Gene expression relationship between prostate cancer cells of Gleason 3, 4 and normal epithelial cells as revealed by cell type-specific transcriptomes

Background: Prostate cancer cells in primary tumors have been typed CD10(-)/CD13(-)/CD24(hi)/CD26(+)/CD38(lo)/CD44(-)/CD104(-). This CD phenotype suggests a lineage relationship between cancer cells and luminal cells. The Gleason grade of tumors is a descriptive of tumor glandular differentiation. Higher Gleason scores are associated with treatment failure. Methods: CD26(+) cancer cells were isolated from Gleason 3+3 (G3) and Gleason 4+4 (G4) tumors by cell sorting, and their gene expression or transcriptome was determined by Affymetrix DNA array analysis. Dataset analysis was used to determine gene expression similarities and differences between G3 and G4 as well as to prostate cancer cell lines and histologically normal prostate luminal cells. Results: The G3 and G4 transcriptomes were compared to those of prostatic cell types of non-cancer, which included luminal, basal, stromal fibromuscular, and endothelial. A principal components analysis of the various transcriptome datasets indicated a closer relationship between luminal and G3 than luminal and G4. Dataset comparison also showed that the cancer transcriptomes differed substantially from those of prostate cancer cell lines. Conclusions: Genes differentially expressed in cancer are potential biomarkers for cancer detection, and those differentially expressed between G3 and G4 are potential biomarkers for disease stratification given that G4 cancer is associated with poor outcomes. Differentially expressed genes likely contribute to the prostate cancer phenotype and constitute the signatures of these particular cancer cell types.

Gene expression down-regulation in CD90(+) prostate tumor-associated stromal cells involves potential organ-specific genes

Background: The prostate stroma is a key mediator of epithelial differentiation and development, and potentially plays a role in the initiation and progression of prostate cancer. The tumor-associated stroma is marked by increased expression of CD90/THYI. Isolation and characterization of these stromal cells could provide valuable insight into the biology of the tumor microenvironment. Methods: Prostate CD90(+) stromal fibromuscular cells from tumor specimens were isolated by cell-sorting and analyzed by DNA microarray. Dataset analysis was used to compare gene expression between histologically normal and tumor-associated stromal cells. For comparison, stromal cells were also isolated and analyzed from the urinary bladder. Results: The tumor-associated stromal cells were found to have decreased expression of genes involved in smooth muscle differentiation, and those detected in prostate but not bladder. Other differential expression between the stromal cell types included that of the CXC-chemokine genes. Conclusion: CD90(+) prostate tumor-associated stromal cells differed from their normal counterpart in expression of multiple genes, some of which are potentially involved in organ development.

A Brief History of the Research and Its Ideas

This article is an introduction to the special issue of Sexuality Research & Social Policy, where we share some of the research of our project, ""Relations among 'race,' sexuality and gender in different local and national contexts."" The goal of this project was to develop broad comparative research on race, sexuality, and gender in Brazil, South Africa, and the USA. New signs of identity and contestation were noted during our research. Given the numerous and important changes which are currently in progress in these interlinked fields, we identified important connections between transformations in the symbolic order and social gains, which cannot necessarily be converted into more widespread decreases in social inequality or which can break apart forms of hierarchization and exclusion. The results of our studies in South Africa and Brazil are the focus of this special issue, given that these two contexts are less well known by the American public.

Transforming Youth Identities: Interactions Across ""Races/Colors/Ethnicities,"" Gender, Class, and Sexualities in Johannesburg, South Africa

In South Africa, and especially in Johannesburg, apartheid's ""racial"" paradigms are being transformed. Fifteen years after the end of apartheid and the elimination of all forms of inequity based on notion of ""race,"" including the abolition of the Immorality Act of 1949 that prohibited mixed marriages, the discourses of youth challenge preestablished boundaries. Today, the South African Constitution gives people the right to proclaim their sexual orientation and to shape their own identities. Through ethnographic observations carried out in Johannesburg and in-depth interviews with young people, this paper explores transforming notions of identity based on ""race/color/ethnicity,"" gender, class, and sexuality. The dynamics and challenges faced by young people with regards to mixed interactions in post-apartheid Johannesburg are analyzed and the paper looks at how "" race,"" gender, and sexuality interact in the various spaces in Johannesburg and how they affect young people's lives, particularly their perceptions of risk, violence, and HIV/AIDS vulnerability.

