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Assessment of clonal evolution at Ig/TCR loci in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia by single-strand conformation polymorphism studies and highly resolutive PCR derived methods: implication for a general strategy of minimal residual disease detection.

Junctional sequences of immunoglobulin (Ig)/T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangements are used as patient-specific PCR targets for the detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) in acute lymphoblastic leukaemias (ALLs). Clonal evolution of gene rearrangements is a major pitfall of this strategy. Using high-resolution PCR-based analyses (including denaturing gel electrophoresis and single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP)) we have compared Ig/TCR gene rearrangements at presentation and relapse in a series of ALLs. These methods allow an unambigous comparison of rearrangements taking into account junctional size and nucleotide sequence information and allow a precise assessment of the clonal evolution. V gamma-J gamma and V delta 1-J delta 1 rearrangements were analysed in 12 T-ALLs. VH-JH, V gamma-J gamma, V delta 2-D delta 3 and, in selected cases, DH-JH rearrangements were studied in 14 B-lineage ALLs. Clonal evolution, regarding major rearrangements, occurs for at least one of these loci in 2/12 T-ALLs and in 5/14 B-lineage ALLs. Clonal evolution is more marked for minor rearrangements than for major ones. As shown using SSCP analysis, rearrangements observed at relapse are sometimes found in minor clones at presentation which are therefore selected in vivo by a proliferative advantage. These data, as well as those from the available literature, suggest the use of at least two patient-specific probes to detect MRD in ALLs. A general strategy including selected Ig/TCR rearrangements and chromosomal abnormalities as PCR targets is proposed.

Adolescent↗

Prospective observations of 100 high-risk neonates by high-field (1.5 Tesla) magnetic resonance imaging of the central nervous system: I. Intraventricular and extracerebral lesions.

The results of observations of the first 100 neonates at the University of Texas Health Science Center (Houston) who received magnetic resonance imaging of the central nervous system by means of a high-field image (1.5 T) are reported. All were assessed prospectively to be at risk neurodevelopmental delay. This first report specifically addresses the appearance of primarily hemorrhagic intracranial lesions, including intraventricular hemorrhage (n = 28), and extracerebral lesions, which include 3 cases of venous sinus thrombosis (n = 20). The signal intensities of hemorrhage underwent a characteristic evolution with time with only minor variations in the study group. Magnetic resonance imaging detected direct evidence of hemorrhage for up to 2 months, but hemosiderin was detected as a late indicator of hemorrhage for up to 9 months. Magnetic resonance imaging was equal in benefit to head ultrasonography and computed tomography for the diagnosis of intraventricular hemorrhage, but magnetic resonance imaging was also able to approximate the time of onset of hemorrhage. Magnetic resonance imaging was superior for the evaluation of extracerebral hemorrhage; ultrasonography failed to detect any of these lesions and computed tomography detected only 3 of 7. Short-term neurological abnormality was assessed, but the ability of magnetic resonance imaging to predict long-term neurodevelopmental delay is unknown and is the subject of an ongoing project.

Cerebral Hemorrhage↗

Theory of networked minority games based on strategy pattern dynamics.

We formulate a theory of agent-based models in which agents compete to be in a winning group. The agents may be part of a network or not, and the winning group may be a minority group or not. An important feature of the present formalism is its focus on the dynamical pattern of strategy rankings, and its careful treatment of the strategy ties which arise during the system's temporal evolution. We apply it to the minority game with connected populations. Expressions for the mean success rate among the agents and for the mean success rate for agents with k neighbors are derived. We also use the theory to estimate the value of connectivity p above which the binary-agent-resource system with high resource levels makes the transition into the high-connectivity state.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

[Cutaneo-mucous manifestations of dengue].

