Aims: Different studies have shown that members of the Vibrio such as Vibrio coralliilyticus and Vibrio shiloi are opportunistic pathogens which can cause coral lysis. The aims of this study were to assess whether this results of the virulence of V. coralliilyticus are transmittable to Acropora hyacinthus and Porites lobata, and what role the microbiome of the corals plays during exposure to V. coralliilyticus. Methodology and results: In laboratory-based experiments, we examined the impact of V. coralliilyticus (ATCC BAA- 450) to the microbiome of Acropora hyacinthus and Porites lobata. A. hyacinthus and P. lobata were exposed to ampicillin, V. coralliilyticus, and a combination of both. Results indicate a resistance of A. hyacinthus to V. coralliilyticus through the microbiome and underpin the importance of the microbiome for the coral’s health. Conclusion, significance and impact study: Further studies are needed to identify the bacteria responsible for the coral resistance and could in future lead to the development of a probiotic treatment or prevention of bleaching for sensitive corals.
Microbiota

BACKGROUND: We have previously demonstrated that phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-induced increases in melanoma cell binding to endothelial cells derived from human dermis (HDMEC) are not mediated via known cell adhesion molecules and may be affected through microvessel-specific novel proteins not previously described on endothelial cells. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to identify new molecules which may play a role in HDMEC-melanoma cells binding. METHODS: We have generated a monoclonal antibody(Mab) against PMA-stimulated HDMEC. A Mab was evaluated functionally through melanoma cell-endothelial cell adherence assay and characterized by Western immunoblot. RESULTS: Mab EM-71 recognized a molecule with expression levels in vitro that could be upregulated by PMA(EM-71 molecule). The expression of EM-71 molecule on HDMEC was increased in a dose-dependent manner by PMA only, but not affected by interleukin 1 alpha(IL-lα) or tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNFα) PMA augmented melanoma cell adherence to HDMEC, which is coincident with an increase in EM-71 molecule expression on HDMEC by PMA. Mab EM-71 partially inhibited up to 59% of the increased melanoma cell binding to PMA-stimulated HDMEC and failed to block melanoma cell binding to IL-lα or TNFα-stimulated HDMEC. Western immunoblots of lysates of HDMEC demonstrated a 200 kDa protein on HDMEC. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that EM-71 molecule may play a partial role in melanoma binding to PMA-stimulated HDMEC.
Blotting, Western ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; Dermis ; Endothelial Cells* ; Humans* ; In Vitro Techniques ; Interleukin-1 ; Melanoma* ; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

No abstract available.
Bone Marrow* ; Cytosine Deaminase* ; Cytosine* ; Homicide* ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells* ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Neoplasms*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In the Ultrafiltration versus Intravenous Diuretics for Patients Hospitalized for Acute Decompensated Heart Failure trial, ultrafiltration (UF) removed volume more effectively than usual care (UC). Hypothetically, UF may be superior to UC due to increased sodium (Na) removal and less neurohormonal activation. We compared UF and UC in a randomized pilot trial of target weight guided therapy for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixteen patients with ADHF were enrolled and target weights established prospectively, prior to randomization to UC or UF. UF patients did not receive diuretics and UC patients were all treated with a continuous furosemide drip. All urine and ultrafiltrate were collected and Na concentrations measured. RESULTS: Similar volumes were removed in UC and UF groups (110105 mL and 107415 mL, respectively) and the UF group also produced 45325 mL of urine. Na concentration was 138+/-6 meq/L in the ultrafiltrate, 85+/-73 meq/L in the UC group's urine, and 26+/-23 meq/L in the UF group's urine. Given the relevant associated volumes, total meq of the Na removed was similar (1168 in UC vs. 1216 in UF). The UF group produced isotonic ultrafiltrate and a higher volume of dilute urine than anticipated. CONCLUSION: In a randomized pilot study of target weight guided therapy with UC or UF for ADHF, there were no differences in total volumes or Na removed, and lengths of hospital stays were similar. Isotonic fluid loss by UF was accompanied by the production of very dilute urine.
Diuretics ; Furosemide ; Heart Failure* ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Pilot Projects* ; Prospective Studies ; Random Allocation ; Sodium* ; Ultrafiltration* ; Weights and Measures

