The clinical significance of cysteine dioxygenase type 1 methylation in Barrett esophagus adenocarcinoma

Methylation of cysteine dioxygenase type 1 (CDO1) gene, a tumor suppressor gene, has been studied in various cancers; however, there is no information regarding Barrett esophagus cancer. In this study, the clinical significance of CDO1 methylation in Barrett esophagus adenocarcinoma (BEA) was clarified. CDO1 gene promoter methylation was analyzed for DNA from the patient's specimens using quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. Thirty-eight BEA patients who underwent resection were identified between 2000 and 2014. Hypermethylation of CDO1 gene was demonstrated to be frequently recognized even at early stage in BEA by quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. In BEA, there is a robust prognostic difference between stage I and stage II/III/IV with regard to 5-year relapse-free survival (P = 0.0016) and 5-year overall survival (P = 0.0024), and the tumor size separated by 7 cm was also a prognostic factor. There was significant difference in CDO1 gene methylation according to the tumor size (P = 0.036). BEA patients with CDO1 gene methylation were shown marginally significantly poorer prognosis (P = 0.054) than otherwise patients. In conclusion, higher CDO1 gene methylation was seen in BEA at earlier stage than in squamous cell carcinoma, and it may account for aggressive phenotype of BEA.

The novel BMI-1 inhibitor PTC596 downregulates MCL-1 and induces p53-independent mitochondrial apoptosis in acute myeloid leukemia progenitor cells

Disease recurrence is the major problem in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Relapse is driven by leukemia stem cells, a chemoresistant subpopulation capable of re-establishing disease. Patients with p53 mutant AML are at an extremely high risk of relapse. B-cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1 (BMI-1) is required for the self-renewal and maintenance of AML stem cells. Here we studied the effects of a novel small molecule inhibitor of BMI-1, PTC596, in AML cells. Treatment with PTC596 reduced MCL-1 expression and triggered several molecular events consistent with induction of mitochondrial apoptosis: loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, BAX conformational change, caspase-3 cleavage and phosphatidylserine externalization. PTC596 induced apoptosis in a p53-independent manner. PTC596 induced apoptosis along with the reduction of MCL-1 and phosphorylated AKT in patient-derived CD34⁺CD38^low/− stem/progenitor cells. Mouse xenograft models demonstrated in vivo anti-leukemia activity of PTC596, which inhibited leukemia cell growth in vivo while sparing normal hematopoietic cells. Our results indicate that PTC596 deserves further evaluation in clinical trials for refractory or relapsed AML patients, especially for those with unfavorable complex karyotype or therapy-related AML that are frequently associated with p53 mutations.

Analysis of serum corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme in dogs with hepatobiliary diseases

OBJECTIVE

To reveal the relationship between canine corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme activity and hepatobiliary diseases.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective analysis of the relationship between serum corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase activity and diagnosis, serum cortisol concentration and alanine transferase activity in dogs with hepatobiliary diseases. Dogs with a history of glucocorticoid administration were excluded.

RESULTS

Seventy-two dogs with hepatobiliary diseases were analysed. The serum corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase concentration was increased in dogs with hepatobiliary diseases. There was no correlation between serum cortisol concentration and serum corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase percentage or activity.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Dogs with hepatobiliary disease can exhibit high serum alkaline phosphatase activity even if the dogs have not been administrated glucocorticoids and the serum cortisol concentration is normal.

Austenite grain growth simulation considering the solute-drag effect and pinning effect

The pinning effect is useful for restraining austenite grain growth in low alloy steel and improving heat affected zone toughness in welded joints. We propose a new calculation model for predicting austenite grain growth behavior. The model is mainly comprised of two theories: the solute-drag effect and the pinning effect of TiN precipitates. The calculation of the solute-drag effect is based on the hypothesis that the width of each austenite grain boundary is constant and that the element content maintains equilibrium segregation at the austenite grain boundaries. We used Hillert's law under the assumption that the austenite grain boundary phase is a liquid so that we could estimate the equilibrium solute concentration at the austenite grain boundaries. The equilibrium solute concentration was calculated using the Thermo-Calc software. Pinning effect was estimated by Nishizawa's equation. The calculated austenite grain growth at 1473-1673 K showed excellent correspondence with the experimental results.

Comparison of Survival Times for Dogs with Pituitary-Dependent Hyperadrenocorticism in a Primary-Care Hospital: Treated with Trilostane versus Untreated

Background

Although pituitary‐dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH) is one of the most common endocrinopathies in dogs, the effects of withholding treatment on survival time in dogs with PDH remain unclear.

Hypothesis/Objectives

The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of treatment in dogs with PDH by comparing survival times between dogs treated with trilostane and untreated dogs.