OBJECTIVES: To describe muco-cutaneous manifestations of dengue fever, assessing their incidence and histopathological aspects. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During a dengue 2 epidemic, occurring in Guadeloupe in 1994, all patients admitted with a confirmed diagnostic of dengue fever were assessed for dermatological changes by 2 clinicians; 5 patients underwent skin biopsy with immuno-fluorescence staining. RESULTS: Among 39 adult inpatients (Sex ratio 1.1, medium age 41 years) none presented a severe form of the disease, whereas 18/39 (46 p. 100) had some muco-cutaneous changes, associating rash (13 cases (33 p. 100)), mucous membranes involvement (7 cases (18 p. 100)), or minor haemorrhages (6 cases (15 p. 100)). The rash appeared macular, discrete, itching, troncular with peripheral extension, rather than maculo-papular (morbiliform) as usually described. Apart from cases which minor haemorrhagic changes, significatively associated with marked thrombocytopenia (medium 37 x 10(9)/1), dengue cases either with or without muco-cutaneous changes had similar clinical (duration, severity) or biological (neutro-lympho-thrombocytopenia, transaminases) features, and evolution. Histological changes appeared non specific (minor lymphocytic dermal vasculitis, non contributive immuno-fluorescence). DISCUSSION: Clinical and histological features of the rash are unspecific and inconstant: they do not allow an easy and accurate diagnosis. Complete clinical, epidemiological (very recent travel in endemic areas) or biological data should be collected, and early virological or later serological confirmation is needed. As well as travel facilities are growing, the dengue area is extending: dengue fever should therefore be considered in every traveller with fever and rash.

Adolescent↗

Recipient body surface area as a predictor of posttransplant renal allograft evolution.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to analyze whether minor differences in recipient body surface area have any predictive value on renal allograft evolution. METHODS: For this study, we considered 236 pairs of recipients who received a kidney from the same donor at our center between March 1985 and December 1995. Pairs in whom at least one patient presented any of the following events were excluded: graft loss during the first year of follow-up, diabetes mellitus, noncompliance with treatment, chronic pyelonephritis, and recurrent or de novo glomerulonephritis. Recipients of each pair were classified as large or small according to their body surface area (BSA). The percentage difference of BSA in each pair was calculated, and two cohorts of pairs were defined: BSA difference < or = 10% (n=76 pairs) and BSA difference >10% (n=70 pairs). RESULTS: The large recipients of the cohort with a BSA difference >10% showed a higher incidence of posttransplant delayed graft function (22/70 vs. 12/70, P=0.075), hypertension at 1 year of follow-up (51/70 vs. 35/70, P=0.006), and a higher serum creatinine level at 1-year follow-up (173 vs. 142 micromol/L, P=0.003), whereas in the cohort with a BSA difference < or = 10%, posttransplant evolution in large and small recipients was not different. Multivariate analysis showed that recipient BSA was an independent predictor of delayed graft function, posttransplant hypertension, and serum creatinine at 1-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Relatively small differences in recipient BSA influence renal allograft evolution. Consequently, our data support that recipient size should be taken into consideration for renal allograft allocation.

Adult↗

Evolution of responding CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell repertoires during the development of graft-versus-host disease directed to minor histocompatibility antigens.

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) can be induced in lethally irradiated mice after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation between major histocompatibility complex-matched strains expressing multiple minor histocompatibility antigen differences. In the B6 --> BALB.B irradiation model, both CD4(+) and CD8(+) donor T cells have the capacity to mediate lethal GVHD. Previously, CDR3-size spectratyping was used to analyze these T-cell responses at a single early time point (day 5) after transplantation and revealed clonal or oligoclonal expansions of the V beta 2, 4, and 6 to 14 families for the CD4(+) response and of the V beta 4, 6, 8 to 11, and 14 families for the B6 CD8(+) response. Appropriate positive selection of these T-cell receptor V beta-skewed CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell subsets and their subsequent transfer into lethally irradiated BALB.B recipients resulted in fatal GVHD induction. In contrast, BALB.B mice transplanted with nonskewed V beta CD4(+) T cells survived, with minimal symptoms of GVHD. This study was undertaken to investigate the evolution of the donor/antihost minor histocompatibility antigen T-cell repertoire responses throughout the course of GVHD development. The results indicated that a number of V beta families were consistently involved throughout the course of GVHD, whereas some V beta families exhibited skewed expansions only in either the early or late stages of disease. In addition, sequence analysis of relevant representative skewed CDR3 bands from the CD4(+) V beta 11(+) and the CD8(+) V beta 14(+) families, both of which exhibited strong consistent responses, demonstrated increased use of the J beta 2.5 and J beta 2.4 segments, respectively, thus identifying the T-cell receptor specificities involved.

