka and a DNA-based laboratory technique for differentiating them.

Cryptically Patterned Moths Perceive Bark Structure When Choosing Body Orientations That Match Wing Color Pattern to the Bark Pattern

PubMed Central

Kang, Chang-ku; Moon, Jong-yeol; Lee, Sang-im; Jablonski, Piotr G.

2013-01-01

Many moths have wing patterns that resemble bark of trees on which they rest. The wing patterns help moths to become camouflaged and to avoid predation because the moths are able to assume specific body orientations that produce a very good match between the pattern on the bark and the pattern on the wings. Furthermore, after landing on a bark moths are able to perceive stimuli that correlate with their crypticity and are able to re-position their bodies to new more cryptic locations and body orientations. However, the proximate mechanisms, i.e. how a moth finds an appropriate resting position and orientation, are poorly studied. Here, we used a geometrid moth Jankowskia fuscaria to examine i) whether a choice of resting orientation by moths depends on the properties of natural background, and ii) what sensory cues moths use. We studied moths’ behavior on natural (a tree log) and artificial backgrounds, each of which was designed to mimic one of the hypothetical cues that moths may perceive on a tree trunk (visual pattern, directional furrow structure, and curvature). We found that moths mainly used structural cues from the background when choosing their resting position and orientation. Our findings highlight the possibility that moths use information from one type of sensory modality (structure of furrows is probably detected through tactile channel) to achieve crypticity in another sensory modality (visual). This study extends our knowledge of how behavior, sensory systems and morphology of animals interact to produce crypsis. PMID:24205118

Cryptically patterned moths perceive bark structure when choosing body orientations that match wing color pattern to the bark pattern.

PubMed

Kang, Chang-Ku; Moon, Jong-Yeol; Lee, Sang-Im; Jablonski, Piotr G

2013-01-01

Many moths have wing patterns that resemble bark of trees on which they rest. The wing patterns help moths to become camouflaged and to avoid predation because the moths are able to assume specific body orientations that produce a very good match between the pattern on the bark and the pattern on the wings. Furthermore, after landing on a bark moths are able to perceive stimuli that correlate with their crypticity and are able to re-position their bodies to new more cryptic locations and body orientations. However, the proximate mechanisms, i.e. how a moth finds an appropriate resting position and orientation, are poorly studied. Here, we used a geometrid moth Jankowskia fuscaria to examine i) whether a choice of resting orientation by moths depends on the properties of natural background, and ii) what sensory cues moths use. We studied moths' behavior on natural (a tree log) and artificial backgrounds, each of which was designed to mimic one of the hypothetical cues that moths may perceive on a tree trunk (visual pattern, directional furrow structure, and curvature). We found that moths mainly used structural cues from the background when choosing their resting position and orientation. Our findings highlight the possibility that moths use information from one type of sensory modality (structure of furrows is probably detected through tactile channel) to achieve crypticity in another sensory modality (visual). This study extends our knowledge of how behavior, sensory systems and morphology of animals interact to produce crypsis.

The Grounded Expertise Components Approach in the Novel Area of Cryptic Crossword Solving.

PubMed

Friedlander, Kathryn J; Fine, Philip A

2016-01-01

This paper presents a relatively unexplored area of expertise research which focuses on the solving of British-style cryptic crossword puzzles. Unlike its American "straight-definition" counterparts, which are primarily semantically-cued retrieval tasks, the British cryptic crossword is an exercise in code-cracking detection work. Solvers learn to ignore the superficial "surface reading" of the clue, which is phrased to be deliberately misleading, and look instead for a grammatical set of coded instructions which, if executed precisely, will lead to the correct (and only) answer. Sample clues are set out to illustrate the task requirements and demands. Hypothesized aptitudes for the field might include high fluid intelligence, skill at quasi-algebraic puzzles, pattern matching, visuospatial manipulation, divergent thinking and breaking frame abilities. These skills are additional to the crystallized knowledge and word-retrieval demands which are also a feature of American crossword puzzles. The authors present results from an exploratory survey intended to identify the characteristics of the cryptic crossword solving population, and outline the impact of these results on the direction of their subsequent research. Survey results were strongly supportive of a number of hypothesized skill-sets and guided the selection of appropriate test content and research paradigms which formed the basis of an extensive research program to be reported elsewhere. The paper concludes by arguing the case for a more grounded approach to expertise studies, termed the Grounded Expertise Components Approach. In this, the design and scope of the empirical program flows from a detailed and objectively-based characterization of the research population at the very onset of the program.

Discovering Hidden Diversity of Characins (Teleostei: Characiformes) in Ecuador’s Yasuní National Park

PubMed Central

Escobar-Camacho, Daniel; Barriga, Ramiro; Ron, Santiago R.

2015-01-01

Background Management and conservation of biodiversity requires adequate species inventories. The Yasuní National Park is one of the most diverse regions on Earth and recent studies of terrestrial vertebrates, based on genetic evidence, have shown high levels of cryptic and undescribed diversity. Few genetic studies have been carried out in freshwater fishes from western Amazonia. Thus, in contrast with terrestrial vertebrates, their content of cryptic diversity remains unknown. In this study, we carried out genetic and morphological analyses on characin fishes at Yasuní National Park, in eastern Ecuador. Our goal was to identify cryptic diversity among one of the most speciose fish families in the Amazon region. This is the first time that genetic evidence has been used to assess the species content of the Napo Basin, one of the richest regions in vertebrate diversity. Results Phylogenetic analyses of partial mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA gene (∼600 pb) DNA sequences from 232 specimens of the family Characidae and its closest groups revealed eight candidate new species among 33 species sampled, representing a 24% increase in species number. Analyses of external morphology allowed us to confirm the species status of six of the candidate species. Conclusions Our results show high levels of cryptic diversity in Amazonian characins. If this group is representative of other Amazonian fish, our results would imply that the species richness of the Amazonian ichthyofauna is highly underestimated. Molecular methods are a necessary tool to obtain more realistic inventories of Neotropical freshwater fishes. PMID:26275041

Genome-scale reconstruction of the metabolic network in Yersinia pestis, strain 91001

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Navid, A; Almaas, E

2009-01-13

The gram-negative bacterium Yersinia pestis, the aetiological agent of bubonic plague, is one the deadliest pathogens known to man. Despite its historical reputation, plague is a modern disease which annually afflicts thousands of people. Public safety considerations greatly limit clinical experimentation on this organism and thus development of theoretical tools to analyze the capabilities of this pathogen is of utmost importance. Here, we report the first genome-scale metabolic model of Yersinia pestis biovar Mediaevalis based both on its recently annotated genome, and physiological and biochemical data from literature. Our model demonstrates excellent agreement with Y. pestis known metabolic needs andmore » capabilities. Since Y. pestis is a meiotrophic organism, we have developed CryptFind, a systematic approach to identify all candidate cryptic genes responsible for known and theoretical meiotrophic phenomena. In addition to uncovering every known cryptic gene for Y. pestis, our analysis of the rhamnose fermentation pathway suggests that betB is the responsible cryptic gene. Despite all of our medical advances, we still do not have a vaccine for bubonic plague. Recent discoveries of antibiotic resistant strains of Yersinia pestis coupled with the threat of plague being used as a bioterrorism weapon compel us to develop new tools for studying the physiology of this deadly pathogen. Using our theoretical model, we can study the cell's phenotypic behavior under different circumstances and identify metabolic weaknesses which may be harnessed for the development of therapeutics. Additionally, the automatic identification of cryptic genes expands the usage of genomic data for pharmaceutical purposes.« less

Genome-wide data reveal cryptic diversity and genetic introgression in an Oriental cynopterine fruit bat radiation.

PubMed

Chattopadhyay, Balaji; Garg, Kritika M; Kumar, A K Vinoth; Doss, D Paramanantha Swami; Rheindt, Frank E; Kandula, Sripathi; Ramakrishnan, Uma

2016-02-18

The Oriental fruit bat genus Cynopterus, with several geographically overlapping species, presents an interesting case study to evaluate the evolutionary significance of coexistence versus isolation. We examined the morphological and genetic variability of congeneric fruit bats Cynopterus sphinx and C. brachyotis using 405 samples from two natural contact zones and 17 allopatric locations in the Indian subcontinent; and investigated the population differentiation patterns, evolutionary history, and the possibility of cryptic diversity in this species pair. Analysis of microsatellites, cytochrome b gene sequences, and restriction digestion based genome-wide data revealed that C. sphinx and C. brachyotis do not hybridize in contact zones. However, cytochrome b gene sequences and genome-wide SNP data helped uncover a cryptic, hitherto unrecognized cynopterine lineage in northeastern India coexisting with C. sphinx. Further analyses of shared variation of SNPs using Patterson's D statistics suggest introgression between this lineage and C. sphinx. Multivariate analyses of morphology using genetically classified grouping confirmed substantial morphological overlap between C. sphinx and C. brachyotis, specifically in the high elevation contact zones in southern India. Our results uncover novel diversity and detect a pattern of genetic introgression in a cryptic radiation of bats, demonstrating the complicated nature of lineage diversification in this poorly understood taxonomic group. Our results highlight the importance of genome-wide data to study evolutionary processes of morphologically similar species pairs. Our approach represents a significant step forward in evolutionary research on young radiations of non-model species that may retain the ability of interspecific gene flow.

Characterization of the Campylobacter jejuni cryptic plasmid pTIW94 recovered from wild birds in the southeastern United States.

PubMed

Hiett, Kelli L; Rothrock, Michael J; Seal, Bruce S

2013-09-01

The complete nucleotide sequence was determined for a cryptic plasmid, pTIW94, recovered from several Campylobacter jejuni isolates from wild birds in the southeastern United States. pTIW94 is a circular molecule of 3860 nucleotides, with a G+C content (31.0%) similar to that of many Campylobacter spp. genomes. A typical origin of replication, with iteron sequences, was identified upstream of DNA sequences that demonstrated similarity to replication initiation proteins. A total of five open reading frames (ORFs) were identified; two of the five ORFs demonstrated significant similarity to plasmid pCC2228-2 found within Campylobacter coli. These two ORFs were similar to essential replication proteins RepA (100%; 26/26 aa identity) and RepB (95%; 327/346 aa identity). A third identified ORF demonstrated significant similarity (99%; 421/424 aa identity) to the MOB protein from C. coli 67-8, originally recovered from swine. The other two identified ORFs were either similar to hypothetical proteins from other Campylobacter spp., or exhibited no significant similarity to any DNA or protein sequence in the GenBank database. Promoter regions (-35 and -10 signal sites), ribosomal binding sites upstream of ORFs, and stem-loop structures were also identified within the plasmid. These results demonstrate that pTIW94 represents a previously un-reported small cryptic plasmid with unique sequences as well as highly similar sequences to other small plasmids found within Campylobacter spp., and that this cryptic plasmid is present among Campylobacter spp. recovered from different genera of wild birds. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Reappraisal of Hydatigera taeniaeformis (Batsch, 1786) (Cestoda: Taeniidae) sensu lato with description of Hydatigera kamiyai n. sp.

PubMed

Lavikainen, Antti; Iwaki, Takashi; Haukisalmi, Voitto; Konyaev, Sergey V; Casiraghi, Maurizio; Dokuchaev, Nikolai E; Galimberti, Andrea; Halajian, Ali; Henttonen, Heikki; Ichikawa-Seki, Madoka; Itagaki, Tadashi; Krivopalov, Anton V; Meri, Seppo; Morand, Serge; Näreaho, Anu; Olsson, Gert E; Ribas, Alexis; Terefe, Yitagele; Nakao, Minoru

2016-05-01

The common cat tapeworm Hydatigera taeniaeformis is a complex of three morphologically cryptic entities, which can be differentiated genetically. To clarify the biogeography and the host spectrum of the cryptic lineages, 150 specimens of H. taeniaeformis in various definitive and intermediate hosts from Eurasia, Africa and Australia were identified with DNA barcoding using partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene sequences and compared with previously published data. Additional phylogenetic analyses of selected isolates were performed using nuclear DNA and mitochondrial genome sequences. Based on molecular data and morphological analysis, Hydatigera kamiyai n. sp. Iwaki is proposed for a cryptic lineage, which is predominantly northern Eurasian and uses mainly arvicoline rodents (voles) and mice of the genus Apodemus as intermediate hosts. Hydatigera taeniaeformis sensu stricto (s.s.) is restricted to murine rodents (rats and mice) as intermediate hosts. It probably originates from Asia but has spread worldwide. Despite remarkable genetic divergence between H. taeniaeformis s.s. and H. kamiyai, interspecific morphological differences are evident only in dimensions of rostellar hooks. The third cryptic lineage is closely related to H. kamiyai, but its taxonomic status remains unresolved due to limited morphological, molecular, biogeographical and ecological data. This Hydatigera sp. is confined to the Mediterranean and its intermediate hosts are unknown. Further studies are needed to classify Hydatigera sp. either as a distinct species or a variant of H. kamiyai. According to previously published limited data, all three entities occur in the Americas, probably due to human-mediated introductions. Copyright © 2016 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetic variation in horizontally transmitted fungal endophytes of pine needles reveals population structure in cryptic species.