Animals

Forty‐three dogs diagnosed with PDH at a primary‐care hospital in Japan between June 2009 and January 2014.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study. The medical records of dogs with PDH treated with trilostane (n = 17) or left untreated (n = 26) were reviewed retrospectively. Survival analysis at 2 years after diagnosis of PDH was performed.

Results

Median survival time for the trilostane group was not reached (95% confidence interval [CI], 443 days–not applicable) and was significantly longer than the 506 days (95% CI, 292–564 days; P = .016) for the untreated group. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis (including age at diagnosis, basal cortisol concentration at diagnosis, and treatment group) only identified assignment to the untreated group (hazard ratio, 5.01; 95% CI, 1.63–15.44) as associated with increased mortality.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

The results of this retrospective cohort study suggest that withholding treatment for dogs with PDH might be associated with a higher risk of death. This represents the largest study to date to report survival times of untreated dogs with PDH.

A unified theory of bone healing and nonunion

This article presents a unified clinical theory that links established facts about the physiology of bone and homeostasis, with those involved in the healing of fractures and the development of nonunion. The key to this theory is the concept that the tissue that forms in and around a fracture should be considered a specific functional entity. This ‘bone-healing unit’ produces a physiological response to its biological and mechanical environment, which leads to the normal healing of bone. This tissue responds to mechanical forces and functions according to Wolff’s law, Perren’s strain theory and Frost’s concept of the “mechanostat”. In response to the local mechanical environment, the bone-healing unit normally changes with time, producing different tissues that can tolerate various levels of strain. The normal result is the formation of bone that bridges the fracture – healing by callus. Nonunion occurs when the bone-healing unit fails either due to mechanical or biological problems or a combination of both. In clinical practice, the majority of nonunions are due to mechanical problems with instability, resulting in too much strain at the fracture site. In most nonunions, there is an intact bone-healing unit. We suggest that this maintains its biological potential to heal, but fails to function due to the mechanical conditions. The theory predicts the healing pattern of multifragmentary fractures and the observed morphological characteristics of different nonunions. It suggests that the majority of nonunions will heal if the correct mechanical environment is produced by surgery, without the need for biological adjuncts such as autologous bone graft.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:884–91.

Transplantation of Restored Kidneys From Unrelated Donors After Resection of Renal Cell Carcinoma: Results From 10 Patients

PURPOSE

To relieve the chronic shortage of donor kidneys, we conducted a prospective kidney transplantation trial using kidneys removed from 10 unrelated patients (51 to 79 years of age) who had undergone nephrectomy for small renal cell carcinoma (1.5 to 3.9 cm) of low-to-moderate complexity based on RENAL (radius, exophytic/endophytic properties, nearness of tumor to the collecting system or sinus in millimeters, anterior/posterior location relative to polar lines) nephrometry (objective description helpful for operative indication and planning).

METHODS

Donors were selected from among 15 patients who opted to undergo nephrectomy for small renal cell carcinoma. A total of 76 dialysis patients 34 to 85 years of age who agreed to undergo restored kidney transplantation were recruited as transplant candidates.

RESULTS

In stage 1 (5 cases), high-risk patients were selected without human leukocyte antigen testing, and accelerated acute rejection occurred in 4 of 5 recipients. This trial was subsequently extended with human leukocyte antigen testing, and an additional 5 patients were enrolled in stage 2. Eight recipients, including 4 recipients with a history of renal transplantation, experienced rejection; 1 patient resumed dialysis 35 months after transplantation. The most recent serum creatinine levels ranged from 1.10 to 3.19 mg/dL in the 9 recipients with functioning grafts and from 0.84 to 4.68 mg/dL in the 10 donors. No tumor recurrence was noted at 32 to 58 months after surgery in either the recipients or the donors.

CONCLUSIONS

Restored kidney transplantation using kidneys with a small renal tumor seems suitable for carefully selected high-risk recipients and, in particular, elderly kidneys can also function well. Avoiding cancer transmission, fair recipient selection, close follow-up, and a well-organized tracking system warrant further study.

Prognostic value of tropomyosin-related kinases A, B, and C in gastric cancer

PURPOSE

Tropomyosin-related kinase (Trk) receptors play critical roles in tumor development and are considered attractive targets for cancer therapy. We investigated correlations of the expression of TrkA, TrkB, and TrkC with clinicopathological features and outcomes in gastric cancer.

METHODS

Tumor samples were obtained from 221 patients with gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy between 2003 and 2007. The expression of TrkA, TrkB, and TrkC was analyzed using immunohistochemical staining. The relationship of their expression to clinicopathological factors and outcomes was assessed.