Animals↗

Toxicity in animals. Trends in evolution?

Animals acquire toxicity either by metabolic synthesis of toxins (secondary metabolites), by expression of toxin genes or by the uptake, storage and sequestration of toxins produced by other organisms, i.e., microbes, plants or other animals. Variability of toxin structure and function is high. Peptide toxins in particular, although relying on a limited number of structural frameworks, often exhibit considerable structural hypervariability. An accelerated rate of evolution in the toxin gene structure (conserved introns, but high substitution rates in the exons) leads to the functional diversity of these peptides or proteins. The selective forces which may drive toxin evolution are unknown. Venomousness or the possession of toxins can be essential for survival, but the advantage of toxin biosynthesis may also be of minor importance or has been lost during evolution.

Animals↗

Modeling comparative mapping using objects and associations.

Spatial information on genome organization is essential for both gene prediction and annotation among species and a better understanding of genomes functioning and evolution. We propose in this article an object-association model to formalize comparative genomic mapping. This model is being implemented in the GeMCore knowledge base, for which some original capabilities are described. GeMCore associated to the GeMME graphical interface for molecular evolution was used to spatially characterize the minor shift phenomenon between human and mouse.

Animals↗

The effect of dose increase of imatinib mesylate in patients with chronic or accelerated phase chronic myelogenous leukemia with inadequate hematologic or cytogenetic response to initial treatment.

PURPOSE: Imatinib mesylate is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor with high affinity for the BCR-ABL fusion protein expressed by the hematopoietic cells in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Some patients with chronic-phase or accelerated-phase CML either relapse after an initial response or are refractory to imatinib, prompting us to evaluate the efficacy of dose increase in such patients. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Twelve chronic-phase patients initially receiving 400 mg/day and 4 patients with accelerated phase initially receiving either 400 mg/day (two patients) or 600 mg/day (two patients) had their dose increased (14 to 800 mg/day and 2 to 600 mg/day) because of progressive disease (usually clonal evolution) or inadequate cytogenetic response after at least 1 year of therapy. RESULTS: Six patients had major cytogenetic responses after dose increase (3 complete and 3 partial). Two others had minor cytogenetic responses. Two patients with clonal evolution transiently lost the additional clonal aberrations. Almost all of the responses occurred within 6 months, and were typically 3-6 months in duration. However, 3 patients have continuing major cytogenetic responses of >18 months duration. Dose increase was well tolerated, with thrombocytopenia, mild leukopenia, and exacerbation of prior edema being the most common adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Although increasing the dose of imatinib can benefit a subgroup of patients with CML with either an inadequate cytogenetic response or disease progression, our results suggest the majority will not have a sustained meaningful response, and that other options, such as allogeneic stem cell transplant or investigational therapies, also need to be considered at the time of dose increase.

Adult↗

Increased mouse minor hemoglobin during erythroid stress: a model for hemoglobin regulation.

In mice with "diffuse" hemoglobin (Hb), the decrease in the proportion of minor Hb during ontogeny qualitatively resembles the decline observed in human Hb F. Since Hb F reappears during some forms of erythroid stress, we investigated the effect of hematopoietic stress on minor Hb in DBA/2 mice. The stresses were acetlyphenylhydrazine-induced hemolysis, phlebotomy, or infection with Friend erythroleukemia virus. Recovery from anemia was associated with a transient increase in the synthesis of minor Hb similar to the reappearance of Hb F in man. Minor Hb synthesis also increased during the evolution of erythroleukemia induced by both the anemic and the polycythemic strains of virus. Thus, the mouse model can be used to study Hb regulation, since changes in the modulation of minor Hb synthesis occur under conditions which are associated with alterations in Hb F synthesis in humans.