Breast metastases from extramammary neoplasms are very rare. We presented a 66 year-old female with metastasis of small cell lung carcinoma to the breast. She presented with consolidation over the left upper lobe of her lung undetermined after endobronchial or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) biopsy, and this was treated effectively after antibiotic therapy at initial stage. The left breast lumps were noted 4 months later, and she underwent a modified radical mastectomy under the impression of primary breast carcinoma. However, the subsequent chest imaging revealed re-growing mass over the left mediastinum and hilum, and cells with the same morphological and staining features were found from specimens of transbronchial brushing and biopsy. An accurate diagnosis to distinguish a primary breast carcinoma from metastatic one is very important because the therapeutic planning and the outcome between them are different.
Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; secondary ; Bronchoscopy ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has revolutionized the care of the patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and electrical dyssynchrony. The current guidelines for patient selection include measurement of left ventricular systolic function, QRS duration and morphology, and functional classification. Despite consistent and increasing evidence supporting CRT use in appropriate patients, CRT has been underutilized. Notwithstanding the heterogeneous definitions of non-response, more than one-third of patients demonstrate a lack of echocardiographic reverse remodeling or poor clinical outcome following CRT. Since the causes of this non-response are multifactorial, it will require multidisciplinary efforts to overcome including optimal patient selection, procedural strategies, as well as optimizing post-implant care in patients undergoing CRT. The innovations of novel pacing approaches combined with advanced imaging technologies may eventually offer a personalized CRT system uniquely tailored to each patient's dyssynchrony signature.
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy ; Classification ; Echocardiography ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Patient Selection

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has revolutionized the care of the patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and electrical dyssynchrony. The current guidelines for patient selection include measurement of left ventricular systolic function, QRS duration and morphology, and functional classification. Despite consistent and increasing evidence supporting CRT use in appropriate patients, CRT has been underutilized. Notwithstanding the heterogeneous definitions of non-response, more than one-third of patients demonstrate a lack of echocardiographic reverse remodeling or poor clinical outcome following CRT. Since the causes of this non-response are multifactorial, it will require multidisciplinary efforts to overcome including optimal patient selection, procedural strategies, as well as optimizing post-implant care in patients undergoing CRT. The innovations of novel pacing approaches combined with advanced imaging technologies may eventually offer a personalized CRT system uniquely tailored to each patient's dyssynchrony signature.

OBJECTIVE: We wanted to demonstrate and compare the serial high-resolution CTs (HRCT) and the pulmonary function test (PFT) findings of the usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) and the non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The serial HRCT scans and the PFT results were retrospectively analysed and compared for 35 patients having UIP without significant honeycombing (UIP-w/o hc, < 5% of honeycombing at CT), 35 patients having UIP with honeycombing (UIP-w/i hc, > or = 5% of honeycombing), and 25 patients with NSIP. The mortality rates were also compared. Follow-up CT scans were available in 75 patients (29 UIP-w/o hc patients, 22 UIP-w/i hc patients and 24 NSIP patients) and the follow-up periods ranged from 150 to 2, 370 days. The initial and follow-up PFT data were available for 71 patients. RESULTS: On the initial CT, significant differences were present between the UIP-w/i hc patients and both the UIP-w/o hc patients and the NSIP patients in the overall extent, ground-glass opacity (GGO) away from the reticulation, reticulation and honeycombing (all p < 0.05). Improvement was noticed in five (17%) of 29 UIP-w/o hc patients, none of 22 UIP-w/i hc patients, and 9 (37%) of 24 NSIP patients; deterioration was noted in six (21%) UIP-w/o hc patients, two (9%) UIP-w/i hc patients and three (13%) NSIP patients (p = 0.044 between UIP-w/o and UIP-w/i hc; p = 0.637 between UIP-w/o hc and NSIP; p = 0.007 between UIP-w/i hc and NSIP). The serial changes of the pulmonary function in the NSIP patients were different from those noted for the UIP-w/i hc and UIP-w/o hc patients (p = 0.440 between UIP-w/o and UIP-w/i hc; p = 0.022 between UIP-w/o hc and NSIP; p = 0.003 between UIP-w/i hc and NSIP). Five (14%) of the 35 patients with UIP-w/o hc, 16 (46%) of the 35 patients with UIP-w/i hc and three (12%) of the 25 patients with NSIP died (p = 0.002, comparison for the three groups). CONCLUSION: On CT, NSIP and UIP-w/o hc patients have similar patterns of parenchymal abnormalities and a similar likelihood of change in the extent of disease on follow-up. Patients with UIP-w/i hc have distinctive features and a worst prognosis.
*Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Retrospective Studies ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial/mortality/*physiopathology/*radiography ; Lung/*physiopathology ; Humans ; Follow-Up Studies ; Female ; Aged