RESULTS

High expression of TrkA, TrkB, or TrkC was significantly associated with histopathology (p = 0.022, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001). High expression of TrkA was significantly correlated with variables related to tumor progression, including lymph node metastasis (p = 0.024) and distant metastasis or recurrence (p < 0.001). Distant metastasis or recurrence was found in a significantly higher proportion of patients with high expression of TrkC than in those with low expression (p = 0.036). High expression of TrkA was significantly associated with poorer relapse-free survival (RFS) in univariate analysis (p = 0.001). High expression of TrkA or TrkC was significantly associated with poorer disease-specific survival (DSS) in univariate analysis (p < 0.001 and p = 0.008). In multivariate analysis, TrkA was an independent predictor of RFS [hazard ratio (HR), 2.294; 95 % confidence interval (CI), 1.309-4.032; p = 0.004] and DSS (HR, 2.146; 95 % CI, 1.195-3.861; p = 0.011). Expression of TrkB was not associated with RFS or DSS in univariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrated that TrkA expression was associated with tumor progression and poor survival, and was an independent predictor of poor outcomes in gastric cancer patients.

Crystallization of high-quality protein crystals using an external electric field

The effect of a 20 kHz external electric field on the quality of tetragonal hen egg white (HEW) lysozyme crystals was investigated using X-ray diffraction rocking-curve measurements. The full width at half-maximum was found to be larger for high-order reflections but smaller for low-order reflections. In particular, it was revealed that a large amount of local strain is accumulated in tetragonal HEW lysozyme crystals grown under an applied field at 20 kHz. Comparison with previous results obtained for crystals grown with an applied field at 1 MHz [Koizumi, Uda, Fujiwara, Tachibana, Kojima & Nozawa (2013).J. Appl. Cryst.46, 25–29] indicated that improvement of the protein crystal quality could be achieved by selection of an appropriate frequency for the applied electric field, which has a significant effect on the growth of the solid.

Biomechanical evaluation of interfragmentary compression at tibia plateau fractures in vitro using different fixation techniques: a CONSORT-compliant article

Reliable osteosynthesis of intraarticular fractures depends on lasting interfragmentary compression. Its amount differs in the applied fixation method. The interfragmentary compression of cancellous and cortical lag screws and angle stable locking plates was quantified in an osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic synthetic human bone model.A split fracture of the lateral tibia plateau (AO/OTA type 41-B1.1) was mimicked by an osteotomy in right adult synthetic human tibiae with hard or soft cancellous bone. Specimens were fixed with either two 6.5 mm cancellous, four 3.5 mm cortical lag screws, or 3.5 mm LCP proximal lateral tibia plate preliminary compresed by a reduction clamp (n = 5 per group). A pressure sensor film was used to register the interfragmentary compression. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Bonferroni post hoc correction was performed for statistical analysis (p < 0.05).Interfragmentary compression under reduction clamp was 0.59 ± 0.12 MPa in the non-osteoporotic and 0.55 ± 0.14 MPa in the osteoporotic group. The locking plate itself maintained the compression in non-osteoporotic (0.53 ± 0.11 MPa) and osteoporotic bone (0.50 ± 0.14 MPa). Four 3.5 mm cortical lag screws provided a compression of 1.69 ± 0.65 MPa in non-osteoporotic bone, being not significantly different to the osteoporotic bone group (1.43 ± 0.47 MPa, P = 1.0). Two 6.5 mm cancellous lag screws showed a significantly higher compression in non-osteoporotic (2.1 ± 0.59 MPa) compared to osteoporotic (0.77 ± 0.21 MPa, P < 0.01) bone.Angle stable locking plates maintained the compression preliminarily applied by a reduction clamp. Two 6.5 mm cancellous lag screws are especially suited for non-osteoporotic bone, whereas four 3.5 mm cortical screws exhibited comparable compression in both bone qualities.

Thy28 protects against anti-CD3-mediated thymic cell death in vivo

Apoptotic cell death plays a pivotal role in the development and/or maintenance of several tissues including thymus. Deregulated thymic cell death is associated with autoimmune diseases including experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a prototype murine model for analysis of human multiple sclerosis. Because Thy28 expression is modulated during thymocyte development, we tested whether Thy28 affects induction of EAE as effectively as antigen-induced thymocyte deletion using Thy28 transgenic (TG) mice. Thy28 TG mice showed partial resistance to anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb)-induced thymic cell death in vivo, as assessed by annexin V-expression and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. The resistance to anti-CD3 mAb-induced cell death in Thy28 TG mice appeared to correlate with a decreased c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation and reduced down-regulation of Bcl-xL. Moreover, thymic hyperplasia was detected in Thy28 TG mice, although thymocyte development was unaltered. Development of peripheral lymphoid tissues including spleen and lymph nodes was also unaltered. Thy28 TG spleen T cells showed an increased production of IFN-γ, but not IL-17, in response to both anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 mAbs. Finally, Thy28 TG mice displayed accelerated induction of EAE as assessed by disease incidence, clinical score, and pathology following immunization with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein compared with control WT mice. These findings suggest that modulation of Thy28 expression plays a crucial role in the determination of thymic cell fate, which may contribute to the development of EAE through proinflammatory cytokine production.

