Measurement of J/psi and psi(2S) polarization in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 1.8 TeV

We have measured the polarization of J/psi and psi(2S) mesons produced in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 1.8 TeV, using data collected at the Collider Detector at Fermilab during 1992-1995. The polarization of promptly produced J/psi [psi(2S)] mesons is isolated from those produced in B-hadron decay, and measured over the kinematic range 4 [5.5]<P(T)<20 GeV/c and |y|<0.6. For P(T) greater than or approximately equal 12 GeV/c we do not observe significant polarization in the prompt component.

[Insulin-like growth factor-I(IGF-I), and its binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) correlated with fetal development]

OBJECTIVE

To study the relations between IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and human fetal growth.

METHODS

The blood samples of maternal serum (MS) and umbilical cord serum (UCS) from 81 cases with singleton term pregnancy including 38 cases of normal pregnancy (NP), 20 cases of gestational diabetic mellitus (GDM), 23 cases of macrosomia of non-diabetic pregnancy (MNDP) were examined for IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels by immunoassay kit from DSL, USA.

RESULTS

IGF-I in MS of NP and MNDP showed a positive correlation with birth weight (BW) (r = 0.653 and r = 0.640 respectively, both P < 0.01). IGF-I of MS in MNDP was higher than that in NP (P < 0.05). IGF-I of MS and UCS in GDM were higher than that in NP (P < 0.05). IGF-I and IGFBP-3 of UCS in these three groups were significantly lower than that of MS (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Detection of IGF-I in MS can assess fetal intra-uterus growth, birth weight and has certain value of predicting macrosomia. IGF-I and IGFBP-3 play important roles for human fetal growth.

[The characteristics diagnosis and treatment of hepatic metastasis of simple immature ovarian teratoma]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the characteristics of hepatic metastasis of pure immature ovarian teratoma and explore proper diagnosis and treatment.

METHODS

A total of 18 cases with hepatic metastasis of pure immature ovarian teratoma were involved in this study. The clinical stage, operation, chemotherapy and histopathology of primary and secondary tumor as well as the data of long term follow-up were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

All of the hepatic metastatic tumor located on the surface of liver, 66.1% (11/18) of them was clinically stage 3 and 44.4% (8/18) was grade 1 at first operation. The hepatic metastatic rate was 16.7% (3/18) in standard adjuvant chemotherapy group but increased obviously to 31.2% (15/48) in irregular chemotherapy group. Auxiliary diagnostic methods could not indicate correct results. The surgical resection rate of hepatic metastasis of pure immature ovarian teratoma was 94.4% (17/18). There was less complication occurred in the group with the diameter of tumor less than 15 cm. The follow-up time ranged from 3-205 months with the mean of 20.9 months. The 3 year survival rate was 77.8% (14/18), lost of follow-up rate was 0.0% (0/18); The 5 year and 10 year survival rate was 55.6% (10/18) and 38.9% (7/18) respectively, lost of follow-up rate was 22.2% (4/18) and 38.9% (7/18) respectively, one of them had survived for more than 17 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The hepatic metastatic rate of pure immature ovarian teratoma could be decreased by using standard adjuvant chemotherapy. Suitable surgical treatment could reduce complication and improve the prognosis of this kind of patients.

[Dental caries in 5-year-old children in Yunnan in 1995]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the deciduous tooth caries experience of 5-year-old children in Yunnan province.

METHODS

Random samples of 5 year-old children from three cities and three counties of Yunnan were surveyed.

RESULTS

The caries incidence of 5-year-old children in Yunnan is 75.75%. The mean dmft is 4.44. The filling rate is only 6.57%.

CONCLUSION

The deciduous tooth caries incidence of 5-year-old children is high in Yunnan. There are two factors to be considered: 1. The dental health care education to the parents and teachers should be enforced. 2. In order to get the earlier diagnosis and treatment, regular examination and prevention method should be conducted.

[Cloning and sequencing of the maize ribosome-inactivating protein gene]

A gene encoding maize Ribosome-inactivating protein was amplified by means of PCR using mRNA of maize leaves as a template, and cloned into pUC19 vector. The amplified DNA sequence has been determined, which consists of 828 bp and encodes 275 amino acid residues. Comparison with previously reported sequence shows 98.4% homologies in nucleotide sequence and 97.4% in amino acid sequence, respectively.