PubMed

Oono, Ryoko; Lutzoni, François; Arnold, A Elizabeth; Kaye, Laurel; U'Ren, Jana M; May, Georgiana; Carbone, Ignazio

2014-08-01

• Fungal endophytes comprise one of the most ubiquitous groups of plant symbionts, inhabiting healthy leaves and stems of all major lineages of plants. Together, they comprise immense species richness, but little is known about the fundamental processes that generate their diversity. Exploration of their population structure is needed, especially with regard to geographic distributions and host affiliations.• We take a multilocus approach to examine genetic variation within and among populations of Lophodermium australe, an endophytic fungus commonly associated with healthy foliage of pines in the southeastern United States. Sampling focused on two pine species ranging from montane to coastal regions of North Carolina and Virginia.• Our sampling revealed two genetically distinct groups within Lophodermium australe. Our analysis detected less than one migrant per generation between them, indicating that they are distinct species. The species comprising the majority of isolates (major species) demonstrated a panmictic structure, whereas the species comprising the minority of isolates (cryptic species) demonstrated isolation by distance. Distantly related pine species hosted the same Lophodermium species, and host species did not influence genetic structure.• We present the first evidence for isolation by distance in a foliar fungal endophyte that is horizontally transmitted. Cryptic species may be common among microbial symbionts and are important to delimit when exploring their genetic structure and microevolutionary processes. The hyperdiversity of endophytic fungi may be explained in part by cryptic species without apparent ecological and morphological differences as well as genetic diversification within rare fungal species across large spatial scales. © 2014 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

Complete nucleotide sequences and genome characterization of a novel double-stranded RNA virus infecting Rosa multiflora.

PubMed

Salem, Nidá M; Golino, Deborah A; Falk, Bryce W; Rowhani, Adib

2008-01-01

The three double-stranded (ds) RNAs were detected in Rosa multiflora plants showing rose spring dwarf (RSD) symptoms. Northern blot analysis revealed three dsRNAs in preparations of both dsRNA and total RNA from R. multiflora plants. The complete sequences of the dsRNAs (referred to as dsRNA 1, dsRNA 2 and dsRNA 3) were determined based on a combination of shotgun cloning of dsRNA cDNAs and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The largest dsRNA (dsRNA 1) was 1,762 bp long with a single open reading frame (ORF) that encoded a putative polypeptide containing 479 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 55.9 kDa. This polypeptide contains amino acid sequence motifs conserved in the RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRp) of members of the family Partitiviridae. Both dsRNA 2 (1,475 bp) and dsRNA 3 (1,384 bp) contained single ORFs, encoding putative proteins of unknown function. The 5' untranslated regions (UTR) of all three segments shared regions of high sequence homology. Phylogenetic analysis using the RdRp sequences of the various partitiviruses revealed that the new sequences would constitute the genome of a virus in family Partitiviridae. This virus would cluster with Fragaria chiloensis cryptic virus and Raphanus sativus cryptic virus 2. We suggest that the three dsRNA segments constitute the genome of a novel cryptic virus infecting roses; we propose the name Rosa multiflora cryptic virus (RMCV). Detection primers were developed and used for RT-PCR detection of RMCV in rose plants.

Prevalence of Ectopic Breast Tissue and Tumor: A 20-Year Single Center Experience.

PubMed

Famá, Fausto; Cicciú, Marco; Sindoni, Alessandro; Scarfó, Paola; Pollicino, Andrea; Giacobbe, Giuseppa; Buccheri, Giancarlo; Taranto, Filippo; Palella, Jessica; Gioffré-Florio, Maria

2016-08-01

Ectopic breast tissue, which includes both supernumerary breast and aberrant breast tissue, is the most common congenital breast abnormality. Ectopic breast cancers are rare neoplasms that occur in 0.3% to 0.6% of all cases of breast cancer. We retrospectively report, using a large series of breast abnormalities diagnosed and treated, our clinical experience on the management of the ectopic breast cancer. In 2 decades, we observed 327 (2.7%) patients with ectopic breast tissue out of a total of 12,177 subjects undergoing a breast visit for lesions. All patients were classified into 8 classes, according to the classification of Kajava, and assessed by a physician examination, ultrasounds, and, when appropriate, further studies with fine needle aspiration cytology and mammography. All specimens were submitted to the anatomo-pathologist. The most frequent benign histological diagnosis was fibrocystic disease. A rare granulosa cell tumor was also found in the right anterior thoracic wall of 1 patient. Four malignancies were also diagnosed in 4 women: an infiltrating lobular cancer in 1 patient with a lesion classified as class I, and an infiltrating apocrine carcinoma, an infiltrating ductal cancer, and an infiltrating ductal cancer with tubular pattern, occurring in 3 patients with lesions classified as class IV. Only 1 recurrence was observed. We recommend an earlier surgical approach for patients with lesions from class I to IV. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Ectopic breast fibroadenoma. Case report].

PubMed

Senatore, G; Zanotti, S; Cambrini, P; Montroni, I; Pellegrini, A; Montanari, E; Santini, D; Taffurelli, M

2010-03-01

Among the rare anomalies of the breast development, polythelia is the most common, between 1% and 5% of women and men present supernumerary nipples. Polymastia, usually presenting as ectopic breast tissue without areola-nipple complex, is seen mostly along the milk line, extending from the axilla to the pubic region. Ectopic breast tissue is functionally analogous to mammary gland and it is subjected to the same alterations and diseases, whether benign or malignant, that affect normal breast tissue. We report the case of a 21 years-old female evaluated by the medical staff after founding a solid nodular mass by suspect axillary lymphadenopathy. Differential diagnosis with lymphoma is the major problem in these cases. The mass was removed and the intraoperative histological examination showed fibroadenoma in axillary supernumerary breast. Presence of ectopic breast tissue is a rare condition; development of benign mass or malignant degeneration is possible, but it is very unusual. In case of polymastia diagnosis is simple; in case of isolated nodule, without local inflammation or infection, there are greater difficulties. Ultrasonography is diagnostic in case of breast fibroadenoma, but it might be inadequate in ectopic localizations owing to the shortage of mammary tissue around the mass. Preoperative diagnosis is important to plan an adequate surgical treatment; lumpectomy is indicated in case of benign tissue; in case of malignancy, therapy is based on the standard treatment used for breast cancer (surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy).

Developmental Role and Auxin Responsiveness of Class III Homeodomain Leucine Zipper Gene Family Members in Rice1[C][W][OA

PubMed Central

Itoh, Jun-Ichi; Hibara, Ken-Ichiro; Sato, Yutaka; Nagato, Yasuo

2008-01-01

Members of the Class III homeodomain leucine zipper (Class III HD-Zip) gene family are central regulators of crucial aspects of plant development. To better understand the roles of five Class III HD-Zip genes in rice (Oryza sativa) development, we investigated their expression patterns, ectopic expression phenotypes, and auxin responsiveness. Four genes, OSHB1 to OSHB4, were expressed in a localized domain of the shoot apical meristem (SAM), the adaxial cells of leaf primordia, the leaf margins, and the xylem tissue of vascular bundles. In contrast, expression of OSHB5 was observed only in phloem tissue. Plants ectopically expressing microRNA166-resistant versions of the OSHB3 gene exhibited severe defects, including the ectopic production of leaf margins, shoots, and radialized leaves. The treatment of seedlings with auxin quickly induced ectopic OSHB3 expression in the entire region of the SAM, but not in other tissues. Furthermore, this ectopic expression of OSHB3 was correlated with leaf initiation defects. Our findings suggest that rice Class III HD-Zip genes have conserved functions with their homologs in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), but have also acquired specific developmental roles in grasses or monocots. In addition, some Class III HD-Zip genes may regulate the leaf initiation process in the SAM in an auxin-dependent manner. PMID:18567825

The Tea4-PP1 landmark promotes local growth by dual Cdc42 GEF recruitment and GAP exclusion.

PubMed

Kokkoris, Kyriakos; Gallo Castro, Daniela; Martin, Sophie G

2014-05-01

Cell polarization relies on small GTPases, such as Cdc42, which can break symmetry through self-organizing principles, and landmarks that define the axis of polarity. In fission yeast, microtubules deliver the Tea1-Tea4 complex to mark cell poles for growth, but how this complex activates Cdc42 is unknown. Here, we show that ectopic targeting of Tea4 to cell sides promotes the local activation of Cdc42 and cell growth. This activity requires that Tea4 binds the type I phosphatase (PP1) catalytic subunit Dis2 or Sds21, and ectopic targeting of either catalytic subunit is similarly instructive for growth. The Cdc42 guanine-nucleotide-exchange factor Gef1 and the GTPase-activating protein Rga4 are required for Tea4-PP1-dependent ectopic growth. Gef1 is recruited to ectopic Tea4 and Dis2 locations to promote Cdc42 activation. By contrast, Rga4 is locally excluded by Tea4, and its forced colocalization with Tea4 blocks ectopic growth, indicating that Rga4 must be present, but at sites distinct from Tea4. Thus, a Tea4-PP1 landmark promotes local Cdc42 activation and growth both through Cdc42 GEF recruitment and by creating a local trough in a Cdc42 GAP.

Ectopic ACTH syndrome caused by pulmonary carcinoid tumourlets.

PubMed

Povedano, S T; Pastor, C V; Seoane, C P; Reina, L J; Moreno, M A; Ortega, R P; López-Rubio, F; López, P B

2001-06-01

The differential diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome is a major challenge to clinical endocrinologists, especially those infrequent cases referred to as occult ectopic ACTH syndromes. Although bronchial carcinoids are well known to be a cause of Cushing's syndrome due to ectopic ACTH secretion, very few cases of carcinoid tumourlets causing an ACTH ectopic syndrome have been reported, and their origin remains controversial. For some authors, tumourlets and typical carcinoids represent distinct pathological entities, whilst others hold that tumourlets are merely microscopic carcinoid tumours. We report a patient with an aggressive Cushing's syndrome that required bilateral adrenalectomy, diagnosed 22 years before a 3-cm lung nodule became apparent on routine chest X-ray. The biopsy after lung surgery revealed a typical peripheral bronchial carcinoid surrounded by tumourlets. Both tumourlets and carcinoid tumour showed strongly positive ACTH immunostaining. Recently, Arioglu et al. (1998) reported a case of Cushing's syndrome caused by pulmonary carcinoid tumourlets, concluding that this entity should be considered in the differential diagnosis of occult ectopic ACTH syndrome. Furthermore, we consider that the carcinoid tumourlets found in our patient, were the initial source of ACTH, leading to Cushing's syndrome with a rapid onset, and that a loss of cell proliferation control in one of such tumourlets many years later, could have resulted in the development of a typical carcinoid tumour, reinforcing the theory of a common origin of these lesions.

