ILF-3 is a regulator of the neural plate border marker Zic1 in chick embryos

BACKGROUND

The neural crest is a multipotent cell type unique to the vertebrate lineage and capable of differentiating into a large number of varied cell types, including ganglia of the peripheral nervous system, cartilage, and glia. An early step in neural crest specification occurs at the neural plate border, a region defined by the overlap of transcription factors of the Zic, Msx, and Pax families.

RESULTS

Here we identify a novel chick gene with close homology to double-stranded RNA-binding protein Interleukin enhancer binding factor 3 (ILF-3) in other species. Our results show that chick Ilf-3 is required for proper expression of the transcription factor, Zic-1, at the neural plate border.

CONCLUSION

We have identified a novel chick gene and show it has a role in the correct specification of Zic-1 at the neural plate border.

Molecular cloning, characterization of porcine IZUMO1, an IgSF family member

IZUMO1, belonging to the family of mammalian immunoglobulin proteins, has been well characterized in the mouse. Here, we describe the molecular cloning and expression analysis of porcine IZUMO1 (pIZUMO1). Partial sequence information published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database was used to generate the full-length sequence for IZUMO1 using rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). A search of the porcine genomic sequence in the NCBI database identified a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) encoding the pIZUMO1 gene. This BAC is derived from porcine chromosome 6 and is syntenic with the corresponding regions of mouse, bovine, and human genomes encoding the IZUMO gene family. This BAC was found to encode an IZUMO1 protein with a predicted amino acid sequence having high similarity with mouse and human IZUMO1. Western blot analysis of proteins from porcine tissues indicated that pIZUMO1 was specifically expressed in the sperm. Furthermore, to confirm whether pIZUMO1 forms complexes, we overexpressed pIZUMO1 in HEK293 cells. The recombinant pIZUMO1 from cell extracts was found to form complexes. Our finding suggests that pIZUMO1 forms homodimeric complex on the sperm membrane. Furthermore, an IVF inhibition assay with an antibody for the porcine IZUMO1 Ig-like domain showed that Ig-like domain effectively prevented pig sperm-egg interactions.

MR imaging of congenital or developmental neuropathic strabismus: common and uncommon findings

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

High-resolution MR imaging enables direct imaging of the ocular motor nerves. The aim of this study was to assess the various causes of congenital or developmental neuropathic strabismus by using high-resolution MR imaging.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

High-resolution MR imaging was performed to evaluate the ocular motor nerves (CNIII, CNIV, CNVI) in 247 consecutive patients with suspected congenital or developmental neuropathic strabismus. These MR images, along with those obtained from conventional MR imaging of the brain and the orbit, were evaluated.

RESULTS

MR imaging abnormalities were found in 112 patients: ocular motor nerve abnormalities in 98 patients (88%), orbital abnormalities in 9 patients (8%), and brain abnormalities in 5 patients (4%). Ocular motor nerve abnormalities were CNIV aplasia (63%), CNVI aplasia or hypoplasia (21%), CNIII aplasia or hypoplasia (3%), and combined CNIII aplasia and CNVI hypoplasia (1%). Orbital abnormalities were EOM hypoplasia (7%), EOM hypertrophy (1%), and fibrotic mass (1%). Brain abnormalities were periventricular leukomalacia (4%) and periventricular heterotopia (1%).

CONCLUSIONS

Various MR imaging abnormalities were associated with congenital and developmental neuropathic strabismus. The most common abnormality was CNIV aplasia.

Effect of topical dimethylarsinic acid on the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in mouse skin

We investigated the effect of the topical application of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) on skin thickness and the expression of several apoptosis-related proteins in skin. After administration of DMA during pregnancy, skin thickness and skin expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-3, Bad, Bid, and caspases-3, -6, -8, -9, and -12 were examined in dams and their offspring. DMA treatment caused significant increases in skin thickness (p < 0.05) and the expression of Bcl-2, Bad, and capase-12 in the skin of dams at the mRNA and protein levels (p < 0.01). However, maternal exposure to DMA did not significantly alter the expression of the studied apoptosis-related factors in the skin of the offspring. These findings indicate that DMA may induce skin apoptosis, in part, by modulating the expression of Bcl-2, Bad, and caspase-12 in maternal skin. Additionally, our results suggest that maternal exposure to DAM during pregnancy may not induce apoptosis in the skin of the offspring.