Search for scalar top and scalar bottom quarks in pp collisions at square root s=1.8 TeV

We have searched for direct pair production of scalar top and scalar bottom quarks in 88 pb-1 of pp collisions at sqrt[s]=1.8 TeV with the CDF detector. We looked for events with a pair of heavy flavor jets and missing energy, consistent with scalar top (bottom) quark decays to a charm (bottom) quark and a neutralino. The numbers of events that pass our selections show no significant deviation from standard model expectations. We compare our results to the next-to-leading order scalar quark production cross sections to exclude regions in scalar quark-neutralino mass parameter space.

Search for a W' boson via the decay mode W'-->munumu in 1.8 TeV pp collisions

We report the results of a search for a W' boson produced in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.8 TeV using a 107 pb-1 data sample recorded by the Collider Detector at Fermilab. We consider the decay channel W'-->&munumu and search for anomalous production of high transverse mass munumu lepton pairs. We observe no excess of events above background and set limits on the rate of W' boson production and decay relative to standard model W boson production and decay using a fit of the transverse mass distribution observed. If we assume standard model strength couplings of the W' boson to quark and lepton pairs, we exclude a W' boson with invariant mass less than 660 GeV/c2 at 95% confidence level.

Antigenic cross-reactivity among Porphyromonas gingivalis serotypes

The goal of our research program is to develop a Porphyromonas gingivalis vaccine. Vaccine development requires identification of antigenic components shared by the many clonal types of P. gingivalis. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the extent and nature of antigenic cross-reactivity among serotypes of P. gingivalis and to identify shared antigenic components. Strains selected to represent serotypes A-D were 33277, A7A1-28 W50 and 381, respectively. Using intact cells, antibodies were raised in rabbits. Titers were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using intact cells as antigen, Western blots were prepared and biologic activity was measured as opsonization (chemiluminescence expressed as mV) and enhancement of phagocytosis and killing by polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Extensive cross-reactivity that varied greatly among serotypes was observed by ELISA. The Western blots showed an even greater extent of cross-reactivity, with shared protein components at approximately 140, 130, 37, 32 and 28 kDa and a shared variable molecular mass smear considered to be lipopolysaccharide and other carbohydrate. Additional protein components at 110, 85, 35 and 20 kDa appeared to be shared by some but not all serotypes. In the functional assays, strains 33277 and 381 were equally well opsonized by anti-33277 and anti-381 (500-650 mV) but opsonized to a much lesser extent by anti-A7A1-28 and anti-W50 (roughly 125 mV and 350 mV respectively). A7A1-28 and W50 were opsonized by all four immune sera almost equally but to a much lower extent (roughly 400 mV and 250 mV respectively). Enhancement of phagocytosis and killing in the presence of active complement mirrored opsonization with the exception that 381 was reasonably well opsonized by anti-A7A1-28 (400 mV) and anti-W50 (350 mV), but poorly killed. The protein components at 140, 130, 37 and 28 kDa shared by all of the four serotypes appear to have potential as vaccine candidate antigens.

A long stringent sequence signal for programmed chromosome breakage in Tetrahymena thermophila

Programmed chromosome breakage occurs at 50-200 specific sites in the genome of Tetrahymena thermo-phila during somatic nuclear (macronuclear) differentiation. Previous studies have identified a 15 bp sequence, the Cbs (for chromosome breakage sequence), that is necessary and sufficient to specify these sites. In this study we determined the effects of mutations in the Cbs on its ability to specify the chromosome breakage site and promote new telomere formation in conjugating cells. Twenty-one constructs with single nucleotide substitutions covering all 15 positions of the Cbs were made and tested. Fourteen of them (covering 11 positions) abolished breakage entirely, six (covering six positions, including the remaining four) caused partial loss of breakage function and one showed no detectable effect. This result indicates that the Cbs has an exceptionally long and stringent sequence requirement. It offers no evidence that the Cbs contains a separate domain for promoting new telomere formation. In addition, we found that a partially functional Cbs retained in the macronucleus does not induce chromosome breakage during vegetative growth and that excess copies of this germline-specific sequence in the somatic nucleus have little deleterious effect on cell growth.