Cross-national epidemiology of DSM-IV major depressive episode

Background: Major depression is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, yet epidemiologic data are not available for many countries, particularly low- to middle-income countries. In this paper, we present data on the prevalence, impairment and demographic correlates of depression from 18 high and low-to middle-income countries in the World Mental Health Survey Initiative. Methods: Major depressive episodes (MDE) as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DMS-IV) were evaluated in face-to-face interviews using the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Data from 18 countries were analyzed in this report (n = 89,037). All countries surveyed representative, population-based samples of adults. Results: The average lifetime and 12-month prevalence estimates of DSM-IV MDE were 14.6% and 5.5% in the ten high-income and 11.1% and 5.9% in the eight low- to middle-income countries. The average age of onset ascertained retrospectively was 25.7 in the high-income and 24.0 in low- to middle-income countries. Functional impairment was associated with recency of MDE. The female: male ratio was about 2: 1. In high-income countries, younger age was associated with higher 12-month prevalence; by contrast, in several low-to middle-income countries, older age was associated with greater likelihood of MDE. The strongest demographic correlate in high-income countries was being separated from a partner, and in low- to middle-income countries, was being divorced or widowed. Conclusions: MDE is a significant public-health concern across all regions of the world and is strongly linked to social conditions. Future research is needed to investigate the combination of demographic risk factors that are most strongly associated with MDE in the specific countries included in the WMH.

Non-Detection of Human Herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) DNA in HHV-8-Seropositive Blood Donors from Three Brazilian Regions

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), also known as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), is the etiologic agent of all forms of Kaposi's sarcoma, primary effusion lymphoma and the plasmablastic cell variant of multicentric Castleman disease. In endemic areas of sub-Saharan Africa, blood transfusions have been associated with a substantial risk of HHV-8 transmission. By contrast, several studies among healthy blood donors from North America have failed to detect HHV-8 DNA in samples of seropositive individuals. In this study, using a real-time PCR assay, we investigated the presence of HHV-8 DNA in whole-blood samples of 803 HHV-8 blood donors from three Brazilian states (Sao Paulo, Amazon, Bahia) who tested positive for HHV-8 antibodies, in a previous multicenter study. HHV-8 DNA was not detected in any sample. Our findings do not support the introduction of routine HHV-8 screening among healthy blood donors in Brazil. (WC = 140).

Seroprevalence of Kaposi Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus and Other Serologic Markers in the Brazilian Amazon

To determine the presence of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and other serologic markers, we tested serum specimens of 339 Amerindians, 181 rural non-Amerindians, and 1,133 urban blood donors (13 Amerindians) in the Brazilian Amazon. High KSHV seroprevalence in children and inverse association with herpes simplex virus type 2 indicates predominant nonsexual transmission among Amerindians.

Effects of perinatal protein deprivation and recovery on esophageal myenteric plexus

AIM: To evaluate effects of pre- and postnatal protein deprivation and postnatal recovery on the myenteric plexus of the rat esophagus. METHODS: Three groups of young Wistar rats (aged 42 d) were studied: normal-fed (N42), protein-deprived (D42), and protein-recovered (R42). The myenteric neurons of their esophagi were evaluated by histochemical reactions for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), nitrergic neurons (NADPH)-diaphorase and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), immunohistochemical reaction for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), and ultrastructural analysis by transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: The cytoplasms of large and medium neurons from the N42 and R42 groups were intensely reactive for NADH. Only a few large neurons from the D42 group exhibited this aspect. NADPH detected in the D42 group exhibited low reactivity. The AChE reactivity was diffuse in neurons from the D42 and R42 groups. The density of large and small varicosities detected by immunohistochemical staining of VIP was low in ganglia from the D42 group. In many neurons from the D42 group, the double membrane of the nuclear envelope and the perinuclear cisterna were not detectable. NADH and NADPH histochemistry revealed no group differences in the profile of nerve cell perikarya (ranging from 200 to 400 mu m(2)). CONCLUSION: Protein deprivation causes a delay in neuronal maturation but postnatal recovery can almost completely restore the normal morphology of myenteric neurons. (C) 2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved.

Hyperfine interactions in silicon quantum dots

A fundamental interaction for electrons is their hyperfine interaction (HFI) with nuclear spins. HFI is well characterized in free atoms and molecules, and is crucial for purposes from chemical identification of atoms to trapped ion quantum computing. However, electron wave functions near atomic sites, therefore HFI, are often not accurately known in solids. Here we perform an all-electron calculation for conduction electrons in silicon and obtain reliable information on HFI. We verify the outstanding quantum spin coherence in Si, which is critical for fault-tolerant solid state quantum computing.

Manipulation of quantum state transfer in cold Rydberg atom collisions

We investigate the role of the dc Stark effect in multilevel pairwise interactions between cold Rydberg atoms. We have observed the decay of nD + nD quasi-molecules by detecting the products in the (n + 2) P state after pulsed excitation for 29 <= n <= 41. The decay rate can be manipulated with a dc electric field and requires a consideration of the multilevel nature of the process to explain the observations. The time dependence of the (n + 2) P signal is found to support a time-dependent picture of the dynamics.

Electric Field Effects in the Excitation of Cold Rydberg-Atom Pairs

In this work, we study the role of the ac Stark effects on the excitation of nS(1/2) cold Rydberg atoms produced in a rubidium magneto-optical trap. We have observed an atomic population in the nP(3/2) state after excitation of nS(1/2) for 29 <= n <= 37. Such an observation is normally attributed to binary collisions; however, the interaction between Rb nS(1/2) atoms is repulsive. To explain our results, the dipole-dipole interaction and ac Stark shifts from the excitation laser must be considered. We find that the Rydberg-atom-pair state asymptotically correlating to nP(3/2)+(n-1)P(3/2) is excited directly.