Segmental Duplications in Euchromatic Regions of Human Chromosome 5: A Source of Evolutionary Instability and Transcriptional Innovation

PubMed Central

Courseaux, Anouk; Richard, Florence; Grosgeorge, Josiane; Ortola, Christine; Viale, Agnes; Turc-Carel, Claude; Dutrillaux, Bernard; Gaudray, Patrick; Nahon, Jean-Louis

2003-01-01

Recent analyses of the structure of pericentromeric and subtelomeric regions have revealed that these particular regions of human chromosomes are often composed of blocks of duplicated genomic segments that have been associated with rapid evolutionary turnover among the genomes of closely related primates. In the present study, we show that euchromatic regions of human chromosome 5—5p14, 5p13, 5q13, 5q15–5q21—also display such an accumulation of segmental duplications. The structure, organization and evolution of those primate-specific sequences were studied in detail by combining in silico and comparative FISH analyses on human, chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutang, macaca, and capuchin chromosomes. Our results lend support to a two-step model of transposition duplication in the euchromatic regions, with a founder insertional event at the time of divergence between Platyrrhini and Catarrhini (25–35 million years ago) and an apparent burst of inter- and intrachromosomal duplications in the Hominidae lineage. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis suggests that the chronology and, likely, molecular mechanisms, differ regarding the region of primary insertion—euchromatic versus pericentromeric regions. Lastly, we show that as their counterparts located near the heterochromatic region, the euchromatic segmental duplications have consistently reshaped their region of insertion during primate evolution, creating putative mosaic genes, and they are obvious candidates for causing ectopic rearrangements that have contributed to evolutionary/genomic instability. [Supplemental material is available online at www.genome.org. The following individuals kindly provided reagents, samples, or unpublished information as indicated in the paper: D. Le Paslier, A. McKenzie, J. Melki, C. Sargent, J. Scharf and S. Selig.] PMID:12618367

Dissecting the regulation of bile-induced biofilm formation in Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Ulluwishewa, Dulantha; Wang, Liang; Pereira, Callen; Flynn, Stephanie; Cain, Elizabeth; Stick, Stephen; Reen, F Jerry; Ramsay, Joshua P; O'Gara, Fergal

2016-08-01

Aspiration of bile into the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung has emerged as a prognostic factor for reduced microbial lung biodiversity and the establishment of often fatal, chronic pathogen infections. Staphylococcus aureus is one of the earliest pathogens detected in the lungs of children with CF, and once established as a chronic infection, strategies for its eradication become limited. Several lung pathogens are stimulated to produce biofilms in vitro in the presence of bile. In this study, we further investigated the effects of bile on S. aureus biofilm formation. Most clinical S. aureus strains and the laboratory strain RN4220 were stimulated to form biofilms with sub-inhibitory concentrations of bovine bile. Additionally, we observed bile-induced sensitivity to aminoglycosides, which we exploited in a bursa aurealis transposon screen to isolate mutants reduced in aminoglycoside sensitivity and augmented in bile-induced biofilm formation. We identified five mutants that exhibited hypersensitivity to bile with respect to bile-induced biofilm formation, three of which carried transposon insertions within gene clusters involved in wall teichoic acid (WTA) biosynthesis or transport. Strain TM4 carried an insertion between the divergently oriented tagH and tagG genes, which encode the putative WTA membrane translocation apparatus. Ectopic expression of tagG in TM4 restored a wild-type bile-induced biofilm response, suggesting that reduced translocation of WTA in TM4 induced sensitivity to bile and enhanced the bile-induced biofilm formation response. We propose that WTA may be important for protecting S. aureus against exposure to bile and that bile-induced biofilm formation may be an evolved response to protect cells from bile-induced cell lysis.

AtERF38 (At2g35700), an AP2/ERF family transcription factor gene from Arabidopsis thaliana, is expressed in specific cell types of roots, stems and seeds that undergo suberization.

PubMed

Lasserre, Eric; Jobet, Edouard; Llauro, Christel; Delseny, Michel

2008-12-01

An inverse genetic approach was used to gain insight into the role of AP2/ERF-type transcription factors genes during plant development in Arabidopsis thaliana. Here we show that the expression pattern of AtERF38, which is, among the organs tested, more intensively expressed in mature siliques and floral stems, is closely associated with tissues that undergo secondary cell wall modifications. Firstly, public microarray data sets analysis indicates that AtERF38 is coregulated with several genes involved in secondary wall thickening. Secondly, this was experimentally confirmed in different types of cells expressing a Pro(AtERF38)::GUS fusion: histochemical analysis revealed strong and specific GUS activity in outer integument cells of mature seeds, endodermal cells of the roots in the primary developmental stage and some sclerified cells of mature inflorescence stems. All of these cells are known or shown here to be characterized by a reinforced wall. The latter, which have not been well characterized to date in Arabidopsis and may be suberized, could benefit of the use of AtERF38 as a specific marker. We were not able to detect any phenotype in an insertion line in which ectopic expression of AtERF38 is caused by the insertion of a T-DNA in its promoter. Nevertheless, AtERF28 may be considered as a candidate regulator of secondary wall metabolism in particular cell types that are not reinforced by the typical deposition of lignin and cellulose, but that have at least in common accumulation of suberin-like lipid polyesters in their walls.

Absence of the Polar Organizing Protein PopZ Results in Reduced and Asymmetric Cell Division in Agrobacterium tumefaciens

PubMed Central

Howell, Matthew; Aliashkevich, Alena; Salisbury, Anne K.; Cava, Felipe; Bowman, Grant R.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a rod-shaped bacterium that grows by polar insertion of new peptidoglycan during cell elongation. As the cell cycle progresses, peptidoglycan synthesis at the pole ceases prior to insertion of new peptidoglycan at midcell to enable cell division. The A. tumefaciens homolog of the Caulobacter crescentus polar organelle development protein PopZ has been identified as a growth pole marker and a candidate polar growth-promoting factor. Here, we characterize the function of PopZ in cell growth and division of A. tumefaciens. Consistent with previous observations, we observe that PopZ localizes specifically to the growth pole in wild-type cells. Despite the striking localization pattern of PopZ, we find the absence of the protein does not impair polar elongation or cause major changes in the peptidoglycan composition. Instead, we observe an atypical cell length distribution, including minicells, elongated cells, and cells with ectopic poles. Most minicells lack DNA, suggesting a defect in chromosome segregation. Furthermore, the canonical cell division proteins FtsZ and FtsA are misplaced, leading to asymmetric sites of cell constriction. Together, these data suggest that PopZ plays an important role in the regulation of chromosome segregation and cell division. IMPORTANCE A. tumefaciens is a bacterial plant pathogen and a natural genetic engineer. However, very little is known about the spatial and temporal regulation of cell wall biogenesis that leads to polar growth in this bacterium. Understanding the molecular basis of A. tumefaciens growth may allow for the development of innovations to prevent disease or to promote growth during biotechnology applications. Finally, since many closely related plant and animal pathogens exhibit polar growth, discoveries in A. tumefaciens may be broadly applicable for devising antimicrobial strategies. PMID:28630123

Parallel changes in genital morphology delineate cryptic diversification of planktonic nudibranchs

PubMed Central

Churchill, Celia K. C.; Alejandrino, Alvin; Valdés, Ángel; Ó Foighil, Diarmaid

2013-01-01

The relative roles of geographical and non-geographical barriers in the genesis of genetic isolation are highly debated in evolutionary biology, yet knowing how speciation occurs is essential to our understanding of biodiversity. In the open ocean, differentiating between the two is particularly difficult, because of the high levels of gene flow found in pelagic communities. Here, we use molecular phylogenetics to test the hypothesis that geography is the primary isolating mechanism in a clade of pelagic nudibranchs, Glaucinae. Our results contradict allopatric expectations: the cosmopolitan Glaucus atlanticus is panmictic, whereas the Indo-Pacific Glaucus marginatus contains two pairs of cryptic species with overlapping distributions. Within the G. marginatus species complex, a parallel reproductive change has occurred in each cryptic species pair: the loss of a bursa copulatrix. Available G. marginatus data are most consistent with non-geographical speciation events, but we cannot rule out the possibility of allopatric speciation, followed by iterative range extension and secondary overlap. Irrespective of ancestral range distributions, our results implicate a central role for reproductive character differentiation in glaucinin speciation—a novel result in a planktonic system. PMID:23825213

Cryptic extended brood care in the facultatively eusocial sweat bee Megalopta genalis.

PubMed

Quiñones, A E; Wcislo, W T

As a result of different brood cell provisioning strategies, nest-making insects may differ in the extent to which adults regularly provide extended parental care to their brood beyond nest defense. Mass-provisioning species cache the entire food supply needed for larval development prior to the oviposition and typically seal the brood cell. It is usually assumed that there is no regular contact between the adult(s) and brood. Here, we show that the bee, Megalopta genalis , expresses a form of cryptic brood care, which would not be observed during normal development. Following experimental injections of different provisioning materials into brood cells, foundresses reopened manipulated cells and the brood were aborted in some cases, implying that the foundresses assessed conditions within the cells. In aborted cells, foundresses sometimes laid a second egg after first removing dead larvae, previously stored pollen and contaminants. Our results show that hygienic brood care can be cryptic and hence may be more widespread than previously believed, lending support to the hypothesis that extended parental care is a preadaptation toward eusociality.

Cryptic within cryptic: genetics, morphometrics, and bioacoustics delimitate a new species of Eleutherodactylus (Anura: Eleutherodactylidae) from Eastern Cuba.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Ariel; Dugo-Cota, Álvaro; Montero-Mendieta, Santiago; Gonzalez-Voyer, Alejandro; Bosch, Roberto Alonso; Vences, Miguel; Vilà, Carles

2017-01-20

We studied the variation in genetics, bioacustics, and morphology in Eleutherodactylus glamyrus, a regionally endemic frog species restricted to high elevations in the Sierra Maestra Massif, Western Cuba that was originally described as a cryptic species hidden under the name E. auriculatus. Genetic analysis of mtDNA sequences of the 16S and cob genes identify two allopatric and strongly supported mitochondrial clades (phylogroups) which also showed no haplotype sharing in the nuclear Rag-1 gene. Bioacustic, and morphological comparisons concordantly identify these two phylogroups as independent evolutionary lineages. Therefore, we herein restrict the name Eleutherodactylus glamyrus Estrada and Hedges to populations represented in our analyses as the western phylogroup (Cordillera del Turquino to Pico La Bayamesa) and consider specimens from the eastern phylogroup (Sierra del Cobre) to represent a new species described and named as Eleutherodactylus cattus. Our results add to the growing list of Eleutherodactylus species endemic to Cuba and highlight the importance of combining different sources of evidence for obtaining robust assessments of species limits in amphibians.

Identification and dynamics of a cryptic suture zone in tropical rainforest

PubMed Central

Moritz, C.; Hoskin, C.J.; MacKenzie, J.B.; Phillips, B.L.; Tonione, M.; Silva, N.; VanDerWal, J.; Williams, S.E.; Graham, C.H.

2009-01-01

Suture zones, shared regions of secondary contact between long-isolated lineages, are natural laboratories for studying divergence and speciation. For tropical rainforest, the existence of suture zones and their significance for speciation has been controversial. Using comparative phylogeographic evidence, we locate a morphologically cryptic suture zone in the Australian Wet Tropics rainforest. Fourteen out of 18 contacts involve morphologically cryptic phylogeographic lineages, with mtDNA sequence divergences ranging from 2 to 15 per cent. Contact zones are significantly clustered in a suture zone located between two major Quaternary refugia. Within this area, there is a trend for secondary contacts to occur in regions with low environmental suitability relative to both adjacent refugia and, by inference, the parental lineages. The extent and form of reproductive isolation among interacting lineages varies across species, ranging from random admixture to speciation, in one case via reinforcement. Comparative phylogeographic studies, combined with environmental analysis at a fine-scale and across varying climates, can generate new insights into suture zone formation and to diversification processes in species-rich tropical rainforests. As arenas for evolutionary experimentation, suture zones merit special attention for conservation. PMID:19203915

Integrative taxonomy detects cryptic and overlooked fish species in a neotropical river basin.

PubMed

Gomes, Laís Carvalho; Pessali, Tiago Casarim; Sales, Naiara Guimarães; Pompeu, Paulo Santos; Carvalho, Daniel Cardoso

2015-10-01

The great freshwater fish diversity found in the neotropical region makes management and conservation actions challenging. Due to shortage of taxonomists and insufficient infrastructure to deal with such great biodiversity (i.e. taxonomic impediment), proposed remedies to accelerate species identification and descriptions include techniques that combine DNA-based identification and concise morphological description. The building of a DNA barcode reference database correlating meristic and genetic data was developed for 75 % of the Mucuri River basin's freshwater fish. We obtained a total of 141 DNA barcode sequences from 37 species belonging to 30 genera, 19 families, and 5 orders. Genetic distances within species, genera, and families were 0.74, 9.5, and 18.86 %, respectively. All species could be clearly identified by the DNA barcodes. Divergences between meristic morphological characteristics and DNA barcodes revealed two cryptic species among the Cyphocharax gilbert and Astyanax gr. bimaculatus specimens, and helped to identify two overlooked species within the Gymnotus and Astyanax taxa. Therefore, using a simplified model of neotropical biodiversity, we tested the efficiency of an integrative taxonomy approach for species discovery, identification of cryptic diversity, and accelerating biodiversity descriptions.

Treatment of ectopic eruption of maxillary permanent first molars.

PubMed

Taloumis, L J; Allinder, J R

1993-01-01

A review of treatment of the ectopic maxillary permanent first molar is presented; prevalence and possible etiologies of the condition are explained. A step-by-step procedure for correctly diagnosing and treating the problem is suggested. A case is described in which diagnosis and treatment followed the principles outlined.

DNA barcoding reveals a cryptic nemertean invasion in Atlantic and Mediterranean waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández-Álvarez, Fernando Ángel; Machordom, Annie

2013-09-01

For several groups, like nemerteans, morphology-based identification is a hard discipline, but DNA barcoding may help non-experts in the identification process. In this study, DNA barcoding is used to reveal the cryptic invasion of Pacific Cephalothrix cf. simula into Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. Although DNA barcoding is a promising method for the identification of Nemertea, only 6 % of the known number of nemertean species is currently associated with a correct DNA barcode. Therefore, additional morphological and molecular studies are necessary to advance the utility of DNA barcoding in the characterisation of possible nemertean alien invasions.

Cryptic genetic variation, evolution's hidden substrate

PubMed Central

Paaby, Annalise B.; Rockman, Matthew V.