In vivo animal studies with gadolinium (III) texaphyrin as a radiation enhancer

PURPOSE

Gadolinium texaphyrin (Gd-Tex, PCI-0120) is an expanded porphyrin that has demonstrated radiation enhancement. In this study, we evaluated the radiation enhancement and biolocalization of Gd-Tex in three animal tumor models.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

EMT6, SMT-F, and MCa tumors were established intramuscularly or subcutaneously. Gd-Tex and other metallotexaphyrins were administered prior to single or multiple fractions of radiation. 14C-labeled Gd-Tex was used for biolocalization studies.

RESULTS

Gd-Tex, in combination with radiation, produced significant tumor growth delay compared to irradiated control groups in both single and multifraction radiation studies. Gd-Tex radiation enhancement was observed only when the drug was given before, but not after irradiation. Several metallotexaphyrins, identical except for the metal ion, were studied in the EMT6 tumor model including gadolinium (Gd), lutetium (Lu), europium (Eu), yttrium (Y), and cadmium (Cd) texaphyrin complexes. Only Gd-Tex produced radiation enhancement. Biodistribution studies using 14C-labeled Gd-Tex demonstrated drug selectivity and retention in tumors growing intramuscularly compared to uninvolved muscle and plasma.

CONCLUSIONS

Gd-Tex produces reproducible radiation enhancement in a variety of in vivo tumor models. This drug's unique radiochemistry, tumor selectivity, and in vivo activity suggests possible mechanisms of action not addressed by in vitro assay methods.

Blocking L-calcium current by l-tetrahydropalmatine in single ventricular myocyte of guinea pigs

AIM

To study the effect of l-tetrahydropalmatine (l-THP) on L-type calcium channel.

METHODS

Patch clamp technique (whole cell recording) was used to record L-Ca2+ current in single cardiac myocyte.

RESULTS

1) l-THP 1, 10, and 100 micromol.L-1 reduced ICa-max from (999 +/- 93) pA to (700 +/- 111) pA, (582 +/- 66) pA, and (420 +/- 112) pA (n = 6, P < 0.01), respectively. 2) l-THP reduced the voltage at half-maximal inactivation (V1/2) of L-Ca2+ channel to more negative potentials by 9 mV (n = 5, P < 0.05). 3) l-THP caused both tonic and use-dependent reduction of Ca2+ current. Tonic block of l-THP on Ca2+ current was 46% +/- 8% (n = 6, P < 0.01). The degree of use dependent blocking was 13.5% +/- 2.4% (n = 6, P < 0.05) at 1 Hz, the degree increased to 44% +/- 5% (n = 6, P < 0.01) at 3 Hz. 4) l-THP delayed half-recovery time of Ca2+ channel recovery from inactivity from (94 +/- 39) ms to (170 +/- 42) ms(n = 6, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

l-THP has a moderate inhibitory effect on L-Ca2+ current.

Relationships between nerves and myofibroblasts during cutaneous wound healing in the developing rat

Contraction of skin excision wounds is affected by age and the presence of peripheral nerves. The present study examined relationships between peripheral innervation, wound contractile cells, and rate of wound closure to determine whether these are altered during development. Full-thickness 4-mm-diameter circular flaps were excised from the interscapular skin of rats on postnatal day (PND) 5, PND 12, or PND 60. Wounds of PND 5 and PND 12 rats contracted 45% between post-wound days (WD) 3 and 5 and more slowly thereafter, with a scar 9-14% of the original wound size by WD 21. In contrast, PND 60 wounds contracted only 22% between WD 3 and 5, and the residual scar at WD 21 was 40% of the original wound size. In younger rats, alpha-smooth muscle actin-immunoreactive myofibroblasts first appeared on WD 2 and attained maximum density at WD 5. Innervation, as assessed by protein gene product 9.5 immunoreactivity, appeared by WD 3 and increased rapidly through WD 7 in younger rats. In PND 60 wounds, myofibroblasts did not appear until WD 5 and did not attain a maximum until day 10. Nerve ingrowth was not significant until WD 10 and was depressed relative to younger rats throughout the healing phase. Wound nerves were predominantly immunoreactive to calcitonin gene-related peptide, and synaptophysin-immunostaining revealed close associations between varicosities and myofibroblasts. These findings suggest that wound myofibroblasts may be a target of peripheral nerves, and delayed wound closure in mature rats is associated with deficiencies in both myofibroblasts and innervation.