Patterns, timing and risk factors of recurrence of gastric cancer after laparoscopic gastrectomy: reliable results following long-term follow-up

BACKGROUND

To clarify the patterns, timing and risk factors of recurrence of gastric cancer after laparoscopic gastrectomy.

METHODS

From January 1999 to March 2012, 577 patients underwent laparoscopic or laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy for curative resection of gastric cancer. Recurrence patterns were classified as locoregional, hematogenous, peritoneal, distant lymph node and mixed. Recurrence patterns and time to recurrence were retrospectively examined and risk factors for recurrence were analyzed.

RESULTS

Recurrence occurred in 28 (4.9%) cases with patterns as follows: locoregional in 2 patients (7.1%), hematogenous in seven (25.0%), peritoneal in nine (32.1%), distant lymph node in four (14.3%), and mixed in 6 (21.4%). There was no recurrence pattern peculiar to laparoscopic surgery. Recurrence occurred at one site in 21 patients (78.6%), two in 4 patients (14.3%), and three in 2 patients (7.1%). The median time to recurrence was 384 days (range 83-1497 days). Recurrence was detected within a year in 13 cases (46.4%), within two years in 21 (75%), and within three years in 25 (89.3%). Univariate analysis revealed tumor location, tumor size, type of operation, tumor depth, and lymph node classification as risk factors for recurrence. Multivariate analysis indicated tumor depth and lymph node classification as risk factors of recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

Patterns, timing and risk factors of recurrence of gastric cancer after laparoscopic gastrectomy are similar to those after open gastrectomy, with no peculiarities specific to laparoscopic gastrectomy. Thus, as long as laparoscopic gastrectomy is performed according to the present inclusion criteria, follow-up can be similarly performed as for open gastrectomy.

Model evaluation of faecal contamination in coastal areas affected by urban rivers receiving combined sewer overflows

Odaiba seaside park is one of the most popular waterfronts in Tokyo Bay, but is easily affected by wet weather pollutant loads through combined sewer overflows (CSOs). The monitoring data of Escherichia coli clearly showed high faecal contamination after a rainfall event on 9-11 November 2007. We estimated the amounts of discharge volume and E. coli pollutant loads of urban rivers receiving CSO from rainfall chambers as well as pumping stations and primary effluent discharge. The result suggested that Sumida River and Meguro River were more influential to the Odaiba coastal area than other sources including the nearest wastewater treatment plant. Subsequently, we simulated the dynamic behaviour of E. coli by a three-dimensional (3D) hydro-dynamic and water quality model. The model simulation reproduced that E. coli concentration after the rainfall event increased rapidly at first and later gradually decreased. The simulations with and without inflow pollutant loads from urban rivers suggested that the E. coli concentration can be influenced by the Meguro River just after the rainfall event and Sumida River about 1 week later. From the spatial and temporal distribution of surface E. coli concentration, after at least 6 days from the rainfall event, high faecal contamination spread to the whole of the coastal area.

Elastic constants in orthorhombic hen egg-white lysozyme crystals

The ultrasonic sound velocities of cross-linked orthorhombic hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL) crystals, including a large amount of water in the crystal, were measured using an ultrasonic pulse-echo method. As a result, seven elastic constants of orthorhombic crystals were observed to be C11 = 5.24 GPa, C22 = 4.87 GPa, C12 = 4.02 GPa, C33 = 5.23 GPa, C44 = 0.30 GPa, C55 = 0.40 GPa, and C66 = 0.43 GPa, respectively. However, C13 and C23 could not be observed because the suitable crystal planes could not be cut from bulk crystals. We conclude that the observed elastic constants of the cross-linked crystals are coincident with those of the intrinsic crystals without cross-linking. Moreover, the characteristics of the elastic constants in orthorhombic HEWL crystals are due to the fact that the shear elastic constants, C44, C55, and C66, are softer than in tetragonal crystals. That is, the shear components, C44, C55, and C66, are one half of those of the tetragonal crystals.

[A case of pancreatic and duodenal fistula after total gastrectomy successfully treated with coagulation factor XIII]

Pancreatic fistula( PF) is a challenging postoperative complication. We report a case of PF following gastrectomy successfully treated using intravenous coagulation factor XIII( FXIII).A 78-year-old man with early gastric cancer underwent total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction. PF developed postoperatively, following which, leakage from the duodenal stump was observed. Percutaneous drainage and re-operative surgery were performed. A somatostatin analogue, antibiotic drugs, and gabexate mesilate were administrated along with nutritional support. The pancreatic and duodenal fistula had been producing duodenal juice for over 30 days since the re-operative surgery. As suspected, reduced FXIII activity was confirmed in the patient. After administering FXIII for 5 days, the amount of duodenal juice from the fistula markedly reduced, and the fistula closed immediately afterwards. The results of our study suggest that administration of FXIII could be a reasonable and effective treatment for patients with pancreatic or/and enterocutaneous fistula who are resistant to standard treatments.

