The Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a group of heritable systemic disorders of connective tissue manifesting joint hypermobility, skin extensibility, and tissue fragility. Although the presence of pain has been documented in the various types of the EDS, its natural history, distribution, and management have not been defined. We conducted a structured interview in 51 individuals affected with different types of EDS. Affected individuals reported chronic pain of early onset involving most frequently the shoulders, hands, and knees. Pain was generally refractory to a variety of pharmacologic and physical interventions. Chronic pain is a common manifestation of EDS.

We have developed an automated, highly sensitive and specific method for identifying and enumerating circulating tumour cells (CTCs) in the blood. Blood samples from 10 prostate, 25 colorectal and 4 ovarian cancer patients were analysed. Eleven healthy donors and seven men with elevated serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels but no evidence of malignancy served as controls. Spiking experiments with cancer cell lines were performed to estimate recovery yield. Isolation was performed either by density gradient centrifugation or by filtration, and the CTCs were labelled with monoclonal antibodies against cytokeratins 7/8 and either AUA1 (against EpCam) or anti-PSA. The slides were analysed with the Ikoniscope s robotic fluorescence microscope imaging system. Spiking experiments showed that less than one epithelial cell per millilitre of blood could be detected, and that fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) could identify chromosomal abnormalities in these cells. No positive cells were detected in the 11 healthy control samples. Circulating tumour cells were detected in 23 out of 25 colorectal, 10 out of 10 prostate and 4 out of 4 ovarian cancer patients. Five samples (three colorectal and two ovarian) were analysed by FISH for chromosomes 7 and 8 combined and all had significantly more than four dots per cell. We have demonstrated an Ikoniscope s based relatively simple and rapid procedure for the clear-cut identification of CTCs. The method has considerable promise for screening, early detection of recurrence and evaluation of treatment response for a wide variety of carcinomas.

SUMMARY: Sequences of LSU and SSU ribosomal RNA genes and phylogeny have not been widely investigated for the dinoflagellate Coolia monotis Meunier, and no information is available on the small and large rDNA subunits of Mediterranean strains. A strain isolated from the Thermaikos Gulf in northern Greece was identified as C. monotis-a new record for the Greek algal flora-using thecal morphology by light, epifluorescence and scanning electron microscopy. The small subunit and partial (D1/D2) large subunit sequences were analyzed and compared to other strains of C. monotis and dinoflagellates from various regions. Thecal architecture showed that the Greek strain of C. monotis was phenotypically similar, but not identical, to other strains reported in literature. The partial LSU sequence (700 bp) was found to vary by 113 bp positions (16%) from the C. monotis strain from New Zealand, whereas the SSU (1757 bp) had 15 bp differences (0.85%) from the strain from Norway. Phylogenetic tree construction showed that the Greek strain fell within the Coolia clade and had a close relationship with the families Ostreopsidaceae and Goniodomaceae of the order Gonyaulacales. Preliminary findings suggest the existence of different genotype strains of C. monotis with large intraspecific genetic variability and minimal morphological differentiation (similar phenotypes). Certain ecological and evolutionary implications of these findings are discussed.Keywords: Coolia monotis, Greece, microscopy, rDNA, taxonomy, phylogeny. RESUMEN: MORFOLOGÍA Y FILOGENIA DEL RDNA DE UNA SUBESPECIE MEDITERRÁNEA DE COOLIA MONOTIS (DINOPHYCEAE) DE GRECIA. -Las secuencias de los genes del RNA de las subunidades ribosomales grandes y pequeñas (LSU y SSU, respectivamente) y la filogenia del dinoflagelado Coolia monotis Meunier han sido poco investigadas, y no hay información disponible sobre los genes LSU y SSU de subespecies mediterráneas. Una subespecie aislada del golfo de Thermaikos en el norte de Grecia fue identificada como C. monotis -una nueva aportación a la flora algal griega-por medio de la morfología de la teca observada a través de microscopía óptica, de epifluorescia y electrónica. Las secuencias correspondientes a la subunidad pequeña y a la parte (D1/D2) de la subunidad grande fueron analizadas y comparadas a las de otras subespecies de C. monotis y otras especies de dinoflagelados de diversas regiones. La arquitectura de la teca mostró que la subespecie griega de C. monotis era fenotípicamente similar, pero no idéntica, a otras subespecies registradas en la literatura. Se encontró que la secuencia parcial de la LSU (700 pares de bases o bp) difería de la de C. monotis de Nueva Zelanda en las posiciones de 113 bp (16%), mientras que la SSU (1757 bp) se diferenciaba en 15 bp (0.85%) de la subespecie de Noruega. La construcción del árbol filogenetico demostró que la subespecie griega se situaba dentro de la rama de Coolia y presentaba una relación cercana con las familias Ostreopsidaceae y Goniodomaceae del orden Gonyaulacales. Resultados pre...

There is continuous interest in many countries in maintaining and manipulating the rich ecological value of hypersaline ecosystems for aquaculture. The Megalon Embolon solar saltworks (northern Greece) were studied in sites of increasing salinity of 60-144 ppt to evaluate Dunaliella salina abundance and microalgal composition, in relation to physical and chemical parameters. Cluster and ordination analyses were performed based on the biotic and abiotic data matrices. Using fresh aliquots from 60 and 140 ppt salinity waters, phytoplankton performance was appraised with flask cultures in the laboratory by varying the inorganic PO 4 -P concentration at 23 • C and 30 • C. At the saltworks, among the most abundant microalgae identified were species of the genera Dunaliella, Chlamydomonas, Amphora, Navicula, and Nitzschia. Dunaliella salina populations were predominant comprising 5-22% of the total microalgal assemblages during spring, but only 0.3-1.0% during the summer, when grazing by Artemia parthenogenetica and Fabrea salina was intense. D. salina cell density in April-July was in the range of 0.4-12.5 × 10 6 L −1 with typical densities of 1.5-4.5 × 10 6 L −1 . Overall, microalgal densities were high in salinities of ≥100 ppt when inorganic-P concentrations were ≥0.20 mg L −1 within saltworks waters. Multivariate analysis of species abundance showed that algal growth responses were primarily related to variation in salinity and inorganic-P concentrations, but also to NO 3 -N concentration. In the laboratory, experiments indicated effective fertilization and denser microalgal growth under high inorganic PO 4 -P applications (4.0 and 8.0 mg L −1 ) at 60 ppt salinity and 23 • C. The lower PO 4 -P applications (0.6-2.0 mg L −1 ) were more effective at 60 ppt salinity and 30 • C. At 140 ppt salinity, microalgal growth response was less obvious at any of the corresponding phosphorus concentrations or temperatures. In both salinity experiments, Dunaliella salina bloomed easily and was predominant among the microalgae. Our observations indicate that Dunaliella salina populations and the overall rich microalgal profile of the saltworks, along with their performance in laboratory mono-and mixed cultures hold promise for mass cultivation within the M. Embolon saltworks basins.

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