Divergence of smooth muscle target and sympathetic pathway cell phenotypes in the orbit of the developing rat

The periorbital sheath serves as a major pathway for sympathetic nerves traveling to distal orbital targets in the rat. This tissue accommodates sympathetic fiber sprouting in the neonate but becomes impassable by postnatal day 30 (PND 30). In contrast, smooth muscle target remains receptive to sympathetic ingrowth. To determine the attributes of receptive and nonreceptive tissues, we compared periorbital pathway and target tissue phenotypes prior to (PND 5 and PND 15) and after (PND 30 and PND 60) the period when pathway receptivity is lost. Both pathway cells and superior tarsal smooth muscle cells expressed alpha-smooth muscle actin and smooth muscle myosin heavy chain throughout development. At PND 5-15, both tissues also expressed vimentin, collagen IV, laminin 1 and laminin beta2, whereas fibronectin was detected only in pathway tissue. At PND 30, vimentin, collagen IV, and fibronectin were absent in tarsal muscle but were robust in pathway tissue. Laminin 1 and laminin beta2 expression was maintained in muscle; however, in pathway cells, laminin 1 declined modestly, and laminin beta2 decreased precipitously to barely detectable levels. Quantitative competitive polymerase chain reaction showed that nerve growth factor mRNA was present in the pathway throughout development at levels that were greater than both surrounding connective tissue and tarsal muscle. We conclude that the loss of pathway receptivity to sympathetic nerve ingrowth is associated with a transition from a phenotype similar to fetal smooth muscle cells to one that is more consistent with myofibroblast-like cells.

Maximal stimulation of meiotic recombination by a yeast transcription factor requires the transcription activation domain and a DNA-binding domain

The DNA sequences located upstream of the yeast HIS4 represent a very strong meiotic recombination hotspot. Although the activity of this hotspot requires the transcription activator Rap1p, the level of HIS4 transcription is not directly related to the level of recombination. We find that the recombination-stimulating activity of Rap1p requires the transcription activation domain of the protein. We show that a hybrid protein with the Gal4p DNA-binding domain and the Rap1p activation domain can stimulate recombination in a strain in which Gal4p-binding sites are inserted upstream of HIS4. In addition, we find recombination hotspot activity associated with the Gal4p DNA-binding sites that is independent of known transcription factors. We suggest that yeast cells have two types of recombination hotspots, alpha (transcription factor dependent) and beta (transcription factor independent).

Effect of recombinant human fibronectin polypeptide CH50 on growth and metastasis of melanoma

AIM

To study the effect of recombinant human fibronectin polypeptide CH50 on murine melanoma growth and metastasis, and its antitumor mechanism.

METHODS

Mouse and melanoma B16 cell tests were used to observe antitumor effect and mechanism of CH50.

RESULTS

CH50 markedly inhibited melanoma growth and experimental lung metastasis. The melanoma weight was reduced from (2.3 +/- 1.2) g of control group to (0.7 +/- 0.8) g of test group (P < 0.05). CH50 at 0.125, 0.25, 0.5 mg/mouse reduced melanoma lung metastatic colonies from 87 +/- 49 of control group to 34 +/- 6, 14 +/- 12, 4 +/- 2, respectively. CH50 adhered to melanoma B16 cells and inhibited adhesion of B16 cells to laminin. CH50 enhanced the cytotoxicity of macrophages to melanoma B16 cells.

CONCLUSION

CH50 inhibited tumor growth and metastasis of murine melanoma. The antitumor effect of CH50 is related to its adhesion ability to melanoma B16 cells and enhancing macrophage cytotoxicity.