Improvement of crystal quality for tetragonal hen egg white lysozyme crystals under application of an external alternating current electric field

X-ray diffraction rocking-curve measurements were performed on tetragonal hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) crystals grown with and without application of an external alternating current (AC) electric field, and then the crystal quality was assessed by the FWHMs of each rocking-curve profile. The FWHMs for HEWL crystals grown with an external electric field were smaller than those for crystals grown without. In particular, the average FWHM for the 12 12 0 reflection with an external electric field (0.0034°) was significantly smaller than that without (0.0061°). This indicates that the crystal quality of HEWL crystals was improved by application of the external AC electric field. This crystallization technique can be expected to enhance the resolution of protein molecule structure analysis by X-ray diffraction.

Multi-platform experiment to cross a boundary between laboratory and real situational studies: experimental discussion of cross-situational consistency of driving behaviors

We constructed an innovative experimental platform to study cross-situational consistency in driving behavior, conducted behavioral experiments, and reported the data obtained in the experiment. To discuss cross-situational consistency, we separated situations in which people use some systems to conduct tasks into three independent conceptual factors: environment, context, and system. We report the experimental results with the following systems: a laboratory system with a gaming controller and steering/pedal controllers and a real system, COMS an instrumented vehicle. The results are summarized as follows. 1) The individual behaviors in each system were stable, and consistency was retained. 2) The consistency of the behaviors was also confirmed when the participants drove using different interfaces in identical systems. 3) However, only slight correlation was observed across different systems in a specific situation where a strong high-order cognitive constraint (i.e., rapid driving) and a weak low-order cognitive constraint (driving with easy handling toward a straight-line course) were given.

[Our experiences of XELOX + bevacizumab for two cases of metastatic sigmoid colon cancer]

XELOX for metastatic colorectal cancer has been approved last year in Japan and used to manage some cases of metastatic colorectal cancer at our hospital. We thought that this regimen has some merits in the patient's quality of life (QOL). Case 1: A 66-year-old man who had been diagnosed sigmoid colon cancer with retroperitoneal invasion. Case 2: A 67-year-old man who had been diagnosed Sigmoid colon cancer with multiple lung metastases. Therefore, both of them have been diagnosed as metastatic sigmoid colon cancer. Although two cases started with XELOX + bevacizumab, there was no toxicity of grade 3 or 4 for both, and we thought that the patients' QOL had been kept. Now, two cases are followed tightly as their chemotherapeutic response is being PR or NC.

Structural, electronic, optical and vibrational properties of nanoscale carbons and nanowires: a colloquial review