2016-01-01

Cryptic genetic variation is invisible under normal conditions but fuel for evolution when circumstances change. In theory, CGV can represent a massive cache of adaptive potential or a pool of deleterious alleles in need of constant suppression. CGV emerges from both neutral and selective processes and it may inform how human populations respond to change. In experimental settings, CGV facilitates adaptation, but does it play an important role in the real world? We review the empirical support for widespread CGV in natural populations, including its potential role in emerging human diseases and the growing evidence of its contribution to evolution. PMID:24614309

A new cryptic species and review of the east-Andean leaf chafer genus Mesomerodon Ohaus, 1905 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae).

PubMed

Seidel, Matthias; Jameson, Mary L; Stone, Rachel L

2017-01-01

The Neotropical scarab beetle genus Mesomerodon Ohaus (Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Rutelini) is distributed in the western (lowland) Amazonian region from Colombia to Bolivia. Based on our research, the genus includes three species including a new cryptic species from Ecuador. We use niche modeling to predict potential suitable habitat and identify environmental factors associated with the distribution of Mesomerodon species. We characterize the genus, provide a key to species, diagnose each species, describe a new species, provide spatial and temporal distributions, and discuss distributions of the species in relation to Amazonian landscape biodiversity.

Application of oxime-diversification to optimize ligand interactions within a cryptic pocket of the polo-like kinase 1 polo-box domain.

PubMed

Zhao, Xue Zhi; Hymel, David; Burke, Terrence R

2016-10-15

By a process involving initial screening of a set of 87 aldehydes using an oxime ligation-based strategy, we were able to achieve a several-fold affinity enhancement over one of the most potent previously known polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) polo-box domain (PBD) binding inhibitors. This improved binding may result by accessing a newly identified auxiliary region proximal to a key hydrophobic cryptic pocket on the surface of the protein. Our findings could have general applicability to the design of PBD-binding antagonists. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Ectopic drainage from the inferior vena cava to the left atrium together with a partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection.

PubMed

Wu, Yuan; Xu, Shuangyue; Guo, Hongwei; Yan, Guoliang; Qi, Zhongquan; Shan, Zhonggui

2014-07-01

We report a case of a 44-year-old male patient with ectopic drainage from the inferior vena cava to the left atrium accompanied by partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage. After the patient was hospitalized, his diagnosis was confirmed by Doppler echocardiography and angiography. A pericardial patch was used to divert the blood to the atrium. The surgical procedure was successful, and the patient began a rehabilitation program 8 days later. This type of ectopic drainage pattern is an unusual and infrequent clinical finding. The definitive diagnosis should be made by Doppler ultrasound combined with angiography. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Prenatal diagnosis of a right thoracic congenital ectopic kidney with a diaphragmatic hernia: a combination with a good prognosis].

PubMed

Cessans, C; Pharamin, J; Crouzet, K; Kessler, S; Puget, C; Bouali, O; Galinier, P; Marcoux, M-O

2015-11-01

Ectopic intrathoracic kidney is a rare congenital anomaly, usually asymptomatic. This anomaly is sometimes associated with a diaphragmatic hernia. Few cases of this combination have been described, often in the absence of a prenatal diagnosis. We report on the case of a female newborn infant who was diagnosed with an ectopic intrathoracic right kidney and a diaphragmatic hernia upon 33 weeks of gestation. The patient underwent surgery on the first day of life and the respiratory and renal outcomes were simple. We review the literature and discuss the seemingly good prognosis of this combination. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Scary gas: intravascular, intracranial, and intraspinal ectopic gas (part III).

PubMed

Sandstrom, Claire K; Osman, Sherif F; Linnau, Ken F

2017-08-01

While ectopic gas can be a sign of dangerous disease requiring immediate medical or surgical intervention, it can also be an incidental and benign finding. Intravenous gas and spinal vacuum gas are common and almost always benign. Intravascular gas is most often related to instrumentation and, if intraarticular, can cause end-organ ischemia; however, treatment is usually supportive. Pneumocephalus arises from a communication with paranasal sinuses or mastoids more often than from meningeal infection and can usually be managed nonoperatively. In part 3 of this series, the different causes of ectopic gas in the vessels, skull, and spine are reviewed, as are the imaging features that can help to narrow the differential diagnosis.

Hyperinsulinemia and ectopic fat deposition develop in the face of hyperadiponectinemia in young obese rats

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The role of reduced adiponenctin signaling in childhood obesity is unclear. Weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats were overfed a high fat diet via total enteral nutrition. Excessive caloric intake led to increased weight and fat mass; dyslipidemia; ectopic fat deposition; and hyperinsulinemia (P less th...

A Retroperitoneal Neuroendocrine Tumor in Ectopic Pancreatic Tissue

PubMed Central

Okasha, Hussein Hassan; Al-Bassiouni, Fahim; El-Ela, Monir Abo; Al-Gemeie, Emad Hamza; Ezzat, Reem

2013-01-01

Ectopic pancreas is the relatively uncommon presence of pancreatic tissue outside the normal location of the pancreas. We report a case of abdominal pain due to retroperitoneal neuroendocrine tumor arising from heterotopic pancreatic tissue between the duodenal wall and the head of the pancreas. Patient underwent surgical enucleation of the tumor. PMID:24949389

Ectopic lobe of right lung with abscess formation in children: a visual diagnosis case.

PubMed

Wu, Chyi-Sen; Wan, Kong-Sang

2013-08-01

We report a 9-year-old boy who had chest pain of 3 weeks' duration caused by ectopic lobe of the right lung with abscess formation. The diagnosis was supported by chest computed tomography and video-assisted thoracoscopy. The child responded well to the operation and fully recovered.

Ectopic Thymic Cyst of the Subglottis: Considerations for Diagnosis and Management.

PubMed

Ahmad, Iram; Kirby, Patricia; Liming, Bryan

2018-03-01

To share the diagnostic and management challenges created by an extremely rare airway lesion-the subglottic ectopic thymic cyst. Case report and literature review. We review the presentation, management, and clinical course of an infant who presented with a subglottic mass that was histologically confirmed as a thymic cyst. A brief literature review supplements the case presentation Results: We present the third described case of an ectopic thymic cyst presenting as a subglottic mass. The differential diagnosis of subglottic masses in neonates consists primarily of subglottic hemangioma and mucous retention cysts. Otolaryngologists must be prepared for unexpected findings when dealing with critical airways. We compare the presentation and management of our patient with the 2 previously described cases. We propose an embryologic theory for the origin of these rare lesions. An ectopic thymic cyst is a rare and unexpected cause of neonatal stridor. Management of pediatric airway lesions must allow for unexpected findings at the time of diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy. The appropriate management of subglottic thymic cysts is poorly defined, but close surveillance for recurrence is mandatory.

Direct pelvic access percutaneous nephrolithotomy in management of ectopic kidney stone: a case report and literature review.

PubMed

Mehmet, Rifaioglu Murat; Rustu, Yalcinkaya Fatih; Hanefi, Bayarogullari; Mursel, Davarci; Fusun, Aydogan; Mehmet, Inci

2013-01-01

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) is an effective procedure for the treatment of patients with large or complex stones. PNL is challenging in anomalous kidneys, certain patients, such as those with renal ectopia. It is unable to undergo PNL in conventional technique safely in these cases. We presented a case report of laparoscopic-assisted PNL via direct pelvic puncture in a pelvic kidney stone and discussed previous published literature. A 49-year-old man presented with right lower quadrant pain and hematuria. Intravenous pyelography and three-dimensional computerized tomography revealed an opaque 2.7 × 1.7 cm pelvis renalis stone in a right side ectopic pelvic kidney with grade III hydronephrosis. Laparoscopic-assisted tubeless PNL was performed to remove the calculus. Laparoscopic-assisted PNL as a minimally invasive therapy in ectopic kidney has many advantages. Our case showed that, in pelvic ectopic kidney with pelvic stones greater than 1.5 cm in size, laparoscopic-assisted PNL via direct pelvis puncture is a safe and effective technique.

Severe Cushing's syndrome and bilateral pulmonary nodules: beyond ectopic ACTH.

PubMed

Tavares Bello, Carlos; van der Poest Clement, Emma; Feelders, Richard

2017-01-01

Cushing's syndrome is a rare disease that results from prolonged exposure to supraphysiological levels of glucocorticoids. Severe and rapidly progressive cases are often, but not exclusively, attributable to ectopic ACTH secretion. Extreme hypercortisolism usually has florid metabolic consequences and is associated with an increased infectious and thrombotic risk. The authors report on a case of a 51-year-old male that presented with severe Cushing's syndrome secondary to an ACTH-secreting pituitary macroadenoma, whose diagnostic workup was affected by concurrent subclinical multifocal pulmonary infectious nodules. The case is noteworthy for the atypically severe presentation of Cushing's disease, and it should remind the clinician of the possible infectious and thrombotic complications associated with Cushing's syndrome. Severe Cushing's syndrome is not always caused by ectopic ACTH secretion.Hypercortisolism is a state of immunosuppression, being associated with an increased risk for opportunistic infections.Infectious pulmonary infiltrates may lead to imaging diagnostic dilemmas when investigating a suspected ectopic ACTH secretion.Cushing's syndrome carries an increased thromboembolic risk that may even persist after successful surgical management.Antibiotic and venous thromboembolism prophylaxis should be considered in every patient with severe Cushing's syndrome.

Intraoral extraction of an ectopic mandibular third molar detected in the subcondylar region without a pathological cause: A case report and literature review.

PubMed

Okuyama, Kohei; Sakamoto, Yuki; Naruse, Tomofumi; Kawakita, Akiko; Yanamoto, Souichi; Furukawa, Kohei; Umeda, Masahiro

2017-09-01

To present a case report on the presence of an ectopic mandibular third molar (EMTM), the surgical treatment, and outcome. A 63-year-old woman presented with right preauricular facial swelling, limited jaw function, and pain. Radiographic assessment demonstrated an EMTM positioned in the superoposterior aspect of the ramus. Radiographically, there was a bony tunnel extending from the third molar to distal of the second molar. The patient was treated by an intraoral approach on the medial aspect of the ramus for removal of the ectopic third molar, as well as the tissue in the bony tunnel. The patient healed uneventfully. The soft tissue in the bony canal was granulation tissue, and nerve function was preserved. A literature search of EMTMs was conducted identifying 17 reported cases. Three-dimensional imaging in the management of EMTM can be beneficial in identifying position of the tooth, associated pathology, and identifying the position of neurovascular structures to aid in removal of the ectopic tooth.

Acromegaly and Cushing's syndrome associated with a foregut carcinoid tumor.

PubMed

Leveston, S A; McKeel, D W; Buckley, P J; Deschryver, K; Greider, M H; Jaffe, B M; Daughaday, W H

1981-10-01

We report an 18-yr-old youth with a metastatic foregut carcinoid tumor, Cushing's syndrome, and hypersomatotropic gigantism. Administration of cyproheptadine caused a dramatic fall in urinary cortisol excretion and plasma ACTH levels associated with clinical remission of the Cushing's syndrome. GH secretion was not affected by cyproheptadine administration. Ectopic ACTH secretion was confirmed by RIA of tumor extracts and immunohistochemical demonstration of ACTH-containing cells in hepatic metastases. There were two sources of GH production demonstrated in this patient. Ectopic secretion of GH by the carcinoid hepatic metastases was documented by both RIA and immunohistochemical techniques. A somatotrophic pituitary tumor was also present. The histological characteristics of this tumor suggest adenomatous hyperplasia rather than de novo neoplastic change as the likely mechanism of its pathogenesis. GH releasing factor-like activity was demonstrated in extracts of plasma and in extracts of the carcinoid tumor. We conclude that cyproheptadine exerted an effect on the ectopic ACTH-producing cells but not on the ectopic GH-producing cells or on adenohypophyseal GH secretion. Production of a GH releasing factor-like activity by the carcinoid tumor may have caused the pituitary somatotrophic tumor.

Zoonotic ectopic fascioliasis: review and discussion.

PubMed

Rashed, Amr A; Khalil, Hazem H M; Morsy, Ayman T A

2010-12-01

Ectopic fascioliasis (EF) has direct and indirect effects on both humans and animals. The phenomenon of EF was individual cases in the period from 1950 up to the end of last century. From the period of 2000 up to 2006, plenty of researches were on EF in the developed and undeveloped countries. Nineteen EF cases infected with the immature and few with the mature worms were 13 females and 6 males. Three cases of lymphatic, pleural and breast fascioliasis reached the adults and laid their eggs in a lymph node in the cervical region pleural cavity and breast tissues. Until recent, knowledge about the ectopic fascioliasis pathway is little. Fasciola hepatica was the commonest species in most cases. The effect of fascioliasis might be direct to liver as ectopic foci or indirect on other organs due to the metabolites and secretory excretory products. All ages and both sexes were EF infected. Watercress topped the list of water plants born encysted metacercariae followed by lettuce, mint, and alfalfa. Nearly 24 million Egyptians at risk and about 800,000 were infected. On the global scale, about 180 million are at risk of infection.