Anemia, Hemolytic↗

Biphalangeal and triphalangeal toes in the evolution of the human foot.

The number of phalanges of the human toes was investigated in a series of 2,550 radiographs. Classical triphalangia of the lateral toes (2-5) was observed in 1,440 cases (56.47%). Biphalangeal disposition was observed for the 5th toe in 1,110 cases (41.02%), for the 4th toe in 64 cases (2.51%), for the 3rd toe in 5 cases (0.20%), and for the 2nd toe in 3 cases (0.12%). The frequency of biphalangia of a given toe was not independent of the others. Biphalangeal toes result primarily from the absence of development of the distal interphalangeal joint. Biphalangia of the toes is a derived character which is restricted, within primates, to the human species, in relation to the reduction of the toes in adaptation to bipedalism.

Adult↗

Selective context, rather than persister cycling alone, drives resistance fixation in Escherichia coli.

Whether persister cells contribute to the evolution of antibiotic resistance and, if so, under what selective conditions this occurs, remain unresolved. Here, we examined whether repeated persister cycling itself promotes resistance evolution and how persister-associated minor variants are retained, lost, or fixed under distinct selective contexts. We compared five Escherichia coli cellular states: mutation-induced cells (M), persister-Amp cycling cells (A), persister cycling cells without selection (R), stationary-phase cells (S), and NaCl-stored persisters (P), using state-resolved whole-genome sequencing and phenotypic assays. Persister cycling without selection, stationary-phase cells, and NaCl-stored persisters maintained baseline MICs and showed no detectable high-frequency variant fixation. In contrast, mutation-induced cells fixed efflux-regulatory mutations in marR, acrR, and acrB, increasing MIC to 32&#x2009;&#x3bc;g/mL. Persister-Amp cycling cells showed an intermediate MIC increase to 16&#x2009;&#x3bc;g/mL without detectable quality-filtered genetic fixation, distinguishing this state from mutation-induced resistance. The stfE/stfP prophage background further shaped adaptive routes under mutation-inducing conditions. Exploratory analysis revealed sub-threshold low-frequency variant signals during persister cycling, but lineage tracking showed that these variants were not stage-specifically fixed and were instead stochastically retained or lost. These findings support a model in which persister cycling can reveal low-frequency genetic heterogeneity, but fixed resistance evolution requires selection that promotes variant retention and clonal expansion. Thus, resistance fixation was governed primarily by selective context during regrowth rather than by the persister state itself.

Journal Article↗

Impact constraints on the environment for chemical evolution and the continuity of life.

The Moon and the Earth were bombarded heavily by planetesimals and asteroids that were capable of interfering with chemical evolution and the origin of life. In this paper, we explore the frequency of giant terrestrial impacts able to stop prebiotic chemistry in the probable regions of chemical evolution. The limited time available between impacts disruptive to prebiotic chemistry at the time of the oldest evidence of life suggests the need for a rapid process for chemical evolution of life. The classical hypothesis for the origin of life through the slow accumulation of prebiotic reactants in the primordial soup in the entire ocean may not be consistent with constraints imposed by the impact history of Earth. On the other hand, rapid chemical evolution in cloud systems and lakes or other shallow evaporating water bodies would have been possible because reactants could have been concentrated and polymerized rapidly in this environment. Thus, life probably could have originated near the surface between frequent surface sterilizing impacts. There may not have been continuity of life depending on sunlight because there is evidence that life, existing as early as 3.8 Gyr ago, may have been destroyed by giant impacts. The first such organisms on Earth were probably not the ancestors of present life.

Earth, Planet↗

Duroflo II heparin bonding does not attenuate cytokine release or improve pulmonary function.