This review addresses the field of nanoscience as viewed through the lens of the scientific career of Peter Eklund, thus with a special focus on nanocarbons and nanowires. Peter brought to his research an intense focus, imagination, tenacity, breadth and ingenuity rarely seen in modern science. His goal was to capture the essential physics of natural phenomena. This attitude also guides our writing: we focus on basic principles, without sacrificing accuracy, while hoping to convey an enthusiasm for the science commensurate with Peter's. The term 'colloquial review' is intended to capture this style of presentation. The diverse phenomena of condensed matter physics involve electrons, phonons and the structures within which excitations reside. The 'nano' regime presents particularly interesting and challenging science. Finite size effects play a key role, exemplified by the discrete electronic and phonon spectra of C(60) and other fullerenes. The beauty of such molecules (as well as nanotubes and graphene) is reflected by the theoretical principles that govern their behavior. As to the challenge, 'nano' requires special care in materials preparation and treatment, since the surface-to-volume ratio is so high; they also often present difficulties of acquiring an experimental signal, since the samples can be quite small. All of the atoms participate in the various phenomena, without any genuinely 'bulk' properties. Peter was a master of overcoming such challenges. The primary activity of Eklund's research was to measure and understand the vibrations of atoms in carbon materials. Raman spectroscopy was very dear to Peter. He published several papers on the theory of phonons (Eklund et al 1995a Carbon 33 959-72, Eklund et al 1995b Thin Solid Films 257 211-32, Eklund et al 1992 J. Phys. Chem. Solids 53 1391-413, Dresselhaus and Eklund 2000 Adv. Phys. 49 705-814) and many more papers on measuring phonons (Pimenta et al 1998b Phys. Rev. B 58 16016-9, Rao et al 1997a Nature 338 257-9, Rao et al 1997b Phys. Rev. B 55 4766-73, Rao et al 1997c Science 275 187-91, Rao et al 1998 Thin Solid Films 331 141-7). His careful sample treatment and detailed Raman analysis contributed greatly to the elucidation of photochemical polymerization of solid C(60) (Rao et al 1993b Science 259 955-7). He developed Raman spectroscopy as a standard tool for gauging the diameter of a single-walled carbon nanotube (Bandow et al 1998 Phys. Rev. Lett. 80 3779-82), distinguishing metallic versus semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes, (Pimenta et al 1998a J. Mater. Res. 13 2396-404) and measuring the number of graphene layers in a peeled flake of graphite (Gupta et al 2006 Nano Lett. 6 2667-73). For these and other ground breaking contributions to carbon science he received the Graffin Lecture award from the American Carbon Society in 2005, and the Japan Carbon Prize in 2008. As a material, graphite has come full circle. The 1970s renaissance in the science of graphite intercalation compounds paved the way for a later explosion in nanocarbon research by illuminating many beautiful fundamental phenomena, subsequently rediscovered in other forms of nanocarbon. In 1985, Smalley, Kroto, Curl, Heath and O'Brien discovered carbon cage molecules called fullerenes in the soot ablated from a rotating graphite target (Kroto et al 1985 Nature 318 162-3). At that time, Peter's research was focused mainly on the oxide-based high-temperature superconductors. He switched to fullerene research soon after the discovery that an electric arc can prepare fullerenes in bulk quantities (Haufler et al 1990 J. Phys. Chem. 94 8634-6). Later fullerene research spawned nanotubes, and nanotubes spawned a newly exploding research effort on single-layer graphene. Graphene has hence evolved from an oversimplified model of graphite (Wallace 1947 Phys. Rev. 71 622-34) to a new member of the nanocarbon family exhibiting extraordinary electronic properties. Eklund's career spans this 35-year odyssey.

Role of anti-oncomirs miR-143 and -145 in human colorectal tumors

We examined the expression levels of microRNAs (miRNAs (miRs)) in colorectal tumors (63 cancer specimens and 65 adenoma specimens) and paired non-tumorous tissues. Decreased expression of miR-143 and -145 was frequently observed in the adenomas and cancers tested, compared with miR-34a downregulation and miR-21 upregulation. Expression profiles of miR-143 and -145 were not associated with any clinical features. As the downregulation of miR-143 and -145 was observed even in the early phase of adenoma formation, the decreased expression of both miRs would appear to contribute mainly to the initiation step of tumorigenesis, not to the progression stage, and not to clinical prognostic factors. For clinical application, we changed the sequences of the passenger strand in the miR-143 duplex and performed chemical modification at the 3'-overhang portion of miR-143, leading to greater activity and stability to nuclease. The cell growth inhibitory effect of the chemically modified synthetic miR-143 in vitro was greater than that of endogenous miR-143. The miR-143 showed a significant tumor-suppressive effect on xenografted tumors of DLD-1 human colorectal cancer cells. These findings suggest that miR-143 and -145 are important onco-related genes for the initiation step of colorectal tumor development and that the chemically modified synthetic miR-143 may be a hopeful candidate as an RNA medicine for the treatment of colorectal tumors.

Elastic constants in tetragonal hen egg-white lysozyme crystals containing large amount of water

Transverse sound velocity of cross-linked tetragonal hen egg-white (HEW) lysozyme crystals containing large amount of water in the crystal was measured using ultrasonic pulse-echo method. All elastic constants of cross-linked crystals were observed to be C11=C22=5.50 GPa, C12=4.33 GPa, C13=C23=3.94 GPa, C33=5.22 GPa, C44=C55=0.68 GPa, and C66=0.84 GPa, respectively. We found that the elastic constants of the cross-linked crystals are identical to those of the intrinsic ones without cross-linking. Moreover, we found that tetragonal HEW lysozyme crystals that enclose large amount of water show decreased elastic constants (softening). In particular, the shear elastic constants C44=C55 and C66 showed more softening effect comparing with other elastic components.

Relation between outcomes and localisation of p-mTOR expression in gastric cancer

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a Ser/Thr protein kinase that mediates intracellular signalling related to cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation, has received considerable interest as a possible target for cancer treatment. We evaluated the correlation of mTOR expression with clinicopathological features, outcomes, and the expression of Akt, an upstream regulator of mTOR, in gastric cancer. Tumour samples were obtained from 109 patients with gastric adenocarcinomas who underwent a radical gastrectomy. The expressions of phosphorylated mTOR (p-mTOR) and phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) in the cytoplasm and in the nucleus were analysed by immunohistochemical staining. Cytoplasmic p-mTOR expression positively correlated with the depth of tumour invasion (T1 vs T2-4, P=0.003), involved lymph nodes (P=0.010), and tumour stage (I vs II-IV, P=0.002). In contrast, nuclear p-mTOR expression negatively correlated with these variables (P<0.001,=0.035, and <0.001). Cytoplasmic p-mTOR expression was associated with significantly poorer relapse-free survival (RFS, P=0.037) and overall survival (OS, P=0.024), whereas nuclear p-mTOR expression was associated with better RFS and OS (P=0.029, 0.059). Neither cytoplasmic nor nuclear p-Akt expression was associated with any clinicopathological factor or with survival. Localisation of p-mTOR may play an important role in tumour progression and outcomes in patients with gastric cancer.