The regulations of Drosophila phototransduction

This is the first of two reviews that include some of the studies that we, members of the Pak lab and collaborators, carried out from 1998 to 2010 on the functional and physical interactions among several Drosophila phototransduction components. The report includes our studies on the regulations and/or the functions of arrestin II (Arr2), norpA (PLC), inactivation no afterpotential D (INAD), transient receptor potential (TRP), TRP-like (TRPL), inactivation no afterpotential E (INAE), and Porin.

Staircaselike suppression of supersolidity under rotation

There are a number of distinct signatures of superfluids, one of which is the appearance of quantized vortices. There have been some attempts to understand the putative supersolid 4He in the vortex framework, but no conclusive evidence that supports the existence of the vortices has been reported. Here, we investigate the rotation velocity dependence of the torsional oscillation of solid 4He at various temperatures. The velocity sweep reveals intriguing periodic staircaselike features below about 300 mK. The staircase patterns show remarkable periodicity, and we interpret these patterns as a consequence of vortex injection. However, there are some features that cannot be accounted for with simple injection of vortices into superfluid, and further investigation is required.

Immunohistochemical analysis of pulpal regeneration by nestin expression in replanted teeth

AIM

To investigate dental pulp healing after tooth replantation in rats using nestin as an odontoblastic marker for immunohistochemical analysis.

METHODOLOGY

  Twenty-five maxillary right first molars from 25 female Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 4 weeks post-natally, were extracted and immediately repositioned in the original socket within 5 s. Five rats each were later killed on days 3, 5 and weeks 1, 2 and 4. The maxillae were removed en bloc and the tissue samples containing the maxillary right first molars were decalcified, sectioned, mounted and stained with anti-nestin antibody to be observed under a light microscope.

RESULTS

  At 3 days after replantation, there was a localized inflammatory reaction, but pulp revascularization and healing had begun in the root area. At 5 days after replantation, odontoblast-like cells were observed. Reparative dentine deposition was observed beneath the pulp-dentine border from 1 week after replantation, and gradually increased until 2 weeks after replantation. The presence of odontoblast-like cells and the formation of reparative dentine continued from the first week throughout the experimental period. At week four, deposition of osteodentine and cementum-like tissues were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Pulpal mineralization after replantation initially occurred via the deposition of reparative dentine, followed by the deposition of osteodentine and cementum-like tissues in rat teeth.

In search of proteins that are important for synaptic functions in Drosophila visual system

This is the second of two reviews that include some of the studies we, members of the Pak laboratory and collaborators, did from 2000 to 2010 on the mutants that affect synaptic transmission in the Drosophila visual system. Of the five mutants we discuss, two turned out to also play roles in the larval neuromuscular junction. This review complements the one on phototransduction to give a fairly complete account of what we focused on during the 10-year period, although we also did some studies on photoreceptor degeneration in the early part of the decade. Besides showing the power of using a genetic approach to the study of synaptic transmission, the review contains some unexpected results that illustrate the serendipitous nature of research.

[Use of inomeric cement: preliminary results in revision stapes surgery]

OBJECTIVES

Lonomeric cement can be used in revision of stapes surgery to extend the long process of the incus. Indeed, necrosis of the long process of the incus is the most common peroperative finding in this surgery. The objective in this study is to describe the technique and precautions of using SerenoCem, in the reconstruction of the long process of the incus in this indication.

TYPE OF STUDY

Prospective study.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Consecutive patients with necrosis of the long process of the incus were included from September 2009 to October 2010. We analyzed peroperative findings and evaluated functional results by hearing tests before and three months after surgery.

RESULTS

Nine patients, were included. The preoperative air-bone gap was 29 dB (+/- 14) whereas postoperative air-bone gap was 16 dB (+/- 10). The rate of postoperative air-bone gap closure to within 10 dB was 55% (n = 5). No sensorineural hearing loss occured in this study. Results of revision surgery were more successful when the piston is directly attached to the incus remnant and stabilized with cement, compared to incus reconstruction followed by piston attachment.

CONCLUSION

Ionomeric cement permits reconstruction of the necrosis of the long process of the incus during revision surgery. Preliminary results reveal a significant hearing improvement, without complementary morbidity.