An SP1-like 5'-GACCACGCC-3' sequence is critical for activity of the inflammatory phospholipase A2 promoter and binds several non-zinc finger proteins

We have previously shown that the promoter of the type IIa secreted phospholipase A2 gene contains a strong positive regulatory proximal element [-125 to -85] element B. Mutation of this element abolishes the activation of the phospholipase A2 promoter by C/EBPbeta in HepG2 cells. Liver nuclear proteins form three major and two minor complexes with this element. The [-107 to -99] 5'-GACCACGCC-3' sequence is critical for the formation of these complexes and the activity of the promoter. Although the sequence of element B is highly similar to those of Sp1 binding sites, it does not bind Sp1 or other zinc-finger proteins. Each major complex contains a single protein, the molecular masses of these proteins being 100, 90 and 75 kDa. These proteins have the same nucleotide requirements for binding, with the cytosines at positions -102, -100, -99 and the adenosine at -103 being the most important nucleotides. The activity of the phospholipase A2 promoter in HeLa cells was lower than in HepG2 cells, and was correlated with the absence of complex 3 in HeLa cell nuclear extracts. Our results suggest different roles for the proteins bound to the 5'-GACCACGCC-3' sequence. In particular, the 75-kDa protein which forms the third complex is critical for the activity of the promoter of the secretory phospholipase A2 gene.

Comparative study on the inhibitory effect of recombinant FN polypeptide CH50 and CH56 on the metastasis of melanoma cells

On the basis of preparation of anti-metastatic recombinant FN polypeptides, CH50 and CH56, we further studied the function of these polypeptides. The capacity of CH50 binding with melanoma cells (ED50 30 mM) was higher than that of CH56 (ED50 45 mM). Both of the polypeptides could significantly suppress the binding of melanoma B16 cells to laminin. There was no significant difference in the inhibitory effect between two polypeptides. In the experimental metastasis of melanoma cells, both of CH50 and CH56 could significantly inhibit the metastasis of the tumor cells, and reduce the number of lung metastasis by about 80%. Our results suggest that III-11 and ED-A repeats influenced, to some extent, the binding capacity of bifunctional-domain polypeptide to cells, but did not affect the inhibition of the polypeptide on the metastasis of melanoma cells. The presence and connection of cell I and Hep II domains are the elements which determine the ability of recombinant FN polypeptides to inhibit the metastasis of tumor cells.

Cellular terrain surrounding sympathetic nerve pathways in the rat orbit: comparisons of orbital connective tissue and smooth muscle cell phenotypes

Sympathetic axons are abundant within some orbital tissues but are absent from others. This study investigated cellular phenotypes of tissues containing sympathetic nerves en passage and compared these with phenotypes in regions devoid of sympathetic nerves and with smooth muscle targets. Two primary orbital smooth muscle targets, the tarsal muscle and orbital muscle, contained many synaptophysin-immunoreactive nerves. Target cells had ultrastructural features typical of smooth muscle and were immunoreactive for alpha-smooth muscle actin, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain, desmin, vinculin, and laminin, but not non-muscle myosin, vimentin, fibronectin, or type IV collagen; nerve growth factor (NGF) mRNA was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Periorbital sheath devoid of sympathetic nerves contained elongated fibroblasts that were immunoreactive for vimentin, non-muscle myosin, and fibronectin, but not for alpha-smooth muscle actin, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain, vinculin, desmin, laminin, or type IV collagen, and did not express NGF mRNA. Regions of periorbital sheath containing sympathetic nerves had few synaptophysin-immunoreactive varicosities. Cells in this region contained myofilaments, ribosomes, and rough endoplasmic reticulum and were larger than tarsal muscle cells. They expressed NGF mRNA and showed a unique immunophenotype, reacting for vimentin, alpha-smooth muscle actin and myosin heavy chain, desmin, vinculin, laminin, and type IV collagen. This phenotype reflects both fibroblast and smooth muscle features similar to myofibroblasts or transdifferentiated smooth muscle described in other tissues. The spatial association between these cells and sympathetic nerves suggests that they may be involved in axon guidance or maintenance.