The dual PI3 kinase/mTOR inhibitor PI-103 prevents p53 induction by Mdm2 inhibition but enhances p53-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis in p53 wild-type AML

Activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/Akt/mammalian target of the rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) pathway and inactivation of wild-type p53 by murine double minute 2 homologue (Mdm2) overexpression are frequent molecular events in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We investigated the interaction of PI3K/Akt/mTOR and p53 pathways after their simultaneous blockade using the dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor PI-103 and the Mdm2 inhibitor Nutlin-3. We found that PI-103, which itself has modest apoptogenic activity, acts synergistically with Nutlin-3 to induce apoptosis in a wild-type p53-dependent fashion. PI-103 synergized with Nutlin-3 to induce Bax conformational change and caspase-3 activation, despite its inhibitory effect on p53 induction. The PI-103/Nutlin-3 combination caused profound dephosphorylation of 4E-BP1 and decreased expression of many proteins including Mdm2, p21, Noxa, Bcl-2 and survivin, which can affect mitochondrial stability. We suggest that PI-103 actively enhances downstream p53 signaling and that a combination strategy aimed at inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling and activating p53 signaling is potentially effective in AML, where TP53 mutations are rare and downstream p53 signaling is intact.

Postnatal development of the organ of Corti in dominant-negative Gjb2 transgenic mice

Hereditary hearing loss is one of the most prevalent inherited human birth defects, affecting one in 2000. A strikingly high proportion (50%) of congenital bilateral nonsyndromic sensorineural deafness cases have been linked to mutations in the GJB2 coding for the connexin26. It has been hypothesized that gap junctions in the cochlea, especially connexin26, provide an intercellular passage by which K(+) are transported to maintain high levels of the endocochlear potential essential for sensory hair cell excitation. We previously reported the generation of a mouse model carrying human connexin26 with R75W mutation (R75W+ mice). The present study attempted to evaluate postnatal development of the organ of Corti in the R75W+ mice. R75W+ mice have never shown auditory brainstem response waveforms throughout postnatal development, indicating the disturbance of auditory organ development. Histological observations at postnatal days (P) 5-14 were characterized by i) absence of tunnel of Corti, Nuel's space, or spaces surrounding the outer hair cells, ii) significantly small numbers of microtubules in inner pillar cells, iii) shortening of height of the organ of Corti, and iv) increase of the cross-sectional area of the cells of the organ of Corti. Thus, morphological observations confirmed that a dominant-negative Gjb2 mutation showed incomplete development of the cochlear supporting cells. On the other hand, the development of the sensory hair cells, at least from P5 to P12, was not affected. The present study suggests that Gjb2 is indispensable in the postnatal development of the organ of Corti and normal hearing.

Association of Fas Ligand gene polymorphism with Stevens-Johnson syndrome

BACKGROUND

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are acute severe blistering diseases of the skin and also two of the most devastating ocular surface diseases leading to corneal damage and loss of vision. The extreme rarity of cutaneous and ocular surface reactions to drug therapies led us to suspect individual susceptibility. SJS/TEN patients in the acute stage were reported to manifest increased serum levels of Fas Ligand (FasL). Thus, we performed SNP association analysis of the FasL gene.

METHODS

In 76 Japanese SJS/TEN patients with ocular surface complications and 160 Japanese healthy controls, we examined four SNPs of FasL reported in the Japanese Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (JSNP) database by sequencing.

RESULTS

The SNP rs.3830150 A/G showed a significant strong inverse association with SJS/TEN. Analysis of the genotype pattern of SNPs rs.3830150 and rs.2639614 (rs.3830150 A/A-rs.2639614 G/G) also manifested a strong inverse association with SJS/TEN.

CONCLUSION

FasL gene polymorphisms might be associated with SJS/TEN.

Derivation of neurospheres from bone marrow stromal cells

Nerve stem cells have a unique characteristic in that they form spherical aggregates, also termed neurospheres, in vitro. The study demonstrated the successful derivation of these neurospheres from bone marrow culture. Their plasticity as nerve stem cells was confirmed. The findings further strengthens the pluripotency of cell populations within the bone marrow.