Increasing trends of sleep complaints in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of sleep habits and complaints and to estimate the secular trends through three population-based surveys carried out in 1987, 1995, and 2007 in the general adult population of the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Methods: Surveys were performed using the same three-stage cluster-sampling technique in three consecutive decades to obtain representative samples of the inhabitants of Sao Paulo with respect to gender, age (20-80 years), and socio-economic status. Sample sizes were 1000 volunteers in 1987 and 1995 surveys and 1101 in a 2007 survey. In each survey, the UNIFESP Sleep Questionnaire was administered face-to-face in each household selected. Results: For 1987, 1995, and 2007, respectively, difficulty initiating sleep (weighted frequency %; 95% CI) [(13.9; 11.9-16.2), (19.15; 16.8-21.6), and (25.0; 22.5-27.8)], difficulty maintaining sleep [(15.8; 13.7-18.2), (27.6; 24.9-30.4), and (36.5; 33.5-39.5)], and early morning awakening [(10.6; 8.8-12.7), (14.2; 12.2-16.5), and (26.7; 24-29.6)] increased in the general population over time, mostly in women. Habitual snoring was the most commonly reported complaint across decades and was more prevalent in men. There was no statistically significant difference in snoring complaints between 1987 (21.5; 19.1-24.2) and 1995 (19.0; 16.7-21.6), but a significant increase was noted in 2007 (41.7; 38.6-44.8). Nightmares, bruxism, leg cramps, and somnambulism complaints were significantly higher in 2007 compared to 1987 and 1995. All were more frequent in women. Conclusions: This is the first study comparing sleep complaints in probabilistic population-based samples from the same metropolitan area, using the same methodology across three consecutive decades. Clear trends of increasing sleep complaints were observed, which increased faster between 1995 and 2007 than from 1987 to 1995. These secular trends should be considered a relevant public health issue and support the need for development of health care and educational strategies to supply the population`s increased need for information on sleep disorders and their consequences. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Controlling the luminescence properties of poly(p-phenylene vinylene) entrapped in Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett films of stearic acid

Properties of hybrid films can be enhanced if their molecular architecture is controlled. In this paper, poly (p-phenylene vinylene) was mixed with stearic acid in order to form stable hybrid Langmuir monolayers. Surface properties of these films were investigated with measurements of surface pressure, and also with polarization modulation infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS). The films were transferred from the air-water interface to solid supports through the Langmuir-Blodgett technique, and the viability of the film as optical device was investigated with fluorescence spectroscopy. Comparing the fluorescent spectra for the polymer in solution, as a casting film, and as an LB film, the emission bands for LB films were narrower and appeared at lower wavelengths. The interactions between the film components and the design for the LB film may take advantage of the method to immobilize luminescent polymers in mixed ultrathin films adsorbed in solid matrices. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antioxidant enzyme activity in Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans LR maintained in contact with chalcopyrite

The total protein content and activity of the enzymes glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) were evaluated in Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans LR cells maintained in contact with the metal sulfide chalcopyrite for 1 and 10 days. A significant decrease in total protein content was observed in cells maintained for 10 days in the presence of chalcopyrite, suggesting proteolytic breakdown clue to exposure to the metal sulfide. Following 10 clays of contact with chalcopyrite, increases in GR, SOD and TrxR activities were detected, suggesting the formation of reactive oxygen species. After ten clays, there was a fivefold increase in GR activity, of which, isoenzyme IV represented approximately 82% of the total. An increase in Fe-SOD activity following ten days exposure to chalcopyrite was also determined, as measured on non-denaturing polyacrylamide gels. Also, after 10 days. an approximately 31-fold increase was observed for TrxR activity. The presence of oxidative stress when A. ferrooxidans is in the presence of chalcopyrite could have a negative impact on bioleaching. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isolation of micropropagated strawberry endophytic bacteria and assessment of their potential for plant growth promotion

Twenty endophytic bacteria were isolated from the meristematic tissues of three varieties of strawberry cultivated in vitro, and further identified, by FAME profile, into the genera Bacillus and Sphingopyxis. The strains were also characterized according to indole acetic acid production, phosphate solubilization and potential for plant growth promotion. Results showed that 15 strains produced high levels of IAA and all 20 showed potential for solubilizing inorganic phosphate. Plant growth promotion evaluated under greenhouse conditions revealed the ability of the strains to enhance the root number, length and dry weight and also the leaf number, petiole length and dry weight of the aerial portion. Seven Bacillus spp. strains promoted root development and one strain of Sphingopyxis sp. promoted the development of plant shoots. The plant growth promotion showed to be correlated to IAA production and phosphate solubilization. The data also suggested that bacterial effects could potentially be harnessed to promote plant growth during seedling acclimatization in strawberry.