Sonographic findings of hepatobiliary fascioliasis accompanied by extrahepatic expansion and ectopic lesions.

PubMed

Teke, Memik; Önder, Hakan; Çiçek, Mutalip; Hamidi, Cihad; Göya, Cemil; Çetinçakmak, Mehmet Güli; Hattapoğlu, Salih; Ülger, Burak Veli

2014-12-01

The aim of the study was to describe the sonographic findings of hepatobiliary fascioliasis with extrahepatic expansion and ectopic lesions. The study included 45 patients with fascioliasis. All diagnoses were confirmed via serologic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Sonographic findings in the hepatobiliary system, extrahepatic expansion, and ectopic lesions were defined. The most common hepatic lesions were subcapsular localized, small, confluent, multiple hypoechoic nodules with poorly defined borders. We also detected ectopic lesion in 5 patients (11.1%) and live parasites in the gallbladder and bile duct in 11 (24.4%). The large spectrum of entities in the differential diagnosis of hepatobiliary fascioliasis may lead to misdiagnosis and incorrect treatment. However, the diagnosis can be made when the characteristic sonographic features are seen, such as heterogeneity of the liver with multiple poorly defined hypoechoic-isoechoic lesions and multiple echogenic nonshadowing particles in the gallbladder or common bile ducts. Nonetheless, the differential diagnosis of fascioliasis versus other hepatic lesions may still be difficult. In these situations, pathologic confirmation should be performed to exclude the possibility of malignancy. © 2013 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Osteogenesis imperfecta with ectopic mineralizations in dentin and cementum and a COL1A2 mutation.

PubMed

Kantaputra, Piranit Nik; Sirirungruangsarn, Yuddhasert; Intachai, Worrachet; Ngamphiw, Chumpol; Tongsima, Sissades; Dejkhamron, Prapai

2018-04-10

We report a Thai father (patient 1) and his daughter (patient 2) affected with osteogenesis imperfecta type IV and dentinogenesis imperfecta. Both were heterozygous for the c.1451G>A (p.Gly484Glu) mutation in COL1A2. The father, a Thai boxer, had very mild osteogenesis imperfecta with no history of low-trauma bone fractures. Scanning electron micrography of the primary teeth with DI of the patient 2, and the primary teeth with DI of another OI patient with OI showed newly recognized dental manifestations of teeth with DI. Normal dentin and cementum might have small areas of ectopic mineralizations. Teeth affected with DI have well-organized ectopic mineralizations in dentin and cementum. The "French-fries-appearance" of the crystals at the cemento-dentinal junction and abnormal cementum have never been reported to be associated with dentinogenesis imperfecta, either isolated or osteogenesis imperfecta-associated. Our study shows for the first time that abnormal collagen fibers can lead to ectopic mineralization in dentin and cementum and abnormal cementum can be a part of osteogenesis imperfecta.

Pleomorphic adenoma of a deep orbital ectopic lacrimal gland.

PubMed

Misra, Somen; Bhandari, Akshay; Misra, Neeta; Gogri, Pratik; Mahajan, Shruti

2016-10-01

Ectopic lacrimal gland, being one of the choristomas, is comprised of lacrimal gland tissue outside the lacrimal gland fossa in the fronto-lateral part of the orbital roof. Ectopic lacrimal gland is a rare condition where the gland may be found in the orbit, eyelids, ocular adnexa or within the globe. Neoplastic transformation of such tissue may occur. A sixty-two-year old male patient presented with right eye proptosis and slight nasal displacement of the globe. Computerized tomography scan revealed a well-defined hypodense lesion of size 19 x 18 x 20 mm supero-lateral to lateral rectus muscle, with mild proptosis and thinning of the right lateral orbital wall. Excisional biopsy was performed through a lateral orbitotomy approach. A well circumscribed globular mass was removed from the right orbit, well behind the fossa for the lacrimal gland in the retrobulbar space. Histopathology was suggestive of pleomorphic adenoma of lacrimal gland. Pleomorphic adenoma is an epithelial tumor of the lacrimal gland which is extremely rare from an ectopic lacrimal gland and only few cases have been reported in literature till date.

To Assess the Association between Glucose Metabolism and Ectopic Lipid Content in Different Clinical Classifications of PCOS.

PubMed

Göbl, Christian S; Ott, Johannes; Bozkurt, Latife; Feichtinger, Michael; Rehmann, Victoria; Cserjan, Anna; Heinisch, Maike; Steinbrecher, Helmut; JustKukurova, Ivica; Tuskova, Radka; Leutner, Michael; Vytiska-Binstorfer, Elisabeth; Kurz, Christine; Weghofer, Andrea; Tura, Andrea; Egarter, Christian; Kautzky-Willer, Alexandra

2016-01-01

There are emerging data indicating an association between PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) and metabolic derangements with potential impact on its clinical presentation. This study aims to evaluate the pathophysiological processes beyond PCOS with particular focus on carbohydrate metabolism, ectopic lipids and their possible interaction. Differences between the two established classifications of the disease should be additionally evaluated. A metabolic characterization was performed in 53 untreated PCOS patients as well as 20 controls including an extended oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT, to assess insulin sensitivity, secretion and ß-cell function) in addition to a detailed examination of ectopic lipid content in muscle and liver by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Women with PCOS classified by the original NIH 1990 definition showed a more adverse metabolic risk profile compared to women characterized by the additional Rotterdam 2003 phenotypes. Subtle metabolic derangements were observed in both subgroups, including altered shapes of OGTT curves, impaired insulin action and hyperinsulinemia due to increased secretion and attenuated hepatic extraction. No differences were observed for ectopic lipids between the groups. However, particularly hepatocellular lipid content was significantly related to clinical parameters of PCOS like whole body insulin sensitivity, dyslipidemia and free androgen index. Subtle alterations in carbohydrate metabolism are present in both PCOS classifications, but more profound in subjects meeting the NIH 1990 criteria. Females with PCOS and controls did not differ in ectopic lipids, however, liver fat was tightly related to hyperandrogenism and an adverse metabolic risk profile.

Retroperitoneal ectopic pregnancy: a case report and review of the literature.

PubMed

Yang, Man; Cidan, Lamu; Zhang, Dan

2017-10-16

Retroperitoneal ectopic pregnancy (REP) is an extremely rare type of ectopic pregnancy, with a total of less than 20 cases reported in the English literature. However, failure to recognize REP may result in severe consequences. We report a case of 32-year-old woman with REP. She had amenorrhea, left lower abdominal pain, but no vaginal bleeding. Her urine human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) test was positive and blood HCG level was 1880 m-international units per milliliter (mIU/mL). Transvaginal ultrasound sonography showed a left adnexal mass. Laparoscopy found an enlarged uterus, normal right uterine tube and ovary, and normal left uterine tube. The left ovary was partly covered by a blood clot, but appeared normal after removing the clot. There was a 10-mm circular peritoneal defect located lateral to the left sacrocervical ligament, anterior to the left ovarian fossa, and next to the lower edge of the left broad ligament. The patient was diagnosed of having REP with the gestational tissues covered by the peritoneum. The REP was removed by laparoscopic surgery. Bleeding was stopped by bipolar coagulation and absorbable hemostatic cellulose. The patient recovered smoothly and was discharged on the next day after surgery. Her blood HCG returned to normal range 29 days after surgery. REP is very rare, but in any suspected case of ectopic pregnancy, caution must be paid to find signs of REP when the common sites of ectopic pregnancy do not have any positive findings.

Ectopic osteogenesis and angiogenesis regulated by porous architecture of hydroxyapatite scaffolds with similar interconnecting structure in vivo

PubMed Central

Li, Jinyu; Zhi, Wei; Xu, Taotao; Shi, Feng; Duan, Ke; Wang, Jianxin; Mu, Yandong; Weng, Jie

2016-01-01

The macro-pore sizes of porous scaffold play a key role for regulating ectopic osteogenesis and angiogenesis but many researches ignored the influence of interconnection between macro-pores with different sizes. In order to accurately reveal the relationship between ectopic osteogenesis and macro-pore sizes in dorsal muscle and abdominal cavities of dogs, hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds with three different macro-pore sizes of 500–650, 750–900 and 1100–1250 µm were prepared via sugar spheres-leaching process, which also had similar interconnecting structure determined by keeping the d/s ratio of interconnecting window diameter to macro-pore size constant. The permeability test showed that the seepage flow of fluid through the porous scaffolds increased with the increase of macro-pore sizes. The cell growth in three scaffolds was not affected by the macro-pore sizes. The in vivo ectopic implantation results indicated that the macro-pore sizes of HA scaffolds with the similar interconnecting structure have impact not only the speed of osteogenesis and angiogenesis but also the space distribution of newly formed bone. The scaffold with macro-pore sizes of 750–900 µm exhibited much faster angiogenesis and osteogenesis, and much more uniformly distribution of new bone than those with other macro-pore sizes. This work illustrates the importance of a suitable macro-pore sizes in HA scaffolds with the similar interconnecting structure which provides the environment for ectopic osteogenesis and angiogenesis. PMID:27699059

Ectopic lignification in the flax lignified bast fiber1 mutant stem is associated with tissue-specific modifications in gene expression and cell wall composition.

PubMed

Chantreau, Maxime; Portelette, Antoine; Dauwe, Rebecca; Kiyoto, Shingo; Crônier, David; Morreel, Kris; Arribat, Sandrine; Neutelings, Godfrey; Chabi, Malika; Boerjan, Wout; Yoshinaga, Arata; Mesnard, François; Grec, Sebastien; Chabbert, Brigitte; Hawkins, Simon

2014-11-01

Histochemical screening of a flax ethyl methanesulfonate population led to the identification of 93 independent M2 mutant families showing ectopic lignification in the secondary cell wall of stem bast fibers. We named this core collection the Linum usitatissimum (flax) lbf mutants for lignified bast fibers and believe that this population represents a novel biological resource for investigating how bast fiber plants regulate lignin biosynthesis. As a proof of concept, we characterized the lbf1 mutant and showed that the lignin content increased by 350% in outer stem tissues containing bast fibers but was unchanged in inner stem tissues containing xylem. Chemical and NMR analyses indicated that bast fiber ectopic lignin was highly condensed and rich in G-units. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry profiling showed large modifications in the oligolignol pool of lbf1 inner- and outer-stem tissues that could be related to ectopic lignification. Immunological and chemical analyses revealed that lbf1 mutants also showed changes to other cell wall polymers. Whole-genome transcriptomics suggested that ectopic lignification of flax bast fibers could be caused by increased transcript accumulation of (1) the cinnamoyl-CoA reductase, cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase, and caffeic acid O-methyltransferase monolignol biosynthesis genes, (2) several lignin-associated peroxidase genes, and (3) genes coding for respiratory burst oxidase homolog NADPH-oxidases necessary to increase H2O2 supply. © 2014 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound monitoring in patients undergoing in-vitro fertilization after methotrexate treatment for ectopic pregnancy.