Isolation techniques of murine bone marrow progenitor cells and their adipogenic, neurogenic and osteogenic differentiation capacity

Bone marrow derived progenitor cells have been widely studied for its multipotent property and have proofed to be an important resource in regenerative medicine. However, the propagation of murine bone marrow appeared to be a great challenge as compared to other mammalian species. In this study, various isolation techniques and the plasticity of the isolated cells were evaluated. Our result shows that magnetic sorting technique yielded the most viable cells and displayed wider differentiation capacity.

[Endobronchial metastasis from renal cell carcinoma resected 9 years before; report of a case]

A 68-year-old man, who had undergone a left nephrectomy for a clear cell type renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in June 1995 and then received interferon therapy till March 1997, was admitted with dyspnea in June 2004. Chest X-ray showed atelectasis of the left lower lung lobe and chest computed tomography revealed a polypoid mass in the left lower bronchus. He was diagnosed with a pulmonary metastasis of a RCC by transbronchial biopsy. We considered it a slow growing type of RCC because of the long disease free interval (DFI). A left lower lobectomy with bronchoplasty was carried out. However, 6 month after the operation, a new lesion has occurred near the portion of the broncho-anastmosis and multiple metastases have developed in the right lung.

Reliability of endoscopic esophageal mucosectomy using TxHood, a multipurpose treatment hood

Endoscopic mucosectomy, comprising both endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), is a minimally invasive treatment for patients with early esophageal carcinoma. The use of ESD is appropriate for mucosal lesions of any size. However, ESD techniques are relatively difficult and can lead to serious complications such as perforation and massive bleeding, which have been reported more frequently after ESD than after EMR. This study describes a novel technique for ESD using a newly designed multipurpose treatment hood (TxHood) as well as basic experiments to ensure its safety. The TxHood includes various therapeutic tools such as an electric needleknife, a snare wire, and an injection needle, and the lines can be selected freely before insertion of an enodoscope covered by a TxHood. The main techniques for ESD are endoscopic submucosal saline injections on demand through a working channel of the endoscope or TxHood and a cut or swing cut with a needleknife attached to the TxHood. Moreover, the target area can be grasped with a grasping forceps through a working channel of the endoscope to obtain effective countertraction. In these experiments, an electric needleknife set parallel to the shaft of the endoscope offered safety and ease of handling for the dissecting procedures. Altogether, 16 resections of mucosa with an average size of 3.5 x 2.5 cm (range, 2 x 2 to 7 x 4 cm) were performed. The average time required for each targeted endoscopic resection area was about 15 min. No perforations or instances of uncontrollable bleeding occurred. In conclusion, this basic study demonstrates that the new ESD technique with the TxHood provides a useful treatment for early esophageal carcinoma and may be applicable for all mucosal or submucosal tumors in the gastrointestinal tract.

Ecdysone response element in a baculovirus immediate-early gene, ie1, promoter

A computer-assisted analysis identified tentative target sequences for regulatory proteins including ecdysone-inducible factors such as BmFTZ-F1 and Broad-Complex Z4 (BR-C Z4) in the ie1 promoter of BmNPV. A transient expression experiment using BmN cells and a series of truncated ie1 promoter constructs demonstrated that the activity of the ie1 promoter responded to alpha-ecdysone and 20-hydroxyecdysone, which required a tridecameric nucleotide stretch (ie1EcRE, 5'-GTGTTATCGACCT-3') homologous to the ecdysone response element reported for Drosophila (DmEcRE). RT-PCR demonstrated the expression of BmEcR and BmUSP, which are required as ecdysone-specific activators for EcRE-mediated activation, in BmN cells. Furthermore, the ie1 EcRE-mediated response was confirmed by using a recombinant BmNPV possessing a luciferase gene under the control of the ie1 promoter with or without ie1 EcRE. This is the first report of an ecdysone response element in a baculoviral gene promoter. These results also suggested that the regulation of the ie1 by ecdysone may militate viral replication at least under certain conditions during natural infections in vivo.

Optical gain spectra for near UV to aquamarine (Al,In)GaN laser diodes

Optical gain spectra presented for (Al,In)GaN laser diodes with lasing wavelength ranging from UV (375 nm) to aquamarine (470 nm) show a strong increase in inhomogeneous broadening, caused by Indium composition and quantum well width fluctuations which increase with Indium mole fraction. These gain spectra provides a standard data set for the calibration of microscopic many-body simulations. We demonstrate by comparison with basic simulations that the different assumptions of a global constant carrier density or of global constant quasi-Fermi levels for electrons and holes lead to a strikingly different dependency of optical gain on carrier density. For constant quasi-Fermi levels the threshold carrier density becomes insensitive to inhomogeneous broadening for realistic parameters. This is in agreement with the observation that the threshold current is nearly independent over the wavelength range from near UV to aquamarine.