BACKGROUND: Comparison of the cytokine generation and leukocyte activation properties of Duroflo II heparin bonded bypass circuit (Baxter Healthcare Corp, Compton, UK) and the conventional cardiopulmonary bypass circuit. Attempt to correlate these to pulmonary dysfunction postoperatively. METHODS: Forty patients undergoing elective, isolated coronary artery bypass grafting were randomly allocated to have either plain extracorporeal circuits (group C) or heparin bonded extracorporeal circuits (group H). Full systemic heparinization was used in all patients. The inflammatory response was assessed by measuring plasma levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interleukin-10, and polymorphonuclear elastase. Gas exchange was assessed by measuring the PaO2/FIO2 ratio. RESULTS: Significant impairment of oxygenation was seen in both groups with the lowest values at the end of the operation before a gradual return to normal during the next 6 hours. There were no differences between the groups in gas exchange or times to extubation. There were significant elevations in all the cytokines, with interleukin-6 levels peaking at 4 hours in group H and 24 hours in group C, before starting to return to normal at 48 hours. The patterns of interleukin-8 and interleukin-10 rise were identical in the two groups. Polymorphonuclear elastase reached a peak at the end of the operation in group H and remained elevated up to 24 hours, whereas levels continued to rise in group C up to 4 hours. There were no significant differences in levels between groups at any time. There were no differences between the groups in blood loss or blood product usage. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiopulmonary bypass induces a systemic inflammatory response with release of cytokines and activation of leukocytes. This correlates with the severe deterioration in pulmonary gas exchange from preoperative levels up to 6 hours postoperatively (p < 0.05). In the presence of systemic heparinization, Duroflo II heparin bondingtf the circuits has minor effects on the pattern of evolution of this inflammatory response.

Adult↗

Occurrence of a novel collagen with three distinct chains in the cranial cartilage of the squid Sepia officinalis: comparison with shark cartilage collagen.

A unique collagen with three distinct chains, was purified from the cranial cartilage of the squid Sepia officinalis, by pepsinisation and salt precipitation and compared with shark cartilage collagen. These chains, which were different from the known cartilage collagen chains, were referred as C1, C2 and C3, had approximate molecular weights of 105 kDa, 115 kDa and 130 kDa, respectively, and were present in a ratio of 3:2:1, suggestive of two molecules of composition, [(C1)2C2] and [C1C2C3]. These collagens were purified by fractionation at acid and neutral pH, and by ammonium sulfate precipitation. Solubility data indicated that this collagen was more crosslinked than the type I collagen isolated from cartilage of shark, Carcharius acutus. In vitro fibrillogenesis revealed that the sepia collagen formed denser aggregates, as compared to shark collagen, and was stabilised by a higher degree of carbohydrate association. Polyclonal antisera raised against shark collagen was also reactive against the sepia collagens, while the converse was not true, indicating the high immunospecificity of the latter. These results demonstrate collagen polymorphism in an invertebrate cartilage and may hold significance in understanding tissue calcification and molecular evolution. Further, these collagens may represent ancestral forms of vertebrate minor collagens like typeV/XI.

Animals↗

Impact melting of frozen oceans on the early Earth: implications for the origin of life.

Without sufficient greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the early Earth would have become a permanently frozen planet because the young Sun was less luminous than it is today. Several resolutions to this faint young Sun-frozen Earth paradox have been proposed, with an atmosphere rich in CO2 being the one generally favored. However, these models assume that there were no mechanisms for melting a once frozen ocean. Here we show that bolide impacts between about 3.6 and 4.0 billion years ago could have episodically melted an ice-covered early ocean. Thaw-freeze cycles associated with bolide impacts could have been important for the initiation of abiotic reactions that gave rise to the first living organisms.

Amino Acids↗

Oxygen isotope variation in stony-iron meteorites.

Asteroidal material, delivered to Earth as meteorites, preserves a record of the earliest stages of planetary formation. High-precision oxygen isotope analyses for the two major groups of stony-iron meteorites (main-group pallasites and mesosiderites) demonstrate that each group is from a distinct asteroidal source. Mesosiderites are isotopically identical to the howardite-eucrite-diogenite clan and, like them, are probably derived from the asteroid 4 Vesta. Main-group pallasites represent intermixed core-mantle material from a single disrupted asteroid and have no known equivalents among the basaltic meteorites. The stony-iron meteorites demonstrate that intense asteroidal deformation accompanied planetary accretion in the early Solar System.

Evolution, Planetary↗