PubMed

Provansal, M; Agostini, A; Lacroix, O; Gerbeau, S; Grillo, J-M; Gamerre, M

2009-12-01

To compare sonographic characteristics of the endometrium and follicles during in-vitro fertilization (IVF) before and after methotrexate (MTX) treatment for ectopic pregnancy. This retrospective study, conducted at Conception Hospital from January 2000 to July 2007, included all patients diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy resulting from IVF treatment that was treated with MTX and who then underwent another IVF cycle. We compared the number and size of follicles and the endometrial thickness and quality on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin injection in the cycles before and after the MTX treatment to determine whether MTX had any effect. Eleven patients were included in the study. The median interval between the IVF cycle resulting in ectopic pregnancy and the first IVF cycle after MTX therapy was 180 (range, 150-900) days. There was no statistically significant difference between the before and after MTX treatment groups with respect to number of follicles (14 (3-20) vs. 9 (4-16), P = 0.12), follicle size (16.5 (14.7-21.7) mm vs. 17.8 (14.9-19.8) mm, P = 0.37), endometrial thickness (10.0 (9.5-12.0) mm vs. 10.0 (7.5-14.0) mm, P = 0.31) or endometrial quality (P = 0.32). Four women became pregnant during the IVF cycle following MTX treatment. Ultrasound monitoring showed no modification of the characteristics of the endometrium or follicles during IVF after MTX treatment for ectopic pregnancy. Copyright 2009 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ectopic expression of Cripto-1 in transgenic mouse embryos causes hemorrhages, fatal cardiac defects and embryonic lethality

PubMed Central

Lin, Xiaolin; Zhao, Wentao; Jia, Junshuang; Lin, Taoyan; Xiao, Gaofang; Wang, Shengchun; Lin, Xia; Liu, Yu; Chen, Li; Qin, Yujuan; Li, Jing; Zhang, Tingting; Hao, Weichao; Chen, Bangzhu; Xie, Raoying; Cheng, Yushuang; Xu, Kang; Yao, Kaitai; Huang, Wenhua; Xiao, Dong; Sun, Yan

2016-01-01

Targeted disruption of Cripto-1 in mice caused embryonic lethality at E7.5, whereas we unexpectedly found that ectopic Cripto-1 expression in mouse embryos also led to embryonic lethality, which prompted us to characterize the causes and mechanisms underlying embryonic death due to ectopic Cripto-1 expression. RCLG/EIIa-Cre embryos displayed complex phenotypes between embryonic day 14.5 (E14.5) and E17.5, including fatal hemorrhages (E14.5-E15.5), embryo resorption (E14.5-E17.5), pale body surface (E14.5-E16.5) and no abnormal appearance (E14.5-E16.5). Macroscopic and histological examination revealed that ectopic expression of Cripto-1 transgene in RCLG/EIIa-Cre embryos resulted in lethal cardiac defects, as evidenced by cardiac malformations, myocardial thinning, failed assembly of striated myofibrils and lack of heartbeat. In addition, Cripto-1 transgene activation beginning after E8.5 also caused the aforementioned lethal cardiac defects in mouse embryos. Furthermore, ectopic Cripto-1 expression in embryonic hearts reduced the expression of cardiac transcription factors, which is at least partially responsible for the aforementioned lethal cardiac defects. Our results suggest that hemorrhages and cardiac abnormalities are two important lethal factors in Cripto-1 transgenic mice. Taken together, these findings are the first to demonstrate that sustained Cripto-1 transgene expression after E11.5 causes fatal hemorrhages and lethal cardiac defects, leading to embryonic death at E14.5-17.5. PMID:27687577

A Novel Animal Model for Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum

PubMed Central

Li, Qiaoli; Berndt, Annerose; Guo, Haitao; Sundberg, John P.; Uitto, Jouni

2013-01-01

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum is a multisystem ectopic mineralization disorder caused by mutations in the ABCC6 gene. A mouse model with targeted ablation of the corresponding gene (Abcc6tm1JfK) develops ectopic mineralization on the dermal sheath of vibrissae as biomarker of the progressive mineralization disorder. Survey of 31 mouse strains in a longitudinal aging study has identified three mouse strains with similar ectopic mineralization of the vibrissae, particularly the KK/HlJ strain. We report here that this mouse strain depicts, in addition to ectopic mineralization of the dermal sheath of vibrissae, mineral deposits in a number of internal organs. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis and topographic mapping found the presence of calcium and phosphate as the principal ions in the mineral deposits, similar to that in Abcc6tm1JfK mice, suggesting the presence of calcium hydroxyapatite. The mineralization was associated with a splice junction mutation at the 3′ end of exon 14 of the Abcc6 gene, resulting in a 5-bp deletion from the coding region and causing frame-shift of translation. As a consequence, essentially no Abcc6 protein was detected in the liver of the KK/HlJ mice, similar to that in Abcc6tm1JfK mice. Collectively, our studies found that the KK/HlJ mouse strain is characterized by ectopic mineralization due to a mutation in the Abcc6 gene and therefore provides a novel model system to study pseudoxanthoma elasticum. PMID:22846719

Methotrexate treatment in progressive tubal ectopic pregnancies and hCG-related clinicosurgical implications.

PubMed

Dogan, Askin; Gulhan, Ibrahim; Uyar, Ibrahim; Ekin, Atalay; Gezer, Cenk; Bilgin, Muzaffer; Taner, Cüneyt E; Ertas, Ibrahim E

2016-06-01

Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between the success of methotrexate treatment and β-hCG levels in progressive tubal ectopic pregnancies. We defined a retrospective cohort of 394 progressive tubal ectopic pregnancy patients treated with methotrexate. A single-dose methotrexate protocol using 50 mg/m(2) was administered to patients with progressive tubal ectopic pregnancy. Surgery was performed in patients who exhibited signs of acute abdomen due to tubal rupture. Of 394 patients that received methotrexate treatment, 335 (84.6%) responded to medical treatment, while the remaining 59 (15.36%) underwent surgery due to treatment failure. β-hCG levels in the failure group were significantly higher as compared with the success group at Day 1, Day 4, and Day 7 (2116±3157 vs. 4178±3422, 2062±3551 vs. 4935±4103, and 1532±3007 vs. 3900±4783, respectively). The receiver operating characteristics curve for β-hCG levels at Day 1 was 0.738, with a cutoff value of 1418 mIU/mL, while sensitivity and specificity values reached the optimum for treatment success (83.1% and 59.4%, respectively). Medical treatment with methotrexate achieved an 85.02% success rate for the treatment of progressive tubal ectopic pregnancy, while success rates for medical treatment decreased significantly when initial β-hCG levels were >1418 mIU/mL. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Taiwan.

Ectopic Lignification in the Flax lignified bast fiber1 Mutant Stem Is Associated with Tissue-Specific Modifications in Gene Expression and Cell Wall Composition[C][W

PubMed Central

Chantreau, Maxime; Portelette, Antoine; Dauwe, Rebecca; Kiyoto, Shingo; Crônier, David; Morreel, Kris; Arribat, Sandrine; Neutelings, Godfrey; Chabi, Malika; Boerjan, Wout; Yoshinaga, Arata; Mesnard, François; Grec, Sebastien; Chabbert, Brigitte; Hawkins, Simon

2014-01-01

Histochemical screening of a flax ethyl methanesulfonate population led to the identification of 93 independent M2 mutant families showing ectopic lignification in the secondary cell wall of stem bast fibers. We named this core collection the Linum usitatissimum (flax) lbf mutants for lignified bast fibers and believe that this population represents a novel biological resource for investigating how bast fiber plants regulate lignin biosynthesis. As a proof of concept, we characterized the lbf1 mutant and showed that the lignin content increased by 350% in outer stem tissues containing bast fibers but was unchanged in inner stem tissues containing xylem. Chemical and NMR analyses indicated that bast fiber ectopic lignin was highly condensed and rich in G-units. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry profiling showed large modifications in the oligolignol pool of lbf1 inner- and outer-stem tissues that could be related to ectopic lignification. Immunological and chemical analyses revealed that lbf1 mutants also showed changes to other cell wall polymers. Whole-genome transcriptomics suggested that ectopic lignification of flax bast fibers could be caused by increased transcript accumulation of (1) the cinnamoyl-CoA reductase, cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase, and caffeic acid O-methyltransferase monolignol biosynthesis genes, (2) several lignin-associated peroxidase genes, and (3) genes coding for respiratory burst oxidase homolog NADPH-oxidases necessary to increase H2O2 supply. PMID:25381351

Ectopic Expression of Nolz-1 in Neural Progenitors Promotes Cell Cycle Exit/Premature Neuronal Differentiation Accompanying with Abnormal Apoptosis in the Developing Mouse Telencephalon

PubMed Central

Chang, Sunny Li-Yun; Chen, Shih-Yun; Huang, Huai-Huei; Ko, Hsin-An; Liu, Pei-Tsen; Liu, Ya-Chi; Chen, Ping-Hau; Liu, Fu-Chin

2013-01-01

Nolz-1, as a murine member of the NET zinc-finger protein family, is expressed in post-mitotic differentiating neurons of striatum during development. To explore the function of Nolz-1 in regulating the neurogenesis of forebrain, we studied the effects of ectopic expression of Nolz-1 in neural progenitors. We generated the Cre-loxP dependent conditional transgenic mice in which Nolz-1 was ectopically expressed in proliferative neural progenitors. Ectopic expression of Nolz-1 in neural progenitors by intercrossing the Nolz-1 conditional transgenic mice with the nestin-Cre mice resulted in hypoplasia of telencephalon in double transgenic mice. Decreased proliferation of neural progenitor cells were found in the telencephalon, as evidenced by the reduction of BrdU−, Ki67− and phospho-histone 3-positive cells in E11.5–12.5 germinal zone of telencephalon. Transgenic Nolz-1 also promoted cell cycle exit and as a consequence might facilitate premature differentiation of progenitors, because TuJ1-positive neurons were ectopically found in the ventricular zone and there was a general increase of TuJ1 immunoreactivity in the telencephalon. Moreover, clusters of strong TuJ1-expressing neurons were present in E12.5 germinal zone. Some of these strong TuJ1-positive clusters, however, contained apoptotic condensed DNA, suggesting that inappropriate premature differentiation may lead to abnormal apoptosis in some progenitor cells. Consistent with the transgenic mouse analysis in vivo, similar effects of Nozl-1 over-expression in induction of apoptosis, inhibition of cell proliferation and promotion of neuronal differentiation were also observed in three different N18, ST14A and N2A neural cell lines in vitro. Taken together, our study indicates that ectopic expression of Nolz-1 in neural progenitors promotes cell cycle exit/premature neuronal differentiation and induces abnormal apoptosis in the developing telencephalon. PMID:24073229

Ectopic expression of nolz-1 in neural progenitors promotes cell cycle exit/premature neuronal differentiation accompanying with abnormal apoptosis in the developing mouse telencephalon.

PubMed

Chang, Sunny Li-Yun; Chen, Shih-Yun; Huang, Huai-Huei; Ko, Hsin-An; Liu, Pei-Tsen; Liu, Ya-Chi; Chen, Ping-Hau; Liu, Fu-Chin

2013-01-01

Nolz-1, as a murine member of the NET zinc-finger protein family, is expressed in post-mitotic differentiating neurons of striatum during development. To explore the function of Nolz-1 in regulating the neurogenesis of forebrain, we studied the effects of ectopic expression of Nolz-1 in neural progenitors. We generated the Cre-loxP dependent conditional transgenic mice in which Nolz-1 was ectopically expressed in proliferative neural progenitors. Ectopic expression of Nolz-1 in neural progenitors by intercrossing the Nolz-1 conditional transgenic mice with the nestin-Cre mice resulted in hypoplasia of telencephalon in double transgenic mice. Decreased proliferation of neural progenitor cells were found in the telencephalon, as evidenced by the reduction of BrdU-, Ki67- and phospho-histone 3-positive cells in E11.5-12.5 germinal zone of telencephalon. Transgenic Nolz-1 also promoted cell cycle exit and as a consequence might facilitate premature differentiation of progenitors, because TuJ1-positive neurons were ectopically found in the ventricular zone and there was a general increase of TuJ1 immunoreactivity in the telencephalon. Moreover, clusters of strong TuJ1-expressing neurons were present in E12.5 germinal zone. Some of these strong TuJ1-positive clusters, however, contained apoptotic condensed DNA, suggesting that inappropriate premature differentiation may lead to abnormal apoptosis in some progenitor cells. Consistent with the transgenic mouse analysis in vivo, similar effects of Nozl-1 over-expression in induction of apoptosis, inhibition of cell proliferation and promotion of neuronal differentiation were also observed in three different N18, ST14A and N2A neural cell lines in vitro. Taken together, our study indicates that ectopic expression of Nolz-1 in neural progenitors promotes cell cycle exit/premature neuronal differentiation and induces abnormal apoptosis in the developing telencephalon.

Current approaches for assessment and treatment of women with early miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy in Nigeria: a case for dedicated early pregnancy services.

PubMed

Iyoke, C A; Ugwu, O G; Ezugwu, F O; Onah, H E; Agbata, A T; Ajah, L C

2014-01-01

It has been suggested that women with early miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy are best cared for in dedicated units which offer rapid and definitive ultrasonographic and biochemical assessment at the initial review of the patient. To describe the current protocols for the assessment and treatment of women with early miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy as reported by Nigerian Gynecologists, and determine if dedicated early pregnancy services such as Early Pregnancy Assessment Units could be introduced to improve care. A cross-sectional survey of Nigerian Gynecologists attending the 46 th Annual Scientific Conference of the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria. This was a questionnaire-based study. Data analysis was by descriptive statistics using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software, version 17.0 for Windows (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA). A total of 232 gynecologists working in 52 different secondary and tertiary health facilities participated in the survey. The mean age of the respondents was 42.6 ± 9.1 years (range 28-70 years). The proportion of gynecologists reporting that women with early miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy were first managed within the hospital general emergency room was 92%. The mean reported interval between arrival in hospital and first ultrasound scan was 4.9 ± 1.4 hours (range ½-8 hours). Transvaginal scan was stated as the routine initial imaging investigation by only 17.2% of respondents. Approximately 94.8% of respondents felt that dedicated early pregnancy services were feasible and should be introduced to improve the care of women with early miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. Reported protocols for managing early miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy in many health facilities in Nigeria appear to engender unnecessary delays and avoidable costs, and dedicated early pregnancy services could be both useful and feasible in addressing these shortcomings in the way women with such conditions are currently managed.