PURPOSE: A new therapeutic approach is needed in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) because of a dismal prognosis. MN/CA9 is a transmembrane glycoprotein that was first identified in the human cervical carcinoma cell line, HeLa. Since MN/CA9 protein is highly expressed in RCC tissues, but not in normal kidney, we constructed a tumor-specific replication-competent adenoviral vector utilizing MN/CA9 promoter (Ad-MN/CA9-E1a) and demonstrated its selective cytotoxicity toward MN/CA9-expressing RCC cells in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MN/CA9-positive (HeLa, SK-RC-52) and MN/ CA9-negative (SK-RC-29) cells were used. RT-PCR assay for MN/CA9 mRNA was performed in each cells. Ad5 E1a protein production in each cells after infection with Ad-MN/CA9-E1a was determined by western blot analysis. In vitro cytotoxicity assay was performed for assessing the selective cytotoxicity of Ad-MN/CA9-E1a to MN/CA9-expressing cells. RESULTS: RT-PCR assay showed that a distinct 255-bp fragment corresponding to the sequence within MN/CA9 cDNA was detected in HeLa and SK-RC-52 cells, but SK-RC-29 cells did not have MN/CA9 transcripts. Western blot analysis demonstrated that HeLa and SK-RC-52 cells showed much stronger Ad5 E1a protein expressions compared with SK-RC-29. In vitro cytotoxicity assay revealed that the growth of MN/CA9-positive cells was significantly inhibited with 0.1-1MOI of Ad-MN/CA9-E1a, but the growth of MN/CA9-negative cells (SK-RC-29) could only be inhibited by as many as 100MOI. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a novel replication-competent adenoviral vector mediated by MN/CA9 promoter, Ad-MN/CA9-E1a, can selectively replicate in MN/CA9-expressing cancer cells with cytotoxic effects and may be utilized for the treatment of RCC.
Adenoviridae* ; Blotting, Western ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Cell Line ; DNA, Complementary ; Genetic Therapy* ; Glycoproteins ; Humans ; Kidney ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger ; Virus Replication

OBJECTIVETo review the clinical features and laboratory investigations of ciguatera patients in Hong Kong between 2004 and 2007 in order to show the timely sampling of implicated fish from ciguatera victims and application of validated mouse bioassay for confirming suspected clinical cases of ciguatera.

METHODSDiagnosis of the ciguatera victims was based on history of coral fish consumption and clinical presentations stated in official guidelines for clinical diagnosis of ciguatera fish poisoning in Hong Kong. Food remnants of coral fish samples were collected swiftly from ciguatera victims between 2004 and 2007 for ciguatoxins (CTXs) analysis.

RESULTSMajor clinical symptoms in ciguatera patients included gastrointestinal and neurological effects including limb numbness and diarrhoea, which developed at 0.5 to 15 hours after consumption of fish. In most cases, neurological symptoms were more common than gastrointestinal symptoms. A broad range of attack rate (10%-100%) was observed in each ciguatera outbreak. Validated mouse bioassay on ether extracts of the food remnant samples confirmed that all were CTXs-positive (<0.5 - 4.3 MU/20 mg ether extract) and directly linked to the corresponding ciguatera cases.

CONCLUSIONConsistency between clinical and laboratory analysis for ciguatera poisoning illustrates the application of laboratory mouse bioassay in a timely fashion for confirming ciguatera poisoning cases and implementing effective public health measures. With further improvement in laboratory techniques, features of ciguatera fish poisoning cases can be better defined. Further studies are needed to determine the risk of each class of CTXs (Pacific-, Indian- and Caribbean-CTXs) in Hong Kong.

Animals ; Biological Assay ; Ciguatera Poisoning ; blood ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Ciguatoxins ; analysis ; Disease Outbreaks ; Fishes ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; blood ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Hong Kong ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Mice ; Nervous System Diseases ; blood ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Public Health ; Risk Factors ; Time Factors