Measurements of higher order flow harmonics in Au+Au collisions at √s(NN)=200 GeV

Flow coefficients ν(n) for n=2, 3, 4, characterizing the anisotropic collective flow in Au+Au collisions at √s(NN)=200 GeV, are measured relative to event planes Ψ(n), determined at large rapidity. We report ν(n) as a function of transverse momentum and collision centrality, and study the correlations among the event planes of different order n. The ν(n) are well described by hydrodynamic models which employ a Glauber Monte Carlo initial state geometry with fluctuations, providing additional constraining power on the interplay between initial conditions and the effects of viscosity as the system evolves. This new constraint can serve to improve the precision of the extracted shear viscosity to entropy density ratio η/s.

OT2-05-06: ACOSOG Z11101/ACRIN 6694: Effect of Preoperative Breast MRI on Surgical Outcomes, Costs and Quality of Life of Women with Breast Cancer

Background

Surgical planning and local-regional treatment of breast cancer relies on accurate assessment of disease extent including the primary tumor size and the presence/absence of multiple tumor foci. As a staging modality for breast cancer, MRI has shown high sensitivity for detection of additional foci of diseases within the index breast. However, the impact of preoperative breast MRI on reducing re-excision rates and improving local control is less clear. Data from the COMICE trial in the UK suggested that routine use of pre-operative breast MRI did not alter rates of re-excision; however issues have been raised about the lack of quality standards for the MR imaging that may have resulted in the negative results of this trial. Retrospective data suggest that local recurrence is not impacted by use of breast MRI. In concert with data showing no improvement in clinical outcomes of breast cancer patients, concerns have been raised that routine use of preoperative breast MRI is associated with increased rates of mastectomy and delays to surgery. Therefore, the application of MRI for preoperative surgical staging remains controversial. In order to address this ongoing controversy, a joint effort has been launched by ACOSOG and ACRIN for a prospective clinical trial focused on evaluating the impact of preoperative breast MRI on clinically relevant patient outcomes. An important part of this collaboration is implementation of standards of how MRI findings should be clinically managed and used to direct localization methods and surgical planning, thereby creating guidelines for subsequent patient intervention.

Trial design/eligibility criteria: A prospective multicenter trial will include women eligible for BCT by standard criteria and randomized between current standard of care, clinical examination and mammography (+/− ultrasound) and the same plus preoperative breast MRI. The study will focus on women at the highest risk of local recurrence: ER/PR/HER-2 negative (triple negative) and HER-2 amplified breast cancers.

Specific aims: To compare the rates of local recurrence following breast conserving therapy in a cohort randomized to preoperative staging with mammography or mammography plus breast MRI. Additionally, a comparison of rates of re-operation, time to local recurrence, survival outcomes, contralateral breast cancer rates, rates of multicentric disease and other secondary aims will be performed. Costs and quality of life measures will also be investigated.

Statistical methods: A stratified logrank test and Cox partial likelihood score test will be used to assess whether the distribution of LR times differs with respect to diagnostic work-up approach having adjusted for tumor stage. Cox modeling with the Cox partial likelihood score test will be used to examine the strength of association between these time to event distributions and such additional potential prognostic factors as menopausal status, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, ER, PR, number of positive lymph nodes, HER-2/neu expression, Nottingham grade, and Ki-67 expression.

Target Accrual: 556 patients

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr OT2-05-06.

Function of COP9 signalosome in regulation of mouse oocytes meiosis by regulating MPF activity and securing degradation

The COP9 (constitutive photomorphogenic) signalosome (CSN), composed of eight subunits, is a highly conserved protein complex that regulates processes such as cell cycle progression and kinase signalling. Previously, we found the expression of the COP9 constitutive photomorphogenic homolog subunit 3 (CSN3) and subunit 5 (CSN5) changes as oocytes mature for the first time, and there is no report regarding roles of COP9 in the mammalian oocytes. Therefore, in the present study, we examined the effects of RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated transient knockdown of each subunit on the meiotic cell cycle in mice oocytes. Following knockdown of either CSN3 or CSN5, oocytes failed to complete meiosis I. These arrested oocytes exhibited a disrupted meiotic spindle and misarranged chromosomes. Moreover, down-regulation of each subunit disrupted the activity of maturation-promoting factor (MPF) and concurrently reduced degradation of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) substrates Cyclin B1 and Securin. Our data suggest that the CSN3 and CSN5 are involved in oocyte meiosis by regulating degradation of Cyclin B1 and Securin via APC/C.