Associations of lifetime active and passive smoking with spontaneous abortion, stillbirth and tubal ectopic pregnancy: a cross-sectional analysis of historical data from the Women's Health Initiative.

PubMed

Hyland, Andrew; Piazza, Kenneth M; Hovey, Kathleen M; Ockene, Judith K; Andrews, Christopher A; Rivard, Cheryl; Wactawski-Wende, Jean

2015-07-01

To examine the associations between tobacco exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes using quantitative measures of lifetime active smoking and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure. Historical reproductive data on 80 762 women who participated in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study were examined with a cross-sectional analysis. We assessed self-reported lifetime active and passive tobacco smoke exposure, self-reported spontaneous abortions, stillbirths and ectopic pregnancies. When compared with never-smoking women, participants who were ever active smokers during their reproductive years had ORs (OR) of 1.16 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.26) for 1 or more spontaneous abortions, 1.44 (95% CI 1.20 to 1.73) for 1 or more stillbirths, and 1.43 (95% CI 1.10 to 1.86) for 1 or more ectopic pregnancies. Never-smoking women participants with the highest levels of lifetime SHS exposure, including childhood >10 years, adult home >20 years and adult work exposure >10 years, when compared with never-smoking women with no SHS exposure had adjusted ORs of 1.17 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.30) for spontaneous abortion, 1.55 (95% CI 1.21 to 1.97) for stillbirth, and 1.61 (95% CI 1.16 to 2.24) for ectopic pregnancy. Women who were ever-smokers during their reproductive years had significantly greater estimates of risk for spontaneous abortion, stillbirth and tubal ectopic pregnancy. Never-smoking women with the highest levels of lifetime exposure to SHS had significantly increased estimates of risk for spontaneous abortion, stillbirth and tubal ectopic pregnancy. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Predictive factors for the methotrexate treatment outcome in ectopic pregnancy: A comparative study of 400 cases.

PubMed

Bonin, Lucie; Pedreiro, Cécile; Moret, Stéphanie; Chene, Gautier; Gaucherand, Pascal; Lamblin, Géry

2017-01-01

We sought to evaluate the global success rate of intramuscular methotrexate for the treatment of ectopic pregnancy, identify factors predictive of treatment success or failure, and study methotrexate tolerability in a large patient cohort. For this single-center retrospective observational study, we retrieved the records of all women who had a clinically or echographically confirmed ectopic pregnancy with a Fernandez score <13 and who were treated according to a 1mg/kg intramuscular single-dose methotrexate protocol. Medical treatment failure was defined by an obligation to proceed to laparoscopy. Needing a second injection was not considered to be medical treatment failure. Between February 2008 and November 2013 (69 months), 400 women received methotrexate for ectopic pregnancy. The medical treatment protocol was effective for 314 patients, i.e., an overall success rate of 78.5%. A single methotrexate dose was sufficient for 63.5% of the women and a second dose was successful for 73.2% of the remaining women. The medical treatment success rate fell as initial hCG levels climbed. The main factors associated with methotrexate failure included day (D) 0, D4 and D7 hCG levels, pretherapeutic blood progesterone, hematosalpinx at D0 and pain at D7. Early favorable kinetics of hCG levels was predictive of success. Methotrexate treatment was successful in 90% of women who had D0 hCG <1000IU/l. Methotrexate tolerability was good, with only 9% of the women reporting non-severe adverse effects. The fertility rate with delivery after medical treatment for ectopic pregnancy was 80.7%. In this study, we showed that an initial hCG value <1000IU/l and favorable early HCG kinetics were predictive factors for the successful medical treatment of ectopic pregnancy by methotrexate, and hematosalpinx and pretherapeutic blood progesterone >5ng/ml at diagnosis were predictive of its failure. We also confirmed good tolerability for single-dose methotrexate protocols. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Cryptic Species of the Tylonycteris pachypus Complex (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) and Its Population Genetic Structure in Southern China and nearby Regions

PubMed Central

HUANG, Chujing; YU, Wenhua; XU, Zhongxian; QIU, Yuanxiong; CHEN, Miao; QIU, Bing; MOTOKAWA, Masaharu; HARADA, Masashi; LI, Yuchun; WU, Yi

2014-01-01

Three distinct bamboo bat species (Tylonycteris) are known to inhabit tropical and subtropical areas of Asia, i.e., T. pachypus, T. robustula, and T. pygmaeus. This study performed karyotypic examinations of 4 specimens from southern Chinese T. p. fulvidus populations and one specimen from Thai T. p. fulvidus population, which detected distinct karyotypes (2n=30) compared with previous karyotypic descriptions of T. p. pachypus (2n=46) and T. robustula (2n=32) from Malaysia. This finding suggested a cryptic Tylonycteris species within T. pachypus complex in China and Thailand. Morphometric studies indicated the difficulty in distinguishing the cryptic species and T. p. pachypus from Indonesia apart from the external measurements, which might be the reason for their historical misidentification. Based on 623 bp mtDNA COI segments, a phylogeographic examination including T. pachypus individuals from China and nearby regions, i.e., Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, was conducted to examine the population genetic structure. Genealogical and phylogeographical results indicated that at least two diverged lineages existed in these regions (average 3.4 % of Kimura 2-parameter distances) and their population structure did not match the geographic pattern. These results suggested that at least two historical colonizations have occurred by the cryptic species. Furthermore, through integration of traditional and geometric morphological results, morphological differences on zygomatic arches, toothrows and bullae were detected between two lineages in China. Given the similarity of vegetation and climate of Guangdong and Guangxi regions, we suggested that such differences might be derived from their historical adaptation or distinct evolutionary history rather than the differences of habitats they occurred currently. PMID:24550688

Morphological similarity and ecological overlap in two rotifer species.

PubMed

Gabaldón, Carmen; Montero-Pau, Javier; Serra, Manuel; Carmona, María José

2013-01-01

Co-occurrence of cryptic species raises theoretically relevant questions regarding their coexistence and ecological similarity. Given their great morphological similitude and close phylogenetic relationship (i.e., niche retention), these species will have similar ecological requirements and are expected to have strong competitive interactions. This raises the problem of finding the mechanisms that may explain the coexistence of cryptic species and challenges the conventional view of coexistence based on niche differentiation. The cryptic species complex of the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis is an excellent model to study these questions and to test hypotheses regarding ecological differentiation. Rotifer species within this complex are filtering zooplankters commonly found inhabiting the same ponds across the Iberian Peninsula and exhibit an extremely similar morphology-some of them being even virtually identical. Here, we explore whether subtle differences in body size and morphology translate into ecological differentiation by comparing two extremely morphologically similar species belonging to this complex: B. plicatilis and B. manjavacas. We focus on three key ecological features related to body size: (1) functional response, expressed by clearance rates; (2) tolerance to starvation, measured by growth and reproduction; and (3) vulnerability to copepod predation, measured by the number of preyed upon neonates. No major differences between B. plicatilis and B. manjavacas were found in the response to these features. Our results demonstrate the existence of a substantial niche overlap, suggesting that the subtle size differences between these two cryptic species are not sufficient to explain their coexistence. This lack of evidence for ecological differentiation in the studied biotic niche features is in agreement with the phylogenetic limiting similarity hypothesis but requires a mechanistic explanation of the coexistence of these species not based on differentiation related to biotic niche axes.

An analysis of species boundaries and biogeographic patterns in a cryptic species complex: the rotifer--Brachionus plicatilis.

PubMed

Suatoni, Elizabeth; Vicario, Saverio; Rice, Sean; Snell, Terry; Caccone, Adalgisa

2006-10-01

Since the advent of molecular phylogenetics, there is increasing evidence that many small aquatic and marine invertebrates--once believed to be single, cosmopolitan species--are in fact cryptic species complexes. Although the application of the biological species concept is central to the identification of species boundaries in these cryptic complexes, tests of reproductive isolation do not frequently accompany phylogenetic studies. Because different species concepts generally identify different boundaries in cryptic complexes, studies that apply multiple species concepts are needed to gain a more detailed understanding of patterns of diversification in these taxa. Here we explore different methods of empirically delimiting species boundaries in the salt water rotifer Brachionus plicatilis by comparing reproductive data (i.e., the traditional biological species concept) to phylogenetic data (the genealogical species concept). Based on a high degree of molecular sequence divergence and largely concordant genetic patterns in COI and ITS1, the genealogical species hypothesis indicates the existence of at least 14 species--the highest estimate for the group thus far. A test of the genealogical species concept with biological crosses shows a fairly high level of concordance, depending on the degree of reproductive success used to draw boundaries. The convergence of species concepts in this group suggests that many of the species within the group may be old. Although the diversity of the group is higher than previously understood, geographic distributions remain broad. Efficient passive dispersal has resulted in global distributions for many species with some evidence of isolation by distance over large geographic scales. These patterns concur with expectations that micro-meiofauna (0.1-1mm) have biogeographies intermediate to microbial organisms and large vertebrates. Sympatry of genetically distant strains is common.

Population-Based Survey of Filamentous Fungi and Antifungal Resistance in Spain (FILPOP Study)

PubMed Central

Mellado, E.; Peláez, T.; Pemán, J.; Zapico, S.; Alvarez, M.; Rodríguez-Tudela, J. L.; Cuenca-Estrella, M.

2013-01-01

A population-based survey was conducted to investigate the epidemiology of and antifungal resistance in Spanish clinical strains of filamentous fungi isolated from deep tissue samples, blood cultures, and respiratory samples. The study was conducted in two different periods (October 2010 and May 2011) to analyze seasonal variations. A total of 325 strains were isolated in 29 different hospitals. The average prevalence was 0.0016/1,000 inhabitants. Strains were identified by sequencing of DNA targets and susceptibility testing by the European Committee for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing reference procedure. The most frequently isolated genus was Aspergillus, accounting for 86.3% of the isolates, followed by Scedosporium at 4.7%; the order Mucorales at 2.5%; Penicillium at 2.2%, and Fusarium at 1.2%. The most frequent species was Aspergillus fumigatus (48.5%), followed by A. flavus (8.4%), A. terreus (8.1%), A. tubingensis (6.8%), and A. niger (6.5%). Cryptic/sibling Aspergillus species accounted for 12% of the cases. Resistance to amphotericin B was found in 10.8% of the isolates tested, while extended-spectrum triazole resistance ranged from 10 to 12.7%, depending on the azole tested. Antifungal resistance was more common among emerging species such as those of Scedosporium and Mucorales and also among cryptic species of Aspergillus, with 40% of these isolates showing resistance to all of the antifungal compounds tested. Cryptic Aspergillus species seem to be underestimated, and their correct classification could be clinically relevant. The performance of antifungal susceptibility testing of the strains implicated in deep infections and multicentric studies is recommended to evaluate the incidence of these cryptic species in other geographic areas. PMID:23669377

The Grounded Expertise Components Approach in the Novel Area of Cryptic Crossword Solving

PubMed Central

Friedlander, Kathryn J.; Fine, Philip A.

2016-01-01

This paper presents a relatively unexplored area of expertise research which focuses on the solving of British-style cryptic crossword puzzles. Unlike its American “straight-definition” counterparts, which are primarily semantically-cued retrieval tasks, the British cryptic crossword is an exercise in code-cracking detection work. Solvers learn to ignore the superficial “surface reading” of the clue, which is phrased to be deliberately misleading, and look instead for a grammatical set of coded instructions which, if executed precisely, will lead to the correct (and only) answer. Sample clues are set out to illustrate the task requirements and demands. Hypothesized aptitudes for the field might include high fluid intelligence, skill at quasi-algebraic puzzles, pattern matching, visuospatial manipulation, divergent thinking and breaking frame abilities. These skills are additional to the crystallized knowledge and word-retrieval demands which are also a feature of American crossword puzzles. The authors present results from an exploratory survey intended to identify the characteristics of the cryptic crossword solving population, and outline the impact of these results on the direction of their subsequent research. Survey results were strongly supportive of a number of hypothesized skill-sets and guided the selection of appropriate test content and research paradigms which formed the basis of an extensive research program to be reported elsewhere. The paper concludes by arguing the case for a more grounded approach to expertise studies, termed the Grounded Expertise Components Approach. In this, the design and scope of the empirical program flows from a detailed and objectively-based characterization of the research population at the very onset of the program. PMID:27199805

Elimination of the cryptic plasmid in Leuconostoc citreum by CRISPR/Cas9 system.

PubMed

Jang, Ye-Ji; Seo, Seung-Oh; Kim, Seul-Ah; Li, Ling; Kim, Tae-Jip; Kim, Sun Chang; Jin, Yong-Su; Han, Nam Soo

2017-06-10

Leuconostoc spp. are important lactic acid bacteria for the fermentation of foods. In particular, L. citreum strains isolated from various foods have been used as host strains for genetic and metabolic engineering studies. In order to develop a food-grade genetic engineering system, L. citreum CB2567 was isolated from Kimchi. However, the isolated bacterium contained a cryptic plasmid which was difficult to eliminate. As the existence of the plasmid might hinder strain engineering, we eliminated the plasmid using an RNA-guided DNA endonuclease CRISPR/Cas9 system. We demonstrated that a plasmid-free L. citreum CB2567 host strain could be efficiently constructed through a two-step procedure: 1) transformation of the "killer" plasmid expressing Cas9 endonuclease and a guide RNA (gRNA) targeting for a specific sequence in the cryptic plasmid, and 2) serial subculture without antibiotics for curing the killer plasmid. When the crude extract of L. citreum expressing Cas9 and the guide RNA was incubated with a PCR fragment containing the specific sequence recognized by the guide RNA, the PCR fragment was cleaved. Also, the cryptic plasmid pCB42 was successfully eliminated from the host strain after transforming the plasmid harboring Cas9 and the guide RNA. The Cas9 and gRNA expression plasmid used in this study can be applied for genome engineering purposes by additionally introducing an editing DNA template to repair the double strand DNA breakage caused by Cas9 in the genome of L. citreum. This study demonstrates the feasibility of developing CRISPR/Cas9-based genetic engineering tools to develop a safe host strain and construct food-grade lactic acid bacteria without residual antibiotic markers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cryptic Speciation Patterns in Iranian Rock Lizards Uncovered by Integrative Taxonomy

PubMed Central

Ahmadzadeh, Faraham; Flecks, Morris; Carretero, Miguel A.; Mozaffari, Omid; Böhme, Wolfgang; Harris, D. James; Freitas, Susana; Rödder, Dennis

2013-01-01

While traditionally species recognition has been based solely on morphological differences either typological or quantitative, several newly developed methods can be used for a more objective and integrative approach on species delimitation. This may be especially relevant when dealing with cryptic species or species complexes, where high overall resemblance between species is coupled with comparatively high morphological variation within populations. Rock lizards, genus Darevskia, are such an example, as many of its members offer few diagnostic morphological features. Herein, we use a combination of genetic, morphological and ecological criteria to delimit cryptic species within two species complexes, D. chlorogaster and D. defilippii, both distributed in northern Iran. Our analyses are based on molecular information from two nuclear and two mitochondrial genes, morphological data (15 morphometric, 16 meristic and four categorical characters) and eleven newly calculated spatial environmental predictors. The phylogeny inferred for Darevskia confirmed monophyly of each species complex, with each of them comprising several highly divergent clades, especially when compared to other congeners. We identified seven candidate species within each complex, of which three and four species were supported by Bayesian species delimitation within D. chlorogaster and D. defilippii, respectively. Trained with genetically determined clades, Ecological Niche Modeling provided additional support for these cryptic species. Especially those within the D. defilippii-complex exhibit well-differentiated niches. Due to overall morphological resemblance, in a first approach PCA with mixed variables only showed the separation between the two complexes. However, MANCOVA and subsequent Discriminant Analysis performed separately for both complexes allowed for distinction of the species when sample size was large enough, namely within the D. chlorogaster-complex. In conclusion, the results support four new species, which are described herein. PMID:24324611

Hypothesis testing clarifies the systematics of the main Central American Chagas disease vector, Triatoma dimidiata (Latreille, 1811), across its geographic range.

PubMed

Dorn, Patricia L; de la Rúa, Nicholas M; Axen, Heather; Smith, Nicholas; Richards, Bethany R; Charabati, Jirias; Suarez, Julianne; Woods, Adrienne; Pessoa, Rafaela; Monroy, Carlota; Kilpatrick, C William; Stevens, Lori

2016-10-01

The widespread and diverse Triatoma dimidiata is the kissing bug species most important for Chagas disease transmission in Central America and a secondary vector in Mexico and northern South America. Its diversity may contribute to different Chagas disease prevalence in different localities and has led to conflicting systematic hypotheses describing various populations as subspecies or cryptic species. To resolve these conflicting hypotheses, we sequenced a nuclear (internal transcribed spacer 2, ITS-2) and mitochondrial gene (cytochrome b) from an extensive sampling of T. dimidiata across its geographic range. We evaluated the congruence of ITS-2 and cyt b phylogenies and tested the support for the previously proposed subspecies (inferred from ITS-2) by: (1) overlaying the ITS-2 subspecies assignments on a cyt b tree and, (2) assessing the statistical support for a cyt b topology constrained by the subspecies hypothesis. Unconstrained phylogenies inferred from ITS-2 and cyt b are congruent and reveal three clades including two putative cryptic species in addition to T. dimidiata sensu stricto. Neither the cyt b phylogeny nor hypothesis testing support the proposed subspecies inferred from ITS-2. Additionally, the two cryptic species are supported by phylogenies inferred from mitochondrially-encoded genes cytochrome c oxidase I and NADH dehydrogenase 4. In summary, our results reveal two cryptic species. Phylogenetic relationships indicate T. dimidiata sensu stricto is not subdivided into monophyletic clades consistent with subspecies. Based on increased support by hypothesis testing, we propose an updated systematic hypothesis for T. dimidiata based on extensive taxon sampling and analysis of both mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intronic L1 Retrotransposons and Nested Genes Cause Transcriptional Interference by Inducing Intron Retention, Exonization and Cryptic Polyadenylation

PubMed Central

Kaer, Kristel; Branovets, Jelena; Hallikma, Anni; Nigumann, Pilvi; Speek, Mart

2011-01-01

Background Transcriptional interference has been recently recognized as an unexpectedly complex and mostly negative regulation of genes. Despite a relatively few studies that emerged in recent years, it has been demonstrated that a readthrough transcription derived from one gene can influence the transcription of another overlapping or nested gene. However, the molecular effects resulting from this interaction are largely unknown. Methodology/Principal Findings Using in silico chromosome walking, we searched for prematurely terminated transcripts bearing signatures of intron retention or exonization of intronic sequence at their 3′ ends upstream to human L1 retrotransposons, protein-coding and noncoding nested genes. We demonstrate that transcriptional interference induced by intronic L1s (or other repeated DNAs) and nested genes could be characterized by intron retention, forced exonization and cryptic polyadenylation. These molecular effects were revealed from the analysis of endogenous transcripts derived from different cell lines and tissues and confirmed by the expression of three minigenes in cell culture. While intron retention and exonization were comparably observed in introns upstream to L1s, forced exonization was preferentially detected in nested genes. Transcriptional interference induced by L1 or nested genes was dependent on the presence or absence of cryptic splice sites, affected the inclusion or exclusion of the upstream exon and the use of cryptic polyadenylation signals. Conclusions/Significance Our results suggest that transcriptional interference induced by intronic L1s and nested genes could influence the transcription of the large number of genes in normal as well as in tumor tissues. Therefore, this type of interference could have a major impact on the regulation of the host gene expression. PMID:22022525

Assessing the cryptic invasion of a domestic conspecific: American mink in their native range

PubMed Central

Beauclerc, Kaela B; Bowman, Jeff; Schulte-Hostedde, Albrecht I

2013-01-01

Control of invasions is facilitated by their early detection, but this may be difficult when invasions are cryptic due to similarity between invaders and native species. Domesticated conspecifics offer an interesting example of cryptic invasions because they have the ability to hybridize with their native counterparts, and can thus facilitate the introgression of maladaptive genes. We assessed the cryptic invasion of escaped domestic American mink (Neovison vison) within their native range. Feral mink are a known alien invader in many parts of the world, but invasion of their native range is not well understood. We genetically profiled 233 captive domestic mink from different farms in Ontario, Canada and 299 free-ranging mink from Ontario, and used assignments tests to ascertain genetic ancestries of free-ranging animals. We found that 18% of free-ranging mink were either escaped domestic animals or hybrids, and a tree regression showed that these domestic genotypes were most likely to occur south of a latitude of 43.13°N, within the distribution of mink farms in Ontario. Thus, domestic mink appear not to have established populations in Ontario in locations without fur farms. We suspect that maladaptation of domestic mink and outbreeding depression of hybrid and introgressed mink have limited their spread. Mink farm density and proximity to mink farms were not important predictors of domestic genotypes but rather, certain mink farms appeared to be important sources of escaped domestic animals. Our results show that not all mink farms are equal with respect to biosecurity, and thus that the spread of domestic genotypes can be mitigated by improved biosecurity. PMID:23919171

Morphological Similarity and Ecological Overlap in Two Rotifer Species

PubMed Central

Gabaldón, Carmen; Montero-Pau, Javier; Serra, Manuel; Carmona, María José

2013-01-01

Co-occurrence of cryptic species raises theoretically relevant questions regarding their coexistence and ecological similarity. Given their great morphological similitude and close phylogenetic relationship (i.e., niche retention), these species will have similar ecological requirements and are expected to have strong competitive interactions. This raises the problem of finding the mechanisms that may explain the coexistence of cryptic species and challenges the conventional view of coexistence based on niche differentiation. The cryptic species complex of the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis is an excellent model to study these questions and to test hypotheses regarding ecological differentiation. Rotifer species within this complex are filtering zooplankters commonly found inhabiting the same ponds across the Iberian Peninsula and exhibit an extremely similar morphology—some of them being even virtually identical. Here, we explore whether subtle differences in body size and morphology translate into ecological differentiation by comparing two extremely morphologically similar species belonging to this complex: B. plicatilis and B. manjavacas. We focus on three key ecological features related to body size: (1) functional response, expressed by clearance rates; (2) tolerance to starvation, measured by growth and reproduction; and (3) vulnerability to copepod predation, measured by the number of preyed upon neonates. No major differences between B. plicatilis and B. manjavacas were found in the response to these features. Our results demonstrate the existence of a substantial niche overlap, suggesting that the subtle size differences between these two cryptic species are not sufficient to explain their coexistence. This lack of evidence for ecological differentiation in the studied biotic niche features is in agreement with the phylogenetic limiting similarity hypothesis but requires a mechanistic explanation of the coexistence of these species not based on differentiation related to biotic niche axes. PMID:23451154

Laparoscopic Finding of Ectopic Adrenocortical Tissue in a 2-Year-Old Boy with Vanishing Testis

PubMed Central

Marte, Antonio

2018-01-01

Ectopic adrenocortical tissue (EAT) along the spermatic cord is an unusual condition in children. The author reports on a 2-year-old boy with impalpable testis. On laparoscopy, EAT was detected along the hypotrophic spermatic vessels and excised. These remnants should be removed to prevent hormone production or malignant transformation. PMID:29326864

Laparoscopic Finding of Ectopic Adrenocortical Tissue in a 2-Year-Old Boy with Vanishing Testis.

PubMed

Marte, Antonio

2018-01-01

Ectopic adrenocortical tissue (EAT) along the spermatic cord is an unusual condition in children. The author reports on a 2-year-old boy with impalpable testis. On laparoscopy, EAT was detected along the hypotrophic spermatic vessels and excised. These remnants should be removed to prevent hormone production or malignant transformation.

Mature orbital teratoma with an ectopic tooth and primary anophthalmos.

PubMed

Chawla, Bhavna; Chauhan, Kanchan; Kashyap, Seema

2013-02-01

To describe the clinicopathologic features and management of an unusual case of orbital teratoma. A 7-year-old girl presented with a history of an orbital mass since birth. CT scan showed a large mass lesion involving the right orbit, with absence of the eyeball. An ectopic tooth was identified within the tumor. Lid-sparing exenteration surgery was performed. Histopathologic examination of the excised mass showed presence of elements from all three germ layers, consistent with a diagnosis of mature orbital teratoma. Normal ocular structures were not identified on histopathology. At one year follow-up, there was no tumor recurrence. We report an extremely rare and interesting case of a mature orbital teratoma, which was associated with primary anophthalmos and an ectopic tooth.

Pregnancy Luteoma in Ectopic Pregnancy: A Case Report.

PubMed

Brar, Rupinder Kaur; Bharti, Jyotsna Naresh; Nigam, Jitendra Singh; Sehgal, Sahil; Singh, Hena Paul; Ojha, Pushpanjali

2017-01-01

Pregnancy luteoma is a rare non neoplastic condition of the ovary. It is usually asymptomatic and found incidentally during imaging in pregnancy or during cesarean section. Pregnancy luteoma can also occur after ectopic pregnancy. A 30 year old female presented to G.B. Pant Hospital, Andaman and Nicobar Islands institute of Medical Sciences, Port Blair in October 2015 with abdominal pain. After initial investigations, exploratory laporotomy was done for ruptured ectopic pregnancy. Enlarged ovary was removed along with the ruptured portion of fallopian tube. Histopathological examination revealed solid aggregates of large cells with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm; diagnosis of pregnancy luteoma was given. It must be considered in the differential diagnosis of ovarian masses in pregnant females that early diagnosis of this entity may avoid unnecessary radical surgery.